2016 World Championships Ladies Free Skate

[hurrah]

During the commentary of the short program, Shizu said that she could see that Mao had been working on her blade skills and noted her awesome skills.

Not just because Shizu said so, I can see that Mao's skating skills are better than ever and it was fully on display during both the short and free. And she had beautiful interpretation and musicality. It was exquisite.

What suffered as a result of her injury was probably the quality of the second triple toe loop and the lutz. I kind of expected that the moment I heard she hadn't been able to practice.

Still we saw a totally, totally stable salchow and a great 2loop-2loop. And seeing from her official practice, far better triple-axel and success rate improved as well.

Mao was wonderful.

 

[yuki]

Gracie getting higher PCS I can't agree with. Ashley's was high but I think her interpretation is more engaging than Mao's - more emotion, fire and attack where she needs it.

Ashley and Mao skate two very different programs, though. Mao's program with Ashley's style of interpretation would make no sense. I think they both successfully convey the intent of the music and choreography.

 

[MaxSwagg]

Uh, okay, replace "opinions" with "subjective". All PCS are subjective. Hence the reason people always fight over them and there is controversy. Transitions aren't as subjective, but I would say skating skills can be and they vary from competition to competition. Ashley should've probably been lower in SS, but her overall performance was much better, and PCS (in all categories) tend to be higher the higher you are in ranking. Is it fair? Probably not. But, truth is, Ashley skated lights out and skated much better than Mao. Mao edging Ashley out in SS wouldn't have mattered anyway. Mao shouldn't get scored based on reputation.

Correct. She should get scores based on FACTS and everything I said is a FACT.

 

[brightphoton]

and also, Mao didn't have as many transitions as Ashley. She's being the quintessential flowy ethereal Mao, which is great, but between elements, she also did a lot of crossovers, with the occasional mohawk or three turn. Ashley just went crazy with transitions between her elements. If you're into counting transitions, just watching the first minute of both Mao's and Ashley's programs gives Ashley a way higher number.

I think Mao would've had a lot more time for elements if she didn't spend soooo much time setting up for triple axel, but she likes the jump, so there you go.

 

[MaxSwagg]

mao's speed is slow in this competition, really felt laboured, it is safe to say that she is slower than anyone in the last group. I think many people who watched live would agree with me. And speed is one important aspect of SS.

Well, yes, she's skating a little slower because she's not doing tons of crossovers (or in someone like Yuna's case, who people rave about her speed, 40+ crossovers in a free skate).

 

[skylark]

I am so thrilled for Ashley.:hap93::hap57:

She really earned this World Silver Medal, and she appreciates it. In the Press Conference, she answered a question about 2014. And she ended by saying "it's 2014 that got me here today."

Ashley performed that program with emotion, musicality, and by portraying a character to perfection. She also worked for two years to change her jumps, improve them and add new, difficult combinations. She's competing in a field of girls who are nearly all seven or eight years younger than she is, with all the physical advantage that bestows.

She earned this silver, and she did it by being a woman and knowing her strengths, cherishing them and hanging onto them. But also by addressing where she was weak and needed work.

She's such an inspiration to all, and especially to anyone who's ever been told they're too old, too washed up, too inconsistent, too whatever.

Ashley Wagner rocks, big time!

 

[brightphoton]

The last spin in her SP looked very labored. You could see she was trying hard to get the level. Ashley is a great performer though I'm not a big fan of her music choices besides Black Swan LP. David Lease from TSL gave the best description of her skating when he said she skates from the neck up. Her performance ability can compensate, at times, hide her weaknesses.

Yes, she lost speed going into her last spin and Ashley said in her interview that the first thing she thought after finishing her program was, "garahhsrh I lost a level on the last spin!"

The second thought was how good she felt about executing her program :agree:

 

[twirlingblades]

Well, yes, she's skating a little slower because she's not doing tons of crossovers (or in someone like Yuna's case, who people rave about her speed, 40+ crossovers in a free skate).

Actually, I agree with brightphoton (the comment above this one). Mao had too many crossovers and mohawks. Ashley had crazy transitions. Watch them side by side.

- - - Updated - - -

The last spin in her SP looked very labored. You could see she was trying hard to get the level. Ashley is a great performer though I'm not a big fan of her music choices besides Black Swan LP. David Lease from TSL gave the best description of her skating when he said she skates from the neck up. Her performance ability can compensate, at times, hide her weaknesses.

True. I think she knew it too. I think she may have gotten a little excited an slowed down into that spin. I like her positions, though.

 

[topaz emerald]

AFter watching the top ladies tonight, overall heres my standings:

1st goes to Anna Pogorilaya, although her lp program performance wasn't as good as her sp. I wasn't wowed by her lp, but thought she is the true gold winner because she should have been 1st by at least five points in her sp.
2nd goes to AShley, who held her own despite that one bobble on a jump in her lp.
3rd goes to Evgenia because although I thought did well in her lp minus the lack of power to her skating and poor edges, and who I thought did awful and was overscored in the short

Having said this, I missed Polina in this competition and hope to see her come back healthy next year.

 

[miki88]

mao's speed is slow in this competition, really felt laboured, it is safe to say that she is slower than anyone in the last group. I think many people who watched live would agree with me. And speed is one important aspect of SS.

It's ONE aspect of SS. Another is ice coverage and someone on Twitter actually posted images that show the ice coverage for each skater. Mao covered most of the rink, while some others in the last group had less ice coverage.

 

[Blades of Passion]

Ashley has actually been working really hard on adding transitions, especially with her free program. Someone on the forum did a side-by-side comparison of her two Moulin Rouges and you can see how much more packed her new free program is.

Her LP isn't "more packed" with transitions AT ALL. She actually has LESS transitions in the program than she used to. She used to do a spiral or walley into her opening jump a season and a half ago, for example. Nothing anymore. And her original entrances to her 3Loops were more difficult before.

This really wasn't that great of a performance from Ashley. 3 of her Triples were underrotated and there was the stumble out of the second 3Flip. The 3Sal in combination was not called, but it easily should have been. LOOK at how visibly she swings on the ice on the takeoff. She is barely more than 2 rotations around when she lands.

I think she should have been 6th or 7th in the LP. Overall I'd still probably have her in Bronze position because her SP was excellent, but I'll have to sit down and score it all myself.

 

[hurrah]

And ice coverage=average speed.

Mao doesn't accelerate as much as some of the other skaters, but her speed is top-notch.

 

[miki88]

And ice coverage=average speed

Yea, I mean her speed must have been okay for her to cover that much ice. I do think she wasn't in her best condition and didn't have usual energy. The music tend to drag at some parts so might have affected the impression for some people. But her skating was smooth and didn't look labored to me. I have been following reports on Twitter of people who attended the event and many were impressed with her skate and that she looked better live, so it all depends on preferences.

 

[gravy]

To those who said Gracie should be mad at herself, I just saw this brief interview where she seems like she is just about done.

Even the reporter is like, "Damn gurrrll..."

Ouch. That was hard to watch; and that last line is like a punch to the gut.

 

[brightphoton]

Her LP isn't "more packed" with transitions AT ALL. She actually has LESS transitions in the program than she used to. She used to do a spiral or walley into her opening jump a season and a half ago, for example. Nothing anymore. And her original entrances to her 3Loops were more difficult before.

This really wasn't that great of a performance from Ashley. 3 of her Triples were underrotated and there was the stumble out of the second 3Flip. The 3Sal in combination was not called, but it easily should have been. LOOK at how visibly she swings on the ice on the takeoff. She is barely more than 2 rotations around when she lands.

I think she should have been 6th or 7th in the LP. Overall I'd still probably have her in Bronze position because her SP was excellent, but I'll have to sit down and score it all myself.

Whaa?? Come on now, new Ashley was doing at least 3 transitions for every 1 transition old Ashley did.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-sfMJcJMs0

 

[topaz emerald]

just wanted to say that Mao Asada delivered the best lp she did this season thus far. So happy for her performance. Her pc marks should have surpassed the top three ladies by A LOT!!!!

 

[dailytg20]

I had to wash away that Gracie interview by watching this one from the same source with Mao and her new interpreter.

 

[twirlingblades]

Whaa?? Come on now, new Ashley was doing at least 3 transitions for every 1 transition old Ashley did.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-sfMJcJMs0

The beginning of the video made me LOL because her dress and hair has essentially switched colors (red dress/blonde hair to red hair/white dress).

 

[Snow63]

The scores!!!!

And how on Earth Wagner got silver? Anna was robbed, IMO. Again. And inflated score or not, Medvedeva clearly and fairly won this competition.

 

[OJuliaA]

Impressed by Jenya's FP. This is the story. The story which comes from the ear problem of Eteri's daughter. She hears not well because of doctors mistake. That program is expression of trainers thoughts and worries