2015 Europeans Ladies Short Program Jan 29

[bixby]

American and Canadian female skaters are fat now and suck? Russia has some (technically) good skaters right now, but let's not blindly stan and forget that they really haven't had anyone competitive since Slutskaya. Domination comes in cycles. This current reign of the Russian jumping beans won't last forever, just like on the Men's side some other country will start dominating. 10 years ago who would have thought Japanese Men would ever dominate Men's FS? It's crazy/ interesting how these things go.
I also don't think Ashley, Gracie, that junior girl who won bronze (can't remember her name) and Polina are "fat" but to each his own.

Well, put Liza next Ashley and Gracie and I think you would know who's FAT! Ashley SP dress won't really work for Liza. You know what I mean?

 

[jenaj]

The difference is not in women/girls but in juniors. The juniors are looking different. But it is normal, the same thing with North-American young people in general vs Europeans. Unhealthier food. She would not have the technique like she does, artistry just by itself is nothing without the technique for the skater.

Maybe she would look like this. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YafMZNrx2_8 And since when do American skaters not have good technique? Gracie Gold, Michelle Kwan, Kristi Yamaguchi, Nancy Kerrigan, to name a few, all had or have stellar technique.

 

[Skater Boy]

What's a sweetheart dress? I must learn these terminology.

A sweet heart neckline is, well the best I can describe it is rather than straight across the bust line it dips in the center like a heart - sometimes showing cleavage. American designer Nolan Miller used it a lot; VEra Wang not so much.

 

[jenaj]

On the contrary! Elena has been way better in her free this season than her short. That Rach. has been amazing every time this season. Take this from somebody who watches all her programs many times on replay.

Good for you, but reasonable minds--and the judges--can differ. Ashley outscored her on PCS at the GPF as I recall. And the music is too big for her. The comparison with Michelle Kwan's performance to that music doesn't help, either.

 

[[email protected]]

All the three top ladies skated IMO their best SPs this season. All of them touched me emotionally including Elena whose program I critisized before. It has somehow become much less chaotic with tons of positively moving energy. If they continue like that in FS I just do not see anyone challenging them at the worlds including diva Wagner.

Kiira is gorgeous. Her gliding, posture and general presence are quite exceptional. But the content is too subpar. No 3-3, no lutz even no bielman. With such a content it would be too bold to claim higher pcs. For one thing, she has just 2 point difference between TES and pcs - Elena has 6, Liza 4, Anna 5. Absolutely fair.

And, of course, "where are Yuna and Mao? The Russians are too juniorish (for a while have not been "robotic", though), their pcs are overblown, etc." Goldenskate would not be Goldenskate without that.

 

[yuki]

Well, put Liza next Ashley and Gracie and I think you would know who's FAT!

...None of them?
Seriously, harping on the body shapes of fit young athletes is starting to get ridiculous.

 

[jenaj]

All the three top ladies skated IMO their best SPs this season. All of them touched me emotionally including Elena whose program I critisized before. It has somehow become much less chaotic with tons of positively moving energy. If they continue like that in FS I just do not see anyone challenging them at the worlds including diva Wagner.

Kiira is gorgeous. Her gliding, posture and general presence are quite exceptional. But the content is too subpar. No 3-3, no lutz even no bielman. With such a content it would be too bold to claim higher pcs. For one thing, she has just 2 point difference between TES and pcs - Elena has 6, Liza 4, Anna 5. Absolutely fair

I agree re Kiira. She is just so beautiful, both in looks and her skating.

 

[silverlake22]

I really loved Anna so much! I think she deserves to have as much of PCS as Lena. Her body and pose are much more relaxed and beautifully expressive. She needs to improve her spins, then she could be capable to be on the same level. I also don't quite get how Lena gets all those +Goes on her jumps, while Liza does not get enough - her Lutz in particular should be +3. I guess it is all these transitions getting into and out of jump.
Lena grew up a lot, and one can see it with naked eye, even her face changed. I don't think it will cause her much problems in future since I am sure she will stay slim (her mom is skinny too).
Liza was so polished, so beautiful, so feminine!
Overall I am so happy for them and that they push each other!

I love Anna too. She had a level 2 and 3 spin, so if she had gotten those levels her score could have been around 67-68. I love all 3 Russian girls here and think the placements are deserved. I agree with Lena getting high marks for choreo and interpretation, but does any else feel confused by her jump GOE? I mean her 3lz-3t got 11 points and Anna's got 11.1 - to me Anna's was in a whole other league. I'm fine with Elena leading, her step sequence and spins are fabulous and deserve all that GOE but her jumps are simply not great quality. Not that her jumps are really bad - they were decent today but they are nowhere near as big and nice as Anna's and Liza's IMO. Lena gets good runout of her jumps and I'm wondering if that's the reason for the GOE. I think Liza has +3 worthy jumps, Anna +2, and Lena +1 or 0. But Lena always seems to get high GOE on her jumps regardless.

 

[CutieP]

Good for you, but reasonable minds--and the judges--can differ. Ashley outscored her on PCS at the GPF as I recall. And the music is too big for her. The comparison with Michelle Kwan's performance to that music doesn't help, either.

In FS this season Lena's and Lisa's PCS difference has been 1-2 on Liza's favour. Something similar with GOE:s. Where as the base value has been 4-5 points on Lena's favour. Now this is what the judges think.

And what comes to your "reasonable minds"-comment, It is really disrespectful and I don't appreciate it. Even if this is the "anonymous internet world" I would expect a little bit better behaviour.

 

[andromache]

I really want to love Liza, and although she's already earning higher PCS than Elena and Anna for her maturity in comparison to them, I think she has the potential for higher PCS and getting more appreciation from fans if her choreography improves. Her skating isn't at all juniorish, and I would really like to see better choreography for her next season in both programs. I want to love her, but that choreography does nothing for me.

 

[jenaj]

American and Canadian female skaters are fat now and suck? Russia has some (technically) good skaters right now, but let's not blindly stan and forget that they really haven't had anyone competitive since Slutskaya. Domination comes in cycles. This current reign of the Russian jumping beans won't last forever, just like on the Men's side some other country will start dominating. 10 years ago who would have thought Japanese Men would ever dominate Men's FS? It's crazy/ interesting how these things go.
I also don't think Ashley, Gracie, that junior girl who won bronze (can't remember her name) and Polina are "fat" but to each his own.

Yes, the original comment was rather myopic, given the long line of US ladies champions and the short one of Russians. Irina is the only true Russian ladies champion thus far in the history of the sport. Maybe Elena or one of the other Russian phenoms will pass her but they have a long way to go.

 

[jenaj]

In FS this season Lena's and Lisa's PCS difference has been 1-2 on Liza's favour. Something similar with GOE:s. Where as the base value has been 4-5 points on Lena's favour. Now this is what the judges think.

And what comes to your "reasonable minds"-comment, It is really disrespectful and I don't appreciate it. Even if this is the "anonymous internet world" I would expect a little bit better behaviour.

Reasonable minds can differ is a nice comment! It means that just because we disagree doesn't mean either one of us is unreasonable.

 

[silverlake22]

I am so happy the Russian girls delivered their best today. I don't think Elena's jump would be much of an issue in the future, since she does not rely on fast rotation. Some of her landings look shaky; I think it is due to her long legs, and she has to make a bigger movement to pull her free leg back.

I don't think Radinova is going to be totally out of the conversation in upcoming years like some people seem to think. She may struggle a little with puberty but I think she will remain competitive even if she does and rebound once she adjusts. Elena's jumps are not that big but she has a lot of speed going into and out of them which will definitely help. And I know she is still a skinny little thing, but even so she has actually grown up quite a bit since last season. And her mom is quite thin. In Russia, we see many of these skaters stay thin while having heavy parents, so if Lena has genetics on her side as well, the transition to her adult body might not be so hard. And as for her long legs, I don't think she will grow to be THAT tall, it is probably just part of her build. Plus we have a lot of strong jumpers who are taller these days anyways. I mean, Anna has great jumps and she has grown pretty tall https://www.facebook.com/isufigures...5007411190874/921809374510671/?type=1&theater. Lena may not be number 1 Russian the next couple years, but I highly, highly doubt she will fade into obscurity. She is such a fighter and sells the crap out of everything.

I'm a really big fan of these 3 Russian ladies. I hope this is the team that goes to Worlds.

 

[Plisskin]

Yes, the original comment was rather myopic, given the long line of US ladies champions and the short one of Russians. Irina is the only true Russian ladies champion thus far in the history of the sport. Maybe Elena or one of the other Russian phenoms will pass her but they have a long way to go.

Yeah well, stans usually don't look at information like that. Once their fav's are winning everyone else sucks in comparison.
And I guess Irina was fat too then since she had even more shapely curves than Ashley, lawl. When people start calling already skinny or normal-sized skaters "fat", you lost me and makes me think you have an eating disorder or body dysmorphic issues. The fact that it's even brought up..chile..

 

[silverlake22]

People say Anna is sloppy and unrefined, I agree. Her knee is stiff and her spins are not good. But to me she has better speed than Liza and maybe even Elena. She doesn't lose speed at all in any of her elements. Maybe she's the fastest today. What a pity... if only she were born in US.

If Anna could straighten those knees in her spins though she could be fabulous. I'd like to see her do a modern program at some point. And she is fast, but it's probably easier for her to gain speed compared to someone like Liza because she is a lot taller. Speed is pretty essential to doing those jumps if you have a longer body.

 

[Plisskin]

Does anyone know who picks Anna's program music? Is it her coach? Herself?

 

[swc0931]

After the short program for me 1. Liza 2. Anna 3. Lena... I think Lena's jumps was not her best in her SP today....I feel sorry for Anna... She has a good quality of jumps but today her score was too low compare to Liza and Lena.

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

Does anyone know who picks Anna's program music? Is it her coach? Herself?

Her mom chose Firebird and her coach picked her SP. IIRC.

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

What is so strange for me when analyzing the scores for Lena and Liza is that Lena has higher TES and Liza gets higher PCS. What the fox is that all about. I know how it works out in the protocols but that just seems bass ackwards when you consider each skaters strengths. Am I being crazy or is it odd?

 

[jkun]

What is so strange for me when analyzing the scores for Lena and Liza is that Lena has higher TES and Liza gets higher PCS. What the fox is that all about. I know how it works out in the protocols but that just seems bass ackwards when you consider each skaters strengths. Am I being crazy or is it odd?

I think Liza has better basic skating skills. Elena has better spins which helps her TES and attempts (and lands) overall harder content. Liza's better jumps (GOE) can't overcome the difference. It would be nice if Liza used her full technical arsenal. She just breezes through that 3T-3T like its nothing. Her 2nd 3T with the tano, especially, looked like she was basically flying. With a 2nd 3T like that, I don't really see why she won't put a 3Lz-3T or a 3F-3T in her program.