2015-16 Grand Prix pre-assignments & predictions

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

There are some good reviews for Hongo's new FS choreographed by Akiko, so I'm looking forward to her consistent skating plus an engaging program that highlights her good points.

Hongo always surprises me. I kept thinking her high placements were a fluke, but the results over the whole season showed otherwise.

Polina could surpass Hongo if she skates even more consistently. It was her slow start in the GP series last season that hurt her reputation in the judges eyes I think.

I think Hongo worked for every placement she got. The judges were rather harsh on her PCS-wise (and I'm sure there are top skaters who did her lutz the exact same way would only get a ! call). I was so very impressed with her, and in many ways she's like Akiko - more powerful and gutsy and not the delicate, "pretty/cute" skaters we often see from Japan.

 

[cheerknithanson]

Agreed. Polina is slated for a strong GP season but good lord she needs better packaging. She really needs to show greater maturity and lose the princess/fairy shtick.

Doing Tinkerbell stuff doesn't make her immature!

GOOD GREIF! When are people going to see that doing Tinkerbell is not immature? Who says Disney and stories that are fairy tales are only for little kids?!

 

[aromaticchicken]

Doing Tinkerbell stuff doesn't make her immature!

GOOD GREIF! When are people going to see that doing Tinkerbell is not immature? Who says Disney and stories that are fairy tales are only for little kids?!

I was less bothered by the princess and more annoyed how BORING the program was. It went nowhere, was slow and gentle the entire time without any sort of captivating appeal. Even her Sochi program, which was similarly calm and balletic (she said in her TSL interview she prides herself in that style, was much more interesting.

She has the ability to captivate, I loved this year's SP. Doesn't need to all be sassy or upbeat, but it was a very dull, dying 4 minutes musically and that is not champion material.

 

[Blades of Passion]

Yes, the program sucked. The movement was incredibly safe and unimaginative.

It's strange, the SP and LP in 2014-2015 for Polina were both less mature and less interesting than the 2013-2014 programs. If I had never seen her before and watched those sets of programs back-to-back, I surely would think she was a year younger in the 2014-2015 set, when actually it was the other way around.

 

[cheerknithanson]

Yes, the program sucked. The movement was incredibly safe and unimaginative.

It's strange, the SP and LP in 2014-2015 for Polina were both less mature and less interesting than the 2013-2014 programs. If I had never seen her before and watched those sets of programs back-to-back, I surely would think she was a year younger in the 2014-2015 set, when actually it was the other way around.

My question to you is what made them less mature?

I loved the Tinkerbell FP. I've watched the 4CC version of it on YouTube many many times.

 

[karne]

Those are very ambitious placements. A top 5 for Kerry is doable if the other guys falter and he goes lights out. But there's no way Max will win Skate America. His PCS is just far too low and unfortunately for him, even great improvement is hardly going to change the judges' minds at this point that he can be more than a technical skater.

*chuckles* I was jesting, CSG. I am well aware that a top five for Brendan is an insane prediction. Even if he did land all the jumps, he would still suffer from the same little-country PCS that saw Brooklee placed below Mirai in the SP last year.

I disagree with you on Max, of course. If what we saw at WTT from him was only a month or two's work, then I can hardly wait to see what he can produce with all these months under his belt, and with the jumps even better than before.

 

[Blades of Passion]

My question to you is what made them less mature?

The movement is less extended, less thoughtful. The costuming in both programs was more like a school girl as well.

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

The movement is less extended, less thoughtful. The costuming in both programs was more like a school girl as well.

I actually liked the program. It was great at 4cc and other than the costuming I thought she made huge strides forward in her presentation. I guess maybe sometimes her crossovers feel out of sync with the program and without purpose but the steps are solid and well delivered. All of the little musical breaks are matched well with choreo and feel pretty well thought out.

I'm surprised she doesn't get more credit from people about her spins. I think she is one of the stronger spinners out there.

Actually on topic: do we know anything about her programs and is there any chance she will wear something a bit more simple? I think something very understated would be a good move and remove unwanted focus away from her her image and back to her skating.

 

[Blades of Passion]

I hated some of the steps, hah. What she does between the first lutz and the first flip creates a particularly clumsy feeling. Footwork sequence had almost nothing to do with the music. Choreography sequence was bland, the spirals she did in the previous season showed better line and flexibility. Technically she does have some good spins (not the flying sit) but again none of them do much with the music. Oh, and I dislike how she flings her arm backward after Double Axels for no reason.

 

[Li'Kitsu]

There are some good reviews for Hongo's new FS choreographed by Akiko, so I'm looking forward to her consistent skating plus an engaging program that highlights her good points.

Hongo always surprises me. I kept thinking her high placements were a fluke, but the results over the whole season showed otherwise.

Polina could surpass Hongo if she skates even more consistently. It was her slow start in the GP series last season that hurt her reputation in the judges eyes I think.

Isn't Quidam her SP? Or does she have both programs choreographed by Akiko?

I liked Rika mainly for her personality at first, but her skating is growing on me a lot, I love how consistent and fierce she is. The improvement is so impressive! If she keeps going like that, I think she'll surprise a lot of people next season and she'll hold up well with the rest of the field. And I also love her new costume

 

[aromaticchicken]

I hated some of the steps, hah. What she does between the first lutz and the first flip creates a particularly clumsy feeling. Footwork sequence had almost nothing to do with the music. Choreography sequence was bland, the spirals she did in the previous season showed better line and flexibility. Technically she does have some good spins (not the flying sit) but again none of them do much with the music. Oh, and I dislike how she flings her arm backward after Double Axels for no reason.

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

 

[Interspectator]

Isn't Quidam her SP? Or does she have both programs choreographed by Akiko?

I liked Rika mainly for her personality at first, but her skating is growing on me a lot, I love how consistent and fierce she is. The improvement is so impressive! If she keeps going like that, I think she'll surprise a lot of people next season and she'll hold up well with the rest of the field. And I also love her new costume

Right! I wonder if Akiko did both?

 

[chuckm]

What I don't like about Hongo is her hunched posture---it detracts from her performance and it will affect her PCS scores. I find it particularly distracting when she uses ballet music.

 

[humbaba]

I actually liked the program. It was great at 4cc and other than the costuming I thought she made huge strides forward in her presentation. I guess maybe sometimes her crossovers feel out of sync with the program and without purpose but the steps are solid and well delivered. All of the little musical breaks are matched well with choreo and feel pretty well thought out.

I'm surprised she doesn't get more credit from people about her spins. I think she is one of the stronger spinners out there.

Actually on topic: do we know anything about her programs and is there any chance she will wear something a bit more simple? I think something very understated would be a good move and remove unwanted focus away from her her image and back to her skating.

Agree with this post. Some of the criticism of Polina's LP really has been over the top. I do think the Tinkerbell program is a great example of how an ill-conceived costume can negatively affect the way a program is perceived. Had Polina had a better costume, I don't think her LP would have been criticized so harshly. Agree that Team Edmunds should consider a more understated approach to dressing their skater. Polina does simple, elegant, and understated very well. The pics from the World's banquet are proof. https://instagram.com/p/00UT_wm30b/

 

[gravy]

Yes, the program sucked. The movement was incredibly safe and unimaginative.

It's strange, the SP and LP in 2014-2015 for Polina were both less mature and less interesting than the 2013-2014 programs. If I had never seen her before and watched those sets of programs back-to-back, I surely would think she was a year younger in the 2014-2015 set, when actually it was the other way around.

Glad I wasn't alone on this. Her Grieg LP was miles better than last season's, but I thought it was just me being very biased and loving anything Norwegian. Her costume was also better-- very subtle and elegant, yet age-appropriate.

 

[randomfan]

Yes, the program sucked. The movement was incredibly safe and unimaginative.

It's strange, the SP and LP in 2014-2015 for Polina were both less mature and less interesting than the 2013-2014 programs. If I had never seen her before and watched those sets of programs back-to-back, I surely would think she was a year younger in the 2014-2015 set, when actually it was the other way around.

I agree with you about the LP, but I actually liked her SP this season better than last season. The program seemed much more organized.

 

[cheerknithanson]

Agree with this post. Some of the criticism of Polina's LP really has been over the top. I do think the Tinkerbell program is a great example of how an ill-conceived costume can negatively affect the way a program is perceived. Had Polina had a better costume, I don't think her LP would have been criticized so harshly. Agree that Team Edmunds should consider a more understated approach to dressing their skater. Polina does simple, elegant, and understated very well. The pics from the World's banquet are proof. https://instagram.com/p/00UT_wm30b/

I actually liked the costume. Especially the pink ombre effect it had.

 

[Li'Kitsu]

Right! I wonder if Akiko did both?

I would love it if she did both! But I thought the second was someone else... (Tom Dickson? Miyamoto maybe?)

 

[Ice Dance]

Polina does simple, elegant, and understated very well.https://instagram.com/p/00UT_wm30b/

LOL. This is exactly what I didn't like about Polina's programs this year. I hate the ethereal look. Give me a feisty cha cha any day. We have way too many American ladies who don't do anything but soft elegant programs. Polina has such a fun personality. It really comes out in her exhibitions, and it came out in her short during the Olympic season. I missed it all this year in her competitive numbers. If she--and her coaches--really love the ethereal look, I wish they would mix it up for one of her two numbers. Give me the diva! There's definitely one in Polina.

 

[gravy]

LOL. This is exactly what I didn't like about Polina's programs this year. I hate the ethereal look. Give me a feisty cha cha any day. We have way too many American ladies who don't do anything but soft elegant programs. Polina has such a fun personality. It really comes out in her exhibitions, and it came out in her short during the Olympic season. I missed it all this year in her competitive numbers. If she--and her coaches--really love the ethereal look, I wish they would mix it up for one of her two numbers. Give me the diva! There's definitely one in Polina.

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.