2023 Four Continents Women's Free Skate

[Ic3Rabbit]

I am too. And choreo slide can almost incite a standing ovation all on its own. That's kind of my point. The skaters and choreographers have treated the choreo sequence as an afterthought and they are not taking advantage of what they could be. The dancers do incredible, creative ones. These are mostly entirely forgettable noise that skaters are paying no attention to.

Even some of the dance ones suck though lol

 

[Skater Boy]

Haein was amazing, she was the only one who got a standing ovation from me. Mone was lovely too! LOVED Tara and almost everyone else in the arena did too.

I loved Tara's enthusiasm and use of Indian music/culture. I do think a more experienced choreographer might be helpful but she has improved a lot since we first saw her. Haen was wonderful and could try by Kim and Yoshida. Still these ladies are not at the very top even minus the Russians. Still awesome to see triple axels, some wonderful fluid artistry. Really hope Levito heals fast. Still Glenn who was Ill? and Tennell both did respectable and both had a chance at a medal but it didn't happen. Bradie is doing so well with her comeback but regardless those rotations have and still cotinue to be a problem.

 

[Jammers]

To bad for Isabeau a good skate like she's done all season would have probably given her the win and being 4CC champion would have been a nice boost going into Worlds.

 

[apgold]

I hope all of our USA ladies are feeling better soon. Amber tweeted she was going to have some tea & honey and sleep. She's lucky to live in Colorado Springs now, so she can recover at home. Nothing worse than being sick away from home.

I'm super happy for Haein Lee winning her first senior title. I loved her as a junior but would prefer her to have less generic/war horsey programs (yet another POTO?). One of my skating friends who was at Skate America told me she found her programs so boring. I wouldn't say she's a boring skater but would like to see something different from her next season. Pity for Yelim narrowly missing the title but she's also a gorgeous skater who I always used to find a bit generic, but her Ina Bauer and jumps are also sublime when she's on.

I'm glad the Japanese women had redemptive skates, but would've like to see Hana score a bit higher. Her Star Wars program was one of my faves from the JGP. Mone is just lovely - the phrasing of her steps during her SP is just sublime and her spins are Satoko-esque. When Rinka hits her 3A, she's unstoppable, but too bad the Lutz seems to plague her.

I'm glad this competition was rather unpredictable but really showed the talent of some of the top Japanese and Korean competitors.

 

[Jammers]

Oh Canada; Oh no. This does not look good for Canada. It is kind of the Jennifer Robinson era and that's not good. Maddie has had several bad skates - all her freeskates this year have been a struggle. I am not sure if iti s psychological but itmay be too late. Poor Canada. On other notes Lee was wonderful and the results here should encourage Korea. Now you can see the battle is on Japan, Korea and USA at w orlds with Belgium, Georgia (Eastern Europe) in the mix.

I think with the Canadian girls coming up and improving if Maddie doesn't also start improving she will be passed up soon maybe even next season she has been able to stay the Canadian number 1 woman with very little competition in the last couple of years in Canada. Now that may be changing so she's going to need to take her skating to a higher level which she hasn't done for some time because skating as she has for the last couple of years now might not be enough to beat the younger girls if they continue to progress.

 

[moonvine]

Sadly, I was talking with a highly intelligent Korean uber fan who spent lots of time with me and an undercover GSer talking about how the Korean Fed. Worked and she said Chaeyeon is bullied on Korean social media and it may have effected her mentally. We showed her nothing but love. Indeed, many of the fans of. Asian culture here supported everyone. PaulE and I certainly did. I was ashamed of many US fans there I know who did not. It is fjne to not enjoy a skater's style...it is wrong to bully them.
I don't enjoy Levito but I clapped for her and I don't get on her social media and run her down. Lets hope she didn't catch covid...

I think it is a flu going around. The same Sofia wd because of.

 

[moonvine]

Not sure all the US girls were sick, Bradie seemed to be just fine. Amber's nose was red, but that doesn't mean she was sick either.

Amber has said she is sick. Not sure Bradie.

 

[moonvine]

She was ill and had to withdraw apparently at the last minute. They showed her briefly backstage during one of the earlier groups of skaters. She didn't “just not show up”.

Literally athletes at this level have to almost be forcibly restrained from competing. This is an ISU championship and ranking points are on the line even when medals are not. No one’s going to just “not show up.”

 

[moonvine]

I am too. And choreo slide can almost incite a standing ovation all on its own. That's kind of my point. The skaters and choreographers have treated the choreo sequence as an afterthought and they are not taking advantage of what they could be. The dancers do incredible, creative ones. These are mostly entirely forgettable noise that skaters are paying no attention to.

They’re skating for points from judges. Not audience entertainment. To change this the whole system would have to be revamped and I’m not holding my breath. I had a discussion with a person on this board who said they should just leave them out because they’re not worth enough points. I mean I disagree but. ..

 

[moonvine]

I believe (from the Tonya days) they set a timer on the board for 2 minutes for the skater to appear.

Yes I remember the drama of the timer!!!

 

[moonvine]

Notes from the rink:

i‘ve said many times on the competition threads that Haein Lee does not ever seem to get the scores I would expect. I find her skating lovely, yet the judges never seem to place her where I would have. Well, last night she got the scores I think she deserves, for once! I also really enjoyed Mone Chiba, lovely effortless-looking skate.

But for me Tara Prasad was the highlight of the night. What a skate! I will admit that I stood for her, and I’m not a bit sorry.

Also congrats to Sara-Maude Dupuis. Way to bring it, young lady! Stepping up for Canada in a big way.

And I saw a post here observing that the audience was small, but supportive of all skaters. Thank you! We may be small, but we are mighty!

Nomination for audience to tiny but mighty club

 

[labgoat]

Nomination for audience to tiny but mighty club

second

 

[moonvine]

I loved Tara's enthusiasm and use of Indian music/culture. I do think a more experienced choreographer might be helpful but she has improved a lot since we first saw her. Haen was wonderful and could try by Kim and Yoshida. Still these ladies are not at the very top even minus the Russians. Still awesome to see triple axels, some wonderful fluid artistry. Really hope Levito heals fast. Still Glenn who was Ill? and Tennell both did respectable and both had a chance at a medal but it didn't happen. Bradie is doing so well with her comeback but regardless those rotations have and still cotinue to be a problem.

Tara choreographed it herself so maybe working with a choreographer to make sure the use of Indian music/culture is achieved? But we don’t know the money situation. May not be money for professional choreography. I’m not going to guess either way.

 

[TwinnerA]

Amber has said she is sick. Not sure Bradie.

I read that Bradie said afterwards “I was feeling sick last week and thought it was getting better, but today is by far the worst day. I feel like a frog, but competition didn’t ask about that.”

 

[skatesofgold]

Sorry to hear USA women's team was sick. They kept it quiet. As stated previously, congratulations to all skaters . Especially the medalist. Someone mentioned high altitude affects skating and brings issues . Did USA women's team train at high altitude? They did look paler than normal.hope for best. Another question since ISU event could isabeau or is it Isabella skated since she was 15 and not the 17 years ?

The outcome reminds me of a previous year. If that case all my prediction are wrong. They skated well. I think USA women's team should be more prepared for worlds. Seriously can Isabella/Isabeau go due to age rule? Is she too young ? Did it start earlier? I. Know GP events and final is different than The ISU 4CC , Euro and worlds?;

They haven't raised the age limit yet. Next year you have to be 16 by july 1 and the year after that you have to be 17.

 

[Crowdproud]

I am sorry to read that poor Isabeau had to withdraw. Did they give a full explanation as to why? Was it altitude sickness? I worried about this before the event began. We all suffered from it when we sang at the Red Rocks outdoor arena outside of Denver.

Isabeau withdrew "due to illness" which is the standard wording. The commentator said that in the morning practice she was out of sorts and was just standing at the boards a lot (if I recall correctly). It may be that the USFS decided that a loss here would not be a good look ahead of Worlds and pulled her, or she suddenly felt worse. It was odd how on the stream the announced said "Levito" while the camera was on Yelim.

 

[RafaelAstro]

I feel like Mone was robbed :/

 

[CoyoteChris]

Poor Chaeyeon she does not deserve that. I hope she got some love here. If I had been in attendance I would've been cheering loudly for ALL the ladies. They all work super hard, take many falls to master the skills we take for granted while looking so very lovely. This also goes for the paris, dancers and the men. If fans are disinterested, then just take a bathroom break instead of being disrespectful.

Oh believe me...there was lots of love for her and many others .....As they skated away from their bows to the K and C, the Asians would come by my section which was full of people who love beautiful Asian skating and wave at the signs and flags and clapping.....

 

[Skater Boy]

Tara choreographed it herself so maybe working with a choreographer to make sure the use of Indian music/culture is achieved? But we don’t know the money situation. May not be money for professional choreography. I’m not going to guess either way.

I kind of thought that. But I hope maybe someone will help her out. Skating isn't cheap but unlike hockey, soccer, football, baseball etc things like style, how you do the elements count. Scoring in some of those other sports can be ugly with ugly uniforms it doesn't matter it doesn't affect the score. I cringe when I think of those American skaters and their Vera Wang's. Think of Nancy Kerrigan 30 years ago in 13000 dresses in US dollars. Can you imagine how much they would be today?

 

[Skater Boy]

Isabeau withdrew "due to illness" which is the standard wording. The commentator said that in the morning practice she was out of sorts and was just standing at the boards a lot (if I recall correctly). It may be that the USFS decided that a loss here would not be a good look ahead of Worlds and pulled her, or she suddenly felt worse. It was odd how on the stream the announced said "Levito" while the camera was on Yelim.

Is there any word if she is feeling better or what it was. It was all so odd with the announcements, the Sound of Music kind of moment and then her team scrambling around as though they were looking for her and Amber Glenn asking about her. I am sure come worlds she will be raring to go. I still believe she can medal. Maybe even win the gold.