Richmond Times-Dispatch, 4/11/07:
http://www.timesdispatch.com/servle...TD_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1173350671146
http://www.timesdispatch.com/servle...TD_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1173350671146
Kimmie's Chore: Replace Teen Zest w/Polished Art
- Thread starter Geesesk8
- Start date
- Joined
- Dec 28, 2006
seems like kimmie is talking about the triple axel again... but remeber she did that a lot last summer and we didn't see hide or hair of it all season. I think that kimmie regrets not trying the axel at worlds, and i think he coach is being overly caucious with it. Mao always at least attempts it and maybe that is why she is considered "the one to beat" in women's skating right now.
and as for that thirteen year old.... don't pretend for a minute that kimmie dosen't know about our junior ladies. If one of them gets a triple triple, it's good bye kimmie.
and as for that thirteen year old.... don't pretend for a minute that kimmie dosen't know about our junior ladies. If one of them gets a triple triple, it's good bye kimmie.
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- Joined
- Feb 7, 2006
Really? Why?
You know, I agree with you that Kimmie is well aware of the threat that the junior US ladies represent to her.
I was actually impressed at how conscious she was of not being able to hold her own against the Japanese. A lot of skaters in her replace would talk up their chances even though their competition is way better, but I don't think that she ever hinted at the possibility of defending her world title or even getting silver at Worlds. She kinda new that bronze was the best she could hope for at this Worlds. That's why I am pretty sure that she has scoped out Caroline and Mirai and decided that they are coming after her ;-)
Good artistry cannot be taught. You have to have it or develop it. I think she's learning but the truth is that it's going to work against her since the Asians, and now the junior ladies can do all the jumps PLUS relate to the audience in some way. Of course, Meissner can still attempt to outjump them and win.
Yes and no. I think they have to "establish" themselves first before they'll be given the edge over Meissner. But Meissner is far from being Kwan or Cohen- she will be overtaken very soon. Mark my words...
Yes and no. I think they have to "establish" themselves first before they'll be given the edge over Meissner. But Meissner is far from being Kwan or Cohen- she will be overtaken very soon. Mark my words...
It's not like Kwan was never overtaken. She certainly was by Lipinski.. And Cohen... she couldn't always overtake Kwan and Kimmie beat her at the last worlds.... so she too was eventually surpassed... happens to everyone
The important thing, I think, is that Kimmie seems to recognize that there will always be someone after her, ready to kick her off the top spot. After all, there is a lot that can happen to anyone (puberty monster; injuries), so she can't be sure the big challenge will be from any specific individuals, but as any long career demonstrates, there will always be someone.
Lipinski I can agree with...although the word I'd use would be more like "match". They had a good rivalry going back in the day. If anyone really "overtook" her, I'd have to step outside the US border and say Slutskaya...she really seemed to have MK pinned down during the 02 olympic season, including taking the world title away from her. But as far as Cohen goes, heck no. It was really the quali's that did MK in at 2004 and 2005 worlds...Cohen really stumbled in that 04 freeskate and had it not been for the Quali's the positions would likely have been switched (?). Cohen never beat MK at nationals, which I consider to be the biggest pressure-cooker event apart from the Olympics.
back to Meissner- I think she's well aware of the challengers that face her. Take away Asia and she's the top girl right now (as Nats and 4CC's showed), even with a mistake. I just have this feeling that she's going to go back to something predictable and boring, but hey, if it helps her, probably best to do it.
She can work as hard as she wants but she will always be at a disadvantage in the pres. department even with improvement, imo. She just doesn't have that natural ability to be smooth like Yu-na, or gutsy like Mao. IMO, she's not cut out for that so I say go back to predictable and boring and put her main focus on the jumps and elements. As long as she can out-jump her competitors she's still in the game, no matter how plain she is. Worlds 2006 is proof of this. Seems like in the effort to improve presentation, the 3-3 jumps got a little off. she needs to land those if she wants to compete with Asia.
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- Mar 14, 2006
Sigh. I feel with Kimmie the same as Emily - they both could help themselves out with music and costume choices that brought out their natural abilities instead of trying to be ice princesses. Kimmie would look great in a unitard and I'd be fine with seeing her teen zest. I don't think we've seen much of that at all. She's trying too hard to be Egyptian or Spanish or whatever. Let her be all-American and skate to Rodgers and Hammerstein or Aaron Copland or Leonard Bernstein or the wonderful Gershwin score that NYC Ballet uses for "Who Cares?" Her exhibitions to Avril Lavigne don't really make the case for using rock music, IMO, but American classics could really frame her as what she is - an all-American girl-next-door - and that in itself might give her more confidence.
As for that 3A of hers, it's time to put up or shut up about the dratted thing. I think she realizes that, luckily.
As for that 3A of hers, it's time to put up or shut up about the dratted thing. I think she realizes that, luckily.
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ITABoth Emily and Kimmie should change the music and costumes and don't try to be ice princesses. It is a style that doesn't fit them at all! It seems that a lot of skaters want to to be ice princesses. Kimmie need a style that is particular, that is different from the others. But she doesn't try it even at exhibitions.
- Joined
- Jun 21, 2003
I don't think Kimmie is trying to be an ice princess. I think she is trying to be a complete skater. This past season that meant working on her presentation skills.
She did try a triple Axel once last season, by the way -- at Trophee Eric Bompard (she got 1.2 points for it).
She did try a triple Axel once last season, by the way -- at Trophee Eric Bompard (she got 1.2 points for it).
- Joined
- Mar 14, 2006
Presentation skills are involved no matter what style of music/costume/choreography you use. I'm just suggesting that she would find it easier to develop presentation skills if she worked in a more congenial style. Flamenco comes naturally to some, hard to others; some excel at jazz, others at Bach. I think high European style does not come easily to Kimmie and that high (or middle) American style might work better for her.
Thanks for the reminder that she at least tried the 3A once this season. I was beginning to think it was just talk. I'm also rather disgusted with the media constantly harping on it and talking about it as if she has it in the bag, when it's been years since she's landed it in competition.
There is no evidence she has a true 3A. I really don't believe Kimmie can land a fully rotated 3A. Her 2A looks pretty iffy, not much height, and the take-off is always scary. It's going to be a miracle for her to land a 3A.
Kimmie's 3+3 technique is also not right, and I think the underrotation will do her in at international scenes.
I dont believe you've seen some of Kimmie's practice videos of her landing the 3A: http://youtube.com/watch?v=erDmyDLczu4
Look towards the end of that video, Kimmie lands a beautiful 3A.
Definitely a cheated one.
You can see her landing was scratchy, which usually was a sign of cheating.
If you replay it, and remember the position she took off, and compared that to the position she first landed the jump, it's definitely short of 3.5 rotations, but by how much? That's the key. She knew she was cheating, that's why scrambled on the ice surface to get some extra quarters.
This one would have been caught at international competitions, the U.S. judges might cut her a slack though.
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- Aug 27, 2003
I personally think Kimmie's biggest problem right now is general inconsistency on her jumps. Forget the triple Axel--she wasn't even able to consistently land her triple Lutz or her triple/triples this season. That's a problem. She doesn't *need* the triple Axel to win--but she does need solid triple/triples. Just look at Yu-Na and Miki. They won the biggest events of the year primarily on the strength of their triple/triples.
