And that puzzles me. If you are the only one with level 4 in Step Seq - isn't that proof that your Skating Skills are great!!??!!
So that means, as I'm sure all of them trained level 4 Step Seq, the others didn't have the skating skills to pull it off. And so that should reflect on the Skating Skills score...?
This...all day every day, especially in the short were the foot work is almost a 1/4 of the program time wise. It's frustrating because Ergggg... yes footwork is deep edges and SS but to receive a level 4 it also, as the rules provided earlier in this thread states, needs to show exemplary choreography and interpretation of the music and Guba is the only one to get that level. Yet she hypocritically was still judged as a full point in SS, over a full point in IN and CO under those of other skater(s) with level 3 scores and spins. Its atrocious. And yes, I understand the girl stalks her jumps a little but it all should equal out.
Honestly if pcs werent so heavily based on reputation, Medvedeva pcs would be a lot closer to the others. Previous years I could partially accept her getting better pcs due to her transitions and her performance level. But this year, she has hardly any transitions into her jumps, her interpretation feels unnatural and in the step seq the dramatic music is completely unparallel to her weak flailing arm movements.
This this this. Totally agree and it saves me from typing it!
They confirmed Sofia?? If Alina's spot wasn't already set in stone, then she would be competing here
No one is confirmed per say but Sofia is the European Champion. It's an unwritten rule the Euro Champ goes to worlds. He or she is technically the best Europe has to offer and even with the craziness that is RU ladies right now, RusFeds are to the bone traditionalists.
I want to see Zhenya go to worlds. It was wonderful to see her fan base today, and see the love people have for her. In my opinion is she the best in this group? Not even close. I would have had her 5th or 6th. But I would like to see her and Alina compete at Worlds, because I suspect it will be the last year for both of them. I think Zhenya has enough of an international boost to come in high enough to save the third spot. Liza can take the year to get back in shape, and with a 3A she will still be competitive next year.
This is not against you katymay, I'm just using your quote as an example because it hits on a few of my points that I differ on opinion and I certainly hope you well. I totally agree that Zhenya should have been 3rd or 4th. Zhenya being over scored on PCS made everyone else look underscored and those who were actually underscored, glaringly so. And for not doing her combo in the bonus her TES (and others) were imo a bit high. Hypocritically, otherwise I actually felt, with a few minor exceptions, the the judging was actually fairly consistent.
I saw today why Konstantinova is a favorite. She looks and skates like a powerful woman and when she finished I was wowed. But sadly the slow mo program review before presenting her scores was not her friend. I agree with others that the back end of the combo toe, because it was so close to being UR though clean, didn't deserve +3 GOE and the loop out of steps, even to the naked eye in real time, was at the very least UR and certainly didn't deserve the many plus 3's and 4 it received. So when the scores came in and she wasn't dinged for it, it ruined the wow factor for me personally.
This Viktoriia Vasilieva girl, she's the one to watch over the next 3 years. Her speed out of jumps and natural flow is special. So, I hate saying this cause it's so archaic but she really needs to be better packaged. She's potentially an extraordinary beauty but her skin is almost translucent and blends into the ice and looks dreary on the TV. Plus with the blond hair it's too much, almost looks like a dress meditating over ice and rotating. Nothing a spray tan and a dye job can't fix.
Judges only gave out one ! all day. Interesting and realistically they are not doing the girls any favors for international judging.
I'm confused why this thread tends to imply Liza is out of shape or needs to further prove fitness. Did we watch the same program? Other than a strong missed (and the only one in the field to execute) attempt 3a, the rest of her program was fiery and jumps rock solid and clean and just exquisite. Dragon wasn't a complete mess she wasn't using full programs. Yes she was sick, but she clearly over it and the quality of her skills are as good as they were in the fall.
Tomorrow will be fun!
). And just from a visual basis, I'd say it's not true. 
I agree that there are some who try to squeeze in rotations as soon as they leave the ice (and hence my previous rant about how the ones who jump and then rotate should be rewarded for higher quality in that pre-rotation thread: Chen seems to be doing exactly this for instance compared to Kolyada) and this would detract from their ability to spring. But the spring and the force required to spring for a quad, even done this way, would be greater than in a triple (again, Chen's own quads are larger than his triples).
