Ladies Short Program

[bethissoawesome]

I think CoP needs a mark for "wow factor" because that is something Sasha had last night that Irina did not... and a .03 difference is not enough to demonstrate the different levels in their performances last night.
(and for those that looked at the detailed score... why did Sasha get a -GOE in her 3Lz/2t combination?)

I feel like Fumie was undermarked and should be right up there with Shizuka and Irina. If I could pick a top 5 from last night's SP it would be Sasha, Shizuka, Fumie, Irina, and Elene G.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

Not absolutely certain but I think the split jumps is now considered a move-in-the field, so Fontana's use of it into an axel is ok. But someone check that out, please. It's quite an exciting move.

Joe

 

[antmanb]

I think CoP needs a mark for "wow factor" because that is something Sasha had last night that Irina did not... and a .03 difference is not enough to demonstrate the different levels in their performances last night.
(and for those that looked at the detailed score... why did Sasha get a -GOE in her 3Lz/2t combination?)

I would guess if she got -GOEs its because of her flutzing...although it didn't look lquite as severe last night as it usually does. Has she improved it or was it just the camera angle?

To be both Cohen and Arakawa need to be dinged for their SP jumps because they both do exactly the same jump twice in the SP - Cohen wobbles on the entrance edge to her lutz, sets the outside edge and wobbles back on to the inside for take off, for her flip she does the Three turn, sets the outside edge, wobbles onto the insdie edge and jumps.

Arakawa conversely sets up her lutz with a shallow inside edge pulls onto a strong outside edge and does the lutz, then on the flip she does the three turn exits on a shallow inside edge then pulls onto a strong outside edge for the take off.

For thsi i would expect -GOEs on Sasha's Lutz and -GOEs for Arakawa's flip.

Ant

 

[antmanb]

Not absolutely certain but I think the split jumps is now considered a move-in-the field, so Fontana's use of it into an axel is ok. But someone check that out, please. It's quite an exciting move.

Joe

f it was int o the axel i'd have thought it a difficult transition but it was into the triple toe which previsouly had to have footwork going into it, i'm just wondering if the solo triple jump rule in the SP has been changed to include moves in the field etc or if its just footwork.

Ant

 

[RubyNV]

Irina, Sasha, etc.

There were so many lovely short programs!!
I still believe that Irina will win gold, and that Sasha will win silver.
Now that I've seen the short programs, I think that one of the Japanese women will win bronze, although it is possible that if Sasha gets too nervous, as she usually does during long programs (the jumps tend to go at that point), one of them could pass her for the silver and drop her to bronze. Irina is a good long program skater, and I imagine that she will do a couple triple-triples or a triple-triple-double combo to get the gold.

 

[flying camel]

It is usually the middle part of Sasha's program where I feel she gets fatigued and the mistakes start to happen. I hope she can hold it together. She does not have good endurance. She said she has added some things to get more program componets. I wonder what it is.

 

[Dee4707]

First of all. Sasha. WOW. WOW. WOW. She was -- and in 27 years of watching skating, I have never used this to describe anyone -- SIMPLY DAZZLING. IMHO, that was the short program of her career, and she's had some nice ones.

She did a wonderful job. I have not seen that burning fire as she had last night.

And I still don't understand all the hype about Ando. As far as I'm concerned, she's about one notch above Onda in overall quality. That spiral sequence was one of the most novice-level things I have ever seen at this level.

I don't get it either.

Sandra Bezic. Did US audiences get stuck with her because she got chased out of Canada with sticks and torches or something?? She's gotta go. For someone who is supposedly so knowledgeable, she's pretty dang dumb about some things. .

I think for someone who thinks they are so smart should do some homework before opening their mouths. I couldn't believe she called Rochette......Jo...........annie.

Dee

 

[cmk]

Actually Jo annie is the way Rochette does pronounce her name. Barb and Paul pronounce it that way so Sandra actually did get that right.

ck

 

[Callystarr]

FUMIE SUGURI

3Lz-2t verrrrrrry nice, the lutz just popped into the air
3f- gorgeous
Spiral Sequence was very nice
She just caresses the ice
2a- right on the music
Her emotions are starting to show now; she's really selling this program
Straightline footwork- very difficult, but good speed
All of the spins were nice

My favorite performance so far!

TES=32.61
PCS=29.14
Total=61.75
She's currently in third place, behind Slutskaya and Arakawa, but in striking distance.

I completely agree, I even though her component scores should have been much higher...the 2nd best SP of the night IMO.

 

[Callystarr]

Yep. She should be in front of Emily Hughes. But Elena Liaschenko is far more undermarked.

The big thrill tonight was the Georgian who confirmed her promissing talent discoved at the Europeans.

To finish the evening (European Time), I'd like to say the competition was nice but I would definitly like the ladies to use their music sometimes. There is no choreography. They can skate on a blues, a polka, a movie theme, a classical theme or a flamenco, the choreography stays the same, we can see the same postures, the same gestures. That's so boring. It's nice that the girls' competition has improved to a better technical level. But I'd like them to try some choreogrphy. It would help the public to get interested.

Sarah Meier ahead of Emily Hughes? Lets be serious, Sarah Meiers jumps were very nice I must admit..but her spins and her component marks were nowhere near where they need to be.

Sarah Meier is a skater who came out what in 2001? Finished 4th at Europeans and she has NOT improved on the 2nd mark/CoP since...she has been at a stand still. She bores me to death.

 

[FreeKatie]

Not absolutely certain but I think the split jumps is now considered a move-in-the field, so Fontana's use of it into an axel is ok. But someone check that out, please. It's quite an exciting move.

Joe

Dick Button made a comment that a split jump gives no points in the short program but they do not lose points either. Perhaps they would get points if it was directly before a jump as a transition move though?

 

[FreeKatie]

Sarah Meier ahead of Emily Hughes? Lets be serious, Sarah Meiers jumps were very nice I must admit..but her spins and her component marks were nowhere near where they need to be.

Sarah Meier is a skater who came out what in 2001? Finished 4th at Europeans and she has NOT improved on the 2nd mark/CoP since...she has been at a stand still. She bores me to death.

Really? I thought Sarah Meier was pretty good. I like Emily too but her style reminds me very much of Irina Slutskaya and I prefer the more lyrical skaters.

 

[FreeKatie]

Actually, not quite my last subject. I adore Shizuka and have always been a big fan of her skating, but I would one of these days like to see her in a costume that isn't distracting to me. In 2004, she skated that brilliant long program with her butt hanging out of her dress, and tonight that "high neck" thing she had going on made her look like she'd been in a fender-bender the night before and was recovering from whiplash. I found it extremely distracting.

I liked Shizuka's costume (in and of itself) but I think that was was bothering me too - something about her back and posture was annoying me last night during the short program and I couldn't put my finger on it -- perhaps it had to do with the effect of the costume. The high neck makes her look very long from the waist up and consequently shortens the look of the legs in comparison.

 

[flying camel]

Shikuka always seems bent in the knees to me. It just does not look right.

 

[Justafan]

Really? I thought Sarah Meier was pretty good. I like Emily too but her style reminds me very much of Irina Slutskaya and I prefer the more lyrical skaters.

Emily's hair reminds me of how Irina used to wear hers when she was a teenager, before she got the flattering short cut. I know it's being nitpicky, but I think Emily needs a new hair style to make her look less like a 12 yr old in the face. She has a rather mature skating style.

 

[JonnyCoop]

Emily's hair reminds me of how Irina used to wear hers when she was a teenager, before she got the flattering short cut.

ITA. As a matter of fact, at Nats, when they were showed Emily in "video bits" here and there before she actually skated, I completely thought it was old footage of Irina, circa 1996.

Regarding Hughes vs. Meier: I actually preferred Sarah M's program to Emily's myself, but Emily definitely had the better technical content. And side note: I think Sarah M won Best Dressed last night, hands down. What a beautiful dress!

 

[alain707]

I'm going to have to respectfully disagree. Her time gliding into the lutz was much longer than any of the other skaters they showed tonight, and her entry to the flip took up almost half the ice as well.

I mainly wrote my post out of the impression that Elena should have gotten a few more points for her routine, and I think she would have gotten them a few years back when she was seen as a contender. I see the result as an indication by the judges that her time is over ... We know the judges don't only judge what they see but let other things come into the mix (which to me shouldn't happen, new or old system). On a personal note I can't remember any program from her that I really loved.
Now for the time she spends gliding ... I'll take a stopwatch for the freeskate ! I'm sure that time would seem shorter if she did arm movements to stay in tune with with the music ... and get rid of her awkward kick when getting ready for the lutz.

 

[dlkksk8fan]

JonnyCoop- I would have put the skaters in the same order.

I would have put Irina in 4th, behind Sasha, Fumie, and Shizuka

 

[hrmsk8ngnutt]

JonnyCoop- I would have put the skaters in the same order.

I concur - that's how I would have had the top 4.

Herm (sk8ngnutt)

 

[Tonichelle]

I was sick last night so I was in and out paying attention... was Sarah Meier the one skating to the Down With Love soundtrack? in the pink dress with the flower?

anyway whoever skated to that music deserves a perfect 10 because I love that soundtrack and movie lol