Skate Canada -------Spoilers

[AgnesNitt]

Just saw Evan Lysacek's new LP with the puffy shirt. There was a really good program in there somewhere. IJS requirements made it herky jerky. The music just *screamed* for an extended spread eagle, and I know guys don't get points for spirals, but with the phrasing of the music one would have been nice. Wasn't there a backwards one in there about mid-way? Held for longer it would have been great. He's so tall and skinny with nice lines, it's too bad IJS won't let him hold a line and still get points.

The ending pancake spin into a catch foot spin was vy. nice.

He still has 'ape arms' when he's gliding into a jump. Wier, Buttle, and a couple of lower level guys are about the only ones who hold their arms like dancers. "Ape Arms" where the person sort of just lets their arms hang and they push their shoulders forward in the glide can be seen just everywhere. Even in the ladies. Ugly, ugly, ugly.

I didn't think the puffy shirt was that awful. The white v on the back made the speed of his spins really pop out.

[MQSeries]

I know that it's still early in the season, but it's not good that Evan finished 3rd in both of his GP events. With the retirements of Buttle and Lambiel, it's expected that veterans like Weir and Lysachek do well in their GP assignments. But they're being beaten in both the SP and LP by lesser ranked skaters. It's possible that Evan might not make it to the GP final.

It's very interesting that Shawn Sawyer won the LP! Wish I could see it. Oh how I really miss ESPN coverage this year :(

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The ladies event also seemed very intersting. Joannie Rochette won both the SP and LP. ALissa Cissney pulled up into 3rd, and Caroline Zhang dropped from 3rd into 5th. I think the American ladies will have a hard time qualifying three ladies for the 2010 Olympics at Worlds next year.

[AgnesNitt]

It's very interesting that Shawn Sawyer won the LP! Wish I could see it. Oh how I really miss ESPN coverage this year :(

Your wish is my command
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVsm5d_6Z2M

Nice spread eagle. The problem w/ IJS is that it really discourages 'skating to the phrasing, not the beat" I think Sawyer did a good job here of a classic program (old style)

[doubletoe]

You can't blame IJS for bad choreography. Look at Takahiko Kozuka's program from Skate America! He got a great technical score and PCS, even though he took his time, held edges and even did that beautiful full circle inside spread eagle.

[AgnesNitt]

I just watched Kazuko's program, he fell and later put a hand down, at first I thought it was the wrong year, but it said 2008. I don't know how he won.
Jeeze, I wish it was the old days then we could blame the figures judges when people win and we don't know why.

[Schmeck]

I've just been watching a bit on icenetwork - all I can say about Caroline Zhang's freeskate is 'ouch', after that fall!

[MQSeries]

Thanks for the utube link, AgnesNitt.

There were some nice connecting moves leading into the various jumps in Shawn's LP. Interesting that he won the long without a quad and a two-footed 3A. Of course jumpings isn't everything, especialy under IJS, but it almost seem silly to constantly wonder if so-and-so will attempt a quad when it doesn't even seem like it matters.


Regarding Kazuko's win at SA, Evan lost a lot of points when his attempted quad was downgraded to a double + fall and one of his 3A was downgraded to a double also. Weir supposedly lost the gold by a few points, because he didn't tack in an extra 2toe. I still really can't follow the new system. Wish we could just go back to the 6.0 system, LOL.

[doubletoe]

I just watched Kazuko's program, he fell and later put a hand down, at first I thought it was the wrong year, but it said 2008. I don't know how he won.
Jeeze, I wish it was the old days then we could blame the figures judges when people win and we don't know why.

Unlike 6.0, you can actually see why Kozuka won. The judges' scoresheets are always posted on ISU.org soon after the long program is over for each event. Click here for the Skate America scoresheets:
http://www.isufs.org/results/gpusa08/

All 3 of the top men had their quad toeloops downgraded for underrotation (< mark). Both Kozuka and Lysacek also fell on it, losing 1 more point. But after that. . .
Kozuka: landed 8 triples and 3 doubles
Weir: landed 7 triples and 1 double
Lysacek: landed 7 triples and 3 doubles (triple axel in combination was almost 1/2 turn underrotated, so that's the third double)

Kozuka also got a level 2 and level 3 on his two step sequences, whereas Lysacek did two level 2 step sequences.

[jeb]

I have the photos from the Thursday men's practice posted:


http://www.flickr.com/photos/janetliz/sets/72157608627239152/

[jeb]

Pairs Short Program:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/janetliz/sets/72157608673145735/

[MQSeries]

Thanks for sharing the photos. Looks like you had ice-level seat. Nice !!!

[MQSeries]

I saw Caroline Zhang's LP and SP from SC on utube. She had a growth spurt. The camera angle on Zhang's second 3flip in her LP really showed how unthordox her technique on that jump was. It made me cringe. Her 2A is still entered from almost a standstill. Her spins looked slower and less impressive than I remembered last year. I'm also not crazy about the choreography for her Swan Lake LP. It just wasn't a program that made her stood out.

We haven't yet seen how Wagner and Hack are skating this year, but I think the USFSA has reason to be worry for the upcoming Worlds in LA.

With Zhang and Mirai dealing with their growth spurts this year, I think a clean Meissner still has a good chance to make the World team. But she must skate clean and that's a big question mark. Flatt doesn't seem to have to deal with any growth issue this year and is the most consistent of the U.S. ladies. I think she'll take the National title.

[jeb]

Exhibition:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/janetliz/sets/72157608760786947/

[fmh]

I'll just mention that I thought Joannie rochette was pretty sweet. she doesn't seem to be mentioned here yet.

[Artemis]

With Zhang and Mirai dealing with their growth spurts this year, I think a clean Meissner still has a good chance to make the World team. But she must skate clean and that's a big question mark. Flatt doesn't seem to have to deal with any growth issue this year and is the most consistent of the U.S. ladies. I think she'll take the National title.

What about Alissa Czisney? Based on her SC performance anyway, she seems to have gotten rid of whatever gremlins were following her last season, and I really enjoyed her skating like I haven't in the past.

I'll just mention that I thought Joannie rochette was pretty sweet. she doesn't seem to be mentioned here yet.

Joannie was fantastic. If she keeps up this level, she'll be challenging for the podium for sure. (For the bronze, anyway. I think the gold battle is between Asada and Kim.)

I also wanted to say how much I enjoyed Davis & White, and I think Belbin & Agosto are going to face a serious challenge come nationals. Interesting that both are doing opera long programs, but I found D&W's Sampson & Dalila far more convincing. I've never been a fan of opera for ice dance -- with a few exceptions, it just isn't dancey enough IMO. And B&A's Tosca is all drama, no dance whatsoever -- they could be skating to a completely different piece of music and it wouldn't matter. I do like some of their basic skating improvements they've made since their coaching change, but I don't think it's enough.

[MQSeries]

What about Alissa Czisney? Based on her SC performance anyway, she seems to have gotten rid of whatever gremlins were following her last season, and I really enjoyed her skating like I haven't in the past.


Alissa's performances at COR a few weeks later proved that she's unreliable. If I was on the USFSA World team selection committe, I would not have confidence sending Alissa to the LA World to secure the US 3 spots for the upcoming Olympic games.