2018 Internationaux de France Ladies Short Program

[pesto]

It's difficult for Zhenya, being Russian. She can't afford too much of a dip in form while she re-tools technical things and tries to expand her artistic parameters to fashion a long-lived career. I think it's something she needed to do, but it's an unforgiving world if she has a poor season.

It's so easy to slip out of the top 3 of Russia, and therefore get eff all international exposure, despite still being world class. If she was from most other countries (other than Japan), not making GPF wouldn't be a disaster, just a disappointment. She'd still be good enough to be a contender in Euros and Worlds. But for Zhenya, with her history of success, and with younger Russians snapping at her heels, the possibility of missing out must feel like the end of the world. Especially with her biggest rival still slaying.

She should take a bit of heart from Tuktamysheva's renaissance. She was the wunderkind, and then seemed lost in the wilderness, but is back, looking great, and seems to be enjoying life again.

 

[satine]

Women's SP videos are up :agree:

 

[lichi]

And where is Gabby now? Where was Gabby last year? This is why we mention Gabby.

But yep, I agree with you. My guess is that, while in Russia coaching team heavily participates in the selection of programs and costumes for the athlete, in NA this is left to the skater. Considering that an 18-19 years old, while legally an adult, is not always capable of making good decisions, and not always has a good taste, I don't think that this is reasonable. Imho, Zhenya's team should have helped her more with the dresses - it clearly looks like it was left to her to decide, and considering she is not very familiar with the style of the new programs, she ended up pretty much getting something similar to her old costumes (Sp a generic blue-ish one like quite a few of her old costumes, and the FS black one looked a lot like her black AK dress).

Sorry, I just really need to comment on this one.

Gabby was a success story for TCC. Like Javi, I don't think anyone could ever predict from when she changed coaches that she would ever come CLOSE to the World podium. Her worst performances from post-TCC are still better than best performances pre-TCC.

Last season for Gabby is still miles ahead of where she was. In fact, her Nationals performance is still arguably one of her best EVER.
This season, I think the factors affecting her performance have nothing to do with skating itself. At least, not directly.

 

[rain]

The whole reason she came to the TCC was because her technique needed a complete overhaul. Continuing as before wasn't an option.

I'm sure she hoped it would be a quicker fix, but that it's not is not some mystery. She's frankly doing much better than Mao was at the equivalent time in her rebuild (which wasn't also paired with injury recovery).


You mentioned Gabby in the context of asking how many years Orser gave her and Elizabet to rise up the rankings. Gabby did rise up through the rankings, and in short order, so the comparison is nonsensical.

After rising through the rankings, she ran into a whole cluster of issues, between injury, plain bad luck, and some unknown degree of mental health problems. None of that has anything to do with projected plans for skater improvement.

I think people who are writing Medvedeva off are nuts (I know you're not one of them). She already looked significantly better here than she did at Skate Canada. I noticed far better speed and flow, great double axel, much better spins and better expression of the program. Her flip and lutz are still works in progress, but I was encouraged that both looked fully rotated.

In short, she has come a HUGE distance in a tiny few months of time. Of course it's not where she wants to be and where she's used to being. But she couldn't stay with the status quo, as you said Colonel Green, that was not an option. Her previous jump technique was for a tiny child, not a full grown woman. She's in the re-learning stage, and coming along very quickly. I, for one, am rooting for her to make it all the way back, but better.

I also could not agree more about Gabby. She is a success story, by any measure. Who predicted she would be a world medallist?

 

[Ziotic]

I think people who are writing Medvedeva off are nuts (I know you're not one of them). She already looked significantly better here than she did at Skate Canada. I noticed far better speed and flow, great double axel, much better spins and better expression of the program. Her flip and lutz are still works in progress, but I was encouraged that both looked fully rotated.

In short, she has come a HUGE distance in a tiny few months of time. Of course it's not where she wants to be and where she's used to being. But she couldn't stay with the status quo, as you said Colonel Green, that was not an option. Her previous jump technique was for a tiny child, not a full grown woman. She's in the re-learning stage, and coming along very quickly. I, for one, am rooting for her to make it all the way back, but better.

I also could not agree more about Gabby. She is a success story, by any measure. Who predicted she would be a world medallist?

And an Olympic gold medalist. Canada could have easily let Kaetlyn compete both segments but Gabby proved herself by: getting a 4CC silver, followed by a world bronze, followed by defeating the world silver and GPF bronze medalist to take the national title.

How anyone can say her move to TCC wasn’t successful, it’s bonkers.

 

[moriel]

I think people who are writing Medvedeva off are nuts (I know you're not one of them). She already looked significantly better here than she did at Skate Canada. I noticed far better speed and flow, great double axel, much better spins and better expression of the program. Her flip and lutz are still works in progress, but I was encouraged that both looked fully rotated.

In short, she has come a HUGE distance in a tiny few months of time. Of course it's not where she wants to be and where she's used to being. But she couldn't stay with the status quo, as you said Colonel Green, that was not an option. Her previous jump technique was for a tiny child, not a full grown woman. She's in the re-learning stage, and coming along very quickly. I, for one, am rooting for her to make it all the way back, but better.

I also could not agree more about Gabby. She is a success story, by any measure. Who predicted she would be a world medallist?

I am sorry, when someone says "better expression of the program", this kinda heavily undermines whatever this person says.
That was obviously not the case, and this likely was her worst performance (apart from technical mistakes) of the program.

 

[moonvine]

My favorite thing about this whole short was the ladies who kept holding up the "Thank You" sign after EVERY skate. I should do this at US Nationals...

 

[century2009]

With such depth here, I expected better from the ladies.

Good for Mai to take advantage of the field. She is so underrated and definitely can be strong, but needs to fix underrotation.

Bradie needs something because her nerves is getting the best of her in the GP series. She can do so much better and we have seen it.

Rai - Really shows that whatever happens in practice really means nothing until the event because I was surprised about that pop when she landed so many 3axel in practice.

Meds - You can tell she is developing still and not back to her old self. She is falling and dont know if that is the new technique, new environment, or growth of her body. But ishe is still not ready and needs more adjustments.

The judges were brutal here.

 

[century2009]

Ohh, great job for Marin Honda to bring it back.

 

[rain]

I am sorry, when someone says "better expression of the program", this kinda heavily undermines whatever this person says.
That was obviously not the case, and this likely was her worst performance (apart from technical mistakes) of the program.

Well I guess you can think that if you want to, but I'll just continue to hold my opinion, thanks.

I think it's sad that people seem to be almost hoping she'll fail. All out technique changes take more than a few months. That's just reality. I can see marked improvement already. I think she's on the right track.

 

[neusw]

I think people who are writing Medvedeva off are nuts (I know you're not one of them). She already looked significantly better here than she did at Skate Canada. I noticed far better speed and flow, great double axel, much better spins and better expression of the program. Her flip and lutz are still works in progress, but I was encouraged that both looked fully rotated.

In short, she has come a HUGE distance in a tiny few months of time. Of course it's not where she wants to be and where she's used to being. But she couldn't stay with the status quo, as you said Colonel Green, that was not an option. Her previous jump technique was for a tiny child, not a full grown woman. She's in the re-learning stage, and coming along very quickly. I, for one, am rooting for her to make it all the way back, but better.

I also could not agree more about Gabby. She is a success story, by any measure. Who predicted she would be a world medallist?

You've got to be joking. This program started out with no *attempt* at even trying to get into character, in stark contrast to every other time she's skated it.

 

[SarahSynchro]

I’m just here to be trivial: Evgenia, girLLLL, where’s the cliche orange coloured dress you should be wearing?

 

[rain]

You've got to be joking. This program started out with no *attempt* at even trying to get into character, in stark contrast to every other time she's skated it.

I'm not joking at all. I simply disagree with you, emphatically. I thought she hit a lot more of the character beats of the choreography this time out. I did think she looked extremely focused (unsurprisingly), and this was not the ultimate expression of the program, but for a work in progress yes, I did see, well, progress.

My bet is on Rika Kihira to give us triple axels in the LP and win. Would love to see Medvedeva silence some of the pessimists with a silver, though.

On another note, this has got to be regarded as a somewhat disappointing season so far for Brady Tennell. She needs to be looking over her shoulder at Mariah Bell, who is riding a wave right now, and who I think has better programs this season.

 

[Ophelia]

You've got to be joking. This program started out with no *attempt* at even trying to get into character, in stark contrast to every other time she's skated it.

I'm rooting for Med, but I was shocked at how blatantly she didn't even try to be in character for the SP this time.

 

[Ichatdelune]

First reaction to the scores: Well this wasn't what I was expecting. Caught up, short thoughts:

- Marin went clean! :hap57: I still miss her dress at Nebelhorn, but she was charming as she is and even made me forget to dislike mismatching gloves.

- Zhenya doubled her -3T, but still her jumps were better than at SA. However, she looked much more nervous and her movements were lacking the liveliness she showed at SA. My confused feelings aside, her dress seems different but I can't pinpoint exactly what has changed. Or it may be that my memory is getting even worse.

- When is Kihira Rika going to land that 3A in her short, I wonder. It was kinda the same as at NHK, 3A failed (this time it was worse since invalidation) but otherwise lovely.

- Mihara Mai has greatly benefited from her consistency here, who'd have imagined she'd be the leader going into the free? I have no complaints, she was very much lovely.

- Mae Berenice Meite pulled off a clean skate in front of the home crowd, how nice. I prefer her blue dress though.

- Maria Sotskova did better here and seemed to enjoy herself more. I still don't buy the program though...

- Bradie Tenell should consider just doing a 3Lz-3T instead of the 3Lz-3Lo, I was surprised that she didn't fall on that lutz. But great job at saving the combo.

- Alexia Paganini was going well (minus juvenile tango movements) then she fell hard on the 2A. Wishing her a better free.

- Well that was a bad skate from Stanislava Konstantinova. You could see the dejection during her step sequence.

- I had just watched the movie Bohemian Rhapsody three days ago, so that cover Lea Serna is using was especially atrocious. She had a lovely dress though.

- Rough day for Laurine Lecavelier. I read something about her leg being injured, hope she's okay.

 

[neusw]

I'm rooting for Med, but I was shocked at how blatantly she didn't even try to be in character for the SP this time.

Exactly. It was rather shocking b/c she's ALWAYS emoting in every program I've ever seen her skate, be it competition, exhibition, or even practice. That's why it stood out so much to everyone that she looked off from the start.

 

[j00mla]

I'm rooting for Med, but I was shocked at how blatantly she didn't even try to be in character for the SP this time.

Good point.
But I can also say that was a very different character (but I won't name it - don't wanna receive a warning).

 

[neusw]

- Zhenya doubled her -3T, but still her jumps were better than at SA. However, she looked much more nervous and her movements were lacking the liveliness she showed at SA. My confused feelings aside, her dress seems different but I can't pinpoint exactly what has changed. Or it may be that my memory is getting even worse.

yes, they made some modifications, to good effect I think. They cut the front V shaped panel to lower the neckline, and cut the skirt shorter, sewing on the dark blue fringe instead of having it as one piece on the original skirt. It's closer to her autumn classic skirt length, which i find more flattering.

 

[kevinVchicago]

You've got to be joking. This program started out with no *attempt* at even trying to get into character, in stark contrast to every other time she's skated it.

My thoughts on this: what can Evgenia Medvedeva really do with this god-awful Joshi Helgesson B-side of a program? (No offense, Joshi.) I preferred it today because at least she was bringing something interesting. Even if it was incongruous to the music.

 

[mirai4life]

Nowadays it feels like a miracle every time Evgenia can successfully land her jump when i watch her. I think her body change really affected her.