2011 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating: Skate Canada Ladies Short Program LIVE BLOG

1:55 And we're live, nothing happening yet, but a decent size crowd!
2:04 The Assistant TS has FIERCE hair!
2:05 I love Adriana's hot pink dress! Ashley Wagner got more applause than the hometown girls!
2:06 Liza is wearing a signature Russian long-sleeved dress
2:06 All-out Spanish attire for Hecken
2:07 Ashley Wagner is looking lovely and blond in a red dress accented with a Swarovski neckline and halter-strap
2:08 Basic black with a Swarovski neckline and criss-cross straps for Lacoste
2:10 DeSanctis hasn't competed in years so she'll be a dark horse


1) Adriana DeSanctis (CAN)
     Music: Street Scene by Alfred Neuman

• Hand down on the triple lutz, didn't catch the rotation
• I love the dress, but the ponytail looks a little too casual
• Good triple salchow-double toe
• Some slight audio issues, just getting the kinks out
• Slow spin exits but nice positions
• I really like this piece of music
• Low landing on the double axel, may have put a hand down
• Needs more stretch on that I-spin and more toe point on the sit

SP Score: 26.18 (TES) + 20.96 (PCS) = 47.14


2) Elizaveta Tuktamisheva (RUS)
    Music: Tango by Astor Piazzolla

• A lot of flashy hand movements in the opening sequence
• Triple lutz-triple toe, very quick rotation
• Triple loop with nice flow out
• Double axel, slightly bent free leg on the landing
• She bangs out the jumps very fast
• She is an expressive little diva!
• She looks a like shaky on her legs in her footwork, perhaps a bit of nervous
• Fly into the sit spin could have been a little higher, needs a bit more speed
• She is slightly rough around the edges, but there is so much talent there and she'll certainly grow
• So happy with that, she is thrilled!

SP Score: 33.95 (TES) + 25.62 (PCS) = 59.57


3) Sarah Hecken (GER) 
    Music: Malaguena by Lecuona

• Hmm, a music selection we've never heard
• Triple lutz with a wide swinging free leg-popped single toe
• I want her movements to be so much sharper and more specific with this music
• That layback is just not pretty, sorry to say
• She has long limbs, she should use them
• Really nice double axel with quick rotation speed
• Good donut spin position, but the transition out was awkward
• This footwork really lacks speed and needs more knee bend
• This is a hard piece of music to do because you're compared to all who have done it before you
• Really slow final spin
• That won't be a great score, but she held on

SP Score: 22.78 (TES) + 21.72 (PCS) = 44.50


4) Ashley Wagner (USA)
    Music: Pollock by Jeff Beal

• Come on Ashley!
• I like this music a lot, she looked great in practice yesterday
• Good speed, nice choreography
• Triple flip-double toe in the Rippon variation
• She looks confident!
• Short entry on the triple lutz
• Really good rotation on the double axel
• I want a little more toe point on her spins, but good position variations
• She has a very fine layback
• Great view of John Nicks looking on at his student
• This foot work is very musical, nice nuance work
• Spread eagle into a sit spin variation
• And that is how you do a clean short! So good to see her happy!

SP Score: 30.02 (TES) + 24.48 (PCS) = 54.50

5) Amelie Lacoste (CAN)
     Music:Satin Doll by Duke Ellington

• This costume is fierce and elegant at the same time, suits the jazz piece so well
• Really long flowing edge out of that double axel
• Triple loop-double loop, may be a 3-3 some day
• Fall on the triple lutz, it didn't look rotated either
• Really nice low sit spin position and variations
• She isn't the most naturally expressive skater, but she's really trying
• Good stretch on the camel
• I really like the use of levels and the whole body in the step sequence
• This is a stylish and mature program
• I look forward to seeing the growth as the season continues
• Obviously she's not happy with the fall, but I loved the program as a whole

SP Score: 26.71 (TES) + 24.89 (PCS) - 1.00 (DED) = 50.60
 
6) Cynthia Phaneuf (CAN)
     Music: Spanish Guitar

• She is the home favorite and National champ so she has a lot of support here
• Wow, backless much??
• This is last year's short, and costume #4? #5?
• It's a sassy piece from what I remember
• Quick double axel, good ice coverage
• Popped triple lutz to single, unfortunately that's been the story of her career
• This is a nicely compose program, but she doesn't look 100% invested
• Really flexed foot on the beginning phase of the layback
• I don't like that she's seemingly checked out of the program after the pop
• She's finally picking up the energy a little for the ending footwork and spin

SP Score: 23.36 (TES) + 25.34 (PCS) = 48.70


7) Rachael Flatt (USA)
     Music: East of Eden

• I'm nervous about this because I haven't seen her skate since Worlds 2011 and we all know how that went down
• I'm not sure if I like this costume change or not, maybe the wrist bands are throwing me off
• Triple flip-double toe looked clean to me but I caught it at a weird angle
• Good footwork into the triple lutz, nice smile!
• Is it just me or have her spins improved?
• I like that she is just breathing and flowing easily through this program, no rushing about it
• Good double axel
• She looks so happy out there, gorgeous Ina Bauer
• I know many don't, but I happen to LOVE this footwork sequence
• Camel into illusions is a little wild, but she reigned it in
• She'll be thrilled with that performance!

SP Score: 29.14 (TES) + 25.09 (PCS) = 54.23


8) Mirai Nagasu (USA)
     Music: Danzarin by Tango Lorca

• Not loving this costume, it's very Forever 21 Homecoming dress
• Very clean opening jump
• I like this new program on Mira, very aggressive and mature
• Oh lord Mirai, did you really have to go and fall?
• Good double axel
• If she holds it together, she could still pull a big number with spins and PCS
• She really needs more stretch on that split jump
• Well she won't be leading after the short, so that should quell her nerves going into the free
• Good stretch on the I-spin, she makes that look easy

SP Score: 27.61 (TES) + 26.12 (PCS) - 1.00 (DED) = 52.73


9) Alena Leonova (RUS)
     Music: Pirates of the Caribbean by Hans Zimmer

• What is this costume? Pirate wench?
• Went for the 3-3 and stumbled out of the 2nd with a hand down
• She is an athlete, that's for sure, but this is clunky at best
• She's a Morozov skater alright, this looks like a carbon copy of a Miki Ando program
• This footwork is playfully tacky
• Sorry for any Alena fans, but I hate this program
• Can we ever retire this music? I do like this arrangement though
• reeeeeally slow spins
• That was so bizarre, no clue how it will score

SP Score: 23.86 (TES) + 25.89 (PCS) = 49.75


10) Akiko Suzuki (JPN)
      Music: Hungarian Rhapsody by Edvin Marton

• Wonky hop after her opening 3Flip, was that a missed combo?
• Pretty clean 3lutz
• Weird costume, I don't get it
• I like this piece of music and the footwork fits well
• Double axel
• She did not do a combination, unless that little hop after the 3Flip was supposed to be a single toe
• She'll probably fall between Nagasu & Leonova or so it seems as of now

SP Score: 26.14 (TES) + 26.68 (PCS) = 52.82

Pl.	Name	Nation	TSS =	TES +		PCS +	SS	TR	PE	CH	IN	Ded. -	StN.
1	Elizaveta TUKTAMISHEVA	RUS	59.57	33.95		25.62	6.46	5.96	6.68	6.43	6.50	0.00	#2
2	Ashley WAGNER	USA	54.50	30.02		24.48	6.21	5.71	6.25	6.29	6.14	0.00	#4
3	Rachael FLATT	USA	54.23	29.14		25.09	6.36	5.75	6.54	6.29	6.43	0.00	#7
4	Akiko SUZUKI	JPN	52.82	26.14		26.68	6.93	6.39	6.68	6.75	6.61	0.00	#10
5	Mirai NAGASU	USA	52.73	27.61		26.12	6.79	6.32	6.54	6.68	6.32	1.00	#8
6	Amelie LACOSTE	CAN	50.60	26.71		24.89	6.32	5.96	6.11	6.54	6.18	1.00	#5
7	Alena LEONOVA	RUS	49.75	23.86		25.89	6.54	6.00	6.50	6.57	6.75	0.00	#9
8	Cynthia PHANEUF	CAN	48.70	23.36		25.34	6.43	6.00	6.21	6.54	6.50	0.00	#6
9	Adriana DESANCTIS	CAN	47.14	26.18		20.96	5.43	4.93	5.43	5.29	5.14	0.00	#1
10	Sarah HECKEN	GER	44.50	22.78		21.72	5.57	5.11	5.54	5.39	5.54	0.00	#3