2022 World Figure Skating Championships: Women's Short Program

[purplecat]

I thought the top six were great! Kudos to them all! Kaori was amazing - a couple times I thought she had slipped on her jump takeoff and yet she had no problems with them at all. She's really skating with so much confidence now. What a fighter Leona is - I might have not had her score as high, but I'm fine with her being in second. Very happy for Mariah and Alysa! They skated so well, I hope they can come through with strong freeskates. Young skated well too, just those q calls holding her back a bit but those three all pretty much tied which I'm fine with cause each have their pros and cons. And then the big surprise of Nicole - good job.

 

[arewhyaen]

It's undeniable that Kaori should have been first, and I think 2nd-6th were all so close and all feel interchangeable in terms of their performance today. I think I would have put You in 2nd but I'm not shocked that she's in 4th and *only* 3 points out of 2nd place. In that sense, I think it was scored fairly and it really sets up an entertaining final group.

 

[Jaana]

So many really enjoyable performances, most of all these:

- Sakamoto
- You
- Hendrickx
- Liu
- Schott

 

[figureskatingandrainbows]

Wouldn't be a skating event without some good ol' wuzzrobbed

 

[Arigato]

Go Sakamoto! That high wattage reaction in the K&C was great to see.

 

[jenaj]

They really dragged the Americans up as much as they could, didn't they!
Russians or no Russians, nothing changes in this sport.

How? Alysa skated 100% clean with her difficult combo in the second half. Should she be lower than fifth? Mariah also skated nearly clean with a 3Lz-3T. She is a beautiful artistic skater. Her score is basically about the same as 4th and 5th place. She is hardly guaranteed to keep her place in the long program. If that is dragging, it isn't working very well.

 

[jenaj]

I'm feeling smug I kept her high in my predictions even with the injury worry -- very well done, indeed!!

I didn't even have her in my top 5.

 

[jenaj]

this competition was a breath of fresh air. so nice to watch.

Kaori was fast, strong, powerful, commanding. completely deserving of being a world champion.
so happy for Loena knowing she is injured. i hope she is able to keep it together for the FS no matter where she places.
i am surprised Mariah is in 3rd and not Young You. will have to see the protocols, i figured You would be a point or two ahead of her.
Good skate for Alysa, however i get the impression she is not quite the same skater as she was in the beginning of the season. she's been through quite a lot with the coaching change, the spy case with her father, or could just be very tired. i hope it's just fatigue and she needs a rest.
devastated for Wakaba, she really missed a huge opportunity here, but she's not far off the podium. with a clean skate she can make it.

can't wait for the FS.

Alysa tends to skate a little freer in her long program. A clean short was a good foundation to build on.

 

[Arigato]

this competition was a breath of fresh air. so nice to watch.

Kaori was fast, strong, powerful, commanding. completely deserving of being a world champion.
so happy for Loena knowing she is injured. i hope she is able to keep it together for the FS no matter where she places.
i am surprised Mariah is in 3rd and not Young You. will have to see the protocols, i figured You would be a point or two ahead of her.
Good skate for Alysa, however i get the impression she is not quite the same skater as she was in the beginning of the season. she's been through quite a lot with the coaching change, the spy case with her father, or could just be very tired. i hope it's just fatigue and she needs a rest.
devastated for Wakaba, she really missed a huge opportunity here, but she's not far off the podium. with a clean skate she can make it.

can't wait for the FS.

I was also surprised about Bell over You. But then I saw the "q" calls on both of them afterwards. Calls aside, the overall presentation of each on the ice was night and day for me.

 

[Zora]

Kaori After all these years, I'm still shocked whenever she skates, how smooth and effortless her skating is. And Iove how straight forward her step sequence is, no disruption in the flow at all.

 

[Cilla70]

Some of the scores maybe considered sketchy by some but at least they were closely scored. 5 points between 1st and 2nd place while all other scores were within 2-4 points at most of the other positions not 15- 20. After the free skate there will probably be a lot of movement. I think a lot of the skaters increased their artistry details today which I enjoyed. Good luck too them all.

 

[Cilla70]

Why doesn't Mariah have even 1 coach here with her?

I am so excited she is in 3rd place, she is a gorgeous skater. It just often appears like she is an after thought to her team and I don't get it, she is USA #1-2. She could medal at World's and Raf treats her like she is some d-list skater not worthy of his attention. Guess she is better off without them anyways.

I was wondering the same. Usually Adam Rippon is always there to support her. RAF is a joke as far as supporting Mariah.

 

[DreamSkates]

I was wondering the same. Usually Adam Rippon is always there to support her. RAF is a joke as far as supporting Mariah.

Same here. Thought I would find an answer here. Didn't find it searching anywhere else. Hmmm...the mystery...

 

[TontoK]

Some of the scores maybe considered sketchy by some but at least they were closely scored. 5 points between 1st and 2nd place while all other scores were within 2-4 points at most of the other positions not 15- 20. After the free skate there will probably be a lot of movement. I think a lot of the skaters increased their artistry details today which I enjoyed. Good luck too them all.

This is the sensible position. To my eye, there was a clear winner, a solid second place finisher, and then groupings where scores were tight and placements could have gone either way... so they went one way rather than the other - but not in a fashion that "wuzrobbed" could reasonably be shouted.

I thought it was a pretty well-judged competition. Unrelated to this topic, but I thought the pairs SP was similarly well-judged.

 

[Arriba627]

Like a reptile warmed by the sun, I dragged myself out of bed in the dark and saw my Mariah and everyone after. Great comp. Can't wait for the free. Any particular reasons for low attendance?
Still waking up in Spokane.

Attendance was actually pretty good. The lower level seats were quite expensive. The upper level (where the camera probably wouldn't pan usually) was full. They brought in a couple bus loads of kids who were having a great ole time. Local starting time was 11 am or so, probably not the best time for working folks to be there. Pairs, on the other hand, was really full. Usually pairs isn't that well attended at the events I go to, so I was really surprised. Start time 6 pm. Enthusiastic crowds at both events. Very enjoyable. Surya Bonaly skated briefly in the opening ceremony.

 

[Arriba627]

I'm feeling smug I kept her high in my predictions even with the injury worry -- very well done, indeed!!

Loena looked great out there tonight. I'm a little worried for the free though. She was grimacing as she came off the ice. Hope she can hold it together.

 

[synesthesia]

He ran into Yuma in the cafeteria and warned him about the ice... and I think he used the phrase "singles kids" at one point. We need to put Dai on every intnl team methinks.

Yup, that's Dai – always worrying about others before himself. He said he thinks he'll get used to the hard ice, but wondered if the singles skaters will be ok. (The expression he used apparently was シングルの子 – according to DeepL that does indeed translate to "single(s) child(ren)". Can someone, who speaks/reads Japanese confirm? Here's the original source. )

I hadn't read though that he ran into Yuma in the cafeteria. Thanks for the info! Can you point me to the source?

 

[bigsisjiejie]

I thought it was a well-judged event, and looking at the protocols confirms these impressions.

Wakaba I'm disappointed for, but she did take a gamble with the 3A and it didn't pan out. I'm a fan but I think the PCS big issue is her choice of SP music (sappy milquetoast cover) and lackluster choreography. Neither showcases her strengths, and I've thought this SP was problematic for her all season. Fortunately, her Lion King FP is a better vehicle and may pull her up, even onto the podium, if she hits the 3A + skates rest of it cleanly.

 

[georgia]

I was wondering the same. Usually Adam Rippon is always there to support her. RAF is a joke as far as supporting Mariah.

Adam had previous arrangements, and RAF train her for Worlds,but he was very tired to go. She was totally fine with that, she said.

 

[Joekaz]

Two things were obvious. The US Fed has way more clout than Korea, and Higuchi needs to find a different country to skate for.