2018 Internationaux de France Ladies Short Program

[friedbanana]

PCS refuses to make sense as usual :dev2:

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

. Even if it was incongruous to the music.

Hopefully that wasn’t the interesting part for you

 

[TT_Fin]

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.

This seems to happen many Russian skaters. They "loose it" for a while. Some of them come back, some or actually most of them do not. But when they to comebacks, there are already youngsters, who are able to perform more difficult programs and the "older ladies" must be perfect to beat the youngsters.

 

[Skater Boy]

Please all the skating gods may the podium be:
1. Rika
2. Mai
3. Marin

Ah you wouldn't happen to be pro Japan would you? Well everyone has a right but I hope for some diversity personally.

 

[Skater Boy]

None of the ladies were that impressive. Poor Evgenia she really look down in the dumps and those jumps are more labored. her body change is really causing havoc. Darn puberty.

 

[hippomoomin]

From Brian Orser's interview in sport magazine "Number" I bought yesterday.

"This season is going to be hard for her (Medvedeva) since we are trying to change her skating style from a young girls' into an adult's. During the process, she will not be able to jump because the jump form will be changed and her performance itself is going to be awkward. We might not get good result in one year. Mao Asada took 4 years to be the world champion again after she went to Nobuo Sato, and we are thinking of giving her the same path."

SP took place at 2 am in where I live so I missed it, I hope the videos are not geo-blocked. FS is going to be exciting, good luck to all skaters!

I felt it is a little insulting to say changing Evgenia's skating from a young girl's to an adult's. The two-time world champion and Olympic Silver's skating is young girl's skating? Evgenia does not have the best ss but her packaging was good and most of her programs were heavy and mature. Evgenia's skating is in no way juniorish. And you predict she will be awkward, and make sure the World (judges include) knows she will be awkward? The awkwardness is from the choice of a SP that works totally against her style and mindset at this moment. Maybe Evgenia was angry because she was thinking, "Why do I have to skate to this again?"

 

[CoyoteChris]

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.

Here's to my Japanese adopted grand daughters! AND Jason Brown! And Mr. Chen. Please come to Four Conts! This Wasatch Brewing Nitro Porter is for you!
Maria, you were great....(Is E.M. now taller than the 5ft 3 inches they give on Wiki?)

 

[Mirunna]

If the podium stays at it is, who is in the final? Rika, Satoko, Kaori, Mai, Liza and Alina?
And if Rika wins, Mai second and Evgenia third? Rika, Satoko, Kori, Liza, Alina and Sofia right?
So for Med to get it she has to be at least second with a score higher than Sofia. Am I correct? What score does she need in the LP?

Thanks!

 

[Elucidus]

Sotskova was robbed! What a disgusting judging. Fake UR calls, fake UR calls everywhere

 

[Yuzuruu]

Ah you wouldn't happen to be pro Japan would you? Well everyone has a right but I hope for some diversity personally.

Actually no, I am just pro fair scoring [emoji846]

 

[readernick]

If the podium stays at it is, who is in the final? Rika, Satoko, Kaori, Mai, Liza and Alina?
And if Rika wins, Mai second and Evgenia third? Rika, Satoko, Kori, Liza, Alina and Sofia right?
So for Med to get it she has to be at least second with a score higher than Sofia. Am I correct? What score does she need in the LP?

Thanks!

Only 132? A total score of over 198 will do it. That is easily in her reach.

 

[atsumiri]

I don't get... everybody screams how Evgenia improved her 2A...
emmm. Where? These axels looks the same to me. Except for that she used to do a difficult entry and tano. and now she don't.
https://twitter.com/sukeota2001/status/1066108244270112768

 

[[email protected]]

I don't get... everybody screams how Evgenia improved her 2A...
emmm. Where? These axels looks the same to me. Except for that she used to do a difficult entry and tano. and now she don't.
https://twitter.com/sukeota2001/status/1066108244270112768

Those who claim that she is on the right track just desperately need something. At least her axel is not bad and she does not fall on it. As for the rest....

 

[Fluture]

I think Evgenia‘s problems are more mental than physical right now. We have seen already that she can interpret a program like her SP at test skates, she was flirty, sassy and smiling a lot there. But recently nerves have just gotten to her. When you see her jumps in practice vs. actual competition it‘s like it was two different skaters performing them. All the pressure on such a young woman is simply insane and honestly, it‘s understandable she crumbles. It just pains me to watch because she would desperately need a win right now or at least a ticket to the GPF. For herself mostly but also for all those people who love to intensely bash her. Don‘t you see this is really hurting her? Yes, she‘s not doing well at all, even I can see it but is there any need to constantly point it out, constantly question whether her move to Brian was the right thing to do? Honestly, just leave the girl alone.

For her sake, I hope she one day manages to not think about anything but herself and the ice when she‘s performing... kinda like she used to. Shutting out all the expectations and pressure and just focusing on doing what she loves.

She has made some improvements. Her jumps all have better technique and more height. She has more flow when skating. Is this of much use when she can’t pull it of in competition? Obviously not but at least we know she can do it. It isn‘t assuring me because I simply KNOW what people‘s ridiculous expectations, pressure and constant hate and criticism can do to a young person. What she needs is time and no one is willing to give it to her. Which is logical, since she‘s Russian and in Russian figure skating you have to show results NOW or someone else will take your place immediately. There‘s no time for rebuilding and reworking. It‘s a shame but that‘s how it is. I think she knows it. With this knowledge in mind, she‘d just be like: “*** it, I‘ve done this move for MYSELF and it was the right thing to do for MYSELF.“

If she manages to retain a state where it‘s only her skating for herself, she‘ll be fine again. Because contrary to popular belief, she has made improvements. She just has a mental block and can‘t show them in competition. It‘s frustrating but sometimes you gotta get through something like this. I hope Brian and Tracy can help her. (And I really hope they teach her how to count. 3 revolutions, Zhenya for level 4!! Three! Not two and a half! )

About her 2A. The improvements are quite obvious actually. The flow is better, same for the air position that was always scary. She also jumps higher. It‘s definitely something that‘s good. But again... she needs to show the other things she worked on so intensely as well.

 

[[email protected]]

And once again - the judging was terrible. I looked at slow-mo gifs. Rika's landing on 3Lz is nowhere better than Maria's. Rika gets +2 - Maria gets UR and -1.5

Zhenya's pcs are unfounded, to be fair.

 

[[email protected]]

I think Evgenia‘s problems are more mental than physical right now. We have seen already that she can interpret a program like her SP at test skates, she was flirty, sassy and smiling a lot there. But recently nerves have just gotten to her. When you see her jumps in practice vs. actual competition it‘s like it was two different skaters performing them. All the pressure on such a young woman is simply insane and honestly, it‘s understandable she crumbles....

...She has made some improvements. Her jumps all have better technique and more height. She has more flow when skating.

We are all entitled to our opinions. Mine are opposite to yours.

1) The biggest mental pressure on her was during Olympics free skate. Everyone was expecting a win. But she had had half a season off, she had an injury, she had already lost to Alina in Europeans, Alina had already skated the free with a magic save and a monstrous score. That was the pressure in front of the whole world! But she delivered to the best of her abilities. That showed how mentally tough she is when she knows what she is doing and when she is physically ready to do it. Her mental problems now are because she seems to be at loss. She cannot change the program that does not fit her, her physical conditions for whatever reasons are way off the times when she did 3-3-3 for fun. Why? Puberty? Bad legacy of "juniorish skating"? Everyone is free to pick according to personal tastes. My pick is that Borser does not have a clue how to make her a top skater again.

2) Improvements are in the eyes of the beholder. I see major deterioration. Like in her "money combo" 3F-3T

 

[madison]

I don't think Evgenia's problems right now are mental but rather technical.... She is very unconfident on the tech part, therefore she focuses more on this.

 

[kevinVchicago]

Hopefully that wasn’t the interesting part for you [emoji23]

And what if it was! [emoji4][emoji16][emoji23]

 

[kevinVchicago]

Her mental problems now are because she seems to be at loss. She cannot change the program that does not fit her, her physical conditions for whatever reasons are way off the times when she did 3-3-3 for fun.

This really rings true for me, samkrut. It's so hard to watch. I am hoping for the best. [emoji22]

 

[moriel]

Only 132? A total score of over 198 will do it. That is easily in her reach.

But she has to be second.
If she is 3rd, no matter what her score, she will be behind sofia.

- - - Updated - - -

I don't get... everybody screams how Evgenia improved her 2A...
emmm. Where? These axels looks the same to me. Except for that she used to do a difficult entry and tano. and now she don't.
https://twitter.com/sukeota2001/status/1066108244270112768

Her axel improved compared to the Olympic year. Before that, her jumps were kinda same as what she is doing now.