I agree with the possible exception of Kostornaia, she is spectacular even without it.Not to go too off-topic, but that’s actually how I personally feel about the three Eteri girls [emoji3]
I agree with the possible exception of Kostornaia, she is spectacular even without it.Not to go too off-topic, but that’s actually how I personally feel about the three Eteri girls [emoji3]
Actually I brought it up because I thought Rika is a good example of a 3A inflating the evaluation of the rest of one's skating abilities and was curious if what other people thought about her skating. I like Rika but opinions are what this blog is about. I'm sorry if I hurt anybody's feelings by having an opinion about a skater, Jeez. Lol
"Exciting" is a loaded word. Even for the most "exciting" skaters, it doesn't always apply - I'm excited watching Kaori's Matrix, I'm excited watching Wakaba in general, but Wakaba's Poeta for example doesn't excite me. I adore Yuzuru to death, his recycled programs don't excite me. Heck, Yuzuru's 2017 Worlds Hope and Legacy, or Sui/Han's 2019 Worlds Rain in Your Black Eyes are probably two of my favorite competitive programs ever, but I wouldn't say they excited me. Something doesn't have to be "exciting" to be worth watching, or high quality, or touch people. Different people are going to appreciate different forms of artistry, or even different styles of skating altogether (some people might love to watch quads, others might love to watch immersive performances). But I think most of us can agree that Rika is a great skater, compared to the current ladies' field if not compared to the 3A. She performs difficult elements, attempts varied/original choreography, generally produces complete programs (usually only popping or falling on her 3A). By all accounts, even if you don't like her skating personally, you'll probably still watch her, if just to see if she'll skate clean and beat your favorites. She's a force to be reckoned with.