LADIES Long Program

[brightphoton]

Johnny Weir tweeted this Oct 29:

"Congratulations to Elizaveta Tuktamysheva for winning in Canada. Such a shining star and looks like my little sister! Molodets Lizochka!"

There is definitely a facial resemblance between them.

Ahhhh! Thank goodness I'm not the only one who thought that

 

[wonderlen3000]

Congratulation to Liza, Akiko and Ashley. They have the best programs so far... Akiko program was simply divine and love the footworks. Ashley by far improved the most of the US ladies. She doesn't rush into her jumps as much as before and def improved her notorious two footing habit. I still dont know why she is still doing two Lutz. thats going to ding her with 'e' call. Her Flip was great and got huge +GOE and simply sub for second Flip gonna give her at least 2 points advantage. I got to say I love her Black Swan program, although there are a few minor moments that need to refine.

As for Rachael, I think she is done, if she can't get her jumps back soon. Without jumps her program is just blarr ... I feel like im gonna doze off... and whats with the hair??? When I thought her hair style last year was bad, she managed to make it worse this year.

As for Marai, if she can't get her act together soon...her chances is running out. This should be the wake up call for her really... think of what is her chances to compete with three Russian dynamos by 2013 and Sochi. If she doesn't win a world title or at least a medal this year, i'm gonna give up on her especially when she only has to compete with Alissa, 50% Mao and 75% Calrolina.

 

[leafygreens]

It's crazy how in 2010, Mirai and Rachael were the hope for the future of US ladies, but strangely that seemed to be the apex of both of their careers. Mirai doesn't skate as badly as Rachael, but both have severely dwindled in their performances.

I am excited for Ashley and surprised that she pulled it out judging from her summer competition. But she has always been one of my favorites and I hope nationals this year are 1- Alissa and 2- Ashley. I would love for Ashley to win because she never has, but I like Alissa better.

I really hope that Alissa and Ashley bring back the "lady" into ladies skating.

 

[R.D.]

It remains to be seen if/when Czisny can make that loaded FS come to life. If she can, then I have to say she will be TOUGH to beat and that's based on her FS score at SA- where even with errors she was able to sneak past a clean Kostner (!)

As for Wagner, well...like I said during off-season, she was falling behind very quickly, but was not yet out of it (as opposed to Zhang, for instance). So far it looks like the coaching change did her good, although it's likely too soon to tell and analyze based on just one competition. Let's see how she does in Japan and whether she can qualify for the GPF. In an IN interview I think she mentioned her goals for the season were to 1) medal at her GP events (so far, so good) 2) qualify for GPF 3) win Natls and 4) top 5 at worlds.

 

[kwanatic]

Ladies Review

http://thenakedice.blogspot.com/2011/10/skate-canada-ladies-review.html

 

[museksk8r]

It remains to be seen if/when Czisny can make that loaded FS come to life. If she can, then I have to say she will be TOUGH to beat and that's based on her FS score at SA- where even with errors she was able to sneak past a clean Kostner (!)

While Kostner's LP was exceptionally good for an early season performance, it definitely was not clean. Two spin elements that she could have easily made level 3 or level 4 were only a level 1, a loss of about 5-6 points. Also, she singled a 2loop at the end of her 3-jump combination, resulting in a loss of about 3 points. On top of this, she didn't do her planned 2Axel+3toe combination, but did a clean 2+2 instead. That 3toe would have given her an additional 3 points. That's 11-12 points that Caro gave back to Alissa. And that's just the LP, a steadier landing on the 3loop in her SP would have benefitted her about 1-1.5 point more, so let's say she gave Czisny 13.5 points back at the most.

 

[Jammers]

It's crazy how in 2010, Mirai and Rachael were the hope for the future of US ladies, but strangely that seemed to be the apex of both of their careers. Mirai doesn't skate as badly as Rachael, but both have severely dwindled in their performances.

I am excited for Ashley and surprised that she pulled it out judging from her summer competition. But she has always been one of my favorites and I hope nationals this year are 1- Alissa and 2- Ashley. I would love for Ashley to win because she never has, but I like Alissa better.

I really hope that Alissa and Ashley bring back the "lady" into ladies skating.

I don't think anyone thought in 2010 Rachael was the hope along with Mirai for the US Ladies. Mirai yes but it was obvious that Rachael had just about peaked and would have a hard time making the team for Sochi. I remember thinking at the time if Rachael made the team for Sochi the US Ladies in the next 4 years after Vancouver must not have been very good for the US for her to make the team again.

 

[leafygreens]

I don't think anyone thought in 2010 Rachael was the hope along with Mirai for the US Ladies. Mirai yes but it was obvious that Rachael had just about peaked and would have a hard time making the team for Sochi. I remember thinking at the time if Rachael made the team for Sochi the US Ladies in the next 4 years after Vancouver must not have been very good for the US for her to make the team again.

Maybe it was just wishful thinking then, that RF would be part of "the future." Now that I think of it, RF's best season was probably 2009, even though she somehow won nats in 2010.

About RF's Firebird program - the skating was obviously bad, but this is how I feel about the aesthetics. It is probably one of her most mature programs ever. I'm so glad she ditched the "Americana" music. Even though it was a splatfest, I didn't cringe while watching it like every other program she's done. And the dress, also one of her best ever. RF actually doesn't look as "heavy" as she has as of late, and I think it's due to the arms of her dress being flesh-colored - it makes her whole torso look longer, and this is the style she should have worn all along.

The hair, though - yikes! Ok, it's shorter, but it does have sort of an ok Hayden Panettiere thing going on, instead of it being floppy all over the place. Still though - she looks her best while wearing a bun. It's going to be a LONG time before that grows out, though!

 

[kwanatic]

About RF's Firebird program - the skating was obviously bad, but this is how I feel about the aesthetics. It is probably one of her most mature programs ever. I'm so glad she ditched the "Americana" music. Even though it was a splatfest, I didn't cringe while watching it like every other program she's done. And the dress, also one of her best ever. RF actually doesn't look as "heavy" as she has as of late, and I think it's due to the arms of her dress being flesh-colored - it makes her whole torso look longer, and this is the style she should have worn all along.

The hair, though - yikes! Ok, it's shorter, but it does have sort of an ok Hayden Panettiere thing going on, instead of it being floppy all over the place. Still though - she looks her best while wearing a bun. It's going to be a LONG time before that grows out, though!

To me, she looks heavier than she did last year, mainly in her chest. Her bust size seems to have grown (which is great in everyday wear) but it gives her an even more rounded appearance. I think the dress is pretty, but again, primary colors: she has a red costume every single year. My sister (who doesn't watch skating) watched the ladies LP with me and her remark when she saw Rachael was "Oh, she's looks heavy. That dress is not doing her any favors."

I think the dress is lovely, but it doesn't help her appearance on the ice. She needs something with sleeves and a rounded or square neckline...not a dress that highlights the widest part of her body. And I get that it's "Firebird" which tends to demand a fiery looking dress, but she could have gone with a black dress, with red, orange and yellow elements instead of all red...again. Black and darker colors are slimming...she doesn't seem to get that. And all of that flesh colored material does nothing to help the appearance of her short neck and rounded face; it just looks like too much skin which works on a someone with a smaller chest and shoulders, but not for Rachael...at least IMO.

I'm glad she slicked her hair back; I was not a fan of the windswept look. It does make her rounded face stand out more but I think some small earrings or something might help a bit...oh and lose the extended eyeliner look. I think a bun or something is her best look. I actually didn't mind the bump-it look; it added more dimension to her face. But like you said, there's nothing she can do about that until her hair grows out. I would think it would have grown out more than that since she cut it. I'm assuming she's continuing to cut it to keep the style...

 

[Mao88]

Elizaveta Tuktamysheva's exhibition performance:-

Elizaveta Tuktamysheva - Skate Canada 2011 - Exhibition

 

[Art&Sport]

Thanks kwanatic, for the review and the link!

 

[crazydreamer]

Elisaveta has everything except grace. Her hands/wrists look terrible when she skates.

Rachael needs to quit skating tomorrow. Why does she keep accepting US spots in competitions when she is clearly not ready? That seems extraordinarily selfish.

Ashley and Akiko both did wonderful. It's nice to see them finally getting some of the credit they deserve internationally.

 

[ILoveFigures]

I have never understood the hype about Nagasu and Flatt, and after this I probably never will.

Great improvements by Ashley. Maybe John Nicks is the right coach for her, we'll have to wait and see.

I wish Suzuki and Leonova could challenge themselves more with harder choreography. They both have the potential to do so, and I don't think they will get to the top spot if they don't.

Congratulations to Elizaveta! Solid jumps, and she seems to have nerves of steel. I cannot believe she is just 14 years old!

And I must comment on the judging, as I think the judges did a great job in this competiton. =)

 

[Olympia]

I finally got to see the ladies' long program on TV. Oh, dear, Rachael. She looks so slow and unpracticed. I remember when Debi Thomas was dividing her time between studying and skating, and she was never that unprepared. What gives?

I know that Rachael's body type works against her, but if her skating were up to par, we wouldn't notice. Midori Ito was stocky and short-limbed, and we couldn't take our eyes off her nonetheless. Come to that, Jayne Torvill had short limbs and an "everyday" sort of face and figure, not glamorous in the least, and she remains one of history's great ice dancers. I feel terrible about Rachael; it's tough watching someone just not measure up.

Ashley--looking good! She did a solid job, though as the commentators (I think they were Lipinski and Michael Weiss, doing very well indeed) pointed out that she needs a higher difficulty level to compete with the world.

Akiko Suzuki--what a charmer! I'm so delighted with the good season she's having.

Liza T.--my first viewing of her, and she certainly is impressive. Though I'm rooting for Mao Asada for the next Olympics, if this girl fulfills her potential, I would watch with a thrill.

 

[Binthere]

Watching the senior of E. Tuk. reminded me of many other times where brilliant jumpers burst onto the scene. In my own time, it was Elaine Zayak. While they are very different obviously, there are certain parallels that make sense to me. The whole disproportionately developed technical aspect. There is great potential for style to come with time in the case of Tuk in my opinion. Will see whether this is attended to as deliberately as her training of such brilliant and facile jumps.

Nerves of steel? If I recall, she has had her moments, such as her JGP debut short programs which tended to put her oddly behind weaker technical skaters, though this did not tend to matter much since she could triple-triple them all away and subsequently blow past them in the Free skate/final results. Now as a senior, skating well from a lead position is impressive. Will be many more tests of her mental strength in the 24 months ahead for sure.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

Tuktamisheva is good, and I like watching her to a point, but I can't get that excited about her yet. Something just seems bland about her. I enjoyed Akiko's FS way more.

The thing is though, her jumping tricks make her a good competitor, but as an "artist", she's just not there. All her movements on the ice do not bring anything that resembles a good solo skater. Those arms are boring and there is nothing she shows is of any form of dance.I do not think she will improve much in the future. Leonova has more to offer, and I havent seen Sotnikova yet whom I think is the best of the Russian new ladies in Seniors.

I agree Akiko had skated remarably well and perhaps the best of all the all the ladies in this competition.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

1. Elizaveta Tuktamysheva - 117.81 (FS) - 177.38 Total

2. Akiko Suzuki - 119.44 (FS) - 172.26 Total

3. Ashley Wagner - 110.98 (FS) - 165.48 Total

4. Alena Leonova - 102.47 (FS) - 152.22 Total

5. Mirai Nagasu - 98.99 (FS) - 151.72 Total

6. Amelie Lacoste - 95.80 (FS) - 146.40 Total

7. Cynthia Phaneuf - 92.00 (FS) - 140.70 Total

8. Sarah Hecken - 86.21 (FS) - 130.71 Total

9. Adriana DeSanctis - 82.34 (FS) - 129.48 Total

10. Rachael Flatt - 73.99 (FS) - 128.22 Total

Absolutely fantastic skate from Liza. What a grand prix debut!!

I think in these competitions, a Bronze and a Gold is an iffy for getting into Finals. Two silvers are iffy. I think that only 2 Golds or a Gold and Silver will make the Finals. I believe Czisny and Kostner have already earned their places in Finals. (Six to go) Can you predict them?

 

[Olympia]

Good to see you back, Joe, and Nadine also.

Predict? Eeek! I have hopes for Mao, of course. Has Suzuki made it in? I sure want her to.

 

[Dragonlady]

Yes, Suzuki is in. This bodes well for her chances to make the Japanese Worlds team. If she skates as consistently as she has in her GP assignments and earns a medal of any colour, she automatically makes the Worlds team.

Akiko's LP was THE highlight of the Ladies' LP's at Skate Canada. Elizaveta was perfect but her program does her no favours and she is still a bit coltish and immature in her presentation. Suzuki sparkled!