- Joined
- Mar 5, 2014
Here is an interesting website (http://thejudgestable.weebly.com/the-judges.html) that just came out with judges opinions about the most grossly underscored performance of the last 5 years across all disciplines (women's, men's, pairs and ice dance). Mao's Sochi LP is mentioned as the most grossly underscored performance by 6 different active judges. This is double the number of any other performance or skater listed. Mao's Sochi LP and her Nationals LP were both very emotional performances that mean a lot to me, and since I think they were both underscored (Sochi more so) I would like to add this bit of information. A majority of judges (5 out of 9) gave Mao an average of about 72 PCS for her Sochi LP performance, yet she only received 69.6 overall. Also, 3 judges gave Mao +1 GOE on her 3F / 3 Lo and three judges gave Mao +1 GOE on her 2A / 3T, which is extremely rare considering they were called urs and suggests to me that these judges thought the jumps were good despite the calls. My friend and I who watched thought they were beautiful and on instant replay they look to be at or within the 1/4 rotation of fully rotated. No other women skater receiving a ur received even 1 +1 GOE. In addition to all the overly harsh ur calls, all jumps received under +1 GOE.
Furthermore, in order to normalize the deflated Sochi LP score in the Nationals 2014 LP , Mao's +1.6 GOE on the triple axel and the +1.3 GOE on the triple flip and loop were given urs and again 3 judges gave each of these a +1 GOE. I can't find another time when so many jumps received so many +1's from judges after ur calls or for ur calls to receive such high GOE before they are called. I think it indicates resistance from the judges to go along with the calls.
In a similar fashion in the Nationals LP 2015, two judges gave Mao's ur call on her 2A / 3T, which I thought was quite harsh, a +1 GOE. No other skater at this competition received any +1's for a ur jump. Furthermore, Mao's step sequence only received a level 3 with a GOE of +1.5 in the Nationals LP, yet Mao received a level 4 with a +2 GOE at the Grand Prix Final and a level 4 with a +1.6 GOE in the the Cup of China LP. I felt Mao's performance at Nationals after the initial jumping mistakes was highly inspired (despite the step out the 3F was really big and Mao did a wonderful triple lutz though again the GOE was very low- +.4) and I thought she deserved a score similar to the Grand Prix Final step sequence. Also, Mao's highest GOE on any jump was only +.9 GOE (her final 3L), though I thought jumps like her 3F / 2 L / 2L (only +.8) had excellent flow, height, distance, rotation, symmetrical air position, ideal posture and beautifully expressive gesture with the arms raised in the air on exit, which should have been scored higher for those landed well just as was the case at Sochi. In my opinion, Mao was also underscored in GOE on most of her spins because of the expressive quality, musical fluidity and excellent flexibility of her camel transitioning into Biellmann variations, I spin and her unique ability to stretch her hands all the way out to hold her skating boot when doing the extended sit spin, which makes it much more aesthetically pleasing. Mao has been praised for her balletic qualities by professional dance instructors for her spins, steps, extensions and dancing abilities but the scores do not indicate this.
When showing Mao's freeskate at Nationals to two friends who had not seen any current skaters, they liked Mao's performance better than anyone else including Satoko's and Evgenia's because they said she was a lot more artistic and graceful in her movements even in the jumps she landed. I realize most of the scores are based on jumps, with tech scores usually tied closely to PCS (though I don't think they are supposed to be), but even in other elements Mao is generally scored close to the same or lower even on the jumps, spins and steps she does well. I feel Mao's LP program at Nationals should have been scored higher especially considering how generous tech calls, GOE and PCS have been compared to Mao's. I think it shows a similar pattern of deflation for Mao relative to the top scores in 2014 only Mao made a couple of mistakes in her Nationals LP so the difference is greater. But, I think it is important to remember that Mao also has 1 more planned triple than anyone else. I feel this happened before in 2010 as well.
Furthermore, in order to normalize the deflated Sochi LP score in the Nationals 2014 LP , Mao's +1.6 GOE on the triple axel and the +1.3 GOE on the triple flip and loop were given urs and again 3 judges gave each of these a +1 GOE. I can't find another time when so many jumps received so many +1's from judges after ur calls or for ur calls to receive such high GOE before they are called. I think it indicates resistance from the judges to go along with the calls.
In a similar fashion in the Nationals LP 2015, two judges gave Mao's ur call on her 2A / 3T, which I thought was quite harsh, a +1 GOE. No other skater at this competition received any +1's for a ur jump. Furthermore, Mao's step sequence only received a level 3 with a GOE of +1.5 in the Nationals LP, yet Mao received a level 4 with a +2 GOE at the Grand Prix Final and a level 4 with a +1.6 GOE in the the Cup of China LP. I felt Mao's performance at Nationals after the initial jumping mistakes was highly inspired (despite the step out the 3F was really big and Mao did a wonderful triple lutz though again the GOE was very low- +.4) and I thought she deserved a score similar to the Grand Prix Final step sequence. Also, Mao's highest GOE on any jump was only +.9 GOE (her final 3L), though I thought jumps like her 3F / 2 L / 2L (only +.8) had excellent flow, height, distance, rotation, symmetrical air position, ideal posture and beautifully expressive gesture with the arms raised in the air on exit, which should have been scored higher for those landed well just as was the case at Sochi. In my opinion, Mao was also underscored in GOE on most of her spins because of the expressive quality, musical fluidity and excellent flexibility of her camel transitioning into Biellmann variations, I spin and her unique ability to stretch her hands all the way out to hold her skating boot when doing the extended sit spin, which makes it much more aesthetically pleasing. Mao has been praised for her balletic qualities by professional dance instructors for her spins, steps, extensions and dancing abilities but the scores do not indicate this.
When showing Mao's freeskate at Nationals to two friends who had not seen any current skaters, they liked Mao's performance better than anyone else including Satoko's and Evgenia's because they said she was a lot more artistic and graceful in her movements even in the jumps she landed. I realize most of the scores are based on jumps, with tech scores usually tied closely to PCS (though I don't think they are supposed to be), but even in other elements Mao is generally scored close to the same or lower even on the jumps, spins and steps she does well. I feel Mao's LP program at Nationals should have been scored higher especially considering how generous tech calls, GOE and PCS have been compared to Mao's. I think it shows a similar pattern of deflation for Mao relative to the top scores in 2014 only Mao made a couple of mistakes in her Nationals LP so the difference is greater. But, I think it is important to remember that Mao also has 1 more planned triple than anyone else. I feel this happened before in 2010 as well.
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Mao and Mai playing a drama.
Those two are a riot.
