2017 GP Cup of China Ladies SP

[Shayuki]

To me Tuktamysheva was quite overscored in PCS. She really has absolutely no musical ability to speak of, her skating skills are nothing to write home about, the choreo has nothing to do with the music as usual etc. Some competitions she might not have been overscored, but considering what the rest of the competitors got, I'd have had a very difficult time seeing her break 30 PCS, personally.

 

[tars]

In some theoretical world where I could place my personal pcs based on my understanding of the overall program impact, artistic execution, and fullness (transitions) if I had Medvedeva (who I purely and righteously believe is the best, ahead of anyone) at 38 I would give both Lena and Marin 33-34. Marin has unique smoothness and softness but Elena has cockiness and this short fits her quite well. OK, may be 1 point more to Marin. I would give Liza 30-31 - she was never an artist, her transitions are basic but she has unique hands. On the other hand, I would give Liza much higher GOE on jumps to appreciate how better she is than Lena and especially Marin. And I would give Marin another UR on flip. What would they have in total in my theoretical personal world? Marin: 33+34 = 67 Elena: 35+33 = 68, Liza: 38+31 = 69 Look, it's still the same as I said about "fair" scores above.

It's great pleasure to read the impressions from your theoretical world. I wouldn't change a single word. :yes::2thumbs:

 

[randomfan]

Wow, what a close match!

1. Gabrielle Daleman: This Carmen SP still doesn’t appeal to me much. The choreo is nice but I can’t stand the version of music they used, and the overall feel of the program is a little awkward. I think she deserved to be a close 2nd, but anyways, I’m happy to see that she is back in top form. Hopefulyy she can continue to do well in the FS and reach the podium.
2. Wakaba Higuchi: Another exciting performance from her! She is just so fun to watch, and the quality of her skating is superb. I think she deserved to be ahead of Gabby, but at least they’re still really close on points. I’m hoping that she can skate lights out in the FS.
3. Elena Radionova: A little odd that they didn’t call the 3T UR. It’s nice to see that Elena keeps delivering well, but her overall skating has changed a lot at this point (and sadly, in a bad way). Still it’s great to see her continue fighting through (and I :love the step sequence).
4. Alina Zagitova: Arguing about her PCS right now is useless so I’ll put that on hold. I think this SP looks much more polished than earlier. Unfortunately, the program is still not my cup of tea, and the fall didn’t help my perception of it either. I’m sure that getting onto the podium will be a relatively easy job for her though, because of her monstrous technical content and PCS boost.
(BTW, there’s so much talk Alina’s and Kaetlyn’s Black Swans, but don’t forget that they’re not the only ones this season. We’ll see another one next week at NHK.)
5. Elizaveta Tuktamysheva: This program is fun, and I think that with a few tweaks here and there it could be better. I still don’t understand why her gorgeous 3Lz, still scores relatively low in GOE, but then again, I don’t understand the scores in every single competition lately. Anyways, great job to Liza, and I hope she nails the 3A tomorrow along with the rest of the program!
6. Marin Honda: I never get tired of watching this program. It is just breathtaking and fully shows Marin’s artistic ability. Glad to see a much better performance than at Skate Canada. Here’s hoping for another good FS.
7. Mai Mihara: I bet it stings to know that a difference of 0.01 was all she needed to be put in the second group. Like Alina, Mai’s SP keeps improving at every competition. Her choreo and expressions look sharper, and she is much more committed to the music. Unfortunately the jumps were shaky today. I hope for a better outing tomorrow so she can get onto the podium.
9. Dabin Choi: UR issues are still present... For those of you unaware, Dabin is going through a tough time right now. Her mother passed away in July, she’s been having constant boot problems, and she has the stress of making the Olympic team. I really hope that she can fight through this difficult period.

 

[Ares]

I agree! I like watching a lot of older skating videos and I really liked it when a skater would hold their landing position after a jump. But now with all the transitions and jazz they don't do it so much. It's a shame.

It's one of the things that I miss the most nowadays in this sport. Bring me back Michelle Kwan landing those jumps holding her landing position so confidently, for so long and with eye-candy glide + expression. There is that .... aaaaahhhhh ... effect.

 

[Cherry blossom]

Canadaflation strikes again. No idea why they thought Daleman deserved the highest PCS of the night. Mediocre interpretation, zero expression or feel for music. Transitions were OK but not at the level of the best ones.


Ah right, the lutz is also at least a !. It was a Medvedeva grade flutz.

To me Tuktamysheva was quite overscored in PCS. She really has absolutely no musical ability to speak of, her skating skills are nothing to write home about, the choreo has nothing to do with the music as usual etc. Some competitions she might not have been overscored, but considering what the rest of the competitors got, I'd have had a very difficult time seeing her break 30 PCS, personally.

Aren't you just a positive ray of sunshine?

 

[Shayuki]

Aren't you just a positive ray of sunshine?

Did you find something to be incorrect with what I said?


I really loved Zagitova's lutz edge despite doing that entry - Oftentimes, it becomes flat but not for her, even right before takeoff.

 

[Tulipstar]

I couldn't watch, but am very excited by how close the score is

 

[badknees]

Carmen with lyrics?

Do not want!

Gabby sure is a powerful skater though!

Yes, horrible music. She is great and fast technically but is just skating over the music with very little feel or artistry to the music.

 

[sowcow]

I agree with this. Stupid status scoring. Also, did anyone notice that general field lowballing with top 3 programs just within 1 point away from each other is exactly what was done in Sochi? The reason for this is to level the field so that in FS, all factors going well, the "political favorite" will win.

Hear ye. Hear ye. Read all about it ... crazy conspiracy theories abound at Cup of China!!
​

So, you're suggesting that the panel of judges conspired together to "level the field" to ensure the top-3 ladies enter the free program virtually tied. Do I have that correct?

You know, it's always amazing to me how there's never any secret recordings, or video clips, or even personal sworn testimony from anyone in attendance at all of these (planned) "behind the scenes" meetings where the judges collectively decide to conspire and collude to force a particular outcome — such as the one you allege occurred here (and at Sochi).

Of course, the fact that all 3 skated clean(ish) programs, all 3 are better than average performers, and all 3 had equivalently challenging program components (IMO) doesn't help to shed any light on why these three ladies find themselves all within a point of eachother entering the free program ... does it?

Mmmmmmm ... I love a good conspiracy!

 

[beki]

About Amber Glenn—it seems like a good idea to skip the tanos and Rippons until you can skate a clean program consistently without them. Watching some skaters try and fail at features and backloading, I have to give credit to Eteri's skaters. If it were easy, everyone would do it.

 

[BackSpiral]

maybe unpopular opinion here but Alina has the weirdest Swan program i've ever seen. Her lines aren't appealing at all to me. Sorry.

Not unpopular with me!

 

[4everchan]

Did you find something to be incorrect with what I said?

Using name of countries or skaters, to make a statement like you did with

Canadaflation

is against the forum guidelines.

 

[MaiKatze]

Just watched this. Since everyone is pretty close together and this will be decided in the free, there is no reason to get angry. Poor Mai though, first group is tough for PCS.

 

[ancientpeas]

I actually couldn't face watching ladies last night (for me 5 am) because I was sure it was going to be a splatfest and I was too tired to stay up. I'm going to try tomorrow.

While I may have thought the scores were inflated at SC for some Canadian skaters I don't see why the Chinese would do that. Unless you are talking some weird 2002 conspiracy kind of thing. (Which by the way I still don't get. Didn't everyone know the French were going to win the ID gold? Why did the French judge even want to cook the books?)

Are we really going to get this paranoid before the games? I suggest we all do some tai chi or eat more cookies or hang out with our pets and chill the heck out.

 

[MaiKatze]

Is Marin a Pikachu Fan?

 

[yume]

Are we really going to get this paranoid before the games? I suggest we all do some tai chi or eat more cookies or hang out with our pets and chill the heck out.

I'm ready for cookies......with cognac. That will help me to watch the free skate without stress.

 

[BackSpiral]

Can someone explain why Gabby is in the lead with a 70+ score when she did a 3T-3T? I don't care how good it was, there's no excuse for that sort of thing. And with that layback, seems a little fishy to me in my opinion.

What is fishy about that? Her 3T-3T was the most beautiful jump combination in the competition and she has strong flowing edges coming out of her jumps. They don't come to a standstill at the end. Her jumps actually jump. She has speed, attack, strong skating skills, and IMO her presentation was great.

I love Wakaba and wouldn't be mad if she was leading, but I have no problem with this result.

 

[Osmond4gold]

I'm ready for cookies......with cognac. That will help me to watch the free skate without stress.

Hey skip the cookies and on to cognac and coffee, I say. It's going to get ugly before it gets pretty, me thinks

 

[Osmond4gold]

As the British announcers mentioned, the audience did a collective gasp, after seeing Gabby's 3/3 combo. Ryan Bradley said it best last season, no matter what the event, people walk away from live comps., and Gabby's 3/3 combo is always brought up as a highlight for fans. Having seen it live myself, it's a showstopper! TV does not do it justice.

 

[curious]

What is fishy about that? Her 3T-3T was the most beautiful jump combination in the competition and she has strong flowing edges coming out of her jumps. They don't come to a standstill at the end. Her jumps actually jump. She has speed, attack, strong skating skills, and IMO her presentation was great.

I love Wakaba and wouldn't be mad if she was leading, but I have no problem with this result.

not in the technical marks,but she is definitely the worst artistic skater in the comp