2017 GPF Ladies FS

[Danibellerika]

You're so optimistic. When I watch Kaetlyn I get Sasha Cohen vibes, I just know she can't do it.

Though Sasha managed to win at least one GPF, and with a solid free skate. She beat Slutskaya on home ice.

 

[Hevari]

Kelly Sildaru is barely 15 and has already won Xgames gold twice (age 13 and 14) in slope style. She was certainly going to go to the olympics and challenge for gold but she is currently recovering from ACL injury and not going to compete. She is in many ways the pride of Estonia and one of the countries most followed athletes.

Watch how awesome she is!
https://youtu.be/yozdtVtmpcw

There are little kid shredders too in other sports that compete and beat the older ones,
https://instagram.com/p/BcStfViDuKO/

But kelly is kinda exception... and in Figure skating we have Alina - 15, Wakaba - 16, Marin - 16, Polina Ts. - 16,... Lena R, Julia L., Gracie G., Karen C., Polina E. also moved to seniors at 14-15-16...

 

[Ylyzybyth]

Wow.........
Ah....
well- my heart is broken for Wakaba! She had such a nice short program. I wonder if she was incredibly nervous or something...seemed like she was exhausted and just couldn't put the emotion into the program. She's still my no. 1!
I honestly thought Satoko was about to win the entire event for a min there. Beautiful skate from her nonetheless.
Alina did a great job as always. I'm glad she will be allowed to eat tonight.
Maria with her Tetris peice arm continues with her forgettable consistency. I love her grey dress though.
Katelyn i really like her program it's sooo sooo close to being perfect whyyyyy!?
Somehow I found this competition to be a little boring so I'm kind of disappointed. Guess I can look forward to the Games of Thrones competitions coming up AKA various National championships.
Anyone know when they are?

 

[Ylyzybyth]

How bad is it that i like goldenskate more than Facebook? I don't even know you people and I'd rather read what you all write more than I want to see the recipe Brittany from high school is sharing.

 

[Mishaminion]

How do you know the Russians won't compete?

It will be a much poorer event if they don't. The Russian girls who have chances to make the Olympics deserve their shot at a medal as much as anyone else does, they had nothing to do with the doping scandal.

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

But kelly is kinda exception... and in Figure skating we have Alina - 15, Wakaba - 16, Marin - 16, Polina Ts. - 16,... Lena R, Julia L., Gracie G., Karen C., Polina E. also moved to seniors at 14-15-16...

It’s been great for the sport in my opinion and we’ll see more Kelly’s because she is inspiring a whole new generation. I prefer to see the most gifted technically proficient skaters competing and being rewarded. I like the JGP too but while I think the Juniors could survive competing with the seniors I do wonder if the seniors could hang with the Juniors. I think the pressure is more intense there because the judges will slash your PCS if you make mistakes.

I’ll go as far to say that this JGPF rivals the 2014 WC as being one of my favorite events ever. Although Mao, Julia, Caro podium was a dream come true

 

[pearly]

maybe to raise BV for spins and sequences and maybe - raise an age cap for senior competitions.

http://web.icenetwork.com/news/2017/09/11/253667206/isu-official-radical-change-could-be-on-the-way

 

[skatesofgold]

Maybe.. It's time to ask a serious question to the ISU, national feds, coaches and so on - why have 15-year-old kids compete for olympic gold? Why have they to bear this responsibility, pressure and sometimes even burden? The are just kids! Yes, kinda special, but still kids. Can you see 15-year-old kids competing for olympic gold in the snowboarding or freestyle skiing? So seems that something wrong had happened in the sports of Figure Skating. "The System Has Failed" ((c) Megadeth)

Katie Ledecky won her first Olympic gold at 15 in swimming, but I'm probably one of the only people who doesn't care for age limits. Teens need to be protected (as evidenced by what is going on in gymnastics), but if they're talented and can cope with the pressure, I don't see why they shouldn't be able to compete at the Olympics. I want to see the best of the best. And the fact of the matter is some teens have ambition and are willing to make sacrifices to achieve their goals.

 

[Lzbee]

Just watched the free skate and read the protocols. Can't say I agree with the judges that often but what do I know.

Carolina Kostner
Must admit, I really don’t like this program. Putting that aside though, how on earth did she get 140+ with two pops?!?? And the B.ESP commentator saying “this is Carolina at her best”. No, it’s not. Far from it. Not just the jumps, her last spin wasn’t very good either. Having just watched the juniors with their vastly superior tech content (2 combos, backloaded, more difficult jumps, triple axels) get 10+ points less than this, is non-sensical, the lower PCS should be cancelled out by the massively higher tech but somehow it’s not.

Maria Sotskova
Nice dress, I like the change as it makes her look more mature. Maria’s jumps are so big that I think the ugly tano arms might actually be hindering her GOE because she should be getting huge GOE otherwise. I mean, I’d rather her do rippons if she can’t fix that as ugly rippons are more rare. That score seems about right to me. Well done Maria.

Wakaba Higuchi
Ugh, looking at the points to beat, they really screwed over Wakaba in the short and that really sucks. Nooooo, it did seem like the crowd pumped up the adrenaline too much that she needed to reign it in for that jump. I’m very sad for her but she should still be ok to go to the Olympics. People need to see her stellar programs this season. And of course her PCS doesn’t get the benefit of the doubt like Kostner’s does despite a fantastic first half and crowd support.

Kaetlyn Osmond
I like how she spots some of her spins, that’s a nice touch although I’m not keen on her swan arms yet. I’m “getting” the program a lot better now though so that’s a good improvement. Personally, I would’ve scored her slightly less considering the mistakes, maybe 135. And looking at the protocols, she somehow got not insignificant positive GOE for her flutz.

Alina Zagitova
This program is so fun to watch and I don’t find her first half boring at all since she does so much in them. Her leg kicks aren’t the prettiest (needs better turnout) but I don’t find her unballetic in general and she doesn’t rush nearly as much any more, I only noticed it in two places. The mistakes did throw off her timing for the next jump though and that should’ve reflected in her PCS. So overall I do think her score was too high. I’d give her 144/145 considering Kostner and Sotskova’s scores.

Satoko Miyahara
I can see in real time already that that loop is severely pre-rotated. How did that get +1.1 GOE? And looking at the replays, all of her jumps are so pre-rotated that if they ever clamp down on that, she will be in big trouble. BUT, that said, her jumps are generally looking higher than before except for that double Axel so I guess she is working on it. Ah and they called them, well done tech panel. Why did Satoko’s combination spin get less GOE than Kostner’s though?

Overall, it looks like the tech panel did their job here but the judges scored all over the place as usual. Also, the B.ESP commentator, Simon, seems to completely forget there’s a tech score at all and you can tell his poor colleague has to hold back from making a fool of him. Wakaba and Alina were the highlights for me tonight despite the mistakes. Maria would be too but her program is just too forgettable, poor girl.

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

Katie Ledecky won her first Olympic gold at 15 in swimming, but I'm probably one of the only people who doesn't care for age limits. Teens need to be protected (as evidenced by what is going on in gymnastics), but if they're talented and can cope with the pressure, I don't see why they shouldn't be able to compete at the Olympics. I want to see the best of the best.

I agree and I’d prefer their parents and coaches making these decisions.

 

[ancientpeas]

Well done Alina and Maria. It will be really interesting to see what happens at Russian nationals and Europeans. Unless Carolina skates really well (or one of the Russian ladies skates below expectations) I think we will see a Russian sweep there too. I really wish they'd take Alina out of the Tutu. I think it it contributes to all the "she looks too juniorish" stuff. Maria is lovely and she is doing so much better this year with the interpretation and performance parts. I think she has worked hard at it (or maybe it just comes with performing in front of crowds and doing galas and shows?).

Kaetlyn rides the wave of a great SP and a very mediocre long into a bronze medal. If she could just put it all together I think she would be a real contender to upset Alina or Evgenia but she has to put it together when it matters most: at the Olympic games. I wish I could like the Black Swan as much as I like the SP.

Carolina is beautiful and elegant and has incredible SS and is a joy to watch. I love that she's still out there competing. She's my sentimental favourite to win a medal but without the technical content she is relying on others to make mistakes. I'll be rooting for her at Europeans for sure.

Satoko's outing here just makes me sad. I love her skating and hate her jumps. Who knows how she will do at the Olympics because it seems so dependent for her more than many others on who is on the Tech panel. In the end they have to call the UR because it's not fair to those ladies who do not UR.

 

[Elucidus]

Also, I like to see artistry rewarded and I don't think the Russians excel at this. I don't think it is just my opinion either.

You understood me wrong. I wanted to say that it's something wrong that the figure skating is getting "younger". Some system fail.

Just watch SP&FP of Alina Kostornaya at junior final, return here and say it again

 

[matcha]

Zagitova somehow managed to hit exactly zero of her musical cues.

Totally deserved 70< PCS of course.

She was playing catch up until the flip and looked a bit frazzled.

 

[GoddessMinerva]

What about 15 year old gymnasts then? Nobody seems to mind them.

Again, I am repeating myself but probably many many 15 year olds didn't make it. Alina is the exception, as are other young athletes who manage the feat of training 150% day after day, to survive injuries, withering criticisms and show up stronger.

They are stronger than older athletes who break down or falter when it counts most.

This is why they are champions and why we like them. They are simply extraordinary, not your typical teen and therefore inspiring.

That said, I do see Alina and Med in the long game. They seem mentally strong enough. This is where I credit Eteri because her girls are tough.

Well if we're talking artistic gymnastics - not rhythmic - I have little knowledge of the latter and I am not even sure what the min. age is to compete in seniors there, I am going to assume it's also around 16. Skating and gymnastics are very different. For one thing, the most artistic event - the floor ex - is a min and half, and no one is typically doing anything overly difficult choreo wise - how could they? It's also a sport scored more objectively(even if there are disputes there and there is an element of subjectivity but not to the extent as the PCS in skating.) Execution scores don't really refer to artistry - it's all about how much amplitude, how much flexibility(in the leaps, jumps) how straight the legs and pointed the toes are. Big steps, small steps no steps on landings ect. Skating IMO is more complicated. It's not as though age arguments haven't come up in artistic - but in recent years it seems less of an issue. The average age of female gymnasts is getting older and many are peaking later in their careers then they ever would have 20 years ago. Is skating going the opposite way at the moment? I don't know. I'm so used to gymnastics, the idea of 15 year olds competing has never particularly bothered me, but if it's a big change for skating fans, or those in the sport - I can see why there is debate.

I have to say though, the idea of athletic and artistic skating is a bit confusing to me. So, in artistic gymnastics - the only event that even uses music in floor and only on the women's side. Then there's trampoline of course, which is athletic. There is tumbling, but it's not an Olympic discipline. Rhythmic is quite artistic, but not comparable to artistic at all really. Even how the athletes are taught to do their spins are different - and that's quite clear. So artistic gymnastics - it's already essentially an athletic display - particularly for the men as they have almost no dance elements - whereas the women do - on beam and floor. The men do flairs or even what's it called....where they wiggle on the ground like a break dancer? Occasionally some do that, but it's not scored as a dance category. What would athletic skating be? Doing a bunch of jumps without music? What would artistic be? Isn't dance alreadyis that to an extent? It's skating without the super athleticism required to do jumps? I am not saying they are not athletes - though dance is the discipline I watch the least of, so I don't know as much about it. Are they saying they want single ice dance essentially?

 

[college pat]

Katie Ledecky won her first Olympic gold at 15 in swimming, but I'm probably one of the only people who doesn't care for age limits. Teens need to be protected (as evidenced by what is going on in gymnastics), but if they're talented and can cope with the pressure, I don't see why they shouldn't be able to compete at the Olympics. I want to see the best of the best.

as far as katie ledecky she competes against time-- i don't know if better or worse than a 12 jump program for men/ 11 for women.
The snowboarders only do 3-5 big air.
gymnast does a 1 1/2 program with 2-moves at end which equates to 4-6 at max on floor-- they do what 3-5 on beam plus their landing.
so their situation is a little different but still have to be fit. most does double on the beam some do 3 turns and see how hard it is.


Yet for some reason the figure skaters has do 11/12 triple/quad jump program in the free skate and minimum of 3-4 triple/quad jump in the short program.

If they don't do triples and or quads-failure- the jump isn't counted--why it still add to 11-12 fs/ 3-4 / still takes a toll on the body throughout the years.

3-4 jumps in short program

the long is unbalanced . how 11 jumps with the combination of 2 jump combination or 3 jump combination -- still on 4 or 5 spins with the 2 step sequences.

lets add the jumps 6 triple jumps -toe, loop, salchow, flip, lutz and the axel. those are the jumps. they should be done all 5 triples for women exception double axel for the ladies, the men 3 axel for men plus take pick of all 5 jumps quads, all 5 jumps triples or combination of triples/quads.

so those are the immediate 6 plus get to repeat 2 of them if done in combination that equates to 8 jumps--now add the 2 in combination that equates to 10 the other two if a skater/team does a 3 jump combination preferable one is a triple or the double/triple axel which equates to 12 jumps total. Because of progress they have to be Triple Jumps. not double unless combination. but women are working on triple/triple/triple, men is doing it i think.

12 jumps of triples versus 5 spins/sequences in the free program. out of balanced.

for example gpf men

they don't mention the double jumps in the count --only triples--double/pop's are mistakes.-- in new system don't count as much.

who look more balanced

shoma's why 9 jumps and 5 spins/sequence versus nathan 12 jumps double/triples versus the 5 spins/sequence.




than we wonder why hurt, injured or boot problems. i am not sure the boot/blade are made for that kind of skating due to the figure , toe pick where suppose to make patterns on the ice.

no patterns, patterns meant you leg/foot didnt leave the ice.

progress yes in jumps not in spins, not in sequence, not in flow, holding edge--

i am sorry but this what figure skating become.

there is no interpretation of the music--how can there be--focused sole on jumps/jump combination of triples/quads.

 

[OS]

But I'm not gonna waste my time and energy complaining about it. Or do you propose taking any particular type of action?

Well I did.

As an uber fans of the ladies for the past few years, and during the time of Michelle Kwan, who travelled the world to watch skaters, who stays until 4am to watch live events, I stopped watching the GPF live.

That is saying something...

 

[Zhenya is DIVINE]

I'm tickled pink that Masha won silver here. She is such a gorgeous woman and her skating is like a dream.

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

I'm tickled pink that Masha won silver here. She is such a gorgeous woman and her skating is like a dream.

That dress was everything

 

[Baron Vladimir]

Seriously scoring over 140 points with pops and no 3-3 why are judges treating Kostner like she's Michelle Kwan or Yuna with this overscoring nonsense? Her jump layout is from 1988.

She was scoring higher in PCS than Yuna (at Sochi), so judges have already decided she is better in some aspects... and she is the only one individual olympic medalist in the current field, so that should tell you a lot...

 

[Shayuki]

Kelly Sildaru is barely 15 and has already won Xgames gold twice (age 13 and 14) in slope style. She was certainly going to go to the olympics and challenge for gold but she is currently recovering from ACL injury and not going to compete. She is in many ways the pride of Estonia and one of the countries most followed athletes.

Watch how awesome she is!
https://youtu.be/yozdtVtmpcw

There are little kid shredders too in other sports that compete and beat the older ones,
https://instagram.com/p/BcStfViDuKO/

She's awesome for sure. That sport seems really dangerous for such young girls, though, whereas for figure skating it likely is much less dangerous for a child to fall the younger the are. However, the older, heavier, taller you get, the bigger a toll all the jumps start taking on you. Some sort of a reform would probably be necessary to see some serious progress to the sport even by older skaters - It does seem like they tend to peak especially early. Perhaps more focus on elements you'd require steps for rather than such a heavy emphasis on jumping?



Of course, I can't resist such a good opportunity to talk about talented girls so I'll just take advantage of it to mention that Sofia Bogdanova for example has 122+ million views( https://www.facebook.com/bleacherreport/videos/10154221805486006/ ) on a 1 minute facebook clip of her freestyle slalom skating performance from when she was 10 years old even though just about no one even knows that such a sport even exists. So when you are that good at something people will be interested. Even though they might not know to look for it without it getting featured somewhere. I wonder when the day a figure skating performance has 122+mil views will arrive.