Mira Leung article - she is ready for the new season!

[feraina]

The press picks up on this, because she's a more interesting story than your average run-of-the-mill skater who doesn't do that well internationally.

Yeah, but I wasn't comparing her against your average run-of-the-mill skater. I was talking about the two most recent world champions, plus an up-and-comer (Zhang) who's been hyped by everyone for the past year (and for good reasons, she burst out of nowhere and earned 1st place in all international junior events last year, and she's getting standing O's in all her exhibitions).

We know so much about Mira's plans/goals for this year, her choice of music & costumes, her relationship with her coach, her thoughts on last season, her newly found femininity, etc. What do we know about Kimmie, Miki, or Caroline? Maybe Mira is calling up all the press rep's to invite her to interviews, but why should they agree to do it? Why are they not focusing on all the other wonderful skaters who're competing this week and who can be expected to beat her hands down?

I don't mind hearing about Mira's plans, thoughts, etc. I just wish I could hear more about all the other skaters.

 

[chuckm]

I guess if you were in Japan, you'd be hearing all about Miki and Mao in the papers and on TV.

Caroline Zhang is very young (14) and perhaps her parents don't encourage the media. Kimmie has been doing charity events all summer and most of the media coverage has been focused on that. I guess they intend to make their statements at the competitions they've entered, with their skating.

It would be more refreshing if Mira did the same.

 

[sk8tngcanuck]

Just a comment on the "duct taped" skates. That is actually skate tape on her skates which is used mainly to save the leather from nicks and gouges from toe picks. There are also skaters who use it prior to competitions to "clean up" the skates. I have never seen it used to this extent though - normally it is used around the toes and that's it.

 

[nadster]

I guess if you were in Japan, you'd be hearing all about Miki and Mao in the papers and on TV.

Caroline Zhang is very young (14) and perhaps her parents don't encourage the media. Kimmie has been doing charity events all summer and most of the media coverage has been focused on that. I guess they intend to make their statements at the competitions they've entered, with their skating.

It would be more refreshing if Mira did the same.

Personally I think it is Joanne M. who encourages the media more than anybody else. You heard the same new attitude comments about Sandhu ( with regards to the competitive spirit) as well in the Canadian (specifically Vancouver) media. Even Kevin Reynolds who can jump like mad but struggles with the PCS was hyped up by Joanne certainly more than Patrick Chan was hyped up.

Mira's mother might aid and abet with her madness but Joanne does hype up all her skaters in the media when she can.

 

[blue dog]

Just a comment on the "duct taped" skates. That is actually skate tape on her skates which is used mainly to save the leather from nicks and gouges from toe picks. There are also skaters who use it prior to competitions to "clean up" the skates. I have never seen it used to this extent though - normally it is used around the toes and that's it.

I remember one article (and I'm not big on Mira) where it was mentioned that both her mom and Joanne told her to switch boots, but she liked these old boots so much because she was comfortable, and her feet didn't hurt.

The one thing I could suggest for Mira in this case would be to get boot covers so that they don't look so bad. She can use the tan ones and get matching tights (I think the white boot covers can look kinda tacky).

 

[Kypma]

The one thing I could suggest for Mira in this case would be to get boot covers so that they don't look so bad. She can use the tan ones and get matching tights (I think the white boot covers can look kinda tacky).

Or just boot-covering tights, instead of the footless ones she uses right now... Personally, I'm waiting to see how she'll perform this weekend, to see if the article was based on something true or was just pure hype from whomever.

Kypma

 

[Taan]

ANOTHER Mira article

http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/FigureSkating/2007/10/24/4602068-cp.html
Mira Leung will debut new long program during Senior Grand Prix opener



Figure skating fans will see a new side of Mira Leung this season.


The 18-year-old Canadian silver medallist from Vancouver is going classical with Rachmaninoff piano concertos for her free-skating program. "They are musical pieces I've always wanted to skate to," says Leung. "Now seemed like the right time.

"I haven't had a classical program since I started competing on the international scene. It's definitely different from my previous programs."

..........
Leung finished 12th at the Olympics last year and was 24th at the world championships in Tokyo. She'd been 13th the year before, and foot problems associated with her skate boots were to blame for the regression in the standings.

All that is behind her now. She's been hard at work with coach Joanne McLeod in Burnaby, B.C.

"Everything is going well," says Leung. "I've made some adjustments.

"I worked on my spins during the summer and they've improved."

The last two world champions, Miki Ando of Japan (2007) and Kimmie Meissner of the United States (2006), are also entered for Skate America. Leung doesn't care to assess where she'll wind up in such lofty company.

"I'm not thinking about that," she says. "I'm just focusing on doing my best."

Her plan is to land triple-triple jump combinations this season. They've become a necessity for any skater hoping to contend with the Japanese and Americans.

 

[Taan]

New and improved Leung finishes fifth in women's event
http://www.globesports.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20071028.skating29/GSStory/GlobeSportsOther/home

This new Leung, the Canadian silver medalist last year, looked elegant, refined, with a new trim body, and she skated to sophisticated music: two piano concertos from Rachmaninov.

It seemed to work. Leung finished fourth in the long program Sunday, and fifth overall, an excellent effort, considering whom she faced........

Leung came out dressed in an attractive outfit with piano keys curving across the front, with her hair in an updo and with makeup that she applied herself. Does looking pretty make her feel different inside? “No, not really,” the pragmatic skater said. “They're just clothes. Except that it's a lot more difficult to get into a dress than it is into pants.”

“It's a real treat to dress up like this once in a while. It's a whole lot of fun.”

Her goal here was to show off her new elegance, but also to improve her footwork and spins. “I'm glad my spin levels are higher than last year, but they could still be better,” she said. “I got higher levels at training camp [in September].”

After the training camp, Leung had to scrap all her footwork and start over to meet the new exacting rules that make footwork harder this year. Yesterday, she got level 2s on both of her step sequences.

 

[chuckm]

After the training camp, Leung had to scrap all her footwork and start over to meet the new exacting rules that make footwork harder this year. Yesterday, she got level 2s on both of her step sequences.

Mira may have gotten level2s in both step sequences, but she didn't score higher than other top ladies on those elements.

In the SP, Meissner's step sequence was only level1, but her GOE raised her score to 2.60 compared to Mira's 2.40 for her level2. For their level2 step sequences, Caroline Zhang scored 2.70, Emily Hughes scored 2.60 and Alexandra Ievleva scored 2.50.

In the FS, Ando, Meissner and Zhang all had l2 step sequences. Mira's scored 2.70, while Ando's scored 2.90 and Meissner's and Zhang's scored 2.80.

In FS spins, Zhang was the class of the field with two l3s and two l4s totalling 14.3 points; Hughes got 12 points for two l3s and two l4s; Meissner earned 11.98 points for three l4s and one l3; Mira's total was 11 points for one l4, two l3s and one l2.

 

[Taan]

:thumbsup: sensational!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qh5eOzHDjS8

 

[gsrossano]

Caroline Zhang is very young (14) and perhaps her parents don't encourage the media.

Shep G. is now Caroline's agent. He was in full media manipulation mode at Skate America.

 

[Mathman]

Shep G. is now Caroline's agent.

Go Shep! I hope he can do for Caroline what he did for Michelle and for Mary Lou Retton.

 

[Fruit Loops]

:thumbsup: sensational!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qh5eOzHDjS8

This new program suits Mira very well, IMO, and while she still has a long way to go this is a vast improvement over what we've been seeing from her the past season or two. I like it. However, a part of me feels that this is the level and style we should have seen from her the season after her breakthrough at the 2004 Nationals, not the beginning of the 07/08 season. Feels like wasted time. Oh well. Better late than never!

Good luck with the rest of the season!:agree:

 

[chuckm]

I have to disagree with the above. Mira's skating is slow, and her performance of the Rachmaninoff showed very little relation to the music. She may be a talented pianist, but she is not able to translate that to musicality in her skating. Her PCS scores remained low as a result.

Unfortunately, the Rach has been a signature piece for some legendary skaters, and Mira's effort shrivels in comparison. I think it was a bad, bad choice for her.

 

[kyla2]

Mira Leung

She isn't going anywhere. She is inconsistent and unimpressive from every standpoint. She has gone pretty much as far as she can go. Canada needs to look elsewhere.

 

[slutskayafan21]

She isn't going anywhere. She is inconsistent and unimpressive from every standpoint. She has gone pretty much as far as she can go. Canada needs to look elsewhere.

Look to where? There isnt anyone there. Hawker who I like is still a 26 year old journeywomen who scores and places very poorly internationaly (no better then Mira), has never been to a Worlds, and has failed the last 2 years to skate well enough to beat out Mira for Canada's 2nd spot despite an opportunity to do so. Phaneuf is a 20 year old young lady trying hard to make a comeback from a growth spurt, and is hard to say if she will ever come back to something approaching her old level or even be able to land the difficult triples again. Samson does not fare well even on the JP circuit. There is nobody coming up. There is nowhere else to look really, Canada has to make due with the best they have in womens which is Rochette and probably Leung.

 

[krenseby]

Look to where? There isnt anyone there. Hawker who I like is still a 26 year old journeywomen who scores and places very poorly internationaly (no better then Mira), has never been to a Worlds, and has failed the last 2 years to skate well enough to beat out Mira for Canada's 2nd spot despite an opportunity to do so. Phaneuf is a 20 year old young lady trying hard to make a comeback from a growth spurt, and is hard to say if she will ever come back to something approaching her old level or even be able to land the difficult triples again. Samson does not fare well even on the JP circuit. There is nobody coming up. There is nowhere else to look really, Canada has to make due with the best they have in womens which is Rochette and probably Leung.

Well I think Mira's biggest problem is not her lack of musicality, but rather her wird jumps. They look very strange.. They always always look underrotated for some reason. If she fixes that, her scores will go up a lot.

 

[chuckm]

Changing jump technique at Mira's age is next to impossible. She has improved some, but not nearly enough. And the jump technique is partly to blame for the lack of musicality.

Mira has a habit of dropping her arms straight down from the shoulder, then craning her head upward before she jumps. This bizarre technique not only makes all her transitions chunky and clunky, it disconnects her from the music. The best choreography isn't going to be effective under the circumstances.

 

[krenseby]

Changing jump technique at Mira's age is next to impossible. She has improved some, but not nearly enough. And the jump technique is partly to blame for the lack of musicality.

Mira has a habit of dropping her arms straight down from the shoulder, then craning her head upward before she jumps. This bizarre technique not only makes all her transitions chunky and clunky, it disconnects her from the music. The best choreography isn't going to be effective under the circumstances.

Well the problem isn't that her takeoff looks tense/aesthetically unappealing, it's that the jumps themselves look somehow compressed, so even if all the rotations are there, they look off for some reason.

Btw, I think Kwan managed to change her jump technique in the 2000s to make her jumps a lot better (more height, spring, and power, and just better looking.) So some skaters do change their jumps later in their career.

 

[chuckm]

But Kwan's basic skating skills were very sound. She took good skills and made them better.

Mira's jump technique is bizarre and she'd have to completely relearn how to jump properly, and during the transition period she wouldn't be able to land anything. So a major overhaul of her jumping just isn't going to happen.

If Mira had seriously worked on getting rid of the bad habits when she was 14 and 15 (instead of plunging head-on into the GP and Senior competition) she might have been more successful at 18 and 19. It's too late now.