2014 Olympics Ladies Free Skate

[dardar1126]

My ranking based solely on LP performances I'd like to see again:

#1 = Carolina Kostner =

#2 = Mao Asada =

#3 = Yuna Kim =

 

[quikrush]

Expected travesty. Disgusted with the whole thing. I'm just so proud of Yuna, who yet again delivered two beautiful flawless performances in the Olympics. It's unbelievable. She's a true legend of the sport and she'll always hold a special place in my heart. Goodbye, Yuna.

 

[tjskate]

All the hair dye in the world could not help Gracie win the gold. Anyone that has seen or heard her on the media knows that she is a dumb dyed blonde. You Americans think that you are the best and putting other people down is a joke. Kaetlyn is a beautiful girl and a lovely skater.....she did wonderful for a skater that has been out most of the season due to injuries. I had to respond to your post with negativity because that's all people like you deserve. No wonder other countries dislike Americans the way they do.

Wow - all of this (both this comment and others) seem pretty unnecessary. How about we all salute ALL these wonderful skaters instead of having to put them down for whatever reason you feel the need to?

 

[Panini]

Do you know the criteria for PCS? If yes, do you find it probable that Adelina would go from 8.64 in SS to 9.18, from 8.50 in TR to 8.96 and from 8.86 in CH to 9.50 in the one month between Euros and the Olympics?
Adelina was massively overscored in PCS and could have won even without this. Her 69.60 PCS at Europeans, which was generous already, would have still given her the win here and I'm willing to bet that there would be far less people crying foul if she got that. She helped her cause by skating very well, but if they were going to give her the win anyway, they could at least have been subtle about it.

You know, this whole Olympics, I've thought the standings were correct (for the most part) but the scoring atrocious. Maybe we're thinking about it the wrong way. It's not a Russian conspiracy to outscore their skaters. Maybe it's an anti-Russian conspiracy to overscore Russian skaters (who would've won even with fair scoring) to taint Russian victories in everyone's eyes/

 

[amc987]

I get how Adelina beat Yuna on technical elements given Adelina's extra triple and higher spin and footwork levels. I even understand how she beat Kostner on technical elements because her program was more difficult. But her component scores should NOT have been within 5 points of Carolina and Yuna's. How did Mao get <70 for PCS and Adelina got 74.41? It's a travesty.

I don't usually buy into all these judging conspiracy theories, but I really think the powers that be were DETERMINED to have a Russian on the podium. It's a shame because if the Olympics had been held anywhere else, Adelina would've gotten a (well deserved) bronze medal. The Carolina/ Yuna thing is more difficult for me to determine. I think I'd have given it to Carolina for 7 triples and outstanding performance quality. Kim would've been #2.

 

[leafygreens]

No wonder why the Russians were so upset Plushenko couldn't compete. It would've been a guaranteed gold medal.

Of course, Tara Lipinski said Adelina should have won, saying the skater with heart should win. Those were the same reasons bolstering her win in Nagano (vs. the artistically superior Kwan).

I agree and where is "heart" on the score sheet? This is why people think skating is not a real sport.

 

[s_parks]

I can't with sotnikova's choreography score.

 

[Spinerette]

adelina's pcs are on a par perhaps with gracie or ashey wagner so maybe early 8s, definitely not 9s. makes me laff.
if this was judged fairly she would get perhaps 65-66 on PCS and not 74 which is way overinflation. completely no finesse, looks like a little girl on the ice and just does not move me to watch,

Gracie and Ashley should be receiving better PCS that Adelina. Adelina's no different from Slutskaya. If this was ten years ago in Russia Irina would have beaten Michelle like this.

 

[Elaine]

Do you even know the criteria for level 4 step sequence? This isn't based on Opinion. There is criteria you have to meet with how many turns, how much you do on one foot, going in both directions, etc. When you see a very short (comparatively speaking) step sequence it should already raise a red flag to you as a spectator that they are at risk of losing a level if they hit flats on the turns, hop turns (which you will likely not see without Dartfish and the right video angles) etc.

This is why a lot of up and coming skaters have these really LONG and overloaded step sequences. To make sure they can hit Level 4 even if there is a hiccup or two in it. They may lose some GOE for Quality, but they'll still get their levels and that affects the GOE Factor. Losing levels is a big deal. It's like getting '<' on a jump, somewhat.

There is criteria for this. You cannot say "Since X got Level 4, Y should too!" It makes literally no sense and shows the general naivety of the mass viewing public when it comes to this sport. People aren't educated enough to understand how the numbers actually work.

Same with PCS. People here treat PCS like it's on "Maturity/Beauty" mark when there is a ton of criteria in all of those PCS categories. Just cause someone was an 8.5 last month doesn't necessarily mean they can't be a 9 today...

Sorry to dissapoint you. Yes I know how the level for step sequence is given. Even though the upper body movement (esp. the arm movement) is the most enjoyable part of step sequence for me, but still I know it's all about feet, I mean, steps when it comes to levels. Twizzles, Rockers, Counters... I rewatched most of top contenders' step sequences in the SP with protocols, I still can't get why Adelina is one of the only two skaters who got lv4 on step sequence.

And the thing you said about PCS applies only to PE and IN. Oh, yes... I forgot the judges tend to think the five parts of PCS are almost same, have no difference. Just choose an average, a little bit less for TR/CH and a bit more for PE/IN. How great it is.

 

[skating-lover]

" Yu Na is a treasure!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Gosh her program was a jewel of elegance, charm, control, strength, sensuality....superb"

agree! her program is a masterpiece.

 

[bekalc]

Gracie and Ashley should be receiving better PCS that Adelina. Adelina's no different from Slutskaya. If this was ten years ago in Russia Irina would have beaten Michelle like this.

I don't agree with that. I find Gold to be a wooden competitor. I think Sotnikova is a better basic skater than Wagner is.

 

[Ziggy]

Wasting time asking questions like "Can someone tell me how Adelina is better than Kostner in PCS" misses the point that Adelina totally outskated Kostner in the FS and rightfully beat her by 5+ points like she should have given Kostner's jumps and spins in that program, as well as the coffee breaks in the choreography.

Same goes for Yuna. Sotnikova was on fire. Yuna did crossovers around the rink predominately in one direction and did less technical content and more spins. In order to not penalize Yuna's PCS (like it actually should have been) for those mediocre programs, the judges decided to just boost Sotnikova's because she gave a better performance.

Again, Numbers are only a means to an end. The placements are what matters.

You might have felt that skater A 'outskated' skater B but that's not how the judging system is supposed to work. Results aren't supposed to be based on an overall impression but on the sum of the base value + how well the technical and program component criteria were satisfied.

PCS have criteria. As vague as they are, they exist. Just because somebody 'was on fire' or 'gave a good performance' doesn't justify them getting very high marks all across the board even for things that they do not fulfil.

Of course, Kim's and Kostner's programs had their weak points as well. But their basics were clearly superior to Sotnikova and that didn't get reflected in the marks (she actually got a higher SS mark than Kostner...). Sotnikova was pretty much completely off-time and that didn't get reflected in the marks. Her choreography seemed incidental and had very little to do with the music and that didn't get reflected in the marks. Although on that point you are right that Kim's CH was substandard as well and Kostner seemed to have watered down her program too. But they were not that tragic. Transitions I can't remember that well right now but I think that in terms variety and difficulty, Sotnikova's were decent in comparison to other skaters. Execution, not so much.

Perhaps a separate PCS panel with the judging panel again giving GOE marks for performance?

9.5 for "choreography." I just can't, Ziggy. It's a travesty.

We totally need two separate judging panels for GOE and PCS + a system developed for judging PCS so that there's some kind of way of taking stock of everything and converting it into marks. Otherwise we get those kind of 'he/she/they was/were "on fire" so 9s/10s are out' marks.

 

[Mrs. P]

FWIW: I had friends who were much more casual figure skating fans questioning Adelina's PCS marks from last night. I'll see what they will think after tonight.

 

[Spinerette]

I agree and where is "heart" on the score sheet? This is why people think skating is not a real sport.

Tara is just saying this because she works for NBC. She doesn't want to embarrass Russia because NBC is paying her to cover the rigged Olympics. So Tara just goes along with this. As for Johnny he has always been pro Russia and he is married to a Russian man and he is working for NBC.

 

[NineTails]

Wow - all of this (both this comment and others) seem pretty unnecessary. How about we all salute ALL these wonderful skaters instead of having to put them down for whatever reason you feel the need to?

I think most people are complaining about the judging not the skaters right now. The women skaters did a fantastic job overall especially compared to the men's.

 

[russell30]

Carolina was GORGEOUSSSSS !!! what a program, SHE MADE BOLERO HER OWN!

YU Na - tango to die from

Mao - WOW!!

1st Carolina
2nd YuNa
3rd Mao

although Adelina had it technically tonight!! over the over three, but as overall package Caro, Mao and Yu Na were far better....

 

[Spinerette]

The men were fragile the ladies were solid. But then again the ladies don't have triple axels and quads.

 

[Art&Sport]

Okay, I haven't read anything in this thread. I did see the short program in primetime last night, and I was very impressed with Sotnikova. I just checked the free program results, though I haven't yet seen those programs. In any case, I felt after seeing the short program that if Sotnikova skated with the same energy, verve and cleanness in the free program, she had an excellent opportunity to win. She was a standout yesterday, absolutely. I am very happy to see it being Sotnikova for the win (if it had to be a Russian to win)!

I think Sotnikova always was the most well-rounded of the Russian baby ballerinas. All season long, I have felt and stated that Sotnikova is much more talented than Julia Lip. Sotnikova's main problem has been consistency, but apparently she overcame that bugaboo, and probably got het up and rarin' to prove her worth when she was bypassed for the team competition and Julia was getting all the undue hype!!!

The U.S. commentary has been worse than awful. Sandra Bezic had the utter nerve to say last night that Sotnikova is not as mature as Yu Na and Carolina, while during the entire Olympics, Scott and Sandra both have been over-hyping Julia Lip and braying about how mature she is for her age!!! NOT TRUE. Julia is a talented and fairly consistent skater, but she is very studied in terms of presentation. Her double axel is extremely weak and her jumps lack height and power. All the hype and hullaboo surrounding Julia's post-Euros win and her performances during team event at the Olympics has been waaayy overdone!

Congrats to Adelina Sotnikova! I can't wait to see her skate tonight. She's always needed a bit more polishing in terms of presentation. But maybe her team got some ideas for better packaging after seeing what Frank Carroll wrought with Gracie at U.S. Nationals (even though Sotnikova's sp dress at Olympics was still a bit skanky). Hopefully Gracie and Ashley skated well too in the free program, although I see that Ashley dropped a placement.

Like I said before the Olympics, all due respect to Mao and Yu Na Kim, but I was not interested in seeing another battle for Olympic gold from them. Thankfully, things were shook up and that didn't happen. Yu Na came back and helped her country. Carolina got her Olympic medal so coming back for that effort was worth it. Sotnikova overcame her demons to score huge in home country!!! Adelina Sotnikova is the wave of the future, as are Gracie Gold, Polina Edmunds, and okay, Julia too, with Radionova waiting in the wings with some other unheralded up-and-coming ladies. All that Olympic hype definitely came back to bite Julia!


ETA: Mind you, I haven't seen the free programs yet, so I hope the home scoring is not why Sotnikova won.

 

[mateusp1]

I can't with sotnikova's choreography score.

[2]

Disgusting.

 

[CNY_Skater]

No.


I'm going to stop you right there. You do not get to say crap like that.

You have been not just one of the worst haters, you have been THE worst hater of Sotnikova.

We can't even count the number of times you've called her a headcase and said disparaging things about her. Adelina essentially just told all her haters - including you, sky_fly - to shove it with a gold-winning performance (or at least a performance worthy of the podium).

Stop trying to pretend like you haven't been one of her biggest haters, all along. None of us are buying that.

sky_fly20 is the nothing but a Yuna hater.
Any gesture she makes toward skaters other than Yuna only serves to disdain Yuna anyway.
THAT is why it doesn't matter to sky_fly20 whether anyone other than Yuna do well or not.

It is sad when Yuna Kim inspires young skaters and figure fans around the world while this nutjob spend most of her day sitting in front of computer and repeating worthless, delusional comments. Golden Skate should charge her fees for the server maintenance.