Will Irina REALLY make it 4 for 4?

Irina!!

I just love Irina and have been watching her skate since she was a tiny little thing in pigtails!! I just hope that her illness, which was so serious that it could have killed her, won't prevent her from getting her much desired gold medal. If she were in perfect health, it would be almost a sure thing.

I think if I were betting on this, I would bet on Sasha. Despite her history of inconsistency, she has actually been the most consistent skater of the top 3 in the last year or so. She has only been making minor mistakes--no more multiple falls in programs. As a matter of fact, she hasn't been falling at all lately. (of course a lot of this is due to the fact that she doesn't attempt a 3/3 anymore). So I think she has the edge if the other two aren't clean. However, I read that in the COP breakdowns, Sasha's jumps were rated 4th among the top 4 skaters. Fumie had the highest marks for jumps. So that doesn't bode well for SC in the long if everyone is clean. If they all skate really well, watch Arakawa take it.

shadymc said:

I think if I were betting on this, I would bet on Sasha. Despite her history of inconsistency, she has actually been the most consistent skater of the top 3 in the last year or so. She has only been making minor mistakes--no more multiple falls in programs. As a matter of fact, she hasn't been falling at all lately. (of course a lot of this is due to the fact that she doesn't attempt a 3/3 anymore). So I think she has the edge if the other two aren't clean. However, I read that in the COP breakdowns, Sasha's jumps were rated 4th among the top 4 skaters. Fumie had the highest marks for jumps. So that doesn't bode well for SC in the long if everyone is clean. If they all skate really well, watch Arakawa take it.

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I don't know, Slutskaya's hardly the human zamboni either! Also Cohen notoriously used to fall on her solo triple toe loop or the solo triple salchow so i'm not sure that not doing a 3/3 has much to do with her not falling any more so much as she's really gotten her act together and fights for every jump.

Ant

Sasha_4_The_Win said:

Did she watch Sasha skate or leave beforehand? I wonder what her reaction would have been to the 9000 people on their feet (and the scores. ).

To me Irina has one of those attitudes that no one should beat her regardless of how she skates or how others skate. Maybe its just me?

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Irina left before the last 2 skaters skated. She didn't look well last night, Don't know if that is why she left.
BEST OF LUCK TO ALL THE SKATERS.

emma said:

... I forget which grand prix event it was, but there was one where her short program just seemed amazing, like no one could touch it solid (and this despite it being front loaded and with little choreography compared to the field). So, I can't remember which event, but one of those where she got huge marks was, imo, a much stronger skate than last night...

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It was COR. She was really "ON" in the SP at that competition.

I think Irina still has a chance to get Russia's 4th Gold. She has a great draw and will be the last impression on the judges before they decide who wins. If she skates better than last night, which I think she will (she was not happy last night, so she's going to come out swinging tomorrow). I think that she will win, no matter how well Cohen and Arakawa skate.

Right now, Sasha, Irina, and Shizuka might as well be tied for first... they are all within a point of each other. If Irina skates a perfectly clean program, I think she would still beat the best free program of Sasha's life (I'm not saying this to bash Sasha, because I would love her to win). I think Shizuka is more of a threat than Sasha is. If Shizuka skates the program of her life, she could beat a perfect free by Irina. She is so well-rounded artistically and technically and she also has the triple-triples like Irina. And right now, I am a little hesitant to say that Irina will skate great in the free, because it seems like she skated very safe in the short. It kind of reminds me of Michelle in Nagano. My two cents

Wow, I thought it would be a runaway for Irina, but Sasha and Divakawa brought their "A" games. The LP will be the most exciting of the Games. All 3 ladies are so different but exceptional in their own way. It is also possible that Fumie or Kimmie could challenge for a medal, though not gold.