Ladies Long Program Skate Canada 2013

[Blades of Passion]

Kim never had a perfect competition as a Senior before Olympics, but she did have many nearly perfect competitions. Kostner hasn't ever even had that. She always makes at least two big mistakes throughout a competition and usually makes at least three. I really don't see her being able to go completely perfect, but it's always possible. Her placement of that last Salchow in Bolero was overly ambitious; if she structures her jumps more like she did in 2012 then I could see her being able to deliver.

I think Kostner still would have been a couple points behind Yu-Na if she had skated clean at 2013 Worlds, though. She didn't have the same quality on the 3-3 combo and the program doesn't generate quite as much emotional impact as Yu-Na's. In general that's where Yu-Na has the advantage over everyone - her skating makes people emotional. I'm sure her SP to Send in the Clowns will be unbeatable if she skates it perfectly.

 

[bekalc]

I think bekalc likes Mao. There is no pretending.
I have ever doubted once whether or not bekalc is a fake yunafan. (lol)
Because s/he sometimes would post comments which favor Mao than Yuna at GS & FSU.

I have complained at times when Kim's scored higher than Asada, and while I think Kim deserved to win the Olympics and the short program too, I'd have had both girls closer after the short. Asada's ability to do the triple axel SHOULD have been rewarded more....

In general as skaters I probably prefer Kostner Kim to Asada, but Asada's amazing skater.

I'll be frank and say when Kostner was partly through her Bolero program I felt that maybe this would be the World Champ because I thought Kim couldn't really touch that. Kostner really does have the best skating skils in the world. However, Kostner doesn't have Kim's control... (I think Kim could put more transitions in the jumps than Carolina).. Of course though Kim, the better competitor, came on top.

I'm not blind to my favorite's flaws.

Kim never had a perfect competition as a Senior before Olympics, but she did have many nearly perfect competitions. Kostner hasn't ever even had that. She always makes at least two big mistakes throughout a competition and usually makes at least three. I really don't see her being able to go completely perfect, but it's always possible. Her placement of that last Salchow in Bolero was overly ambitious; if she structures her jumps more like she did in 2012 then I could see her being able to deliver.

I think Kostner still would have been a couple points behind Yu-Na if she had skated clean at 2013 Worlds, though. She didn't have the same quality on the 3-3 combo and the program doesn't generate quite as much emotional impact as Yu-Na's. In general that's where Yu-Na has the advantage over everyone - her skating makes people emotional. I'm sure her SP to Send in the Clowns will be unbeatable if she skates it perfectly.

I'd never bet money on Kostner out competiting Kim. I don't think she's ever beat her and there's a reason for that. I must say I loved Kim's Les Mis performance. However, I also adored Bolero as a program. I think Kostner can bring out a crowd. Also Kostner has a loop and can maybe add in a double axel/3 toe to increase her point total, if we want to talk technically.

Once again though Kim is the better competitor. However, hypothetically, I think It would be close if the two were to both go clean. We haven't seen either girls programs....

 

[EricRohmer]

I have complained at times when Kim's scored higher than Asada, and while I think Kim deserved to win the Olympics and the short program too, I'd have had both girls closer after the short. Asada's ability to do the triple axel SHOULD have been rewarded more....

In general as skaters I probably prefer Kostner Kim to Asada, but Asada's amazing skater.

I'll be frank and say when Kostner was partly through her Bolero program I felt that maybe this would be the World Champ because I thought Kim couldn't really touch that. Kostner really does have the best skating skils in the world. However, Kostner doesn't have Kim's control... (I think Kim could put more transitions in the jumps than Carolina).. Of course though Kim, the better competitor, came on top.

I'm not blind to my favorite's flaws.

I know that your attitude as a fan is cool!

 

[artsciboy]

I want Lacoste to skate "Amelie" clean a couple of times this season - it's arguably the best choreographed ladies LP this season. IMO, I don't know why Osmond gets better PCS than Lacoste other than the fact that the former is the anointed one.

 

[bekalc]

I want Lacoste to skate "Amelie" clean a couple of times this season - it's arguably the best choreographed ladies LP this season. IMO, I don't know why Osmond gets better PCS than Lacoste other than the fact that the former is the anointed one.

I like Osmond a lot as a skater. She has BIG jumps and a really nice personality on the ice. I like her look too.

 

[Blades of Passion]

I want Lacoste to skate "Amelie" clean a couple of times this season - it's arguably the best choreographed ladies LP this season. IMO, I don't know why Osmond gets better PCS than Lacoste other than the fact that the former is the anointed one.

Osmond skates with more speed, better edges, and FAR more transitions. Osmond, at her best, is actually the #1 women in the World in terms of transitions. She also has better spins and a 3-3 combo, which can enhance the choreography and performance.

Lacoste's program is nice but I'd hardly call it among the best choreographically?

 

[aftertherain]

I didn't know Mao, Yuna, and Carolina were at Skate Canada.

How did I miss such a thing?

 

[Skater Boy]

I didn't know Mao, Yuna, and Carolina were at Skate Canada.

How did I miss such a thing?

Don't worry aftertherain, it happens to the best of us! lol

 

[FlattFan]

Kim is crippled, kostner can't land her jumps and always make 5 mistakes combined, asada UR most of her jumps, therefore this tiny russian skating with a message (but without hip or breasts or skating skills, speed, ice coverage if you want to get technical) will win the Olympics. Yeah, ok.

 

[zamboni step]

Julia skated amazingly technically, she still needs to work on her 2A and general height on her jumps. Her program seemed quite lost in terms of a clear narrative or any powerful emotion, lovely music though. Akiko was amazing, I dislike POTO quite a bit but I thought that program breathed and flowed and she captured sheer joy in the program, good jumps too minus the one mistake. Gracie was a mess, she rushed the whole program, which was in itself a mess choreographically, and really got ahead of herself after a good opening combination. Not sure I agreed with the scoring of PCS as for me it would have been Akiko>>>>Julia>Gracie with Akiko deserving a good 10 points more than Gracie's confused mess in PCS and 8 points higher than Julia. Really well skated event overall though.

 

[szidon]

Julia really impressed me, indeed.
I've never imagined she could skate so seamlessly, but she proved it. Wow!

Given Julia will have her fervent homeland audiences in Sochi, her PCS could be higher in the Olympics. That means other podium contenders would have less room for error. This Olympics is going to be really interesting.

But I still think there are weaknesses of Julia not to overlook.
There's no difference between her SP and FS. They are identical in that both of the programs are all about pathos. It seems to be because of the lack of her expressional diversity.
In addition, the way she jumps 3Lz is the same as her 3F. She rapidly flips her edge from outside to inside when she jumps 3Lz or 3F. (Judges just deducted 0.3 points on her first 3Lz in FS, though.) It's nonsense in that such a judging actually go against Zayak Rule to encourage skaters to display a more diverse arsenal of jumps.

 

[Sara]

I'm sure Julia's PCS will be higher in Sochi. She could get bronze, but has no chances to beat Yuna and Mao (even if these two make small mistakes). I think Caro, Julia and maybe even Ashley will fight for the bronze. Would love to see Caro on the podium since she will be ending her career, but on the other hand it's Julia's home Olympics... I'm just not sure how well Julia will be able to handle the huge amount of pressure she's going to experience if/when she skates in Sochi. It will be very overwhelming with the whole event, and then to skate in front of Russians in her first Olys ever... Sorry, this wasn't related to the thread topic hwell:

 

[flying camel]

After watching everyone's programs I thought GAO should have been third with Gracie fourth. Gracie had way more errors.

 

[koatcue]

OMG! Julia says they have new spin variations! That she'll try them this year if she will make them on practices and feel sure about them! She said she did one variation on practice on SC and the judges clapped her

 

[Robeye]

I like Osmond a lot as a skater. She has BIG jumps and a really nice personality on the ice. I like her look too.

Let me fix the above comment for ya:

I like Osmond a lot as a skater. She has nice jumps and a really BIG personality on the ice. I like her look too.

Now we can agree .

 

[minze]

Akiko Akiko Akiko. I love you.

 

[Mao88]

LADIES FREE SKATE - RESULT & VIDEOS (Updated)

1. Julia LIPNITSKAYA (RUS) - 198.23 Free Skate, 2nd Copy, 3rd Copy, 4th Copy
2. Akiko SUZUKI (JPN) - 193.75 Free Skate, 2nd Copy, 3rd Copy, 4th Copy
3. Gracie GOLD (USA) - 186.65 Free Skate, 2nd Copy, 3rd Copy
4. Christina GAO (USA) - 173.69 Free Skate, 2nd Copy
5. Amelie LACOSTE (CAN) - 163.11 Free Skate, 2nd Copy, 3rd Copy
6. Courtney HICKS (USA) - 162.00 Free Skate
7. Natalia POPOVA (UKR) - 145.88 Free Skate, 2nd Copy
8. Veronik MALLET (CAN) - 138.13 Free Skate, 2nd Copy
WD Kaetlyn OSMOND (CAN)

Ladies Medal Ceremony

 

[James R]

After watching everyone's programs I thought GAO should have been third with Gracie fourth. Gracie had way more errors.

So you contend that the judging is so bad that the final scores are off by at least 13 points? Care to submit the math on that?

The reality is that under CoP, falls and errors don't matter as much as they probably should, and it remains the biggest reason for the disconnect between scores and audience perception. If a skater has high enough difficulty in their elements, falls and mistakes can be absorbed much more easily than under 6.0. Look at the recent thread in the mens section talking about falls on quads still earning high marks, to understand the problem. Saying "that skater fell more, they should have been lower" without any other numerical evidence is basically silly now, because of the reality of CoP.

That said, I think the placements here were correct.

 

[prettykeys]

Julia and Akiko, well-deserved 1-2.

Akiko was just as musical and lovely as she always is. However, I found the comments about Julia's FS the most interesting to read...lots of different opinions and takes on it. To me, she skated it wonderfully. The first few moments up until the end of the 2A-3T-2T are SO well-matched to the music; if she hadn't delayed her ending -2T it would have been perfectly synchronized. Great concept and choreography. Additionally, her solemn demeanor, her youth, and the ease of her jumps really come together to make it a poignant performance-act that made it easy for me to forget it is a competition program. Very nice step sequence, too.

 

[sweetskates1]

I love Akiko and I will miss her.