Belated thoughts on the Top Ladies
Sasha Cohen: We finally get to see Dark Eyes skated full-out. In the past I thought this program would rock if she was "on" and it did. 2axel was a bit squeaky. Great choreography which showcased her dance ability. Sasha's spiral sequence positions could be immortalized in sculpture.
Irina Slutskaya: I thought Irina's program was an excellent vehicle for her and did a fine job of showcasing her strengths. Jumps were better than Cohen's, spins were comparable, spiral sequence was wobbly and nowhere close to Sasha's. The program was basically transitionless, but with Slute it's all about speed and power, not complex choreography. In spite of the vaunted display of horsepower, however, something about the program felt cautious.
Shizuka Arakawa: A strong skate by Shizuka. She doesn't "sell" her program as well as Sasha or Irina and her spins, while good, are not quite on the same level. But in many ways she is the combination of both of their best qualities. Elegant, but with undeniable power. Her edge control is godly. The change-of-edge spiral in the Y position was so unbelievable I thought she was being help up by invisible wires.
Fumie Suguri: Choreographically I thought she was the only lady who matched Sasha. Strong jumps, wonderful MITF and great ice coverage, not so great spin positions. She has a wonderful sense of music and timing and really gets into her performance, whereas Shizuka seems a bit distant. Like Sasha, Fumie strikes me as a dancer first, skater second. Whereas I would say Irina and Shizuka are skaters first.