2015 Cup of China Ladies Short Program

[mrrice]

That is just not the Russian mentality though. Anna and Elena are gritty girls, it's 3-3 or bust for them, doesn't matter how messed up the first jump is. I must say I admire the determination!

I agree with this statement in every possible way. If you're gonna go down, go down in flames!!

 

[Dots]

Right now we are still in the honeymoon phase with Mao, but she needs to start trying new things soon because it's same old same old. We need to see something different and fresh from her.

 

[andromache]

Catching up the ladies SP now. My thoughts below:

Mao: I really like this program for her. It's much different from her usual style, which doesn't have to be a bad thing! I'm okay with her doing those risky elements that she's likely to be called on if she is. If she wants to master them to become a more complete skater, kudos to her. The step sequence is divine. I also thought the styling of her dress and hair made her a look more youthful. Not that she looks like an old lady otherwise, but usually her programs and styling scream "mature and delicate lady." Not so much here.

Rika: Rika is my never-falls-hunch-shouldered queen. Her posture sucks, and if she didn't have so much personality it would bother me a lot more. (See: Elena). I like this program a lot and she sells it. Plus she's so darn reliable. Hopefully she keeps up the consistency and earns better PCS. She didn't get any URs on her jumps...right? If so, good progress for her! If she can keep it up in the LP a silver would be a nice win for her here.

Courtney: She's becoming more of a complete skater! Nice to see. Love her spread eagles. But I hate the way the music seems to build and build and then just end. But not a bad program, and it's nice for her to be in 3rd after the SP in this field.

Anna: Oh dear. Is there someone who can teach her how to fall with more grace? I kind of like the dress, but I wish it had a touch more red and a touch less illusion fabric. Still, she looks stunning in red. Her footwork sequence is pretty great, and I love the drama she brings in the performance. She looks much less awkward than last year. And I'm glad she made a nice recovery from her fall on the combo. I really, really love her. I hope she pulls up in the LP!

Zijun: She was lowballed in PCS in China???? But seriously, lovely performance. She has such a nice quality, even though the soft and delicate performances aren't my preference. They suit her so well. Gorgeous dress too.

Elena: LOVE the color of her dress. LOVE IT. She's my other hunched-shoulder queen. Like Rika, she has enough spark and personality on the ice that it doesn't bother me. I was also surprised by the size of her triple lutz. It looks quite a bit bigger than last season--which is a good thing! I'm not going to go get worried about technique and whatnot right now. Maybe she's less consistent than last year, but that's normal. Honestly, MOST great skaters aren't as consistent and Liza and Elena were last season. Her other qualities have MUCH improved since last year. She looks much less "flaily" and more refined. I love this program. I hope she pulls up in the LP too! Also, DYING to see her Titanic costume. I hope it's movie-inspired!

Karen: I would've stopped watching after the top 6, but Karen is my lightning-speed-dynamite darling. I love Nessum Dorma. Never tire of it. Do they need to shrink her lutz so she's able to get more height on the 3T in the combination so she can pull it off? She's a strong jumper so I don't know why the -3T continues to plague her. I feel she was lowballed in PCS also. She's a first-year senior but she doesn't skate like one, IMO.

Anyway...do the ladies really HAVE to do a Biellman to get decent spin levels?? Anna, Rika, and Courtney have pretty bad Biellmans. I'd prefer to see them do....anything BUT a Biellman.

Ranking the ladies based purely on how much I loved their programs (there really isn't a performance here I thought was bad...all of the programs had great choreo and interpretation tbh):

Elena
Anna and Rika
Mao
Karen
Zijun
Courtney

 

[tulosai]

I agree with this statement in every possible way. If you're gonna go down, go down in flames!!

Add me to the agreement pile!

Also, related to some other recent posts, fans of Mao who want to talk without the drama and bickering are welcome in her fan fest thread... it is quite active and comparatively extremely drama free.

 

[MaxSwagg]

Right now we are still in the honeymoon phase with Mao, but she needs to start trying new things soon because it's same old same old. We need to see something different and fresh from her.

Or else what? And do you want her to do a mangy, plague program like Liza's?

 

[mrrice]

Andromache, I have a question for you. This question is one that I've asked over an over.

"Anyway...do the ladies really HAVE to do a Biellman to get decent spin levels?? Anna, Rika, and Courtney have pretty bad Biellmans. I'd prefer to see them do....anything BUT a Biellman."

A bad Biellman is almost as ugly as those horrible flexed footed "I Spins" that Miki Ando used to do. :hslap: So, my question is..."How many extra points will a skater gain from doing a bad Beillman as apposed to a good "Hair Cutter?"

 

[TheGrandSophy]

Or else what? And do you want her to do a mangy, plague program like Liza's?

Do you have to be offensive about it? I like Mao's programme and prefer it to Liza's. I have even said that I think Liza's programme is awful. That is an opinion. Your words are just designed to offend.

 

[jenaj]

I really liked Karen Chen's program. Too bad about her 3-3. I wonder if if might make more sense to do that huge lutz as a solo jump?

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

Andromache, I have a question for you. This question is one that I've asked over an over.

"Anyway...do the ladies really HAVE to do a Biellman to get decent spin levels?? Anna, Rika, and Courtney have pretty bad Biellmans. I'd prefer to see them do....anything BUT a Biellman."

A bad Biellman is almost as ugly as those horrible flexed footed "I Spins" that Miki Ando used to do. :hslap: So, my question is..."How many extra points will a skater gain from doing a bad Beillman as apposed to a good "Hair Cutter?"

Are there really good hair cutter spins?

I'd love to see an example.

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

Do you have to be offensive about it? I like Mao's programme and prefer it to Liza's. I have even said that I think Liza's programme is awful. That is an opinion. Your words are just designed to offend.

We have a saying around my rink. "Don't put cones on the ice. It only draws attention to the problem."

Make of that what you will

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

I really liked Karen Chen's program. Too bad about her 3-3. I wonder if if might make more sense to do that huge lutz as a solo jump?

Is it strange that I'm not particularly fond of her jumps. Sometimes I think lots of jump height can affect the look of one in a negative way.

Her spins are so powerful though. I didn't really notice any great choreography stick out during the live broadcast but sometimes I find the best ones upon watching for a second or third time. Sometimes I can be quite thick...especially at 4:50am. :snooze:

 

[David21]

it's on the flat-side.... :scard8:

Her "flat-side" on the lutz is in fact a deep inside edge. That's also why she got an "e" from the judges. But it's still nice to have Asada back with her terrible flutz and underrotated jumps. Can't wait to see her scores go through the roof with that again.

 

[MasterB]

Mao is my new Wife.

 

[andromache]

Andromache, I have a question for you. This question is one that I've asked over an over.

"Anyway...do the ladies really HAVE to do a Biellman to get decent spin levels?? Anna, Rika, and Courtney have pretty bad Biellmans. I'd prefer to see them do....anything BUT a Biellman."

A bad Biellman is almost as ugly as those horrible flexed footed "I Spins" that Miki Ando used to do. :hslap: So, my question is..."How many extra points will a skater gain from doing a bad Beillman as apposed to a good "Hair Cutter?"

I honestly have no idea about spin levels . There are some IJS complexities I've bothered to learn and others I have not. But we all know IJS programs would benefit if less emphasis was on levels and more on nice positions. Terrible spin positions still get positive GOE often.

 

[mrrice]

Are there really good hair cutter spins?

I'd love to see an example.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XU8co5dXFmY Yes......There are actually a couple of good hair cutter spins. Here's AP McDonough in 2002. Not the best skate but her spins were beautiful. BTW, Canadians. Didn't Cynthia Phaneuf have a good hair cutter?

 

[3dsushi]

after I watch mao's program, I don't understand the underrotation on the loop. Its very close but not badly underrotated.

 

[witcher]

I really liked Karen Chen's program. Too bad about her 3-3. I wonder if if might make more sense to do that huge lutz as a solo jump?

Very captivating program. :yes:

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

I honestly have no idea about spin levels . There are some IJS complexities I've bothered to learn and others I have not. But we all know IJS programs would benefit if less emphasis was on levels and more on nice positions. Terrible spin positions still get positive GOE often.

I think the problem isn't in the Beillman itself but as you've eluded to...the rewarding of poor Beillmans. Spins should be rewarded on holding meaningful positions but also the difficulty needs to be addressed fairly to that position and of course the quality. Spins are undervalued and rewarding uninspiring positions only serves to devalue them even more.

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

after I watch mao's program, I don't understand the underrotation on the loop. Its very close but not badly underrotated.

Did she cheat the take off? That's what I thought looked suspicious.

Welcome to GS!!!! Post often and post long!!!

 

[3dsushi]

Thank you I look forward to the rest of the grand prix go Gracie!