2015 Japan Open

[Interspectator]

Shoma did so well! Fernandez was as expected; I was pretty sure he'd be ahead of Chan.
Chan...had lower TES than Mao and Satoko...? Has he had enough time to regain his jumps or is this just the normal slow start Chan always has at the beginning of the season?

I liked Murakami's program and it's got potential to give him a PB soon if he keeps training.

Satoko is so steady and lovely to see and I'm so glad Mao is back!

The Russian and American Ladies seemed a bit tentative, but there is plenty of time to get better.
All in all, a great competition.

 

[invisiblespiral]

Okay, I just read through this, and yay for Shoma, Javi, Mao, and Satoko! Also, I think I'll watch all of the men sans Brian and most of the ladies. Any videos?

 

[Sugarpova]

thx a lot for the links
bb Liza seemed tired at the end
still needs more practice/ Hopefully is feeling healthy now.

I'm annoyed at her getting PCS and fluff pieces based on her looks and not her skating.

why is Gold considere prettier than Ash????
if scores are distributed based on looks she should win!:

 

[TheGrandSophy]

Okay, I just read through this, and yay for Shoma, Javi, Mao, and Satoko! Also, I think I'll watch all of the men sans Brian and most of the ladies. Any videos?

See the video and results thread by Mao88.

 

[Kittosuni]

Mao is really beautiful out there. very serene in her skating. Just be careful with those jumps because it looked borderline. Elizaveta is also very good. last year she was very consistent, let see if she can maintain it this year especially with the pressure of being world champ and the return of mao and sot. IMO Miyahara was the best tonight but I understand the push given to Mao. Sotnikova surprisingly look much better than in russian test skate. Her presentation/performance and skating skills look improved. Wagner as usual looking like a fighter there. Still with jump problems. Kinda bothered how empty her routine though, just doing lots of projection in the ice. Interms of performance/presentation I think Gold was the weakest in the group. She is very stiff/tensed especially her upper body. She has good jumps but also lacks consistency. She is lucky her Fed is backing her.

 

[MasterB]

so what's ashley and gracie thinking right now?

We can't beat these damn girls.

 

[whatif]

We can't beat these damn sonograms.

Corrected.

 

[whatif]

Watching Sotnikova again. She is putting these false hopes in me that she may actually have some strategy for this season as she clearly showing big progress with every showing.

 

[Leonardo]

Mao deserved her scores. She did a clean program with 7 huge floaty triple jumps, beautiful choreography, great skating skills, sophisticated interpretation and great spins and steps. 69.82 pcs are fair, could be even higher, only 3 points apart from Sotnikova with a flawed program. Mao actually deserves 70+ pcs, and maybe she will get that as the season progresses, like the 72.76 she got in 2014 worlds. In the technicall aspect, she had a 61.33 BV and got 10 points in goe for great jumps, spins and steps, nothing overscored here. There's just no way she should score 130s for that wonderful program. Tuktamysheva scored 132 at worlds with lower BV, some mistakes on her jumps and nowhere near the same level on program components. Mao's jumps and presentation are actually better than in 2014, she's looking incredibly good.

 

[MasterB]

Team Japan is simply very well prepared But it's too early to say who will dominate the season. Sorry if it's annoying, but I'm very curious about Liza. Did she skated relatively well?

For a first competition I think she skated well plus its never easy to fall on the first jump.

 

[koatcue]

Don't count out Yulia yet

 

[Alchamei]

My opinions on ladies:

Ashley: At the beginning she seemed to interpretate the program better than ever, but it fell apart a bit in the second half. Apparently she gave up on the 3Lz-3T, or she wants to suprise us. First 3-3 combo looked solid, the second seemed more rotatated than ever and that may be the reason why she fell. Still not sure about keeping the program

Satoko: The jumps are as tiny as ever, but her presentation is better than ever. Too bad she didn't keep the first dress, but the current one is not bad. Her SS are good as well. Maybe overscored on the TES a bit, but underscored on the PCS a bit as well. I highly doubt her jumps will become bigger.

Adelina: Watching Adelina made me realize how big hypocryte I am. Never mind. That program is so cheesy. At least she ending pose was in the middle. Spins were better, but for some reason I don't like that ilusion... However, her first two jumps were huge and the flip technique seemed better. Needs to be healthy. Really.

Gracie: Oh, Gracie, I should have known what you would bring. I liked that FS much better at the US comp, now the choreo seems like the best she ever had but her face should scream firebird!, not snozze firesleep. Jumps - no comment. Her smiling spiral moment is evergreen. Gracie - consistency matters!

Mao: The best of the night. Her FS is not a masterpiece and it won't be probably one of my favorite programs, but it's still a very well choreographed piece. Bielmann was slow but the rest of the spins was great. Also, the 3A!!! Not the best but ratified. And a real Lutz!!! Best Step seq of the field. Glad she didn't Zayak.

Liza: I thought her FS would be a disaster and it's not. She seemed to interpretate the music well and her choreo seq was very energic. It's a change compared to last year and it fits her. Too bad about the 3A. Her spins are improved, but I still don't like the sit spin and layback. Also - the costume! In a widow in black style!

Also, let me rant a little bit: WHY EVERY SINGLE WOMAN NEEDS TO USE ILUSION AS A DIFFICULT ENTRY TO LAYBACK? I was already angry last season, but now it's too much. Elena uses it, Liza uses it, Mirai uses it as well and now Mao as well! Why? It is so overused it's not even a creative entry.

 

[MasterB]

It is about judging consistency and selective judging.

Why with certain skaters when they suffer poorer TES performance, their PCS always goes down. But only with certain skaters when they did absolutely poorly in TES, their PCS is always used to hold them up?

Which is why I hate PCS, is like the old days of judging figures to justify their bias.

 

[MasterB]

I think she fell on the 3A and a spin.

no, she fell of footwork before her last spin

 

[Leonardo]

Regarding Satoko's score: I don't think she will get 134 internationally, but she got 126.5 at the 2015 worlds in her senior debut with an ur and a "fall" on her 3lz, not to mention she was underscored in pcs. She deserves a 130+ score in clean, especially if the judges score her pcs like they should.

 

[MasterB]

Hahaha that pharmaceutical ad with Mao in black and white swan mode fighting each others with feathers flying all over the place is ace... i want to take some too so i can experience that world.

This is one kick-*** commercial.

 

[JayW]

Heh.. it is always interesting reading protocals and speculate the which federation judges gave these marks and can be NEVER WRONG. Just like the judges can NEVER BE WRONG with their biases, as long it doesn't venture too much outside the corridor, thanks to anonymity.

http://www.jsfresults.com/InterNational/2015-2016/jo/data0205.pdf

Ahem Russian/European judge #2 and #8 for Sot? Wonder who is judge #1? So brave... Putin will have a word with you soon!

LOL 6.5 for Liza's transition score! Brovo! (May be only compare to Osmond perhaps )

I see your point.

Mao: 69.82
Satoko: 62.97
Liza: 65.73
Adelina: 66.11
Ashley: 62.67
Gracie: 64.96

I am not sure about the PCS either.

 

[HanDomi]

I think this season is going to be Mao one. She looks fresh and well prepared.
On other hand we have Patrick, and ... he is Patrick. Great skating, off and on jumps, no tech upping, but he should had highest PCS there

Javier. I don't see any improvement in his skating sadly. Still similiar style of programs. For me his PCS is way too high, but jumps were reasonably strong as for this part of the season, and great 4S3T

Shoma, fantastic skate. Japanese men will easily take 3 spots back with him and Hanyu

 

[semosk8tfan]

Congrats to Mao, that was just beautiful. I found it hard to watch Liza after seeing Mao's skate, it just reinforced my opinion from last season that the girl can jump but she isn't my cup of tea.

Ashley, I love her red hair but not with that red dress. I read that they are reworking her transitions for the program but waited until after Japan Open to add them. Hope they are wonderful because this program needs to show improvement over last year or it will hurt her.

Gracie, why do you always leave the great performance on the practice ice?

 

[begin]

I see your point.

Mao: 69.82
Satoko: 62.97
Liza: 65.73
Adelina: 66.11
Ashley: 62.67
Gracie: 64.96

I am not sure about the PCS either.

If Mao stays consistent those PCS better rise like the sun. 3 points or less between her and every other lady is bs.