#1. A couple of months ago I posted about seeing Daria Grinkova at the Bridgeport COI last winter and how by just eyeballing her relative to the people around her, I guessed her height to be about 5'4 or 5'5'.
Well, I just saw a photo of the whole Kulik-Gordeeva family, standing very close together, all in skates, with Daria standing right next to her mother. Daria is exactly the same height as Katia. This photo was just taken about a week ago. Sorry I can't provide a link to it.
Anyway, BOY, WAS I WRONG!
#2. When the COP was first being used, many people posted that they thought the COP would cause the skaters to make the programs look all the same. I, in my infinite wisdom posted, "No, no. I think the COP will prompt skaters to become more creative with their programs, ie, footwork into jumps, different spiral and spin variations, creative choreography, everything."
Well, at least as far as the Ladies are concerned, BOY, WAS I WRONG! With the Ladies it's Beillman's to the nth degree. I expect to see them jumping in the Beillman position any day now.
Various people, including me, have been posting about how there should be a "Zayak Rule" for Beillmans. That is, have a rule that limits the number of Beillman positions a skater may use in a program, including semi-Beillmans, ie one hand holding the blade and cross catch-foot Beillmans, whether they're in spins or the spiral sequence or wherever. Any variation of the Beillman position or the full Beillman virtually guarantees a Level 4 on that element, whether it's a spin or a spiral or whatever--unless it's a really bad Beillman or the skater falls.. It's just Beillman city out there with the Ladies.
However, curiously enough, the COP for the Men has resulted in the most interesting choreography I've ever seen for the Men as a whole. Sandhu has a brilliantly creative LP, so does ChiangJiang Li, of all people. His choreography makes him look like a totally different skater, IMO. He's lyrical, he has beautifual transitions, all kinds of things
With the Pairs and and Dance I haven't studied them enough to make any comments.
There are a lot of good things about the COP, IMO, but skaters doing virtually all the same progam, not good. Not good at all.
So that's my story. Comments? No spoilers please.
Rgirl
Well, I just saw a photo of the whole Kulik-Gordeeva family, standing very close together, all in skates, with Daria standing right next to her mother. Daria is exactly the same height as Katia. This photo was just taken about a week ago. Sorry I can't provide a link to it.
Anyway, BOY, WAS I WRONG!
#2. When the COP was first being used, many people posted that they thought the COP would cause the skaters to make the programs look all the same. I, in my infinite wisdom posted, "No, no. I think the COP will prompt skaters to become more creative with their programs, ie, footwork into jumps, different spiral and spin variations, creative choreography, everything."
Well, at least as far as the Ladies are concerned, BOY, WAS I WRONG! With the Ladies it's Beillman's to the nth degree. I expect to see them jumping in the Beillman position any day now.
Various people, including me, have been posting about how there should be a "Zayak Rule" for Beillmans. That is, have a rule that limits the number of Beillman positions a skater may use in a program, including semi-Beillmans, ie one hand holding the blade and cross catch-foot Beillmans, whether they're in spins or the spiral sequence or wherever. Any variation of the Beillman position or the full Beillman virtually guarantees a Level 4 on that element, whether it's a spin or a spiral or whatever--unless it's a really bad Beillman or the skater falls.. It's just Beillman city out there with the Ladies.
However, curiously enough, the COP for the Men has resulted in the most interesting choreography I've ever seen for the Men as a whole. Sandhu has a brilliantly creative LP, so does ChiangJiang Li, of all people. His choreography makes him look like a totally different skater, IMO. He's lyrical, he has beautifual transitions, all kinds of things
With the Pairs and and Dance I haven't studied them enough to make any comments.
There are a lot of good things about the COP, IMO, but skaters doing virtually all the same progam, not good. Not good at all.
So that's my story. Comments? No spoilers please.
Rgirl