Ladies FS - Cup of China 2013

[thinspread]

Not so much.
2008 coc 3 lutz< in SP
2009 4cc 3lutz<-2t-2lo in LP
2009 GPF 3lz-3t< in SP(although this one was really dubious.) 2a-3t< in LP (two-footed, actually the only two-footed jump Yuna has ever done)
2010 wc 3 flip< in SP

OK, I was incorrect on two accounts: it was not her first or only UR; and it was not on the 3-3 but on the 2a-3 in the LP.
Thanks for pointing that out.

Last three year judges awarded big scores to Kostner. I still can't believe CoC judges didn't give her +70 PCS and let her win. I remember Aliona/Robin always falling, making some other mistake and still win world titles. And at the olympic year suddenly judges didn't forgive mistakes anymore. Maybe same thing happening with Kostner.

Still, her PCS was 19 pts higher than TES for the LP. That degree of disparity between the two marks would not happen for other skaters, maybe except for Mao Asada and Patrick Chan. Again, she was saved by the second mark.

 

[prettykeys]

I was SO relieved when I read that Kostner's dress will be changed

At first I thought it was a bit too ornate, then I thought nah, the design is not so bad. The COLORING is what bugs me--that pink is too girly for the seductress-charmer that is supposed to be Scheherazade--as well as the dimensions and flouncy skirt which do nothing to emphasize Kostner's majestic, regal appearance on the ice. I think she should change the pink to orange. Orange bodice and aqua skirt. NOT KIDDING ABOUT THIS!

I feel bad to admit that her SP kinda bores me, though. Last year's Devil's Trill, or the Shostakovich SP, or the one from 2005 Worlds choreographed by Kurt Browning were all superior...aww.

Congrats to Pogorilaya. The strong female Russian contingent isn't stopping; every year someone new and amazing keeps showing up. Pogorilaya isn't my favourite of the bunch. I like Radionova, Lipnitskaia, and soon-to-be-senior Proklova best from what I've seen. Tutkamysheva can really put on a show, too. Sorry to see Sotnikova struggling with consistency because to me, despite the occasional coltish wildness, she has the best legs and feet. She points and stretches them like she was born doing it.

Kanako Murakami has a nice Long. The music is dear to me as a YuNa fan and she skates well to it...obviously she is still refining it this early in the season but with more expression it can be really nice. I like her costume although I wish the gray was substituted with white or something softer and less depressive/forlorn-looking. Her SP looked like a Jumping Jack No. 2 attempt which I didn't like. hwell: Last year's SP, Prayer for Taylor, was so gorgeous.

No idea what happened to darling Zijun Li. She doesn't look that much taller but she really struggled here. Disappointed also that this year's dress looks so like her last season's.

BTW I agree with museksk8r. The Grand Prix in 2009-2010 wasn't very impressive, as if everyone was trying to work out their jitters and issues. It turned out to be a fine Ladies Competition come Vancouver.

 

[hippomoomin]

Great, I actually agree but we probably won't see Peng at the olympics.

As far as I know, Peng/Zhang is the second Chinese pairs team meant to be sent to Sochi, not Sui/Han. Chances are we will see her at the Olympics.

 

[Sara]

Poor Zijun, her next GP is already NHK next week. I'm afraid we might see another poor performance from her there.

 

[FSGMT]

No idea what happened to darling Zijun Li. She doesn't look that much taller but she really struggled here. Disappointed also that this year's dress looks so like her last season's.

She has been injuried during the last period... Hope she goes back to the 3T+3T and 3F for the SP, the current layout is too difficult, given her current level of preparation

 

[hippomoomin]

Zijun is also visibly heavier than her appearance at Worlds, just by comparing her legs then with now. Her last height record was 161cm from ISU bio, and changed to 163cm recently. So many young ladies' jumps depend on how much their bodies change, especially for those with average skating skills. When jumps are gone, there is almost nothing else left

 

[spikydurian]

I don't believe it is not the end of the world for Li. When she gets over her puberty, she will come back stronger and faster.

 

[bluesky85]

How were the judges unfair in the previous two events?

The placements were fair, you are right, but the scores were a little bit inflated compared to this event, and I am not the only one who thinks that way, I am afraid...

 

[Jammers]

The quality of skating was better at the first two events.

 

[Mrs. P]

The placements were fair, you are right, but the scores were a little bit inflated compared to this event, and I am not the only one who thinks that way, I am afraid...

The skating was also MUCH better compared to this event.

Let's consider a few statistics, shall we?

1.) At Skate America, We had 2 ratified 3-3 combos in the short and three in the FS. At Skate Canada, we had four ratified 3-3 combos in the short three in the long. At Cup of China, there two skaters with ratified 3-3 in the SP and only ONE ratified 3-3 in the FS (by Anna Pogorilaya.)

2.) Here's the TES of all three events.
Julia: 70.46 (Skate Canada)
Elizaveta: 64.30 (Skate America)
Courtney: 62.31 (Skate Canada)
Mao: 62.83 (Skate America)
Anna: 62.15 (Cup of China)
Akiko: 61.76 (Skate Canada)
Elena: 59.04 (Skate America)
Ashley: 58.54 (Skate America)
Mae Bernice: 58.31 (Skate America)
Samantha Cesario: 56.98 (Skate America)
Gracie Gold: 56.09 (Skate Canada)
Christina Gao: 53.95 (Skate Canada)
Kanako: 51.59 (Cup of China)
Adelina: 50.36 (Cup of China)
Xiaowen Guo: 50.53 (Cup of China)
Carolina: 46.34 (Cup of China)

As for the PCS:

Mao: 69.54
Akiko: 66.23
Ashley: 66.01
Carolina: 65.31
Gracie: 62.11
Julia: 60.88
Adelina: 60.31
Elizaveta: 59.25
Elena: 58.90
Samantha: 57.49
Kanako 57.03
Christina: 56.92
Anna: 56.23
Amelie: 56.00
Valentina: 54.92
Viktoria: 54 63
Nikol: 53.48
Mae Bernice: 53.20
Elene: 53.19
Courtney: 49.99

The scores are higher for the first two events because the skaters actually did the elements. At Cup of China, Carolina and Adelina would have scored even lower if not for PCS.

 

[guanchi]

After reading the comments about Caro's skate, I thought she must be done, that time finally caught up with her.
Well, after seeing her fs, it wasn't really that bad. Of course, being Caro, many jumps were messed up, couple of doubled jumps here, a fall there (on the 3t AGAIN, what is with her and the toe loop?). But it was actually enjoyable, using a familiar staple Scheherazade with some pretty footwork and REALLY crowd pleasing backward spiral (lots of hoots seeing her long leg high up to her tush hehe) near the end of the program. The crowd could've gotten into it more, but I know this ain't Euros, and the missed jumps prolly took some sail out of her.
All in all, I hope she just skates for her own personal enjoyment- she really deserves too after all these years even going back into the 2 previous olympics where she didn't fare as well. A medal at Sochi would be a great achievement for her.

 

[wonderlen3000]

Well i hope Carolina will not get a medal with 3-4 triples and super inflated PCS in Sochi.

 

[bluesky85]

The skating was also MUCH better compared to this event.

Let's consider a few statistics, shall we?

1.) At Skate America, We had 2 ratified 3-3 combos in the short and three in the FS. At Skate Canada, we had four ratified 3-3 combos in the short three in the long. At Cup of China, there two skaters with ratified 3-3 in the SP and only ONE ratified 3-3 in the FS (by Anna Pogorilaya.)

2.) Here's the TES of all three events.
Julia: 70.46 (Skate Canada)
Elizaveta: 64.30 (Skate America)
Courtney: 62.31 (Skate Canada)
Mao: 62.83 (Skate America)
Anna: 62.15 (Cup of China)
Akiko: 61.76 (Skate Canada)
Elena: 59.04 (Skate America)
Ashley: 58.54 (Skate America)
Mae Bernice: 58.31 (Skate America)
Samantha Cesario: 56.98 (Skate America)
Gracie Gold: 56.09 (Skate Canada)
Christina Gao: 53.95 (Skate Canada)
Kanako: 51.59 (Cup of China)
Adelina: 50.36 (Cup of China)
Xiaowen Guo: 50.53 (Cup of China)
Carolina: 46.34 (Cup of China)

As for the PCS:

Mao: 69.54
Akiko: 66.23
Ashley: 66.01
Carolina: 65.31
Gracie: 62.11
Julia: 60.88
Adelina: 60.31
Elizaveta: 59.25
Elena: 58.90
Samantha: 57.49
Kanako 57.03
Christina: 56.92
Anna: 56.23
Amelie: 56.00
Valentina: 54.92
Viktoria: 54 63
Nikol: 53.48
Mae Bernice: 53.20
Elene: 53.19
Courtney: 49.99

The scores are higher for the first two events because the skaters actually did the elements. At Cup of China, Carolina and Adelina would have scored even lower if not for PCS.

The quality of skating was better at the first two events.

Of course, you two are right in that there is no denying that the two previous events were much much better and I am aware of the technical superiority of the performances at those events. Also there were way more mistakes at COC, so the scores should reflect that. But even then some of the scores at SA and SC were a couple of points higher than what I would have given.... But then it could be the trend for this Olympic season, so I can't really compare it with last season... and it's strictly my opinion, not a truth.

 

[hippomoomin]

I don't believe it is not the end of the world for Li. When she gets over her puberty, she will come back stronger and faster.

I hope not. I was just commenting about Zijun's performance here. Remembering when Liza got much heavier in a matter of a few weeks, her skating didn't plummeted as much. But Zijun is going to Sochi anyways, so she has time to prove herself.

 

[guanchi]

Well i hope Carolina will not get a medal with 3-4 triples and super inflated PCS in Sochi.

That's the question for Sochi- how will a Caro with a 3-4 clean triples and her big PCS do against a possibly 6-7 clean Julia with her smallish jumps and rising PCS (and being russia, may be a high for her), assuming a cleanish Yuna and Mao, with her insane layout, are locks for a medal.

 

[guanchi]

Adelina can't seem to do a 3turn- she looks incredibly hesitant going into her flips.
She looks much more comfortable doing a ?mohawk?(not sure what the term is) going into her flutz.

 

[Moment]

The scores are higher for the first two events because the skaters actually did the elements. At Cup of China, Carolina and Adelina would have scored even lower if not for PCS.

And because the panel intentionally ignored a lot of URed jumps especially at Skate America.

 

[Sasha'sSpins]

PS - I haven't wished Sotnikova ILL , for those who can't read. I said she should skate up to her potential, like here That's not a secret I don 't want her on the team in Sochi. After Olys, whatever..She could be even 20th at Worlds, not that I mind..

Sotnikova is done:thumbsup:
I hope she'll be as bad at Nats so she won't be sent to the Olys. Haha, POGORILAYA is 1st here
Such a weak field..

Hoping Sotnikova will do 'as bad' at Nats IS wishing her ill. Not to mention laughing 'Haha' at her misfortune. Your post was flat-out mean.

wow, Agnes skated a clean program without any falls or slips in years.

Agnes ZAWADZKI (USA)

Music: La Cumparsita; Tango Jalousie

Black sparkly long-sleeved lace dress w/ open back and keyhole cutout

3Lo - landed, her first internationally? Perhaps <
3T+2T - wonky
3F - e
StSq
3Lz+2T - hand down on lutz
FCSp
3Lz - ina bauer entry, fall. Looked <
2S+2T+2Lo - twofooted, turn out
LSp
1A - wonky
ChSq
CCoSp - bit shaky on camel

I guess we're used to it now. 1 fall, 3 pops and several shaky landings

Score: 43.26+51.65-1.00=93.91, 147.64, 1st out of 4

So did Agnes fall or not guys?

Wow. Can't believe the results!!! A mild shock! Thanks everyone who provided PBPs! Can't wait to watch videos!

 

[chloepoco]

And because the panel intentionally ignored a lot of URed jumps especially at Skate America.

Which UR jumps did the judges intentionally ignore?

 

[Jaana]

Great to hear that Kostner´s costume will be changed!!! This one looked rather strange and the colours were not good together. I like her programme and later when she will be ready with it, it will be relly wonderful. The winner jumped well, but otherwise I was not drawn into her skating.