2014 JGP Ostrava Czech Skate Ladies Free Skate | Page 5 | Golden Skate

2014 JGP Ostrava Czech Skate Ladies Free Skate

treeloving

Medalist
Joined
Feb 17, 2010
Wakaba has clearer edge. :laugh: personally I don't like her style, she is a bit labour on ice. But she is just 13 and has already a true lutz. It's an advantage over the Russian babies, you have to admit. ;)


Wakaba might not have a graceful balletic oriented style but in my opinion she is far from labour on ice as her speed and flow is good for junior. She has a strong gliding.
 

enzet

On the Ice
Joined
Sep 13, 2006
There was absolutely nothing laborious in Wakaba's skating and jumps were not the only thing she had over the rest of the field. Her skating skills were so superior it made you feel she belonged to a completely different competition.
As far as I could see, she was taking off from a very clear outside edge for her lutz. I couldn't see her flip take off clearly so she might have a lip but her lutz was perfect.
I saw these girls live for the first time and I had not yet been emotionally invested in any of them before I came to the competition.
Based on the videos, I actually expected to like Medvedeva or Chen the most but Higuchi was the undisputable winner of the Free and I would have had her even further ahead of Medvedeva.
Her GOE should have been higher than what she got.
 

jace93

On the Ice
Joined
Jan 8, 2014
Higuchi's biggest advantage over the Russians is that she's virtually guaranteed spots for international competitions until 2017. She doesn't need to beg for points so desperately like tano-tano waifs. It also means that she can expect consistent supports from the federation. Just concentrate on technical improvements. No Russian can afford to "challenge" at the cost of immediate results.

For Once we agree on something =) The greatest problem for the young russian, barring injuries or unpredictable effect of growth spurt and puberty, that I see in the near future is the incredible internal competition that they have. This means that to get exposure and cred with the international judges they'll have to always be at the top of their games JUST to be sent to competition. A skater like Higuchi, who is as talented as the Russians but has very little competition in her country, doesn't have to spend ton of physical and mental energy just to compete, and it's hard for her to lose her federation support so easily...
 

YesWay

四年もかけて&#
Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 28, 2013
Of course Wakaba could never a "princess" on ice like Mao. I can see her heading toward Midori Ito'a style, though.
Oh, I don't know about that - Mao didn't always have the kind of grace, elegance, lightness and expression she's shown in the last few years. Not that I'd say she was ever "bad" or anything, but even up until Vancouver I still considered her more "athletic" than "artistic".

Just my opinion, but I think Mao started out with great technical and athletic abilities, and then learned to be more artistic, expressive etc. I also recall seeing Lipnitskaia at Finlandia in 2012 (14) and Finlandia 2013 (15), and the striking improvement in artistry and expressiveness she'd made in just one year.

And I think Higuchi could do the same. She's still only 13. But no guarantees of course...!
 

Meoima

Match Penalty
Joined
Feb 13, 2014
Oh, I don't know about that - Mao didn't always have the kind of grace, elegance, lightness and expression she's shown in the last few years. Not that I'd say she was ever "bad" or anything, but even up until Vancouver I still considered her more "athletic" than "artistic".
Just my opinion, but I think Mao started out with great technical and athletic abilities, and then learned to be more artistic, expressive etc.
And I think Higuchi could do the same.
But no guarantees of course...!
I am not a fan of Mao, so it's only recently I start watching her programs when she was about 14-15 . She already showed the lightness and "artistic feelings" by that time. The commentators said something about her in junior words like: "She is a star already."
I think with women, star quality is easy to notice early, at the age of 14-16. Right now I can see that Wakaba has good jumps and speed. But I am not sure about "star quality". We have to wait for 2 more years.

With men, I have to say it's normally latter than girls. But I think once they have the "core" of basics and presentation quality, they can become greater easier than most skaters. For example, this is Yagudin at the age of 16-17: http://youtu.be/wsnWYUF0pVM
Obviously moving to Tat was the best choice for him, but he already showed that he has the quality of the champion when he was still with Mishin. His presentation was not too bad at that age.
 
Joined
Jul 30, 2012
Country
Russia
She may not be against Yushenko. I wouldn't be surprised if they took Yushenko's second event from her. Too many skaters needing event and they definitely won't consider Yushenko's skating here a success. They may give a chance Pervshkina to have two events (depending on how she does in her first one) or Kolomiets if she heals in time.
Kolomiets is ill and probably will not hane JGP Events. She is not at substitute list at last Event.
Pervushkina - all depends on how she will skate in Japan, and in what state will be Proklova - if she will not restore to 6th Event, will be free places (for Kajumova, Iushenko and Pervushkina).
 
Joined
Jul 30, 2012
Country
Russia
She lost like 13 points between base value and -GOE. I'd hardly call that gifted. She would has score like 110 at least (and I'm being conservative) had she been better.

I guess you could argue the PCS angle.... I still this Chen performed the program, even with the mistakes.

Also let's not forget that Chen had a 7 point lead from the SP.
At first, let's not forget that Chen was the best of US Ladies skated at three Events, and I can't believe that Bradie Tennell (she will probably skate n Japan) will be better than Karen Chen, i.e. Karen Chen most probably is the best US Lady at JGP this season.
 
Joined
Jul 30, 2012
Country
Russia
Wakaba and Evgenia were really impressive.
Yes.
Wakaba Higuchi is very nice and talented skater.

Does anybody know - did Wakaba Higuchi skate FS without serious errors before this JGP Events? All protocols that I found (Japanese Nationals and Internationals) say that her FS was not clean.
 

Interspectator

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 25, 2012
On an entirely different note...in the kiss and cry, I think there should be a sign that says, 'keep your knees together' where they can see it when they sit down.
Young girls tend to forget about the camera in the kiss and cry and forget to close their legs. :slink:
 

NMURA

Medalist
Joined
Jul 14, 2010
Does anybody know - did Wakaba Higuchi skate FS without serious errors before this JGP Events? All protocols that I found (Japanese Nationals and Internationals) say that her FS was not clean.

No I don't think so. Higuchi landed the first 3Lz-3T at Tokyo regionals of last year. At least, this combo is very solid.

Tokyo regionals: 3Lz-3T 3F 2A-2T 3Lz 3Lo<fall 3S-2T-2Lo
Novice nationals: 3Lz-3T 3F 2A(turnout)-3T 3Lz 3Lo 3S-2T-2Lo
Junior nationals: 3Lz stepout 3F 3S 2A-3T 3Lz-2T 3Lo fall 2A-2T-2Lo
Inter-Junior highschool (Jr): 3Lz-3T 3F 3S 2A-3T 3Lz 3Lo 1A-2T-2T
Challenge Cup (Nv): 3Lz-3T 3S 2A-3T 3Lz 3Lo prob.stepout 3F
Asian Open (Jr): 3Lz-3T 1Lo 3S 2A-3T 3Lz 1F 2A-2T-2Lo
 

[email protected]

Medalist
Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 26, 2014
I think it's clear outside egde, judging from the angle of the skate.

May be it is the outside edge but it is not very clear. Please, look at these 2 pictures. Picture 1 which is half a second before the take-off manifests clear outside edge with the visible inside edge - and that's what the public sees real time. Picture 2 at the take off - well it is much less obvious.

http://s016.radikal.ru/i335/1409/db/f8a5c56c372b.jpg
http://s019.radikal.ru/i638/1409/4b/66a48f40054b.jpg
 

snowflake

I enjoy what I like
Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 10, 2008
On an entirely different note...in the kiss and cry, I think there should be a sign that says, 'keep your knees together' where they can see it when they sit down.
Young girls tend to forget about the camera in the kiss and cry and forget to close their legs. :slink:

Why should they do it in K&C when they don't do it on the ice :laugh:
 

Meoima

Match Penalty
Joined
Feb 13, 2014
May be it is the outside edge but it is not very clear. Please, look at these 2 pictures. Picture 1 which is half a second before the take-off manifests clear outside edge with the visible inside edge - and that's what the public sees real time. Picture 2 at the take off - well it is much less obvious.
http://s016.radikal.ru/i335/1409/db/f8a5c56c372b.jpg
http://s019.radikal.ru/i638/1409/4b/66a48f40054b.jpg
I can see it's clearly outside edge by the angle of the skate, even in the 2nd picture.
 

BRASILwmr

Rinkside
Joined
Nov 21, 2013
Obviously you can have some creativity in cop but I blame cop overall for the "robotic".
Thanks for you reply. I maintain my opinion. I think the repetition of elements, what really changes in the Medvedeva program from one season to another is the music, because until the steps are similar. And this has nothing to do with "ah this is her style, she is a ballerina." Aff:disapp:.'m Tired of seeing this layout program for "almost" all the Russian girls.
In part you are right, the system prefers this layout without creativity and excess of ballet steps. But that's where the sport is stagnant, maximum technique (even for junior girls) and little originality and own style. I think this style is characteristic of Lipnitskaya and she is already very good. But other Russian girls (for me) are robotic copies of the same style. I hope to see something different in Medvedeva, because she has a very good technique and Higuchi that maintains proper execution of the elements and original lines. Sorry for my bad English. :slink:
 

BRASILwmr

Rinkside
Joined
Nov 21, 2013
This JGP is only proving me how this system is perverse. The skaters have to hop, skip and jump over:unsure:. See the example karen chen: Graceful lines, expressiveness and feeling (i think about this very difficult to see this in junior girls) and it sees itself compelled to try one or two 3-3 comb. is very sad to see a talent being swallowed by the robotic aspect of figure skating.
 
Top