Ladies LP - actual competition

[Luciana]

Good Zhang!

You should go Bronz.

 

[screech]

3rd. Flutz and UR on 2nd part of 3/3.

 

[2-skaters]

Clean, but sloooooooooooooooooooow for Zhang.

totally agree

 

[Spun Silver]

I am bored-love her spins but what else is there

Her exquisite footwork!

 

[bubbleyum]

oh, good for caroline!!
no big mistakes, she looks so happy.

her jumps look improved to me.

although, her programs kinda always look the same to me season after season. short and long were very similar to each other. and she needs more in-between choreo.
footwork was slow.

and even when she is doing simple crossovers, her body ALWAYS looks twisted to me...

great spins and spirals as always.

i guess the best american skater we have right now.

 

[Hsuhs]

If you watched Phanueff, you might think she could beat Asada.

Sure I might

 

[hazey]

Mao actually is very much beatable, but can't say the same thing in Yu-Na's case

I think every skater is beatable, but Mao has made herself more vulnerable this season due to various factors:
1. Insisting on using the 3F-3R combo when her 3F-3T got consistent enough to be ratified and earn +GoE at the end of last season.
2. Insisting on attempting 2 triple axels, so much added risk.

^Compare that to Yuna's strategy of equipting herself with a standard arsenal of jumps and working on getting those standard jumps with +GoE to maximize her marks. I think Yuna's team is playing the COP system way better than Mao's team this season.

It's not so much who is the "better" skater because those two are technically above the rest. Mao just risks more. Both are beatable, when Mao's risks don't pay off or when Yuna's stamina isn't good due to training time lost from injury.

Also, remember that other skaters need a royal mess-up from Mao to beat her anyway, while they themselves have to keep from messing up. That says a lot about standards.

 

[R.D.]

 

[ANW]

I agree, "JPN" is a very impropriate word

Please don't say "JPN" . Thank you

 

[museksk8r]

Caroline, ugh, those terrifying looking high kick entries into the flip and Lutz jump attempts scare me every time. I'm so worried this girl is going to end up with a career ending back injury if this technique problem continues. Her 2Axel appeared labored as usual. She's definitely slower compared to the other ladies in this final flight, but she enjoyed herself and appeared better here than at Nationals. She's happy and into 3rd . . . good for her!

 

[2-skaters]

totally agree

she should never have beat Cynthia

 

[Hsuhs]

The end is near.

 

[100yen]

I hope Yuna skates beautifully~ I feel like she and Mao are on a completely different league than any other skaters at times.

 

[casken]

she should never have beat Cynthia

You're agreeing with yourself now?

 

[feraina]

Caroline! OMG, that was great, she is *so* consistent! She'll get to skate in the exhibition tomorrow, yay!

 

[tully]

Caroline's tech seems low- they must have edged her. The 3/3 looked rotated

 

[demarinis5]

YAY Caroline. So nice to see her smile and happy with her scores.
Lovely skated program.

 

[screech]

Yikes! UR and fall on 3lo by YuNa! And I think the 2lo on her 3 jump series was Ur.

 

[ANW]

I don't think she is particualy slow tonight, I actually think her speed is better than before

Clean, but sloooooooooooooooooooow for Zhang.

 

[tully]

HUGE gasp as Yuna falls.

On a related note, when was the last time all 3 US ladies at any comp stayed upright.