2015-16 Grand Prix pre-assignments & predictions

[TheGrandSophy]

Oh yes. Especially with all the subtle shade she throws at Ashley and Gracie in her interviews. She has the "just-believe-in-yourself" attitude of an American and the abrasiveness of a Russian. A match made in heaven. Definitely my favorite American in terms of personality.

Lol It shows how people differ. I haven't taken that much notice of Polina outside watching her skate, but in one post I was just put off. That sounds like my nightmare, but you delight in it.

 

[gravy]

Lol It shows how people differ. I haven't taken that much notice of Polina outside watching her skate, but in one post I was just put off. That sounds like my nightmare, but you delight in it.

Heh. She's not like Patrick Chan who outright says someone is over scored (IE, complaining about Joubert at Worlds in 2009), but she's very measured and intelligent. In a teleconference with IN, a reporter asks her whether she would be working on her URs and edge calls on her flips and she said "that's a question for other Americans". And in her interview on TSL, they ask her if she plans on moving her second triple-triple to the 2nd half of the program like Ashley and she says no because hers are "big and beautiful" at the beginning of the program with transitions woven in and out and it would be less impressive if she did it later like Ashley.

She's very confident in herself (which is probably why she usually looks pissed in the K&C when she gets scores that are lower than she wants), but that's something that will take her a long way in the future. If only Gracie or Ashley had that self-confidence on the ice-- they would be killing it on the international scene. It'll be easier to fix Polina's technical problems and packaging (music, costumes, choreography) than it is to teach Gracie and Ashley how to compete and be secure with themselves.

 

[TheGrandSophy]

Oh, confidence can take you far (as long as it doesn't tip over into over-confidence); just that type of abrasiveness and boastfulness is really not my cup of tea. Same reason I can admire Chan's skill, but don't warm to him. IMO, one can comment on oneself confidently without bragging or tearing others down. I tend to prefer skaters who do that or are on the humble side of the line.

 

[moriel]

I rather prefer realistic skaters and people in general =)
She could totally have that attitude if she was by far worlds #1, or at least USA #1, but she is quite far from it that its just lame and ridiculous. Maybe she is a nice girl, but the way she speaks kinda makes her sound like she is conceited and jelly of her teammates.

Like, dunno, Liza and Elena having cuddletimes at worlds 2015 is way cuter hehe

 

[Skater Boy]

Hahaha so true about the double axel arm fling!!

I think polina shows way more advanced skating skills than ashley and gracie (I mean, I could watch her twizzle for days) but that doesn't mean it's mature. There's some subtle nuance of presentation that is missing, and the terrible FS only exacerbates it. Again, I loved her 2015 sp, so it's just her tinker bell program that left me with a bad taste

So you are saying Polina's 2015 freeskate to tinkerbell was a stinkerbell? I admit I found it rather juniorish and didn't have the sophistication of others. I kind of like Julia's olympic freeskate program - it utilized her youthfulness while have a certain refined and dramatic quality about it. Polina has some nice jump; I don't think her costume helped the mature or refined image. Something about it screamed junior or I would like to skate to A WHOLE NEW WORLD lol

 

[MK's Winter]

Oh, confidence can take you far (as long as it doesn't tip over into over-confidence); just that type of abrasiveness and boastfulness is really not my cup of tea. Same reason I can admire Chan's skill, but don't warm to him. IMO, one can comment on oneself confidently without bragging or tearing others down. I tend to prefer skaters who do that or are on the humble side of the line.

I feel the same. Especially when over rotations did apply to her this year (and her off kilter 2A).

 

[gravy]

I feel the same. Especially when over rotations did apply to her this year (and her off kilter 2A).

Yep! Her obvious technical problems is what made her comments about her technical prowess all the more entertaining though. I mean you know your flip is bad when Mark Hanretty on Eurosport says "Another triple lutz! Nice outside edge takeoff! Oh, sorry... this was the flip combination."

She had fantastic technique during the Olympic year so I think this past season and probably the upcoming one will be a rebuilding phase due to puberty. I still have high hopes for her in the future.

 

[AprilS]

Yep! Her obvious technical problems is what made her comments about her technical prowess all the more entertaining though. I mean you know your flip is bad when Mark Hanretty on Eurosport says "Another triple lutz! Nice outside edge takeoff! Oh, sorry... this was the flip combination."

She had fantastic technique during the Olympic year so I think this past season and probably the upcoming one will be a rebuilding phase due to puberty. I still have high hopes for her in the future.

Goodness, when was this?? (I love the Eurosport guys)

 

[StitchMonkey]

Goodness, when was this?? (I love the Eurosport guys)

I want looking, it was not said on her 3f+1L+3S combo at 4CC worlds, NHK, or COC last year, so i am not sure when or if something got confused. Maybe it was in her short.

 

[AprilS]

I want looking, it was not said on her 3f+1L+3S combo at 4CC worlds, NHK, or COC last year, so i am not sure when or if something got confused. Maybe it was in her short.

Haha, thanks, maybe I'll look for it

 

[aromaticchicken]

I remember hearing that said on the eurosport feed too!! ... Bahahaha

But seriously, while ashley definitely deserved some "!" if not straight up edge calls on her nationals Lutz, for polina they were sending a message: you need to work on this. (for ashley, they definitely overlooked it to send her to world's with a stronger mandate.)

The fact polina has gotten that flip edge call for *years* (she got it in her 2013 junior national free skate too) and yet still refuses to fix it and say "the judges are wrong and not me" drives me insane. Clearly, you're losing points for it. Even if she's jumping off the correct edge at the last minute as she attests, if she doesn't do it more obviously she's going to continue getting deducted. Not the proper mindset of a realistic competitor.

 

[StitchMonkey]

I remember hearing that said on the eurosport feed too!! ... Bahahaha

But seriously, while ashley definitely deserved some "!" if not straight up edge calls on her nationals Lutz, for polina they were sending a message: you need to work on this. (for ashley, they definitely overlooked it to send her to world's with a stronger mandate.)

The fact polina has gotten that flip edge call for *years* (she got it in her 2013 junior national free skate too) and yet still refuses to fix it and say "the judges are wrong and not me" drives me insane. Clearly, you're losing points for it. Even if she's jumping off the correct edge at the last minute as she attests, if she doesn't do it more obviously she's going to continue getting deducted. Not the proper mindset of a realistic competitor.

I decided to look at Polina's success with the flip this season

US Figure Skating Classic: SP +.28 no edge call/FS two "!" calls with -.28 and -.70 each
COC: Sp +.5 no edge call/FS Two "E" calls for -1.20 and -1.00
NHK: Sp singled her flip (no value) but no edge call/FS Two "!" calls with -.50 and -.60
US Nationals: SP "!" call with -.40/FS Two "!" calls with +.10 and -.60
4CC: SP "!" call with -.70/FS One "E" and one "!" with -1.0 and -.6, in order of calls.
Worlds: SP "!" call with -.70/FS two "!" calls with -1.20 and -.50

Two clean and one "!" (at nationals) with positive GOE, every thing else had issues.
She had 12 "!" and 3 "E" calls out of 18 attempts. I have said it before, i don't care what edge she thinks she is on, she is being told to do something different, I wish she would.

It is interesting that she had her best luck in the SP.

 

[aromaticchicken]

I decided to look at Polina's success with the flip this season

US Figure Skating Classic: SP +.28 no edge call/FS two "!" calls with -.28 and -.70 each
COC: Sp +.5 no edge call/FS Two "E" calls for -1.20 and -1.00
NHK: Sp singled her flip (no value) but no edge call/FS Two "!" calls with -.50 and -.60
US Nationals: SP "!" call with -.40/FS Two "!" calls with +.10 and -.60
4CC: SP "!" call with -.70/FS One "E" and one "!" with -1.0 and -.6, in order of calls.
Worlds: SP "!" call with -.70/FS two "!" calls with -1.20 and -.50

Two clean and one "!" (at nationals) with positive GOE, every thing else had issues.
She had 12 "!" and 3 "E" calls out of 18 attempts. I have said it before, i don't care what edge she thinks she is on, she is being told to do something different, I wish she would.

It is interesting that she had her best luck in the SP.

Haha yup. It's almost infuriating to look at those sheets and hear her insist it's an inside edge. At the very least ashley owns up to the fact she has edge call issues..... But I have a feeling polina is following her coaches' lead on this, which is all the more annoying.

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

Not to throw salt on an open wound but if anyone is interested a few months back I made a jumpamatron of Polina's flips at 4CC.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vry1DFmdFqU

 

[dorispulaski]

http://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs00013341.htm



One of her coaches is her mother.

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

It should also be noted that Polina got her PB in the FS and in total score at 2014 WC. That was her last event and to be fair it's no small feat to get a PB at such a large event. So she still looks to be going in the right direction overall at least IMO.

That said...I do hope her coaches are conveying to her the truth about her edge issue.

 

[gravy]

Goodness, when was this?? (I love the Eurosport guys)

https://youtu.be/Jzv8GSKqtH4?t=345



Off-topic: Mark Hanretty's voice is

I remember hearing that said on the eurosport feed too!! ... Bahahaha

But seriously, while ashley definitely deserved some "!" if not straight up edge calls on her nationals Lutz, for polina they were sending a message: you need to work on this. (for ashley, they definitely overlooked it to send her to world's with a stronger mandate.)

The fact polina has gotten that flip edge call for *years* (she got it in her 2013 junior national free skate too) and yet still refuses to fix it and say "the judges are wrong and not me" drives me insane. Clearly, you're losing points for it. Even if she's jumping off the correct edge at the last minute as she attests, if she doesn't do it more obviously she's going to continue getting deducted. Not the proper mindset of a realistic competitor.

She admits in an interview that while she does rock on the edge into her flip, she does take off the inside edge at the last second. She even says she and her coaches analyze the tracings after and she does indeed take off the correct edge. Which is fine, but if she needs to look at the tracings to see if she does a correct flip, that's a problem. The judges are not going to do that in competition and she needs it to be visibly correct. Very arrogant of her to keep her flips, but I honestly think it's more of a coaching problem. While it's fun that she is so confident in herself, she needs to acknowledge she has a problem.

http://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs00013341.htm



One of her coaches is her mother.

Her mother also designs her costumes. :disapp:

 

[dorispulaski]

https://youtu.be/Jzv8GSKqtH4?t=345



While it's fun that she is so confident in herself, she needs to acknowledge she has a problem.



Her mother also designs her costumes. :disapp:

On dear. An intervention may be in order

 

[StitchMonkey]

It should also be noted that Polina got her PB in the FS and in total score at 2014 WC. That was her last event and to be fair it's no small feat to get a PB at such a large event. So she still looks to be going in the right direction overall at least IMO.

That said...I do hope her coaches are conveying to her the truth about her edge issue.

And good for her. She has a lot to offer. I got to see her a couple months ago and was really pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed her live. That does not change the fact that many of us to believe she could do much better with a few more loops and a few less attempted flips.

https://youtu.be/Jzv8GSKqtH4?t=345



Off-topic: Mark Hanretty's voice is

She admits in an interview that while she does rock on the edge into her flip, she does take off the inside edge at the last second. She even says she and her coaches analyze the tracings after and she does indeed take off the correct edge. Which is fine, but if she needs to look at the tracings to see if she does a correct flip, that's a problem. The judges are not going to do that in competition and she needs it to be visibly correct. Very arrogant of her to keep her flips, but I honestly think it's more of a coaching problem. While it's fun that she is so confident in herself, she needs to acknowledge she has a problem.


Her mother also designs her costumes. :disapp:

It seems it could be argued that needing to look at the tracing to confirm the edge is an admission she knows she has an unclear edge. If you don't know till you look at the ice, how is that not an "!" call? Seems to me a clear edge would be one you don't have to double check.

On dear. An intervention may be in order

For Polina or her mother?

 

[AlexRus]

GP assignments Ladies, top75 of SB.

Pl Score Name Nation Events(1-SA, 2-SC, 3-China, 4-TEB, 5-Rostelecom, 6-NHK) W-two spots because of top12 Worlds, JGP - Junior Grand Prix instead of Grand Prix
1 210.40 Elizaveta TUKTAMYSHEVA RUS 2,4 W
2 209.54 Elena RADIONOVA RUS 3,5 W
3 195.55 Gracie GOLD USA 1,4 W
4 193.60 Satoko MIYAHARA JPN 1,6 W
5 192.97 Evgenia MEDVEDEVA RUS 1,5
6 191.96 Serafima SAKHANOVICH RUS (JGP)
7 191.81 Anna POGORILAYA RUS 3,6
8 191.51 Ashley WAGNER USA 2,6 W
9 186.71 Alena LEONOVA RUS 2,6
10 185.57 Wakaba HIGUCHI JPN (JGP)
11 185.18 Julia LIPNITSKAIA RUS 1,4
12 184.58 Rika HONGO JPN 3,5 W
13 184.02 Polina EDMUNDS USA 2,5 W
14 179.66 Kanako MURAKAMI JPN 2,4 W
15 175.99 Maria SOTSKOVA RUS (JGP)
16 175.92 Zijun LI CHN 3,6 W
17 174.58 Samantha CESARIO USA (retired)
18 174.51 Courtney HICKS USA 3,6
19 173.44 Elizabet TURSYNBAEVA KAZ 1,2
20 172.34 Yuka NAGAI JPN 2,5
21 172.00 Alaine CHARTRAND CAN 1,5 W
22 170.43 So Youn PARK KOR 1,3 W
23 170.26 Hannah MILLER USA 3,5
24 169.46 Mae Berenice MEITE FRA 4,6 W
25 169.41 Karen CHEN USA 3 (maybe, TBD 1)
26 169.07 Joshi HELGESSON SWE 2,5
27 168.38 Riona KATO JPN 5 (may be TBD 6)
28 167.81 Kiira KORPI FIN 4
29 167.09 Gabrielle DALEMAN CAN 2,4
30 166.48 Maria ARTEMIEVA RUS 6 (may be TBD 5)
31 166.39 Viktoria HELGESSON SWE (retired)
32 166.25 Kaori SAKAMOTO JPN (JGP)
33 165.88 Mirai NAGASU USA 6
34 163.68 Angela WANG USA 4
35 160.64 Miyu NAKASHIO JPN 1
36 159.55 Nicole RAJICOVA SVK 1,3
37 159.23 Alexandra PROKLOVA RUS (JGP)
38 158.99 Julianne SEGUIN CAN (moved to pair skating)
39 158.76 Rin NITAYA JPN (JGP)
40 158.60 Da Bin CHOI KOR (probably JGP)
41 158.10 Elene GEDEVANISHVILI GEO 2
42 157.97 Haruka IMAI JPN 1,4
43 157.71 Alsu KAIUMOVA RUS (probably retired)
44 156.37 Angelina KUCHVALSKA LAT 4
45 156.05 Mariko KIHARA JPN (maybe JGP)
46 154.57 Miyabi OBA JPN
47 154.52 Roberta RODEGHIERO ITA 5
48 153.63 Nicole SCHOTT GER (JGP)
49 153.49 Maria STAVITSKAIA RUS (moved to ice dance)
50 152.85 Isabelle OLSSON SWE
51 152.18 Ivett TOTH HUN (JGP)
52 151.43 Laurine LECAVELIER FRA 4 (home spot)
53 151.31 Diana PERVUSHKINA RUS
54 150.90 Ashley CAIN USA
55 150.37 Brooklee HAN AUS
56 150.32 Dasa GRM SLO 5
57 149.24 Leah KEISER USA
58 148.83 Nathalie WEINZIERL GER
59 148.63 Anastasia GALUSTYAN ARM
59 148.63 Diana NIKITINA LAT
60 148.48 Mariah BELL USA 1 (home spot)
61 148.22 Yuhana YOKOI JPN
62 148.15 Natalia POPOVA UKR
63 148.13 Lutricia BOCK GER
64 148.08 Amber GLENN USA (JGP)
65 147.82 Elizaveta IUSHENKO RUS (probably JGP)
66 147.51 Christina GAO USA (retired)
67 147.35 Aleksandra GOLOVKINA LTU
68 147.30 Hae Jin KIM KOR
69 146.58 Liubov EFIMENKO FIN
70 144.89 Bradie TENNELL USA
71 144.29 Eliska BREZINOVA CZE
72 144.16 Jenni SAARINEN FIN
73 143.97 Eveline BRUNNER SUI
74 143.64 Na Hyun KIM KOR (probably JGP)
75 142.49 Mai MIHARA JPN (JGP)