2015 US Nationals Senior Ladies FS Jan 24

[peg]

Now that I've had a chance to watch the last two groups:

Ashley was amazing and I hope she skates like that (or better, with improved levels on spins) at Worlds. I would much rather a skate like that win World Championships than anything I've seen from Radionova. IMO, a World champion should look polished, in addition to having the tech content, and Ashley has so much more polish than the other contenders.

Gracie was good - good for her for being able t keep fighting after hearing Ashley's scores and especially after that one fall. She could have let nerves get to her, but she didn't. That said, her skating still leaves me cold. I agree with those who say she needs different music.

I guess I'm one of the few who actually like Polina's program. Some of those transition are just . I was sad to see her slip to fourth, but glad she gets to make the Worlds team (presumably). Hopefully she'll skate two solid programs and redeem her international season. I hate her dress though. It really does look very juniorish

I love the height Karen gets on her jumps, but for me she still lacks refinement. I actually prefer Polina fro a program/performance perspective (maybe there's no accounting for taste )

Mirai was looking so strong before that freak fall. Glad to hear she's ok, and I hope she gets a chance in terms of G events next year.

I also really enjoyed Mariah Bell. Kudos on a top 6 finish!

 

[EdgeCall]

What about a 'Russian' style for Gracie? Wild and filled with drama? Tacky, but fun.

Sounds more like Ashley's stuff.

 

[R.D.]

I'm missing RD here, hope he/she got to watch!

I'm here (I'm a "he", BTW)...I was following along on Twitter and trying to capture the action...still more editing left to do tomorrow but glad the feed was mostly clean, only cut out shortly a couple of times...

Onto the skating...first, I want to say this: Wow, what a women's event we had tonight. So many great performances, redemption skates, etc.

This Karen Chen girl, we might be onto something here. She is small yet skates big - she has a lot of confidence - she stands out. And she skated really well...yet another surprise medalist after Edmunds came out of nowhere last year. This year, it's Chen. And she's even too young to go to Worlds so Edmunds in 4th lucks out with another (likely) trip to worlds this year, hope she makes the most of it! Only thing is that I want to caution people against anointing Chen- she WILL grow and she WILL go through some rough patches. Are we going to give her some space and let her develop or are we going to burden her with expectations and then get all mad if/when she doesn't live up to them immediately?

Nagasu - You know, I get the feeling I'm more emotionally detached watching skating then the average skatefan. It takes a LOT to make me feel much of anything. Yet, for the first time I really felt for Nagasu here. Even more so than last year, because she'd already been to the Olympics after all - I saw a LOT of skaters skate very close to the walls here in Greensboro but she's the only one that actually caught the end and fell. An awkward fall, too...busted her knee, looked to be in serious pain and it took her out of the performance. She was doing so well up to that point and then a freak accident like that happens. Can't catch a break, just bad luck again for yet ANOTHER year. But I know she'll be the stronger for it in the end - she fought through the rest of the skate and she needn't feel sorry for herself. There's always next year.

Good for Cesario for coming back after her shaky SP - one of many redemption skates we had tonight. Gao (who skated much earlier) had another one.

Too bad for Hicks - this was really her time to shine and she squandered a GREAT opportunity to get on the podium. Just wasn't her night, and after a killer SP it was rather disappointing. Because, outside of the Big Two, a solid Hicks is probably the next best thing to have at Worlds. Unfortunately Hicks just can't seem to get it together at the big events and it continues to hurt her.

Wagner - I don't even know where to start...You know, we fans who have followed skating have known of Wagner since 2008, and it feels like she's been on the scene a long time. Yet, every time she appears to be regressing or stagnating after a great prior skate and people start to count her out, she somehow manages to pull a rabbit out of a hat and take things to the next level. I guess passion and dedication have no bounds. First, I thought 2012 worlds was the best it was gonna get for her...then 2014 Olympics...then 2014 Worlds...and then finally, 2014 GPF. But no, she continues to raise the bar of what we all thought was possible from her. I mean, who would have thought she would do a clean 3-3? A lutz-toe at that? Two of them (even if one is a sequence)? That FS was probably the first time I've seen her truly give a world-class skate. One of the best National performances I've seen in a long time, especially from ladies. I actually had flashbacks to Kwan in 2004 at the end, it was that good. Do that at Worlds and you just may have yourself a medal, assuming you haven't buried yourself with yet another mediocre SP...Wagner got a huge, HUGE monkey off her back tonight. She actually delivered the goods when it counted most, and at Nationals to boot, her weakest event traditionally. Well-deserved winner, even if the score was a bit But I will hold off on the anointing once again - ice is slippery, and I find myself doubting that she can do it again at Worlds. But hey, she's on a roll here proving people wrong with great skates, why not once more?

Gold - Considering the position she was in, I think she actually did really well. Fall aside, she didn't let the task of skating after Wagner overwhelm her and she held it together. It's like Sochi when she followed Sotnikova's skate (sorry to bring her up again) and did decently there, too. That said, I think Gold's weaknesses were accentuated skating immediately after eccentric Wagner. To me, Gold's performance, although technically solid minus a fall, fell flat. There really was no way Gold was going to beat Wagner that night even if clean - forget the 5 point SP lead - it was one of those nights that just belonged to Wagner and no one else. Still, Gold goes to Worlds and call me crazy if you want, but Gold is STILL very much a contender for a World podium spot, and Gold is STILL the best the US has to offer when she is on, although I must say Wagner is closing the gap very quickly(!). Don't count Gracie Gold out yet, guys. I get the feeling she's not done yet...it's gonna be a great rivalry between her and Wagner as long as both can stay healthy and keep their level.

Edmunds - Decent effort here too, although the fall likely cost her bronze. Not that it matters that much, given that Chen isn't old enough for Worlds anyway. Got a monkey off her back too, clean SP finally followed by a FS where she didn't fall apart.

So...definitely an exciting night - and hopefully the tone was set moving forward. I would like for one (or both, even!!) of Wagner and Gold to finally end our 8-year drought of world medals...it IS possible...and doable...they just need to execute...the Russians, although tough, aren't invincible, as we have seen...

 

[Meoima]

OMG YES. Can we please send Gracie to Tarasova? THAT WOULD BE AMAZING.

Gracie skating to Bell of Moscow? Anyone?

 

[peg]

What about a 'Russian' style for Gracie? Wild and filled with drama? Tacky, but fun.

Oh please no.

 

[willdu]

Gracie skating to Bell of Moscow? Anyone?

The red lipstick. The face slaps. You know it would be a spectacle.

 

[cptnhastings]

Gracie does not need a new coach. Sheesh. I don't care if everyone ends up disagreeing with me. You're all wrong.

 

[truthbooth]

It is amazing how Cesario rallied her way up from the middle of the pack to the top five again like last year. Girl's got fight in her!

 

[aviva_dawn]

If Gracie's camp seems so focused on packaging her in a balletic mode: Go with the music portraying La
Bayadere's Gamzatti.

Something that plays to her personality would be some of Aaron Copeland's orchestral pieces, or even Western Symphony arranged by Hershy Kay. That Rondo would be an interesting choice.

 

[wordsworthgirl]

But they will both protect the cub.

This is such a sweet thought. You touched me, mathman!

 

[Sandpiper]

Gracie skating to Bell of Moscow? Anyone?

I want to see Ashley do this.

 

[Meoima]

I want to see Ashley do this.

Yeah I think Graice can pull off some energetic music. She is not the diva or princess type.

 

[sabinfire]

Another one from my YouTube channel:

U.S. Nationals 2015 - Samantha Cesario FS NBC (1080p HD)

U.S. Nationals 2015 - Mariah Bell FS NBC (1080p HD)

 

[Kwanford Wife]

I'm here (I'm a "he", BTW)... I would like for one (or both, even!!) of Wagner and Gold to finally end our 8-year drought of world medals...it IS possible...and doable...they just need to execute...the Russians, although tough, aren't invincible, as we have seen...

For some reason, the "he" amused the crap out of me... must be the sleepies but spot on analysis (aside from the Kwan comparison, no need to be as overblown as the scores...) and here's hoping for worlds...

 

[thoakun]

Diva Ashley, Ashley the Conqueror, Ashley the it-girl

I was so thrilled and happy to see that she nailed the performance with the absolute power and character! She looked extremely nervous just before she begun to compete (she asked Rafael to hold her hands one more time , so I was worried about how she handled the immense pressure upon her shoulder. However, she obviously was reminded of why she decided to continue her competitive career and nicely pulled it off on the ice! I didn't expect to see THIS quality performance after already watching the ONE that shocked the audience, the gutsy free program at GPF this season! Thank you, Ashley to make me stick around to enjoy FS.

I actually thought Ashley looked very confident, like she was ready to blow off the entire field. Her holding hands with Rafael seems to just confirm the slaying. I rarely see someone that determined and focused before competing.

 

[macy]

Is Karen age eligible for worlds? And can anyone tell me how many ladies spots we have for Jr worlds?

 

[Violetti]

Is Karen age eligible for worlds? And can anyone tell me how many ladies spots we have for Jr worlds?

Karen is not age eligible for worlds. She was born on August 1999.

 

[leolion11]

Karen is not age eligible for worlds. She was born on August 1999.

I always thought Karen was older than that. Well good for Polina because idk if she would get a world spot if Karen was age-eligible.

Upon seeing Ashley's jumps in slow-mo, I must say that she was overmarked (though she still deserved to win). Not sure about her 3T but her 3S was definitely underrotated enough to be given an underrotation call, but then again I only really noticed it after seeing the slow-mo replay of it. She probably should have gotten edge calls on her lutzes too. Hopefully she'll fix her spins and her 3S before Worlds. I really do want to see her medal at worlds!!

 

[Blades of Passion]

The fact is, that Ashley SHOULD win a world medal if she skates like that. Period.

No, she shouldn't. Not if the 3 Russians skate their best. Gracie Gold is frankly better than these performances as well, if she can put two clean programs together.

Ashley should be capable of winning the World Championship if she skated clean SP+LP, as compared to the rest of the field this year, but she is very underserved by her programs. She has maturity over the rest of the field but the actual choreography and artistry isn't there. It could be but it isn't.

Sorry, that was not a 133 program. High 130s is more like it. The triple toe was definitely not underrotated.

The triple toe was underrotated. Look at where her toepick leaves the ice. She turns on the ice an extra 1/4 turn before jumping. It's a cheat. She even does it on her double toeloop.

You're right that it was not a 133 program. It was actually quite a bit less than that; she was 20 points overscored. Two underrotated jumps, rather weak transitions, average skating skills, average footwork, mediocore spins (even less than that, given the mistake on the last spin of not holding the sit position), and the choreography isn't very good.

Scored correctly:

2Axel, +1 GOE = 3.8
3Lutz+3Toe< , +1.5 GOE = 9.95
2Axel+2Toe, 0 GOE = 4.6
FSSp4, +1 GOE = 3.5
CCoSp3, +1 GOE = 3.5
(jump bonus starts)
3Loop+1Looop+3Sal<, +.5 GOE = 9.81
3Flip, +.5 GOE = 6.18
3Loop, +1.5 GOE = 6.66
StSq4, +.5 GOE = 4.25 (received +3 GOE on this, which is one of the biggest jokes ever. Slow, shallow edges)
3Lutz, +1 GOE = 7.3
ChSq, +1.5 GOE = 3.05
FCCoSp1 (failed to do sit spin position), +1 GOE = 2.5

Tech Total = 65.1

Skating Skills - 8.0 = 12.8
Transitions - 7.5 = 12.0
Performance - 8.5 = 13.6
Choreography - 7.75 = 12.4
Interpretation - 8.0 = 12.8

PCS = 63.6

Total = 128.7

Granted, everyone "at the top" is overscored for the most part, but CoP scores are supposed to be given in absolutes. If you compare this performance to the best of Yu-Na Kim, Mao Asada, Carolina Kostner, Michelle Kwan, or Sasha Cohen, then this is accurate for what she actually put out on the ice. It was strong and confident but not incredibly skilled or spectacular or musical. Those marks are the most generous I could possibly give. It doesn't even feel totally right calling her 3Lutz+3Toe or Choreography Sequence to be worthy of "+1.5" GOE. Her choreography sequence consists of a couple turns, a single slightly-above-average spiral, and a slightly-above-average split jump, all separated by crossovers.

 

[purpledream]

Ashley's score numerically a little scary O: I mean isn't that like Sochi high marks??!!

(have yet to see her skate though!)

But Yay!! Ashley really had a good season this year, with another GPF medal! Hope she rests well and shine in worlds! (all for denying a russian sweep again! )