Ladies Free Skate

[JonnyCoop]

My thoughts, just fresh from the telecast....

Alissa -- Absolutely terrific, and if she can get her jumps consistent enough, I think she's got a great shot at that #3 spot on the Olympic team; certainly there is more going on in her overall program than you see with Meissner at this point.

Elena -- I think she's got an interesting program, but it'd be nice if she'd use the choreography consistently, as opposed to just in moments where she felt like using it, but then again that's pretty much been what's annoyed me about her for most of her career. However, given the overall quality of the elements, I've gotta say...:scratch: :scratch: :scratch: as far as the result is concerned; Alissa looked to me clearly better enough in the long to pull ahead.

Yoshie -- Man, Josee Chouinard has got her work cut out. I had sensed some improvement the last time I'd seen her, but she seems to have regressed. It used to be her main problem was all the meandering she was doing between jumps, now she not only has that but most of her positions were absolutely ATROCIOUS. She looked scared when she went out there -- and pretty much skated like it. And what was with all that gunk in her hair??

Mira Leung -- I liked her a lot. I think she's got a good program. I'm a bit mystified by her low placement in the long program; overall, I didn't see any flaws worse than Sebestyen's, Onda's, or even Sokolova's, for that matter.

Bebe -- Good speed and energy and I really like her, but I wasn't overly fond of this program, tho I think it could evolve into something pretty good by the time Nats rolls around. [I have to state here that I have always found Sarah Karahawa to be highly overrated as a choreographer; I've never been overly impressed with her stuff.] {Side note: That "Little Girls Have Big Dreams Too" feature on her was just condescending and sexist. She's a bit too old now to be termed a "little girl"...}

Julia Sebestyen -- Looked like she pretty much just wanted to get it over with. And skated like it, too.

Emily Hughes -- I see potential, but as with so many of the younger ladies, we just have to wait and see.

 

[Rgirl]

Rgal--We know you meant Alissa didn't seem like the same skater we saw at Campbells, not Marshalls. But who am I to talk about memory?

Anyway, ITA! Alissa's amazingly deep edges on those very difficult spiral positions imprissed the heck out of me. Sasha could take a page from Alissa's book when it comes to edges on spirals. True, Alissa is gangly, but how many skaters can do a layback spin with the free leg fully extended and horizontal to the ice with a deep back arch at such high speed? Alissa is the only one I've ever seen.

Certainly Czisny has a lot of kinks to work out, but as I posted in a new thread on The Edge, it was great to hear Alissa's comments on the Hinged Figure Skating Boot (HFSB). I hope it continues to help her with consistency on her jumps. She has a "gangly" body type, but hopefully her style will smooth out as she matures.

Sokolova was a disappointment. I mean, a Russian-trained skater who can't stroke? What is this? And no 3/3s, which was her big threat when she won the silver at Worlds. Sure she won, but everything looked only half completed and her jumps, though completed, did not look solid.

She does look to be in better shape since her knee problems in '03/04. But based on this performance, I don't see her as much of threat at the Olympics or Worlds--unless she's the last one standing. Don't get me wrong. When Cupcake skates well, I like her. But she seems to have regressed since her '03 Worlds re-emergence.

Onda is being coached by Josee Choinard. I like them both, but I don't think they make a good coach-skater pair. I looks as if Josee is trying to turn Onda into another Josee. The program used the same kind of music Josee would have used, similar costume, and it doesn't seem as if Josee has been able to help Onda with her style at all. Too bad. Onda used to have a natural exuberance even if she was wild on the ice. Now she looks as if she's not too happy to be skating.

Bebe is such a refreshing ball of fire. She just needs to find the right places to control and the right ones to fire it all up. She had some spectacular moments, but it's like she doesn't know how to pace herself yet. I'm hoping she learns to do whatever it is she needs because she's got charisma to spare!

Overall it was an interesting look at the top "B" ladies skaters.

Rgirl

 

[tharrtell]

Where/how was SA broadcast? Did I miss it?

 

[nicole_l]

It was 1-3 EST, I don't know which coast you're on but it might not have aired out west yet.

 

[orchid]

Where/how was SA broadcast? Did I miss it?

Yep, Missed it. I almost did too . I wish USFSA.org could post TV schedules correctly!!!

Today 1-3pm ABC, Ladies short and long programs. Tomorrow: ESPN, Men

I suspect ESPN will rebroadcast the Ladies skates again this month.

 

[tharrtell]

Dag nabbit ... when was the last time figure skating was aired so close to the actual competition!! I swear I read somewhere that it was two weeks from now. Hopefully, ESPN will rebroadcast. I'd really like to see Czisny's skate.

 

[shine]

Overall it was an interesting look at the top "B" ladies skaters.

Rgirl

Agreed. It's so much interesting to watch them and discuss about them than the few that take turns to be shown on TV. It's been such an irony that such refreshing skating and very interesting choreography should be discussed so rarely yet the simple and minimalistic programs should be talked about to death.

 

[equestrianguy]

I wasn't going to watch Skate America without the top ladies, but I'm glad I did! Alissa Czinsy was fabulous! What a breath of fresh air. Like Kat Witt said, the fall really didn't bother me. Her spirals and spins are wonderful.. Yes, get those jumps down and look out top ladies. She is very lovely too.. Hmmmm..I see gold medals in her future, but how soon I wonder?

 

[yelyoh]

I was so hard up for some competitive skating that I was thrilled to see this broadcast. They even kept the fluff to a minimum. On to the skaters.

Emily is still not 100 percent but program has nice potential.

Bebe. Yes if she could just contain some of that energy. It's as though she has a big spark plug inside that doesn't know when to stop sparking. I actually liked the choreogrpahy of her program best.

Allisa was wonderful. Footwork section nice but she doesn't have it under control yet. Her spins and presentation are just great. Overall very flexy-stretchy but doesn't show off with it rather makes it an integral part of her elements. I think either she or Bebe or even Emily could beat Kimmie for that third spot.

Yoshie looked so scared and overwhelmed. Not a good program for her at all.
Though I did like one of her combo spins, she seems so uncomfotrable when she has to do anything besides jumping.

Elena. Blah!!!!! Great 3/2/2; didn't land on her butt on any jumps but other than that.... Spiral sequence was a misnomer, weak spins (no speed; poor positions), not much speed, and I believe, finished behind the music. Over marked on PCS on every point.

 

[RealtorGal]

Rgal--We know you meant Alissa didn't seem like the same skater we saw at Campbells, not Marshalls. But who am I to talk about memory?

DUH!!! I must have had shopping on the brain instead of soup.

 

[Mathman]

DID YOU ALL SEE ME ON TV????? On the replay of Elena's triple Axel in the Short program, that's me in the second row, seat 4, cheering my fool head off.

Worst costume: Yoshie. If a duck dressed up like a clown... To make it worse, as Rgirl said, her music was Josie Chouinard music -- if Josie were trying to do a penguin.

Second worst costume. I seem to be in the minority here, but what character from Romeo and Juliet was Elena trying for? One of the Duke of Verona's guardsmen?

Alissa -- Haha, I was the first on her bandwagon. Only I was two weeks late. I meant she was going to shine in Skate America, not Campbell's.

Mathman

 

[Longhornliz]

I hope this wasnt the highlight of alissa's career, but rather a prelude of consistency to come! She was on fire. My guy friend who inadvertantly watched 10 mins of campbells due to hung over confusion had this intelligent commentary on her skating "she is hot, very leggy and limber and hot... they should give her a medal and put her on tv a lot more".

 

[R.D.]

My guy friend who inadvertantly watched 10 mins of campbells due to hung over confusion had this intelligent commentary on her skating "she is hot, very leggy and limber and hot... they should give her a medal and put her on tv a lot more".

 

[IDLERACER]

That "Little Girls Have Big Dreams Too" feature on her was just condescending and sexist. She's a bit too old now to be termed a "little girl"

If Sarah Hughes, Jenny Kirk and Sasha Cohen were any indication, all "little girl" referrences last right up until the moment the braces are removed, then they instantly vanish into thin air. ​

 

[IDLERACER]

I seem to be in the minority here, but what character from Romeo and Juliet was Elena trying for? One of the Duke of Verona's guardsmen?

Nobody looks better in a catsuit than Elena Sokolova...except maybe Lucinda Ruh. I say, if you've got it, there's no shame in showing it off. ​

 

[Rgirl]

DID YOU ALL SEE ME ON TV????? On the replay of Elena's triple Axel in the Short program, that's me in the second row, seat 4, cheering my fool head off.

Worst costume: Yoshie. If a duck dressed up like a clown... To make it worse, as Rgirl said, her music was Josie Chouinard music -- if Josie were trying to do a penguin.

Second worst costume. I seem to be in the minority here, but what character from Romeo and Juliet was Elena trying for? One of the Duke of Verona's guardsmen?

Alissa -- Haha, I was the first on her bandwagon. Only I was two weeks late. I meant she was going to shine in Skate America, not Campbell's.

Mathman

Yeah, Mathman! I saw you! You're the guy who tore his shirt off after Alissa skated with the big tatoo of her on his chest and stomach. For those who didn't see it, one of Alissa's skates is right on MM's navel and he can make it go from an inside to an outside edge. That's right, from an inny to an outty.

As for Cupcake, OBVIOUSLY she was either playing Juliet's nun/nanny--you know, all covered up--or maybe she was doing an abstract interpretation of "The Happy Dagger" as in trying to take a stab at it. One thing Elena got right, she looked pretty dead even though she was alive. Ooh. Ouch. Now, c'mon. Don't everybody hit me.

Yes, Mathman. We'll find the post when you first gushed about Alissa and mark it for history's sake. You and Longhornliz's have your systems down. If she's "hot," she's a champ.

Longhornliz--Your guy's comments had me ! My guy sits there and when each female skater comes on the ice, it's either, "Dog" or "Babe." Actually, he does that just to make me giggle. He likes the ones that fall. He thinks anybody can learn to jump, but that a great fall is a real achievement. I must say he's got a point.

Back to Mathman: And you said you weren't that interested in the ladies. Yeah, right--until you get in a rink full of pheromones. :agree:

Rgirl

 

[Kuchana]

Alissa's skating was amazing even with the fall. I just had to download and watch her program after all the talk about it I love, LOVE her spirals and spins!!! She certainly has the potential to vie for the top. I haven't gotten this excited since Michellle first came out.

 

[Doggygirl]

I hope this wasnt the highlight of alissa's career, but rather a prelude of consistency to come! She was on fire. My guy friend who inadvertantly watched 10 mins of campbells due to hung over confusion had this intelligent commentary on her skating "she is hot, very leggy and limber and hot... they should give her a medal and put her on tv a lot more".

We should start a whole new thread for funny stuff our non-fan partners have to say. This is a gymnastics example, but for those of you who follow that some....remember a few years ago the furor about Svetlana Khorkina posing for a nudy magazine in Russia? My hubby said that he would never pay money to look at a bare fence post - he could just go in the back yard and look at a bare fence post for free.

DG

 

[R.D.]

remember a few years ago the furor about Svetlana Khorkina posing for a nudy magazine in Russia? My hubby said that he would never pay money to look at a bare fence post - he could just go in the back yard and look at a bare fence post for free.

Agreed.

 

[Piel]

Worst costume: Yoshie. If a duck dressed up like a clown... To make it worse, as Rgirl said, her music was Josie Chouinard music -- if Josie were trying to do a penguin.

I thought the bows were a Josee touch.