2011 Glacier Falls Summer Classic, August 5-7, Anaheim, CA
- Thread starter Sylvia
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- Jul 26, 2003
Leah Keiser first by a couple tenths over Ashley, 7 points back to Courtney Hicks 3rd by a couples tenths over Mirai, Caroline 6 points back of Mirai.
I enjoyed watching the videos from jarrettz, feraina and umbsgoblue. Thanks! Will be interesting to see the programs improve during the season 
Ladies overall:
Wagner 167.31
Keiser 164.24
Hicks 158.23
Nagasu 157.99
Zhang 146.18
Men overall:
Razzano 199.25
Brown 197.48
Aaron 188.69
Ladies overall:
Wagner 167.31
Keiser 164.24
Hicks 158.23
Nagasu 157.99
Zhang 146.18
Men overall:
Razzano 199.25
Brown 197.48
Aaron 188.69
- Joined
- May 19, 2011
I found a new blog with all of the videos in one place and reviews: http://thenakedice.blogspot.com/
I really like Ashley's program and I think it'll be great by the time she's ready to debut it. This might be Ashley's break-out season. I've preferred her over Rachael for quite a while but Ashley's health and competition nerve issues have kept her out of that top spot. She looked really sharp here and it's early! You can tell she's more ready for the season to start than anyone...:thumbsup:
I've never noticed Leah before this competition, but she did really well.
I'm still not a fan of Courtney yet. There's something a bit too wild about her skating...she's still really rough around the edges to me and her lack of lines really irk me, especially b/c she seems like she would be right in line with Adelina Sotnikova. Their bodies are similar, but Adelina's lines (when she's not spinning) are infinitely better than Courtney's right now. Courtney's still too green; she needs more time.
Mirai looks okay, but I agree with this blogger about being on the fence about her LP. It has potential but Lori needs to work on it a bit more. Her jumps looked low and not really powerful, but I hope that's just because it's early. I'm glad she's doing summer competitions because she won't have the luxury of competing, getting her head together for a few weeks and then taking another shot at it. Her back-to-back assignments mean she needs every available opportunity there is to get experience with these new programs.
I'm very happy for Caroline. I can see where she's improved and aside from a few mistakes, she was really good. Here's hoping she continues to improve!
I really like Ashley's program and I think it'll be great by the time she's ready to debut it. This might be Ashley's break-out season. I've preferred her over Rachael for quite a while but Ashley's health and competition nerve issues have kept her out of that top spot. She looked really sharp here and it's early! You can tell she's more ready for the season to start than anyone...:thumbsup:
I've never noticed Leah before this competition, but she did really well.
I'm still not a fan of Courtney yet. There's something a bit too wild about her skating...she's still really rough around the edges to me and her lack of lines really irk me, especially b/c she seems like she would be right in line with Adelina Sotnikova. Their bodies are similar, but Adelina's lines (when she's not spinning) are infinitely better than Courtney's right now. Courtney's still too green; she needs more time.
Mirai looks okay, but I agree with this blogger about being on the fence about her LP. It has potential but Lori needs to work on it a bit more. Her jumps looked low and not really powerful, but I hope that's just because it's early. I'm glad she's doing summer competitions because she won't have the luxury of competing, getting her head together for a few weeks and then taking another shot at it. Her back-to-back assignments mean she needs every available opportunity there is to get experience with these new programs.
I'm very happy for Caroline. I can see where she's improved and aside from a few mistakes, she was really good. Here's hoping she continues to improve!
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- Mar 27, 2010
Like the blogger that kwanatic posted, I also was expecting a spiral at the exact same part as MK. But even then, why is Mirai doing that weird y-spiral and letting go? It doesn't look good and her arabesque is already excellent.
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- May 19, 2011
- Joined
- Jul 26, 2003
Isn't that letting go spiral maybe the one Arakawa used in her Olympic year? If you can lift the leg just a hair higher without the arm assist than with it, it can be a really impressive display of flexibility.
Shizuka's Y spiral was effortless and perfectly synced with the music. Mirai's was slow and out of nowhere. Maybe take that out of the program.
Vanessa's LP got the second highest TES, but her PCS was about 15 points behind Ashley. What a joke.
From watching from the same vantage point, Caroline seems to be as fast as any other girls. Is that the general consensus?
Vanessa's LP got the second highest TES, but her PCS was about 15 points behind Ashley. What a joke.
From watching from the same vantage point, Caroline seems to be as fast as any other girls. Is that the general consensus?
- Joined
- May 19, 2011
She definitely wasn't slower and that's a big deal. I'm happy to finally see some visible improvement. Last year, other than the fixed tech on her flip (which was a big deal), I didn't see much improvement. I can see her speed now...that first 3lp in her LP had a good-speed exiting edge, and though her axel still needs work, there's a little bit of ride-out on it when she lands now.
Caroline has definitely made improvements on speed, as well as conditioning (in her core strengths especially) -- though she did slow down in the second half of the FS, especially right after missing the second 3F, when she looked momentarily surprised and frustrated.
Considering how much extra weight she's carrying now compared to a couple years ago (while at the same height), the fact that she's skating a little faster means that she has actually improved a lot on speed. If she skated now like she used to, she should be moving half as fast! I mean that from a purely biophysical point of view, not intending to be mean or anything. If she could slim down a little, then the improvements she's made in speed & strength would be even more apparent to the eye.
Maybe most of that extra weight she's carrying now is muscle, but there is a different optimal body shape for each sport. That's why top athletes in boxing, swimming, and skating look completely different even if they are all very "fit" in their own way.
She's taking a year off school to focus on skating this year, so hopefully this means that she can really get into tippy top shape. She may be rather unlucky when it comes to genes, but I also remember she always had a sweet tooth and didn't do much off-ice training until very recently.
Considering how much extra weight she's carrying now compared to a couple years ago (while at the same height), the fact that she's skating a little faster means that she has actually improved a lot on speed. If she skated now like she used to, she should be moving half as fast! I mean that from a purely biophysical point of view, not intending to be mean or anything. If she could slim down a little, then the improvements she's made in speed & strength would be even more apparent to the eye.
Maybe most of that extra weight she's carrying now is muscle, but there is a different optimal body shape for each sport. That's why top athletes in boxing, swimming, and skating look completely different even if they are all very "fit" in their own way.
She's taking a year off school to focus on skating this year, so hopefully this means that she can really get into tippy top shape. She may be rather unlucky when it comes to genes, but I also remember she always had a sweet tooth and didn't do much off-ice training until very recently.
Zhang's mature body shape (broad shoulders, long waisted, short legs) do not auger well for her to regain her former junior glory. She looks a little ungainly on the ice, even though she does look better skating wise than last season. She is faster, but that's not saying much compared to the other ladies who are much faster.
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- Oct 22, 2005
From what I can tell from the video, the reason why Caroline Zhangs's SS mark is still low (even though she appears equivalent in speed through much of her programs to the other skaters) is the WAY in which she stroked through the programs. To a skater/practiced eye, she looks like she's really WORKING to generate any speed versus effortless flow that Wagner, Nagasu, Hicks, and Keiser seem to project to generate the same speed and flow.
Your analysis on Zhang's speed is accurate as she was "working" to get speed, but to me, watching from the stands, she was still slower than Wagner, Hicks and Keiser. Even Nagasu was not at her optimal speed - but she had just returned from Japan and didn't look at top form yet. I'm still bummed over Frank's decision to use that old warhorse Spartacus for Nagasu's FP. Practically every skater in the universe has used that music at some point in their career. Nagasu's status deserves better. Wagner looked great.
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- May 19, 2011
I have no problem with warhorse music. It just comes down to how you ride the horse!
Any warhorse music is all about how you utilize it. Just going by this "sneak peek" at Mirai's LP, I'd say this needs several more weeks of work but, b/c it is a warhorse, there's possibility here for Mirai to have a really good LP. I'll reserve judgement on it until I see a more finished product, though Lori is known for re-tweaking choreography from competition to competition. That's another area where Mirai will be at a disadvantage this season. With back-to-back GPs, she won't have a lot of time to switch up the choreography; hopefully Lori realizes this and will get it right from the beginning...
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- Apr 19, 2011
I thought Nagasu's LP was insane. Seemed way more demanding than last year's program. I particularly liked the speed and the transitions (or at least the attempts). The backwards karate kick jump into the triple flip will be sensational once she lands it clean and the split jump into the spread eagle was great too....(although I agree it seemed to go in the wrong direction). The footwork also looked tricky with the catch foot twizzle (ala Mao Asada - Bells of Moscow) and who even tries that no hands spiral anymore?? I cant wait to see this program at nationals once she gets it timed out to the music.
Well Nagasu was 4th in the FS. Her triple toe loop in combo with the double axel was downgraded, as was the triple Lutz as was the triple flip and the triple loop was underrotated. All those jumps also had anywhere from -1 to -2 GOE. Even her footwork had -1GOE. I thought her program was sloppy but understandable having just returned from Japan. Let's hope she is in better shape for Nebelhorn.
I rewatched Mirai's FS last night, and felt more positive about it than initially. I think this program has potential. She had just come back from Japan and jetlagged, not to mention short on practice. That alone could explain the double-footing and under-rotation on jumps, and stumbling in her footwork. But if she's been training steadily since then, then I think her skating could be in great shape by the time GPs roll around.
I have to say, though, that at this point, Ashley's programs look more polished than Mirai's, and Ashley also seems to be paying more attention to the details, like the music and arm movements, posture, etc. Hopefully, Mirai will get better in these respects with more training -- Frank is a stickler for details after all.
I have to say, though, that at this point, Ashley's programs look more polished than Mirai's, and Ashley also seems to be paying more attention to the details, like the music and arm movements, posture, etc. Hopefully, Mirai will get better in these respects with more training -- Frank is a stickler for details after all.
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