LADIES LONG PROGRAM Thread | Page 16 | Golden Skate

LADIES LONG PROGRAM Thread

Layfan

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Joined
Nov 5, 2009
In Alissa's case, it might be similar to the "Tarasova" approach of loading your skater up with trying difficulty early in the season/quad then backing down later to what used to be a stretch for the skater to accomplish in a program but is now "easy". ::shrugs:: just a thought...

could be. i'm sure they have their reasons. they probably figure why not try it early when not so much is at stake.
 

emma

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Joined
Oct 28, 2004
Personally, I'd like to see Alissa go for the 3x3 in her next event. She already has SA gold, which helps enormously toward getting to the GPF. But, she will have tough competition at nationals, and if she makes the world team, even tougher competition there. She has said that one of her goals is to make the world podium (in fact, I think she said win worlds). So, to do that, she needs good jumps and solid 3x3 will really help her point wise and impression wise. If, after another competition, it is clear that she really cannot do it under the pressure of nerves; ok, then rethink. But, this was the first major competition and there are a lot of nerves and just timing issues to work out. Again, just personally, I'd like to see what she can do on her second outing. Obviously, she and her team probably don't care what I'd like...but, here's hoping. :laugh:
 

Layfan

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Joined
Nov 5, 2009
Personally, I'd like to see Alissa go for the 3x3 in her next event. She already has SA gold, which helps enormously toward getting to the GPF. But, she will have tough competition at nationals, and if she makes the world team, even tougher competition there. She has said that one of her goals is to make the world podium (in fact, I think she said win worlds). So, to do that, she needs good jumps and solid 3x3 will really help her point wise and impression wise. If, after another competition, it is clear that she really cannot do it under the pressure of nerves; ok, then rethink. But, this was the first major competition and there are a lot of nerves and just timing issues to work out. Again, just personally, I'd like to see what she can do on her second outing. Obviously, she and her team probably don't care what I'd like...but, here's hoping. :laugh:

I actually don't think she needs a 3 3 to make the world podium or nationals podium for the reasons I stated above ... but now that she has gone down that road why not go for it at her next event? To win worlds, yes she may need a 3 3 but honestly she is a pretty long shot regardless. I mean, it would be nice for her and all but it would be nice just for her to medal for the first time at worlds. And of course, first she has to make the world team. I have a feeling she won't be going for the 3 3 at nationals.
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
I think mskater93 is on the right track. Push, push, push now, then scale back to something more comfortable at Nationals and Worlds.

Even without the triple-triple she will be doing two triple Lutzes, two triple loops and a triple flip, with two jumps left over. That's plenty of base value points to put her at the top of the podium if all goes well.

Scott Hamilton would NOT shut up about how fabulous she is... twice saying, "everything you want in a ladies' skater." All I could think was that he thinks she can get people to come to SOI.

In fact, he said "everything a coach could want in a skater, and everything an audience could want." ;)

I don't mind Scott, however. He likes all skaters and is enthusiastic about them. He lavished praise on Caroline Zhang's short program, too.
 
Joined
Mar 14, 2006
^
True re: Scott's boring hyper-enthusiasm but it was that particular formulation that bothered me. I don't like being told what I want or, worse, what I could want. And repeatedly!

And what's all this about Alissa at the top of the podium? That spot's reserved for Mao, Mirai, or a baby Russian ballerina!
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
And what's all this about Alissa at the top of the podium? That spot's reserved for Mao, Mirai, or a baby Russian ballerina!

What I was trying to say was, even without a triple-triple it will not be the lack of base value on her jumps that she needs to worry about. It is the part about "if all goes well."
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
Alissa nitpicking on:

I don't like how "disconnected" her spins are! It's like she skates, stops, then "here comes my signature spin", then bam! She spins so fast, irrespective of the mood and speed of the music. As an element by itself I appreciate it, especially the speed. But it doesn't flow. I fondly remember how Michelle used to "spin to the music". Ditto Mao (especially @ 4CC last year).

Nitpicking off

I think a lot of that "disconnection" is because of her problems on the jumps. If you don't land your jumps well enough to get good outflow, that makes the whole program seem chopped up into individual elements.

Plus, in this particular program I think the song she is skating to is too short. They tried to stretch it out by putting in a few bars of something else at the beginning, but also at the end, the song is over but she has one more spin to do. So they tacked an extra chorus onto the end. This gives the impression (IMHO) of an extra little encore coda that is not really part of the program, and features the final combination spin as separate from the rest.

JMO.
 

siberia82

Addicted to Canadian men's singles skating
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Jun 18, 2008
Country
Canada
I don't know if this has already been mentioned, but Viktoria Helgesson is the first Swedish skater to medal at a senior-level Grand Prix event.
 

snowflake

I enjoy what I like
Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 10, 2008
^
I don't think it was mentioned before. Nice of you to do so.

Great for the Swedish federation which is putting a lot of work into advancing in the sport. Medals get media attention :thumbsup:

And thrilling for Viktoria, though she was not happy with her performances. I really wish she can nail both SP and FS in a big event soon.

Off topic: Curious about your next avatar since Berntsson retired? :laugh: Rippon maybe :think:
 

R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Late thought: Alyssa really went for it, didn't she? She was fortunate to win that one because they could have given it to Kostner and I don't think anyone would have made a big fuss.

Can she actually do 7 triples though? She is the last one I would have expected to push the technical envelope for the US ladies. That program of hers has high potential, but requires a high level of concentration and nerves of steel (which we know she doesn't have, even with last year's successes) to be able to execute at an event like Worlds.

There's also the increased risk of injury factor (even more so considering her age). But I'm still glad she is attempting to get out of her comfort zone after all these years. Of all the talk about the US ladies being hungry to get back on top, only Czisny- by her actions here- has done any walking so far.
 

mskater93

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 22, 2005
We don't know that she hasn't learned to manage her concentration and nerves. To me, for a new program with a jump pass she hasn't done in 6 or more years (3S) and an attempt at a 3+3 that didn't go quite as well as planned, she fought and fought and fought for EVERYTHING after that. She squeezed every point out while not completely having her jumping legs under her. THAT is the mark of a champion.
 
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