2014 Olympics Ladies Short Program

[lavender]

Christine Brennan (USA Today): "How in the world Sotnikova ended up ahead of Kostner is anyone's guess."

I really like Adelina but does Brennan really have to guess why Adelina's scores are that high at this Olympics.

 

[Totentanz]

Great competition except Asada!!! OMG what a night this was!!

Carolina was the winner tonight for me. I know she is not good at FS this season, but I am rooting for her to make tomorrow night an exception. It would be amazing to see her on top of the podium, please skating Gods!!!

Adelina was so strong, delivered her best performance. Unlike Yulia, she had little pressure and expectations on but more ambition to prove herself to home crowd. If she goes clean, she will be on the podium no matter how others skate. While I don't think she can surpass Yuna Kim, if she hits her 3+3 she might expect mistake from Yuna.

I agree with people who find Yuna's program boring. It's not boring actually but it is an old fashioned program with little transition between elements. She skates gorgeous and everyone will accept that. However her presentation mark should be more than 1 points lower than Carolina.

And congratulations to Norwegian, Slovakian and Czech girls!!! I didn't give them chance to qualify for the free but they managed that. Though, the bad skates of Helgesson and Glebova really helped them do. And I'm sorry for British dear Jenna McCorkell She was such a fighter in this past years.

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

Christine Brennan (USA Today): "How in the world Sotnikova ended up ahead of Kostner is anyone's guess."

The same way Plushenko ended up ahead of Reynolds/Machida in the team FS.

I think Sotnikova should have been 3rd. But higher levels and GOE + Russian PCS boost (which all Russians have had in these Olympics) = whopping personal best score putting her in 2nd.

 

[lupojohn]

I'm wondering why i'm the only one who is speculating why Gracie is almost 6 points off of a podium spot I thought she could challenge for.

 

[BlackPack]

I'll repeat what I said earlier: I don't think this poster means "plastic" as in fake, but in the dance sense of movement as a way of expressing ideas. I've seen it used this way, and also spelled in the French style as plastique. It's a compliment, not an insult at all. In fact, it's a high compliment.

Panini is frequently contrarian (just for the hell of it it seems). Don't waste your energy...

 

[samson]

Wow what a night. The top three being so close is reminiscent of 2006. Terry might even find a way to drop "control your own destiny" tomorrow lol

I can't believe Carolina went for that combo and did it so beautifully. I was floored. That was better than any triple toe/triple toe she's done all season! Did other people know that was going to happen? I did not.

Honestly I think Adelina was carried on the waves of the audiences enthusiasm. That score was so massive for her.

Does a level 4 footwork get factored by .7 and a level 3 footwork get factored by .5? WHY? That makes no sense to me. Had Carolina's footwork also gotten a .7 factor like Adelina's she'd be in 2nd. I get that a level 4 is more difficult but... really?

Yuna was wonderful, and while I do think her jumps were stronger, higher, more secure then even Vancouver I think I agree this wasn't worthy a high scoring program. It was more reserved, lacking that same power. But still beautiful in its own right.

I don't think I realized how much I wanted Mao to win this until after her short program. I thought I didn't have a dog in this fight, but I guess I did. Chopin is just such an incredible program (still my favorite of the season) but it wasn't meant to be. I think a medal is out of possibility but if she ignites it tomorrow she could get at least a top 7 finish. She's only about 5.5 points behind Polina.

Now that she's got the sp under her belt, maybe Polina will skate with a little more speed in the free, but it looks like it might be tough to get that triple/triple around this year.

I have no idea where Samson and Delilah is for Ashley, but if she feels good about the program I have a feeling she'll be going gang busters tomorrow night. She worked for every point she got tonight and even with such an rough triple/triple she got a great score.

I'm also guessing Gracie is going to improve tomorrow. She's in the hunters' position which I think she enjoys being in.

Let's hope these ladies take a cue from the Ice Dancers and bring their a game tomorrow night. I want a good finale for these ladies.

 

[Greekmango]

Florian, you're my best friend. Agreed. Shameful!

It was a great competition until the last two skaters. The judging of Sotnikova and the misfortune of Asada spoilt the whole competition for me. I only hope that Sotnikova won’t win tomorrow because of this ridiculous scoring today.

 

[Meoima]

Do you also agree that Yuna is plastic?

You don't have to get such offended. English is not my first langue and may be not daaRia's first langue too. If we call her fake, ugly or something... It would another matter. She is not, she is great, we are just not eager to see her anymore. Oka? We all agree that she is great, just we don't see much fire in her today. And honestly, that is the way we feel, how about not really lively and fresh enough? Probably because we have seen her so many times? I want some freshness like Yulia. An

 

[Mrs. P]

To the poster who gave us the Onion article... LOL Carolina landing a 3axel and falling into the depths of the ice

That was me!

For everyone else, lighten up and have a laugh with us.

http://www.theonion.com/articles/emergency-crews-attempt-to-rescue-olympic-figure-s,35313/

 

[soaringsea]

Hi GSers! I've been reading the threads for a while, but this is my first post.

First off, what a start! I've been a fan of Yuna Kim for a long time, and I think her program came together. Even more impressed with the fact that she had a rough warm-up and was feeling less secure.

I'm also shocked at what's happened to Mao. I really feel for her. Although I've preferred Yuna over her throughout the years, I believe she's a georgeous skater with beautiful jumps. I hope she can come back tomorrow for a great LP.

Another note: everyone stop bashing other skaters. It does a total disservice to these athletes who have trained so hard for the last 4 years.

On a lasting note: I can't imagine a post Kim&Mao world. They were the two leading skaters for so long, and I think the skating world is going to miss them tremendously.

 

[coolboogie22]

I wonder why Mao want so much to change her technique on the triple axel. In 2010, her triple axel were solid and consistent. The message behind this : When a technique is working don't change it!!! especially since that she is the only girl who success this jump, she should have never change her technique. I feel sad for her but I find both Asada and Chan are responsible for their poor performance. Asada should have never change her technique on the axel and Chan should have fix his technique on the axel. Both of them are great but they didn't put their energy in the right place for the Olympic

 

[Silvia451]

I'm in denial for the moment.

Same here.
I just want her to shine tomorrow, no matter the result.

 

[BlackPack]

That was me!

For everyone else, lighten up and have a laugh with us.

http://www.theonion.com/articles/emergency-crews-attempt-to-rescue-olympic-figure-s,35313/

Thanks Mrs P.... but any mention of a 3Axel and I think of Mao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[bsfan]

Sad, sad ending for Mao. Too bad she wasn't age eligible for Torino. That was her golden time imo and she would probably have a gold medal then. Don't see how she will find the spirit to continue this competition and what a sad way to end her competitive career.

Even if Mao had been age aligible, would she have been too young, unmature like today's Yulia to score high on PCS? I don't see anything better from 2006 Mao to today's Yulia or Adelina.

 

[Panini]

I'll repeat what I said earlier: I don't think this poster means "plastic" as in fake, but in the dance sense of movement as a way of expressing ideas. I've seen it used this way, and also spelled in the French style as plastique. It's a compliment, not an insult at all. In fact, it's a high compliment.

plas·tic
ˈplastik/

noun
1. a synthetic material made from a wide range of organic polymers such as polyethylene, PVC, nylon, etc., that can be molded into shape while soft and then set into a rigid or slightly elastic form

adjective
1. made of plastic
2. (of substances or materials) easily shaped or molded

 

[Layfan]

Julia's coaches now have to slap her out of her funk and wake her up to the fact that she is in medal contention with hugely competitive FS in her arsenal.

 

[Mrs. P]

Thanks Mrs P.... but any mention of a 3Axel and I think of Mao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry....

 

[Isabel_O'Reilly]

They only skated head to head at one competition where both were clean so that isnt much to go by. Doing a harder combination gives Kostner about 3 more points so even based on the Europeans scores she would have come out ahead anywhere but Russia, and her spins and overall performance were much better than Europeans.

Sotnikova and Julia were both overscored in many events this year even that werent in Russia mind you so even those scores arent the perfect barometer of fairness. Obviously preparing for the Russian Nationals disguised as the Olympics to come in Sochi. If they simply had put an entry (or were able to) in the mens event, even Voronov, they probably would have won that too.

Too bad for Julia she wasnt clean today. The judges probably had an 80 waiting for her.

I doubt an 80. But she did lose a lot of points. Without the fall her 3F usually gets around 6.50, 5.83x + 0.70 GOE. Here, after you subtract -1 deduction from the 1.08 she received, she lost 6.5 points. That would have had her at 71.5. Also she was messy on her final 2 spins, so even though the final position was centered she didn't receive 1.50 GOE on either one like she has before. She could have conceivably scored 72.XX. If she had done a clean 2F she would have been at 69, right?

 

[Mrs. P]

Julia's coaches now have to slap her out of her funk and wake her up to the fact that she is in medal contention with hugely competitive FS in her arsenal.

No joke. It sounds like she was really upset and bummed.

 

[Panini]

You don't have to get such offended. English is not my first langue and may be not daaRia's first langue too. If we call her fake, ugly or something... It would another matter. She is not, she is great, we are just not eager to see her anymore. Oka? We all agree that she is great, just we don't see much fire in her today. And honestly, that is the way we feel, how about not really lively and fresh enough? Probably because we have seen her so many times? I want some freshness like Yulia. An

Synonyms for plastic, used as an adjective in the way daaRia presumably intended, are: artificial, false, fake, superficial, pseudo, bogus, unnatural, insincere