Ladies' Long Program

[Wrlmy]

I guess it's all cultural thing. In Japan, you are not supposed to look directly at someone even when talking, especially if you are a young girl like Mao. Also, Japanese media portrays her as a young, naive princess, so I don't think her "attitude" bothers anyone in Japan . Just like Miki, she suddenly transformed into a mature woman as she turned 18/19. Beforehand, she was a young princess herself. I think Mao and Yuna are taking completely different paths as for their public image. I don't know which should be more appealing to the public.

 

[tae04]

I'm happy about Mao's result, the program was beautiful. Who cares if she doesn't do all the triples, she's does the toughest of them. I thought she said she does not do them because she can get more points doing the harder jumps. She has done toes and salchows many times in the past, so she can do them.

 

[Wrlmy]

I'm happy about Mao's result, the program was beautiful. Who cares if she doesn't do all the triples, she's does the toughest of them. I thought she said she does not do them because she can get more points doing the harder jumps. She has done toes and salchows many times in the past, so she can do them.

I think she did well too. But, the thing is, she planned only five triples whereas she used to at least plan seven triples. With three kinds of triples, you get to do MAX 5 triples in a program. I hope she brings back at least a toe.

 

[museksk8r]

I think Mao should be penalized for not having a good balance in her LP. We're just watching her do the same jumps over and over. That's a flaw in the new system IMO. Skaters who are well-rounded should be given a bonus.

 

[passion]

I am really beginning to like what I am seeing in Lesley Hawker and I felt very proud of her effort. I think her skating basics and presentation and jump technique are better than Mira.

I was also proud of Joannie for mentally focussing up until the last few seconds. Hopefully, she will be able to maintain the focus right up to the very end next time. I know it's been an area she has struggled with.

Mao, I thought, had the best carriage, line, posture, basic flow and edges, lightness to her jumps, and musical interpretation. I can't believe she only did two triple type of jumps, though! Does she not have the whole repertoire? I thought she did.

Poor Finnish girl.

Nobody else stood out.

 

[chuckm]

Joannie should have had the silver here. Nakano was held up in the SP BIG time!

Mao's tech content was underwhelming IMO. 5 triples to Joannie's and Yukari's 6, plus she had the flutz, the underrotated 3loop in the combo, and lacked the much hyped 3Axel.

In the SP, Nakano fell on a completely rotated 3Z, but the rest of her program was good. She had two level4 spins and a level4 spiral sequence, and got a total of 17.8 points on her non-jump elements. Joannie got only 15.9 points for the same elements. Yukari was also more energetic and into the program than Joannie, who seemed hesitant and just a little off.

I think the SP marking was entirely fair.

In the FS, Joannie really had only one combination jump, the 3Z2T. Her sequences were with singled jumps, and a 3T1S sequence was worth only 3.87 points. the 2A1A sequence was worth only 3.78 points, and she got 0 GOE on both of them.

Mao had 3 combinations in her FS: 3F3L(underrotated, but still a combination) worth 6.2 points after the deduction; 3F2L, worth 8.7 points (and it was a beauty), and 2A2L2L, worth 6.99 points. Yukari had 3 combinations also.

As for the 3A: Mao gets such HUGE points on her 2As (4.9 and 4.65 for her two solo 3As) that it's worth it for her to do two 2As instead of a sometimes precarious 3A. Yukari's 3A was worth only 7.3 points to Mao's 9.55 points for the two 2As.

I don't see that Joannie deserved silver. I thought her SP marks were generous considering how tentative she was, and the sloppy jumps---she had to save the landing on the 2A, she had a wonky landing on the 3F and just eked out the 2T, and she double-footed the lutz. She really needed a strong FS to move up in the standings, and unfortunately her FS ended with a whimper, not a bang.

Both Yukari's and Mao's FSs were smooth, with great flow, all the way through. Joannie's started out strong, then petered out.

 

[gio]

I can't believe she only did two triple type of jumps, though! Does she not have the whole repertoire? I thought she did.

She has serious flutz problems, she doesn't do a salchow (I don't remember her landing the sal in any event last year), her toe-loop technique is not good, her 3axel is missing.

It's still early season and I hope she can fix all those problems, if not before 2008 Worlds, at least before 2009/2010!!

 

[chuckm]

I think Mao's recent growth spurt has made her 3A more iffy than ever. But as I said in another post, if she can get higher points doing 2As, then by all means, she should do 2As. She earned 16.54 points doing two solo 2As and a 2A three-jump combination. A 3A and a 3A2T are much, much riskier and would earn just 16.3 points, if landed completely cleanly.

 

[rain]

In the SP....Yukari was also more energetic and into the program than Joannie, who seemed hesitant and just a little off.

I think the SP marking was entirely fair.

In the FS, Joannie really had only one combination jump, the 3Z2T. Her sequences were with singled jumps, and a 3T1S sequence was worth only 3.87 points. the 2A1A sequence was worth only 3.78 points, and she got 0 GOE on both of them.

I don't see that Joannie deserved silver. I thought her SP marks were generous considering how tentative she was, and the sloppy jumps---she had to save the landing on the 2A, she had a wonky landing on the 3F and just eked out the 2T, and she double-footed the lutz.

Both Yukari's and Mao's FSs were smooth, with great flow, all the way through. Joannie's started out strong, then petered out.

This is where perspective differs I guess, because I thought just the opposite between Rochette and Nakano's short programs. I thought Nakano's performance was totally blah and marred by the fall. In both the short and long, her choreography doesn't hold a candle to Rochette's. I thought Rochette showed great presentation throughout her LP, in spite of the singled combos. Nakano was extremely lucky to get that 3x validated, as it was extremely underrotated.

 

[slutskayafan21]

I think Mao's recent growth spurt has made her 3A more iffy than ever. But as I said in another post, if she can get higher points doing 2As, then by all means, she should do 2As. She earned 16.54 points doing two solo 2As and a 2A three-jump combination. A 3A and a 3A2T are much, much riskier and would earn just 16.3 points, if landed completely cleanly.

Mao not able to do 3 axel anymore, never could to the 3 sal or 3 toe (although supposably she can do the 3 toe again), and her PCS lower here then Meissner at Skate America. Looking good for Meissner perhaps?

 

[oxade21]

Mao not able to do 3 axel anymore, never could to the 3 sal or 3 toe (although supposably she can do the 3 toe again), and her PCS lower here then Meissner at Skate America. Looking good for Meissner perhaps?

I say Yu-Na Kim is the best positioned at the point, but we haven't seen her yet. But Meissner is definitely up there for the podium.

 

[slutskayafan21]

I say Yu-Na Kim is the best positioned at the point, but we haven't seen her yet. But Meissner is definitely up there for the podium.

So we think Kim is the favorite for the World title at this point, and not Asada?

 

[krenseby]

So we think Kim is the favorite for the World title at this point, and not Asada?

Well, we haven't seem Kit skate at a GP event yet, so it's too early to say what kind of shape she is.

By the way, I missed the LP coverage on CBC this afternoon, are there any video clips I can look at. Seems like Icenetwork doesn't offer Skate Canada coverage in their video archive. I've also come up empty searching for SC videos on Youtube. Could you guys recommend some other sites?

 

[oxade21]

So we think Kim is the favorite for the World title at this point, and not Asada?

According to me YES, but I can take anything Yu-Na does over overrated Mao, so don't rely on my predictions.
Still, with the way the judging is headed, I shall say Yu-Na is better positioned with her skating quality.

 

[R.D.]

Mao not able to do 3 axel anymore, never could to the 3 sal or 3 toe (although supposably she can do the 3 toe again), and her PCS lower here then Meissner at Skate America. Looking good for Meissner perhaps?

nope. Too early to tell.

I still think the Asian fortress is strong, although not indestructible.

 

[slutskayafan21]

According to me YES, but I can take anything Yu-Na does over overrated Mao, so don't rely on my predictions.
Still, with the way the judging is headed, I shall say Yu-Na is better positioned with her skating quality.

The ironic thing is Satoare was mocking Yu-Na for doing so many double axels, but atleast she can do all the triples minus the triple axel, and beautiful triple-triple combinations. Poor Mao may end up reduced to doing alot of double axels which he/she dissed Kim for, but not even a full arsenal of triples left after that as
well. I think that poster was so anti-Kim since she was such a threat to her/his beloved Japanese skaters.

 

[R.D.]

I'm fairly indifferent towards both Kim and Asada as far as placement goes, but I think in terms of skating style Yuna is the easier one to watch.

 

[rain]

I'm fairly indifferent towards both Kim and Asada as far as placement goes, but I think in terms of skating style Yuna is the easier one to watch.

I'm not a huge fan of one or the other either, and I have criticisms for both (and sometimes resent the way they are presented as untouchable favorites) but I have to say that while I think Asada still needs to work on expression with her skating, she does have a very unique light, weightless quality that automatically makes her stand out.

 

[slutskayafan21]

I'm fairly indifferent towards both Kim and Asada as far as placement goes, but I think in terms of skating style Yuna is the easier one to watch.

What is funny is the EuroSport commentators much prefer Kim, but Dick and Peggy much prefer Asada.

 

[R.D.]

(and sometimes resent the way they are presented as untouchable favorites)

sometimes I find myself feeling the same way, too. I didn't want to mention this...I'd throw Ando in there, too, although I believe she just got lucky at worlds last year.

Still though, they dominated worlds last year, and of course you guys know how I feel about one skater (or a group of skaters) dominating a division at any given time.