Ladies Short Program

[Mrs. P]

It is so sad skaters like Carolina always get higher scores for mediocre performance.

I don't think it was medicore. Besides the 3L mistake, it was a strong program packed full of speed and transitions. As I said earlier, I felt Mirai was clean, but she was tentative and that was reflected just slightly in the PCS scores.

Though I could see BOP's point that Carolina could have done without some of the +GOE.

 

[Mrs. P]

Sigh about Adelina..but she will come back strong I m sure, although from the russia cup her lp was not as strong as her sp, i dont know if the music fits her. But she grew up a lot, and thats good.
Kanako grew a lot too, very different than last year but her jumps are ouch..
Mirai was great
Carolina has the best sp of the season for me so far, love the music, her choreo, everything. Does a hand down on the jump get a deduction like a fall?

Nope, just negative GOE.

 

[christinaskater]

Mirai was the best for the night!

But Carolina is the main star and the world bronze medalist. There would always be the Superstar billing that helps

 

[lavender]

Mirai should be skating Rachael's FIREBIRD!!!!!!!!!!!

ITA...I can't believe I finally like a Rachel long program but I would love it on Mirai

 

[museksk8r]

Mirai got an edge call on her lutz, and lost a level on the step sequence. Considering the difference in skating skills and the program each of them has, I think the PCS gap is fair.

Yes, and on top of that I still feel she skates with very little personality and it's like she just ignores the music and skates right through it. Her choreography and musical interpretation in comparison to Carolina's leaves A LOT to be desired. There's nothing unique or original about her SP either. Kostner's is different and special. Nagasu is behind Kostner, where she belongs, IMO.

 

[fairly4]

no, mirai-finally attacked and skated for it.
carolina kostner skated like a dream .
adelina was a bit nervous.

 

[burntBREAD]

This Shostakovich trio Carolina uses is by no means pretty tinkly music.

"Shostakovich's Trio No. 2 is a grim masterpiece, a disguised tribute to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust written during World War II and actually using Jewish folk themes."

Shostakovich was well-known for imbuing his music with his criticisms of the government and was actually arrested several times.

I love Carolina's SP, it is not a typical ladies' SP at all.

 

[skatinginbc]

Carolina has the best sp of the season for me so far, love the music, her choreo, everything.

Agree.

 

[Jammers]

Mirai looked much better today then last week but i still think she's not in the best shape. She doesn't have the speed she should have. Now i hope she skates the LP with freedom and doesn't worry about her placement. A good skate and she will medal easily. But i'm not holding my breathe.

 

[Spun Silver]

I'm just starting to watch the vids and was surprised by Sotnikova. She wasn't moving across the ice well, IMO - she looked heavy and awkward. Not in her weight but rather speed. Anyone else notice that? Maybe it's jet lag? the program? illness?

 

[Jammers]

It's her first time on the big stage against the big girls now which is much different then skating against Juniors who she was so much better then. This is a good experience for her. She knows she can't skate mediocre and still win unlike in Juniors. Plus with everyone saying she's going to be the next Olympic champion that's a lot of pressure for a 15 year old. Let her bomb now its over two years before Sochi. The key is to peak in 2014.

 

[Mirunna]

I'm just starting to watch the vids and was surprised by Sotnikova. She wasn't moving across the ice well, IMO - she looked heavy and awkward. Not in her weight but rather speed. Anyone else notice that? Maybe it's jet lag? the program? illness?

I think it was due to nerves. She looked mortified the moment she took the ice. She fought the way through the program but she was obviously affected by the fall. That's quite normal for a 15 year old.

 

[FlattFan]

If you were Mirai, seeing Caro's programs, don't you want to go and punch the hell out of Lori?

Wouldn't it be awesome if something like this happened?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVUj39TvFOg

 

[seniorita]

Yes Nichol gives the best programs to Carolina I think.
Adelina looked to me not heavy but comparing to her Danube program last year that her posture was graceful and all, this time her back is hatched or she looks more clumpsy I dunno. Maybe she is not used to her new body, she seems to have grown a lot but thats good so that it can get off her way soon enough. Still her program was refreshing, my fav after Carolinas.

It's her first time on the big stage against the big girls now which is much different then skating against Juniors who she was so much better then. This is a good experience for her. She knows she can't skate mediocre and still win unlike in Juniors. Plus with everyone saying she's going to be the next Olympic champion that's a lot of pressure for a 15 year old. Let her bomb now its over two years before Sochi. The key is to peak in 2014.

Weren't you the one who was commenting on Liza being immature and tiny, juniorish and all that jazz, all across the skating boards? I think it was her first time too.

 

[Mirunna]

It was Liza's first time on the GP too, but especially after Liza's performance, Adelina, as the current russian national champion probably felt she needed to do at least as well as Liza, so the pressure must have been bigger. The british eurosport guys said she landed perfectly 3Lz-3L in the practice, so she was just nervous.
I always appreciated the fact that Liza never shows when or if she is nervous. I read an interview with her mother who said that when Liza went to the airport for Skate Canada, she was shaking and feeling very nervous, but she never showed that on the ice. I don't know how Mishin does that with his skaters, but he's good, you have to give him credit for that. Adelina, even when she is at her best, never showed this amount of confidence and spark. Half of the time it feels like she just wants to end the program and her face at the end shows relief. And that's a shame, because on her exhibitions she is fabulous, skates like a champion.

 

[FlattFan]

Adelina's always been a flutzer. She wasn't called once last season for some strange reason. I'm glad she's finally nailed for this.

 

[museksk8r]

If you were Mirai, seeing Caro's programs, don't you want to go and punch the hell out of Lori?

No, I don't believe Nagasu could skate to Kostner's programs and handle that level of choreography and musical interpretation. Clearly, Nichol feels the same way. Mirai lacks Caro's maturity and sophistication; she wouldn't be able to pull off her programs effectively at all. She looks like she's sleepwalking through her own programs most of the time.

 

[Mrs. P]

Adelina's always been a flutzer. She wasn't called once last season for some strange reason. I'm glad she's finally nailed for this.

Seems the tech specialists have been more strict this year. The people who are known flutzers (Mirai, Christina, Adelina, Kanako, Ashley and Akiko) have been called on it this year already/

 

[Jammers]

I still don't get what's so great about Kostner. Seems like she's always been the judge's pet. Just look at Worlds 2008 when she almost won with a horrible LP.

 

[FlattFan]

No, I don't believe Nagasu could skate to Kostner's programs and handle that level of choreography and musical interpretation. Clearly, Nichol feels the same way. Mirai lacks Caro's maturity and sophistication; she wouldn't be able to pull off her programs effectively at all. She looks like she's sleepwalking through her own programs most of the time.

Clearly, it makes perfect sense to pay for something vastly inferior. I don't care if Nagasu can skate with Kostner's choreography and musical interpretation. She doesn't have anything to work with with her crap programs. Sometime, you need to be inspired.

If you walk into a Roberto Cavalli store with Kostner, both of you hand $5000 over to Roberto. He gives Kostner a runway gown and gives you a tee shirt and cut off shorts because he feels you don't have what it take to pull off the gown. I don't know about you, but I'd give Roberto a few back hands.

Seems the tech specialists have been more strict this year. The people who are known flutzers (Mirai, Christina, Adelina, Kanako, Ashley and Akiko) have been called on it this year already/

Christina, Kanako, and Ashley were always called. Mirai is tricky. She was called for it in the 2009-2010 season. In 2010-2011, she was called for the lip. This season, she's back to flutzing. No idea what's going on. Maybe she's the new Yukari.
Akiko is one of those who get called from time to time. She doesn't have the cleanest and deepest outside edge on her lutz.