2015 Cup of China Ladies Free Skate

[koatcue]

Well that's unfortunate. I wasn't aware of that and hope it has nothing to do with the "C" word obviously. With figure skating there always seems to be someone who has the stomach flu or something. I guess I just assumed that it was something like that. FWIW: food poisoning often lands people in the hospital with I.V.'s pumping fluids into them.

Hopefully she is feeling better soon.

Actually I'm afraid that her illness has somethind to do with "C":sad21: She said that even in a wheelchair but she'll go to COR for Lena..

 

[badknees]

What was Radionova's team thinking with her music choices this year? It's baffling.

The same with Tuk at Skate Canada and Alena L. (horrible music cuts and packaging). Starts the whole discussion again about different countries and what they think is artistic. Western, non-western, Russian??

 

[TheCzar]

I wouldn't lose sleep over a 'rude awakening'. Everyone knows Mao is a slow starter, in fact we at times probably see it as a bit of a running gag- but considering everything, she did well here. She had enough of a lead, and her components are obviously a cut above the rest (I'm looking at you Nicky at Eurosport- she is a CUT ABOVE THE FIELD). Had her triple axel been a bust, then that would indicate something else but all else considered, she's fine. Mao's skating is refined, no move is ever gratuitous and the judges can see that and she was rewarded. 69+ is where Mao should be anyway. So if people were expecting some ridiculous arm jerking and a hoe down, please sit somewhere else.

I don't want to take anything away from Rika because she deserved to win the free skate. She was fabulous! Her SP is atrocious, and so I am pleased that her Riverdance free suits her very well. It could have been tacky but instead it showcased a personality that wasn't evident last season. However she's not fully ripe. Her lines are still a work in progress, her SS and flexibility. But her IN is a definite progress from last season. She'll be a clear choice for an upset at Nationals if Mao makes errors. Well done Rika!

Elena I had pegged for silver but clearly puberty is hitting her hard. Her music could have been less tacky if she had just stuck with the James Horner score. No Celine. No Leonardo. Same goes for Pogo- she's normally the reliable Russian. Dead pan, but will land everything. However, this is not her weekend but that's fine. the season has only started. Apart from her costumes, I actually like her programs this season!

 

[Seruleane]

Actually I'm afraid that her illness has somethind to do with "C":sad21: She said that even in a wheelchair but she'll go to COR for Lena..

Oh dear! It sounds really serious. I hope this won't affect Lena too much this season. I know it's incredibly selfish of me, but my main concern is Lena. I do hope her coach gets better soon, and has support and care from others around her.

 

[silverfoxes]

The same with Tuk at Skate Canada and Alena L. (horrible music cuts and packaging). Starts the whole discussion again about different countries and what they think is artistic. Western, non-western, Russian??

What about all the dreadful programs Lori Nichol has produced this season alone? Can't blame those on Russia (though I'm sure someone will find a way).

 

[Ophelia]

Can anyone other than Mirai Nagasu do a high quality "I" spin? Karen is so cute and she's clearly flexible so why can't she do a good "I" spin. I've seen 2 good "I" spins in my life and they were from Sasha Cohen and Mirai Nagasu. If there are other's I'd love to see a good example. Miki Ando was so good at so many things but, her I spin was frightening. :eeking:

Lipnitskaia.

 

[badknees]

What about all the dreadful programs Lori Nichol has produced this season alone? Can't blame those on Russia (though I'm sure someone will find a way).

Correct and I agree. I dont like Courtney's music or packaging either and for that matter Polina's is just not correct for what they need to do with her.

 

[andromache]

What about all the dreadful programs Lori Nichol has produced this season alone? Can't blame those on Russia (though I'm sure someone will find a way).

Lori programs are such a mixed bag. I love her programs for Gracie this year but that POTO program last year was terrible, her Sui/Han programs are wonderful, Denis's programs last year were masterpieces (not sure about how his programs look this year....too hard to tell when he skated so badly at SA), and her programs for Han Yan and Zijun are bad, boring, etc (though I personally like Han's LP).

When Lori programs are good they're great, but when they're bad, they're really, really bad.

Anyway, I personally love both of Elena's programs. Bring on the melodrama. Elena and Adelina have some of my favorite programs of the season. I even liked Alena's LP at SC, which no one else seemed to. I thought the concept of changing songs on records was cute and effective...though arguably a bit juvenile for a skater of Alena's maturity.

Just a personal ranking of the top ladies' programs, purely IMO:

Gracie/Adelina
Elena
Mao
Rika
Anna
Ashley
Satoko (beautiful programs that leave me feeling cold, tbh)
Liza

I like intricate, well-executed choreography. And even better if it's full of drama. Even if people don't like the spoken words in Elena's programs--which I could without--there's a LOT in those programs that she really pulls off and she sells it. I like that she's doing dramatic programs this season instead of sticking with the upbeat programs where she could smile. Nothing wrong with Elena's upbeat programs, but she's really showing that she can sell an upbeat performance as well as a more dramatic one.

 

[winky97]

Actually I'm afraid that her illness has somethind to do with "C":sad21: She said that even in a wheelchair but she'll go to COR for Lena..

Ugh, if is the "C" word that is bad business. I wish her all the best.

 

[mrrice]

Lipnitskaia.

KABOOM!!!!! In Fact, she might have the best I spin of them all!! :gclap:

 

[minze]

Elena's music choices are mind-boggling this season. Still she has grown up nicely, and packaged overall very well. I guess this is the season to prove "puberty police" wrong. And I am surprised that the jumps are holding much better than I expected. Still, big question mark. I doubt she makes Worlds team this year, particularly if Adelina decides to give it a shot in the end.

And Mao's fan are having a rude awakening, I guess. I see absolutely no difference or improvement there. The usual and I have no confidence that there will be any improvement either. This year's Worlds title is very much up for grabs.

Rika Hongo is the Capellini/Lanotte of Women's. just lurking around witing for perfect opportunity, see her to spoil the days of some of these leaders.

Rude awakening LOL Go to Mao's fan thread nothing but positivity. Well, Mao should go back to retirement, because she had a disastrous competition (oops she won, it wasn't disastrous).

Also, this was her first competition of the season, so I don't Mao fans are loosing any sleep over it.

 

[badknees]

Lori programs are such a mixed bag. I love her programs for Gracie this year but that POTO program last year was terrible, her Sui/Han programs are wonderful, Denis's programs last year were masterpieces (not sure about how his programs look this year....too hard to tell when he skated so badly at SA), and her programs for Han Yan and Zijun are bad, boring, etc (though I personally like Han's LP).

When Lori programs are good they're great, but when they're bad, they're really, really bad.

Anyway, I personally love both of Elena's programs. Bring on the melodrama. Elena and Adelina have some of my favorite programs of the season. I even liked Alena's LP at SC, which no one else seemed to. I thought the concept of changing songs on records was cute and effective...though arguably a bit juvenile for a skater of Alena's maturity.

Just a personal ranking of the top ladies' programs, purely IMO:

Gracie/Adelina
Elena
Mao
Rika
Anna
Ashley
Satoko (beautiful programs that leave me feeling cold, tbh)
Liza

I like intricate, well-executed choreography. And even better if it's full of drama. Even if people don't like the spoken words in Elena's programs--which I could without--there's a LOT in those programs that she really pulls off and she sells it. I like that she's doing dramatic programs this season instead of sticking with the upbeat programs where she could smile. Nothing wrong with Elena's upbeat programs, but she's really showing that she can sell an upbeat performance as well as a more dramatic one.

I'm in agreement on most of this. I haven't seen Adelina's program yet, I'll go find it somewhere.
I actually really like Elena's titanic. Yes, the speaking at the end really deflates the end and they should change that, but she's got the whole program, dress, movie theme matches, intricate choreography (which Tuk needs to work on) and actually I really love both of Elena's dresses.
Anna has a great program with the themed program, good dress (a bit overdone) and good choreography. If she could stand up she would definitely be on the podium.

 

[mikeko666]

Also, this was her first competition of the season, so I don't Mao fans are loosing any sleep over it.

She had Japan Open, in which she was overscored.

 

[minze]

She had Japan Open, in which she was overscored.

According to whom. Your opinion, because if you want to talk about over scoring you need to take a look at all the completions this season that were ISU sanctioned this season and stop referring to a comercial competition like the Japan Open.

 

[andromache]

I'm in agreement on most of this. I haven't seen Adelina's program yet, I'll go find it somewhere.
I actually really like Elena's titanic. Yes, the speaking at the end really deflates the end and they should change that, but she's got the whole program, dress, movie theme matches, intricate choreography (which Tuk needs to work on) and actually I really love both of Elena's dresses.
Anna has a great program with the themed program, good dress (a bit overdone) and good choreography. If she could stand up she would definitely be on the podium.

I only put Anna lower than Rika because Anna's LP feels kind of generic, though I still like it.

I guess my biggest criticism of Elena's LP would be I would like to see a few more positions held and sustained from her. She's really improved on the "flailyness" of last season, but there are times when the LP seems busy and it might be better to try something different. Especially at the end of the program when Celine Dion's grandiose vocals are brought it, to do an Ina Bauer or spread eagle along with the vocals. It'll make the ending more epic.

ETA: The program needs a MOMENT to go with the MOMENT when the vocals come in. And when she skates it perfectly, that'll be the cue for the audience to stand up already. :yes:

 

[bartlebooth]

Actually I'm afraid that her illness has somethind to do with "C":sad21: She said that even in a wheelchair but she'll go to COR for Lena..

Oh, I had completely underestimated it, I had read about a "illness" and I wasn't thinking of anything too serious.
I wish her all the best.

 

[badknees]

Just watched Courtney's LP. Wow, I really like her skating (granted she had a bad afternoon, it happens) but wow both her SP and LP music are just wrong, wrong for her.

She is a big, bold, powerful skater and the slow, stretchy, artistic, Kwan like music is completely wrong for her.
I get so irritated when coach and choreographer's try to make something out of a skater just for artistic purposes, to perhaps look like other skaters and some sort of skating norm that judges seem to give points for.

This is the same problem that Gracie has had and her programs just this year speak better to the type of skater and artist Gracie is.
I really hope Courtney's team doesn't take years to figure this out. They are really doing her a dis-service.

I actually like Courtney's dress. Yes, it's really yellow, but with her bold looks and the appropriate music for the dress, it could be a really powerful program.
I think she has the intricate choreography and good jumps (on a good day) to have a great program.

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

KABOOM!!!!! In Fact, she might have the best I spin of them all!! :gclap:

I agree about Julia's iSpin (obviously) but I also follow a girl on Instagram who does one just about as well and I have no idea who she is

https://instagram.com/p/3DpmYqKQ-Z/
Can anyone identify her for me

I know her name is Anya Afonya but I don't remember hearing it before.

 

[badknees]

I agree about Julia's iSpin (obviously) but I also follow a girl on Instagram who does one just about as well and I have no idea who she is

https://instagram.com/p/3DpmYqKQ-Z/
Can anyone identify her for me

Wow, that is good! Who is she??

 

[chairmanmao]

Elena's music choices are mind-boggling this season. Still she has grown up nicely, and packaged overall very well. I guess this is the season to prove "puberty police" wrong. And I am surprised that the jumps are holding much better than I expected. Still, big question mark. I doubt she makes Worlds team this year, particularly if Adelina decides to give it a shot in the end.

And Mao's fan are having a rude awakening, I guess. I see absolutely no difference or improvement there. The usual and I have no confidence that there will be any improvement either. This year's Worlds title is very much up for grabs.

Rika Hongo is the Capellini/Lanotte of Women's. just lurking around witing for perfect opportunity, see her to spoil the days of some of these leaders.

I think your clearly hallucinating on what Mao's fans are thinking.