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.
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.