Ladies LP

[floskate]

Asada's scores seem to have been entirely inflated. She stepped out of her triple axel, and two of her loops in combination were so underrotated they were downgraded to singles. Also, one of her lutzes was reported to be "shaky."

And this is a skate that garners a monster 130 points? And the highest point total ever? Makes it hard to take seriously. I mean, I'm sure it was a great skate and all, but the scores seem ridiculous.

A Japanese ladies sweep as predicted. Looks like Suguri and Asada are headed to the GPF.

Do you have sekret access to the protocols? Id love to see what was downgraded in a 130+ FS. She has 3 monster combo's in her FS that she nailed today - 3f-3l that nobody does aswell as she does, she's re-introduced a 3t by way of 2x-3t plus a 3lz-2l-2l combo as her LAST jumping pass. These are worth sooooooo many points. She knew what she had to do and got through her program in a seriously pressured situation with what appears to be nerves of steel. Good for Mao!!!!!

BTW, the shaky lutz was in the SP if there was one - an impressive save.

 

[Mathman]

The downgrading of the two-loops and the "shaky" Lutz were reported in the article on the event on the ISU main page.

http://www.isu.org/vsite/vcontent/c...1-3787-4771-layout46-129898-news-item,00.html

But she didn't lose much. A double loop is worth only 1.5 points to begin with, so she lost 1 point foir each downgrade to a single (0.5).

 

[Mathman]

Who are we talking about who only landed one triple? McCorkell?

 

[Mathman]

About Sasha versus Mao, Sasha's best is 197.90, compared to this 199.52 point performance by Mao.

 

[Oscilla]

The downgrading of the two-loops and the "shaky" Lutz were reported in the article on the event on the ISU main page.

It's very weird. I'm replaying that combo and Lutz is looking good to me. I don't know about the Loops as the camera angle makes it difficult to judge (the last Loops /does/ look underrotated, though).
Oh well, she will probably be more careful next time. I think she just rushed through it too much; she is able to rotate 3L in combinations, so rotating doubles shouldn't cause her trouble.

 

[rain]

It's very weird. I'm replaying that combo and Lutz is looking good to me. I don't know about the Loops as the camera angle makes it difficult to judge (the last Loops /does/ look underrotated, though).
Oh well, she will probably be more careful next time. I think she just rushed through it too much; she is able to rotate 3L in combinations, so rotating doubles shouldn't cause her trouble.

Seeing the program on Youtube, the lutz looked okay to me too, but the loops were definitely badly underrotated. But I do think her overall scores were vastly inflated. The jumps were impressive in this program, but the overall program itself left a lot to be desired. Asada does very little to express this music - it comes out when it specifically choreographed, as in the footwork, but other than that it could be any music or no music at all playing as she goes through the motions. A couple of other notes — she has a terrible sit spin position, and not a great layback — the position of the leg isn't very good. I also didn't think she had great speed during her spiral section, though the positions were impressive — so many of the women are trying to do the catchfoot but don't really have the flexibility, so it ends up looking very inelegant. Not so Asada.

 

[hongligl]

That was a well skated program. The music choice is not the best. It is so fast that even Mao is fast she still can't match the pace of the music. Her head is as stiff as always but come on, the scores are not inflated at all. She deserved it with such a technically difficult program.

 

[Mathman]

...Asada does very little to express this music - it comes out when it specifically choreographed, as in the footwork, but other than that it could be any music or no music at all playing as she goes through the motions. A couple of other notes — she has a terrible sit spin position, and not a great layback — the position of the leg isn't very good. I also didn't think she had great speed during her spiral section...

I think these are sort of things that the New Judging System does not care very much about. It is more important to change positions and edges on your sit spin than to have a good position (although there is a new rule this year that you can't just do a Plushenko and call it a sit spin).

In program component scores, "interpretation" seems to mean landing a good triple-triple.

 

[rain]

I think these are sort of things that the New Judging System does not care very much about. It is more important to change positions and edges on your sit spin than to have a good position (although there is a new rule this year that you can't just do a Plushenko and call it a sit spin).

In program component scores, "interpretation" seems to mean landing a good triple-triple.

I agree and this is one of my beefs with how COP is being implemented by the judges. It's what's leading spins to be nothing more than a frenzy of not very convincing or beautiful positions, none of which are held long enough to be impressive. It is the same problem that can be seen in the mostly inadequate death spirals in pairs.

I don't want to come off as if I'm ragging on Asada, since I think she is a very good skater. It's just that with scores like she posted, I would expect a much more complete and inspiring program, not just one with impressive (though massively telegraphed) jumps and other required elements strung out to music that has little to do with the movements and which the skater clearly doesn't feel much of anything about. Interpretation should not only be a choreographic mark.

 

[demarinis5]

I agree and this is one of my beefs with how COP is being implemented by the judges. It's what's leading spins to be nothing more than a frenzy of not very convincing or beautiful positions, none of which are held long enough to be impressive. It is the same problem that can be seen in the mostly inadequate death spirals in pairs.

I don't want to come off as if I'm ragging on Asada, since I think she is a very good skater. It's just that with scores like she posted, I would expect a much more complete and inspiring program, not just one with impressive (though massively telegraphed) jumps and other required elements strung out to music that has little to do with the movements and which the skater clearly doesn't feel much of anything about. Interpretation should not only be a choreographic mark.

Thank you.

 

[evenstar]

I was very underwhelmed by Asada's freeskate. I didn't think many, if any, of the jumps were of good quality. She didn't manage to draw me into the performance; it looked like she was just "going through the moves". However, she deserved her win, though not her mammoth freeskate score.

(Loved, loved, loved Suguri's program. I was undecided about it after Skate Canada, but now it is very entertaining for me to watch.)

 

[Spun Silver]

I love Mao, but maybe she has just not learned to put a whole LP over yet. I guess it takes time to get control of an LP's shape and style. She sure has the SP down pat! I think one day she will be delivering LPs just that good.

 

[R.D.]

However, she deserved her win, though not her mammoth freeskate score.

well, remember these are GP events...not to mention it was in JAPAN.

 

[flying camel]

Who are we talking about who only landed one triple? McCorkell?

Bebe landed one triple. I would just like for her to do well. She has all the potential in the world. But something is wrong. I think she should go back to Christy Ness.

 

[Vampie]

I too was tad underwhelmed by Mao's LP but sheesh. She's only 16 and has alot of time ahead to develop. That piece of music is so fast and hard to follow for teenager (Witt used it long ago but was SP iirc). I don't think there is any teen skater who can sell THAT program. And you know she was expected to land these difficult jumps and at least she didn't fall. I say she did excellent job there. I will not criticize her bit by bit and give such negative comments just yet.

I agree 100% that +GOE for certain jump is questionable, though...(but it's not her fault).

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

Mao's LP, has its pluses and minuses.

On the minus side. She can't get all the way down in a sitsspin. Her layback is ok by definition but lacking much esthetically. Spins in general are slow for a senior lady. Nothing special with the footwork. Her carriage thoughout is very rigid, and she prepares all her elemets much too carefully losing the flow of figure skating.

On the plus side. Mao is a WoW jumper.

Joe

 

[enlight78]

I agree that her spins and pcs where given a lot of help by the judges in the long program. The men's pcs were inflated in both the short and long. At least the judges are consistant. Mao still deserved to win and she skated very well. Kudos to her.

 

[hockeyfan228]

On the plus side. Mao is a WoW jumper.

She has gorgeous rhythm and rotation in her jumps, which is even more WOW in person. But she also has a flutz as bad and pronounced as Cohen's, and she's weak on 3T's and 3S's. I think Arutunian can help her only cosmetically until she re-tools the Lutz completely, like Rochette did, and I don't see her taking that year to do it, unless she's hit by the puberty monster and has to restart anyway.

But in the air, she's a good as anyone I've ever seen.

 

[Mathman]

That is my biggest concern about this new judging system. Mao flutzes, stiff posture, uninteresting choreography, no real understanding of the music, nothing special footwork, weak 3T's and 3Sal, etc., etc., etc. Yet she just scored the highest point total ever in the history of the ISU judging system.

I believe she will win the World Championship this year.

What motivation does she have to work on anything?

 

[tae04]

I think her Short is flawless from start to finish.

Don't know why that does not translate into the Long. She still is only 16 people lol.