2016-17 JGPF Ladies FS

[silverfoxes]

Wow, only 6??? I didn't play the juniors prediction game this season, but maybe I should've!

Yep...majority picked Gubanova. But I knew there was no way Eteri was going to let Alina have another bad performance and especially with Polina out, they would have done everything possible to make her unbeatable. People can bash Eteri all day long, but she gets results, period.

 

[sabinfire]

I'd definitely give Zagitova the nod on transitions. But a more packed program doesn't always equal a better program (or better interpretation or skating skills). Gubanova's program might have a little less in there (but come on, it's not like she's Ashley Wagner out there) but each movement to have more significance/meaning/nuance to it, whereas Zagitova's program feels packed for the sake of being packed. More meaning to the movements = a more well-constructed program, IMO.

I spent a lot of time gritting my teeth watching Gubanova's jumps, I wasn't expecting such a clean technical performance this time. Maybe I wasn't able to enjoy the program to the fullest extent on the first live viewing. She still felt very rushed today, more than usual. I will need to re-watch later.

 

[luckyguy]

11 points for Nugumanova for her fabulous 3Lo+3Lo!

 

[NaVi]

The lean on Gubanova's first 3Lz scared me... I thought she was going to fall.

 

[shiroKJ]

The medals for a interclass competition in my school look better than these

are those medals made of cardboard?:shocked:
not having real flags for years now bringing paper medals, seriously let's move GPF to Barcelona again
thanks god it is in Japan next year .

Lol, what? Seriously?

 

[Kutien]

1 Alina ZAGITOVA RUS 207.43 1 1 video
2 Anastasiia GUBANOVA RUS 194.07 3 2 video
3 Kaori SAKAMOTO JPN 176.33 2 4 video
4 Rika KIHIRA JPN 175.16 5 3 video
5 Elizaveta NUGUMANOVA RUS 170.08 4 5 video

 

[NaVi]

Press conference... I'll tune in for the novelty...

https://www.facebook.com/isufigureskating/

 

[Marin]

Lol, what? Seriously?

https://twitter.com/alyaaniya/status/807271050992058369 and the skater's posture on it

 

[sabinfire]

https://twitter.com/alyaaniya/status/807271050992058369 and the skater's posture on it

Maybe the skater was just pulling out of a Biellmann spin? Strange moment to capture though.

 

[MIM]

Gubanova seemed to rush through all her elements, felt a bit frantic to me. I think Zagitova had more complex/difficult content. Both skaters were rushed (it's juniors after all), but Zagitova's program felt more packed... she has a load of stamina!

Their steps are both difficult. Gusbanova was able to execute fully the difficult contents while Zagitova could not even complete her movement and had to rush to the next to be on the music. Zagitova seems to have tired legs in the second half in -between jumps but she executes jumps with a high quality on the right musical note!! :eekn: She just needs a better program. I don't mind her being Kitri. I think it fits her character, but please better choreography for her next year!

 

[MIM]

Press conference... I'll tune in for the novelty...

https://www.facebook.com/isufigureskating/

I love the mannequin challenge!! SO FUN!!

 

[shiroKJ]

https://twitter.com/alyaaniya/status/807271050992058369 and the skater's posture on it

Omg, the senior medals better not be this elementary arts and craft cut-out. Hey organizers, how about springing 5 bucks for a medal that won't fly away when a draft comes in.

 

[Skye]

https://twitter.com/alyaaniya/status/807271050992058369 and the skater's posture on it

Not only is it ugly, Kaori's cardboard medal got cut off from its strap so she ended up holding the medal in her hand at the press conference.

 

[shiroKJ]

Not only is it ugly, Kaori's cardboard medal got cut off from its strap so she ended up holding the medal in her hand at the press conference.

That's just sad....I'm having a serious case of 2nd hand embarressment. First the terrible ice conditions now paper medals. :scard7:

 

[[email protected]]

I watched the press-conference. Good girl Kaori: humble yet self-conscious. And willing to learn. When asked what her takeaways were she said that she had been too focused on jumps and spins unlike Russian girls who did not forget about the artistic side of figure skating. Wish she becomes better and better with every competition.

As for the FS, well what Kaori said is true for many Japanese lady skaters: they work on elements one after another at the expense of the total impression. Despite the fall on 3A Rika was a bit better in this department than Kaori. But Russian girls were on a different artistic level. Including Liza N who is a big-time performer. So sad about her falls: 3 falls in 2 programs - there will be no future for her in the packed Russian field unless she changes it the sooner the better.

I would agree with sabinfire that Nastya was not as fluid today as, say, in Dresden. She understood she had no right for failures and was very concentrated at the expense of her signature fluidity. Yet, she is a diva. Too sad about Marin - these are two smoothest junior lady skaters, may be ever. Having them competing against each other would be a feast for the eye.

Alina took no prisoners again. One can argue about her juniorish style. But the technical complexity of her program is just insane. I don't know how many existing or previous skaters would be able to do this program cleanly. May be none including Medvedeva. And she is doing it better and better. She had a disaster in Lubljana. But in France when she was clean her getting in the ending pose was akward, her spin travelling was wide. Not now - very good precision. So just wow! And she beat the junior WR by what, 12 points?! The quest for the third spot in the Russian Olympic team is getting more and more interesting.

 

[sailormoon]

Alina Zagitova skated two clean programs and set a new junior world record with a total score of 207.43. Anastasia Gubanova's Romeo and Juliet was also totally clean and impressive. With that high score, Zagitova could win a medal in the senior final event. The Japanese contingents didn't do well and Kaori Sakamoto was 19 points off her personal best. Marin Honda's last-minute withdrawal was disappointing and she had a temperature of 39°C upon arriving France. Had Marin Honda been able to compete, she would have probably finished third.

1. Alina Zagitova 207.43
2. Anastasia Gubanova 194.07
3. Kaori Sakamoto 176.33

Have the rules changed much in the past 2 years?

I think the second-half bonus for jumps made the difference. Zagitova's all jumps are in the second half of the free program to get the bonus points, which may be her coach's idea.

m) In the Free Program of Single Skating the base values for all jumps started in the second half of the program will be multiplied by a special factor 1.1 in order to give credit for even distribution of difficulties in the program.

 

[Zhenya is DIVINE]

To see Zagitova score so well in PCS is a bit surprising. Have the rules changed much in the past 2 years? IMO she is nowhere as good as Zhenya was when she won this in 2014, but Alina's PCS are quite a bit higher. Things that make you go HMMMM.

 

[NaVi]

It would be nice to get these FS with Eurosport commentary on Youtube... are they on Eurosport player?

 

[Leonardo]

I watched the press-conference. Good girl Kaori: humble yet self-conscious. And willing to learn. When asked what her takeaways were she said that she had been too focused on jumps and spins unlike Russian girls who did not forget about the artistic side of figure skating. Wish she becomes better and better with every competition.

As for the FS, well what Kaori said is true for many Japanese lady skaters: they work on elements one after another at the expense of the total impression. Despite the fall on 3A Rika was a bit better in this department than Kaori. But Russian girls were on a different artistic level. Including Liza N who is a big-time performer. So sad about her falls: 3 falls in 2 programs - there will be no future for her in the packed Russian field unless she changes it the sooner the better.

I would agree with sabinfire that Nastya was not as fluid today as, say, in Dresden. She understood she had no right for failures and was very concentrated at the expense of her signature fluidity. Yet, she is a diva. Too sad about Marin - these are two smoothest junior lady skaters, may be ever. Having them competing against each other would be a feast for the eye.

Alina took no prisoners again. One can argue about her juniorish style. But the technical complexity of her program is just insane. I don't know how many existing or previous skaters would be able to do this program cleanly. May be none including Medvedeva. And she is doing it better and better. She had a disaster in Lubljana. But in France when she was clean her getting in the ending pose was akward, her spin travelling was wide. Not now - very good precision. So just wow! And she beat the junior WR by what, 12 points?! The quest for the third spot in the Russian Olympic team is getting more and more interesting.

Totally agree with everything, although Rika Kihira can actually do an 8 clean triple program, the most difficult program in the world. But Zagitova's program is very very complex indeed.
Anyway, I just wanted to comment that Gubanova is a gift to figure skating. She's simply so beautiful and sublime, not enough words really. The only program in ladies (juniors and seniors) that I will re-watch today again and again. Zagitova is the winner, but Gubanova won my heart (and many other fans' as well, I believe)

 

[lavoix]

A very intense competition. I was sad to see Nugumanova fall, she had the most sublime costume and music. I hope we will continue to see her wonderful routines, she really is exquisite.

The Japanese to me do not focus enough on artistry, I was really underwhelmed and was disappointed that Honda wasn't here. Speaking of Honda, why couldn't they bring the reserve to Marseille to warm up? Seems like a wasted spot.

Gubanova really is a sublime skater.

I love Zagitova but she seems very rushed and doesn't have that attention to detail that Nugumanova/Gubanova have. Zagitova does have the difficulty, and I'm sure she can do even more (I was surprised I didn't see 2 triple-triple combinations from her in the FS).