Any Sasha updates?

[chuckm]

There's no need to read between the lines. Jenny Kirk pretty much said what I said above---that Sasha's biggest weakness is her lack of mental toughness. Her only US championship was won after Kwan withdrew and Sasha had to face only much younger skaters who hadn't yet proven their mettle either domestically or internationally.

Czisny is 'glad' that Sasha is back because she herself (Czisny) plans to continue to compete and she sees Sasha as another veteran of international competition. I guess she hopes the US will want to send the two most experienced competitors to the Olympics.

Nagasu has stated in other interviews that she lacks confidence in herself, so she was of course the only one to express trepidation at Cohen's return. The (IMO) most likely contenders (Flatt, Zhang and Wagner) aren't quivering in their boots because they are quite correctly involved in their own preparations for Nationals. And of course Flatt and Zhang have both had recent success in international competitions.

Sasha's first competition (TEB) starts in just 4 weeks. We shall see how ready she is.

 

[Kwanford Wife]

There's no need to read between the lines. Jenny Kirk pretty much said what I said above---that Sasha's biggest weakness is her lack of mental toughness. Her only US championship was won after Kwan withdrew and Sasha had to face only much younger skaters who hadn't yet proven their mettle either domestically or internationally.

Czisny is 'glad' that Sasha is back because she herself (Czisny) plans to continue to compete and she sees Sasha as another veteran of international competition. I guess she hopes the US will want to send the two most experienced competitors to the Olympics.

Nagasu has stated in other interviews that she lacks confidence in herself, so she was of course the only one to express trepidation at Cohen's return. The (IMO) most likely contenders (Flatt, Zhang and Wagner) aren't quivering in their boots because they are quite correctly involved in their own preparations for Nationals. And of course Flatt and Zhang have both had recent success in international competitions.

Sasha's first competition (TEB) starts in just 4 weeks. We shall see how ready she is.

I don't know about the idea of the US sending the two most experienced competitors because both are notorious for falling apart on the big stage. From where I sit (in the cheap seats), the worst thing for Alyssia is a successful or even semi-successful Sasha comeback - because anything Alyssia can do, Sasha can do better - its the jumps that are the issue.

I don't doubt Sasha will come back healthy and strong with all of her jumps and spins up to par... I worry about her mental state. If she can skate for the fun of it - she will do fine. If she stresses herself out, she's toast. Alyssia, poor sweet Alyssia will need the angles on her side alongside a major short program to get a spot to Vancouver... there are only two spots and she will need to pull a miracle out to get one.

But either could - I just won't bet money on either.

 

[R.D.]

I think for Cohen, injury is more likely than a poor showing.

 

[MKFSfan]

Sasha's skating this Saturday at the "Skate for the Heart" show and says she may try a lutz or flip depending upon rink size. But she will definitely do a salchow, toe and axle. Also, skating to her SP, choreo'd by Lori. Anyone going???

http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com...re-skater-sasha-cohen-comes-to-hoffman-e.html

 

[Olympia]

Bennett, thanks for the link to Jennifer's blog. I understand why so many people talk of how her frame of mind gets in her way. Certainly there is an element of that. But as I've said before, for a choke artist, she does extraordinarily well. She's never won a Worlds or an Olympics, but golly, an Olympic silver medal is not to be sneezed at. A silver is what sealed Paul Wylie's immortality. Janet Lynn never won more than a bronze. Of course I would wish that she develop Katarina Witt's mental toughness. But with her own fragile little mind, she's managed to win an armful of spots on national and world podiums from 1999 to 2006 with I think one break for injury. A real choke artist is someone like Czisny (whom, mind you, I adore), who will thrill you with the beauty of her skating but leave her jumps in the locker room. (Thank goodness for her peace of mind and ours that she has that one National championship.) Or like Sandhu, who is a phenomenal skater and yet has presented long programs in which he has completed no jumps at all. (Or so I recall, watching in anguish through my fingers.) So Sasha's doing pretty well, and I hope she makes it far this year. I wouldn't bet money that she'll win an Olympic medal of any color, but if she does, I will rejoice.

 

[Tinymavy15]

Sasha's skating this Saturday at the "Skate for the Heart" show and says she may try a lutz or flip depending upon rink size. But she will definitely do a salchow, toe and axle. Also, skating to her SP, choreo'd by Lori. Anyone going???

http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com...re-skater-sasha-cohen-comes-to-hoffman-e.html

Wow, Lori Nochol. This is a first. Sasha is not leaving anything to chance. I guess Morozov did her long, if the rumors are true.

 

[vlaurend]

Read between the lines, Jennifer hinted at Sasha taking a spot of the olympic-when in fact she already has one, why--they talk like she has one-her jump repitorie against -mao, yu-na, miki-joannie etc.
her grace and beauty also-- not if she makes the team , she is on the team as the greatest olympic comeback.
Hardly--Sasha comeback will not be the greatest --if so how--she is coming back after skating on tours (notice still skating) no injuries-as of now (i am sure she and others will think of an injury before the season ends or gets to olympicsand nationals. Sorry for that-but sasha hasn't had a year of not complianing of some kind of injury.
Sasha will not be the greatest comeback. (only reason brought up--need the money and sasha name supposedly will do it. Had the chance 2006 blew it when michelle was in--didn't want it. why --i will not go into details.
But still pushing sasha-had a chance of pushing the younger skaters didn't, now want sasha to get glory after Cheated for her since 1999.

I'm a little confused as to what you are trying to say. Are you saying Sasha already has a spot on the U.S. Olympic team? Because she doesn't. Not until U.S. Nationals is over and she ends up on the podium (and even then, the Grand Prix placements of Sasha and the other top U.S. skaters will also be weighed in determining which 2 ladies go to Vancouver).

 

[antmanb]

Wow, Lori Nochol. This is a first. Sasha is not leaving anything to chance. I guess Morozov did her long, if the rumors are true.

I don't think it's just a rumour - there are quotes from Morosov in an ice network articles about Sasha where i'm certain it says he worked on her Moonlight Sonata programme with her. I can't find the link.

Ant

 

[PolymerBob]

Deleted - already posted.

 

[merrybari]

Sasha's skating this Saturday at the "Skate for the Heart" show and says she may try a lutz or flip depending upon rink size. But she will definitely do a salchow, toe and axle. Also, skating to her SP, choreo'd by Lori. Anyone going???

http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com...re-skater-sasha-cohen-comes-to-hoffman-e.html

Yep - I'll be in the seats. My first time at a Disson show. Can't wait! What a phenomenal cast - skaters and vocalists!! .

 

[nylynnr]

I don't think it's just a rumour - there are quotes from Morosov in an ice network articles about Sasha where i'm certain it says he worked on her Moonlight Sonata programme with her. I can't find the link.

Morozov definitely choreographed her free to "Moonlight Sonata." She's visited Hackensack several times, most recently about two weeks ago.

 

[Tinymavy15]

I don't think it's just a rumour - there are quotes from Morosov in an ice network articles about Sasha where i'm certain it says he worked on her Moonlight Sonata programme with her. I can't find the link.

Morozov definitely choreographed her free to "Moonlight Sonata." She's visited Hackensack several times, most recently about two weeks ago.

Well she worked with them all. David Wilson did R&J in 2006 and now she has gone to the other top two chreographers. I guess Rapahael is still her main technique coach though. I am so excited to see her I can hardly wait. Leave it to NBC not to show Disson until January

 

[*Sniper*]

Sorry if this has already been discussed to death, but has there been any mention of whether Cohen plans to try 3-3s in her programs this year?

 

[nylynnr]

Sasha completed a triple toe, triple Salchow sequence in 2006. In recent interviews she has said she is working on her triple-triple sequence, presumably this one.

 

[MKFSfan]

Sasha would need to rework the sequence she did in 2006, that is now considered too many steps under COP.

 

[*Sniper*]

I see. Thanks for the answer.
I hope her programs allow her to stay competitive with the international competition.

If it's not too much bother, could someone answer this question as well?
How are her jumps in terms of technique?
Would there be any concern for downgrades or lower grade of execution, etc?

Up until 2006, I was mostly a casual follower and didn't know squat about these things, so....

Thank you!

 

[chuckm]

IIRC, Sasha didn't often complete her 3/3 sequence cleanly. She received -1.71GOE on it at the 2005 Worlds FS. Maybe that's why she abandoned the 3/3 sequence in her 2005-2006 programs.

 

[MKFSfan]

Hm? She did include the 3/3 sequence during the 2005-06 season. Not sure if she ever cleanly completed, I think the Olys was the closest (double foot salchow??? I think she got a -GOE whatever she did) but she did include it at least at TEB, Nats, Oly and Worlds.

 

[chuckm]

Hm? She did include the 3/3 sequence during the 2005-06 season. Not sure if she ever cleanly completed, I think the Olys was the closest (double foot salchow??? I think she got a -GOE whatever she did) but she did include it at least at TEB, Nats, Oly and Worlds.

OK, here's what she did in 2005-2006:

TEB: she did a sequence, but it was 2A^3T and she got -1.00 GOE

Nationals: did 3T^3S, -2.43 GOE

Olympics: did 3T^3S, -1.14 GOE

Worlds: No sequence in QA and FS. That may be because in both programs, she had bad landings on the 3T (-1.4 GOE in QA and -1.0 in FS).

However, it seems that if Sasha rarely landed the sequence cleanly in the past, it hardly seems worth it. She loses 20% of the start value of the two jumps, and then on top of that she gets gigged for double-footed or wonky landings.

At the Olympics, she received only 6.36 for her sequence, only 0.27 more than Arakawa got for a clean 3S+2T.

That hardly compares to Kim's 3F+3T (9.90), Ando's 2A+3T (8.70) or Mao's 3A+2T (10.10).

 

[Bennett]

If it's not too much bother, could someone answer this question as well?
How are her jumps in terms of technique?
Would there be any concern for downgrades or lower grade of execution, etc?

She flutzes.