2016 World Championships Ladies SP

[sweetskates1]

Ashley > Gold this short program competition.
Mirai > 10th place but I don't know who I would place her above given how amazing all the ladies were today!

Gold, Ashley and Mirai are saving American figure skating :'yahoo:

 

[Lota]

I'm actually a bit sad for Rika. Just so short of 70. But if she is on with her Riverdance...who knows. I have my doubts. I think she is one of those skaters who can skate clean, engage the audience, do whatever but still won't make it to the top. She is just not that beloved with the judges. A shame really.

Agreed. While she is not as elegant as Akiko Suzuki (though she has many other wonderful qualities), I think that this is one more thing the two have in common beside the same coach - the judges' inability to judge them correctly.

But, although I think she'll keep getting held back, at least the judges are moving in the right direction. I was afraid she'd get placed below Mao or something like that, with the way things have been going for her.

 

[kiara_bleu]

I was wondering, if all the posts that were about
-wuzrobbing
-dodgy judging
-homecooking
-judges got it wrong
were suddenly removed, this thread would probably be like ten pages?

It doesn't even matter what the standings or the scores are...you can expect pretty much expect all of those things. The only difference will be the usernames of who is doing the complaining

 

[mary01]

I love Mao to death, but she made two big mistakes (in a short program with only 3 jump elements) and did not perform as well as she could. She can give us more face, more confidence, more freedom in her movements. She's gorgeous, but she can still improve in some areas. She is way more refined than someone like Ashley, but her performance level and projection are not quite as great as they could be.

She only had one big mistake on the axel, a scratchy landing on the loop is not a big mistake and that should only be reflected in that jumps goe, it just seems like whenever she is not completely clean despite doing what no else dares to try on the ice, she get's punished really really harsh and unreasonably, her performance was the class of the field, the mistake aside all her elements and presentation were magnificent to watch, the steps were to die for, she let her body feel the music and did not move like robot with excessive expression, whenever i watch her i feel like i'm actually watching an athlete and an artist with the others it's mostly feels like i'm watching an actor do what they have been told to do, and now tell me how do you expect her to be confident all the times with rubbish scoring like this, I admire her for even staying in this sport, and still loving it despite all this!

 

[Tolstoj]

Gold consistently beat Russians in PCS by 1.5-2 points all season even when she was off and that's what it came down to tonight. Had Evgenia not made mistake on 3F3T, she would have been much closer to Gracie but it would still have been nail biting close.

I'm okay with this, but in my opinion and as we've seen in previous competitions:

Gracie SP > Evgenia SP
Evgenia LP > Gracie LP

So i hope Gracie will win this only with a perfecty clean free skate, otherwise a clean Medvedeva should be ahead imo.

Plot Twist: Anna Pogorilaya World Champion, i desperately WANT this!!!

 

[Blades of Passion]

Everyone was overscored, Gracie and Medvedeva in particular, but it was killer performance from Gracie. She's never been so sharp with her movements before and so emotive. There was the bobble on that opening Lutz, though, and the Flip wasn't kosher. I'd say Pogorilaya deserved to be slightly ahead, she really nailed it!

All of the top 7 ladies were very good, but none of the programs are as good as what we got 20 years ago - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGvRCis1upE

 

[amc987]

So many ladies threw down tonight! I was so happy for Ashley and Gracie (FINALLY had strong skates in the short program of t a major int'l event!) and Mirai (this whole season is about redemption and getting rid of demons)! The Russians also skated well- Medvedeva was smart and gritty, Pogorilaya was powerful, Radionova was enthusiastic. And Satoko was so precise.

I think the order should be: 1. Gold (74-75); 2. Medvedeva (72~) ; 3. Wagner (~72); 4. Pogorilaya (70-71); 5. Radionova (70); 6. Miyahara (69-70). But, IMO, apart from Pogorilaya's component scores (seriously, which judge thought she should have 9s across the board for PCS?) and Gracie's component scores (IMO, they should be around where Ashley's were), the inflation was more or less equal.

Can't wait for Saturday to see the free! I wouldn't be surprised if 2 Americans made the podium instead of one, but I expect Radionova and Miyahara to skate very well too. I see Pogo dropping a bit, but who knows.

 

[mrrice]

Review #1 Gracie Gold

I'm back from my break and I had the chance to see Gracie's SP. I'm telling you, it's a miracle!! I have never seen her perform an SP that well and I've been watching her for years. She could always jump but, this was the best overall SP performance I have seen Gracie do. I'm so happy that she was able to skate so well in front of her home crowd. Now, it's on the Free Program.

 

[Icey]

Inb4 Americans are worst than the Russians #homecooking

I'm okay with everyone's scores except Mao, Satoko(higher), and Gracie(lower). Aside from Gold, very competent scoring!

Will someone explain to me. Since all, or most, of the judges are not from the USA, why would they cook the scores. I do think there was some questionable judging as some time the goes for an individual element would have an unacceptable range.

 

[smarts1]

Two biggest headcases (hello Gracie and Anna) in the 1st and 2nd? Satoko in 6th? Who would have guessed?

I mean it was a long way coming for Satoko. She's someone who can capitlize on people making mistakes but in a group like this where everyone in the top 6 was clean or close to clean, she becomes the weakest link. It's really a shame she underrotated her flip because she would be up near Ashley if she hadn't.

 

[Lipea]

Oh I agree that Gracie deserves the lead, and the GOE on her 3F was not crazy out of line, just a bit out of line. It was the PCS that was the ridiculousness. That program was the best Gracie has ever performed it, but it was not worthy of that level of components and home inflation clearly played into that. Then again, the Russians were rather overscored themselves.

The differences between the top skaters is about correct, but everyone needs to be like 1-2 points lower.

I don't think the difference between the top skaters was correct. Gracie's score had to be on the same level as others: there were no way she was better than for ex. Ashley in PCS. Ashley's PCS should be the highest, and both Mao's and Satoko PCS should be higher in relation to others. The fact that it is the first time Gracie had clean SP should not have given her such an advantage. Her program is far from the best, first lutz was not great and she doesn't do 3a, neither a combination in the second half to give her such a lead in front of other skaters who were equally good.
Anna should have been leading by tiny margin because she was the cleanest one + on fire.

 

[Batsuchan]

Can't believe they called it :shocked:

Yes, the tech panel reviewed her landing over and over in slow-motion.

Maybe they saw your videos?

 

[Tolstoj]

Everyone was overscored, Gracie and Medvedeva in particular, but it was killer performance from Gracie. She's never been so sharp with her movements before and so emotive. There was the bobble on that opening Lutz, though, and the Flip wasn't kosher. I'd say Pogorilaya deserved to be slightly ahead, she really nailed it!

All of the top 7 ladies were very good, but none of the programs are as good as what we got 20 years ago - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGvRCis1upE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31hXTRmKt_E

Steps sequence all in one leg, layback bielmann on both legs, perfect technique, and two perfect 6,0 in the presentation -> how to blow everyone out of the water.

 

[Icey]

So gracie didn't get a ! ?

On the flip she did and only a .30 gone on it

 

[Jammers]

I don't think the difference between the top skaters was correct. Gracie's score had to be on the same level as others: there were no way she was better than for ex. Ashley in PCS. Ashley's PCS should be the highest, and both Mao's and Satoko PCS should be higher in relation to others. The fact that it is the first time Gracie had clean SP should not have given her such an advantage. Her program is far from the best, first lutz was not great and she doesn't do 3a, neither a combination in the second half to give her such a lead in front of other skaters who were equally good.
Anna should have been leading by tiny margin because she was the cleanest one + on fire.

Gracie skated this SP clean at TEB during the GP season.

 

[Ares]

Dear Rika Hongo,

Thank you for winning me over this season with your energy, programs, and power.

She won me over too this time I didn't like this program at first but today she transcended herself and that was very enjoyable to watch

 

[DegrasMan]

The US Ladies brought some tears to my eyes with those performances in the SP espeically Mirai I literally had to calm down before I started to ball for her. So happy for her!!!! Who cares about that UR on the Combo!

 

[bluebamboo]

Ok I think this is my first ever post after joining GS... Awesome competition from the ladies, but the only thing that moved me to tears is the roar and clapping from the crowd when Mirai was still doing her step sequence. There's nothing better for her than to prove herself after so many years of struggle and inconsistency.
I hope everyone (esp Mirai) will kill it in their freeskate and free from injuries or accidents!

ETA: Ooops the systems shows I already posted 3... but never mind, go ladies!!

 

[Lota]

Oh, and also, to the people saying that Russian fans (or fans of Russian skaters) shouldn't complain because they had Sochi... pulhleeeeeeze :disapp: It'd be fine to say that if there was no reaction after Sochi, but we all know just how tiny of a reaction that was :sarcasm:

Everyone has a right to an opinion and, while I agree that if you're complaining just for the sake of it, be the bigger person - don't, still that doesn't mean that if an opinion doesn't match yours it shouldn't be voiced.

 

[mrrice]

Review #2 Ashley Wagner

I just watched Ashley's SP and there's no doubt that she is a Diva. A great performer in every sense of the word. However, she is rightly placed behind Gracie who IMO, was stronger technically and not too far behind Ashley in PCS either. If this were Nationals, I'd have Ashley ahead of Gracie's Nationals SP but, not today.