2018 Worlds Ladies FS

[ICeleste]

Yeah. The letdown is totally understandable. Hard to think of an Olympic champion who skated better at Worlds than the Olympics? Most simply skip because they’re exhausted. Kristi Yamaguchi was fortunate that post-Olympic Worlds was taking place in her hometown, as their support really motivated her. It was extremely tough for Yuna Kim at 2010 Worlds, and she only escaped with a silver because everyone but Mao bombed —and Mao was obviously motivated by her Olympics experience.

Hanyu won Worlds 2014 with 282.59 points after winning in Sochi with a score of 280.09. He won all GPF, Olympic and World Gold medals in that same season- at just 18/19 years old. What happened today proves how really incredible his three-peat was

 

[jaylee]

Hanyu won Worlds 2014 with 282.59 points after winning in Sochi with a score of 280.09. He won all GPF, Olympic and World Gold medals in that same season- at just 18/19 years old. What happened today proves how really incredible his three-peat was

Hmm, but Hanyu's Worlds 2014 performances were pretty flawed. His Worlds SP was definitely not as good as it was in Sochi, and while his FS was better, he barely won overall. Sochi was a mess of a competition and while Hanyu's win was deserved, there is an argument that Machida should've beaten Hanyu at Worlds.

So I don't agree that Hanyu necessarily skated better at Worlds, he just made different mistakes than he did in Sochi, and the result was actually more controversial than Sochi. So kinda proves my point, Olympic champions have a particularly tough time delivering at Worlds. It was the same for Virtue/Moir in 2010, their Worlds performances weren't anywhere near as good as their Olympic performances, and Davis/White beat them in the FD.

 

[flaneur]

Congrats to Kaetlyn! Her Black Swan program has really grown on me -- the way she is able to hit the musical beats in the second half is really fun to watch.

Rough day for Alina. She looks like she is hitting a small growth spurt. Not just height-wise but also in muscle (her legs/arms look a little different than they did in PyeongChang). The little changes in balance is always tough on young skaters. Luckily for her it is happening after the OG.

 

[bobbob]

It's not a joke at all, but clearly you did give her more GOE than I feel is deserved if you can't get her score below 139. Also, I would score her lower than 135 actually when looking at the 2Axel+3Toe rotation closely, because it was underrotated and not called:

3Flip+3Toe, +1 / Good enough Flip jump, then smaller and barely rotated on the toeloop.
2Axel+3Toe<, -2 / Okay axel and then short on the toeloop with a stepout (and it visibly looked short in real time too, but I just assumed she barely made the 1/4 mark and the call was correct when I judged in real-time). This combo not receiving -2 across the board from the judges, in fact only receiving -1 total, just shows what a joke the scores are with the judges holding up "chosen" skaters.
3Lutz !, 0 / Good height but a slightly unsteady landing and questionable takeoff edge. Overall it's a wash.
CCoSp4 +1.5 / The opening sit spin position is underwhelming, but she does a very nice back camel with change of edge.
LSp4, +2 / Very good throughout, not the absolute best positions to deserve a +3 however.
3Loop, +2 / Very nice and perfectly clean with turning 3's entrance.
3Flip, +1 / It's fine, not at all the biggest she can do and no other great features.
3Sal+2Toe+2Loop, +1 / A fine execution, could be bigger and have more flow, the toeloop could be rotated better.
2A, +.5 / Not the biggest and a bit of tightness on the landing, because of lacking some rotation.
StSq4, +1 / She is constantly VERY overrated in her footwork, there is never a great degree of speed in the turns or fluidity between them. The usage of her arms is okay here and she has a couple nice leg lines, but this seriously is not that special.
ChSq, +1 / A "greatest hits" collection of moves, except none of them are special, although the musical timing is okay (aside from the spiral which is kind of wasted). A split jump without great extension or toepoint, a brief spiral without great extension, an ina bauer and spread eagle that superficially hit the beat of the music but fail to create a grand enough moment because the expression and duration are not far enough beyond being perfunctory (the spread eagle is the best moment of the sequence and hints at being great but doesn't quite get there).
CCoSp4, +1.5 / This is the most generous I could possibly be, a full +2 is certainly not deserved. The positions can all be better and the speed is far from the best, but it's relatively fluid throughout.

Add that all up and it would give a technical score of 67.07. Then for the PCS an average of low 8's is certainly the highest I would possibly go for a relatively lackluster program this (let's say 8.75 for skating skills, 8.5 transitions, 8.25 performance, 8.0 choreography and interpretation), which would be a total of 66.4 on the second mark. This would give her a total score of 133.47.

I mean if we rewind many years before inflation this could be a plausible analysis for her score. The definition of +1 +2 or an 8 has changed, and I agree with you that it is a little crazy. But everyone else's scores would go down too. You do realize that, right? By your commentaries and strictness Satoko especially would be down the tubes. Katelyn won by a large number of points, and maybe she was a little overscored but not by more than a dozen points. Carolina should have been ahead of Satoko is my only complaint with the scoring.

 

[Piett]

Likewise! I was so shocked today. I had to sit down and have a moment to myself after the FS. Then after I calmed down, I decided to make an account.

I do hope that Zagitova can get much needed physical and mental rest. My heart goes out to her...

Same here. It was tough to see that happening to a child.

 

[schizoanalyst]

I mean if we rewind many years before inflation this could be a plausible analysis for her score. The definition of +1 +2 or an 8 has changed, and I agree with you that it is a little crazy. But everyone else's scores would go down too. You do realize that, right? By your commentaries and strictness Satoko especially would be down the tubes. Katelyn won by a large number of points, and maybe she was a little overscored but not by more than a dozen points. Carolina should have been ahead of Satoko is my only complaint with the scoring.

I don't think we have to inflate our personal scores to accomodate the current standards. Anyway, it's the gap that matters not raw scores.

I quite like Satoko and think her PCS deserve to be higher (well - at least relative to what the rest of the field gets) - but her jumps are +0/+0.5 GOE in quality, it should be very difficult for Miyahara to get medals generically because her jumps just aren't great. I still love to watch her perform and appreciate her presence in this sport though.

As for Kaetlyn, I don't think this is a ~~robbed~~ situation for Higuchi, but there is a reasonable argument for Wakaba to win the FS, and I'm unconvinced that the SP gap should've been so large. Like I said, it's not a ~~robbed~~ situation, I think reasonable people would say the current podium is reasonable, but I don't think it's outrageous to believe Higuchi was relatively underscored and could've taken this.

 

[vavavoom]

Oh, wow... the winner lucked out, she is certainly one of the very weakest winners of the title, she reminds me of that blah, boring Canadian skater Robinson, sorry I do not remember her first name.

I'm not surprised she won with the influence of the Canadian fed. Next year will be a completely different story. Enjoy it whole it lasts!

 

[Basho]

Wakaba robbed again.

 

[Panpie]

And now comes all the excuses for Zagitova

There were olympic champs and medalists in the past who competed at worlds in the same year and they at least won a medal. Until now, people claimed how physically and mentally good prepared Zagitova is, well, obviously she isn't

Didn't Alina win every comp except Worlds this season? I'm not particularly a fan of her, but she's had a very impressive senior debut season up until now.

 

[Ziotic]

Didn't Alina win every comp except Worlds this season? I'm not particularly a fan of her, but she's had a very impressive senior debut season up until now.

She did, but I would argue not always deservedly. Luckily Wakaba got redemption here!

 

[Panpie]

Why is she then competing in seniors? :think:

Adelina was a kid too, Yulia too, no one has given them a break

Once a skater enters seniors s/he's not allowed to have a bad day? Good grief. It happens.

 

[Panpie]

She did, but I would argue not always deservedly. Luckily Wakaba got redemption here!

Alina still won, though, and skated well throughout the season up until now. I'm happy for Wakaba, too.

 

[jenm]

Wow I woke up to my dream podium for the season!

Congratulations to the winners! So proud of Kaetlyn, Wakaba, and Satoko! Kaetlyn and Wakaba can exchange spots but maybe that's just me. Anyway, I don't have a problem with the current podium.
Kaetlyn is on a roll! A World's Silver, Olympic Gold and Bronze, and now a World's Gold! yeah baby!!!!

Didn't see that one coming from Alina. But she looked so tired. It's sad to see her like that. Also, this is the problem with a jump marathon program. When you miss some jumps, it's difficult to get back on track because they're too close to each other. Alina deserves a vacation. They all do.

 

[jaylee]

Carolina should have been ahead of Satoko is my only complaint with the scoring.

Carolina omitted an entire triple -- she didn't even attempt the 3S in her intended 2A/half-loop/3S sequence -- it turned into a 1A and she didn't attempt the rest of the sequence. Her double lutz was supposed to be a triple lutz.

Even if you think Satoko should've gotten more URs, underrotated triples still count for more than triples that are not even attempted.

 

[jfdw]

Oh, wow... the winner lucked out, she is certainly one of the very weakest winners of the title, she reminds me of that blah, boring Canadian skater Robinson, sorry I do not remember her first name.

I'm not surprised she won with the influence of the Canadian fed. Next year will be a completely different story. Enjoy it whole it lasts!

My my we are such a good sport not. By the way the name of the Canadian skater was Jennifer Robinson. You cannot even let Kaetlyn enjoy her moment without bashing. Yes she lucked out other skaters had poor skates and that is her fault not. She was the best on this night and she deserved the win. I do not know why the Canadian Fed would have an influence since the competition was held in Italy. Darn right Canadians will enjoy the whole year having the World Champion. Too bad you cannot let her enjoy the moment probably because the skater you wanted to win did not. Wonder what you will have to say if your favorite skater does not win next year? Hope the winner next year if it is not your favorite has broad shoulders

 

[reneerose]

I was really hoping Wakaba-her FS was pretty powerful or Satoko would have walked away with the Gold...Kaetlyn made some bobbles...

 

[Scott512]

I still can't believe how close Russia came to losing 3 spots.... really, what was the fed thinking sending Maria and Stanislava, they knew both of them are very prone to this sort of semi-meltdown and Alina has been both growing and apparently had the flu after the olympics? Russia has so much to offer, it's such a head scratcher that Stanislava is there, especially when she couldn't even medal at junior worlds. I like her performance style, but a score ceiling is a score ceiling...

With Zhenya out Russia isnt so deep especially with the injuies some have. Very lucky to have kept the three spots for next season. I'm hoping next year's Worlds sends Evgenia, Alina and Alena who will be 15 then.

Congrats to Kaetlyn on her world gold.

 

[Scott512]

Bad luck for Alina, her growth spurt is occurring right now. In her very recent interview she told she's growing up and feels she's having 'some problems with jumps because of that'. She just had no time to accommodate her technique. Add to this a bad flu she got after the Olys and extra pressure after Medvedeva withdrew and left all Russian hopes on Alina's shoulders. No fault on her part, just unfortunate combination of many things. Sigh.

Most sensible post of the day. Thanks

 

[BillNeal]

You know what, Larkyn Austman misses qualifying for the free skate by one place (like at OG) but Dabin Choi withdraws leaving a place open. Granted the warm-up groups are made and it's short notice, but it would have been nice to fit her in.

 

[Scott512]

Once a skater enters seniors s/he's not allowed to have a bad day? Good grief. It happens.

I know, a 15 year old who won everything this year in the best debut season ever actually had a bad day with immense pressure from her country to help Russia keep the three spots for next year. Her parents should have ended her season after the Olympic Games when she had her Olympic High she could not get back up for it at Worlds. Still it was a surprise she bombed today as great as she's been but that's sports that's life. She will bounce back.

what are the reasons her season should have sent ended after the Olympics was that the Russians Champion Gala she fell at least once in that skate. That was kind of surprising and may have shown she was tired or not focusing. I'm sorry for the pain Alina Zagitova is going through today but she had such a great year and that far outweighs any problem she had today.

Oh and congratulations are in order for Carolina Kostner on the great career she had and the Class Act she has always been.