2015 NHK Ladies Free Skate

[stella luna]

Jeepers (American expression)...why is Mirai getting killed on under-rotations? Her first triple triple looked really good. The second jump run had a glitch but the rest of the jumps were decent. Someone is really taking a microscope to those landings. I am not in love with that Gatsby program. I like the new dress but the head band seems like a silly distraction. The music cuts are disjointed and I don't see Mirai embracing the free-wheeling 20's. I saw a smile during the Charleston but it felt like she was saying , "Don't I look silly!" Tom and Mirai seemed reasonably content with the 114. I just think she's capable of so much more and frankly I think she was under marked technically and over marked PCS.

She deserved to finish above Ashley, that's for sure. It was good to see her smiling and seeming to enjoy herself while skating. And I liked the headband!

 

[Li'Kitsu]

Judges can reduce the the GOE by 2 for jumps with poor height so it should be necessary to have decent height.

That's news to me. Where exactly is that rule?

 

[David21]

That's news to me. Where exactly is that rule?

ISU Communication No. 1944, page 14.

 

[silverlake22]

My issue with Satoko's jumps is that to me they are not really triples. At best, they are 2.5 rotations, and most of the time they are 2.25 rotations. She pre-rotates all her triples a half turn and then most of them have the final 1/4 turn take place on the ice (BTW, I'm okay with jumps that land on the 1/4 mark getting full credit, as they are supposed to get full credit if they get to 2.75 rotations or more when the blade hits the ice, I more take issue with the pre-rotation because if you combine Satoko's pre-rotation with the landings of her jumps, the amount of rotation taking place on the ice is more than a quarter turn every time, and usually more than half a turn, meaning all her triples should be getting hit with < or <<.)

And I get it, other skater's prerotate their jumps too, but in Satoko's case, the prerotation is very obvious and it really accounts for about half a revolution so I'm a biT baffled by her scores. Don't get me wrong, she's a great skater and she deserves her PCS and the GOE she gets on her spins, spirals and steps which are all exquisite as far as I'm concerned. I just don't think it's quite right for her to be scoring 67+ TES in a FS when her jumps are extremely small and not really rotated.

The tech panel was very strict on every skater in the ladies event except Satoko when it came to under-rotations, which is my main issue. If you're going to be strict, be strict to everyone.

As for Mirai, I think the 2a-3t<< and 3s< calls were fair but I would have given her the other jumps. The 3f-3t wasn't completely backwards but I watched the slow mo and the 3t seemed to hit the ice right on the 1/4 mark or even a bit after, meaning she should be getting full credit for it. I feel bad because it seems like anyone who has an "Under-rotater" reputation will get hit with URs for any jump that is not COMPLETELY backwards. In the case of Mirai and Polina, I will agree most of their triples don't land completely backwards, but from what I can tell, the amount of rotation that takes place on the ice when they land is usually 1/4 turn or less, meaning they should be given full credit for the jump because that's what the rule says.

 

[stella luna]

My issue with Satoko's jumps is that to me they are not really triples. At best, they are 2.5 rotations, and most of the time they are 2.25 rotations. She pre-rotates all her triples a half turn and then most of them have the final 1/4 turn take place on the ice (BTW, I'm okay with jumps that land on the 1/4 mark getting full credit, as they are supposed to get full credit if they get to 2.75 rotations or more when the blade hits the ice, I more take issue with the pre-rotation because if you combine Satoko's pre-rotation with the landings of her jumps, the amount of rotation taking place on the ice is more than a quarter turn every time, and usually more than half a turn, meaning all her triples should be getting hit with < or <<.)

And I get it, other skater's prerotate their jumps too, but in Satoko's case, the prerotation is very obvious and it really accounts for about half a revolution so I'm a biT baffled by her scores. Don't get me wrong, she's a great skater and she deserves her PCS and the GOE she gets on her spins, spirals and steps which are all exquisite as far as I'm concerned. I just don't think it's quite right for her to be scoring 67+ TES in a FS when her jumps are extremely small and not really rotated.

The tech panel was very strict on every skater in the ladies event except Satoko when it came to under-rotations, which is my main issue. If you're going to be strict, be strict to everyone.

As for Mirai, I think the 2a-3t<< and 3s< calls were fair but I would have given her the other jumps. The 3f-3t wasn't completely backwards but I watched the slow mo and the 3t seemed to hit the ice right on the 1/4 mark or even a bit after, meaning she should be getting full credit for it. I feel bad because it seems like anyone who has an "Under-rotater" reputation will get hit with URs for any jump that is not COMPLETELY backwards. In the case of Mirai and Polina, I will agree most of their triples don't land completely backwards, but from what I can tell, the amount of rotation that takes place on the ice when they land is usually 1/4 turn or less, meaning they should be given full credit for the jump because that's what the rule says.

After watching all of the ladies free, I think Mirai should have gotten bronze.

 

[Icey]

When did Mao get ill? Was it far enough in advancement of the event to make a substitution?

 

[cohkaix]

[post deleted]

 

[Skater Boy]

Amazing 2A+3T from Kaetlyn! Then my stream froze for a while so I pretty much missed the rest...

I like this program (what I saw of it), she seemed to have pretty good energy throughout.

I wonder if she should try a layout like 3lutz; 2A 3T; 3F ; 3S; 2 2T2l, 3S2T, 3T something easier and see if she can skate clean and build up her confidence.

 

[Skater Boy]

Alena should probably get phased out next year, too many promising young skaters from Russia and she hasn't delivered in the longest time.

WEll if this is the case then it is time Mirai also says adios. Add Mao too and Hanyu has nothing to prove now. We have to remember how patient the world was for Carolina. Right now there is no lady that consistently brings it from the front runners - Liza t; Mao, Gracie, Ashley, - Elena and Evegenia are the most consistent of the medal threats. I agree it doesn't look great for Leonova but let her skate on her terms.

 

[stella luna]

WEll if this is the case then it is time Mirai also says adios. Add Mao too and Hanyu has nothing to prove now. We have to remember how patient the world was for Carolina. Right now there is no lady that consistently brings it from the front runners - Liza t; Mao, Gracie, Ashley, - Elena and Evegenia are the most consistent of the medal threats. I agree it doesn't look great for Leonova but let her skate on her terms.

The greater the challenge, the lower the underdog, the greater potential for comeback.

 

[MaxSwagg]

Sorry. I love Satoko but the pitiful nature of this ladies event...NBC's "Challenging Move" was a 2A+3T. Lol Jeez.

Bad technical day for Mao but like someone said, the skating is like no other so I can still watch.

 

[Meoima]

Sorry. I love Satoko but the pitiful nature of this ladies event...NBC's "Challenging Move" was a 2A+3T. Lol Jeez.
Bad technical day for Mao but like someone said, the skating is like no other so I can still watch.

Agree. And to be honest I'd rather watch a flawed Mao and her soft skating than Hicks (and Hicks did not skate clean at all). Watching most of them through livestream I was like this: :con3::sad4::hopelessness:

 

[Mathman]

In general, ladies figure skating had better figure out where it is heading or the sport will be completely taken over by the boys.

 

[hurrah]

Even though it was a bad ladies event, the ladies free skate still got better ratings (23.5% on average) than men's free (18.0% on average) in Japan.

The highest momentary rate for ladies was 31.0% when Ashley Wagner's score came up and 21.8% for men when Yuzu's score came up.

http://www.hochi.co.jp/sports/winter/20151130-OHT1T50050.html
http://www.daily.co.jp/newsflash/general/2015/11/30/0008607812.shtml
http://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2015/11/30/kiji/K20151130011601881.html

 

[Meoima]

Honestly I think Mirai was placed too low.

 

[gotoschool]

According to her own words, it seems to be not much of a physical problem but more of a mind-set issue. Besides, if taking a look at her history of participating in GP events, since when did she quit any competition (except for that once she REALLY had to)?

I have never heard Mao admit that she had physical problem or illness even if she did like at 2013 Worlds and 2013 Nationals when she had back pain. Mao certainly looked ill to me at NHK and to others. I have never seen her hold her forehead and sniffle during a warm up session or at the end of a program or sit back on the ice after a performance in apparent exhaustion. Her movements getting up and leaving the ice in the LP looked obviously slow and labored and the energy all drained from her face. rosewood translated these comments from Coach Sato, Mr Sato: "I don't think I have a good enough understanding at this point but my take is her physical condition was not good." He also said, "But skaters over 20 years old cannot recover from fatigue easily, and sometimes something inconvenient can come up gradually."
The full article is at: http://zasshi.news.yahoo.co.jp/article?a=20151129-00010004-sportiva-spo.view-000 post 479

Maybe there is a mind-set issue brought on by her physical condition, but I believe the illness is the foundation of it. I just hope Mao rests, releases the memory of these skates from her mind, and comes back skating for herself and the ideal she has in her mind, trying not to worry about placements and scores because I think this will help her bounce back quickly. Besides Mao's jump issues, I still think Mao's skating and expression were the most beautiful of the women's.

 

[Tutto]

So much said about Satoko's artistry but sadly it kinda misses me completely. I am too busy trying to figure out: oh wait, was it a double I just saw or a triple, no, it couldn't be or was it... In that kind of mental turmoil I eventually find myself seeing her final pose and remembering nothing of the program itself. I try very hard stop doing this but her jumps are the most mystifying thing in ladies FS at the moment. I mean not the jumps but the fact that they all ratified as triples that is.
On the whole it was worst GP of the series (ladies) - doom & gloom

 

[stella luna]

Honestly I think Mirai was placed too low.

People seem to be messing up and skating by on reputation again. Wasn't the new judging system supposed to take care of that?

 

[waxel]

Alena hasn't delivered in years. Just not a fan. The choreography of this LP is not cute or spunky or fun (as her performances have been called in the past). It's amateurish.

At this point in time... Satoko's skating seems so small---- and yes, much of that is indeed relative to her being so very petite. I'm not being facetious ... is she too far along in her maturation process for a growth spurt?

 

[Franklin99]

Alena hasn't delivered in years. Just not a fan. The choreography of this LP is not cute or spunky or fun (as her performances have been called in the past). It's amateurish.

At this point in time... Satoko's skating seems so small---- and yes, much of that is indeed relative to her being so very petite. I'm not being facetious ... is she too far along in her maturation process for a growth spurt?

At 4'10" at almost 18 years old (in 4 months), Yes she is too far along. Satoko will most likely never reach 5 feet.