Best Quality, Biggest Flaw

[Danibellerika]

Interestingly enough, no one wrote 'Perfect Costume' under best quality though. I'm not so invested to discuss it further, and it can be a part of something you don't think is complimentary for a skater, but to add a costume as 'biggest flaw' seems missing the mark, for me personally.

I guess it depends on how strict the terms for biggest flaw are, but since OP asked that we list what we like about skaters and what annoys us, I assumed the idea was for us to list what we do and don't like about a skater .

 

[MaiKatze]

Yes, true. I didn't read the entire first post, just the thread title. No worries, Dani.

 

[Farnaz]

I guess it depends on how strict the terms for biggest flaw are, but since OP asked that we list what we like about skaters and what annoys us, I assumed the idea was for us to list what we do and don't like about a skater .

:agree:

 

[jenm]

Yuna Kim
BQ: consistency, interpretation, technical skills
BF: Spirals and lack of flexibility

TBH, I never understood this.
Yuna was pretty flexible. She had a flexible back and hit beautiful layback position, upper body wise. It was just her legs (or hip for that matter) that weren't as flexible as someone like Mao or Julia L. But still, her flexibility was normal to me.

When people say "lack of flexibility", I think of Liza Tuk.

 

[Danibellerika]

TBH, I never understood this.
Yuna was pretty flexible. She had a flexible back and hit beautiful layback position, upper body wise. It was just her legs (or hip for that matter) that weren't as flexible as someone like Mao or Julia L. But still, her flexibility was normal to me.

When people say "lack of flexibility", I think of Liza Tuk.

It's all relative to your peers. I was used to Sasha Cohen laybacks, so you can't really bring a Yuna Kim one (or spirals either) and have me consider that good. So I get what that poster is saying.

 

[kwanatic]

TBH, I never understood this.
Yuna was pretty flexible. She had a flexible back and hit beautiful layback position, upper body wise. It was just her legs (or hip for that matter) that weren't as flexible as someone like Mao or Julia L. But still, her flexibility was normal to me.

When people say "lack of flexibility", I think of Liza Tuk.

Yuna had decent flexibility but she lacked extension which made her look as if she wasn't very flexible. She did have bad hips too...very little to no turn out which, again, hurt her lines when it came to spins and spirals.

This is a fun thread.

I guess I'll start with the Americans..

Bradie Tennell
BQ: consistency, technically solid
BF: lack of polish & maturity, boring programs

Mirai Nagasu
BQ: fighter, very determined
BF: doesn't perform, URs when nervous

Karen Chen
BQ: speed, spins, spirals, interpretation
BF: boot problems, inconsistent, URs

Ashley Wagner
BQ: interpretation, performance, presence
BF: technically weak

Mariah Bell
BQ: strong jumps & spins, star quality
BF: inconsistent


Onto the Japanese...

Satoko Miyahara
BQ: SS, interpretation, spins, footwork, performance
BF: jumps (lack of power, height; pre-rotation & UR)

Wakaba Higuchi
BQ: SS, performance, flow
BF: loses focus, prone to popping

Kaori Sakamoto
BQ: speed, power, airy/easy jumps
BF: lacks polish & refinement, Amelie FS laugh

Mai Mihara
BQ: SS, technically strong, spins
BF: lack of projection, inconsistent (as of last season)

Marin Honda
BQ: SS, grace, fluidity, interpretation
BF: inconsistent, something missing (can't put my finger on it...)

Rika Kihira
BQ: SS, 3A, speed, technically strong
BF: inconsistent


The Canadians & Carolina...

Kaetlyn Osmond
BQ: speed, power, jumps, performance, charm
BF: can be nervous/jittery, clumsy mistakes

Gabrielle Daleman
BQ: powerful jumps, speed, performs well
BF: drops performance when things go bad, lack of flow on landings

Carolina Kostner
BQ: SS, interpretation, performance, longevity
BF: unable to compete technically


And finally the Russians...

Evgenia Medvedeva
BQ: performance, interpretation, transitions, consistency, focus
BF: muscled jumps, flutz, toe axels (all of her 3Ts are actually toe axels)

Alina Zagitova
BQ: difficult technical content, spins, transitions, endurance, wow factor
BF: interpretation, performance, inconsistent in the SP (only 2 clean performances this season (Euros/Olys))

Maria Sotskova
BQ: elegant performer, strong technically
BF: forgettable, URs, fugly tano, 1st half of season skater (always seems to fade in the 2nd half)

Alena Kostornaia
BQ: polish, spins, big jumps, endurance, 3A
BF: not exactly a flaw but growth spurt/puberty pending

Stanislava Kostantinova
BQ: engaging personality, performance
BF: consistency, fugly tano, bad landing posture

Polina Tsurskaya
BQ: huge airy jumps, SS, technique
BF: consistency

Elizaveta Tuktamysheva
BQ: powerful jumps, technique, performance
BF: SS, TR, spins, artistically limited

Elena Radionova
BQ: charm, performance, spins
BF: technique, consistency,

Anna Pogorilaya
BQ: speed, SS, presence, technique
BF: meltdowns

I could keep going with the Russians but I'll stop there.

 

[yume]

Mai Mihara
BQ: SS, technically strong, spins
BF: lack of projection, inconsistent (as of last season)

She's surely one of the skaters who made the least mistakes this season (I count only 3 visible mistakes in the entire season). She just don't have the PCS or the GOEs to still have have good scores when she makes her rare errors.
And the fact that her only fall this season was at Japanese nationals make her seem more inconsistent.

 

[narcissa]

Ladies

Yuna Kim
Quality: Textbook jumps, consistency on the biggest stages, unmatched musicality and balance between acting but not over-acting, facial expressions, speed, flow, really relaxes into her programs and never rushes, costumes, presentation, choreography
Flaw: Lack of flexibility in spirals, and later in spins, no loop

Mao Asada
Quality: Not afraid to rework technique from scratch, beautiful introverted skating
Flaw: Unstable looking jumps, inconsistency

Yulia Lipnitskaya
Quality: Very unique style and musicality, spins
Flaw: Health

Bradie Tennell
Quality: Consistency
Flaw: Not an engaging skater, childish programs, childish costumes

Mirai Nagasu
Quality: Tenacity, 3A, layback spin and spirals
Flaw: URs, makes the program look very labored

Karen Chen
Quality: Passion, skating skills, unique programs, spins, flexibility
Flaw: Doesn't seem to have direction, has not improved technically and doesn't seem like she ever will

Ashley Wagner
Quality: Entertaining programs
Flaw: Skating skills, jumps, spins

Gracie Gold
Quality: Beautiful jumps pre-Sochi, beautiful costumes, choreography
Flaw: Doesn't deliver when it counts

Kaetlyn Osmond
Quality: Huuuuge jumps
Flaw: Doesn't do classical style well, but still skates to it

Gabrielle Daleman
Quality: Huge jumps
Flaw: Just not sold on her programs, doesn't do a very difficult combination (although she does it well, most of the time)

Mai Mihara
Quality: Consistency
Flaw: Boring programs, tries too hard to "emote" but doesn't come across as genuine or matching the music

Wakaba Higuchi
Quality: Well choreographed, engaging programs
Flaw: Lines

Kaori Sakamoto
Quality: Huge jumps, extremely fast
Flaw: Cheesy miming, step sequences could be better, obvious flutz

Marin Honda
Quality: Wonderful flow
Flaw: Small jumps, mule kick, cutesy programs that get old, doesn't have range

Satoko Miyahara
Quality: Extremely polished, every movement has meaning
Flaw: Extremely tiny, UR'd and PR'd jumps

Carolina Kostner
Quality: Longevity, a unique style not seen in ladies' skating often
Flaw: Consistency, overscored

Evgenia Medvedeva
Quality: Consistency, mental strength, work ethic
Flaw: Choreography is tacky, scratchy skating, doesn't seem to have a solid core (posture), flutz, muscled jumps, skating seems very effortful

Alina Zagitova
Quality: Extremely difficult elements, above average jump quality, above average spins, no edge issues
Flaw: Programs are a bit juniorish, doesn't pull off the backloading well enough

Maria Sotskova
Quality: Sort of consistent
Flaw: Can't remember much from her programs at all

 

[kwanatic]

She's surely one of the skaters who made the least mistakes this season (I count only 3 visible mistakes in the entire season). She just don't have the PCS or the GOEs to still have have good scores when she makes her rare errors.
And the fact that her only fall this season was at Japanese nationals make her seem more inconsistent.

She consistently struggled in the SP with URs and small errors which made it hard for her to make up the difference in the FS. She had a more severe issue in the SP at nationals and it cost her more. She bounced back better at 4CC but she lost a bit of ground this season. I think it was just a sophomore slump and she'll be back stronger next season.

 

[yume]

Yes she URed her combo in SP at her 2 GPs and that cost her because those URs were called, not like others who URed and jumped on wrong edges but didn't lost points. And those skaters can be called consistents in SP.

 

[Izabela]

Ladies

Wakaba Higuchi
Quality: Well choreographed, engaging programs
Flaw: Lines

Pretty much agree on everything. :yes: And :sad21: at Wakaba's flaw so far. With her body structure working against her, it would be difficult for her Wakaba to make beautiful lines. (She has the same body structure as Michelle Kwan I think, so maybe watching some of her programs would be beneficial to develop her lines?)

 

[yume]

I've never understood that "lines" problem. I mean, people think that skaters can change their body type? Skaters like Wakaba, Daleman or Méité can work as much they want most of people will never change their mind about their lines.

 

[chopinskate]

I just don't care about lines.

And Wakaba's spiral in Bond worked for me. She did need her leg to be more stable though.

 

[Anyasnake]

I've never understood that "lines" problem. I mean, people think that skaters can change their body type? Skaters like Wakaba, Daleman or Méité can work as much they want most of people will never change their mind about their lines.

Lines often comes with extention, or right arm/leg placement.

For example, Alina has great lines but her choreo is so busy it doesn't show. Look at Patrick during his step sequences. Yuzuru out of his jumps or during his spins. etc...

 

[Izabela]

I should have been clearer with my post and say that I was crying over Wakaba's flaw because it's something she can't help and it's a shame that it's considered a flaw of hers. (although for those who care and make her better on lines she can find some points from Kwan's skating).

 

[chopinskate]

That's one thing the FS audience will never change about. Same about Yuna's free foot position, which never detracted from anything.


Wakaba for me would be:

Biggest Quality: Power
Biggest Flaw: Occasional inability to get her head in the game

 

[yume]

Lines often comes with extention, or right arm/leg placement.

...

Seems to me that some people see lines as body shape. And that it's hard for them to appreciate lines of a lady who is short, with short legs or too muscled body.

 

[rikaquegira]

Seems to me that some people see lines as body shape. And that it's hard for them to appreciate lines of a lady who is short, with short legs or too muscled body.

Exactly. I think there’s some prejudice from some skating fans towards those ladies who are not very skinny or have “ballerina” like bodies.
I think Wakaba can still improve but I wouldn’t say that her lines are her biggest flaw.

 

[teapot]

Here here! I actually really like the muumuus! Although you might be being sarcastic there I've come to realise my taste is seriously suspect

My answer:

Plushenko

Best Quality: ... Textbook jumps ...

Plushenko's jumps are definitely not textbook technique. His flip is wrong edge, lutz is kind of like a loop. He's just usually consistent, but also can melt down big time.

 

[anonymoose_au]

Plushenko's jumps are definitely not textbook technique. His flip is wrong edge, lutz is kind of like a loop. He's just usually consistent, but also can melt down big time.

Well admittedly I don't know jumps very well, but he does/did a great quad toe, it was so solid!

But meltdowns? I'm not sure what's considered a meltdown and I haven't watched every Plushy performance yet, but to my memory I can recall just one time he totally melted down and fell multiple times. Which considering how long he skated is pretty good!