Indeed. Consistency, backloading, tanos, none of that matters unless you are russian.
Wakaba Higuchi
- Thread starter solar
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Indeed. Consistency, backloading, tanos, none of that matters unless you are russian.
- Joined
- May 17, 2017
If we talk about consistency... both Higuchi and Mihara have done their great job of staying on their feet and look at what they get. I am so annoyed at JSF. GPF on home ice and they’re trying to eliminate all their ladies from GPF. Utter incompetence at the finest level.
Yeah, Waka tweeting right after the results came up made me even more heart broken...
How could this end up being a positive thing? I'm all for seeing the positives in every situation, Yuzus injury for example - sure. But in this? If she doesn't make GPF and has no other chance to gain momentum, do you think her scores from CoC will go up? She skated lights out there, her PCS went down compared to CoR, and what else can she do? If the judging stays like this, it doesn't matter how much fire this has lit in her, she could only go that far. At this point I only hope she skates perfectly at nationals and that will be enough for the Olympic team, so that she can at least go. She would deserve so much more right now, but honestly, nothing of that is all that realistic. It's just maddening. Why am I watching FS at all
I'm also completely mad about it. I don't know why I still watch FS at all. I guess we just have to enjoy the ride. It's revolting, but we can't do anything about it. She absolutely should be an olympic medalist in my mind, but she's still 16 and will probably win many medals in the next years. Medals, pcs and rankings do not reflect the beauty of her skating, but we are still lucky to watch her amazing performances.
besides that, 2 brand new programs with brilliant choreo and meaningful transitions, visible better performance never matters...I wanna say "unless you are russian" but it seems Russian never cared about all these aspects.
I'm sorry for my rantingguess being a Mao fan hasn't made me numb enough to all this. And to be honest I feel like the judging is getting worse and worse? There is always an aspect of subjectivity and one could always disagree with scores or placements here or there, but right now? It's... pretty unbelievable. Evgenias & Kaetlyns obvious flutzes not being called while other skaters get phantom lip calls (like Mai); URs being completely overlooked for some skaters while others are called (look at Alina in CoC or Maria S. here vs. Marin for example, or Elenas SP 3T not being called while Mais was in CoC); some skaters being held up in PCS and getting PB PCS with mistakes (like Caro) over others having their PCS going down for better performances (like Waka). I literally see no relation between reality and scoring anymore, I'm getting a headache just trying to find ways to explain that that aren't "ISU/judges are incompetent or corrupt" :roll9:
Manipulating TES (including manipulating levels, edge calls, under-rotations all the above you mentioned) as well as PCS has been set as a precedent in Sochi Scandal. And it got a FREE PASS.
No wonder, EVERY feds is abuse it to their own extend within their own power, Nothing will be worse than Sochi Scandal. Every fed is using it as the precedent.
Therefore, the worse and worse, the messier and messier situation you see nowadays. An absolute fiasco!
- Joined
- Oct 26, 2016
Regarding the 3A, I'd really love to see her 3A too but... after Yuzu WDing from and Zhenya limping backstage at NHK, Patrick still recovering from injuries, WeaPo fighting through injuries today... I've gotten too wary of that stuff. She said before that the "3A will likely not happen this season", so I'm not sure how much she practiced it then. If she hasn't much and now just throws herself into training it, potentially over-training it to get it in such a short time frame...I'd rather have her leave it out for this season and take the time she needs for it over the next off season. Possibly also just my current OTT pessimism talking though ^^"
I adore Higuchi - her jumps are gorgeous, her speed fantastic and her programs are exciting and playful (joyously so in the short, coyly in the long). She's by far my favorite lady this season and in a sane world I think she'd be an OGM contender and a strong prospect for the silver behind Medvedeva.
However, it has become increasingly obvious that without a triple axel she will not be a medal contender beyond the bronze, and that's with mistakes from the second-tier Russian competitors. Maybe that's not fair and I obviously do not believe she should risk her physical health, but I think she needs to train it if she wants to medal at Oly.
- Joined
- Aug 14, 2014
Wakaba is just very, very unlucky. I guess maybe being a Mao Asada fan has somehow trained me into a more aloof and detached spectator when it comes to facing the unfairness and ineffectiveness that are part of the system? I am very passionate about Wakaba's skating and her as a skater, but at the same time, having seen how scoring has evolved over the past few years I am no longer surprised or outraged by anything. If I can't accept the way things are (for the most part), I'd no longer get any enjoyment from watching skating and just be grouching all the time, which is not good for my health.
How could this turn out to be good for her? Well my secret wish (and maybe not just mine) is perhaps this lights enough of a fire in her to train that 3A between now and the Olympics, and throw Alina behind in base value once and for all. :dev2: Just one scenario and totally wishful thinking. But on the other hand you are right, it really hurts her to miss out on the opportunity to build more momentum internationally.
I cant agree more. Totally. Once yuzu retires, I shall leave this sport and never ever come back.
- Joined
- Aug 14, 2014
https://twitter.com/Iron_Klaus/status/931893128197558274
"Love the way the blame gets transferred to the Japanese in some form every time. So it's all their fault @ the #JSF? Not sure they can do much. They have no power or BRAINS. "
JSF has no political power. Its apparent to see judging. Its funny to see people blame for JSF.
- Joined
- May 17, 2017
I would say 3 good ladies at same CoC was madness but what do I know. I think JSF surely know it’s not good and should have done something better than that.
- Joined
- Jan 22, 2014
In an effort to cheer us up I will try to summarise some some of my favorite parts of this video because Wakaba is not only a spy and human but a freaking rockstar!
To wit, upon returning from a bad competition, she turns into a tantrum.throwing room trashing crybaby to the point that her skates become weapons of ill intent. (Wonder what her room looks like now
) Takes a bath, falls asleep from crying exhaustion and recovers by the next day.Question Box
Kenji What kind of guy is your type?
Wakaba Nice, fun/interesting, easy to talk to. Thinks it will be hard to find such a person.
K if you could be a famous person for a day?
W 1 If female actress Mitsuki Takahata because she is pretty etc.
2 If male actor Shun Oguri because he is attractive to the opposite sex. She would date them and then dump them all.
(Killer instinct!)K What frightens you the most?
Wakaba 1 Mom when she is mad. Yells so loud the whole neighborhood can hear.
2 Rollercoasters. Would lose consciousness. Avoids them by volunteering to hold her friends' belongings while they go on the ride. (Kenji can't believe it)
As much as I would love Wakaba to pull out the triple axel when it matters most and beat everyone (deservingly of course) I feel like that jump has not been worthwhile for the few ladies attempting it. Sure, Liza won her way to WC in 2015 with it, but the competition has changed since those times. It seems the triple axel takes so much concentration that it's a big risk to take lest the rest of the program fall apart. I am just hoping Wakaba continues to deliver clean, gorgeous programs and then they have no choice but to raise her PCS. Dreaming, I know.
- Joined
- May 17, 2017
3A is nice. But she has to land it consistently with all other triples to be recognized.
- Joined
- Dec 29, 2011
It's a difficult thing. IMO, the 3A is underrated in the ladies field still, so that doesn't help. But we also never had too many ladies going for it, it's a pretty small number and hard to draw conclusions from it. Especially looking at the ladies who did it in the later years.... Mao & Mirai have/had UR issues anyway, and neither have technique that is as good as Wakas. Liza has textbook technique, but she struggled quite a lot before ever going for the 3A too - I don't think her struggles now are necessarily related to it. Rika has problems too, but it's hard to say if it's more problems with the pressure & expectations for now, she's still a Junior. I really think Waka could pull it off. Her 2A is the best in the business IMO, and when was the last time she had the tiniest mistake on one? But I'd rather see her training it with a better team, to be blunt here
For Wakaba to secure a place on the Olympic team, isn't reaching the GP final rather irrelevant?
Hasn't she already done enough in terms of GP results, season's best scores, season's World ranking etc to be chosen for the Olympic team - as long as she is on the podium at Nationals?
So although reaching GPF would be great, especially if she did well there... I think Nationals should be her #1 priority.
And if she doesn't reach the GP final, that could actually be a good thing: she can concentrate only on Nationals... same as all the other Japanese ladies... without the extra "distraction" and risk of injury of a major extra competition, just a couple of weeks before Nationals...
Hasn't she already done enough in terms of GP results, season's best scores, season's World ranking etc to be chosen for the Olympic team - as long as she is on the podium at Nationals?
So although reaching GPF would be great, especially if she did well there... I think Nationals should be her #1 priority.
And if she doesn't reach the GP final, that could actually be a good thing: she can concentrate only on Nationals... same as all the other Japanese ladies... without the extra "distraction" and risk of injury of a major extra competition, just a couple of weeks before Nationals...
- Joined
- Nov 29, 2015
Not in this season it isn't, with her PCS going down as it is. GPF would have been a boost in her PCS she badly, badly needed. Nats scores will mean nothing. It'll be great if she qualifies but they've missed the boat. With Alina's PCS, Kaetlyn's, Zhenya's being what they are, she hasn't got a prayer.
And she should be contending for that Olympic podium, she's that good.
- Joined
- Mar 23, 2010
I really don't like these 3A reason... why give legitimacy for mark her down?
What she does today is SHOULD already be good enough to win. If Wakaba bring out 3A is because she is ready, not because Judges are using it as an excuse to mark her down in PCS.
Everyone should be judged to the same standard, it is the inconsistent judging standard should be scrutinised. Why her consistency and superior SS jumps presentation are used to mark her PCS down while others who relatively pales and had lost in the past suddenly got boosted? At the same time her PCS got deflated. That should be the REAL question.
What she does today is SHOULD already be good enough to win. If Wakaba bring out 3A is because she is ready, not because Judges are using it as an excuse to mark her down in PCS.
Everyone should be judged to the same standard, it is the inconsistent judging standard should be scrutinised. Why her consistency and superior SS jumps presentation are used to mark her PCS down while others who relatively pales and had lost in the past suddenly got boosted? At the same time her PCS got deflated. That should be the REAL question.
I think Wakaba trying to include the 3A as a Hail Mary this season is a bad idea. To suddenly include it in the middle of the season would most likely have a very negative effect on her consistency on the rest of her jumps. Mirai has been including 3As in actual competition since this summer and has only now gained a small amount of consistency. I think rushing a 3A right now could actually destroy whatever small amount of momentum she’s built for herself. The 3A should be a long term goal for next season and beyond.
I wonder if even next season a 3A will be worth the trouble of training. Isn’t the ISU planning to further reduce its base value?So it might barely be worth more than other triples next season.
Man, I’m really depressed about her GPF chances now. She should have qualified easily but now likely won’t make it at all. And Maria’s easily in with scores much lower than hers. It’s just sad and not reflective of who the best skaters this season are at all.
I wonder if even next season a 3A will be worth the trouble of training. Isn’t the ISU planning to further reduce its base value?So it might barely be worth more than other triples next season.
Man, I’m really depressed about her GPF chances now. She should have qualified easily but now likely won’t make it at all. And Maria’s easily in with scores much lower than hers. It’s just sad and not reflective of who the best skaters this season are at all.
- Joined
- May 17, 2017
It's a difficult thing. IMO, the 3A is underrated in the ladies field still, so that doesn't help. But we also never had too many ladies going for it, it's a pretty small number and hard to draw conclusions from it. Especially looking at the ladies who did it in the later years.... Mao & Mirai have/had UR issues anyway, and neither have technique that is as good as Wakas. Liza has textbook technique, but she struggled quite a lot before ever going for the 3A too - I don't think her struggles now are necessarily related to it. Rika has problems too, but it's hard to say if it's more problems with the pressure & expectations for now, she's still a Junior. I really think Waka could pull it off. Her 2A is the best in the business IMO, and when was the last time she had the tiniest mistake on one? But I'd rather see her training it with a better team, to be blunt here
Yeah I don’t think she should go for 3A this season. And if she wants to do 3A, it should go with the consistency of the rest of her triples.
Higuchi was unlucky because they gave her all the worst events with Russian no 1 and No 2 being there. She will always be put behind them. Sadly so.
I didn’t expect Kostner to did well enough to be elevated though.
I also really didn’t expect Maria to place above Kaetlyn. I was 100% sure Alina and Kaetlyn would go 1-2 (I was even thinking after the short that Kaetlyn could win). I’m honestly blown away by this result.
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