Mirai is just not the skater she was 4 years ago. Almost everything has declined since 2010 including her spins and speed. Her body changed and that is what these Russian girls are going to have to deal with also. While Mirai didn't grow much taller since Vancouver her body filled out which is what will happen with Elena and the others too and effect their jumps.
Mirai Nagasu's future prospects
- Thread starter flying camel
- Start date
As Mirai's body filled out, her frame grew, too. She is a bigger-boned woman than she was as a teenager. It takes more muscle to support that frame, and the end result is a body that isn't as well-suited to figure skating as her early teen body was. Caroline Zhang has gone through similar changes, although her adult body type is quite different from Mirai's; Caroline is curvier.
I don't know if I agree with you on that. Because there have been several posters who've said as much about her skates I went back and watched nationals and looked at the jumps in super slo-mo. While I definitely can see most jumps that she under-rotates this fall, I was definitely not catching them in real time at Nationals, and I figured since several posters are claiming she got credit when she shouldn't have, but I'm not seeing it, I owed it to myself to watch in super slo-mo so I could finally see what others did.
And the thing is, the only triple in super slo-mo I would even question that got credit is the triple toe in her axel/toe combo (and then of course the opening flip which even my eyes could catch). Everything else was around and clean. I watched multiple times to make sure that it wasn't wishful thinking, and yeah - those jumps are clean. I'll even admit there are a few as she's coming down I think "she's not going to get that" and yet somehow when her blade hits the ice, it's pointing in the right direction, there's no hook.
I'm not necessarily trying to argue anything about should she have been on a team or not, I'm just saying those jumps were definitely rotated.
Agreed, those jumps were fully rotated.
- Joined
- May 19, 2011
I would agree with that. The same thing happened at COR last year when she got credit for all of her triples in the FS. I think that was after she spent a few weeks in Japan training with Takahito Mura's coach. Within two weeks she went from her horrible performances at NHK to two very solid performances at COR. She carried that same momentum into nationals last year. I do think the majority of her jumps were around, though some people insist that's not the case.
This year Mirai is skating with more attack and purpose than she has in the past few years but her results are the same, if not worse. She's just not getting enough snap in her jumps to complete the rotations. She jumps high enough; she just doesn't rotate fast enough. When you watch skaters like Elizaveta or Radionova (both of whom have excellent snap, rotation and air position) and then compare them to Mirai, that's where the difference is obvious. Both Liza and Lena pop into the air and within that first rotation, their legs and ankles are glued together. It takes Mirai about 1.5 or two full rotations to achieve that optimum rotating position...especially on her toe jumps.
What bothers me the most about Mirai's jumps is that it seems as though she doesn't realize she's under-rotating them. Her reaction in the K&C says it all. She often looks genuinely shocked when her scores come up. How can they possibly fix the problem if they don't even realize they have a problem?
- Joined
- Feb 6, 2013
Nagasu peaked in 2010. She had a chance to medal at worlds too but she insisted that it wasn't her time yet. Well it was her time and it passed her by. I don't think she can compete at this level anymore. The jumps are not strong enough and they probably won't get better. It's very sad but a fact that she needs to contend with. If Rafael can't fixed her jumps nobody can. She either needs to devote 100% to conditioning and training or she's done.
- Joined
- Feb 9, 2009
There have been some changes to her technique this year, especially the flip. She also added the Salchow back and it's a fully rotated one. She has only been with Tom full time since May, it's going to take time. We haven't seen her skate since Rostelecom and we all saw how fast she cN turn things around. I'm not counting her out.
Mirai has been URing the flip in both GP events:
Skate America
SP: 3f<↓, 3lo+1t*, 2a
FS: 3f+3t<, 2a+3t<, 3z!<, 3s+2t+2lo<, 3f<, 3lo, 2a
Cup of Russia
SP: 3f!<+3t<, 3lo, 2a
FS: 3f+3t<, 2a+3t<, 3z<, 3s+2t+2t, 3f<<, 3lo, 2a
So if she's changed her technique on the flip, it hasn't been for the better.
Skate America
SP: 3f<↓, 3lo+1t*, 2a
FS: 3f+3t<, 2a+3t<, 3z!<, 3s+2t+2lo<, 3f<, 3lo, 2a
Cup of Russia
SP: 3f!<+3t<, 3lo, 2a
FS: 3f+3t<, 2a+3t<, 3z<, 3s+2t+2t, 3f<<, 3lo, 2a
So if she's changed her technique on the flip, it hasn't been for the better.
- Joined
- Oct 22, 2005
PSST! Nagasu works with TomZ and Wagner with Rafa.
- Joined
- Feb 9, 2009
I disagree with the call at Rostelecom. The flip was definitely around, the 3 toe was under. Technique changes doesn't happen over night. Ask Mao.
I'm STILL a Mirai fan! My hope is that Tom Z has gotten it through her head that she has to rotate those jumps. I also hope he has her on a fitness regime that gives her the physical ability to rotate fast and the stamina to make it through the LP. Look at Meryl Davis and how she transformed from 2010 to 2014. Her core strength and amazing definition in her arms are what kept her at a consistent excellent level with lifts and spins. Mirai's body is what it is. She doesn't need to focus on weight loss but strength and conditioning. I also would love to see her express a little more through the performance. I get it that Madame Butterfly is sad but there are a range of motions and Mirai shows mostly this deep concentration/scared look with sometimes an inappropriate grin at the end. Maybe Tom should have her sit through the Madame Butterfly opera performance to understand the story line. Mirai has always struck me as a young girl who reluctantly is entering adulthood. Some are late bloomers. Let's see if this is Mirai's year!
Yes, Mao changed her technique on the lutz and still continued to get flutz calls years later, and lots of UR calls on her flip, loop and 3a as well.
It doesn't do fans any good to disagree with tech team calls, because there's nothing to be done about it. It is discouraging how consistent the calls on Mirai are from one competition to the next though, isn't it?
Her spins have not declined. And she was having problems 4 years ago. Remember 2010 Worlds? Or her second place finish at Nationals, for what seemed like a flawless skate at first viewing? Mirai has many great qualities to her skating which is why so many continue to be her fans. Her focus, now and next year, has to be on Nationals and making the World team. It would actually be to her advantage if she only did one GP event. All the GP does for her is give people a chance to nitpick her skating. I still have hope for Mirai.
- Joined
- Jan 11, 2014
Fingers Crossed! Hope she does well
- Joined
- Feb 9, 2009
I agree but it is also discouraging on how some skaters manage not to get called at all.
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2010
This is the case sometimes, but the ones who get the occasional pass aren't chronic under-rotators. Mirai is.
- Joined
- Dec 22, 2012
Funny you mentioned Mao werent you the one saying she peaked in 2008 and dissmissing her hard work on her jumps. I guess her 2014 WC win proved you wrong.
I hope Mirai comes back strong and also proves you wrong
- Joined
- Feb 24, 2012
I am not sure Meryl is a great example or analogy. Meryl really was a top level skater; I am not sure Davis and White really improved so much; perhaps V and M falteredmore or were more experimental plus it appeared the tide had changed. Mirai has taken some time; remember Mao - she spent years working on her jumps and really in the end or temporary end she wasn't all that consistent. Then there is Caroline Zhang it is hard to rework jumps. Although Liza T is doing fairly well. We will watch other skaters like Mirai and Julia L.
- Joined
- Feb 6, 2013
Well maybe Mirai needs to work with Rafael or Caroline Zhang's old coach that was married to Karen Kwan. Mirai needs someone who can take some control and make her work for it and improve her technique. Her UR's should have been dealt with many seasons ago. Tom Z is too soft and Frank Carol is more about making every girl into an ice princess. Rafael would be perfect for her.
