Ladies Free Skate - Asada vs. Meissner - Round 2

[bekalc]

Wow this bashing thing really has to be addressed. We've gone from a forum to a wrestling match. I may not agree with bekalc on some issues, but I don't think attacking this person is the right answer. Express, you opinion, share your knowledge, but please respect posters.

Can't we all just get along

Thanks looking back maybe I was harsh to say what I said, but I really don't hate Caroline... She's a cute 14 year old kid with a lot of good things about her skating, how can you hate her?

I think that if we can't compare and critique skaters what's the point of even having a figure skating board..
After all a would be kind of boring...

 

[cianni]

Hi Red Dog

I live 5min from the rink. I see Kimmie 3/4 days a wk. practicing. Kimmie has been having trouble landing her jumps since April. I assume its the body change because she is landing very few and the landings are wonky. Maybe she is having a Michelle 97. I think she will get it together in time. I noticed her frustration but she gets up and tries again and again. I doubt she will give up. Her practices are just like the comps SA was Ok and this one a disaster. Thats how it is for now. I admit I was shocked when I started to go to the rink for the season cause she fell on all the jumps and continues to do so a good deal of the time. Im sure she will use this to work harder. Hpoefully she will get the jumps back. I will keep you posted on her progress.

 

[bekalc]

I live 5min from the rink. I see Kimmie 3/4 days a wk. practicing. Kimmie has been having trouble landing her jumps since April. I assume its the body change because she is landing very few and the landings are wonky. Maybe she is having a Michelle 97. I think she will get it together in time. I noticed her frustration but she gets up and tries again and again. I doubt she will give up. Her practices are just like the comps SA was Ok and this one a disaster. Thats how it is for now. I admit I was shocked when I started to go to the rink for the season cause she fell on all the jumps and continues to do so a good deal of the time. Im sure she will use this to work harder. Hpoefully she will get the jumps back. I will keep you posted on her progress.

Aww, I had heard something about that, but I had thought it was getting better after Skate America. She sounds like such a great girl though and I hope she gets it together...Allez Kimmie (for France)

 

[zephyrskates]

I live 5min from the rink. I see Kimmie 3/4 days a wk. practicing. Kimmie has been having trouble landing her jumps since April. I assume its the body change because she is landing very few and the landings are wonky. Maybe she is having a Michelle 97. I think she will get it together in time. I noticed her frustration but she gets up and tries again and again. I doubt she will give up. Her practices are just like the comps SA was Ok and this one a disaster. Thats how it is for now. I admit I was shocked when I started to go to the rink for the season cause she fell on all the jumps and continues to do so a good deal of the time. Im sure she will use this to work harder. Hpoefully she will get the jumps back. I will keep you posted on her progress.

uh-oh. this looks bad for the US team. we may be sending only 2 skaters to LA.

 

[museksk8r]

uh-oh. this looks bad for the US team. we may be sending only 2 skaters to LA.

As long as 2 of our team members total up to 13, the 3 places will maintain, so a 6th place and a 7th place will do it, worst case scenario. I really hope Kimmie is able to find her footing soon. It's a shame her body is causing an imbalance in her jumps, but she is a proven fighter and better now than next season or the Olympic season. Given that there are not many consistent ladies in the world currently, anything can happen.

 

[bekalc]

As long as 2 of our team members total up to 13, the 3 places will maintain, so a 6th place and a 7th place will do it, worst case scenario. I really hope Kimmie is able to find her footing soon. It's a shame her body is causing an imbalance in her jumps, but she is a proven fighter and better now than next season or the Olympic season. Given that there are not many consistent ladies in the world currently, anything can happen.

This is why I'm seriously hoping that Wagner gets on that team. Because while she lacks Polish She's certainly our most consistent jumper.. Someone referred to her program at Skate Canada as a Jumping spree, and well I think that just about says it. Not that many women in the world can average about 6 triple jumps..

 

[R.D.]

I live 5min from the rink. I see Kimmie 3/4 days a wk. practicing. Kimmie has been having trouble landing her jumps since April. I assume its the body change because she is landing very few and the landings are wonky. Maybe she is having a Michelle 97. I think she will get it together in time. I noticed her frustration but she gets up and tries again and again. I doubt she will give up. Her practices are just like the comps SA was Ok and this one a disaster. Thats how it is for now. I admit I was shocked when I started to go to the rink for the season cause she fell on all the jumps and continues to do so a good deal of the time. Im sure she will use this to work harder. Hpoefully she will get the jumps back. I will keep you posted on her progress.

First off, thanks for the inside information. I have no reason, but I'll take your word for it

I remember watching her at SA and saw that she was making "un-Kimmie-like" mistakes like popping jumps, etc. I didn't know if something was going on but I have to admit I was a little concerned. Then I just shrugged it off, given that it was only the first event of the season.

This might change the outlooks for the upcoming 2nd half of the season. I thought she would come out strong after an OK, but not spectacular, showing at '07 Worlds. Sounds like she sure has her work cut out for her, and soon she will face competition Nationally as well. I mean, she just barely hung on to win that Nats title last year (like I said before though, a win is a win). I think the National judges will give her the benefit of the doubt and she won't lose unless someone else CLEARLY outperforms her. But on the World stage, here's where we start to worry. Even with the mistakes Kim still seems to place decent, so that's an encouraging sign. But her strength was Tech- and now that has all but evaporated. She must now fall on what she doesn't really have- presentation. However, I watched her TEB SP on Youtube, and although the screen is small, I must say improvements in her presentation are definitely apparent.

She is very likeable and one would want her to succeed, but we must cut the flowery stuff and get real here. she has some serious work to do before the GPF (which I assume she will attend). Remember: even the greats go through occasional slumps, but the return to greatness is what separates the good players from the CHAMPIONS.

 

[Wrlmy]

So what's the odds of Joannie or Nakano beating Kimmie based on this season?

 

[bekalc]

So what's the odds of Joannie or Nakano beating Kimmie based on this season?

I think that Nakano could do quite well...She put out the third highest free skate total this season so far...

Joannie given her inconsistency issues I'm not sure about, but I think she can overcome Kimmie in the free...I wouldn't be surprised if this year it's Mao/Kim/Nakano or Kim/Mao/Nakano on the worlds podium...Because Ando isn't looking that great.

 

[museksk8r]

So what's the odds of Joannie or Nakano beating Kimmie based on this season?

I'd say at the moment pretty good if they maintain their Skate Canada level and Kimmie does not progress from TEB, but I do expect her to improve. It's not in Kimmie's nature to just give up. The pressure to perform a 3+3 in the SP will be over all of the ladies who will be gunning for the world podium. Who knows which ones will be able to hold up under that pressure at Worlds? Joannie is becoming known for coming back in the LP so she can't be counted out at possibly beating Kimmie.

 

[R.D.]

This is why I'm seriously hoping that Wagner gets on that team. Because while she lacks Polish She's certainly our most consistent jumper.. Someone referred to her program at Skate Canada as a Jumping spree, and well I think that just about says it. Not that many women in the world can average about 6 triple jumps..

Isn't she too "unproven" to be called "consistent"? I think seniors is going to be quite a new ballgame.

 

[Wrlmy]

Yes, that's the way I see. The main reason Kimmie has been regarded as Top 3/4 of the world is because of her 3-3 and world title IMO. But her 3-3 has all been downgraded since SA, so outlook is not quite good. Now, the only advantage Kimmie has over Nakano and Rochette is her pcs which I'm not sure would be enough to keep her ahead.

 

[bekalc]

Isn't she too "unproven" to be called "consistent"? I think seniors is going to be quite a new ballgame.

She is a bit unproven. But well she averaged 6 triples a program in Juniors last year, and seems to be doing about the same this year...

So yeah it's a bit of a different ball game, but not really. For example, if I remember correctly neither Czisny or Bebe managed to get on a Junior Worlds podium because they were inconsistent.

Given that Alissa didn't manage to hit one clean triple jump in her long at China, and Bebe fell several times, the fact that Ashley has been so consistent so far is impressive.

 

[Mathman]

No, Neither Caroline or Ashley is Polish.

Actually, Ashley was born in Hedelberg, Germany.

Mirai, BTW, has dual U.S.-Japan citizenship. (So if Ando, Asada, Nakano, Sawada, etc., fall by the wayside, the Japanese Federation can make Mirai an offer she can't refuse to jump ship. )

It was funny to see the pictures of the world junior podium last year, because Ashley (5 foot 3) looked like a giant next to Mirai and Caroline, LOL.

I think it is an excellent sign that Ashley received solid PCSs in the mid-sixes in this contest. It shows the intenational judges are willing to take her seriously as a senior skater.

 

[bekalc]

Actually, Ashley was born in Hedelberg, Germany.

Mirai, BTW, has dual U.S.-Japan citizenship. (So if Ando, Asada, Nakano, Sawada, etc., fall by the wayside, the Japanese Federation can make Mirai an offer she can't refuse to jump ship. )

It was funny to see the pictures of the world junior podium last year, because Ashley (5 foot 3) looked like a giant next to Mirai and Caroline, LOL.

I think it is an excellent sign that Ashley received solid PCSs in the mid-sixes in this contest. It shows the intenational judges are willing to take her seriously as a senior skater.

The only problem with Mirai going to skate for Japan is I believe since she has competited internationally for the US, the USA would actually have to be willing to let her go, and I'm not sure they'd be willling to give Mirai up.

 

[R.D.]

I did catch Alyssa's FS at Cup of China on Youtube. Man, was she cleaning that ice or what. But strangely enough, I will let this one slide for her, because it seems like she wasn't the only one falling all over the place at that comp. Maybe the ice was just bad or something. Still, that said, it's the case of Good Alyssa/Bad Alyssa again, with the bad one showing up maybe 2 out of 3 times. I think if you looked up INCONSISTENT in the skating dictionary, her picture would be there.

I'm worried about Meissner, but I'm not quite ready to predict her downfall just yet. Let's see what happens at the GPF. I remember Meissner one year had a rough GP but she really pulled herself together for Nats.

 

[bekalc]

I did catch Alyssa's FS at Cup of China on Youtube. Man, was she cleaning that ice or what. But strangely enough, I will let this one slide for her, because it seems like she wasn't the only one falling all over the place at that comp. Maybe the ice was just bad or something. Still, that said, it's the case of Good Alyssa/Bad Alyssa again, with the bad one showing up maybe 2 out of 3 times. I think if you looked up INCONSISTENT in the skating dictionary, her picture would be there.

I'm worried about Meissner, but I'm not quite ready to predict her downfall just yet. Let's see what happens at the GPF. I remember Meissner one year had a rough GP but she really pulled herself together for Nats.

Yeah, my fear is Good Alissa will show up for Nationals, and Bad Alissa will show up for worlds..

 

[netnuts]

Looks like the demanding requirements under the new scoring system is taking a toll on jumps!

Mao/Kimmie/Miki have all had sub-par performances so far this season. Mao's jumps are getting on her. So do Kimmi and Miki.

The only top skater who looks sharp is Yu-Na Kim. Wow, a few months can change the entire landscape. Mao was so invincible only a few months ago...

 

[R.D.]

Yeah, my fear is Good Alissa will show up for Nationals, and Bad Alissa will show up for worlds..

Oh no...that is the Worst Case Scenario!!!

Skate Gods, you did NOT hear that one!!!

 

[mizu_iro]

Looks like the demanding requirements under the new scoring system is taking a toll on jumps!

Mao/Kimmie/Miki have all had sub-par performances so far this season. Mao's jumps are getting on her. So do Kimmi and Miki.

The only top skater who looks sharp is Yu-Na Kim. Wow, a few months can change the entire landscape. Mao was so invincible only a few months ago...

After seeing Mao's performance here, I wouldn't say that she's done any worse than Yu-Na. The record here for Mao was eerily similar as the record for Yu-Na in China - botched combo in short, one major jumping mistake in long, very similar final scores. If they both go clean I wouldn't be surprised to see them breaking 130 in the long and maybe 200 total.

Kimmie and Miki, on the other hand...