2015 NHK Ladies Short Program

[sweetskates1]

MIRAI!!!!!!!!!!
:luv17::luv17::luv17:

 

[Leonardo]

Yesssssss at Satoko delivering. So many ppl write her off bc of her jumps.

Mao, Mao, Mao. Sigh. Still hot and cold. I really thought she had ladies skating in the bag when she returned, but it doesn't look like that.

Exactly. I don't know what's wrong with her :noshake: But anyway, figure skating needs Mao so much more than Mao needs figure skating. She won so many times and doesn't have anything to prove to anyone, so trying this insanely difficult layout is actually a great ultimate challenge. In the end she could prove many doubters wrong with a clean lutz (she did it in competition practices many times) and good 3f-3lo combinations. Her 3A is already much better.

 

[yuki]

Hmm, I seem to recall plenty of indignation about Gracie's triple flip edge!

People were discussing it, but it was mostly in good fun, including the slo-mo video.
With Mao it's usually endless complaining and nitpicking about everything she does (or threads about how her flutz is the scourge of ladies' skating.)
It's the negativity that is off-putting, not the discussion in itself.

 

[Leonardo]

People were discussing it, but it was mostly in good fun, including the slo-mo video.
With Mao it's usually endless complaining and nitpicking about everything she does (or threads about how her flutz is the scourge of ladies' skating.)
It's the negativity that is off-putting, not the discussion in itself.

People were already complaining about the the scores for the LP, she didn't even skate yet.

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

For a while, I thought Japan was one of the most fairly scored countries with the less grievous home inflation.

Not today.

Both Satoko and Mao received generous tech calls on their second half of their 3-3's. :disapp:

 

[rosacotton]

The Japanese commentator is keep saying Satoko's programme is flamenco. I heard it is Riverdance. I'm confused

Sato's flamenco Firedance is an actual number from the Irish dance show Riverdance. I find it neat that both Sato and Hongo are skating to music from it.

 

[Ophelia]

Exactly. I don't know what's wrong with her :noshake: But anyway, figure skating needs Mao so much more than Mao needs figure skating. She won so many times and doesn't have anything to prove to anyone, so trying this insanely difficult layout is actually a great ultimate challenge. In the end she could prove many doubters wrong with a clean lutz (she did it in competition practices many times) and good 3f-3lo combinations. Her 3A is already much better.

She wants the OGM.

 

[Tolstoj]

In my opinion Zijun Li's performance is better than Courtney Hicks: i don't understand why her scores are always that low.

 

[Ophelia]

Anna Pogorilaya has a lot of potential, but I don't think she'll ever unlock her full potential, or anywhere close to her full potential, with her coaching situation. She needs to work on so many basic aspects of her skating.

- Jumps: how to fall gracefully. I'm surprised she doesn't incur heavy injuries with those kinds of falls. Is she falling like that in practice too?
- Speed: she reminds me of a young Carolina Kostner at NHK where she's hurtling across ice and into her jumps with no control
- Spins: improved, but still noticeably subpar
- Lines: Her lines are really really unattractive. I don't know where she learned her poor basic from

Shame because she has elements of the entire package there, but she needs a better coach or she'll be done by end of this season.

 

[Watermelondrea]

lol you need to calm down, it's not as if they scored a 67 point SP with a fall (*ahem* Medvedeva)

The way the mechanics of a loop jump work forces there to be inherent prerotation, and this effect is absolutely magnified when you're attaching a loop as a backend jump to a combination. Mao's triple-triple was fine and landed absolutely backwards.

That short program score for Medvedeva was justifiable, having all the jumps in the second half definitely gives you a cushion, so does having the best spins in the ladies field, at least having some of the best spins. Also, on the PCS side, the fact that she was able to add the triple toe to the loop without any hesitation is so impressive, so it wouldn't have affected the actual PCS. I don't know why you all are thinking that it's the end of the world when clearly that was a well deserved score.

 

[HanDomi]

What is going on with Anna :eeking:

 

[Jaana]

Satoko was wonderful!!! Poor Anna, all three falls looked extremely painful. Is it her nerves? She did not look happy even before her skate, IMO.

 

[wonderlen3000]

Wagner's PCS Ranges from low 8 to high 8
Miyahara's PCS ranges from low 6 to high 8. Got lower SS and Transitions even though she is better than Wagner
Asada's PCS ranges from low 7 to low 9. They gave her high 7 on transitions which i believe is just right. the first part of her program is pretty much empty.

Satoko was always underscore on PCS. The only thing holding her back is the big jumps, bc other than that she pretty much hit everything.

 

[samson]

Well this was an interesting sp. Very few clean or even close to clean skates.

I thought Mirai's toe was unquestionably clean, but still it was by far the best it's ever looked. Was anyone was perplexed by the goe on her loop? I thought it would have been higher. It was clean and I thought it had great height, great flow and extension going out and definitely steps going in but only a +.3. Two judges gave her a minus 1 and two gave her a plus 2. Definitely a spread. I wonder if anyone could analyze why that would be?

Still it was great to see her go after it. She looks like she's in a good place right now so I'm a happy fan!

 

[mrrice]

I hope people don't get offended by what I'm going to say but, Courtney Hick reminds me of Tonya Harding during the 1991-1992 season. Very powerful jumps and though she's not the most flexible skater. She's a great performer.

 

[Alex D]

Sending positive vibes for Kaetlyn and Anna

 

[Olympic]

Looking forward - My predictions -

1. Asada
2. Miyahara
3. Wagner

Asada will come back in the LP. Wagner might even beat Miyahara in the LP, but Miyahara will do enough to stay second probably due to the SP buffer.

As for the others: Hicks is usually a hot mess in the LP, and Zijun Li usually runs out of gas. Plus, I love and hope for the best when it comes to Mirai, but she gets dinged too often on the jumps even if they appear nice and clean. With regard to Pogo, it will be either a total mess or she will skate with nothing to lose. It won't be enough to get her in the Final, I don't think.

 

[kwankwan]

poor mirai. she skates her best, and it's underscored.

 

[mrrice]

Good Morning Everyone, I have a question for you. Most of you know that I was dancer before I skated and when I watch Mirai, I can't help but think she may have danced or done gymnastics before or during her skating career. She reminds me of me. In my case, there was no such thing as a camera or anything other than a judge who basically dinged you if you fell and that's about it. So, has Mirai ever danced or done gymnastics at a high level?

Mirai still has beautiful spins and one of the best Ina Bauer's of all time. I'm not always shocked when she looses to Ashley but, today, I'm completely shocked. I hope she can lay down a strong LP if for no other reason than a boost of confidence as this is her only GP event.

 

[Imagine]

Mirai got robbed...hope Mao has a good FS. I can't even comment on Anna...