2016 World Championships Ladies SP

[karne]

(including 'booing' the judges in several instances for low scores received by non-American skaters).

Let's not get carried away, it happened once, for Julian, and that was a very reasonable and good response because the judges robbed Julian blind. Maybe they thought they could get away with it because he was Malaysian. Not on this crowd's watch.

I've heard several "whoas" of surprise, but the Julian incident was the only time it turned into actual booing.

 

[Princessroja]

Yeah, maybe the traffic is bad in Boston? But still, no excuses, just plain rude to the performers. They do that in NBA games too, fans will start filing out during the last few minutes of the game to beat the traffic.

Actually I agree with you on the performance etiquette--and I say that as someone who has left early both nights. I hate it. I'm a dancer by trade and I'm super sticky on concert etiquette... Normally. But it's impossible to describe just. How. Many. People. flood out of that arena. Picture literally thousands of people rushing for the same subway station and you'll get a small picture of it. It's not the traffic, it's the public transport. When you have 90 minutes between events and you know the lines will be long (think 15 min minimum, more like 30 probably), and the entire crowd is fighting for the same places at restaurants and bars... It's pretty chaotic. If you have 90 min to eat, and you spend at least 30-40 of those getting in and out of the arena... You can see why people dart out early. It is rude. But I know why people do it now. That being said, I'm glad the next two dinner breaks are longer and I won't need to do that again! I'd much rather wait and see the scores, for etiquette's sake and my own enjoyment. And I wish the scheduling were a little looser or we could stay between events. That would help alleviate some of the chaos.

 

[topaz emerald]

I love the American ladies, but I think Gracie was overscored. I would have given her a 74. I do not like her windmill arms and in my opinion she should have received a lower PCS score than Ashley. Did Gracie even get an edge call on her flip? Anyways, I'm proud of the American girls. Hopefully, they can continue this momentum towards the free program.

I would have ranked the SP like this:
1. Anna
2. Ashley
3. Gracie

I agree with your placements

 

[sowcow]

Let's not get carried away, it happened once, for Julian, and that was a very reasonable and good response because the judges robbed Julian blind. Maybe they thought they could get away with it because he was Malaysian. Not on this crowd's watch.

I've heard several "whoas" of surprise, but the Julian incident was the only time it turned into actual booing.

The crowd also "booed" for at least 1 (if not 2) of the early ladies; and also tonight when Gilles/Poirier's FD marks came up...

 

[Alex D]

If memory serves me, ½ the arena walked out in Sochi after Plushi pulled out of the competition. Apparently not one of the other 30+ men yet to compete were even worth watching; (never mind clapping & cheering for)...



...and apparently not worth sticking around for to offer "reaction" to those who inevitably struggled through their short program, yet also poured their "soul and heart on the ice"! Just sayin'...

____________________
​

I think the American crowd has been great! Very responsive to all nationalities (including 'booing' the judges in several instances for low scores received by non-American skaters).

Maybe those who feel otherwise about the Boston audience should try a different broadcaster!?! Often the crowd will be noticeably louder (or quieter) depending on where the commentators are sitting in the arena and how much ambient crowd noise their headsets pick up!

I heard & witnessed a lot of this:
:hap85::clapper:
​

The person I quoted said something about shouting Russia during American skates, not about people leaving when Plushenko threw the towel. To leave during competition or not show up at the very first group is disrespectful and rude, but sadly very common among skating fans.

I stick to what I said after Sochi, that people left so early was not nice no matter how disappointed they were. But that we are now talking about Sochi again, a topic that I did not want to join in 2014 and will definitely not join now is reason enough for me to just leave. I hate this trash talking and endless arguing about who is bad and good in this world. This is a figure skating forum and not a political clash of worlds.

May I ask if you were at the venue for the ladies SP?

No I was not, as mentioned in my previous post. I was using the official ISU stream and there people were holding back while the Russians skated and did not give Anna a standing ovation. Based on Karne who was at the ice rink, this observation was confirmed.

 

[Princessroja]

The crowd also "booed" for at least 1 (if not 2) of the early ladies; and also tonight when Gilles/Poirier's FD marks came up...

They did? Who? I heard a faint murmur for G/P (I was in the balcony so maybe loge was louder) but who were the ladies?

 

[winky97]

Thoughts on the ladies' SP:

- Da Bin Choi and the traumatic "I'm A Big Girl Now" program. Oh my god. Whoever came up with this...I liked her skating well enough, she's a nice skater with good jumps but I want to find whoever came up with that idea for her and smack them one. Holy ****, completely inappropriate.

- NO MORE FEELING GOODS. PLEASE. By the fourth one, we just burst into laughter when we saw the music on the big screen. We couldn't help it. It was ridiculous. Jackie Wong was having a total meltdown in the press section.

- I was so disappointed to watch Mae-Berenice live. She seems like a skater with such tremendous power. And yet, she was underwhelming. I feel like almost she's regressing. A coaching change? Something?

- I loved Ashley live. She really projects to the audience and plays it up and that SP is perfect for her. Sassy and flirty and fun.

- I must have been one of the few people in the whole arena who didn't stand for Mirai. I was sitting at the other end of the rink and saw the giant hook on the combo in real time. When they showed the slo-mo replay on the jumbotron I was starting to think she might get << for it. And...I felt like that music could have had more done with it. JMO.

- Gracie was absolutely fabulous. Enjoyed every second of her. That said, not sure I'd have got her to 76...74 maybe.

- I was decidedly unimpressed with the crowd responses (or lack thereof) for Evgenia Medvedeva and Elena Radionova. Given that people were standing for flawed performances for other skaters (Mirai), I thought Medvedeva's program deserved more than what it got from the crowd. I couldn't help but think oh come on, let's not do this anti-Russia thing here too.

- I did a massive fistpump and YES! when Miyahara's score came up. FINALLY, FINALLY a tech panel dinged her horrid little jumps.

But pretty well the overwhelming thought of the event was:

KAILANIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Funny how two people witness something and see it totally different. I thought the crowd was great to the skaters. Maybe I was focusing on me and the sections around me but we stood for all three Russian skaters and I think they were treated with respect. Radionova is one of my favorites and if I though she had been disrespected I would acknowledge it, just like I acknowledge Kovtin was disrespected. I honestly thought the audience was decent. I sure as heck did not feel like an anti Russian was going on.

I am going have to really really watch audience during LP

 

[sowcow]

They did? Who? I heard a faint murmur for G/P (I was in the balcony so maybe loge was louder) but who were the ladies?

Hmm ... I'd have to re-watch the 1st group of ladies on tape to tell you for certain which one it was...

But, on this same subject, didn't one of the guys who skated early representing one of the non-traditional FEDs also have the crowd voice their displeasure at his SP marks? I'm thinking someone like...

• Julian Zhi Jie YEE (MAS) ?; or
• Michael Christian MARTINEZ (PHI) ?

 

[Skater Boy]

Wow, wonderful overall skating. Some quick Skater Boy comments for what they are worth LOL

1. |It is wonderful we have so many people posting - what spirit - on the downside too many to read if you weren't able to start early - don't people have jobs, family and things to do lol.

2. Good job by the final flight and so many skaters.

3. Gracie did amazing as did Ashley. Ashley may have been the better performer but the power of Gracie especially in those jumps are worthy of great marks. HOWEVER, I think good arguments can be made for Anna, Evgenia or Ashley to be in first.

4. Gracie's marks are ridiculous in many ways with a edge call on the flip and more important compared to mao when she is on, yuna, joannie or carolina this sp is not worthy of such generous markings. She artistically is not organic like those ladies and she appears to be another pretty American princess - feminine and all.

5. Evgenia was nervous and seemed to hold back a bit. Rad was the fighter she is. Too bad nam couldn't fight like her through puberty. i give her huge credit for fighting for those landings which have been affected by her growth spurt. But unlike nam, julia et al she is able to fight through this challenge.

6. Great job Anna passion, fire and determination.

7. even if mao comes back i have to say she has skated to inconsistently throughout her career to be deemed comparative to yuna.

8. good for mirai to put up a nice fight. and nice work from daleman but she just doesn't have the real magic

9. satoko is still in it but her small jump - ugh

10. the fans are definitely patriotic but that is to be expected - sometimes they seem a bit dead or not very skating savvy

 

[Princessroja]

Yeah it was Julian. It took me a minute to realize what I was hearing. I was surprised actually how loud it got.

 

[rollerblade]

Yo Karne, how huge was Anna's combo live? Did she appear "tentative" at all?

After she finished, I thought she was the best of the Russian ladies tonight and glad the judges agreed.... even though I would have given her more than the measly 0.22pt advantage over Evgenia.

 

[Sjs5572]

I was sitting in Loge section 11, row 14, and I and most of the people around me gave a standing ovation to Pogorilaya. We did not stand for Medvedeva and Radionova, however, who in my opinion were just mediocre tonight.

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

I can't remember who it was that predicted that this thread would go over 100 pages, but they underestimated it just a little!

Just finished watching the competition, and I am not totally in agreement with the positions.

Yes, Gracie should be leading (you didn't think you'd ever hear me say that, did you?!) That is the best I have ever seen her skate.

But, it's the positions behind her that I do not agree with.

I have always loved Anna Pogo, and it was great to see her do a routine this season without having any heavy falls. But, that said, I did not think that performance was better than some of the girls behind her.

Personally, I would swap her and Miyahara around. I absolutely loved Miyahara's performance, and was very annoyed when her scores came up and she didn't take the lead.

Similarly, I would swap Mirai and Ashley around. I absolutely loved Mirai's performance and, in my eyes anyway, she definitely should have been leading at the end of the penultimate group.

As for Ashley, I'm afraid that I didn't like routine. It just wasn't my taste.

But, that's just my opinions. And what do I know?

What it all means is that it is going to be a very exciting Free Skate. Can't wait!

CaroLiza_fan

 

[Skater Boy]

The short program here really brings home Sochi 2.0. lol. just to stir the pot - but what is good for the goose is good for the gander. in many ways we are seeing what happened at sochi happening at boston. the home town skaters are scoring very well and doing well. in part because they probably can sense and feel the love while other country skaters can feel the lack of warmth even if it is not intentional it is understandable the good vibes and will to local heroes/skaters. That feeling including through applause resonates throughout the building and subliminally or psychologically does encourage judges to mark the hometown skaters higher ie the applause and yelling. it is natural because judges are human. Skaters yes, often do better because they can feel the encouragement and it builds their confidence. Gracie probably wouldn't be first or certainly score near wr score with an edge call but for it is in the usa.

it is possible to have two american ladies on the podium. Gold For Gold. years ago shemar moore was shown on tv yelling out THE STREAK IS OVER when soap opera queen Susan Lucci finally won an Emmy award after losing something like 18 times. i wonder if he is free to yell the streak is over one more time as the us ladies rise on the podium to their amazing coronation as queen of queens.

 

[aa456]

The person I quoted said something about shouting Russia during American skates, not about people leaving when Plushenko threw the towel. To leave during competition or not show up at the very first group is disrespectful and rude, but sadly very common among skating fans.

I stick to what I said after Sochi, that people left so early was not nice no matter how disappointed they were. But that we are now talking about Sochi again, a topic that I did not want to join in 2014 and will definitely not join now is reason enough for me to just leave. I hate this trash talking and endless arguing about who is bad and good in this world. This is a figure skating forum and not a political clash of worlds.



No I was not, as mentioned in my previous post. I was using the official ISU stream and there people were holding back while the Russians skated and did not give Anna a standing ovation. Based on Karne who was at the ice rink, this observation was confirmed.

Well I was also at the venue ( loge 8, row 24) and Anna got a great response and a partial standing ovation, including from me. Yes a good number of people starting leaving before her score was announced, yes I thought that was rude but I don't think people deliberately held back on applauding Russian skaters. I applauded enthusiastically for Elena and Evgenia (and so did the crowd) but didn't give them a standing O either. Why? I can't speak for others but from where I was sitting, all you can see are a skaters jumps, spins, arm movements, footwork, speed etc. (unless I decide to stare at the jumbotron for expressions etc.). Evgenia had that one slightly ehh landing in the beginning and her speed wasn't anything that stood out of the pack. I felt she was tentative. As for elena, both her combo and the solo jump landing seemed scratchy to me, slightly hunched over too. Her speed was also nothing to write home about. Both good very good responses from the audience. Obviously not the same as the American girls, and that is to be expected. I would get people's ire if the audience deliberately didn't applaud Evgenia and elena but that was not the case.

 

[lyndichee]

Well I was also at the venue ( loge 8, row 24) and Anna got a great response and a partial standing ovation, including from me. Yes a good number of people starting leaving before her score was announced, yes I thought that was rude but I don't think people deliberately held back on applauding Russian skaters. I applauded enthusiastically for Elena and Evgenia (and so did the crowd) but didn't give them a standing O either. Why? I can't speak for others but from where I was sitting, all you can see are a skaters jumps, spins, arm movements, footwork, speed etc. (unless I decide to stare at the jumbotron for expressions etc.). Evgenia had that one slightly ehh landing in the beginning and her speed wasn't anything that stood out of the pack. I felt she was tentative. As for elena, both her combo and the solo jump landing seemed scratchy to me, slightly hunched over too. Her speed was also nothing to write home about. Both good very good responses from the audience. Obviously not the same as the American girls, and that is to be expected. I would get people's ire if the audience deliberately didn't applaud Evgenia and elena but that was not the case.

Who had outstanding speed other than Gracie?

I saw Ashley live before and she generates most of her speed from her crossovers, not so much from skating skills.

 

[aa456]

Who had outstanding speed other than Gracie?

I saw Ashley live before and she generates most of her speed from her crossovers, not so much from skating skills.

No one atm but I am not insinuating that Evgenia and elena's speed are a drawback. I was noting what I personally could notice about a skater from my seat and was just pointing out that their speed is not something out of the ordinary. Not suggesting they are slow by any means though.

 

[karne]

Yeah it was Julian. It took me a minute to realize what I was hearing. I was surprised actually how loud it got.

I was surprised, but also pleased. Because screw little-country scoring! There have been a couple of moments where the crowd has been surprised, but that has been the only moment when the crowd has been vocal with displeasure.

Yo Karne, how huge was Anna's combo live? Did she appear "tentative" at all?

After she finished, I thought she was the best of the Russian ladies tonight and glad the judges agreed.... even though I would have given her more than the measly 0.22pt advantage over Evgenia.

No, it was big and good. She didn't hesitate. I was pleased.

And yes, she was easily the best of the Russian ladies tonight but...I agreed more or less with the score bracket though I'd have had Gracie in the mid-74s rather than going all the way up to 76.

And I stood for Anna, too. She got the best crowd response, but even that was mediocre compared to the rest. I really thought Evgenia was stiffed by the crowd response. She was better than what she got. I loved her live. I was underwhelmed by Radionova so that response was at least understandable.

EDIT:

Wanted to add, I was surprised by how fast Gracie is in person. She doesn't look that fast on video, but bloody hell she gets moving!

 

[waxel]

I was there front row center ice and it was a remarkable event and all the skaters were appreciated. We had 3 strong US ladies skating well in Boston. Was there a home field advantage? Scoring? No. Audience response? Duh.

 

[hurrah]

Oh Mao-chan (sigh), but she sold the program well and I felt like she was finally enjoying performing more, so hopefully, better days to come next season.

And I'm still keeping my fingers crossed for the perfect Madame Butterfly!!