I am a bit surprised that Yukari doesn't get minus GOEs for her wrap even though people seem to be much disturbed by it. Don't the rules say anything about the free leg position?
It's not important what skaters do in the air, but what they do on the ice. Edges are far more important than a leg wrap!!!!
To say the truth, I'm not bothered at all by the leg wrap.
IIRC, one of the requirements for +GOE is difficult air position. Since it is certainly more difficult to land fully rotated jump with a leg wrap, perhaps Yukari should get some +GoE, as long as the jump was fully rotated and landed clearly..?
I don't remember seeing anything in ISU docs about leg wrap being considered a bad technique (if there's actually something about it, I stand corrected). If Yukari modeled her jumping technique after great Midori (which is possible, considering Yukari admires her and also attempted 3A) and there was in fact no written requirement for tight legs position in air I think it's a bit unfair to bash her for it now, when it would be difficult for her to correct the leg wrap.
Yukari's first coach was none other than Mashiko Yamada--Midori's coach. She taught both of them the wrap.
Yukari's wrap makes her jumps (that she wraps) look ugly, but that is nothing compared to:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=vR05b8SBtTs
http://youtube.com/watch?v=badsBSkyL0o
Yukari's first coach was none other than Mashiko Yamada--Midori's coach. She taught both of them the wrap.
I watched the link to Erin Pearl demonstrating a wrap, but I think I need a clearer definition of a wrap, please.
I think it may be reflected in the GOE. Yukari never gets positive GOE on those jumps. The wrap also makes her jumps prone to underrotation and downgrading. I guess the judges think that as long as she's completing the jump without a touchdown/two foot/etc., she should get the base value or close to it.
The axel is taken from a Basque folk dance (Saute Basque, for you balletomanes) where the free foot is properly placed near the ankle of the landing leg. Depending on the character of the music the free leg can be higher, more turned out at the knee, or remain where it is while the dancer is facing the audience in a procenium setting. But that's Dance, and Dance is a freer form of 'art' than competitive figure skating.
Now back on topic, does she wrap the axel as well as the other jumps?
Joe