2016 Trophée de France Ladies SP

[mirai4life]

5. Wakaba Higuchi: Beautiful combo, beautiful steps, good program. Again, it's really nice to see the improvements Wakaba made on her presentation. Too bad about the flip at the end but still an enjoyable performance. Wakaba has never been the most consistent skater, so who knows how she'll do tomorrow.

Wakaba and Yuka need to stop stealing a page form each other's book with those pops. :dev2:

 

[Osmiumnitrate]

Evgenia's PCS is crazy high. 36.36? Almost the same as Kostner's PCS during 2014 World's for her SP and higher than Asada's PCS?

 

[Sweet Dream]

Okay in my book good SS and excellent transitions, the interpretation is different you can't really compare: Evgenia tells you a story that isn't really part of the music, it's not just "i'm doing a great tango" like most of the skaters.

I think some of the comments here are too negative: she is great, and not just because she is consistent.

I think if Evgenia were from their country, the comments would be quite different.

 

[rollerblade]

Everyone, repeat after me: Program Component Scores aren't meant to be directly compared across competitions!!!

Sorry I disagree. This isn't the 5.9 days where the points are just there for standing. If PCS comparison is meaningless outside of a specific event, there would be no need to keep a PCS record trail. That also means personal best PCS is a pointless number.

The components are scored on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 = perfect, right? How close a skater is to perfection is based on their performance on that day, and what the judges' idea of perfection is. What does a 50 PCS performance look like? (or 40 PCS after factor.) Does the ISU even have a 3d modeling simulation of that?

 

[hippomoomin]

For some reason I am not feeling Gabby's program. The music is not her style, or I should say she didn't put her heart into the music. But good technique wise.

I like Wakaba's sommer ex La Califfa better than this one. She is only 15 so I will also have to see how her body develops. She has Courtney Hicks type of body but she has much softer movement.

Laurine has so much Serafima vibe, from hair style to the style of program.

Before she started skating, Gracie looked in a much better mood and shape than SA, but somehow she did even worse. Don't know why.

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

I spent the entire day outside enjoying that crisp autumn air so I am just now catching up. Masha is all I've watched so far and I was impressed. The way she controls her movements yet doesn't over do it. I really liked the circular use of her arms because they seemed to enhance and fuel some of the momentum. It was a great skate and the program is pretty abstract and drawn out in a good way. I'm sure it's not going to excite some folks but I found it very thoughtful and very creative.

Um....I take it we're in the venue where the Pigeons can do their thing :hopelessness:

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

Wakababy!!!!

What a nice program and her presence feels so much more controlled here than before and that StSeq is to die for. I'm excited to see her debut going well in spite of that doubled flip. Oh.. those evil double jumps that creep up out of nowhere in the SP are killers! :curse:

 

[ks777]

I liked Gabby the most. She reminded me of Nancy Kerrigan a lot. She moved her feet beautifully with a great speed.

To be honest, I don't see any improvements(artistic side) in Wakaba's skating. Pretty bland and I couldn't wait for the program to end..
Mao's PCS is just way too low..

 

[TGee]

I think if Evgenia were from their country, the comments would be quite different.

Uhm, why is it that so many of us can say that we like things about so many of the great Russian team members again and again, but when we raise sincere tech concerns about Zhenia, there are folks who insist that it must be because of some thing about the country she is from.

But we don't hear the same level or intensity of comments when very parallel concerns are raised about Javi's technique and scoring....

Thing is, that if I sit back and just watch Javi's or Evgenia, can see the merits and the consistency of the overall package for both. But we are not in the 6.0 days and I really don't want to be.

So, I can't turn my thinking brain off. I can't not see Evgenia's travelling spins, the thrusting fist and pumping arm of many jumps that are so murky that I need the commentary or the replay to confirm what they were supposed to have been.

Frankly, I don't want our kids to jump like that or have spins like that. And when their coaches say to have them watch the top competitors, I'm not sure what to do. They know what they are seeing is not consistent with what they are being told daily at the rink that they need to do. A near world record for that SP is not inspiring...

 

[thoakun]

Then I honestly wish she'd take a break, for her own good. She has nothing to prove to anyone, she is a legend in the sport. If she skates it should be for the joy and love of it if she hasn't got the technical goods to compete with the best, and I don't see that joy and love from her here, and that genuinely saddens me.

The other problem in addition to her nagging injury is that she's very stubborn. Rafa once said that the difference between Mao and him when they faced a problem is that Mao would keep working on the same method until it got right, while Rafa would think of another method. I suspect Mao associate withdrawal with giving up.
I didn't stay up late to watch this event because I know it'd be heartbreaker to watch. I'm sure Mao loves skating more than, or at least as much as other skater on a roll, but it's hard to show it when she's plagued with a knee injury and she kept falling further down the ranking.

 

[TGee]

Well Gracie has a long break until nationals. Gracie and Frank need to have a serious sit down. Something is broken. I don't know how much longer Frank will tolerate this.
Hard to believe Gracie has the same coach who has a 5 time world champion and an OGMedalist under his belt. Maybe she does need a coach change.
There are times when skaters have a bad skate or two, but this has been going on too long now. But she can still come back, she may blow us all away by nationals.
It is so hard to watch her have these struggles.

"How much longer Frank will tolerate this"?

It's his mission to prepare her psychologically as well as physically for competition according to modern sports science.

.....Including helping her develop to the point that she can take ownership and responsibility for her outcomes without being crushed.

And if he isn't the right fit to do this for Gracie, he should step away at this point....

 

[stryke]

Evgenia's PCS is crazy high. 36.36? Almost the same as Kostner's PCS during 2014 World's for her SP and higher than Asada's PCS?

Is it really that hard for you old old time era lovers to accept that figure skating is moving forward and not staying in the past?

 

[Skater Boy]

Mao's hair grew out a lot!!

Extensions???

 

[Skater Boy]

This is far beyond a flip. Gracie cracked in Boston just like Yulia cracked in Sochi. Isn't it tragic that Gracie and Yulia do not speak a common language? They would have so much to talk about to each other. Maybe it would help them.

Or perhaps a box of tissues, a huge box of Lady Godiva Chocolates and some Disney movie with the song Let it Go playing. But seriously don't give up on Gracie. She has the potential; she is just doealing with mental issues. Lest we forget the American President Elect he stumbled in his life before winning the big prize. Gracie might be like Trump and win the big prize when it counts. She might grab the gold!

 

[Skater Boy]

Totally off topic but I LOVE seeing the variety of flags beneath poster's names. This community is a lot more international than I had realized!

I agree but right now these flags might not be really the best thing. Not to say the United States is the only nation in the world but right now pandemonium is setting in people want to move and change countries. The Canadian Immigration website crashed within hours of Trump's victory - I wonder if we will see flag changes here

 

[Skater Boy]

I hope Wakaba doesn't have her period today... we share the same cycle, so.....

Ah more information than we needed to know. Your name would have to be Biellmann :noshake:

 

[Skater Boy]

My opinion, or at least my wish, is that they would dump PCS scores all together. GOE on the elements serves the same purpose. (IOW: Make it a bit more like gymnastics scoring)

I don't think skating can survive another change of scoring - it really doesn't help cement any credibility to the sport.

 

[4everchan]

just caught up... i hadn't seen the second group.. highlight for me : wakaba. I love this program. I love her dress. I love her skating. When looking at Mao who is of course injured, I hope she will have a better end of season. I admire Satoko's grace and refinement. However, Wakaba is by far my favourite Japanese lady as of today. It may change in a month or two but I loved her speed, power and flow. I also noticed she was more emotional than some skaters and was glad to hear that British Euros dudes also noticed that. Too bad for the flip but backloading is a risk. That's all I have to say for now hope Gabby nails her FP tomorrow

 

[Mirunna]

Is it really that hard for you old old time era lovers to accept that figure skating is moving forward and not staying in the past?

It is moving, that's for sure. But not foreword. 78 (almost WR) for a program that from a TES standpoint does not even have a 3lz? For mediocre (albeit inhumanely consistent) jumps? And PCS component, this program does not hold a candle to the current WR or most of Yuna's SP's. Or Carolina's Ave Maria from Worlds 2014.

Like other posters have said, it is almost impossible to enjoy this discipline when judges make Med untouchable and completely ignore herbfaults. Those who disagree please explain to me the 10 points difference between her and Sotskova. What could have Sotskova do to beat Med here? Land a quad? Would that have been enough? I am not sure

 

[largeman]

Those who disagree please explain to me the 10 points difference between her and Sotskova. What could have Sotskova do to beat Med here? Land a quad? Would that have been enough? I am not sure

I think Masha could:
1. Increase BV by backloading all her jumps
2. Increase jump GOEs by raising her arm over the head ("arm aloft") when she jumps
3. Increase PCS by making varied facial expressions

Voila!

Of course she could also improve her speed and skating skills, work on quality of spins, refine the landing of her jumps, etc. But would those improvements help her get bigger scores? Hard to say.