2018 NHK Ladies Short Program

[CellarDweller]

Just watched the ladies, and really enjoyed most of the SPs for everyone. Now I can't wait for the LP.

One disappointment, I looked at the background, and there were no ads on the boards that stuck out, for me to put in my avatar this week.

 

[cohen-esque]

I find it interesting to see fans consistently complain about reputation scoring but then turn around blast Satoko for her predetermined mistakes regardless of what she actually showed on the ice.

 

[gioccia]

Satoko is turning into Kostner gradually. Give me a good program, high PCS, generous TES regardless mistakes. Nobody can beat her this season, I guess. Liza has 3a, but it’s risky, Alina and Bradie have 3lz3lo but it’s risky. This system is killing the sport, you take a risk, you get punished, by the end of the day you get what you asked for last season-a “balanced” program, a safe content, huge goe and PCs. But we are going back with this, not forward

 

[CoyoteChris]

I have no Zambonis on NBC Gold... but I also have no Johnny and Tara. Net win?

Yah boy howdy! I am really getting into this NBC Gold with no canned yak (Is that really a Siberian food?) from two people thousands of miles away....then I can listen to the yak on NBC over the air later.... two thumbs up! :agree::agree:

 

[CoyoteChris]

My only hope is that Rika will be on tomorrow, skate a clean FS with two 3As and beat Satoko.
Also because i'm royally pissed at their coach and “I hope the champion is 18, because we want to see a senior lady, not a senior girl, don’t you think?”.

Hope Rika proves her wrong.

I am adopting Rika as one of my official unofficial grand daughters....she was beautiful out there....

 

[CoyoteChris]

Took a few deep breaths, no I'm still (Korean swearing) unsatisfied with Eunsoo's PCS and !. But I have calmed down enough to say that this was a heck of a competition with beautiful dresses (in my eyes darling squirtle has the best dress, but then beauty is subjective) and even more beautiful skates. I unfortunately cannot drink tomorrow because I have to go to work, so I'll be suffocating while the FS goes on because it'll be a bloody battle. God I hope I'll finally get to see my darling be clean on her free

I am also adopting Eunsoo as an official unofficial grand daughter....so nice to watch....so beautiful...so artistic....

 

[CoyoteChris]

Welcome back Mai!

(Already adopted Mai last year.....GO MAI! )

 

[Danny T]

Satoko is turning into Kostner gradually. Give me a good program, high PCS, generous TES regardless mistakes. Nobody can beat her this season, I guess. Liza has 3a, but it’s risky, Alina and Bradie have 3lz3lo but it’s risky. This system is killing the sport, you take a risk, you get punished, by the end of the day you get what you asked for last season-a “balanced” program, a safe content, huge goe and PCs. But we are going back with this, not forward

LOL I'm not saying Satoko isn't overscored on TES, but mistakes?? Satoko rarely ever make mistakes, the only skater she's less consistent than was 15-17 Medvedeva. I get not liking her, but comparing her to Caro who probably won't be able to skate a clean long if her life depended on it, is just kinda willful ignorance of facts.

 

[moriel]

LOL I'm not saying Satoko isn't overscored on TES, but mistakes?? Satoko rarely ever make mistakes, the only skater she's less consistent than was 15-17 Medvedeva. I get not liking her, but comparing her to Caro who probably won't be able to skate a clean long if her life depended on it, is just kinda willful ignorance of facts.

Every one of her jumps is a mistake =P
Caro at least jumps big

 

[Metis]

Another thing which is weird for me is Satoko’s StSq was given lvl3 in Japan?! Did I miss some errors in there?? Normally it should have been a lvl4 with no hesitation.

The content of the StSq is enough for a Level 4, but she most likely jumped a turn (lifted her blade off the ice before fully completing the turn) during one of her clusters of one-foot turns. That’s enough to downgrade the entire sequence, since the skater needs to execute a combination of three difficult turns on each foot, but only the first attempt is counted. Most likely culprit? She jumped a turn and that cost her the level due to that turn being invalidated. That or her edge was blurry/unclear/flat when scrutinized by the TP, which would also cost her a level.

Yuzuru has done this more than once. Including during his free skate at Pyeongchang.

A skater’s planned content in the step sequence can easily or narrowly meet the requirements for various levels, but a small error can cost an entire level. Only the first attempt at a three-turn combination on either foot counts, so there’s really not much leeway. As a general rule, you can figure out why someone may have lost a level relatively easily, even without identifying each of the steps and turns in the step sequence in cases without obvious error (fall, stumble, etc.):
1. Does the sequence meet the requirements for a given level/already been called a Level 4 at a prior competition with a TP that wasn’t asleep? If yes, go to next step. If no, then does the sequence appear to meet the requirements for a Level 4 in terms of ice coverage, full-body movement, multidirectional skating, etc.? If yes, go to next step.
2. Did the skater’s foot remain on ice for the duration of their one-foot combinations, especially those performed earlier in the sequence? If no: extremely likely they jumped a turn and had it invalidated, losing one of their three-turn clusters and a level.
3. Were the skater’s edges clear and defined in real time, particularly on their one-foot combinations? If no: likely unclear and/or flat to the TP as well, potentially invalidated, see above.

If you can’t find any hint of error and/or aren’t sure if a step sequence is complex enough to be a Level 4, you can ask more knowledgeable skating fans or try to ID the components of the step sequence by watching it in slo-mo. (Which means being able to ID each step and turn.) No step or turn can be counted more than twice. For a Level 4, 11 difficult turns and steps are needed, with 5 of the 11 executed in different directions. Some sequences are just enough to hit various levels if everything is validated, while others go far beyond what’s necessary for a Level 4, but every skater still only has two twizzles, two choctaws, etc., to play with as far as the construction of the sequence itself is concerned. Twizzles are easy to ID and if you see two of them, ideally in opposite directions (clockwise and counterclockwise), you can start making some inferences and check off two of the 11 required “difficult steps and turns” right away. [emoji1]

I haven’t reviewed Satoko’s step sequence but hopefully this helps!