2024 Finlandia Trophy Women's Free Skate

[YuBluByMe]

There are 2 other possibilities as well where Rino won't qualify I think?
Mone wins, Rinka 2nd with high enough score, and Amber 3rd. Or,
Rion wins, Rinka 2nd with high enough score, and Amber 3rd.

Of course I really want my baby in the final, but I'm trying to rein in my hopes and excitement in case these specific edge cases happen

I think it’s unlikely that Sumiyoshi or Watababe win next week. In my opinion, the most likely scenario is Chiba winning, with Watanabe in second with a 195.15+ and Glenn in third. All three ladies will qualify and Matsuike will not.

…which will suck. Since when do two silvers not qualify for GPF in the ladies field?

 

[Vemvane]

When did she do a cartwheel? I don't remember that.

Test skates 2020, her Alegría free programme. Her back injury was so severe at that point she couldn't complete the cartwheel. I think it was the next season that we started seeing cartwheels cropping up with some regularity in other skaters' programmes.

 

[Ziotic]

I think it’s unlikely that Sumiyoshi or Watababe win next week. In my opinion, the most likely scenario is Chiba winning, with Watanabe in second with a 195.15+ and Glenn in third. All three ladies will qualify and Matsuike will not.

…which will suck. Since when do two silvers not qualify for GPF in the ladies field?

I think it’s very possible for Kim to win also.

There are a more of scenarios that can play out next week.

 

[Paulipau]

I really thought that Lara was gonna fold under pressure but homegirl just stepped up instead, I didn't know she had it in her.
ATTAGIRL

 

[icetug]

Medvedeva had no idea what she was starting when she fell on that cartwheel all those years ago...

In fact there was Georgian ice dance couple Kazakova/Reviya who started the trend back in 2019... Then Zhenya and Rika Kihira included a cartwheel in their programs, however only Rika was doing it successfully. Her one hand cartwheel was a thing of beauty

 

[TallyT]

Lovely podium, one of the loveliest in any discipline for 2024. Lara deserves all the for stepping up so brilliantly to a last minute slot, her SP and Rino's exquisite FS are among my absolute favourite programs this year.

 

[rain]

Can anything be done at this point to fix Lindsay Thorngren's jumps? Because she has beautiful stroking and is developing a really great sense of musicality. Her choreography here is great and I think she could be a really special skater. It's sad to see the frustration of so much potential.

 

[Joekaz]

I think it’s unlikely that Sumiyoshi or Watababe win next week. In my opinion, the most likely scenario is Chiba winning, with Watanabe in second with a 195.15+ and Glenn in third. All three ladies will qualify and Matsuike will not.

…which will suck. Since when do two silvers not qualify for GPF in the ladies field?

If Amber melts down so bad the judges can't bail her out this time and doesn't make the podium, then we can get an all Japanese final. That would be amazing!

 

[rabidline]

Yeah, she does make them look edgeless.

And slow.

 

[lesnar001]

Can anything be done at this point to fix Lindsay Thorngren's jumps? Because she has beautiful stroking and is developing a really great sense of musicality. Her choreography here is great and I think she could be a really special skater. It's sad to see the frustration of so much potential.

I agree. Watching her today, she seemed like 2 different skaters. Almost labored looking in the jumps, but she's really improved so much in her interpretation and movements. For me, she was second only to Rino Matsuike in that department today.

 

[lileychristie]

I think Rino is my new Patrick

Knowing you, this is a huge huge statement isn't it
I thought you only adopt men, but if you want we can share custody for Rino

Are you changing your username to 4evermatsu / 4everike?

 

[Anna K.]

Honestly... Rino makes everyone who skates after her look bad.

I'd say the other way round. This group made Rino look particularly good.

Why do I say so? Well, some comments on this thread made me curious and I re-watched some Patrick Chan at his best. Then Rino, again... I'd say a certain username in this forum will stay unchanged

But it's good to have Rino in the mix regardless. It's rare nowadays when skaters, men or women, showcase their edgework like she does. Fingers crossed for her to go to GP final.

 

[cailuj365]

Hana Yoshida has my favorite FS program, music, costume, and hair of the women this year, soooo... I'm happy she won!!! I am also happy that one of this week's random non-geoblocked Skating ISU videos is her FS, so I get to rewatch whenever. However, her Lombardia performance was still the best for me. Also making it on the non-geoblocked videos is Lorine Schild AGAIN, and this time it's her short program. Who is Lorine paying to get her skates not geoblocked? Kidding...

Very happy for Lara Naki Gutmann too. She's had such an interesting vibe since her Hitchcock program, and she brings the drama, at least in the SP. Nice big airy jumps.

 

[4everchan]

Knowing you, this is a huge huge statement isn't it
I thought you only adopt men, but if you want we can share custody for Rino

Are you changing your username to 4evermatsu / 4everike?

Haha you can keep full custody. Rino is such a wonderful skater, her edges are so deep and precise, she deserves recognition.

 

[Mathman]

Since when do two silvers not qualify for GPF in the ladies field?

I think it has always been that way. The original idea was that there would be a series of international events, and the Final would comprise the winners of the individual events. The only way a second place finisher would be considered is to fill up the field in case someone won more than one event, leaving the field short. (In 1996 Michelle Kwan won the U.S., Canadian, and German events, so that provided an pportunity for some silver medalists to participate in the final.)

The first tie-breaker (1st and 3rd beats 2nd and 2nd) is a carry-over from those days of yore.

 

[Agent Michael Scarn]

I love math and am usually figuring out of all the scenarios for the finals, but there are so many here that even I don't feel like doing it.

Here's a summary table, if anyone wants to try to figure them out (bold means someone has officially qualified).

	Current Points​	Max Points Possible​	Score 1​	Score 2​	Combined Score​
Kaori Sakamoto​	30 (15+15)​	30​	201.21​	231.88​	433.09​
Amber Glenn​	15​	30​	210.44​	​	210.44​
Wakaba Higuchi​	28 (15+13)​	28​	196.93​	206.08​	403.01​
Mone Chiba​	13​	28​	212.54​	​	212.54​
Rinka Watanabe​	13​	28​	195.22​	​	195.22​
Hana Yoshida​	26 (11+15)​	26​	191.37​	199.46​	390.83​
Rino Matsuike​	26 (13+13)​	26​	192.16​	199.20​	391.36​
Rion Sumiyoshi​	11​	26​	201.35​	​	201.35​
Chaeyon Kim​	9​	24​	199.99​	​	199.99​
Kimmy Repond​	9​	24​	191.07​	​	191.07​
Madeline Schizas​	7​	22​	190.04​	​	190.04​

 

[Vicky458]

I am very impressed with Sarah's first senior GP season. Her jumps and spins are so reliable, and I feel like this was a better performance of Firebird than at her previous GP. She is not as dynamic a performer as some skaters, but she pays attention to the details in the choreography: the crispness and sharpness of her movements at the start of the programme, the arm positions throughout the skate. A very good score for her!

If I never see another Firebird program I would be very happy!

 

[withwings]

Can anything be done at this point to fix Lindsay Thorngren's jumps? Because she has beautiful stroking and is developing a really great sense of musicality. Her choreography here is great and I think she could be a really special skater. It's sad to see the frustration of so much potential.

Painfully agree. Imo Lindsay indeed IS a special skater. I enjoy each minute of her skating either she is the first or the last- there is such a deep substance in every move of her skating, depth. She touches soul. Jumps... hmmm...could it be partly a psychological issues? I do not know. Wish her couching team and her wonderful choreographers help her to solve this. The girl has a talent and more than that..

 

[TallyT]

I love math and am usually figuring out of all the scenarios for the finals, but there are so many here that even I don't feel like doing it.

Here's a summary table, if anyone wants to try to figure them out (bold means someone has officially qualified).

	Current Points​	Max Points Possible​	Score 1​	Score 2​	Combined Score​
Kaori Sakamoto​	30 (15+15)​	30​	201.21​	231.88​	433.09​
Amber Glenn​	15​	30​	210.44​	​	210.44​
Wakaba Higuchi​	28 (15+13)​	28​	196.93​	206.08​	403.01​
Mone Chiba​	13​	28​	212.54​	​	212.54​
Rinka Watanabe​	13​	28​	195.22​	​	195.22​
Hana Yoshida​	26 (11+15)​	26​	191.37​	199.46​	390.83​
Rino Matsuike​	26 (13+13)​	26​	192.16​	199.20​	391.36​
Rion Sumiyoshi​	11​	26​	201.35​	​	201.35​
Chaeyon Kim​	9​	24​	199.99​	​	199.99​
Kimmy Repond​	9​	24​	191.07​	​	191.07​
Madeline Schizas​	7​	22​	190.04​	​	190.04​

Then there is an excellent chance that - if she makes it - Amber will be the only non-Japanese skater in the final?

To be fair, this has been a hop out of kin year all over the place but still...

 

[museksk8r]

Can anything be done at this point to fix Lindsay Thorngren's jumps? Because she has beautiful stroking and is developing a really great sense of musicality. Her choreography here is great and I think she could be a really special skater. It's sad to see the frustration of so much potential.

Homegirl needs to move to Rafael Arutyunyan STAT! Realistically speaking, such a move really needed to happen at the beginning of this quad back in 2022-2023 to give her the best opportunity to go for the 2026 Olympic team. At this juncture, I fear it may be too late for her, unless she is planning to stick it out for 2030.