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Saturday, February 19, 2011

Four Continents Championships: Ladies Free Skate

Group 1
1. Crystal Kiang, TPE: 23.75 TES + 30.96 PCS = 54.71 Total: 86.60
  • She was in 21st place after the short program
  • The feed I'm on is a little jumpy so I'm waiting for the other feed before I do a play by play
2. Chaochi Liu, TPE: 22.26 TES + 29.50 PCS -2.00 = 49.76 Total: 78.28 and into 2nd place
  • She is in 24th place after the short program
3. Melanie Swang, THA: 26.11 TES + 26.47 PCS = 52.58 Total: 82.08 and into 2nd place
  • She is in 23rd place after the short program
4. Mericien Venzon, PHI: 23.41 TES + 30.12 PCS = 53.53 Total: 84.17 and into 2nd place
  •  She is in 22nd place after the short program
  • Triple salchow + double toe very weak landings 
  • Double axel
  • Triple + double loop + double loop
  • Nice positions on her sit spin but not a lot of speed
  • Her second double axel was really nicely done
  • A nice donut position in her combination spin and a decent haircutter position
  • Her step sequence seems to be a little bouncy on top of the ice and she doesn't really get into her knees and edges; not very much upper body movement or use of arms
  • Good stretch through her spiral position
  • Triple salchow but not a good landing
  • Triple + double toe
  • Double loop
  • Her hand positions are not very good in the camel spin, good flexiblity through the catch foot position
5. Lejeanne Marais, RSA: 37.07 TES + 32.84 PCS = 69.91 Total: 101.90 and into 1st place
  •  She is in 19th place after the short program
  • This is a really pretty dress, white with flowers over the top but in interesting patterns 
  • A turn out and step out of her opening triple loop
  • Big lead in to her double salchow double toe and no speed coming out of the jump
  • Turn out of her double axel but she keeps the free leg up
  • Good positions in her sit spin but not a lot of difficult in the variations
  • She needs a little more extension through her spiral and I'd like to see her drop her hip a little bit more and get a better position
  • Slow through her layback spin and she has no difficult variations
  • Double salchow + double toe was better than her other jumps
  • Double jump--she has a lot of preparation before all of these jumps
  • Double toe + double toe + double toe and I'm not sure how much credit she'll get for these because she didn't seem to be going in a straight line
  • Not really any transitional steps or choreography in this program
  • Some upper body movement here but mostly leaning forward and not a lot of difficult footwork
  • Might have ended just after the music
6. Jaimee Nobbs, AUS: 28.58 TES + 30.41 PCS -1.00 = 57.99 Total: 89.93 and into 2nd place
  • She is currently in 20th place
  • Her dress seems a tad bit short but I like the bright red color on her and it really stands out against the ice
  • A step out of her double axel and she puts  hand down
  • Triple loop double toe but no real ride out of her landing
  • Double axel with a low landing but she hangs on to it
  • Double jump but I missed the entry
  • Not a lot of stretch through her camel position and not a lot of speed
  • She has no speed or power even in transition movements and this is likely affecting all her elements
  • Needs a lot more flexibility and stretch through the back on those spiral positions
  • Double toe
  • Double lutz with a one arm variation
  • Interesting combination spin--started with a scratch spin
  • I wish she would have picked a more lyrical piece of music because this music is really out pacing her
  • A fall on her final double jump
  • Finished after the music

Group 2
7. Melinda Wang, TPE: 27.04 TES + 32.60 PCS = 59.64 Total: 96.15 and into 2nd place
  • She is in 14th place after the short program
  • She has some nice expression and musicality 
  • She popped her first jump and two footed the landing
  • Double flip + double toe
  • Nice height on her double axel + double toe but not a lot of speed out of the second jump
  • Loss of centering on her combination spin and slow 
  • She has some really nice transition moments well choreographed to the music
  • Very nice stretch through both of her spiral positions and nice extension
  • Double lutz + double toe
  • Double loop
  • Double salchow--she's really landing her jumps well 
  • She seems a little scratchy on this step sequence and could work on her edge quality and getting into her knees but she has nice use of her upper body
  • Good twist variation in her sit spin and a nice low position
8. Mimi Tanasorn Chindasook, THA: 28.93 TES + 30.88 -2.00 = 57.81 Total: 91.54 and into 3rd place
  • She is in 18th place after the short program
  • Fall on her opening double axel
  • Triple toe + double toe with a big set up
  • Fall on a triple salchow
  • Double flip + double toe + it looked like she tried to tack on a third jump but I'm not sure she'll get credit for it
  • Nice scorpion spiral position and great flexibility with her leg held in the front
  • Not a great leg position for her in the layback but she does the haircutter and the biellman but not a lot of speed
  • This is a tango and I'd really like to see her attack this footwork sequence and she's not--seems to be slowing down as she reaches the end
  • Triple toe nicely done but a long set up
  • Pops her second axel and two foots the landing
  • No speed going into this double but she pulls it out
  • Nice positions in her combination spin but not a lot of centering and she's really scratching the ice
9. Victoria Muniz, PUR: 30.79 TES + 33.16 PCs = 63.95 Total: 99.40 and into 2nd place
  • She is in 15th place after the short program
  • She's a little too stiff for these ballet moves at the beginning
  • Singles her axel and two foots the landing
  • Singles her loop
  • Hand down on the triple salchow
  • She has good speed hrough her camel spin and a nice donut position
  • A nice layback position and nice use of her arms into a haircutter position
  • Triple flip was nicely done
  • Singles her loop
  • A little bit of an awkward entry to her spiral but a nice position
  • Triple toe + double toe
  • She has no expression and seems really unhappy on the ice right now
  • She seems to be struggling a little bit to get through this step sequence and is really slow by the end
  • Double axel + double toe + double toe was nice
  • Good positions in her combination spin and really good speed
10. Bingwa Geng, CHN: 29.86 TES + 38.52 PCS -3.00 = 65.38 Total: 104.58 and into 1st place
  • She is currently in 13th place
  • Doubled her lutz and fell on the landing
  • Triple flip but a big ice spray on the landing
  • Double salchow
  • Nice speed and positions in her combination spin but she seems to lose her centering a little bit
  • She has a nice quality on the ice and good speed, but not a lot of expression
  • A very nice scorpion spiral with one hand hold
  • Two footed the landing of her triple lutz
  • Triple toe nicely done
  • Really nice position in her layback spin and tons of flexibility into a fully extended biellman and she keeps up the speed
  • Some nice variety in her step sequence but I'd like to see more use of her upper body in different ways and more power across the ice
  • Fall on her triple salchow
  • Fall on her double axel
  • Nice camel position and she picks up speed into the donut position
  • She's one of the skaters caught up in the Chinese age scandal and I wonder if that's affecting her performance here
11. Qiuying Zhu, CHN: 33.30 TES + 36.00 TES -2.00 = 67.30 Total: 102.38 and into 2nd place
  • She is currently in 16th place
  • This is a little nitpicky but I wish she'd do her bun properly and make it look neat, because this just makes her look unpolished
  • Fall on her opening triple flip and she had an interesting entry to the jump
  • Triple toe + double toe
  • Double salchow + double toe--her jump entry is with both knees bent and her back slightly hunched over--If she fixed her technique these jumps could be better
  • Very slow in her sit spin
  • Triple toe
  • Fall on her double axel
  • Nice extension through her spiral position with her leg to the side
  • Double salchow with a lot of ice spray
  • Double axel with a turn out but she doesn't put her foot down and adds a single loop
  •  She could use more stretch through her sit spin position
  • She needs a lot more attack through this step sequence, more stretch through her legs, and more use of her upper body
  • Nice camel position but her arms are very awkwardly placed and very stiff
12. Chae-Hwa Kim, KOR: 32.33 TES + 36.70 PCS -1.00 = 68.03 Total: 101.79 and into 4th place
  • Triple toe nicely done to start her program
  • Fall on the triple salchow
  • Triple loop--a little tight on the landing
  • Nice camel position into a nice donut position and a really interesting variation where she's kind of at an angle with her leg pulled up almost to a biellman
  • Nice flexibility through the combination spin, nice low sit spin, just not a lot of speed
  • Nice stretch through her spiral and good eye contact with the judges as she passes their table
  • Two footed and a little forward on the landing of her triple salchow
  • Pops open a triple toe and kind of goes flying
  • Nice double axel + double toe 
  • Single axel--she just doesn't seem to have enough speed to get enough height to get around in these jumps
  • It looks like she's going through the movements in this step sequence and not really truly performing each step
  • Good positions in her combination spin and good speed

Group 3
13. Min-Jeong Kwak, KOR: 51.09 TES + 45.59 PCS = 96.68 Total: 147.15 and into 1st place
  • She is in 8th place after the short program
  • Triple lutz and she barely eked out the combination
  • Triple flip nicely done
  • Pretty double axel
  • Nice positions in her sit spin but very slow
  • Nice entry into her spiral in a Biellman position and great extension
  • Very nice triple lutz
  • Triple salchow well done
  • I'm not crazy about her leg position in the layback spin but she has a beautiful haircutter and Biellman position and really nice speed
  • Popped open a salchow
  • Nice variety in her step sequence but she doesn't really seem to finish all her movements and really lengthen through all the steps
  • Double axel + double toe + double loop very nice
  • Great flexibility in her final combination spin but some trouble centering
14. Cheltzie Lee, AUS: 34.90 TES + 44.28 PCS = 79.18 Total: 127.90 and into 2nd place
  • She is in 10th place after the short program
  • Triple toe + double toe + double loop with really nice height and good speed out of the landings
  • Triple salchow and she steps out of the landing
  • Nice sit spin position but she could be a little lower and have more speed
  • Triple toe but a little forward on the landing
  • She seems to not have enough power and speed to really get through this step sequence and there are a few places she needs to really stretch through her free leg more
  • Triple salchow with a nice landing
  • Good camel position but she loses her centering a little bit into a nice sit position and good extension through the upright spin but not much speed
  • Nice double axel 
  • Decent layback position but her hands and arms are very stiff 
  • Nice spiral position but it takes her a while to get into it
  • Nice double axel + double toe
  • She ends before her music and comes out of her ending pose before the music stops
15. Myriane Samson, CAN: 28.81 TES + 46.06 PCS = 74.87 Total: 121.20 and into 3rd place
  •  She is in 11th place after the short program
  • I think this shade of blue is absolutely stunning on her
  • Pops her opening loop and two foots the landing
  • Pops her lutz as well
  • She's such a gorgeous skater and has great musicality and presence on the ice
  • Double salchow
  • Nice layback spin with interesting position variations but she only does a haircutter
  • Hand down on the triple lutz
  • Nice spiral but could be a bit smoother getting into her first position
  • Triple flip
  • Single salchow--just didn't get any height on the takeoff
  • Nice position variations in the combination spin but she's lacking speed in the middle
  • Single axel + single axel
  • She needs more stretch through her free leg in this step sequence but its nice to see her still performing with a smile on her face
  • Really pretty twist sit position
  • An unfortunate skate for her
16. Yea-Ji Yun, KOR: 34.76 TES + 38.73 PCs -1.00 = 72.49 Total: 111.86 and into 4th place
  • She is in 12th place after the short program
  • This shade of pink is maybe a little too pale for her as it washes her out
  • Fall on her opening triple lutz--she has a really bent free leg on the takeoff
  • Triple salchow + double toe
  • Triple flip + double toe
  • This step sequence seems pretty repetitive and basic
  • Nice layback position but I'd like to see more softness in her arms and a good Biellman
  • Triple flip with a step out
  • Double axel and she tries to tack on a combination but almost seems to stumble around
  • Her leg is really to the side on that spiral instead of being directly behind her
  • Popped open a salchow
  • Nice low sit spin position with ok speed
  • Double axel with a two footed landing
  • A nice camel position into an upright twist variation; nice flexibility through her upright catch foot spin
17. Amelie Lacoste, CAN: 40.18 TES + 48.24 PCS -1.00 = 87.42 Total: 137.48 and into 2nd place
  • She is in 9th place after the short program
  • Nice double axel sequence with nice height on the free leg in the landing
  • Triple loop + double loop + double loop but not a lot of speed in the landing
  • Double flip
  • Nice low sit spin position
  • Double flip
  • Nice layback position into a haircutter but not a lot of speed
  • Double toe
  • Good spiral position
  • Two footed landing on the triple salchow and a fall--her feet just got tangled up underneath her
  • Not too much power in this step sequence and not a lot of energy or difficulty
  • Triple loop looked two footed to me
  • Really rough illusion spins into a slow sit spin and a slow upright spin
18. Cynthia Phaneuf, CAN: 52.35 TES + 55.14 PCS = 107.49 Total: 163.14 and into 1st place
  • She is in 7th place after the short program
  • Very solid triple toe to open her program
  • Pops a triple flip
  • Triple loop + double toe 
  • Nice speed through her layback spin with some interesting positions but no difficult variations
  • Double salchow
  • Nice height on her leg in the spiral but she could have more arch in her back
  • Triple loop with a very low landing but she hangs on to it
  • Nice triple lutz
  • Double axel + double toe is well done
  • Good posiiton in her sit spins with good speed
  • Some nice attack in this step sequence and she has some good variety  but doesn't always stretch all the way through her free leg
  • Good camel position but she needs to straighten her bottom leg in the upright spin

Group 4
19. Rachael Flatt, USA: 60.94 TES + 57.14 PCS = 118.08 Total: 180.31 and into 1st place
  • She is currently in 3rd place
  • Double Axel + triple loop--a little tight on the landing but an impressive combo
  • Triple flip + double toe--a little off on the landing of the first jump
  • Not as good in the catch foot position of her camel spin as I've seen her do other times
  • Really nice triple lutz
  • Needs a little more stretch through her free leg in the sit spin position but otherwise good combination spin
  • Much better position on her arabesque spiral 
  • Triple lutz + double toe + double loop--a little tight on the first landing
  • Triple flip 
  • Really nice triple salchow with good flow out of the jump
  • Nice expression from Rachael through the footwork and good speed throughout
  • Nice double axel
  • Really nice Ina Bauer on a musical crescendo
  • Good camel position into a nice donut 
  • Seemed a little tight on the jumps but she fought for all of her landings
20. Mirai Nagasu, USA: 69.61 TES + 60.07 PCS = 129.68 Total: 189.46 and into 1st place
  • She is in 4th place after the short program
  • She looks really nervous--that look usually isn't good when she takes the ice
  • Triple lutz + double toe was nicely done
  • Double axel + triple toe and both jumps had a ton of height
  • Triple flip with good flow out of the jump
  • Great speed in her layback spin and beautiful positions but her Biellman didn't seem as stretched out as it normally is
  • Nice position in her scorpion Biellman but I'd like to see some expression and performance from her here
  • Nice triple lutz
  • Triple toe + double toe + double loop
  • Nice triple loop
  • Great double axel
  • She could have a little more stretch in her free leg in the sit spin but good speed
  • Nice camel spin position with good speed and nice position changes with good flexibility in her upright spin
  • A huge improvement for Mirai over her program at nationals
21. Miki Ando, JPN: 73.03 TES + 61.73 PCS = 134.76 Total: 201.34 and into 1st place
  •  She is in 1st place after the short program
  • Triple lutz + triple loop with great height
  • Triple loop with nice flow
  • Nice speed in her sit spin
  • Good position in her camel spin and a nice low sit spin position into a nice catchfoot in her upright spin
  • It's nice to see Miki smiling on the ice!
  • Nice stretch through her spiral
  • Double axel + triple toe
  • Triple lutz with a big ice spray on the landing
  • Triple flip and she's making this look too easy
  • Triple toe
  • Double axel + double loop + double loop
  • The crowd is getting behind her on this step sequence and she has some nice attack and a good use of her upper body
  • Good camel position with good speed, not a very good illusion variation, nice sit spin, good haircutter
  • That should be enough to win
22. Akiko Suzuki, JPN: 49.18 TES + 55.77 PCS = 104.95 Total: 162.59 and into 5th place
  • She is in 6th place after the short program
  • She got a hair cut and I think it looks really nice on her and really suits this program and costume
  • Popped open her triple flip
  • Double axel + double toe
  • A nice triple lutz + double axel sequence
  • Nice positions in her combination spin but her change foot always looks a little wild
  • Nice extension through her spiral but her leg could be more behind her shoulder instead of out to the side
  • Stumble out of her triple lutz but she tacks on a double toe
  • Low on a triple flip but she hangs on
  • Triple loop with a really though landing
  • Another low landing and a turnout out a triple slchow
  • A nice camel spin but not a lot of speed
  • This is such a cute step sequence and is really a crowd pleaser and there's a ton of difficulty in here
  • Nice final combination spin with good positions and good speed
23. Alissa Czisny, USA: 52.82 TES + 58.05 PCS -1.00 = 109.87 Total: 168.81 and into 4th place
  •  She is in 5th place after the short program
  • Triple lutz + double toe
  • Fall on a triple flip
  • Triple toe + double toe + double loop
  • Her camel spin is exquisite and no one can match her speed
  • Tight on the landing of the triple loop but she hangs on
  • Alissa just looks really cautious here
  • I love her spiral--no one else can take their leg from the side to the back without dropping it
  • Doubled a lutz and two footed the landing
  • Double axel a little tight on the landing
  • Triple toe + double toe
  • Hopefully this is her bad program for the season and she can go clean at worlds because she could be world champ if she just skates clean
  • This step sequence is so much better from the beginning of the season and is really well timed to the music
  • Gorgeous layback spin into a nice Biellman with tons of speed
24. Mao Asada, JPN: 70.18 TES + 62.71 PCS = 132.89 Total: 196.30 and into 2nd place
  • She is in 2nd place after the short program
  • Triple axel--maybe double footed on the landing
  • Triple flip + double loop--her arms looked very far out on that jump instead of pulled in to speed up the roration
  • Triple lutz
  • A nice camel spin with a nice transition to a sit position with a spiral and good flexibility through the upright spin
  • Triple axel + double toe--really tight on the landing of the second jump
  • Triple flip + double loop + double loop tight on the landings again
  • Triple salchow--another tight landing with no speed or flow
  • I'm not sure these jumps are clean enough to overtake Miki and Mao has only broke 200 once in her career.  
  • Nice triple loop
  • Good positions and speed in her final spin with lots of speed in the Biellman
  • Nice spiral but not a lot of speed
Gold: Miki Ando
Silver: Mao Asada
Bronze: Mirai Nagasu


 Miki Ando

Mao Asada


    1 comment:

    1. If you don't count Japanese Nationals, Mao has broken 200 twice in International Competition: once at the World Team Trophy, and once at the Olympic Games.

      ReplyDelete