Polina Edmunds World Championship prospects post 4CC.

[Junstella]

Her problem is to stand out. She has average jumps, average speed, (slightly below) average spins, average look, average performance ability and very average packaging. I could doze off during a clean LP of hers. I don't really see why she scored 2 points higher in PCS than Zijun, whose performance was at the very least lyrical. Back at CoC when Polina skated in the first group both programs she didn't particularly stand out as someone who was much better than the other girls in the first group. It was quite surprising to me.

In some ways I think Polina probably grew up a nice happy kid without worries. She is a blank piece of paper. I don't know how things will turn out for her, but a little unique personality will be nice, preferably before puberty really fills her out since as tall as she is, there is very little leeway.

...Let's say Zijun's PCS was way underscored and Polina's was just appropriate.
If Polina is mediocre in every aspects, who do you think is better than average nowadays ladies then?
Elena? Ashley? Tuk? Alright then it's convincing, but they were not in 4cc you know....

 

[Globetrotter]

She put out two clean skates at 4CC 2015. She landed all her planned jumps while others didn't, so she deserved the win here. She is just 16. The Russian girls are also just in the teens with Tuks being the grand dame at 18. I am sure they are mostly awkward and gangly and it is not realistic to expect everyone to develop the mature style of Kwan or the natural flamboyance and beauty of Cohen. Even Maria Butyrskaya only developed into the mature, feminine lady skater when she reached her 20's and that was when her presentation scores went up. I say let Polina grow up in her own time and I believe the improvement in the artistic and personal style aspect will come.

Style and presentation though are subjective. Some may gear more towards the graceful/musical sort (Kwan, Asada), flamboyance and natural performer (Cohen, Radionova) and others are courtly and mature (Butyrskaya, Yuna Kim, Caro Kostner). Yet you also can have the energetic and powerful sort (Ito, Harding, Slutskaya). There is different styles and you may or may not like each sort but as long as the skater develops their own unique presentation and they are comfortable in it, I think this is fine. I just don't want to see cases of say Slutskaya forced into the balletic style (which she obviously isn't) or Kwan being turned into a high jumping uber flexible spinner sort when they are not comfortable.

 

[hippomoomin]

This whole Polina debate is going crazy, probably because suddenly she is the unexpected 4CC champion.

I like her competitive nerve, and she does have strong technical content. To be fair, I don't understand so many folks think simple dress= maturity. I admire Kwan, but when I look back some of her old videos, these dresses look like a slip gown from the underwear department. Embellishment does not equal unsophisticated taste, unless they are made of plastic flower or something. Most of the times when a skater comes out with a uber simple costume, I would think this skater probably cannot afford a more elaborate one.

However I don't like the way Polina do her steps: she always have some busy small running type of steps after her jumps, as if she is catching a bus. Her arms are a little too fluffy. But with her nerve and technical capacity, I can only see her getting better over the years.

 

[starlight97]

Her problem is to stand out. She has average jumps, average speed, (slightly below) average spins, average look, average performance ability and very average packaging. I could doze off during a clean LP of hers.

This is exactly my opinion as well.
No one says she's a bad skater, she can do all the tricks, though some not as well as others, she isn't failing in a particular aspect.
But in my eyes there is absolutely nothing memorable about her skating so the thing people do remember about her is the juniorish packaging, costume and 'K&C behavior'. Between all the girls who have sth memorable about them, may it be Wagner's fire, Elizaveta's jumps, Elena's powerhouse character, Lipnitskaya's spins and skating style and so on they all come across as unique and have sth to remember. To me and appearantly many others Polina sadly is 'forgettable'.
But this can change next season if her team allows it to happen.

 

[ordinary person]

Oksana rocked her pink dress in 1994 to Gold, now Polina can do the same in 2015!

Ewwww, that's just sooo gross

 

[purpledream]

This is exactly my opinion as well.
No one says she's a bad skater, she can do all the tricks, though some not as well as others, she isn't failing in a particular aspect.
But in my eyes there is absolutely nothing memorable about her skating so the thing people do remember about her is the juniorish packaging, costume and 'K&C behavior'. Between all the girls who have sth memorable about them, may it be Wagner's fire, Elizaveta's jumps, Elena's powerhouse character, Lipnitskaya's spins and skating style and so on they all come across as unique and have sth to remember. To me and appearantly many others Polina sadly is 'forgettable'.
But this can change next season if her team allows it to happen.

Aw man, this illustrated my views prettly well too. I mean this girl is talented. Twizzles like that? Charlie White was impressed let alone myself! But there is a eye opening, 'wow' factor for every skater (sometimes your cup of tea sometimes not) but you can see that special star quality in there, makes it memorable.

With Polina, I'd say not yet. It seems really, not yet. Beautiful music (it reminds me of Lark ascending ) but somehow I can't rmb much of it (other than sparkly moments, lots of arm movements). That's why I feel it's "juniorish" in my opinion, cause it seems even with a championship title, there is just should be somethign WOW, and sensational that Im not getting. Somehow when you compare to fellow 16 year olds, like Yukina Ota when she won her 4cc, Mao/Yuna at their first world championships, there was a beautiful spark, that doesnt go out even with flaws here and there in a program.

But its great that she did good and win a title! Certainly boosts the confidence in both yourself and judges! I wonder if she's going to continue growing... I mean she's only 16 and she's already so tall! O: Or maybe that's cause she's so lanky and thin thats giving me the illusion of her being like 1.7 and counting or something.

 

[LiamForeman]

Yep and beat out Nancy in her prissy white dress.

Kerrigan's dress in 1994 was the sparkly gold dress reportedly worth $16000. The white dress was 1992 and I thought was gorgeous.

 

[yyyskate]

This whole Polina debate is going crazy, probably because suddenly she is the unexpected 4CC champion.

I like her competitive nerve, and she does have strong technical content. To be fair, I don't understand so many folks think simple dress= maturity. I admire Kwan, but when I look back some of her old videos, these dresses look like a slip gown from the underwear department. Embellishment does not equal unsophisticated taste, unless they are made of plastic flower or something. Most of the times when a skater comes out with a uber simple costume, I would think this skater probably cannot afford a more elaborate one.

However I don't like the way Polina do her steps: she always have some busy small running type of steps after her jumps, as if she is catching a bus. Her arms are a little too fluffy. But with her nerve and technical capacity, I can only see her getting better over the years.

hippo, I found that we share lots of opinions regarding strictly skating.

And Pollina, she is quite eye catching during the fancam of gala among all skaters, I didnot expect that before watching that fancam.
her dress, hair style is not the main reason that she looked still gangly. Pink color, beading, embellishment are all okay, just need a bit professional designing touch (just look at Zijun's pink dresses). Polina's skirt is kinda beautiful when she jumps, likes a flower in the air.

Regarding his LP, there is a review post on her fanthread by user Parsifal3363 I quote a part

"...It is a time when the fairies come out. For this one, the garden is hers alone, with no Lost Boys, no Pirates or Indians to disturb her. She flits from flower to mushroom, moss and tree, spinning and leaping in the sheer joy of being in such a place of beauty. It is a dance which glorifies all that she loves..."
That is spot on, this is a perfect program perfectly suited her current skating style, nature and age.

Polina demonstrated in her SP, LP, and EX her range of performance, musicality, and acting potential, compare to Russian girls with similar age, I think she showed equal if not more talent. And of course, she can improve on maturity, running steps, holding moves, deeper edge...aka less gangly.

Also, I am quite neutral towards Polina, but her LP, EX really positively impressed me this time.

EDIT: next season, Polina should go to Zijun's Canadian dress maker. she designed some of my fav dresses.

 

[cruzceleste]

hippo,
Regarding his LP, there is a review post on her fanthread by user Parsifal3363 I quote a part

"...It is a time when the fairies come out. For this one, the garden is hers alone, with no Lost Boys, no Pirates or Indians to disturb her. She flits from flower to mushroom, moss and tree, spinning and leaping in the sheer joy of being in such a place of beauty. It is a dance which glorifies all that she loves..."
That is spot on, this is a perfect program perfectly suited her current skating style, nature and age.

I like this description and fit perfect with the program and the character Polina is playing.

EDIT: next season, Polina should go to Zijun's Canadian dress maker. she designed some of my fav dresses.

Or Akiko Suzuki should give her some points.

Actually every skater in the world should ask Suzuki for advice, girl was always classy and well dressed.

 

[WeakAnkles]

I like this description and fit perfect with the program and the character Polina is playing.


Or Akiko Suzuki should give her some points.

Actually every skater in the world should ask Suzuki for advice, girl was always classy and well dressed.

Or Tessa Virtue's costumer. Now there's a woman who could wear a slip dress.

 

[centerpt1]

I liked her Gala dress, except for the skirt , which was odd is some way.

She's 16-and seemed dressed appropriately. Her choreo seems appropriate for a 16 year old. Is she perfect? No. I do find her memorable-She is my second favorite ladies skater.

I was impressed with her Gala performance.

 

[[email protected]]

Polina's comment: "I do not think the Russians are stronger than us" sparked a big response in the Russian sports.ru board. A typical answer: "Sometimes it's a good idea to think for a change".

To be fair there's also a lot of discussion if Anna has a chance for the bronze and who of the two is more unrefined at this stage, Anna or Polina.

 

[chuckm]

Maybe what's more important right now is who has more confidence at this point: Anna or Polina? We've seen how poorly Anna can skate when her confidence is shaky.

Anna couldn't be happy to place out of the medals at Russian Nationals (4th behind junior Medvedeva, who will move up to the GP next season).

As for replacing Anna with Leonova at Worlds, anyone who's seen Leonova skate her FS this season would know that isn't very likely. Maybe Pogo has had problems with Firebird, but she has higher technical content than Alena has in her FS, and Alena has yet to get through her FS without numerous mistakes. But if there is talk of possibly replacing her, that can't help Anna's confidence.....

 

[cruzceleste]

Polina's comment: "I do not think the Russians are stronger than us" sparked a big response in the Russian sports.ru board. A typical answer: "Sometimes it's a good idea to think for a change".

Are you implying that Polina doesn´t think?

 

[Amei]

Are you implying that Polina doesn´t think?

I believe Sam was just relaying what's being said on another board and considering the results of the Russians this season that is a pretty thoughtless comment to make. The Russian ladies have won pretty much every competition this season and the Americans have won what 1, and it was a competition the Russians couldn't go to.

 

[cruzceleste]

I believe Sam was just relaying what's being said on another board and considering the results of the Russians this season that is a pretty thoughtless comment to make. The Russian ladies have won pretty much every competition this season and the Americans have won what 1, and it was a competition the Russians couldn't go to.

But is not an insult nor direspect, is a confidence stament that even her or Satoko and Hongo who were there in the conference would made.

Now I wonder, If the Americans or Japanese were ruling the skating competitions right now and Elena, Liza or Yulia were to made the same stament how it will be recieved by the Russian public?

 

[andromache]

But is not an insult nor direspect, is a confidence stament that even her or Satoko and Hongo who were there in the conference would made.

Now I wonder, If the Americans or Japanese were ruling the skating competitions right now and Elena, Liza or Yulia were to made the same stament how it will be recieved by the Russian public?

I think it's just a confidence statement, not to be taken too seriously. I'm not sure what sort of question the statement was in response to, and there's probably a better way to respond, but she's only 16, and I'd rather hear her being over-confident than saying "the Americans have no shot against the Russians." Does she actually believe she'll beat the Russians at Worlds? Probably not, but I think that sort of message in an interview would come off as much worse than her over-confidence.

 

[[email protected]]

I personally do not imply anything as I did not post responses on the topic at the sports.ru board. I just say that many people are indignant about Polina's twit and the foundation for that is the current big difference in 4CC and Europe scores of the winners as well as the overall track record this season. And yes, sometimes they are sarcastic.

As for me, the topic itself is charged. I could create a topic: "can a skater X win the coming worlds?" And then answer to myself: "of course, if all the leaders bomb". Polina has good promise - this season she is coping with puberty apparently better than Yulia. But in no scenario can she add 20 - 30 points from 4CC to the worlds to get to the current level of Liza and Elena. It does not mean that the next season will be the same. Elena for sure is at risk. Then the right question would be: "can Polina ever become a world champion?" My answer is: by all means.

 

[cruzceleste]

Polina coments were the following:

“I want to place higher than eighth,” at Worlds in Shanghai in March, Edmunds said, according to U.S. Figure Skating. “But really I want two clean programs. I do have high technical difficulty so I’m hoping that I can skate well and that the judges see the difficulty and the artistry in my skating. Honestly, my goal all the way through the season was to be on the podium. That didn’t happen, but I hope it will at Worlds.”

To make the podium, Edmunds, Gold and U.S. champion Ashley Wagner must break up a talented trio of Russians looking to become the first nation to sweep a Worlds or Olympic women’s podium since 1991. That year, it was Kristi Yamaguchi, Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan.

“I don’t think that the Russians are stronger than any one of us,” Edmunds said, according to U.S. Figure Skating. “We all have the same elements, everyone has different skating styles. If everyone skates clean, that’s when you can nitpick whose style you like more. Otherwise, it’s going to come down to elements and how we perform. But going into Worlds, I’m optimistic that it’s not going to be ‘the Russians are coming.'”

Yes she wants a podium at worlds, but she also knows that the real goal is to skate clean great programs and place higher than 8th.

In the other hand I wouldn´t want any skater saying that they can´t compete againts any other skater, then whats the point?

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

I believe Sam was just relaying what's being said on another board and considering the results of the Russians this season that is a pretty thoughtless comment to make. The Russian ladies have won pretty much every competition this season and the Americans have won what 1, and it was a competition the Russians couldn't go to.

Yeah, but what else is she supposed to say... the Russians are a 1-2 lock, so I'm going to try my best to beat Pogorilaya and Wagner for bronze?

I don't get how it's sparking a controversy to say that you think you/your team can win. More than any other nation the US women have the best chance of taking out one of the Russians off the podium, and she just won an ISU championship, so I don't think it's a particularly brash statement (even if it's obviously not the case).