- Joined
- Jan 26, 2013
I can't believe the Japanese ladies are pretty much hopeless. Kanako
Whoa! That would quite something if it repeated, huh?
There's always that extra Guinness World Record....and nothing to gain either. No chance of a medal. Hard to fight for no cause.
I think she'll choke and the gold will be between Kim and Sotnikova who seems to be in a fantastic shape lately. Given Sot's BV is higher and the judges are giving her huge marks, she might end up winning... AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!
I think Lipnitskaia can still pull up to bronze, at the very least, with a clean FS.
3lutz was off-axis in the air and didn't have a lot of flow out (it's a miracle she did a fully rotated 3toe off the end so respect for her!).
3loop didn't have a lot of flow out either and there was a break between the steps and the jump.
2axel was off-axis in the air and had a scratchy landing.
A lot of speed, decent timing but the rest of her skating, presentation-wise still leaves a lot of to be desired. Of course so does Sotnikova's but the point is, it's not like Gold should have a big advantage on the PCS, there were small issues with her jumps and her spins aren't as impressive (although they were very good as well).
Whoa! That would quite something if it repeated, huh?
Except her pride, which Mao, champion that she is, has plenty of. She will not want to finish this competition in 16th place....and nothing to gain either. No chance of a medal. Hard to fight for no cause.
In Vancouver, the reigning World Champ won, the World Champ from 2 seasons ago won silver, the local darling bronze, and the Frank Carroll student 4th. The other US lady skated visibly clean but had some downgrades...
There's always that extra Guinness World Record.
What drives me up the wall the most is that last season, she could have attempted the 3F-3Lo in the SP along with her then-consistent flutz and attempted a 4-triple SP. Who cares about edge calls, a clean program like that could've broken 80 and a 3F-3Lo< would've still gotten her over 76. I love her to death but her career so far has been a slew of missed opportunities and often biting off more than she could chew.Well that's true actually, but it doesn't seem like Mao cares enough about trying to become the first woman to get 8 Triples ratified in a LP. Why did she waste part of her season trying to train a 3Axel+2Toe, which is worth less than 3Flip+3Loop anyway? Ugh.
She also most definitely should have become the first woman to land 4 Triples in the SP, but for some reason she has insisted on not training a 3-3 in the SP for the past 4 years. It's insane how poorly handed Mao has been.
...But people seem to forget that her goal is to not only medal, but complete a program with clean 3A's. I am sorry to feel that's less likely, but she does have a cause...and nothing to gain either. No chance of a medal. Hard to fight for no cause.
Yuna is still the one to beat although she will have to bring her A Game. The others are not just going to hand it to her.
Gold was way underscored tonight. She deserved almost the same score as Sotnikova.
I agree pretty much with what you say, but you have to admit that Frank is already working miracles with her, both in keeping her focused (those miracle jump saves) and in softening her style. Give him another year or two to work with her, and I think we'll all be pleasantly surprised. She'll never be a Caro, but she's finally starting to look like more than a jump/spin machine. I actually think she has more potential style-wise than Sotnikova.
I agree pretty much with what you say, but you have to admit that Frank is already working miracles with her, both in keeping her focused (those miracle jump saves) and in softening her style. Give him another year or two to work with her, and I think we'll all be pleasantly surprised. She'll never be a Caro, but she's finally starting to look like more than a jump/spin machine. I actually think she has more potential style-wise than Sotnikova.
I'm just sad today will be the last day to see Yuna's program like her last FS "Adios Nonino".
No way. Sotnikova destroyed her in all areas of the program - presentation, spins, jumps. etc. Sotnikova's jumps were twice the size of Gracie's and beautifully executed. Gracie's jumps were small and shaky, every single one of them. I'm not convinced that she is able to handle pressure. She is likely to implode tomorrow, skating right after Adelina with the pro-Russia crowd being in a frenzy. She is just so nervous and tight when she competes and it shows.
Could not agree less. Watching Lipinski's long program, the writing was on the wall for the mature, graceful, sophisticated, subtle, esthetically pleasing Kwan to win over her polar opposite; instead, the midget who looked like a little girl in her mother's makeup, who did roller axels and jumps barely off the ice, whose music was laughable and choreography worse, won because she did triple loop-triple loop with no air, no grace, and no amplitude.Well, weren't the U.S. Championships Kwan's domain for a decade? I remember the death stare captured by the camera in 2001 when Sasha beat her in the SP. Lipinski also fell in her SP, so of course that put the momentum heavily on Kwan's side to emerge from Nationals with the narrative for the Olympics. Watching Tara's skate, the writing was on the wall for her Olympics victory.
Height is only one of three criteria for jumps in the GOE. If height was the only thing the judges were looking for then Meite would be up on the podium. As we know from Yunas scores, ice coverage and speed are just as important. Leaping five feet into the air like an ogre is not a cute look, especially when you're just doing toe loops. When Gracie skates well she is a decently elegant skater, including on her jumping.No way. Sotnikova destroyed her in all areas of the program - presentation, spins, jumps. etc. Sotnikova's jumps were twice the size of Gracie's and beautifully executed. Gracie's jumps were small and shaky, every single one of them. I'm not convinced that she is able to handle pressure. She is likely to implode tomorrow, skating right after Adelina with the pro-Russia crowd being in a frenzy. She is just so nervous and tight when she competes and it shows.
Except her jumps are all terrible and low-quality now. She will never get the positive GOE to compete with someone like Sotnikova, whose jumps are twice the size of hers.