2015 Cup of China Ladies Short Program

[largeman]

Not in this performance they weren't. The lutz edge was not good and she barely rotated the jump. The jump combo rotation was also a bit too lacking. Medvedeva deserved higher scores for her jump combo and solo jump in comparison.

3Axel from Mao was a good job but still tight on the landing.

Agree. Her lutz technique here is markedly different from how she's been doing it in practice (and even Japan Open a month ago). I guess she just slipped back into old habits, because the new technique isn't yet a part of her. I am in favor of her keep doing 3Lz in competition until that flutz "muscle memory" completely leaves her body and mind :clapper:

The 3Loop was borderline <<

3A was definitely adequately rotated. I must say the consistency of her 3A rotation has been refreshing.

 

[Silvia451]

Mao is a league of her own

 

[amazingMao]

Oh yes...:furious: and Diva Wagner used facial expression as transitions. How could I forgot. :reye:

Sorry but I can't stop laughing while reading this :rofl2:

 

[Ilvskating]

So happy for Mao!!! She looked better than ever! I think this is the first time I see her performed to her level in exhibition which I wished for so many years. Mao used to be too tense to really show off her performance capacity. Love her SP and LP this year.

Zijun was robber for PCS big time. That program performed like that should be in the lower 8s for everything, next to only Mao.

 

[Violetti]

Nice to see Mao somehow so easily in top form skating like that. Of course it is not easy but hard practice.
Rika has a good piece of music. Her performance is special and powerful. I saw her sp live at Finlandia. It is a great program.
I like Radionova's sp much better than her last year's programs.

 

[Lester]

I liked Elena too and her dress and her spins and her dramaaaatic music choice way more than I did last year. I may even convert to being her fan soon

I also loved how Mao performed her program - it looked super confident. Rika was also great.

 

[Warwick360]

Looking back and seeing the missed first group, I'm simply glad for Soyoun's Flying Spin getting back to where it used to be at the end of 2013-2014 season. :cool2:

The rest, let's not go there....

 

[Blades of Passion]

The 3Loop was borderline <<

No way, it was better than that. She really shouldn't have received -GOE for that combo. They more than made up for it with the PCS they gave her, though.

I do love the guts of Mao to go for this layout. If she gets keeps doing it there will be more consistency and eventually the judges will be worn into submission, LOL. She DOES rotate that 3Flip+3Loop well enough sometimes, they've got to give it a nod eventually.

 

[sloveniangirl]

I don´t understand why people like Hongo. She has no grace or elegance, i´m not impressed. :noshake:
For me, Mao was boring.:disapp:
The russians will go through puberty. So nothing new.

 

[Sugarpova]

I don´t understand why people like Hongo.

I like her programm, consistensy & attack
But I can confess that I would have liked like that programm performed by someone else even more

 

[Interspectator]

I don´t understand why people like Hongo. She has no grace or elegance, i´m not impressed. :noshake:
For me, Mao was boring.:disapp:
The russians will go through puberty. So nothing new.

Grace and Elegance are two very wonderful traits in skating but not the only ones. Rika is an interesting skater. I can see the flaws in her jumps and in her posture and in her unpolished movements, but it's not taking away from the enjoyment I get from her skating. That's a pretty rare thing. She projects this energy and affinity to the music that is super fun to watch. Also, I can pretty much count on her not to bomb. Which is good for my heart.

 

[Icey]

The top three ladies were all wonderful. For me, Hongo's program is the most exciting I have seen in a long time. She skated it powerfully and the choreography is superb. Hicks looked stronger than I ever recall. If she could get the 3/3, she would do well.

 

[Lester]

Well, granted, she could improve her posture a little. I like her consistency and attack, too.
And the dress was hard to ignore

 

[iamchrislao]

totally Agree!!!! that 3loop was close. but without a doubt at worst an <, not downgrade. I love the loop as combo so much that i'd rather see mao's combo not whoever's 3toe. eek. Anyway I think the system has to review this, lest we say goodbye to 3loops as back end of combos.

some say Mao should go back to the sochi layout. I disagree. Mao always looks ahead. She doesn't mind a few poor showings. She is concerned with getting better. That's what we love about her. And we are seeing the results. so Go Mao! keep pushing the boundaries!

Anna's presentation was lovely! Anna never bores me. There's an aggression to her skating that I love. I don't mind the program either. I think it suits her! she's like an amazon but classy. Courtney is just amazon. oops sorry.

Rika is reliable but please! there is nothing special about her skating. her skating isn't something I'd store in my phone to watch when I'm bored or wanna relax. Imagine having a gorgeous vehicle (her program) yet still appear "rough". Akiko skating that routine would be a different story. lolz

No way, it was better than that. She really shouldn't have received -GOE for that combo. They more than made up for it with the PCS they gave her, though.

I do love the guts of Mao to go for this layout. If she gets keeps doing it there will be more consistency and eventually the judges will be worn into submission, LOL. She DOES rotate that 3Flip+3Loop well enough sometimes, they've got to give it a nod eventually.

 

[Warwick360]

Still not getting why Zijun and Hicks are beneath Pogo in components.

Didn't know Hicks could look so good in her skating. Her inside spread eagles look worthy to die for. :luv17:

I don´t understand why people like Hongo. She has no grace or elegance, i´m not impressed. :noshake:

She's consistent and makes best use of what she's got. She's scrappy in more ways than one, to many. But for me, scrappy in a "grabbing victory from the jaws of defeat" way, which makes her awesome in my books.

 

[koatcue]

I haven't watched the videos yet, so I decided to see the results list, and ooooh I'm so frustrated with the judges :-/ One gives +1, another -2,-3 for the same element. WTDeal???:ddevil:

 

[koatcue]

On the bright side, it looks like Pogo's pcs are higher that Mao' in this competition

Edit: oops! Compared Anna's pcs not with Mao's but someone else's

 

[Seruleane]

I've only watched Elena's video so far (have to get to work) but I LOVE her new SP!!! I take back everything I said about it earlier (hated the test skate). She seems so much more mature and powerful...love this new look. Her posture has improved, she is holding her positions more. I really hope she does well this season and doesn't lose her jumps! Or if she does, that she relearns the technique and comes back better than ever.

I'll watch the other ladies when I get home tonight, but so happy for Mao and Rika!! I can't wait to see their programs!

 

[qwertyskates]

Ooohhh Mao hit it out of the ballpark! She came back so much fresher and really show sublime skating quality.:clapper:

 

[solani]

No way, it was better than that. She really shouldn't have received -GOE for that combo. They more than made up for it with the PCS they gave her, though.

I do love the guts of Mao to go for this layout. If she gets keeps doing it there will be more consistency and eventually the judges will be worn into submission, LOL. She DOES rotate that 3Flip+3Loop well enough sometimes, they've got to give it a nod eventually.

I agree, and the < for the combo doesn't really hurt her score, the only real "problem" I see is the edge call on the lutz.
Can she do a 3L-3L? 3A, 3L-3L and 3F would be my "dream" setup for Mao in the SP. It was a great performance from Mao, great music selection, dress and everything. The axel looked very very good. To me she's better than ever.
Rika was very good, I like the program and she delivered it very well.
And I was pleasently surprised by Courtney Hicks. Was she always that good, or did I unintentionally ignore her?
Anna is a stunning looking skater and she hasn't lost too much ground, it will be exiting to see what she can do in the FS.
I liked Elena's packaging and I think her SP is nice. And I like that she doesn't pull her tights over boots anymore, she has very long legs and it looked awkward last season. But somehow I don't think she'll be a world medal contestant this season. Her jumps are not reliable at this point in time, but she still has the grit.