2014 Skate Canada Ladies SP 10/31

[MalAssada]

My predictions, my sweet predictions Unless some skaters bomb and others have the skate of their lives, ugh!

I have to say I love the fact that the top 4 (haven't watched the rest) didn't fall or pop or two-footed. Gotta keep that level!

 

[Matilda]

I am still glad that all these ladies are so different in their musical taste, interpretation, attack, and packaging. It makes the competition more interesting, and tacky is different for everyone. Stay true to yourself, ladies!

Well said!

 

[chloepoco]

Satoko really skates like a child, and her PCS should be not very high. And what is more important - she underrotates jumps, fortunately this time she got adequate penalty for that.

Satoko definitely does not skate like a child, in my opinion. i think she's a beautiful, mature skater.

 

[Skater Boy]

Alena said she's satisfied with her performance in general, and the only dissapointment were her spins. She thinks she lost approximately 5 points due to mistakes on spins. And the most dissapointing was the last one which got only base level.

I really don't like Alena's skating but her short despite the spin issues was brilliant and should have the highest pcs - smooth,polished, sharp edges and well performed and she sold the performance. There is no reason she should have such low pcs. I would tack on3.5 more pts for pcs - she was better than a more generic Ashley.

 

[Sandpiper]

Personally, I like the program a lot. Reminds me of pre COP skating

Thank you. This was exactly what I was trying to get at, with all my rambling posts.

 

[katymay]

Yeah, didn't sit well with me either. I love her dress, but the program is a boring mess. And here is the problem, as I see it-while Gracie might be able to compete with the Russian girls, I do not think Ashley can. Yes, Ashley has maturity, but for me, that does not translate into excitement. When I watch her skate, I find myself wondering how long she will be sticking around, and then I fetch a snack or use the bathroom. Even when they do not skate well, the young Russian girls, and a few of the young japanese girls have that "wow" factor for me. Gracie also has it (or had it). Ashley always seems to be working too hard or something. Since the US is not exactly stacked with up and coming talent, I'm glad she is sticking around, but I do not think she is even in the league of the "sonograms". At least, not for me. I'd rather watch the "sonograms."

 

[katymay]

I really like her too, yes, she looks young in that dress but it is ok, she is cute, and her skating looks more refined than Anna`s. I couldn´t to finish Anna´s program, too much boring, the dress nothing special and the music terrible.
I liked Ashley and Alena too but my favorite was Satoko.

Same. I'm not going to pour over protocols etc., but I think Satoko was underscored... And I LOVE her dress. Simple and elegant.

 

[treeloving]

Ugh, Ashley's program fails to hit the highlights of the music. She needs to move both of the jumps further back back and put a spiral sequence in there. C'mon now. She has time too, because she is doing nothing after the first couple spins. Emptyyyy.

I am so agree with this! The highlight really felt short.

 

[Meoima]

Same. I'm not going to pour over protocols etc., but I think Satoko was underscored... And I LOVE her dress. Simple and elegant.

Satoko was not underscored. Her PCS is lower than the leader just less than a point. It's her jumps that did not fully rotate, she jumped sooo small.

 

[mrrice]

:yes: And I hope she keeps her own style and doesn't turn into another clone from the pretty princess factory.

Me too. The very definition of style means to be unique. She doesn't have to be a clone to be great.

 

[mrrice]

Well, I just watched Ashley's SP and I have to say that even with the clearly under rotated combo, she is still my favorite US Lady when it comes to PCS. She's dramatic at times, while soft and lyrical at others. Don't kill me Russians but, I see Ashley as the Maria Butyrskaya of the US.

She's clearly not the best jumper, or spinner for that matter. But, she always makes you feel something. The other thing they have in common is their obvious Beauty ! Along with Alena Leonova whom I also find to be a stunning figure on the ice, these ladies are mature and truly add a different dimension to skating.

 

[FlattFan]

Anna's PCS has always been too high. She's rough as sandpaper. Everything about her is too much. Typical Russian skater.
More is not always more.

 

[crazydreamer]

So impressed by Courtney Hicks. She's really matured in the past year. If she hadn't messed up that lutz she'd be right up there.

Also really impressed by Alena and Satoko. Satoko is so balletic. I've been missing that since Cohen left. Needs to work on her jumps some, but lots of potential. Anna was very good too.

I liked all of the above ladies much more than those we saw last week.

 

[NaVi]

Anna's PCS has always been too high. She's rough as sandpaper. Everything about her is too much. Typical Russian skater.
More is not always more.

I completely disagree with this(though not a huge fan of the SP)... IMO she is one of the most fun and mesmerizing skaters to watch. Her LPs for this and last year are epic and I feel like her PCS's for those are too low.

 

[ranjake]

Anna's PCS has always been too high. She's rough as sandpaper. Everything about her is too much. Typical Russian skater.
More is not always more.

I sadly have to agree; almost as if they judged what they WANT to be there- but I'm not a Judge

 

[[email protected]]

Don't kill me Russians but, I see Ashley as the Maria Butyrskaya of the US.

No bad feelings to go on killing spree but I see no resemblance whatsoever. Butyrskaya had a "true lady" posture plus she had perfect jump technique. Although she skated half a rink before making a lutz it was worth it.

 

[Art&Sport]

Just having seen the ladies sp at SC, I would probably have Leonova first, Ashley second, and Pogo third. But ya know, there's no accounting for judges' tastes in young sonograms.

 

[Skater Boy]

No bad feelings to go on killing spree but I see no resemblance whatsoever. Butyrskaya had a "true lady" posture plus she had perfect jump technique. Although she skated half a rink before making a lutz it was worth it.

Yeah, I don't see much resemblance between Ashley and Maria in appearance or skating style. Maria was a mature lady like skater. Ashley is a Miss America smile traditional American lady skater. I guess both are blood (naturally or otherwise) but very different skatings styles. Maria tended to fall more and Ashley two foots like every few jumps.

 

[ks777]

Yeah, I don't see much resemblance between Ashley and Maria in appearance or skating style. Maria was a mature lady like skater. Ashley is a Miss America smile traditional American lady skater. I guess both are blood (naturally or otherwise) but very different skatings styles. Maria tended to fall more and Ashley two foots like every few jumps.

Maria had the worst knee in figure skating. She just didn't have a soft knee to land the jumps. She often came down awkwardly. so yes I don't see any resemblance either.

 

[Skater Boy]

True about the knee but when she did land the clean jumps they were beautiful.