Junior Ladies: Long Program

[Nadine]

All Right, Gracie medals at Jr. Worlds her first time out! :thumbsup:

She's in good company as well; one of my all-time faves, Sarah Hughes, also won the silver medal in 1999. Though of course Michelle Kwan, Sydne Vogel, Jennifer Kirk, A-P McDonough, Caroline Zhang and Rachael Flatt have all won Gold in Jrs. But that's not an indication of how well one will do in Srs.

Here's hoping Gracie does well in Seniors, where it really counts, GOOOOOOOOOOO GRACIE!!!!

And Congrats to the 2011 Jr. World Champion, Miss Adelina Sotnikova, for coming back again this year and winning the bronze medal to add to her collection.

ONTO SENIORS YOU TWO! YES!!!!

ps: thank goodness it looks like they've already gone through puberty, which should help big time. ^)

 

[volk]

Why?

What's the point? Adelina should've gotten some rest and concentrated on seniors instead.

 

[Mrs. P]

Gracie's popped jump was not a 1L but a 2L. Since it came after doing those two solid combos (incredible + GOE, by the way!) I'm getting the sense her body must've been too relaxed...and hence she popped the jump.

She got -GOE on the 3S she did later in the program, must've been a rough landing or something.


This makes no sense, Adelina gets an edge call on her 3Z-3L but got +GOE? Hm...I thought edge calls were an automatic deduction...

 

[jaylee]

Congrats to the medalists! Julia had so much confidence, she's a star. Delighted for Gracie, and as for Adelina, getting a medal is at least better than no medal at all, and I believe she can bounce back next season.

Looking at the protocols though, I'm reminded again that it's ridiculous that there is no explicit rule rewarding difficult combinations, which is why Julia doesn't suffer at all in comparison to the other ladies here for having two 2A/3T combos (one with another 2T), while the other medalists and others in the top 10 did a 3/3 AND a 2A/3T. That's just silly--Julia is perfectly capable of doing a 3/3 (a 3T/3T, and she has done other combos in practice), but she has no point incentive to do a 3/3 in the FS so she doesn't and goes for the safe route instead. Meanwhile, Adelina, Gracie, and other skaters who did a tough 3/3 combo with a 2A/3T got no boost in base value for it versus Julia. Julia still would've won, but they need to reward those 3/3 combinations.

 

[Mao88]

Polina Shelepen - great comeback. Finished 4th in the FS and 6th overall. She may just get into senior worlds on the back of that

 

[jatale]

I'm very happy for Gracie, what a great way to debut on the international arena at Junior Worlds! Now, she needs some polish to compete in the top tier in Seniors, so hopefully she'll concentrate on her presentation skills and putting together programs with better choreography and artistic impression. She also needs to bring to competition the jumps she shows in practice - great speed, ice coverage, and height. With all those elements in place she'll be a medal contender for 2013 Worlds and Sochi in 2014. Keep up the good work Gracie!

 

[skatinginbc]

Julia did 2A+3T+2T and then 2A+3T again. Good as they were, it seemed just a repetition of the same skill, not as impressive as Gracie's 3Lz+3T and then 2A+3T.

 

[macy]

^ agreed. you'd think she'd be under more pressure in the short to do a 3T+3T, not in the fs, where she chooses to do the same combination basically...

 

[Trewyn]

Lipnitskaya continues to establish herself! Very impressive! Though, honestly, she skates to 'Dark Eyes' for the SP and 'R&J' for the LP and is annoyed people compare her to Sasha??? Yeah girl, why don't you take that up with the people who picked your music instead of with the people that make the comparisons Otoh I don't think she looks like Sasha at all on the ice.

And Gracie is living up to the hype.

 

[Spun Silver]

Lipnitskaya continues to establish herself! Very impressive! Though, honestly, she skates to 'Dark Eyes' for the SP and 'R&J' for the LP and is annoyed people compare her to Sasha???

LOL. She doesn't really remind me of Sasha either - she's not anything like that artistic. But her aplomb and overall excellence are remarkable.

It's interesting to recall that Caroline Zhang dominated juniors this same way in 2006-07. I really hope Julia's physical maturing is not as difficult as Caroline's.

Congrats to Julia, Gracie, and Adelina. Any videos, anyone?

 

[volk]

Polina Shelepen - great comeback. Finished 4th in the FS and 6th overall. She may just get into senior worlds on the back of that

Don't know if that is a good idea to send her. If she bombs SP at Worlds like that, there may not be such comeback cause she could not qualify for LP.

 

[Nadine]

Here are the protocols

Thanks for the link! :thumbsup:

WOW, to Shelepen for doing TWO 3/3 combos., just WOW! 3Z/3T & 3S/3T, reminds me of Sarah Hughes two beautiful 3/3 combos. (both ending in 3loops btw) at the 2002 Olympics.

And then another WOW to Adelina going for the 3Z/3R, but she honestly should just go for the 3Z/3T because she gets -GOE on the loop part, isn't able to fully rotate it, unlike Tara Lipinski & Caroline Zhang. More reminiscent of another magnificent Russian jumper, Irina Slutskaya, whom was never able to fully rotate the 3R part of her 3/3R combos.

I say take a note from Gracie Gold, whom got ALL +GOE on her 3Z/3T combo.

What a foundation, and what great jumpers these three are, I can only imagine what treasures are in store for them when they enter seniors. The world is their oyster when one has the jumps, presentation is easier to come by, but not jumps, not jumps...

Can't wait till next season, finally, SENIORS!!!!! BRAVO, BRAVO, BRAVO!!!

 

[RemyRose]

LOL. She doesn't really remind me of Sasha either - she's not anything like that artistic. But her aplomb and overall excellence are remarkable.

Yeah cause IMO Sasha actually skated to the music and actually projected to the audience. When I watch Julia, I feel nothing.

 

[jaylee]

Julia did 2A+3T+2T and then 2A+3T again. Good as they were, it seemed just a repetition of the same skill, not as impressive as Gracie's 3Lz+3T and then 2A+3T.

Julia can obviously do a 3/3, as she did in the SP. The problem isn't Julia but the system that gives little incentive for doing tougher combinations, especially in the FS.

A 3/3 in the SP is a huge point advantage in increasing your base value. But in the FS, since 3/3s are not rewarded in the base value over 2A/3T (a tough combination, but not as tough as a 3/3), she chooses to go for an easier combination that she can repeat twice.

If Julia were to go for the 3T/3T in the FS, that means she can't do another 2A/3T since she's already repeated the 3T. What she needs is a tougher 3/3 in the FS and then keep her 2A/3T (preferably in the second half). Her layout worked fine for her this year, obviously, since she won every competition internationally. But the system needs to reward difficult combinations.

 

[skatinginbc]

She doesn't really remind me of Sasha either - she's not anything like that artistic.

Agreed. Julia's arm/hand movements in the SP, albeit soft and gentle, looked like squirming snakes. I couldn't tell if it was her choreographer's fault or not.

 

[alexeifan]

You have to consider Julia is very young, her interpretation of the music will probably get better in the next few years.

 

[sky_fly20]

Yeah cause IMO Sasha actually skated to the music and actually projected to the audience. When I watch Julia, I feel nothing.

she is 13 years old. get over it
she will improve as she matures

 

[Spun Silver]

Yeah cause IMO Sasha actually skated to the music and actually projected to the audience. When I watch Julia, I feel nothing.

Yes - I like Julia very much but Sasha made something amazing out of her programs - each one was a polished gem. ETA: And she was already doing that at 14 (don't know about 13).Julia just does one thing, then another thing. She has all the basics though, including grace, so I'm more hopeful about her developing artistry than Gracie... but then I'm no good at predictions.

 

[RemyRose]

she is 13 years old. get over it
she will improve as she matures

it's my opinion and no i don't have to get over it. at 13 Sasha had better presentation skills too. you're allowed your opinion and i will have mine

 

[koatcue]

By the way, if anybody has the links to the videos it would be awesome if you post them here