Ladies LP

[bekalc]

Meissner in the long was like "what the hell... let's get this over with and let's go home to work on more"

Pretty Meissner

While she fell at Skate America she also had underrotations there. I refuse to blame the judges when it's not just one technical panel that's downgrading her jumps. I dont' think there's a vast world wide conspiracy to hit Meissner.

 

[McWicked]

While she fell at Skate America she also had underrotations there. I refuse to blame the judges when it's not just one technical panel that's downgrading her jumps. I dont' think there's a vast world wide conspiracy to hit Meissner.

Me neither, just some controversial stuff in the judgin at CoR, though Kimmie's programs were nothin 2 write home about...

 

[eleonora.d]

Carolina Kostner's LP
http://www.dailymotion.com/fsqueen/video/x7host_carolina-kostner-08-cup-of-russia-l_sport

Kostner has gone back to her old long program. I found it's funny that everybody was so relieved she won with a less messy performance by her own standard. It's obviously better skated than at 08 world championships but she still made three jump errors. I can never understand why Kostner always goes for 2A+3T. Her 2A is horrible, there's little chance she can land a 2a+sth. Same with Mira Leung.

As a big Caro Fan, and a big observer of her programs as well, I used to think the same. She has an unsual technique on her axel, that's true. So she doesn't lift that much, it's more a sort of jump in lenghtness, this is why it should be very hard for her to jump a 3t after that, that's what I always thought.

But after attending her pratices, I totally changed my mind. Here is for example a short clip I uploaded on you tube
http://it.youtube.com/watch?v=PWoWHRidGCo
She actually doesn't have any problem in practice on that jump (if she has any falls or doubling in practice, she has only on the lutz), I think she's just always been scared of the axel, that's all. Sort of the same for YuNa's rittberger. But I find it right and more excting for a skater to attempt all of the 6 figure skating jumps and not avoiding any.

 

[Bennett]

Staying aside of the debate about the selection critieria for Worlds, I just wanted to say few things about Rachel Flatt.
I already wrote in the SP thread that this was the first time I saw her on TV (youtube before), and to me she seems to be very musical, delicate and artistic. She really feels the music and relates to it. She adds 'something' from her heart to the programs (this is something that IMO Caroline Zhangs is not able to do. Even if she improved her artistry a bit, everything from her seems 'learnt' and a bit fake). Back to the topic - although Rachel's program was not superb yet, I have a feeling that she will be able to blossom very soon, and become as mature and as special as Michelle Kwan became all of the sudden in 1996. I keep my fingers crossed for Rachel!!

PS She should work on her posture, though. And on 'styling'. Her dresses need something more personal, something more 'Rachelish'.

Thank you for your enjoyable post! I agree that she is very musical! She relates to the music very well. I somehow liked her SA performance better in that regard. But I think that she had nice choreos and tried to express the music.
I agree about her posture.
I also feel that her costumes could have been a bit more interesting even though they are nice.
I feel that Rachael's music, programs, and costumes are all pleasant and nice, but not really memorable yet. When she finds her own style, she would be wonderful to watch because she can dance.

 

[chuckm]

Rachael has fast become one of my favorite skaters because she uses her entire body to express every note of the music. I expect to see Rachael improve greatly between CoR and Nationals, and again from Nationals to Worlds (where I feel she is destined to compete).

Rachael was slow and studied last year in the JGP events. Her JPGF was much better, and her Nationals performance, even better again. By Junior Worlds, Rachael was floating easily over the ice, and wasn't the least bit slow. Her jumps were precisely landed and the flow of the program was superb.

I expect to see similar improvement this season.

 

[antmanb]

I should probably put my comment in the SP section as i haven't yet watched the LPs but i just don't understand the fuss about Rachel. The SP was really boring for me. I didn't like the music, the costume or the choregorahpy. There were jump problems in the program which i suppose might have affected her performance but i was just left cold not getting why people rave about this girl. The commentators seemed to agree with me.

I guess i'm sick of little girls skating to pwetty piano music, or pwetty pwincess piano/violin pieces and doing nothing with it.

Though i loved Alissa's SP despite its pwetty pwincess qualities and the jump problems.

Ant

 

[Bennett]

I agree that her SP music was rather boring. I was worried when I first heard of the choice and felt the same after watching it.

 

[chuckm]

II guess i'm sick of little girls skating to pwetty piano music, or pwetty pwincess piano/violin pieces and doing nothing with it.

Ant

Rachael is 16 and is not a 'little girl'. And I don't agree she was "doing nothing with it".

 

[Tonichelle]

I dunno... "sweet 16" = princess parties... I don't think ant's far off.

 

[oleada]

I should probably put my comment in the SP section as i haven't yet watched the LPs but i just don't understand the fuss about Rachel. The SP was really boring for me. I didn't like the music, the costume or the choregorahpy. There were jump problems in the program which i suppose might have affected her performance but i was just left cold not getting why people rave about this girl. The commentators seemed to agree with me.

I agree with you. I'm not saying she's not talented - she is - but she is packaged very poorly. The programs are dreadful, the posture is bad, the costumes and make-up are not favorable to her skin tone. She's also slow and doesn't present well. I wish she'd ditch the twinkly piano stuff, get some colorful costumes and stronger makeup, take ballet lessons and skate to something upbeat.

I disagree that she's musical. I don't see it at all.

 

[McWicked]

I agree with you. I'm not saying she's not talented - she is - but she is packaged very poorly. The programs are dreadful, the posture is bad, the costumes and make-up are not favorable to her skin tone. She's also slow and doesn't present well. I wish she'd ditch the twinkly piano stuff, get some colorful costumes and stronger makeup, take ballet lessons and skate to something upbeat.

I disagree that she's musical. I don't see it at all.

Of course, there's room for improvement but "hey, hey, dont bash our only hope" xDDD

 

[Spun Silver]

I agree with you. I'm not saying she's not talented - she is - but she is packaged very poorly. The programs are dreadful, the posture is bad, the costumes and make-up are not favorable to her skin tone. She's also slow and doesn't present well. I wish she'd ditch the twinkly piano stuff, get some colorful costumes and stronger makeup, take ballet lessons and skate to something upbeat.

I disagree that she's musical. I don't see it at all.

You don't see any musicality or speed or good packaging here? :scratch:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2-kAoLs2Pc
I think there is a "sighing" quality to her use of her head, arms and upper back that extends her movements to the point of loveliness.

I don't think we've seen her at her best so far this season though. She's not always at the same level. And I dislike her music choices intensely as well.

Rachael doesn't have an ideal body and that is something of an obstacle to my enjoyment when I watch her. In particular she needs to change her hairstyle (put it up high, as someone here said) to make her neck seem longer. But at her best, IMO, she overcomes her weaknesses with her excellent skating skills and artistic maturity in a way that I think is remarkable in such a young skater. I think we can look forward to a lot more improvement from her.

 

[gold12345]

While she fell at Skate America she also had underrotations there. I refuse to blame the judges when it's not just one technical panel that's downgrading her jumps. I dont' think there's a vast world wide conspiracy to hit Meissner.

Nah, Kimmie only had one UR at Skate America. The only jump she got called under rotated was very obvious... her lutz where a huge chunk came out of the ice, she got no lift, and it was clearly only 2.5 times around before she wiped out. The rest of her jumps were all credited in both the short and long programs. Obvious underrotations on crashed jumps are one thing... Over analyzing a cleanly landed jump is another.

I don't think it's a conspiracy. I just see nothing wrong with her short program triple loop and thought it got way over analyzed, while some others had their flaws overlooked.

 

[oleada]

No, honestly, her packaging is bad. She's a cute kid, but the pale blue and the make-up she's sporting make her fade against the ice. She's already an introverted, intellectual sort of skater so a bit more flashiness would help, I think. Besides, I don't think light blue is her color to begin with - she'd look great in some emerald green or turquoise or maybe red. I think she can be a lot more expressive, but the dreary programs she's been given this year don't help.

Rachael has a solid technical base and good jumps and is an excellent competitor - but the PCS are (rightfully) holding her back at this point. That said, she's probably the US's best hope this year. She's got time to improve, though.

 

[npavel]

I wanted to read some comments to the LP in Russia and got a lot of comments to US-Nationals and possible skaters to worlds. I thing this is the wrong tree for that. Today, as the GP series is not finished yet, I'm only interested in the GP event, an other day I'll go to read the other posts, but it's very difficult to know which ones I should read before I do it.
I think the results respect the performances and it was really fair. I hope the same occur in Japan and in Korea in the two events to come. Thank you for your view to the ladies LP.

 

[flying camel]

I felt Rachaels programs last year were great. I feel she has taken a big step back. Her programs look thrown together. I think she should go back to last years programs.

 

[demarinis5]

I felt Rachaels programs last year were great. I feel she has taken a big step back. Her programs look thrown together. I think she should go back to last years programs.

Do you know who did the choreography for her SP & LP?

 

[Marine63]

Does anyone have a link to Rachael's LP?

 

[R.D.]

There's time for Rachel to improve. Right now It APPEARS as if she is the USA's only Olympic hopeful, but looks can be deceiving- very much so. The one thing fun about skating is its unpredictability, when it exists.

 

[Bennett]

There's time for Rachel to improve. Right now It APPEARS as if she is our only Olympic hopeful, but looks can be deceiving- very much so. The one thing fun about skating is its unpredictability, when it exists.

I thought this board international and there would be lots of ppl who enjoy watching her not just because she is your/their/our Olympic hope.