Sasha and MIichelle's challanges next
Hi all!!
Great thread, I would like to add my musings about my passion: the top ladies!
Sasha and Michelle are the top two skaters in the wolrd right now in my opinion.
I am glad Sasha, Michelle and Miki meet each other early next season at skate America(it wouldn't suprise me if they meet at the fall cheese fest either). But I am especially happy that Michelle and Sasah are meeting at a grad-prix event. Not to mention I am happy Michelle Kwan is doing the grad prix.
I think we are putting too much...excuess me WAY too much importance on the quad. REMEMBER....COP is NOT 6.0!! Jumps are now just part of the overall program. And jumps must be clean or else the skater will be hammered for underroations and two-footings. Something not really done under 6.0 for quads and diffiicult 3/3 combos. Now regardless of how spectacular the jumps are they better be clean or you won't get given full credit. What I like about COP is that the cookie-cutter is gone. A 5 or six 6 triple jump program with exquite footwork, spirals, and choerography get place below a 7 triple w/2 triple-triple combos and weak chorogrphy program. Everything is beeing judges now. Jumps mean less.(still important but not the be all-end all under 6.0)
I am soo impressed with Ando. The fact that at her 1st worlds she can finish 4th straight outta juinors is amazing to me. She is just 16 and has alot of maturaty for her age. BUT she still needs to develop artisticly before she can be a consistant threat to either Cohen or Kwan. She doesn't have the buttery smooth edges of Kwan or the exotic positions Cohen has. She doesn't "Command" Tthe ice either skater does. That will affect her program component score as well. We'll see how much has has came and how much further she needs to go at the start of the season.
Cohen:
With that said I think Sasha has a huge advanage her vast array of tricks will ensure that she will rack huge points for spins, footwork, and jumps. Also becasue her overall technique is so brilliant she will have plenty of GOE ponts headed her way. The proglem with Cohen is that the really needs to be consistant with the jumps. Honestly in my opinion, I think sasha doesn't need to attempt 7 triples, just 6 or maybe even 5!!

I think that COP will revolutionize the way we as fans see the overall quality of skating. Now jumps will be de-emphasized. The quality of the spins, sprials and footwork have greater importance. With the overt quality Sasha has in those areas, I truly don't think she should attempt many jumps, being that jump consistancy is her week spot. . Sasha doesn't need a quad an only needs to push herself to the artistic boundries.
Kwan:
The Kween needs to re-invent herself again, and I have confidance she, with Rafeel's help will do so. She has been at or near the top of the elite international skating scene for a decade so trust me she knows how to adapt!!. Futher more I really feel that this season is not about "Winning another Skater America, Skate Canada, GPF titles", they would be nice but I don't think she cares...been there done that. I think she really cares about 2006 olympics. Everything else is pratice. Michelle needs to play up *her* strenghts while minimizing her weakness. She needs more choreogrphy in her programs. More sweet in-betweens!!! I am not convinced she *NEEDS* a triple-triple under COP but competing against Sasha(who I believe is unlikely to deliver 3/3s on a consistant basis) is all the more reason she should get that 3sal/3toe or dust off her 3toe/3toe. Michelle is at a point in her career that the pressure is OFF her. She is NOT the worlds champion and doesn't have that pressure to skate like one every time she takes the ice. I think that alone will bode well for her. Michelle skates her best when she thinks she is not the favoite!! All Michelle has to do really is 3 things:
1. Continue to be consistant
2. Get out of this cookie-cutter program rut (I liked Tosca and Aranjuez) and get fresh, original programs( ala maraculous Mandarin) That means keeping the explosive footwork(remember play to *YOUR* strenghs)
3. maybe a 3/3 depending on how offen the competition is landing theirs.