Figure Skating

[displayname]

On 8/25/2019 at 2:42 AM, SeanC said:

Kamila Valieva had a couple of falls, but her 4T was breathtaking.

It was barely rotated, and her quality in the air is wonky. She also lands too flat on her blade, and in practice usually does inside edge landings. Scary for her ankle.

11 hours ago, Mellowyellow said:

Aww she's a cutie and she can skate!

She's certainly improved her SS and her musicality is nice for her age. Her SS are still lagging for her age though. And her jumping technique is awful, extremely scary to see a 13/14 year old going for all those big jumps with that kind of technique.

1 hour ago, Ruby Gillis said:

  I wish they would hire more choreographers and let the skaters feel the music.  

I would oppose this as I actually don't care if juniors "feel" the music or not, I see it juniors more as an opportunity to refine your skills. But Gleikhenghauz is a senior choreographer too, and that is horrible.

[Ruby Gillis]

5 hours ago, displayname said:

I would oppose this as I actually don't care if juniors "feel" the music or not, I see it juniors more as an opportunity to refine your skills. But Gleikhenghauz is a senior choreographer too, and that is horrible.

I would take just having them look like they were enjoying skating at any point in the program.  It mostly looks like they are concentrating so hard on the next move and/or terrified of what will happen if they mess up.  

[displayname]

10 hours ago, Ruby Gillis said:

I would take just having them look like they were enjoying skating at any point in the program.  It mostly looks like they are concentrating so hard on the next move and/or terrified of what will happen if they mess up.   

I would chalk some of it up to experience, but I actually do agree, even for seniors.

[Growsonwalls]

I hope no one forces Lipinski or Eldredge to comment on the matter. If they were the victims of abusive behavior from Callaghan than they are entitled to speak or not speak about it on their own time. If they weren't, then what they say could be used and twisted to invalidate the abuse accusations. Tara's mother was infamous for being protective and pushy. Abusers have a way of knowing which children they can't abuse. Todd Eldredge was a star student and again, might have been used by Callaghan to attract new targets. So I can believe that Callaghan did not abuse them. But that's up to them to talk about or not talk about.

[selkie]

It's like how I wouldn't be surprised if Nassar never touched Nastia Liukin because of who her father is. 

[Ruby Gillis]

7 hours ago, Growsonwalls said:

Abusers have a way of knowing which children they can't abuse. Todd Eldredge was a star student and again, might have been used by Callaghan to attract new targets. So I can believe that Callaghan did not abuse them.

I believe Todd moved away from home to train with Callaghan at a very young age, and, when Callaghan moved rinks several times, followed him to different skating clubs.  Such a sad situation.   I think we're only at the tip of the iceberg.  

[Souris]

On 8/25/2019 at 8:52 AM, Crs97 said:

Hard to believe she is only 14!  She was so much fun to watch.  Who was doing the commentary?

The man was Brian Boitano. Not sure who the woman was.

[Crs97]

It sounded like Brian, but I didn’t think he did commentary.  He tried right after he retired, but seemed to give it up quickly.  Interesting if he is starting again.

[Harry24]

I remember thinking Brian B was an excellent commenter during his brief try at it.

[HartofDixie]

Junior Grand Prix has started.

http://www.isuresults.com/results/season1920/jgpusa2019/index.htm

[healthnut]

Alysa Liu is in first, I’m guessing Russia didn’t send their top Junior girls to this event. I’m very interested in seeing her free skate tomorrow. 

[Mellowyellow]

I read something about the Russians having visa troubles. 

Alysa is charming on ice. Great performer which is a handy quality to have besides the jumps. I think they have picked very good programs for her personality/age. 

[Sew Sumi]

Russia wasn't sending their top girls here anyway. But yes, I also heard about visa problems. 

Will Alysa bust out the quad? 

[SeanC]

2 hours ago, Mellowyellow said:

I read something about the Russians having visa troubles. 

The Russians initially assigned Kseniia Sinitsyna and Anastasia Tarakanova to this event, both of them having the same coach, Svetlana Panova.  Panova and Sinitsyna attended an Arutyunyan summer camp in the USA earlier in the year, and didn't realize that the visas they'd been issued at the time were one-use only (probably they applied for multi-use visas but only submitted evidence of one reason to visit, i.e., the JGP, and so were issued single-use visas).  Tarakanova couldn't go to the camp because of money problems, so when they all arrived at the airport, both the coach and Sinitsyna were turned away and Tarakanova had to go on by herself.

[Mellowyellow]

People are seriously getting their knickers in knot over Alysa. Her programs have the most views but 100 dislikes! 

I just cannot imagine leaving a dislike for any of these kids regardless of what I think of their skating! I just wouldn't watch! 

[Darknight]

13 hours ago, Mellowyellow said:

People are seriously getting their knickers in knot over Alysa. Her programs have the most views but 100 dislikes! 

I just cannot imagine leaving a dislike for any of these kids regardless of what I think of their skating! I just wouldn't watch! 

I'm not a fan of Alysa but the hate she is getting at only 14 is just disturbing to me. Also, the hate people get when they talk about her technique or the Russians technique is absurd. 

I don't watch juniors but the amount of pressure Alysa, Stephen, and Kamilla are under is not healthy. 

Tarakanova they need to package her more. It sucks she has to spend another year in juniors but I personally feel she is always underscored. 

Liza, I don't understand why she pays for choreography but then changes it completely. 

I'm not on the Alysa hype train. Her 4Lz makes me cringe. She is depending on fast rotation and the judges need to call out her technique. 

Also, South Korea has beautiful skaters. 

[Mellowyellow]

I'm on every carriage of the Alysa train. 

She just skated a wonderful long program and nailed that 4Lutz. 😍😍😍

May she always be a joyful skater with a body and nerves of steel. 

[SeanC]

Alysa was certainly impressive, and that TES, even after pulling a Rika with the second triple Axel, was formidable.

Also, shoutout to Jessica Lin's free program, which is straight-up Hanyu cosplay.

Emily Bausback had the best JGP placement for a Canadian junior lady in four seasons (6th).  I wish I could be more excited for her, but she doesn't do anything for me artistically, but credit where it's due; she willed some of those jumps to happen (particularly the second part of the combination in the short).

[Ruby Gillis]

On 8/31/2019 at 5:15 AM, Mellowyellow said:

People are seriously getting their knickers in knot over Alysa. Her programs have the most views but 100 dislikes! 

I wouldn't worry too much about that.  YouTube culture is pretty toxic.  A video of a kitten could get 100 dislikes.  Also, there are also probably a lot of young viewers who are superfans of other skaters like Kamila.  

On 8/31/2019 at 6:54 PM, Darknight said:

I'm not on the Alysa hype train. Her 4Lz makes me cringe. She is depending on fast rotation and the judges need to call out her technique. 

I wasn't a huge fan of her programs at Nationals, but she looks like she's improved over the summer.  She seems to be a bit faster.  I don't understand why they are doing the quad lutz instead of an easier quad?  In the interview portion, she says she wants to work on bigger jumps and more artistry, so she seems to have a good head on her shoulders. 

On 8/31/2019 at 6:54 PM, Darknight said:

I don't watch juniors but the amount of pressure Alysa, Stephen, and Kamilla are under is not healthy. 

Totally agree about their being too much attention/pressure on these junior skaters but the ISU really seems to be pushing it.  And when Zagitova came out of juniors to win the gold medal, people are already trying to predict 2002.  The ISU YouTube channel streamed the competition live with time stamps so you could find every skater.  Then they broke it up into individual videos so you can watch after.  If only it was as easy and free to watch seniors! 

[Mellowyellow]

4 hours ago, Ruby Gillis said:

I wouldn't worry too much about that.  YouTube culture is pretty toxic.  A video of a kitten could get 100 dislikes.  Also, there are also probably a lot of young viewers who are superfans of other skaters like Kamila.  

I'm fed up that after she landed the 4Lutz in competition every man and his dog swears they can see URs and have created dodgy gifs as indisputable proof.

It should be a new motto for figure skating viewing. If you're not a fan of someone scream UR convincingly like you're an expert 🤔

ETA: In an interview she said that the 3Lutz is an easier jump for her so it made more sense to go for a 4Lutz rather than a 4Salchow cuz she finds the 3Salchow tricky. 

Her music was composed and performed by Jennifer Thomas who was responsible for Rika's terrific "A Beautiful Storm" last season. 

Her team seems pretty cluey.

Edited September 2, 2019 by Mellowyellow

[Jeddah]

I thought The Skating Lesson was just being mean about the dance team from India. Then I watched them. Well, that was something! 

India is a huge country and I’m sure the ISU would love to get a foothold I there. Individual skaters can make skating bigger in their countries. Yuna in South Korea being the biggest example, but Denis in Kazhakhstan and Javi in Spain too. I’m just not sure that team is going to be the one to do it for India. 

[HartofDixie]

4 hours ago, Jeddah said:

I thought The Skating Lesson was just being mean about the dance team from India. Then I watched them. Well, that was something! 

India is a huge country and I’m sure the ISU would love to get a foothold I there. Individual skaters can make skating bigger in their countries. Yuna in South Korea being the biggest example, but Denis in Kazhakhstan and Javi in Spain too. I’m just not sure that team is going to be the one to do it for India. 

Interview with the Indian skater that does singles and dance. Only one rink in India.

https://twitter.com/edges_of_glory/status/1168188162327240705

[Jeddah]

8 hours ago, HartofDixie said:

Interview with the Indian skater that does singles and dance. Only one rink in India.

https://twitter.com/edges_of_glory/status/1168188162327240705

She seems like a sweetheart! 

[Mellowyellow]

13 hours ago, Jeddah said:

I thought The Skating Lesson was just being mean about the dance team from India. Then I watched them. Well, that was something! 

India is a huge country and I’m sure the ISU would love to get a foothold I there. Individual skaters can make skating bigger in their countries. Yuna in South Korea being the biggest example, but Denis in Kazhakhstan and Javi in Spain too. I’m just not sure that team is going to be the one to do it for India. 

Hehe I watched this after I read your post and yup..... it was something alright 😅

Love Ted though. That was a tough spot for him to be in and he handled it beautifully. 

[ML89]

Is there a link for the performance of the Indian team? I saw about a minute of it. 

[HartofDixie]

1 hour ago, ML89 said:

Is there a link for the performance of the Indian team? I saw about a minute of it. 

The ladies and dance free from India. Will try to find the short & rhythm dance.

[ML89]

Thanks @HartofDixie - I give them all the points in the world for getting onto the ice. I hope they do continue.

[healthnut]

On 9/2/2019 at 11:38 PM, HartofDixie said:

The ladies and dance free from India. 

Oh dear...Bless their hearts is all I can say. 

[Harry24]

1 hour ago, healthnut said:

Oh dear...Bless their hearts is all I can say. 

Is that you, Vern?

[Darknight]

On 9/2/2019 at 6:23 AM, Jeddah said:

I thought The Skating Lesson was just being mean about the dance team from India. Then I watched them. Well, that was something! 

India is a huge country and I’m sure the ISU would love to get a foothold I there. Individual skaters can make skating bigger in their countries. Yuna in South Korea being the biggest example, but Denis in Kazhakhstan and Javi in Spain too. I’m just not sure that team is going to be the one to do it for India. 

I adore skaters from smaller federations. I cheer for them even more. I wish everyone and country  had the same access to money and training. 

[Darknight]

It's crazy to me people expect the Eteri skaters to dominate especially in juniors. Bashing other non Eteri Or Russian skaters who win is terrible.  Just because they're Eteri skaters and the juniors from last year won everything doesn't mean every skater from her group win. It doesn't mean they will dominate. 

I read Elizabet and there other Eteri skaters are injured. I hope they're well. 

Stephen's costume is ugly to me. It looks to big. I'm surprised he switched to RAF. 

I'm not up to date because I don't follow skating as much but the ISU wants to change things again yet don't address their judging issues. 

[Mellowyellow]

With the exception of Kamila I don't think the new Eteri skaters are very good jumpers. I think they were expecting another Trusova  waiting in the wings. 

Instead they've got to contend with Alysa who jumps like crazy and has excellent performance ability. 

However I heard that Alina and Zhenya had some bad skates in their junior days so maybe they'll improve.

[Ruby Gillis]

12 hours ago, Darknight said:

I'm not up to date because I don't follow skating as much but the ISU wants to change things again yet don't address their judging issues. 

I wonder how close we are to having a computer calling all the jumps, like with iScope.  A program could input speed, edge, pattern, rotation, position in the air, everything else, and spit out a number.  I don't know if that would be better.  I already kind of hate how super-mathematical skating has become.   

Edited September 7, 2019 by Ruby Gillis

[Darknight]

5 hours ago, Ruby Gillis said:

I wonder how close we are to having a computer calling all the jumps, like with iScope.  A program could input speed, edge, pattern, rotation, position in the air, everything else, and spit out a number.  I don't know if that would be better.  I already kind of hate how super-mathematical skating has become.   

I've been saying this for the longest. I don't understand why they haven't done this yet. 

5 hours ago, Ruby Gillis said:

I wonder how close we are to having a computer calling all the jumps, like with iScope.  A program could input speed, edge, pattern, rotation, position in the air, everything else, and spit out a number.  I don't know if that would be better.  I already kind of hate how super-mathematical skating has become.   

I've been saying this for the longest. I don't understand why they haven't done this yet. 

[Mellowyellow]

Watched Russian test skates. 

Trusova is nuts! In a very good way but totally nuts. 3 quads all landed.  Her jumps seem different too. She really throws herself into them. 

Alina's choreographer needs to be slapped. He's got her doing the weirdest sh@t but on the bright side her jumps are back and she looks so happy I'm going to ignore the awful program. 

Only good thing is that she's really into it and they have her holding some spirals for longer which I've always wanted to see from her. 

[HartofDixie]

[Ruby Gillis]

Official channel for Russian test skates. 

Maybe I've gotten used to the Eteri school of choreography because I enjoyed most of the programs.  I agree there was something really weird about Alina's.  I couldn't concentrate on watching it.  My attention kept wandering.  Really enjoyed watching Kostornaia.  Hope they reward her in PCS.    

On 9/8/2019 at 12:34 PM, Mellowyellow said:

Watched Russian test skates. 

Trusova is nuts! In a very good way but totally nuts. 3 quads all landed.  Her jumps seem different too. She really throws herself into them. 

Alina's choreographer needs to be slapped. He's got her doing the weirdest sh@t but on the bright side her jumps are back and she looks so happy I'm going to ignore the awful program. 

Only good thing is that she's really into it and they have her holding some spirals for longer which I've always wanted to see from her. 

Edited September 10, 2019 by Ruby Gillis

[Mellowyellow]

5 hours ago, Ruby Gillis said:

Official channel for Russian test skates. 

Maybe I've gotten used to the Eteri school of choreography because I enjoyed most of the programs.  I agree there was something really weird about Alina's.  I couldn't concentrate on watching it.  My attention kept wandering.  Really enjoyed watching Kostornaia.  Hope they reward her in PCS.    

I loved Anna's costume change!

I find Alina's program so weird but I was just fascinated to watch her do all these bizarre gestures because I'm a fan of hers in general. Now if only she'll hold that Charlotte for me. It's a really pretty move on her.

I'm surprised by how much I like Trusova. I never really cared for her programs last season even though I usually like jumpers but she's grown on me. Her spins are much better and maybe I'm just a sucker for quads 😅

Also it seems like she muscled up and kept her jumps so I'm super excited to see that and what it means for the current baby quadsters. 

[SeanC]

This Thursday-Sunday is brutal -- three ISU events occurring in different locations, from JGP Chelyabinsk to Lombardia Trophy to the Autumn Classic.

[Sew Sumi]

Is the Autumn Classic going to be streamed again this year? 

[Mellowyellow]

I'm sad Bradie had to withdraw 😭

Really hope she's ok. 

[displayname]

The Russian ladies' and men's programs are some of the worst I've seen.

[KittenPokerCheater]

Bradie had to withdraw?  Eep.  I didn’t know that.  I’m so behind on all the skating.  It seems like it’s all quads and triples and the russian women are all scary thin and dominant.  

[SeanC]

9 hours ago, Mellowyellow said:

I'm sad Bradie had to withdraw 😭

Really hope she's ok. 

She was in a boot at Champs Camp, reportedly.

[Ruby Gillis]

On 9/11/2019 at 6:08 AM, displayname said:

The Russian ladies' and men's programs are some of the worst I've seen.

choreography-wise or performance-wise?

Worse than poor Alina's crazy Phantom of the Opera edit or Medvedeva's sounds of 9/11?  We've been through a lot the past few years.  Maybe that was why I found myself enjoying these programs.  ha!

Edited September 12, 2019 by Ruby Gillis

[displayname]

3 minutes ago, Ruby Gillis said:

choreography-wise or performance-wise?

Choreography wise. Performance might at least improve, I doubt choreography will. And I think they're all varying degrees of awful, with the two you mentioned falling somewhere close to the bottom if included in this group.

[Mellowyellow]

Poor Rika has hurt her leg. I am getting grey hairs from being a fan of that one! I dunno why but out of all the skaters I like she is the worst for my nerves. I think it's the dramatic comebacks and random botch ups between the SP and LP.

She is the perfect skater for me jumps wise and performance wise. 

*steels self to get ready for Rika in the Autumn Classic*

[specialj67]

After watching the top Russian ladies test skates, I must say that while Alina Zagitova’s hunching still drives me nuts, and her choreography is almost uniformly terrible, her energy and presence on the ice was a refreshing surprise after last season. I may not be a fan of the actual content of her program, but I am a fan of her demeanor when delivering it.

The music at the end of Alena Kostornaia’s program is awful and does a huge disservice to her musicality. She is the only Eteri skater who seem to actually hear the music, and it’s like they’re trying to hide that?

As much fun as Elizaveta Tuktamysheva is as a jumper, the actual non jumping portions of her programs are a complete snooze and seem like they were recycled from last year. She seems like a natural performer, but the programs always lack any nuance or depth.

Evgenia is my sentimental fave because she seems to be the scrappy fighter of the bunch, but I’m concerned that the improvements she’s working on just won’t be enough to keep her in world team contention if the other top Russian skaters stay healthy and competitive.

Edited September 12, 2019 by specialj67

[Sew Sumi]

Enjoyed Rika (clean 3A) and Janny at the Autumn Classic (SP). Everyone else was problematic. 

[Mellowyellow]

*wipes brow with relief*

Now onto the LP! Haha I am in a different timezone so when I wake up I peep cautiously at the interwebs in fear to see what Rika and Zhenya have done.

*** 

Looks like Kamila and Kseniia Sinitsyna might give Alysa a run for her money in the JGPF. I am excited!!! I am 500% team Alysa but JGP is shaping up to be just as exciting as seniors!

Edited September 13, 2019 by Mellowyellow