2017 Jr Worlds Ladies FS

[Barb]

Alina totally deserves her win. The choreo is horrible, she does not hold her positions, her movements looks unfinished, and it is not a performance that I want to see again, but she deserves her gold. I hope the next season Eteri buy good choreographies, we all know they don´t need a decent/tolerable choreo to win, but it would be a nice gesture toward fans.

 

[thoakun]

I thought Zagitova's skating was crap based on the comments, but her free was surprisingly watchable IMO. I felt like only yesterday when I watched the early junior events of the season, found Zagitova boring and here she is, much improved in both jumps and performance to the point that I wonder what I had been doing for the last 6 months .

Marin is spellbinding and there was several moments in her skating when it seemed like she didn't do anything in particular, but I got teary-eyed. I don't find the choreography spectacular and I think it was the one and only Marin who bought something special to it. When you look at it, to be a master at anything requires at least 10 years (think I read that number in an HBR article and I really believe it) and while Jeff Buttle is very talented, he hasn't done paying his dues IMO.

Some thoughts cross my mind:
- Mao's road to Pyeongchang is only getting darker :hopelessness::sad4:
- I hope the senior event next week will be as good as this.
- The bar is only getting higher. While Zagitova still has a lot to improve, but performance-wise I think she's not inferior to Yulia, Adelina, Mao, Zhenya etc at the same age.
- The fact that Alina looked nonchalant after hearing her score, and said that she would go home and continue to train as usual meant that she's gunning for an OGM. There'll probably only 1 spot left for 5 or 6 skaters to grab .

 

[tikse]

- - - Updated - - -


Uhmmm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQOA7wF_EZU

This clip mentions only spatial distribution of technical elements. No temporal distribution, so to say, was mentioned.
Please provide the exact time mark of the clip if I'm wrong. Otherwise your doubting cognitive skills of others would seem laughable.

 

[krispy]

1 spin+3 jumps/ 2spin+stsq+ 4 jumps is this balanced??
OR
3 spin+4 jumps/ stsq+3 jumps how bout this??
OR
1 spin=stsq/2 spin=7 jumps
OR
2 spin+5 jumps/ 2 jumps+stsq

See its very vague and can be interpreted in so many ways.

Okay I give up because you know its so vague ... 2 elements vs 9 elements ( jumps all in the second half)

 

[koatcue]

THe Polina curse is living My favourite comment here belongs to Flattfan, who said that a good thing will be if Marin and Alina continue to push each other and make themselves and sport itself better Both girls are outstanding at what they do. Each year juniors are getting better and better, so it's amazing when you distinguish yourself from the crowd whether it's your outstanding PCS or TES.

 

[Mathman]

So you think doing 2 elements in 1st half is blatantly unbalanced. Someone may think that doing 2 out of 7 jumping passes (what Honda did) is also blatantly unbalanced. Should Honda's PCS take a hit because of this?

That is the whole point. No one is saying that its OK for one skater to backload but not another. The discussion is about the rules, not the skaters. (Why is everyone so angry about this?)

I looked at the top ten finishers in the LP. The number of jumps in the second half bonus period were 7, 5, 2, 5, 5, 5, 4, 5, 6 and 4. Is this OK, or should the ISU reconsider just what it is they are aiming for with this rule?

 

[mcq]

Looking back at this competition, I am just so glad that Marin has 2 clean skate back to back, and get level 4 on her stsq. I have been frustrated all season because she always get level 2, and missing levels on some spins too every now and then. So relieved she really skate clean when it matters

I really hope she will upgrade her TES though. Such a lovely skater, but in the field where everyone has packed technical, backloads, and is consistent, I would think repeating 3F and 3T would just not be enough for her. She has a beautiful 3Lz3Lo, so pretty unlike some others whose 3Lo is standstill, hers travel across the ice and have beautiful flow out. I don't know if she is confident enough to backload her combo for the SP, because she did in the start of this season and it didn't work out so well for her. And girl, in such packed field, you can't afford to lose GOEs and levels on spins and steps

 

[OS]

How shall I put this.

Alina was the best junior skater today. It was a tick box system with all the ticks in big bold bright red felt tips in a maths exam.

Marin was the best senior skater today. It was a well realised program that has the beauty, grace and well phrased musicality and the emotions. It was the best R&J essay since Hanyu's which only a few skaters in the world can deliver. There were more moments through out her program, so I strongly feel her PCS should be much higher, or others lower.

Philosophically, I have always prized quality over quantity, and would hope these get acknowledged properly in the scoring.

 

[Meoima]

Marin is spellbinding and there was several moments in her skating when it seemed like she didn't do anything in particular, but I got teary-eyed. I don't find the choreography spectacular and I think it was the one and only Marin who bought something special to it. When you look at it, to be a master at anything requires at least 10 years (think I read that number in an HBR article and I really believe it) and while Jeff Buttle is very talented, he hasn't done paying his dues IMO.

People have different opinions. I see nothing teary in Marin's skating at all. It was good but that's it. Generic program and nothing more. Actually I think choreographywise, it is a very weak long program.
Marin has very nice skating skills. Her glide is to die for. But her jumps, I am not sure.

 

[OS]

People have different opinions. I see nothing teary in Marin's skating at all. It was good but that's it. Generic program and nothing more. Actually I think choreographywise, it is a very weak long program.
Marin has very nice skating skills. Her glide is to die for. But her jumps, I am not sure.

And just whats so Don Quixote about Alina's program? She could have skate to anything big brash and classical, as long as it has a slow first half so she can save her stamina for the 2nd half. She might as well be skating to Carmen, no difference.

 

[Leonardo]

How shall I put this.

Alina was the best junior skater today. It was a tick box system with all the ticks in big bold bright red felt tips in a maths exam.

Marin was the best senior skater today. It was a well realised programs that has the beauty, grace and well phrased musicality and the emotions. It was the best R&J essay since Hanyu's and it was exceptional in how it retains Julie'ts sweetness and innocence which only a few skater in the world can. There were more intelligent interpretation through out her program, so I strongly feel her PCS should be much higher, or others lower.

Philosophically, I have always prized quality over quantity, and would hope these get acknowledged properly in the scoring.

Thank you! :clapper: Seems like refinement doesn't matter for the judges, unfortunately.

 

[venx]

Were these THE BEST Junior Worlds EVER or what?! eace:

 

[mcq]

Were these THE BEST Junior Worlds EVER or what?! eace:

Better than last year that is for sure. The top 3 has strong skates both in the FS and SP.

 

[tikse]

That is the whole point. No one is saying that its OK for one skater to backload but not another. The discussion is about the rules, not the skaters. (Why is everyone so angry about this?)

I looked at the top ten finishers in the LP. The number of jumps in the second half bonus period were 7, 5, 2, 5, 5, 5, 4, 5, 6 and 4. Is this OK, or should the ISU reconsider just what it is they are aiming for with this rule?

For the time being it seems OK. It's no big deal if everyone does 2+5 or 3+4. I think exceptions such as Alina are remarkable and outstanding rather than unbalanced and unaesthetic.
The original highlight distribution bonus, as I understand, was introduced when almost everybody stacked the first half with jumps. So when the overwhelming majority of competitors starts doing 1+6 only then, IMO we (may be) should start worrying. Personally I do not have problems with 0+7 and 1+6.

 

[bramweld]

Zagitova for me just skated right though the character of the music. Marin OTOH, was amazing.

Alina, seems like a sweet enough girl though, so I won't haggle, I just prefer Marin's style.

 

[Meoima]

And just whats so Don Quixote about Alina's program? She could have skate to anything big brash and classical, as long as it has a slow first half so she can save her stamina for the 2nd half. She might as well be skating to Carmen, no difference.

You must have missed my posts when I said I could not stand Alina's choreography huh? I was ranting about her horrible choreography (and the way she leans forward) from the very early season. The best thing about Alina's program is the dress, I mean...

The thing is, what Alina does she does well according to the rules and she wins fairly. Alina actually gets lower PCS than Marin in both SP and LP. You might argue the PCS gap should be higher up to 2 points but it should not be to the point Marin win this competition.

My points regarding Marin is, she is talented and I love her glide, but other than that there is nothing from her I like. Choreography? Generic. Transitions? No. Jumps? Only her edge jumps ok. In short, I do not see how vastly superior she is, unlike some people here. I do not cry and I do not feel overwhelming by her performance.

 

[venx]

I can't remember last time I watched three clean skates from top elite contenders, three brilliant performances exciting the crowd so much. Hey, even 4th Eunsoo was close to perfect and received many cheers! Yuna Shiraiwa was very solid as well.
Basically 5 super talented girls showed up BIG! :hap57:

I love figure skating!!! :hap93:

 

[Plisskin]

Personally I could care less about back-loading if I liked the program and the skater's style. But I don't like Alina's programs or style. Don Quixote is a tired war horse. She's doing ballet but there is nothing balletic in her skating, which I find so weird about many Russian skaters who have (imo) the best ballet companies in the world. So many unfinished movements, and the list goes on. Her dress is so cute though. So I'm obviously not a fan but per the judging system it was a well deserved win. Very technically proficient and she answered Marin's great skate with one of her own with most of her jumps done in the second half with transitions so well done for her. Skate of the night for me was Marin Honda. Although I do hope she gets some assistance on her jumps for the future. And I'm so gutted for Tsurskaya. I will be for sure keeping my eye on this one. Love her style, pretty carriage and interpretation.

 

[andromache]

Marin's program is magnificently well-constructed and choreographed. I kind of find her to be a tad overrated (I generally prefer girls with bigger jumps), but the movements go soooooo well the music and she executes them all very well. I think she could "feel" the music more, but that's just me being picky. It's kind of a generic program, not very unique, but it's a gorgeously choreographed and interpreted generic program. Again, the matching of movements to music = A+. The StSq in particular was to die for. Plus, she has great SS for a junior lady, better than some of the top senior ladies. But I don't get the "it" or "wow" factor as much as some fans do - then again, I prefer the "fierce" ladies who skate and/or project big. Personal preference acknowledged. The lightness on her jump landings is great to watch. She should improve her spins and really milk the GOE she could get. Faster rotations are a must.

Alina's program isn't nearly as bad as I remember it from JGPF. I enjoyed it much more this time, and she projects to the audience extremely well (though I wonder how she would handle a more subtle/complicated theme). Love her spins. Great jumps, and I love the Rippons. A few moments of awkwardness in choreography that I disliked (really, just moments, nothing major). The program is not as good as Marin's, but it's not bad. The movements just do not match the music nearly as well - but most programs don't do that as well as Marin's.

The biggest thing that bothers me about Alina's skating is the amount of time she seems to spend bent at the waist. Is it the choreographic style? Or is it a way to gain speed? Or just a flaw she needs to work on? I'm kind of thinking it's the last one - I've never noticed it from other girls that Eteri coaches (who tend to have great posture). It just bothers me aesthetically. Has anyone else noticed this?

But really, overall, Alina is not nearly as bad as people make her out to be. I'll be interested to see how much she has improved to next season.

 

[marlet]

Congratulations to all the girls!! I'm always amazed by these young girls competitive fire, and for all their efforts and ability they show to the world, good luck for next season