Sasha Cohen at a crossroads this year

[mzheng]

Step Sequence: To qualify for level three, she needed to include four of the following: Mainly use of complex turns and steps (which she did), 4 or more changes of direction (which she did), quick changes of speed during step sequence (which she did), full use of upper body movement during steps (which she did, in spades), and quick changes from steps to turns (which she did). For the first half of the sequence, when the camera was flat on her, her edges didn't look all that shallow. (After the camera went overhead and pulled out, it was difficult to tell.) This step sequence should qualify for L3.

What Arakawa and Irina's step sequence called in GP? Did they get L3 as well?

 

[bdreampixie]

Spiral Sequence: According to the level two guidelines, a spin must have three of four features: Sequence incorporates three or more spiral positions (which she did), one difficult variations [sic] of position (she did two: twisting the upper body affecting the main body core and balance, the 180 split and turn on one leg), spirals are skating [sic] forward and back (which she did), and use of both edges (which she did). Level three requires five features, including free leg in a total split position either sideway [sic] or forward, but holding with one arm (which she did), and unsupported spiral position with the free leg either sideways or forward (which she did). Her spiral sequence should qualify as L3.

I'm sure you're right about this Level, I was speaking of the GOE. I wouldn't give her + points, but I'm sure she will receive them.

Flying Camel Spin: To qualify for level two, which this same spin did last year, she need to include two of the following features: Spin performed in at least one difficult variation (which she did with her upper body and arm position), spin performed on both edges (which she did), landing on the same foot as take off (which she didn't), difficult variation of air or landing position (which she didn't) This spin should qualify for L2.

I don't believe this will be called L2. I've seen other girls this season do this same spin and receive L1. I think its the difficult variation part, she would need to do something that really affects the balance like a donut spin. She can easily elevate it to L2, but right now I would say it would be called L1.

Layback Spin: To qualify for level two, she need to include two of the following: One change of position from backwards to sideways or sideways to backwards; hold of each position for at least three rotations (she didn't hold the sideways position for three positions); increase the speed after establishing basic position (which she did), difficult variation of armhold and/or body or free leg position, which changes the weight and/or the center (which she did). This spin should qualify for L2....

She doesn't do a difficult armhold and dropping the leg on it's own is not considered a difficult variation, so her layback is L1.

Spin Combination (with change of foot and change of positions): To qualify for level two, she needed to include three of the following: Spin performed with two difficult variations of different positions (which she did), spin performed on both edges of one foot (which I think she did), spin has at least three changes of position, which may include final wind-up rotation (which she did), beginning with flying or backward entry (which she didn't), execution of spins in both directions (which she didn't). This spin should qualify for L2

The spin was not performed on different edges of one foot, so the spin is L1.

Step Sequence: To qualify for level three, she needed to include four of the following: Mainly use of complex turns and steps (which she did), 4 or more changes of direction (which she did), quick changes of speed during step sequence (which she did), full use of upper body movement during steps (which she did, in spades), and quick changes from steps to turns (which she did). For the first half of the sequence, when the camera was flat on her, her edges didn't look all that shallow. (After the camera went overhead and pulled out, it was difficult to tell.) This step sequence should qualify for L3....

There is no way her ftwk. is L3. No one has received L3, and her ftwk. is easier than that of Irina's who has received L2 all season. Her ftwk. is L2.

Neither Arakawa nor Slutskaya had more than one L3, and based on Kwan's Nationals SP, neither does she. Cohen's SP levels should be more than competitive with her closest rivals, and surpass the rest of the field. Now, if she'd add some transitions to her LP...

I belive SA and IS have both received L3 spirals, and one L3 spin each in the SP.
Kwan and Cohen as of right don't have any L3 spins, but I'm sure their programs will look different at Worlds. If they both skate clean, they will of course be near the top.

 

[hockeyfan228]

I don't believe this will be called L2. I've seen other girls this season do this same spin and receive L1. I think its the difficult variation part, she would need to do something that really affects the balance like a donut spin. She can easily elevate it to L2, but right now I would say it would be called L1.

No one does the extended upper body.arm position that Cohen does except for Rochette, who has received L2 for her flying camel without donut spin.

She doesn't do a difficult armhold and dropping the leg on it's own is not considered a difficult variation, so her layback is L1.

Her change of arm and leg together should qualify as a difficult change that affects weight and centering.

The spin was not performed on different edges of one foot, so the spin is L1.

If she didn't change her edge on one foot, then it is L1.

There is no way her ftwk. is L3. No one has received L3, and her ftwk. is easier than that of Irina's who has received L2 all season. Her ftwk. is L2.

Slutskaya doesn't have multiple kinds of turns that Cohen does, and Cohen spent much of the SL footwork on one foot and turning at the same time. It might not be called L3, but please explain which criteria in the written code she doesn't meet.

I belive SA and IS have both received L3 spirals, and one L3 spin each in the SP.Kwan and Cohen as of right don't have any L3 spins, but I'm sure their programs will look different at Worlds. If they both skate clean, they will of course be near the top.

You are right about IS in two competitions (Euros, where her final spin was called L1 and CC), but not in the other two (GPF and CR), where her spins were all called L2. SA didn't receive more than one L3 (spiral) in two competitions this year (NHK, where she also receive a L1, and GPF), and none at CR, where she received L2's and L1's in the SP.

 

[bdreampixie]

No one does the extended upper body.arm position that Cohen does except for Rochette, who has received L2 for her flying camel without donut spin.

Holy jeez, hockeyfan! You're making me do homework, LOL. I checked Joannie's camel, and the reason she gets L2 is because she does a layover AND changes edges. Cohen's arm position is not considered a difficult variation. Miki Ando's camel is closer to what Cohen is doing, and hers is a L1.

Her change of arm and leg together should qualify as a difficult change that affects weight and centering.

I still don't think moving one arm is considered a difficult variation. I think this will depend on the caller, if he/she considers it a difficult variation. A difficult armhold would be like Michelle's crescent moon variation, in which she clasps her arms behind her back. The L2 spins that I have seen this season have all had more variation than what Sasha is doing in hers.

Slutskaya doesn't have multiple kinds of turns that Cohen does, and Cohen spent much of the SL footwork on one foot and turning at the same time. It might not be called L3, but please explain which criteria in the written code she doesn't meet.

Slutskaya's ftwk. is basically all on one foot, and IMO has more turns than Sasha's but the difference isn't big. It's actually quite similar. I actually have no idea why it wouldn't be called L3. Shizuka's ftwk. IMO meets all of the criteria and it is still called L2. Irina, Sasha, and Michelle's ftwk. all seems very comparable to Shiz's, so who knows. My guess, is that changes of speed and full use of upper body is the criteria that most of the ftwk. is not meeting.

Thanks for the discussion!

 

[jesslily]

Sasha has the artistic talent on ice that nobody can match. She is also very serious about her skating career, so she travelled across the country to look for better coaching and practice ice. She might be a little too picky about every thing. At the end she realized that John Nicks is still the best fit for her. Her jumping technique was a lot better during 2002 than 03, 04 and 05. with TT and Robin. I think Sasha can do her personal best in the next two years, it may not be the Olympic Gold medal, silver or browz is still a hugh accomplishment. Michelle has been so disciplined and motivated all her life, and she could not win the gold, how should we expect Sasha win it? I feel Sasha is much different from Nicole Bobek.

 

[euterpe]

I think Sasha's best shot at winning it all was under Tarasova, and she has lost some of her luster since leaving TT (as well as a major loss of confidence). Robin wanted to get Sasha to work on her skating, but Sasha resisted both the changes and the work necessary to make the changes. I don't think Sasha was over the shock of the break with TT while training under Robin, and the loss of Worlds to Arakawa, TT's new student, was a double whammy. I think the return to Nicks was Sasha's desperate attempt to get hope back by starting all over.

So I agree that this year is a crossroads for Sasha. Being out of the spotlight is a big change for her, and she may benefit to some extent by not being a favorite at this year's Worlds.

While there are some parallels to Bobek, Bobek didn't stick it out anywhere as near the many years Sasha has, and certainly Sasha has a MUCH better work ethic than Nicole ever had (as well as a much more supportive family).

I don't think touring has had anything to do with Sasha's tough season. The COI tour was unusually short last season, ending in early June. What happened with Sasha was the distractions of moving to NYC, seeking new choreographers in Connecticut, away from Robin, and generally avoiding hard work on the new programs. Sasha went into Campbell's physically and emotionally unprepared, which I believe was still due to depression over losing TT and Worlds to her rival Arakawa.

 

[jesslily]

I don't think TT could give Sasha enough technique instruction. After Sasha switched to her, Sasha had to put her 3lutz and the combo back to back in her program which made her program looked weird and had never done while she was with John Nicks. Acturally Sasha skated her long program the entire 2003 seasons this way. Her jumping consistency was much worse than previous year. During that time Sasha did go to Clolonial FSC for some skating lessons...

Both coach and skater are responsible for the breakup of the partnership. Most time the coaches are more responsible since they are grown ups and they shoud know better about how to let the relationship last.