2015 NHK Ladies Short Program

[jg2000]

It is unfair because after the LP she very likely would be 2nd in TEB (for her there was really noone to lose silver because all skaters between her and Gracie are known for rather weak LPs, and she is opposite throughout her whole career). Two silvers would easily grant her place in the final. I think it is ridiculous that World Champion and last year GP Final champion loses her spot because of the circumstances that have nothing to do with her performances.

I think it's unfair Liza did not have a chance to redeem herself in the free, but you shouldn't base your reasoning on why she should make the GPF on what would most likely have happened. No one truly knows what would have happened, and although it is unfair, it is actually her performances that cost her the spot. Having the world and GPF titles doesn't make her case any more fair or unfair, imo, though I truly wish she could make it.

 

[Amei]

I am also sure that if she would have known in advance that her placement would be only by SP, she would perform better because then, most likely, they would not include 3a in the short and instead concentrated on all other elements.
Every other lady either was not affected or benefited from this situation in terms of the placement.

That is why I liked that the SP ended up being the final result - I'm sick of competitions where the medalists skated awful for 1 of the programs (usually the SP) and everyone's always like 'get your revenge in the FS' - the SP is important as well.

 

[shiroKJ]

Good for Satoko, loved Mirai, and absolutely heartbroken for Anna. :sad4:

Ashley sold her program despite the mistakes but I still think it looks empty...her team really needs to work on that

Pressure of home ice....hope Mao can bring it tomorrow :clapper:

 

[Lipea]

I think it's unfair Liza did not have a chance to redeem herself in the free, but you shouldn't base your reasoning on why she should make the GPF on what would most likely have happened. No one truly knows what would have happened, and although it is unfair, it is actually her performances that cost her the spot.

She was not aware of what that performance would cost her, and that what makes the whole difference. Then, you cannot blame her performance on it. The rules she was counted on were not the rules she ended to be judged by. It is like if runners would have to run the long distance marathon but on the less than a half point would be stopped and wherever they would end up would count as the final result. Would you then say that "it is her/his performance that cost her/him a spot?"

 

[Lipea]

That is why I liked that the SP ended up being the final result - I'm sick of competitions where the medalists skated awful for 1 of the programs (usually the SP) and everyone's always like 'get your revenge in the FS' - the SP is important as well.

This does not make any reasonable point. If you think that way then leave just LP because it is more important. LP has twice more elements which obviously requires better athlethism and stamina; therefore, SP performances are much more likely to be nerves affected. However, the reason there are two is because it shows a skater's fighting spirit to be able to skate both programs well or to be able to stand up after bad SP. It also creates intrigue and excitement of the audience.

 

[jg2000]

She was not aware of what that performance would cost her, and that what makes the whole difference. Then, you cannot blame her performance on it. The rules she was counted on were not the rules she ended to be judged by. It is like if runners would have to run the long distance marathon but on the less than a half point would be stopped and wherever they would end up would count as the final result. Would you then say that "it is her/his performance that cost her/him a spot?"

If she was aware, how would you know for sure she would have done better? You're basing your logic off hypotheticals. It is unfair that her sp cost her this- but it's because she never had a chance to do the long, not because she was unaware and 'would have done better had she known.'

Anyways, , so I'm out.

 

[TheGrandSophy]

After getting back home from work, just watched all the ladies. Faves were Zijun, Mirai and Satoko with honourable mentions to Mao's step sequence and Ashley's zest.

 

[Vili67]

practice pictures
Ashley
https://pp.vk.me/c629506/v629506253/1f7bb/z-QbqeGQmAU.jpg
https://pp.vk.me/c629506/v629506253/1f7cd/vZP5j3LHcA0.jpg
https://pp.vk.me/c629506/v629506253/1f7c4/h2OlHv-p-5w.jpg

Mao
https://pp.vk.me/c629506/v629506253/1f7f1/IxK9BShrf_Q.jpg

Thanks for this one really nice pics.
Nice to see Ashley so cute and not wearing competition outfit.
And Mao too.....
Mao has smile that can melt the ice enytime:yes2:

 

[jenaj]

What a disaster of a competition was that? I was shaking my head through all of this. For every skater I thought well, that leaves the door open for the next one! And only Satoko really delivered. And no matter what, I can't find her that special so I was a bit disappointed in Mao, Ashley and especially Anna. Oh, what the hell is wrong with this girl. So much talent and such a disaster skate. She is often hit or miss, but this was her chance and she screwed it up completely. Even her stone faced coach was gentle in the knc. I'm curious if she'll even compete tomorrow. She's a fighter, that's for sure, but I wonder if it is good for her in the long run to show her emotions like this. Hard to say.

Mirai delivered, too. She was underscored on PCS.

 

[Lipea]

It is unfair that her sp cost her this- but it's because she never had a chance to do the long.

Exactly.

You're basing your logic off hypotheticals.

So did ISU. Except that the hypothesis that Liza would be second overall has much higher probability than the hypothesis that she would be overall 5th, which ISU took as a decision.

 

[mrrice]

Mirai delivered, too. She was underscored on PCS.

I completely agree with this comment. Mirai was very good today. In fact, far better than I was expecting from her. Her jumps improved when she went to Tom but, her performance quality IMO is what was lacking in her performances since she left Frank. I think she got robbed here. I hope she can make a big statement in the Long Program.

 

[mustafakent]

I think many people should go take a lesson on figure skating jumps and physics and also biomechanics before they come here (and also youtube) to ***** about the under-rotations...like tell me a skater who jumps a loop or salchow with the blade leaving exactly backward or an axel jump leaving exactly forward. And PLEASE also show me a skater who actually rotates THREE FULL rotations in air for a triple jump (except 3A).

Lutz
Flip
Loop
Salchow

Your welcome.

P.S. Correct, deep, clear edges on lutz and flip, which is pretty rare for women skaters.

 

[nieves]

Thoroughly enjoyed Satoko's program except the tiny jumps with very obvious pre and underotation :noshake:. She surprisingly does flirty better than Mao (Sorry Mao I love you but you're not very convincing)

 

[David21]

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?

Some judges might have thought that that double-three-turn she did before the loop wasn't enough. The rules say you have to do at least two movements. Even in that case a -1 would be harsh IMO, and personally I disagree with those judges because Mirai did two steps (even though they were only three-turns) directly preceding the jump. Not a lot skaters do their steps directly preceding the jump.

 

[hippomoomin]

Just checked the results and oh what a disaster SP overall? Anna the last, Mao 4th, and Ashely received the highest PCS? Satoko the tiny jump consistent queen first?
From this competition angle, Satoko's jumps look even tinier? How on hell did she do a 3 rotation with that height? :shocked:Even when she does steps, her free leg is barely off the ground. If only camera can only show her upper body not her feet...

 

[Art&Sport]

Ashley so missed a great opportunity to place first in the sp, with Mao having faltered a bit. ITA re Satoko (usually quite consistent, but such smallish jumps and speedy rotations). Satoko needs to project more, but she has lovely aesthetic qualities overall. I wonder though if she will ever get higher in the air on those jumps! ITA with all regarding Mirai being low-balled. It's an unfortunate bad reputation thing, plus the fact she has been slighted by her own federation on more than one occasion. If they focused more on the actual performance, Mirai should have been scored higher. I like Courtney a lot, but feel her last season's sp was better and made a more powerful statement. I think Mirai should have had better PCS, with Ash the highest and then Mao, Mirai.

In general for mens, ladies and pairs (I haven't seen the ice dance yet), I didn't find most skaters to be all that sharp here. Perhaps that is the case partly because this is the second and final GP for everyone, aside from those who will be going to the final, and for those who were only assigned one GP.

I like Ashley's dress, which is cut similar to the borrowed dress from Marissa, except for the skirt and more sparkles.

 

[bmcc102]

Hate to say it, but Anna should have gotten << downgrade on her 2axel. Watching the replay on Eurosport, it was definitely about a half turn short. I think the caller gave it a < for fear of her wellbeing.

 

[yuki]

Lutz
Flip
Loop
Salchow

Your welcome.

P.S. Correct, deep, clear edges on lutz and flip, which is pretty rare for women skaters.

If you watch the loop and salchow at 0.25 speed, you'll notice that she is not perfectly backwards when the blade leaves the ice, which is exactly the point that the original poster was making. The jump mechanics for loop/salchow involve a certain amount of prerotation, which means that the jump will have less than 3 rotations (=1080 degrees) in the air.

 

[glorybox6]

As others have pointed out, I think the judging for this generally poorly skated event was mostly on-point, but I'm very confounded by the GOE Mirai received on that 3L as well as the under-rotation call on the 3/3 while Miyahara's pre-rotated 3T and Asada's 3L were given the benefit of the doubt. And her components were a bit low as well -- I'd have her about even with the other U.S. women with a score at least a couple of points higher. Here's hoping she keeps it together in the free skate and fights her way to a podium finish!

Asada's components were shockingly fair considering, from the start, she did not bring the spark and excitement to the program that it had at CoC. She's lucky to have wound up still in the final group for the free skate since so few other competitors rose to the occasion.

Also, I can't take Leonova's tears in the kiss-and-cry anymore. What is her issue these days? Nerves? Conditioning? An injury? Something is missing out there on the ice and I can't help but wonder why.

 

[yyyskate]

if you watch Satoko's lutz slow-mo in this event. her take-off edge, rolls from left outside toe-pick to palm of foot(front middle section of blade) and then pivot on that and then roll onto the heel of blade and then leave the ice. She pre-rotated almost a whole turn on ice for a lutz jump.
Which is totally NOT the correct take-off technique for lutz jumps. Please check out any skater that has a true lutz jumps, the take-off edge should be a pure out-side edge, when take-off toe-pick leaves the ice, it should be scraping the ice. there is no rolling on the whole blade moment of take-off foot at all.
Because of Satoko's horrible take-off technique, she does not have the mechanics thus cannot get effective lift in her jumps, that explains her tiniest jumps among all lady skaters.
This type of technique is rewarded as a correct 3lutz is not fair to other skaters. ISU should study the case of Satoko's tiny jumps and decide is that okay and how to compare it to other skaters fairly. If you punish wrong edge take-off, under-rotation, you should also think about how to deal with Satoko's take-off issues.