Finlandia Trophy 2013

Akiko Suzuki's SP melt my heart  


Julia Lipnitskaya


Maybe I get it wrong, but why does Julia always look like she's dissatisfied with her score? It's 65, I don't think it could get better than that.

Mirai's Nagasu's SP is beuutiful, but it'll be very hard for her with a layout like this.

[quote="pearlyriver"]Akiko Suzuki's SP melt my heart  



That was beautiful. My favorite SP performance so far.

Julia was great   , she improved, I remember last year she was really boring, and she obviously admire to Sasha Cohen, same style, I like she doesnt contort each 5 sec. anymore, her jumps are small but she was good. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjeBozWSw0Q

And Elizaveta is awakening  , I dont know if is the music that is really contagious but I love it.  But why russian girls love the pants?, is about feminism  ?, Liza looks good but is always the same costume, and black
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHj07B2mayA

Akiko wonderful though I prefer her cirque Sol. program https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCzxNHbZtys

Mirai honestly looks back in form - her spins are back, her weight is down, and she looks a lot calmer. I hope she keeps this up.

chapis wrote:

But why russian girls love the pants?, is about feminism  ?, Liza looks good but is always the same costume, and black
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHj07B2mayA

Akiko wonderful though I prefer her cirque Sol. program https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCzxNHbZtys

A self-claimed "professional" on Twitter said that they wear leggings to hide their bad postures. I don't know.

Akiko's programs were so beautiful, but I'm not sure if her FS is suitable for the Olympic season. She should have saved the Cirque du soleil program for this season because that's a masterpiece. And Mirai seriously needs to change coach to work on those underrotated jumps, or someone to kick her in the ass a little bit.

pearlyriver wrote:

Akiko's programs were so beautiful, but I'm not sure if her FS is suitable for the Olympic season. She should have saved the Cirque du soleil program for this season because that's a masterpiece. And Mirai seriously needs to change coach to work on those underrotated jumps, or someone to kick her in the ass a little bit.  

Her FS is a beauty! The way she introduces the program was  ! And I agree about her 'O' program being a masterpiece even if it wasn't recognized every time she skated it. I feel that choreographic sequence for 'O' was much more powerful than her 'Phantom of the Opera' routine. There's something so poignant and unique about a bird flying down the ice rink, compared to expressing Christine's character.

Wow, Julia improved so much during the summer.  I am so going to hate Russian nationals with so many talents fighting for two Olympic spots. I hope that Liza will get one of the spots. 
Speaking of Liza, I love her, but I wish someone would tell her that there are more colours available, not just black.  And for the love of skating Gods, no more gloves.  I wish ISU would just forbid them.

Can someone explain to me why Brian is with Javi at a cheesfest competition, while Yuzu is competing at B international? In my view, B internationals trump cheesfest competitions. I love the interaction between David and Yuzu in K&C, but IMO, Brian should've been there and David in Japan.

Pardon my ignorance, but why are all these skaters participating at Finlandia Trophy? Like Virtue and Moir, Yuzu, Akiko- they don't need to be there do they? Or is this just a trial for Olympic season?

sapphiresky wrote:

Pardon my ignorance, but why are all these skaters participating at Finlandia Trophy? Like Virtue and Moir, Yuzu, Akiko- they don't need to be there do they? Or is this just a trial for Olympic season?

I thnk they want to test their programs in a low-stressed competition. They don't have to do that, but this is Olympic season.

pearlyriver wrote:

sapphiresky wrote:

Pardon my ignorance, but why are all these skaters participating at Finlandia Trophy? Like Virtue and Moir, Yuzu, Akiko- they don't need to be there do they? Or is this just a trial for Olympic season?

I thnk they want to test their programs in a low-stressed competition. They don't have to do that, but this is Olympic season.

Participation at B itnernationals is optional, but the top skaters often compete in one of those before the real competition starts. It gives them a feedback from international judges, and like pearlyriver said, they test their programs in a low stressed competition.

zarinaballerina wrote:

pearlyriver wrote:

sapphiresky wrote:

Pardon my ignorance, but why are all these skaters participating at Finlandia Trophy? Like Virtue and Moir, Yuzu, Akiko- they don't need to be there do they? Or is this just a trial for Olympic season?

I thnk they want to test their programs in a low-stressed competition. They don't have to do that, but this is Olympic season.

Participation at B itnernationals is optional, but the top skaters often compete in one of those before the real competition starts. It gives them a feedback from international judges, and like pearlyriver said, they test their programs in a low stressed competition.

Like a GP-season warm-up  

zarinaballerina wrote:

pearlyriver wrote:

sapphiresky wrote:

Pardon my ignorance, but why are all these skaters participating at Finlandia Trophy? Like Virtue and Moir, Yuzu, Akiko- they don't need to be there do they? Or is this just a trial for Olympic season?

I thnk they want to test their programs in a low-stressed competition. They don't have to do that, but this is Olympic season.

Participation at B itnernationals is optional, but the top skaters often compete in one of those before the real competition starts. It gives them a feedback from international judges, and like pearlyriver said, they test their programs in a low stressed competition.

Does it mean that the S/S's scores at Nebelhorn will be the benchmark for their scores this season? That they can only get higher than that? And I don't even watch pairs.

I've rewatched Mirai's FS. Why did she get only 110? The jumps looked fine to my unprofessional eyes.

pearlyriver wrote:

Does it mean that the S/S's scores at Nebelhorn will be the benchmark for their scores this season? That they can only get higher than that? And I don't even watch pairs.

I've rewatched Mirai's FS. Why did she get only 110? The jumps looked fine to my unprofessional eyes.

You mean V/T? 

Normally, the scores from B international don't count as an official personal or season's best, if I'm not mistaken. They do count as a qualifying score though. However this year Nebelhorn has also been an olympic qualifying event, so I don't know if their ridiculous scores will count as their season's best.

According to protocol, Mirai had UR's and I think a downgrade as well.  I don't get it, according to Frank in his TSL interview, he said that under rotations can be "cured", there are special excersises for this problem. So why in all these years hasn't she solved this? UR's are killing her. I love her and I want to see her on Team Sochi, but I don't think it's going to happen.

zarinaballerina wrote:

pearlyriver wrote:

Does it mean that the S/S's scores at Nebelhorn will be the benchmark for their scores this season? That they can only get higher than that? And I don't even watch pairs.

I've rewatched Mirai's FS. Why did she get only 110? The jumps looked fine to my unprofessional eyes.

You mean V/T? 

Normally, the scores from B international don't count as an official personal or season's best, if I'm not mistaken. They do count as a qualifying score though. However this year Nebelhorn has also been an olympic qualifying event, so I don't know if their ridiculous scores will count as their season's best.

According to protocol, Mirai had UR's and I think a downgrade as well.  I don't get it, according to Frank in his TSL interview, he said that under rotations can be "cured", there are special excersises for this problem. So why in all these years hasn't she solved this? UR's are killing her. I love her and I want to see her on Team Sochi, but I don't think it's going to happen.

Thanks for your explanation. Still her PCS was too low IMO. I don't think it's inferior to Liza. Liza's LP music is contagious, but I'm not impressed with her interpretation. Or she was overscored when she was the USFSA's darling. I remembered watching her skating to Coppelia at US Nat and she looked dead in expression. It seemed like she only rushed through to finish the program. She looks more lively in spunky lighthearted programs like Bond.
UR can be fixed, but sadly Mirai is not as hardworking and determined as well. That's why I say she needs someone to kick her in the butt, like Frank. The problem with people like her (not just skaters) is that they have talent, but they give up so easily when things don't go their way. I've met a few people like this. Imagine what they could have accomplished had they realized that self-discipline is just as important as talent and fought till the end.
I think Mirai still has a shot at making the Olympics team. It's Alissa who's most unlikely to make it. Her jumps are too weak to even make a top 5.

pearlyriver wrote:

Thanks for your explanation. Still her PCS was too low IMO. I don't think it's inferior to Liza.
UR can be fixed, but sadly Mirai is not as hardworking and determined as well. That's why I say she needs someone to kick her in the butt, like Frank.
I think Mirai still has a shot at making the Olympics team. It's Alissa who's most unlikely to make it. Her jumps are too weak to even make a top 5.

IMO, Mirai has been dropped by her Fed and by the international judges, due to her constant jump issues and "poor" showings in the past 3 years. I see no other explanation for her very low PCS.

Mirai not being the hard worker, was something that made Frank furious, and her constant giving up during her programs, when she made mistakes. Frank is a fantastic coach, but he's no miracle worker. If a skater isn't working her/his butt off, there's not much he can do. I do understand his anger though, Mirai is such a talent, but wasted, mostly due to her poor work ethics.

I think that USFSA wants to see Ashley, Gracie and Alyssa on team Sochi. If Alissa won't be bale to get her jumps back, or have a meltdown, then the next one is Agnes. God only knows what USFSA sees in her. International judges don't like her very much. If Agnes fails, then it's going to be Christina.

If Mirai wants to be on that team, she needs to medal at her GP's, preferably make it to GPF and have a mistake and an UR free programs at nationals. Now this is a lot to ask of her.
Everything is only my opinion, but seeing what they did to her in January (no way did she deserve a 7th place, that was way too harsh), she will need a miracle to make it to Sochi.

zarinaballerina wrote:

pearlyriver wrote:

Thanks for your explanation. Still her PCS was too low IMO. I don't think it's inferior to Liza.
UR can be fixed, but sadly Mirai is not as hardworking and determined as well. That's why I say she needs someone to kick her in the butt, like Frank.
I think Mirai still has a shot at making the Olympics team. It's Alissa who's most unlikely to make it. Her jumps are too weak to even make a top 5.

IMO, Mirai has been dropped by her Fed and by the international judges, due to her constant jump issues and "poor" showings in the past 3 years. I see no other explanation for her very low PCS.

Mirai not being the hard worker, was something that made Frank furious, and her constant giving up during her programs, when she made mistakes. Frank is a fantastic coach, but he's no miracle worker. If a skater isn't working her/his butt off, there's not much he can do. I do understand his anger though, Mirai is such a talent, but wasted, mostly due to her poor work ethics.

I think that USFSA wants to see Ashley, Gracie and Alyssa on team Sochi. If Alissa won't be bale to get her jumps back, or have a meltdown, then the next one is Agnes. God only knows what USFSA sees in her. International judges don't like her very much. If Agnes fails, then it's going to be Christina.

If Mirai wants to be on that team, she needs to medal at her GP's, preferably make it to GPF and have a mistake and an UR free programs at nationals. Now this is a lot to ask of her.
Everything is only my opinion, but seeing what they did to her in January (no way did she deserve a 7th place, that was way too harsh), she will need a miracle to make it to Sochi.

Alissa's scores at recent regional competitions were too low. She couldn't even attemp any triple  I love her so much, but a comeback is very unlikely