2017 U.S. Nationals Championship Ladies SP

[RemyRose]

Did anyone else feel that the 3-3s were called generously here? Honestly a lot of them looked sketchy (>) to me; Ashley and Karen were among the beneficiaries in my opinion.

I thought the were all under except for Paige to be honest.

 

[solani]

Well for me Mirai often looks like she's ready to break out crying or punch someone in the face.

Mirai's ending pose was actually more fierce and determined and valiant-looking than her expression when she started her program.

Mirai and Buttle chose very well with this Nocturne, not many skaters are mature enough to be able to skate to this, fill the silent parts of the music. I don't say that Mirai is able to deliberately control her facial expressions, I think that's something she isn't really good at, but her natural seriousness and self-awareness while skating just fit this piece of music. This nocturne has always been about self-reflection for me (some call it "Reminiscence"), so I think you can look fierce after skating to it. You could also look broken.

 

[Art&Sport]

Mirai and Buttle chose very well with this Nocturne, not many skaters are mature enough to be able to skate to this, fill the silent parts of the music. I don't say that Mirai is able to deliberately control her facial expressions, I think that's something she isn't really good at, but her natural seriousness and self-awareness while skating just fit this piece of music. This nocturne has always been about self-reflection for me (some call it "Reminiscence"), so I think you can look fierce after skating to it. You could also look broken.

Yes, Mirai looking fierce is good. It's the pouty expressions she sometimes has that don't come off well. But as you say, Mirai would probably need to take acting training in order to learn how to control her facial exprressions.

 

[frida80]

Not making Worlds is probably best for Gracie. She'll know she can't take all summer off and be in horrible physical condition when the season starts and also that she can't wallow in self pity for months like she did after Worlds.

I don't know what's going to happen tomorrow. But if Gracie doesn't make the podium, I hope she finds her competitive drive this off season. Maybe if Ashley passes on 4CC again, Gracie can go instead.

 

[ice coverage]

I believe if you check out the event schedule page on IN, you will see a paragraph where they indicate that SkateRadio will be made available on IN during NBC network's coverage. Otherwise, you can access SKateRadio via IN's new app (download onto a mobile device).....

You completely misunderstood my post.
I was well aware that the IN Viewer's Guide claimed that Skate Radio would be available this year.

But ... the reality is that Skate Radio was not available on my computer last night as I was watching the SPs of the senior pairs and senior ladies.
That is why I was asking whether anyone else was successful in getting Skate Radio via computer this year.
The one person who did respond to me (thank you) clearly was in the same boat, and could not get Skate Radio via computer -- although the Viewer's Guide had led us to expect that it would be available.

The Viewer's Guide was published several days before the app was announced, so it was a reasonable expectation that the Viewer's Guide meant that Skate Radio would be available via computer, as in years past.
I do not have a device on which to use the app, so it is a disappointment that Skate Radio was in fact not available via computer.

If you were able to get Skate Radio on your computer last night, I would love to hear from you.
I kept checking IN's backstage channel (where per usual I was able to see the pressers and one of the IceDesk webcasts), but Skate Radio never was available there.

 

[andromache]

Karen Chen would clearly be a star if she moved to someone like Raf or BOrser (or maybe Alex?) to slightly retool her jumps. She's got enough height that it wouldn't take too much work to get them more consistently rotated, I would think. She reminds me a lot of Kaetlyn Osmond. Somewhat "raw" and lacking total polish, but completely engaging with star power and presence even in a program of mediocre theme/choreography. Great spins and skating skills, huge jumps. Can contend with the best in the world if consistent. Get a new coach.

 

[Tolstoj]

Basically it's the same result as last year.

If Gracie skates clean in the free, they will overscore her as much as they can in order to let her win, though i'm not sure whether she is capable or not to do this.

 

[andromache]

Basically it's the same result as last year.

If Gracie skates clean in the free, they will overscore her as much as they can in order to let her win, though i'm not sure whether she is capable or not to do this.

A come-from-behind victory will be much tougher this year than last, though she's clearly in medal contention still. A victory might be out of her reach depending on how others skate. Karen, Ashley, Mariah, Mirai, and even baby Tessa are all have better LPs than Polina did last year. Karen, Mirai, and Ashley all have enough of a cushion to beat Gracie overall even if Gracie wins the LP, depending on how well they skate.

 

[Tolstoj]

A come-from-behind victory will be much tougher this year than last, though she's clearly in medal contention still. A victory might be out of her reach depending on how others skate. Karen, Ashley, Mariah, Mirai, and even baby Tessa are all have better LPs than Polina did last year. Karen, Mirai, and Ashley all have enough of a cushion to beat Gracie overall even if Gracie wins the LP, depending on how well they skate.

Ashley yes, and maybe even Karen but the others, i don't think so.

Tessa Hong in particular, up to now she looks more a short program skater.

 

[andromache]

Ashley yes, and maybe even Karen but the others, i don't think so.

Tessa Hong in particular, up to now she looks more a short program skater.

Again, I'm referring to quality of program, not how well I expect them to skate it tomorrow. All these girls are good performers with effective packaging and LPs, unlike Polina last year. Whether or not they'll skate well is another story.

If everyone makes mistakes in the LP but Gracie, then Gracie deserves to win (but that's unlikely too).

I think Ashley and Mirai are most likely to put down clean LPs. If both do, Ashley wins. But I'd love for Karen Chen to surprise everyone and deliver under the pressure and win the whole thing.

 

[largeman]

I'm listening to IceNetwork's recap from last night and Michael Weiss had some good things to say about the unpredictability of fs, and about how wonderful Karen's program was. But then Weiss said Karen had choreographed it herself, while Johnny had said it was choreographed by Jonathan Cassar. What's the actual truth then?

Oh, also, from Karen's backstage interview on IN she indicates that she put a lot of the choreography together, so maybe Jonathan Cassar helped her put it together.

Karen choreographed her long program herself too. She's a genius. :luv17:

 

[mirai4life]

everyone except Ashley in the top 6 are coin tosses.

 

[Skater Boy]

Again, I'm referring to quality of program, not how well I expect them to skate it tomorrow. All these girls are good performers with effective packaging and LPs, unlike Polina last year. Whether or not they'll skate well is another story.

If everyone makes mistakes in the LP but Gracie, then Gracie deserves to win (but that's unlikely too).

I think Ashley and Mirai are most likely to put down clean LPs. If both do, Ashley wins. But I'd love for Karen Chen to surprise everyone and deliver under the pressure and win the whole thing.

Mirai probably will not go clean. If she tries the 3A she will fall, stumble or even if landed sadly probably lose focus and make an error.

 

[andromache]

Mirai probably will not go clean. If she tries the 3A she will fall, stumble or even if landed sadly probably lose focus and make an error.

No way she's trying the 3A. She hasn't practiced it at all since arriving in KC. I don't expect to see an attempt.

 

[KatGrace1925]

Yes. As I mentioned earlier, Frank doesn't seem to help Gracie. He was telling her to remember to stand up straight. At the boards right before a program, I do not think that kind of comment is helpful for someone like Gracie. Frank seems to make Gracie even more a pile of nerves. Frank should probably be more relaxed and try a different tack with Gracie because she is nothing like Kwan or Lysacek.


I'm listening to IceNetwork's recap from last night and Michael Weiss had some good things to say about the unpredictability of fs, and about how wonderful Karen's program was. But then Weiss said Karen had choreographed it herself, while Johnny had said it was choreographed by Jonathan Cassar. What's the actual truth then?

That was instructions to help her with her jumps. She has had an axis problem when nerves get to her. So he was reminding her to get then straight in the air. It's better than "do your job" which is what he was telling her before.

 

[Mathman]

I think Mirai will go clean, no triple Axel, and win. Karen second. :yes:

 

[Skater Boy]

A few things. We all know Chen had it in her. Wonderful performance now we will say whether she can keep it together in the long when there are more jumps and elements. Gracie did fine - she would probably be in the lead but for the flip tragedy. So taht should give her some confidence. However, she is on the edge - you just never know. But the judges put her close enough so that evena mediocre skate and a melt down by Chen or Nagasu and she has her ticket to worlds. I don't think Tessa will be a huge threat for the podium. Yes, Ashley is in a good spot. Still no one was really that clean - I mean everyone had some issues - leans, and the tech panel seem very "generous" here at least in the sp.

 

[KatGrace1925]

But worse than the expressions on Mirai's face is the fearful nervous look Gracie tends to have at the boards and out on the ice before her performance. Unfortunately, I do not think that what Frank says at the boards is at all helpful to Gracie.

Maybe Gracie should think about cutting her hair, dying it, and going back to her former coach, Alex.

It's sad for Gracie. It seemed like she'd turned a corner during her teleconference. But she is still shaky with no confidence. If I were her, I'd have to examine whether I truly wanted to skate, and if so decide to break with Frank and go back to Alex, which is not a failure. She definitely needs to figure out how to manage her nerves and gain some new inspiration, and realize that she doesn't need to please anyone except herself!

If you've been following that is exactly what Gracie did. She spent two weeks with Alex, got over her negative mindset and found her love of skating again and found her inspiration. Even withe the doubled flip she looked happy with her perfomance which was a huge step in the right direction. She didn't look scared to me, she just looked focused on hitting everything. Her face was much more blank than the fearful looks she has had in the past.

A lot of people commenting here on her situation don't seem to have paid much attention to her recent comments. She was holding back on conditioning in the fall and just recently snapped out of her funk. At course the first performance out the gate wasn't perfect.

 

[KatGrace1925]

A come-from-behind victory will be much tougher this year than last, though she's clearly in medal contention still. A victory might be out of her reach depending on how others skate. Karen, Ashley, Mariah, Mirai, and even baby Tessa are all have better LPs than Polina did last year. Karen, Mirai, and Ashley all have enough of a cushion to beat Gracie overall even if Gracie wins the LP, depending on how well they skate.

I want Gracie to have the mindset that she can win, so even if she is a it out of reach to come from behind she throws it all out on the ice and makes the world team witn a triumph under her belt. I'm going to be a nervous wreck through it...

 

[Princessroja]

Charlie White nitpicks at Ashley big time..stating that she needs more flow, better skating and that she needs to up her game to compete with the best in the world. Interesting to hear that.

Stuff that like frustrates me to no end. She does need to work on those things, no question, but... she has a world silver and multiple GPF medals. She is ALREADY competing with the best in the world.