By the way, Kimmie's jumps look to be in questionable shape. They looked better than at GPF in the practice video, but in the SP her jumps were all really low, so it was no surprise that she fell once. If she jumps this low in the LP, then she's at risk of falling or getting down-graded.
Senior Ladies SP
- Thread starter Tinymavy15
- Start date
There are a lot of news articles already. Apparently Caroline's 3T and 3Lz were both downgraded. The 3Lz didn't look UR to me when I was watching it -- and I don't remember other people mentioning anything about it. In fact, I thought it was her strongest jump in the whole SP. Even the flutz wasn't as obvious as usual. I think it's as Nancy commented, once you get a reputation for under-rotation, tech panels look scrutinize all your jumps harder...
Kimmie's jumps have always looked kinda low to me. I hope she can skate a decent long program so that everyone doesn't write her off completely. I feel bad that people are calling her too old. She just turned 18 a few months ago. There's plenty of skaters who are competing at the Senior International level who are 18 or older. I just feel bad that people are essentially calling her washed up.
Skate well, Kimmie.
Ashley seems really consistent. Good for her to nail that 3-3 tonight. She could easily be our top finisher at Worlds, although that's a pretty scary thought. lol. I like Mirai better than Caroline, definitely. Rachael doesn't do much for me, either, so Mirai's definitely my favorite out of this newest crop. I love that she has a triple triple now and I think she has more of the total package than Caroline.
I expect Caroline to skate better in the long (pressure's off now and she can relax). I think the nerves will probably hit Mirai a little. I actually think Ashley might win this, but I hope Kimmie can get on the podium.
Skate well, Kimmie.
Ashley seems really consistent. Good for her to nail that 3-3 tonight. She could easily be our top finisher at Worlds, although that's a pretty scary thought. lol. I like Mirai better than Caroline, definitely. Rachael doesn't do much for me, either, so Mirai's definitely my favorite out of this newest crop. I love that she has a triple triple now and I think she has more of the total package than Caroline.
I expect Caroline to skate better in the long (pressure's off now and she can relax). I think the nerves will probably hit Mirai a little. I actually think Ashley might win this, but I hope Kimmie can get on the podium.
A flutz is a flutz though. Still have to take -1 even if she's hiding it better.
- Joined
- Mar 31, 2004
My Thoughts
I actually think this evening's sp sets up a fabulous free skate.
Kimmie may have fallen, but she's a stronger fighter than defender. So I think this will allow her to have a stronger free skate. The same can be applied to Bebe as well. Bebe normally skates well in the short and falls in the long. Bebe's short was less than her normal stellar, so just maybe the free skate will be good. And if it is strong enough, she could potentially make the world team finally! (I hope)
As for the new ladies......
I was thrilled for all three. I love to watch Mirai. It's been a while since I felt the US had a solid overall skater, and Mirai seems to be the first girl besides Michelle who has everything to bring to the table. I will be so excited if she can stay on the podium. She deserves it and regardless of the free she has shown that she is her own force in the competitive field, not the trail behind Caroline Zhang. Caroline's jumping technique that I spotted when the hype began seems to finally be catching up to her. She's beautiful to watch, but like Sasha (imo) her actual basic skating is nowhere near as strong as Kimmie and Mirai's. I hope Caroline takes the off season to really focus on her edges and jumps. I also thought Rachael and Ashley had great skates. Ashley reminds me a little of Sarah Hughes in a sense. She isn't always the winner, but I could see her coming through under the pressure and stealing the prize from the favourites. And I'm thrilled the top three ladies all had triple triple combos. Who says the american women can't compete with the Japanese ladies technically? Obviously we are on the right track!
I actually think this evening's sp sets up a fabulous free skate.
Kimmie may have fallen, but she's a stronger fighter than defender. So I think this will allow her to have a stronger free skate. The same can be applied to Bebe as well. Bebe normally skates well in the short and falls in the long. Bebe's short was less than her normal stellar, so just maybe the free skate will be good. And if it is strong enough, she could potentially make the world team finally! (I hope)
As for the new ladies......
I was thrilled for all three. I love to watch Mirai. It's been a while since I felt the US had a solid overall skater, and Mirai seems to be the first girl besides Michelle who has everything to bring to the table. I will be so excited if she can stay on the podium. She deserves it and regardless of the free she has shown that she is her own force in the competitive field, not the trail behind Caroline Zhang. Caroline's jumping technique that I spotted when the hype began seems to finally be catching up to her. She's beautiful to watch, but like Sasha (imo) her actual basic skating is nowhere near as strong as Kimmie and Mirai's. I hope Caroline takes the off season to really focus on her edges and jumps. I also thought Rachael and Ashley had great skates. Ashley reminds me a little of Sarah Hughes in a sense. She isn't always the winner, but I could see her coming through under the pressure and stealing the prize from the favourites. And I'm thrilled the top three ladies all had triple triple combos. Who says the american women can't compete with the Japanese ladies technically? Obviously we are on the right track!
- Joined
- Nov 16, 2005
Is Hacker old enough to go to worlds?
- Joined
- Nov 8, 2007
I just saw the integral sp, and I was pleasantly surprised!
Yay for Mirai! I always thought she was a much better overall skater than Caroline and she showed it tonight!
however, the marks were Veery inflated, but hey...it's us nationals, so it's kind of normal. Unfortunately this didn't apply to Caroline, who, in my opinion, was one of the few who received a very strict judgment...why is that?? When instead kimmie's performance was wayyy overmarked...just one point below her gp final short were she landed everything....
It will be interesting to see if today the european girls fight back on the same level, but it's going to be hard!
I just hope the free skate will not put too much pressure on the girls, given the unexpected rankings, and it doesn't become a splatfest....
Yay for Mirai! I always thought she was a much better overall skater than Caroline and she showed it tonight!
however, the marks were Veery inflated, but hey...it's us nationals, so it's kind of normal. Unfortunately this didn't apply to Caroline, who, in my opinion, was one of the few who received a very strict judgment...why is that?? When instead kimmie's performance was wayyy overmarked...just one point below her gp final short were she landed everything....
It will be interesting to see if today the european girls fight back on the same level, but it's going to be hard!
I just hope the free skate will not put too much pressure on the girls, given the unexpected rankings, and it doesn't become a splatfest....
- Joined
- Jun 21, 2003
Yes. According to Lucy's post above, Hacker is 17.
Your name is Mirai?
BTW, since everyone did so much better after the last resurfacing, do you think that maybe the ice wasn't so good for the first two flights?
- Joined
- Oct 27, 2006
Wow surprising results in the short program. I didn't get to see it so thanks to everyone that gave these great updates. Out of the top three, only one could to go worlds if I am correct. This doesn't bode well for the US!!
- Joined
- Jan 23, 2004
Congrats to Mirai. What a performance, she deserves to be in first place. On a personal level I like Ashley's SP better. Mirai, Ashley and Rachel very impressive and talented skaters, they really shined last night. Oh and Lucy Hacker sitting in fifth was not to shabby either.
Has anyone considered that the younger skaters all know they have to peak now. They aren't going to Worlds under any circumstances. The older skaters have it a bit rougher. Kimmie is most likely going to Worlds. Since she still has to prove that she can deliver again internationally, she would have to plan on peaking then. That is a disadvantage for her. Doesn't that make a bit of a difference?
I must admit this is the strangest nationals that I've ever seen! It is exciting.
I must admit this is the strangest nationals that I've ever seen! It is exciting.
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- Joined
- Nov 10, 2007
Caroline will come back with a strong LP
She is only 14 and has already delivered very solid records (her JGP and JW gold medals and her debut at GP and GP final). She needs time to grow more in her skating. I just felt very strange that judges seem to be unfairly more strict with her than other skaters. Especially at Skate America and this short program.
Good luch Caroline on your free skate tomorrow! Just relax and have a great skate!
You don't have to prove anything to anyone since your steller record already earned you a proof
She is only 14 and has already delivered very solid records (her JGP and JW gold medals and her debut at GP and GP final). She needs time to grow more in her skating. I just felt very strange that judges seem to be unfairly more strict with her than other skaters. Especially at Skate America and this short program.Good luch Caroline on your free skate tomorrow! Just relax and have a great skate!
You don't have to prove anything to anyone since your steller record already earned you a proofCaroline will come back with a strong LP
Good luch Caroline on your free skate tomorrow! Just relax and have a great skate!
Fair or unfair, this event proves that Caroline might be at disadvantage compared to Mirai, at least in tech department. I doubt Caroline would've been given 70+ even if she was clean. Nonetheless, Caroline has the most impressive international record this year, and no one can take that away from her!
- Joined
- Dec 28, 2006
this is crazy about her score. is she in 6th or 7th. poor girl must be going crazy. Who knew that Bebe would beat her? I guess the pressure was too high after her great season, esp at the GPF... so mnay expected her to win the title.
I would LOVE to see bebe lande her 3/3 (yes she has been practcing a 3flip/3toe). a perfect program... i that would make my year.
this is the strangest ladies SP at nationals in a long time. Right now... i have no predictions for the free.... anything could happen.
Actually, by less of a flutz, I meant she would probably get closer to -1.6 than -2 GOE. But to be downgraded! I watched the video again, and it still doesn't look under-rotated to me. It looks better than the 3F in the combo. That downgrade probably cost her 4 points... But that could only bring her a bit closer to Kimmie, who's 4 points ahead, and still very far from Mirai, who's 17 (!) ahead!
Yesterday, USFSA was saying that Mirai's score was the 2nd highest SP score achieved at US National's, today it's saying that it's the highest ever. That was a stellar 3Lz-3T she pulled out, though. Actually, all the jumps, spirals, and spins were great (the only minor thing I'd nit-pick is her free-leg position on the layback, that's my little pet peeve
). She definitely deserved 1st. It was just a total surprise how far ahead she managed to pull away in the SP! Who said competitions are not won or lost in the SP? I wonder if Caroline is a little burned out by her first senior season. Maybe that's why her team wasn't even sure that she wanted to do JW if selected -- that means she wanted to end her season after this week. Her GP results are good enough that she will get two GP's again next year, and she'll get a bye to National's. Her world ranking may take a hit without an ISU championship but that ranking doesn't mean too much right now.
I'm a little concerned with how much she seems to be training: 7 days a week, 5 hours a day. That seems way too much! She'd be better off spending some of that time on strength training, and running or some other aerobic exercise.
ETA: I also hope that she goes back to regular high school in the spring semester if she is ending her season now. She can go back to on-line courses next fall when she'll need the flexibility for traveling and training again. She's a very sociable girl and seems to like school and thrive in that kind of an environment. It feels like a shame to deprive her of the high school experience. Oh, but wait, high school isn't like college, courses are year-long, not semester-long, right? Oops.
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- Joined
- Dec 29, 2004
Yes. According to Lucy's post above, Hacker is 17.Your name is Mirai?
BTW, since everyone did so much better after the last resurfacing, do you think that maybe the ice wasn't so good for the first two flights?
Technically my name is Rai but when my son was little he didn't call me Mommy but "My Rai" - so she's just always had a special place in my affections... but she just has ooddles & oodles of talent. Long term, full package, strong basic skating talent along with star quality... Kinda reminds me of
another skater whose name is incorporated with my on-line persona...
I can't wait until tomorrow night!!!
- Joined
- Feb 12, 2007
Caroline & Mirai
I love Caroline's extension and flexibility. Her spins and spirals are wonderful. Very graceful with her arms. But her jumps are something else..vaulting leg looks awkward. A number of people have already mentioned lack of height and underrotation. She also lacks speed. Watching her straightline footwork made me want to reach into the screen and give her a push to help her speed up. In her 7-day week training regimen, how much time is spent on jumps and increasing speed? How does one work on increasing speed? Also, the flamenco-style music just naturally requires speed and snap to really sell the program.
Now Mirai though maybe not as mature presentation-wise, showed exuberance in her presentation. Fast, clean, just as good in her spins, more height in jumps. Stretch too. She was right there with the music. I guess the judges simply saw the total package in her. And I agree with them. I now look forward to seeing her mature more, be more creative with music and choreography and not lose those jumps. I may just like her more than Caroline.
I love Caroline's extension and flexibility. Her spins and spirals are wonderful. Very graceful with her arms. But her jumps are something else..vaulting leg looks awkward. A number of people have already mentioned lack of height and underrotation. She also lacks speed. Watching her straightline footwork made me want to reach into the screen and give her a push to help her speed up. In her 7-day week training regimen, how much time is spent on jumps and increasing speed? How does one work on increasing speed? Also, the flamenco-style music just naturally requires speed and snap to really sell the program.
Now Mirai though maybe not as mature presentation-wise, showed exuberance in her presentation. Fast, clean, just as good in her spins, more height in jumps. Stretch too. She was right there with the music. I guess the judges simply saw the total package in her. And I agree with them. I now look forward to seeing her mature more, be more creative with music and choreography and not lose those jumps. I may just like her more than Caroline.
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