Skate Canada Ladies Preview

Julia Lipnitskaia has followed the past of the last few Russian wonderbabies.  After winning everything on the junior circuit in 2012 she made her Grand Prix debut last season and won two medals which qualified her for the Grand Prix Final.  She was not old enough for Worlds last season and lost her Junior World title to the next generation of Russian juniors.  She is old enough to qualify for the Olympics this year but with only two Russian spots available, she'll have to stay injury free this season and consistently hit her triple + triples.

Akiko Suzuki dropped to 12th at Worlds after winning bronze the year prior.  She won a medal at every other event she entered last season including the Final.  Her Worlds performance seemed to have been a fluke as she was remarkably consistent the rest of the season and has been consistent over the past several seasons.

Courtney Hicks started off her season with a surprise gold medal finish at the US International Figure Skating Classic.  She has long been known for her jumps but has committed to her artistry this season.  She has triple + triples and innovative spins and is passionate about her programs which comes out in her skating.  She started the season with no Grand Prix assignments and now has two and is ready to make the most of her opportunity.

Kaetlyn Osmond won gold at this event last season but has been off the ice with an ankle injury and has admitted that she's not back to 100%.  

Gracie Gold has struggled to put together two clean programs at the same event all year last year.  She split from her long time coach suddenly this summer and moved to Frank Carroll but her new coaching situation is not yet permanent.  

My podium predictions:
Gold: Julia Lipnitskaia
Silver: Akiko Suzuki
Bronze: Courtney Hicks

Bios of the competitors:
Amelie Lacoste, CAN: She finished 9th at Four Continents.  She placed 8th at Skate Canada and 6th at Cup of China last season.  Her personal best is 157.26.  She is 24 years old.

Veronik Mallet, CAN: This is her Grand Prix debut.  Her personal best is 159.67.  She is 19 years old.

Kaetlyn Osmond, CAN: She placed 8th at Worlds and 7th at Four Continents.  She won gold at Skate Canada last season.  Her personal best is 176.82.  She is 17 years old.  

Akiko Suzuki, JPN: She finished 12th at Worlds and is the reigning Four Continents Silver Medalist.  She won silver at Skate Canada and NHK Trophy last season to qualify for the Grand Prix Final where she won bronze.  She is the 2012 World Bronze Medalist and 2010 Four Continents Silver Medalist.  Her personal best is 199.58.  She is 28 years old.  

Julia Lipnitskaia, RUS: She is the reigning Junior World Silver Medalist.  She won silver at Cup of China and bronze at Trophee Eric Bompard last season to qualify for the Grand Prix Final but withdrew due to injury.  She is the 2012 Junior World Champion.  Her personal best is 187.05.  She is 15 years old.

Natalia Popova, UKR: She finished 15th at Worlds and placed 19th at Europeans.  This is her Grand Prix debut.  She finished 10th at JGP Austria last season.  Her personal best is 155.52.  She is 20 years old.

Christina Gao, USA: She finished 4th at Four Continents.  She won silver at Skate America and finished 4th at Trophee Eric Bompard last season to qualify for the Grand Prix Final where she finished 6th.  Her personal best is 176.28.  She is 19 years old.

Gracie Gold, USA: She placed 6th at Worlds and 6th at Four Continents.  She finished 7th at Skate Canada and won silver at Rostelecom Cup last season.  She is the 2012 World Junior Silver Medalist.  Her personal best is 188.03.  She is 18 years old.

Courtney Hicks, USA: She placed 5th at Junior Worlds.  She won silver at JGP USA and finished 4th at JGP Slovenia last season.  Her personal best is 153.77.  She is 17 years old.

US International Figure Skating Classic Ladies Free Skate

Dimitra Korri, GRE: 30.39 TES + 29.87 PCS = 60.26  Total: 91.62

• Very slow into her double axel and hands down on the landing
• Double flip + double toe and has to put her foot down on the 2nd landing
• Double salchow
• Could use more stretch through her camel spin but a nice low sit position; slow but speed maintained throughout
• A bit wobbly on some of the one foot steps in her step sequence and not a lot of speed or flow across the ice
• Double flip
• Double axel + double toe
• Double lutz + double toe + double toe
• Double loop
• Nice low sit spin into a good back tuck position
• Good flexibility through the catch foot camel spin into a nice broken leg sit spin
• Good spiral and really nice hydroblade in her choreographic step sequence

Brittany Lau, SIN: 26.25 TES + 30.40 PCS -1.00 = 55.65 Total: 83.44 and into 2nd place

• Double flip + double toe
• Really up on the ice in her step sequence and not down into her edges at all
• Good speed in her spin but not a lot of flexibility through the positions and losing some centering through the position changes
• Solid double flip
• Spread eagle into a double axel--not enough speed going in, bobbles the landing and can't hold on to it and falls
• Decent spirals in her choreographic sequence 
• Double lutz + double loop--supposed to be a 3 jump combo but can't get last jump off
• Not a lot of speed through these transitions and it looks like she's marking the choreography
• Double loop + double loop + double loop
• Struggles in her spin and seems to have to abort some of the positions
• Double flip
• Double loop
• Ok layback into an ok Biellman
• Seemed to finish several seconds behind her music

Georgia Glastris, GRE: 25.24 TES + 32.79 PCS = 58.03  Total: 89.58 and into 2nd place

• Big telegraphing into the double axel and messy landing
• Triple salchow + double toe--she has nice toe point in her jumps
• Double flip + double toe--turned out and didn't get off what looked to be her 3rd jump
• No speed at the end of her combination spin 
• Double lutz step out
• Double salchow
• Decent layback spin but she could work on her arm position into a nice Biellman
• Double salchow
• Double flip
• Nice flexibility through the spiral positions in the choreographic step sequence but a little tight on the center leap
• Decent camel position but she could use more stretch through her sits, ending with a nice upright spin

Clara Peters, IRL: 27.68 TES + 32.79 PCS -2.00 = 58.47  Total: 88.33 and into 3rd place

• Opened with her sit spin with a flying change of foot
• Double axel with a big ice spray on the take off but nicely landed
• Triple salchow feet get tied up under her and a fall
• Double loop
• No arch on the layback and losing speed through the haircutter
• Bobbles on one of the turns in the step sequence and has to put her free leg down; I'd like to see more stretch through her free let through all these sequences to get a better line
• Double loop + double loop
• Double axel hand down and then fall
• Double flip
• She seems to be skating hunched over a lot of the time and I think that's hurting her in the jumps
• Double lutz
• Needs more elevation in the free leg in the camel and more stretch through all of these positions and more speed

Melanie Yuung-Hui Chang, TPE: 33.59 TES + 34.53 PCS = 68.12 Total: 109.74 and into 1st place

• Triple loop
• Triple toe loop hand down
• Popped salchow
• A bit slow on the combination spin
• Triple salchow
• Triple toe down on her side and only manages to tack on a single toe
• Double axel turn out but free leg stays up
• Nice twisted sit spin but losing all speed through the back sit variation
• Decent flexibility through the spirals in the choreographic sequence
• Single axel
• Better camel spin but could use more stretch through these positions and no speed or arch in the layback

Crystal Kiang, TPE: 30.70 TES + 36.14 PCS = 66.84 Total: 100.57 and into 2nd place

• Two footed landing on the triple flip
• Triple loop two footed + double loop
• Double lutz
• Good speed in the camel spin into a nice sit spin; good camel spin after the change of foot
• Good flow through the step sequence but she could use more of her upper body to get higher levels
• Gorgeous spiral and nice split jump
• Triple loop two footed
• Double axel + double toe
• Spiral into a double axel, a little back on the landing but hangs on
• Double lutz + double loop + double loop back on the landing again
• Good stretch through her sit spin but could be in a lower position, decent layback and nice Biellman but she needs more speed
• Nice backwards sit spin with a twist and the leg straight out

Sandy Hoffman, GER: 42.01 TES + 37.86 PCS = 79.87 Total: 124.18 and into 1st place

• Double toe
• Spiral into a triple loop
• Double axel
• Triple salchow + double toe
• Triple salchow fighting for the landing a bit
• Nice flexibility and speed through the catch foot positions in her camel spin
• Really nice Biellman spin
• She could use her edges a bit more through the step sequence
• Triple loop + single toe
• Double axel ekes out the landing and tacks out a single toe + single loop
• Great flexibility through her upright catchfoot spin

Chelsea Chiappa, HUN: 25.18 TES + 33.19 PCS -1.00 = 57.37 Total: 90.14 and into 5th place

• Double axel hanging on to the landing
• Odd landing on the triple toe with a two foot
• Triple salchow two footed landing and really struggles to hold her balance
• Big free leg kick out on double flip
• Needs more flexibility through camel spin, misses her foot in the catch foot and struggles with centering
• I think this music is a bit much for her to interpret
• Double axel + double toe
• Slow on the back tuck position in the sit spin
• Not a lot of transitions or connection with the music
• Double flip two footed landing and turn out
• Triple salchow hand down and then a fall
• Better camel spin into a good low sit position and a nice upright catchfoot spin
• Very choppy and on top of her edges in the step sequence and not a lot of speed or flow across the ice

Samantha Cesario, USA: TES + PCS = 109.38 Total: 157.29

• Sorry I missed this one!  Computer died but should be back up soon.

Courtney Hicks, USA: TES + PCS = 117.08  Total: 171.88
Amelie Lacoste, CAN: 96.94 Total: 147.88
Agnes Zawadzki, USA: 42.79 TES + 53.21 PCS - 1.00 = 95.00  Total: 151.27 and into 3rd place
Gracie Gold, USA: 49.05 TES + 58.14 PCS -1.00 = 106.19 Total: 164.68 and into 2nd place

• Huge triple lutz + triple toe
• Popped her double axel into a single
• Double loop
• Good camel spin position with a nice catchfoot and good speed throughout
• Nice stretch through her arms and legs in all of these transition moves and good speed and flow through her step sequence with some difficult edge changes
• Her connection to the music is better but in some places she still seems to me moving through it
• Double flip
• Spiral into a single lutz
• Triple salchow
• Good camel spin into a nice broken leg postion, good stretch and speed through the sit position
• Nice spirals in her choreographic sequence
• Double axel + double toe + double toe
• Nice layback into a good Biellman but losing just a bit of speed

Place	Start No.	Name	Short Program		Free Skate		Total Score
			Place	Score	Place	Score
1	10	Courtney Hicks, USA	3	54.80	1	117.08	171.88
2	13	Gracie Gold, USA	1	58.49	3	106.19	164.68
3	9	Samantha Cesario, USA	5	47.91	2	109.38	157.29
4	12	Agnes Zawadzki, USA	2	56.27	5	95.00	151.27
5	11	Amelie Lacoste, CAN	4	50.94	4	96.94	147.88
6	7	Sandy Hoffmann, GER	6	44.31	6	79.87	124.18
7	5	Melanie Yuung-Hui Chang, TPE	7	41.62	7	68.12	109.74
8	6	Crystal Kiang, TPE	8	33.73	8	66.84	100.57
9	1	Dimitra Korri, GRE	11	31.36	9	60.26	91.62
10	8	Chelsea Chiappa, HUN	9	32.77	12	57.37	90.14
11	3	Georgia Glastris, GRE	10	31.55	11	58.03	89.58
12	4	Clara Peters, IRL	13	29.86	10	58.47	88.33
13	2	Brittany Lau, SIN	14	27.79	13	55.65	83.44
WD		Danielle Montalbano, ISR	12	30.56

Junior Worlds Ladies Free Skate Results

Pl.	Name	Nation	TSS =	TES +		PCS +	SS	TR	PE	CH	IN	Ded. -	StN.
1	Elena RADIONOVA	RUS	116.23	62.07		54.16	6.75	6.57	6.82	6.75	6.96	0.00	#20
2	Julia LIPNITSKAIA	RUS	111.81	59.70		52.11	6.61	6.21	6.71	6.57	6.46	0.00	#21
3	Anna POGORILAYA	RUS	106.34	56.56		49.78	6.29	6.04	6.25	6.25	6.29	0.00	#23
4	Samantha CESARIO	USA	99.86	47.50		52.36	6.54	6.18	6.71	6.68	6.61	0.00	#24
5	Courtney HICKS	USA	98.94	53.25		46.69	6.04	5.64	5.93	5.79	5.79	1.00	#19
6	Gabrielle DALEMAN	CAN	98.69	54.30		44.39	5.71	5.21	5.75	5.50	5.57	0.00	#15
7	Alaine CHARTRAND	CAN	96.24	52.35		43.89	5.54	5.29	5.50	5.54	5.57	0.00	#17
8	Satoko MIYAHARA	JPN	95.26	47.77		47.49	6.00	5.75	6.00	5.93	6.00	0.00	#22
9	Yasmin SIRAJ	USA	91.43	49.15		42.28	5.50	5.04	5.39	5.14	5.36	0.00	#7
10	Rika HONGO	JPN	90.47	48.12		42.35	5.57	5.07	5.43	5.29	5.11	0.00	#16
11	Nathalie WEINZIERL	GER	89.13	47.43		41.70	5.43	4.96	5.32	5.21	5.14	0.00	#18
12	So Youn PARK	KOR	88.18	45.84		42.34	5.46	5.18	5.32	5.29	5.21	0.00	#11
13	Jenni SAARINEN	FIN	84.86	50.48		35.38	4.61	4.32	4.39	4.43	4.36	1.00	#2
14	Ziquan ZHAO	CHN	81.61	43.54		38.07	5.11	4.36	4.82	4.71	4.79	0.00	#4
15	Laurine LECAVELIER	FRA	80.82	40.37		40.45	5.21	4.82	5.21	5.04	5.00	0.00	#14
16	Alisson Krystle PERTICHETO	PHI	78.51	42.96		35.55	4.50	4.18	4.61	4.39	4.54	0.00	#3
17	Brooklee HAN	AUS	78.42	38.98		39.44	5.04	4.68	4.96	4.93	5.04	0.00	#12
18	Anna KHNYCHENKOVA	UKR	76.66	43.24		34.42	4.57	4.04	4.36	4.36	4.18	1.00	#8
19	Angelina KUCHVALSKA	LAT	72.00	37.42		34.58	4.43	4.18	4.25	4.36	4.39	0.00	#5
20	Ivett TOTH	HUN	67.32	33.11		35.21	4.46	4.36	4.43	4.39	4.36	1.00	#10
21	Hae Jin KIM	KOR	65.96	29.90		38.06	5.18	4.57	4.61	4.79	4.64	2.00	#13
22	Sabrina SCHULZ	AUT	63.78	33.38		32.40	4.29	3.86	3.96	4.07	4.07	2.00	#6
23	Josefine TALJEGARD	SWE	61.28	26.24		35.04	4.54	4.00	4.54	4.36	4.46	0.00	#1
24	Xiaowen GUO	CHN	61.11	27.40		35.71	4.79	4.29	4.46	4.46	4.32	2.00	#9

Total

Pl.	Name	Nation	Points	SP	FS
1	Elena RADIONOVA	RUS	169.71	5	1
2	Julia LIPNITSKAIA	RUS	165.67	4	2
3	Anna POGORILAYA	RUS	160.32	2	3
4	Samantha CESARIO	USA	154.55	1	4
5	Courtney HICKS	USA	152.92	3	5
6	Gabrielle DALEMAN	CAN	149.39	8	6
7	Satoko MIYAHARA	JPN	147.42	6	8
8	Alaine CHARTRAND	CAN	144.38	12	7
9	Rika HONGO	JPN	142.62	7	10
10	Nathalie WEINZIERL	GER	139.10	10	11
11	Yasmin SIRAJ	USA	139.08	13	9
12	So Youn PARK	KOR	135.42	14	12
13	Laurine LECAVELIER	FRA	131.25	9	15
14	Jenni SAARINEN	FIN	129.81	19	13
15	Ziquan ZHAO	CHN	126.11	20	14
16	Brooklee HAN	AUS	125.62	15	17
17	Anna KHNYCHENKOVA	UKR	121.62	18	18
18	Alisson Krystle PERTICHETO	PHI	119.76	24	16
19	Hae Jin KIM	KOR	115.22	11	21
20	Angelina KUCHVALSKA	LAT	114.11	22	19
21	Ivett TOTH	HUN	113.34	17	20
22	Xiaowen GUO	CHN	107.55	16	24
23	Sabrina SCHULZ	AUT	105.38	23	22
24	Josefine TALJEGARD	SWE	104.37	21	23

Junior Worlds Ladies Short Program Results

Pl.	Qual.	Name	Nation	TSS =	TES +		PCS +	SS	TR	PE	CH	IN	Ded. -	StN.
1	Q	Samantha CESARIO	USA	54.69	30.03		24.66	6.11	5.82	6.39	6.14	6.36	0.00	#43
2	Q	Anna POGORILAYA	RUS	53.98	31.36		22.62	5.82	5.43	5.64	5.71	5.68	0.00	#33
3	Q	Courtney HICKS	USA	53.98	30.47		23.51	6.07	5.64	5.89	5.82	5.96	0.00	#39
4	Q	Julia LIPNITSKAIA	RUS	53.86	29.31		24.55	6.29	5.86	6.18	6.11	6.25	0.00	#38
5	Q	Elena RADIONOVA	RUS	53.48	29.22		25.26	6.39	6.07	6.32	6.36	6.43	1.00	#36
6	Q	Satoko MIYAHARA	JPN	52.16	28.48		23.68	5.96	5.75	5.93	5.89	6.07	0.00	#41
7	Q	Rika HONGO	JPN	52.15	30.52		21.63	5.68	5.00	5.68	5.36	5.32	0.00	#27
8	Q	Gabrielle DALEMAN	CAN	50.70	28.62		22.08	5.71	5.25	5.68	5.46	5.50	0.00	#32
9	Q	Laurine LECAVELIER	FRA	50.43	29.37		21.06	5.32	4.89	5.50	5.25	5.36	0.00	#31
10	Q	Nathalie WEINZIERL	GER	49.97	29.06		20.91	5.46	5.04	5.32	5.14	5.18	0.00	#37
11	Q	Hae Jin KIM	KOR	49.26	27.20		22.06	5.61	5.29	5.64	5.54	5.50	0.00	#45
12	Q	Alaine CHARTRAND	CAN	48.14	27.93		21.21	5.50	5.11	5.29	5.29	5.32	1.00	#29
13	Q	Yasmin SIRAJ	USA	47.65	27.27		21.38	5.54	5.11	5.32	5.39	5.36	1.00	#28
14	Q	So Youn PARK	KOR	47.24	24.96		22.28	5.71	5.39	5.68	5.50	5.57	0.00	#44
15	Q	Brooklee HAN	AUS	47.20	25.46		21.74	5.46	5.14	5.54	5.50	5.54	0.00	#40
16	Q	Xiaowen GUO	CHN	46.44	27.06		19.38	5.07	4.57	4.93	4.86	4.79	0.00	#22
17	Q	Ivett TOTH	HUN	46.02	27.25		18.77	4.71	4.39	4.86	4.82	4.68	0.00	#14
18	Q	Anna KHNYCHENKOVA	UKR	44.96	26.70		18.26	4.71	4.18	4.71	4.61	4.61	0.00	#7
19	Q	Jenni SAARINEN	FIN	44.95	27.47		17.48	4.46	4.18	4.43	4.43	4.36	0.00	#2
20	Q	Ziquan ZHAO	CHN	44.50	22.79		21.71	5.75	5.25	5.32	5.43	5.39	0.00	#42
21	Q	Josefine TALJEGARD	SWE	43.09	23.41		19.68	4.93	4.64	5.04	4.86	5.14	0.00	#25
22	Q	Angelina KUCHVALSKA	LAT	42.11	24.05		18.06	4.39	4.54	4.54	4.50	4.61	0.00	#8
23	Q	Sabrina SCHULZ	AUT	41.60	24.85		17.75	4.57	4.14	4.61	4.32	4.54	1.00	#24
24	Q	Alisson Krystle PERTICHETO	PHI	41.25	24.24		18.01	4.61	4.18	4.57	4.54	4.61	1.00	#18
25		Rebecka EMANUELSSON	SWE	39.03	22.32		16.71	4.14	4.07	4.14	4.18	4.36	0.00	#10
26		Isadora WILLIAMS	BRA	38.57	20.54		18.03	4.68	4.25	4.57	4.46	4.57	0.00	#23
27		Gerli LIINAMÄE	EST	38.10	19.59		18.51	4.89	4.39	4.61	4.68	4.57	0.00	#34
28		Patricia GLESCIC	SLO	37.71	19.77		17.94	4.71	4.32	4.50	4.46	4.43	0.00	#35
29		Sara CASELLA	ITA	36.74	20.00		16.74	4.25	4.04	4.21	4.29	4.14	0.00	#1
30		Nicole RAJICOVA	SVK	36.56	18.79		17.77	4.61	4.14	4.46	4.54	4.46	0.00	#26
31		Reyna HAMUI	MEX	36.15	19.63		17.52	4.54	4.11	4.46	4.46	4.32	1.00	#30
32		Netta SCHREIBER	ISR	35.78	19.42		16.36	4.18	3.89	3.96	4.18	4.25	0.00	#4
33		Elizaveta UKOLOVA	CZE	35.05	19.73		16.32	4.29	3.93	4.00	4.11	4.07	1.00	#21
34		Camilla GJERSEM	NOR	35.05	17.28		17.77	4.54	4.32	4.39	4.46	4.50	0.00	#20
35		Pernille SORENSEN	DEN	34.17	19.09		15.08	4.07	3.43	3.93	3.79	3.64	0.00	#3
36		Agata KRYGER	POL	33.65	19.56		15.09	3.96	3.54	3.86	3.79	3.71	1.00	#5
37		Isabella SCHUSTER-VELISSARIOU	GRE	33.23	18.60		14.63	3.79	3.43	3.71	3.75	3.61	0.00	#12
38		Melisa Sema ATIK	TUR	32.58	16.87		15.71	4.07	3.68	3.96	4.00	3.93	0.00	#15
39		Aleksandra GOLOVKINA	LTU	32.34	17.39		15.95	4.11	3.75	4.00	4.07	4.00	1.00	#6
40		Marta GARCIA	ESP	32.01	17.09		15.92	4.00	3.71	3.96	4.11	4.11	1.00	#17
41		Amani FANCY	GBR	30.48	14.71		16.77	4.21	3.93	4.14	4.32	4.36	1.00	#16
42		Anna AFONKINA	BUL	30.04	15.27		15.77	4.04	3.75	3.86	4.14	3.93	1.00	#9
43		Kristina ZAKHARANKA	BLR	29.65	14.31		16.34	4.25	3.82	3.93	4.25	4.18	1.00	#13
44		Laure NICODET	SUI	29.10	14.31		15.79	4.00	3.89	3.89	3.96	4.00	1.00	#19
45		Kim BELL	NED	27.76	15.59		14.17	3.79	3.32	3.50	3.68	3.43	2.00	#11