2018-2019 Grand Prix Final Ladies Free Skate

[Hyena]

You know, I was surprised by how tense and rough Alina's skating felt today - the fact that she hurt her foot just before the program explains it. Hope she feels better quickly.

 

[MaiKatze]

Congrats Rika, great how she was able to recover after the fall. In the interview she says the grand prix final wasn´t even in her goals for the season.

How could it have been? She was only assigned to IdF, because of her position at Junior Worlds and got the host spot at NHK later. Even if she was the most confident person in the World, I guess she never thought she would get that far. And I honestly doubted it too...every jump after the first triple Axel I was biting my nails, but she did it. I actually think she is a bit similar to Mao in that she was just a few months to young to compete in PyeongChang - when I saw her at Japanese Nationals last season I was flashed. Keeping herself on top of the podium for the next 4 years will be very hard though. But I think the end and all of figure skating doesn't have to be the Olympic Gold medal, especially for the Ladies. It changes so fast.

Anyway, also congratulations to Alina - Silver is not too shabby, and she already has a GPF Gold! She must be under so much pressure, and you could read it in her face. And all these youngsters at the JGPF....man, I just want to hug her. Her scores are high, yes, but people this is the Olympic Champion we're talking about. I'm just glad she is still there when she could've easily called it a day and retired. And it makes the competition exciting again. Honestly, the Ladies are back!! So happy about it.

 

[Jammers]

Rika seems like a different skater this year, she's mentally stronger. Last year it looked like she would just fall apart after making a mistake. This year she can still keep it together even though she makes a mistake on the opening 3A's. Hopefully she will be able to show a performance like NHK trophy at the world championship in Japan.

Alina's jumps are not as effortless like last year. She looked a bit tense and awkward especially in the first minute. She kept it together well though. I don't think Carmen is the right vehicle for her, she's missing something. I would prefer her to try something different, but she's still so young so I hope she can try different genres later. Would be great to see her skate to something like Kostornaia's SP.

This was her first time being the favorite and even with the opening mistake she held it together. She is going to be a tough one to beat if she becomes this mentally tough. She has everything else in her skating which the other girls can't say.

 

[Interspectator]

Before the scores dissection really gets underway, -I got some side-eye for some specific scores...

I want to heartily thank each an every one of the Ladies for holding nothing back in the Free Skate. I felt the buzz of energy from each one and despite a mistake here or there, I felt good watching all 6 of the Senior Ladies.
Thank you, thank you!

Sofia was clean as it gets in her skate and once she had her jumps done she let loose and performed her heart out. Burlesque is weird, but I forgive it, because she performed so well.
Satoko is a work of art. Her skating is art... judges, please score her PCS right!
Kaori skates and I stop thinking about anything but the blade to the ice and the speed she generates. That Loop! -Ought to be in a museum.
Elizaveta was on fire. 3A aside, her jumps were textbook today. Lutz ought to be in a museum!
Alina was not perfect, but I don't expect it from her or any other skater. She fought back right afterwards and didn't let her first mistake de-rail the rest of the program. There are many heated opinions about how the judges score her elements, but Alina herself is a fighter and a supreme athlete. I have a lot of respect for her.
Rika wrested the gold for herself with hard work and lots of training. The guts to go for the second 3A after the first one didn't work out is amazing. Shows a champions mind-set not to play it safe, but to go for it with all you've got. She's bombed her programs many times, but has come back to do it again and again till she became more consistent. Now the world sees her as a shining new star, but she's been at it for a while now, succeeding and failing and trying again. I respect that.

--Alina and Rika are not my favorite skaters, but they deserve their medals and glory because they skated the best. -They are the best.
Next time, who will it be? This makes things more interesting for us fans!

 

[Ophelia]

Kihira might be the most complete ladies skater we've seen since Kim.

 

[twirlingblades]

Rika [emoji7][emoji7][emoji7]

 

[Metis]

I get it about her UR and the edge calls.. I just wish they would give her the PCS she deserves.

I am now worried she won't make the world team. Today I am a sad Satoko fan.

Wakaba is still injured, as far as I know, and would need a blowout skate at Nationals. Marin Honda isn’t yet on the same technical level. Mai... she’s solid, but her scores haven’t been amazing, and she has some weaknesses. Mako has the flip edge problem and would need also need a blowout skate at Japanese Nationals to make the team. Yuna isn’t really in contention. Kaori has had a good start to the season and is finally being rewarded by the judges for the quality of her elements.

And, obviously, that leaves Rika and Satoko. Rika has the highest scoring potential of anyone and will certainly be a lock for the team. Satoko is quite consistent, and while her jumps aren’t her strongest feature, she still is amply rewarded by judges for cleaner performances (for example, Skate America). Satoko also has plenty of international competition experience and handles herself well under pressure, so I can’t see JSF taking her off the team for 4CC and Worlds, as even if Kihira ultimately outscores her, she’s likely to finish high herself. Kaori could take the third spot with a solid showing at Nationals.

tl;dr I think the rumors of the death of Satoko’s career is greatly exaggerated. She may not be the top skater in Japan, but she is a reliable “anchor” on the team who can be counted on to do well, place in the top 3-5, etc. That’s not nothing. And I think her PCS here was greatly influenced by some questionable jumps (which she was called on) and skating early. This wasn’t her best technical performance. (I generally start looking for URs as soon as Satoko jumps, but I agreed with the TP and thought she was clean in the short at Skate America.)

 

[P44]

Honestly it bothers me a bit to see Alina and Liza on their phone at the start of the press conference ...

 

[BillNeal]

If we're talking about underscored, we should really be talking about Liza being underscored. If they called Liza's 3A< in the short, they should also have called the 2 +3Lo< of Alina's and also given Liza proper GOEs on those whistle clean jumps, aside from the 3A's. Liza may have even got the silver medal by a small margin. Plus she had better flow than previously and sold the program so well today.

 

[DSQ]

They never liked Alina. Not surprised.

I’m not sure that’s fair. They liked her skate quite a bit, especially the latter half. Just thought the PCS was a touch high.

 

[rachno2]

Whole post

GS should close this thread before it turns into a dumpster fire. Everything worth saying has been said by you :agree:

 

[Seruleane]

I’m not sure that’s fair. They liked her skate quite a bit, especially the latter half. Just thought the PCS was a touch high.

Replying to your post and several others. OK, sorry may have been a rash response on my part. I didn't actually hear what they had to say. I just remember from her prior performances they didn't seem too impressed with her either. At least, not as impressed as I thought they should be, but of course I'm biased

 

[DSQ]

Replying to your post and several others. OK, sorry may have been a rash response on my part. I didn't actually hear what they had to say. I just remember from her prior performances they didn't seem too impressed with her either. At least, not as impressed as I thought they should be, but of course I'm biased

We all have our biases, I understand! I was very impressed with Alina today I can’t wait for her to dominate Russian Nationals!

 

[norwegianfairytale]

If we're talking about underscored, we should really be talking about Liza being underscored. If they called Liza's 3A< in the short, they should also have called the 2 +3Lo< of Alina's and also given Liza proper GOEs on those whistle clean jumps, aside from the 3A's. Liza may have even got the silver medal by a small margin. Plus she had better flow than previously and sold the program so well today.

She was 7 points behind from the SP. Even if she got higher PCS, which I think she deserved, she had to have alot higher. And Alina had to be scored down a lot. I quit enjoyed Liza show, and I´m not an expert, but to me it seems that Liza skated slower and the program could also be better. Like in the beginning, I felt she was all about the jumps and didn´t really work with the music.

 

[Ziotic]

Placements overall are correct.

However that TP was smoking some great.... they were so selective and inconsistent.

I just wish this would stop.

 

[Interspectator]

GS should close this thread before it turns into a dumpster fire. Everything worth saying has been said by you :agree:

Aww, I don't want to downplay the scoring details though. It's fun to discuss scores, as long as the opinions do not get personal or mean towards the skaters. I put on the scoring tin hat sometimes too. Today though, I sat back and enjoyed it.

Aaaah, I will put on the tin hat for Satoko's PCS.

 

[Osmond4gold]

My takeaway was a good podium overall. Alina was overscorded but going forward I fully expect judges to start scoring her based on program delivery, as having a past reputation is becoming less a factor and no longer relevant given the changing competitive field.

 

[Metis]

Aww, I don't want to downplay the scoring details though. It's fun to discuss scores, as long as the opinions do not get personal or mean towards the skaters. I put on the scoring tin hat sometimes too. Today though, I sat back and enjoyed it.

Aaaah, I will put on the tin hat for Satoko's PCS.

I honestly think Satoko’s PCS was largely a result of more visible technical issues today (some URs were noticeable in real time and I assume the judges saw them as well) and skating second in the group. Maybe I’m being too optimistic. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[skateluvr]

I’m late is there a feed that works in us so I can catch last ladies? Thank u!!!

 

[friedbanana]

Of the ladies field right now, I think Rika is the best in the world.

Congrats to the podium!