Ladies - Free Program

[PolymerBob]

Just to clarify a point, the South Koreans put a lady on the podium. Does this earn them 3 spots next year, or only 2 ?

Well I just checked the ISU rules on this one. If Yu-Na had finished in the top 2, South Korea could have sent 3 girls to next year's worlds. Since she was in the top 10, they can send 2.

Oddly enough, if our top 2 finishers had placed a sum total of greater than 13, we would have lost a spot next year. As it turns out Kimmie (4) and Emily (9) sum up to exactly 13. We just made it by the skin of out teeth.

 

[clairecloutier]

Just finished watching the ladies' event.

I am hugely disappointed by the outcome. With a field as strong as this, I never thought Miki Ando would possibly end up as world champion. I don't care how many jumps she did, IMO, she's just completely lacking in grace, musicality, and most of all, decent posture. When she does a spiral or basic crossovers, I cringe at the sight, because she has absolutely no arch or flexibility through her back at all! It's always in the same immobile, awkwardly lurched position. How can you even be a world-class skater with such posture--let alone world champion?! I don't understand.

 

[flying camel]

I thougt Miki was much improved. I enjoyed her program more then Mao's. Yea, her spirals are awful. She even looks miserable doing that first one. I wonder why they don't at least find a better position for her to try. The replay comes on again on ESPN in about 30 minutes. I guess I will watch the whole thing again.

 

[Spun Silver]

I think Miki has a wild grace that is very modern. She always makes me think of a caged firebird and her costumes this season have brought out that quality well. I'm one who loves her footwork, flailing arms and all. I like the way she breaks out of the "princess" mold - kind of like French D/S. I also think she is very glamorous on ice. And I adore her determination. Things don't come easy to her, she doesn't seem like a natural (very different from Mao) but she fights and fights. She's fighting for that quad. I expect that, with that kind of spirit, she will improve her weak spots, including some of the awkwardness. Not too much, though... the angularity is part of what makes her interesting.

I love Mao too - that "effortless" natural grace and lightness. (I know she's really a demon for work.) They're polar opposites but hey, I love them both!

 

[*Sniper*]

I wonder in the US should we change the way skaters are selected to compete at the GP & World events? Should we have a committee test competition readiness? I feel for the GP especially something needs to be done. For the US girls nobody looked ready for the international season. Should we start prepping skaters like Flatt & Wagner over the current group of US lades? Maybe there should be some rules changes for the new senior to compete in the GP events if they show promise. I know they could bomb as well, but I would be willing to give them a shot. The current group just can't get the job done.

Well, they are all competing individually, not as a team. All of them fought fair and square for their spots and earned them, so I don't know if anyone can say, Czisny should've been replaced by someone else, for example.

HOWEVER, now that there is an obvious gap between the current US ladies and the top skaters, maybe the judges at the Nationals should mark the scores more like the World this year and precisely point out all the underrotated jumps and level 1 spins and so on so that everyone knows exactly what she should improve to compete at the highest level!!!

 

[christinaskater]

1991 Kristi Yamaguchi
1992 Kristi Yamaguchi
1993 Oksana Baiul
1994 Yuka Sato
1995 Lu Chen
1996 Michelle Kwan
1997 Tara Lipinski
1998 Michelle Kwan
1999 Maria Butyrskaya
2000 Michelle Kwan
2001 Michelle Kwan
2002 Irina Slutskaya
2003 Michelle Kwan
2004 Shizuka Arakawa
2005 Irina Slutskaya
2006 Kimmie Meissner
2007 Miki Ando

A lot of the world champions are Asian or are of Asian Lineage/Immigrants

 

[christinaskater]

I'd love to see Yu-Na Kim and Mao Asada in that list of World Champions

Its such a prestigous and amazing list

 

[blue dog]

Really? I didn't know that Tara's mom came to Doug! Before they went to Richard? And he said no? Did Tara try out in Barrie?

Not only that, but according to the book "Inside Edge," Tara threw a fit while at Barrie, and Doug said NO. Jeff DiGrigorio wasn't taking her back, so they placed a call to Callaghan who said he would only take her and Mama Lipinski if both mom and daughter behaved.

 

[demarinis5]

I think Miki has a wild grace that is very modern. She always makes me think of a caged firebird and her costumes this season have brought out that quality well. I'm one who loves her footwork, flailing arms and all. I like the way she breaks out of the "princess" mold - kind of like French D/S. I also think she is very glamorous on ice. And I adore her determination. Things don't come easy to her, she doesn't seem like a natural (very different from Mao) but she fights and fights. She's fighting for that quad. I expect that, with that kind of spirit, she will improve her weak spots, including some of the awkwardness. Not too much, though... the angularity is part of what makes her interesting.

I love Mao too - that "effortless" natural grace and lightness. (I know she's really a demon for work.) They're polar opposites but hey, I love them both!

Good post. That about sums it up for me too.

 

[jan]

let's see how long these16 year old bodies hold up before we send all of our Canadian 9 year olds to triple- triple jumping camps. As well in Canada the coaches are working with what skaters they have. We are probably not getting the atheletically gifted into our sport. We are getting the individuals that can afford to skate.

 

[lutzskate]

We are probably not getting the atheletically gifted into our sport. We are getting the individuals that can afford to skate.

This is a very true statement. In China, the country pays for them to train at a very young age. Does it work that way in Japan as well? What about in the States? Is there sponsorship at an early age?

 

[lutzskate]

Not only that, but according to the book "Inside Edge," Tara threw a fit while at Barrie, and Doug said NO. Jeff DiGrigorio wasn't taking her back, so they placed a call to Callaghan who said he would only take her and Mama Lipinski if both mom and daughter behaved.

I am shocked by this. What was Tara's "fit" over? I didn't know that she was a difficult skater to work with. She always seemed so cute and agreeable.

 

[lutzskate]

You know, Joannie's confidence has really been shaken. I think perhaps working with Doug Leigh or Richard Callaghan would do well for her. I do think she needs a fresh set of eyes for the technical.

As for Mira, isn't more than coincidental that both of Joanne Mcleod's top students struggle with axel jumps? (Emanuel triple and Mira double). Doug Leigh is a master at teaching axel jumps. I've watched as he has his girls practice triple axels (Meaghen Duhammel, Jen Robinson and he had Josee Chouinard landing them fairly consistently). If he wouldn't take Tara, perhaps he wouldn't take Mira either, but if he did, Doug might be a good fit for her. However, Doug's best at working with skaters who come to him with low confidence, and building their self-esteem and confidence up. His program is all about positive thinking. We all know that Mira doesn't have a problem in that area!

 

[soogar]

Well, that's good in a sense that the bar has been raised. But, I was hoping for the N. Americans to do well, and Kim(mie) to medal or at least do a nice free program. But they didn't, therefore my disappointment. I don't particularly care for Mao nor Miki.

I'm disappointed for Kimmie however I am very happy that Miki won the world title. After that disasterous Olympic season she had really redeemed herself.

And all those people thought Yu Na was unbeatable ....

 

[soogar]

I am shocked by this. What was Tara's "fit" over? I didn't know that she was a difficult skater to work with. She always seemed so cute and agreeable.

Tara's "fit" was over leaving her coach Jeff D. She didn't want to leave him.

 

[lutzskate]

Tara's "fit" was over leaving her coach Jeff D. She didn't want to leave him.

Oh. thanks. Do we know why Jeff D wasn't taking her back?

 

[astimegoesby]

He can definitely deal with Mama Leung. Mama Lipinski was turned away by Doug Leigh, whom I've always thought of as a tough coach cos she was too tough! Then, when Richard Callaghan took over, Mama Lipinski basically just took to watching practices.

You know, the more I hear about Richard Callaghan, the more I like the idea of him coaching Mira. Another thing I remember about when Lesley Hawker first started training under him, not only did Richard improve Lesley's skating technique, he also kind of gave her a makeover (getting her to buy expensive makeup, dyeing her hair blonde, etc.) Which is another thing, as petty as this sounds, Mira needs to work on.

As for a coaching change for Joannie, a couple of us suggested it might be a good idea for her to return to Sébastien Britten and the other coach (whose name I can't remember) who worked with her during the 2004/05 season. That was the year Joannie got her 3-lutz consistent, first landed 3-3s, her artistry improved by leaps and bounds, and she really started to break out on an international level.

I understand Joannie's reasons for returning to her old coach, but didn't Joannie's old coach originally "fire" her because she felt there was nothing more she could teach Joannie? Joannie always seemed to have a great relationship with Sébastien (remember all their high-fives after every competition that season?) and the other coach, and I hope they'd be willing to take her back if she wanted.

Right now, I think the two main things Joannie needs to do to improve her World ranking are:
(a) Consistently skate clean SPs.
(b) Put at least one triple-triple back in her program (something Joannie said she hadn't been practicing this year because she didn't want to get injured, but she realizes she will need one next year, and she plans to start working on it again)

Joannie did do both of these things consistently while training with Sébastien and the other coach, so I hope, regardless of whether she changes coaches or not, she'll be able to do them again!

 

[DaveT]

Just finished watching the ladies' event.

I am hugely disappointed by the outcome. With a field as strong as this, I never thought Miki Ando would possibly end up as world champion. I don't care how many jumps she did, IMO, she's just completely lacking in grace, musicality, and most of all, decent posture. When she does a spiral or basic crossovers, I cringe at the sight, because she has absolutely no arch or flexibility through her back at all! It's always in the same immobile, awkwardly lurched position. How can you even be a world-class skater with such posture--let alone world champion?! I don't understand.

What you appear to be upset about is COP. COP says most points win and it did. Miki demonstrated exactly what the system wanted, she did the "things", COP says who cares what it looks like.

 

[enlight78]

Just finished watching the ladies' event.

I am hugely disappointed by the outcome. With a field as strong as this, I never thought Miki Ando would possibly end up as world champion. I don't care how many jumps she did, IMO, she's just completely lacking in grace, musicality, and most of all, decent posture. When she does a spiral or basic crossovers, I cringe at the sight, because she has absolutely no arch or flexibility through her back at all! It's always in the same immobile, awkwardly lurched position. How can you even be a world-class skater with such posture--let alone world champion?! I don't understand.

Miki won because the other skaters made major mistakes. She earn world champion by skating back to back CLEAN programs.
Kostner fell
Yu Na fell
Mao mess up her short and two footed her axel and under rotated her 2A/3T combo in the long
Kimie had about five of six little mistakes

What hard to understand about two clean programs beating programs scattered with errors and mistakes.

 

[enlight78]

What you appear to be upset about is COP. COP says most points win and it did. Miki demonstrated exactly what the system wanted, she did the "things", COP says who cares what it looks like.

If that were true why woud there be GOE's in the system or how did Mao and Yu Na beat Miki in the program components in the short and long. Miki barely beat Mao; it could have gone either way. It was practically a tie.