2018 Olympic Figure Skating Ladies SP

[frallik]

In the same way Medvedeva can make a more serious mistake than at Euros were her FS was basically clean and she just did her combination with another jump. As for Zagitova, it's a fact that she has made a mistake in her FS only once this season, so why would it happen now? Of course, everything is possible (including Zagitova making a mistake and Medvedeva skating clean again), but I wouldn't bet on it.

From Sep 2016Zagitova made 17!!!:medal"FS clean&perfect... OG Zagitova 2018 vs OG Lipnitskaya 2014 - http://images.vfl.ru/ii/1519295512/4ef90915/20687868.jpg

BackloadedKostornaya "Russia Cup - Rostelekom" 21 Feb 2018:yawn:- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1iSXuVdGBe8

 

[Icey]

Why is the Program Components Score being labelled as "Presentation" score when the skaters score is presented on screen?

 

[Ares]

Alina shines in her Black Swan program's step sequence. It's a masterpiece - it's a bathroom break only for those who would stay just wishing to see her fall imo.

Each to its own. For me she's clunky / muddy and fairly too slow there especially where she tries to accelerate it's not satisfactorily efficient. Kinda like Mirai, but with more technical content. It's just ok execution. How can anyone call it a masterpiece is beyond me even considering the subjectivity. It's somehow rushed & slow at the same time even if admittedly bit less here than before. Neither feeling as in remarkable musicality, performance, deep edges (there are shallow) or breathtaking quality overall is there. It is just placed to earn points and eat time before halfway mark starts and rush, rush, rush for jumps is there to be right after. Sakamoto also has backloaded SP but she draws me into that way more than Alina in her first half so I don't even notice that.

 

[Spirals for Miles]

This time it was very inside - clear in e territory. I was sitting about 5 meters from it and it was very visible - nice text book flip. Medvedeva's flutz this time- oh, sorry, she does not do it in the short.

I'm pretty bad at seeing flutzes and lips still and I could see Kaetlyn's...

 

[Spirals for Miles]

From Sep 2016Zagitova made 17!!!:medal"FS clean&perfect... OG Zagitova 2018 vs OG Lipnitskaya 2014 - http://images.vfl.ru/ii/1519295512/4ef90915/20687868.jpg

BackloadedKostornaya "Russia Cup - Rostelekom" 21 Feb 2018:yawn:- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1iSXuVdGBe8

Zagitova is wonderful! I'm not trying to diminish her accomplishments, but EYOF 2017 was not a clean FS. But she still won by 50 points

 

[Ares]

I'm pretty bad at seeing flutzes and lips still and I could see Kaetlyn's...

I think it's more difficult to spot when skater jumps in this less popular direction (clockwise), she also enters lutz on high speed with very short preparation so I have a problem at least in real time to notice what's going on with her right foot edge.

 

[WeakAnkles]

Never mind.

 

[qwertyskates]

I find Kaori adorable, athletic and her jumps are huge and solid, but she doesn't have the grace or flexibility for a lot of the moves she's trying. Her spins are awful, her illusion spin is truly cringe-worthy and her arms are straight and stiff. Rika Hongo is similar but there is an exuberance to Rika that is missing in Kaori. I am trying to imagine a better persona/vehicle for someone like her. I can't believe the critics of Alina who finds her "juniorish" praise to high heavens the book-reading, rope-climbing, and various other antics of "Amelie" as sophisticated bronze-worthy skater. Kaori has potential but what she delivers now is a long way from the podium. With time, and a good choreographer who can pick up her strengths, Kaori might be a contender of substance one day.

For now, Higuchi, followed by Marin, are the two stronger senior debutants that I can see. I am still seeking the Asian/Japanese skater who is able to interprete a full range of personality on ice.

I disliked Satoko when I first saw her because her skating is tiny, jumps, steps, etc. She hardly seems to leave the ice. However, she does have a steady, calm, persona on the ice and has developed her own unique presence that is subtle and graceful. After Mao, she is the best Japanese skater that I can see for now. I still can't get behind her 100% as I prefer skaters with a bigger range of expression like Alina. This i s also why I prefer Alina over Evgenia (whom I like and respect a lot simply for her maturity, stability and generous personality...at least in the media). She is a choreographer's dream - I can tell that one can throw anything at Alina, a Turandot, a Tango, a Spanish coquette, an Scheherazade, a Juliet, a murderous swan, and somehow she can integrate the elements together seamlessly and bring forth a persona sum that is greater than its parts.

When Kaetlyn Osmind first skated to Rich Man's Frug, I was completely entranced. She brought the character to live on ice. Her movements were spot on and her expression-interpretation is far better than Ashley's Hip Hip Chin Chin. When her jumps are there, that SP is truly flawless. Edith Piaf unfortunately strikes me as cliche French choreography....I know a lot of people like this type of Coco Chanel Edith Piaf accordion stuff, but it's like doing a John Wayne to represent USA. But whatever brings the jumps and PCS, go for it. Kaetlyn's biggest plus for me isn't her technicals, jumps, spins, etc., but her SS and ability to bring a strong, unique persona on ice. I hope to see more modern, confidently sensual and womanly programs from Kaetlyn.

Ok, hope the ladies all skate lights out tonight and may the best of them get on the podium!

 

[GrandmaCC]

Unfortunately no one knows, how it will affect their physical condition later in their lives. The girls are not human torpedoes targeted at the medals. A magic and beauty of skating is not less important part of skating, it is an essence of figure skating. Ice gymnastic is not what general audience are looking for.

...they’re jumping, not taking an experimental pharmaceutical

This forum combined with Christine Brennan & her whining is going to eventuate in a new PSA for teens: “Sport & Hard Work - Just Say No (brought to you by fast food & wine coolers)”

 

[Koralai]

I find Kaori adorable, athletic and her jumps are huge and solid, but she doesn't have the grace or flexibility for a lot of the moves she's trying. Her spins are awful, her illusion spin is truly cringe-worthy and her arms are straight and stiff. Rika Hongo is similar but there is an exuberance to Rika that is missing in Kaori. I am trying to imagine a better persona/vehicle for someone like her. I can't believe the critics of Alina who finds her "juniorish" praise to high heavens the book-reading, rope-climbing, and various other antics of "Amelie" as sophisticated bronze-worthy skater. Kaori has potential but what she delivers now is a long way from the podium. With time, and a good choreographer who can pick up her strengths, Kaori might be a contender of substance one day.

I agree with your assessment of Kaori. She seems so sweet, and I'm happy that she's had success when so many underestimated her, but I would cringe to see that long program rewarded with a bronze medal. Coming to a full stop, bending over like a rag doll, and smacking your arms together just... should not be an exemplar of ladies skating.

 

[geige]

The irony of this thread: people calling out Satoko for her ARMIES OF OBSESSED FANS
..ignoring the fact that she is one of the most criticized skaters on this forum. More than Medvedeva, more than Zagitova.

 

[BossT]

From Sep 2016Zagitova made 17!!!:medal"FS clean&perfect... OG Zagitova 2018 vs OG Lipnitskaya 2014 - http://images.vfl.ru/ii/1519295512/4ef90915/20687868.jpg

ERROR on BV 3Lz3Lo - it's not 11,1 but 12,2!

 

[frallik]

Zagitova is wonderful! I'm not trying to diminish her accomplishments, but EYOF 2017 was not a clean FS. But she still won by 50 points

a-ha-ha!!!!!!OK, 16... is it better?:dev2:

 

[OniBan]

It's so ironic how the same usual suspects keep writing this over and over again putting multiple indignant posts in between on how overscored the Russian ladies are. It's been for years now.

Repeat a lie often enough and it will become truth

 

[[email protected]]

Repeat a lie often enough and it will become truth

I hope it will.

 

[Shayuki]

Alina shines in her Black Swan program's step sequence. It's a masterpiece - it's a bathroom break only for those who would stay just wishing to see her fall imo.

Yep. The first half of that step sequence was the best part of the SPs here for me, by far. And it definitely is a choreographical masterpiece.

Something I notice during the earlier parts of this SP are the very involved arm movements, consistently. She doesn't flail them around because she feels like she needs to, it's as if every movement has a clear purpose and makes sense. And that's something I really enjoy in choreo, attention to detail on the small movements. And of course, it's not only limited to the arms.

I think it's more difficult to spot when skater jumps in this less popular direction (clockwise), she also enters lutz on high speed with very short preparation so I have a problem at least in real time to notice what's going on with her right foot edge.

Well, personally I have never had problems seeing the edge there. Even had a Finnish commentator who's a massive fan of Kaetlyn's call her Lutz "a perfect Flip" while trying to praise her.

 

[Tolstoj]

Tom Z told at ESPN that he is pro backloaded programs.

"It's a great strategy. It's allowable with the rules," said Tom Zakrajsek, who coaches American Mirai Nagasu, currently in ninth place. "If you're trying to win, you should go for every single point."

If it's such an effective plan, why don't more skaters adopt it? The simple answer: It's really, really difficult.

"Back-end loading is wicked hard," Zakrajsek explained, "because your heart rate maxes out ... you've got lactic acid in your muscles from that point on. To jump and jump well when you're fatigued is wicked hard."

http://www.espn.com/olympics/winter...genia-medvedeva-dominate-women-figure-skating

 

[Spirals for Miles]

a-ha-ha!!!!!!OK, 16... is it better?:dev2:

yes still quite an accomplishment

 

[zschultz1986]

No, she did NOT clearly travel on the spin. Her loop is beautifullly done, light and tight. Osmond flutzed and was not called out.

Well, check your eyes, then go back and look at he first and last spins. They traveled, period, regardless of what you think.

Did I say anything about the GoE on her loop? No.

Even with the flutz, Osmonds' jumps were miles better than the forced, muscled jumps Med put out there.

 

[Lester]

I thought Kaori has a very Eteri-style program, not only because of backloading, but also because every second is crammed with movement to the brim. It's nice that she can do all that stuff but the Moonlight Sonata is a weird piece to set such packed choreo to.