2011 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating: NHK Trophy Ladies Free Skate Commentary

1) Shoko Ishikawa (JPN)
     Music: Miss Saigon

• She clearly does not have the jumping content of the other Japanese ladies, but I like her overall flow across the ice
• This is very dynamic music, I'd like to see more interpretation and facial expression
• She needs to straighten the leg on the sit spin
• I feel like she is not committing to this program, she doesn't seem like she's giving it 100%
• There is not nearly enough energy in this step sequence
• She is almost crying, I don't know if that's because she's happy she didn't fall or if she's upset about something

FS Score: 34.14 (TES) + 42.93 (PCS) = 77.07
Total Score: 45.07 (SP) + 77.07 (FS) = 122.14

2) Cynthia Phaneuf (CAN)
     Music: Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini

• She is such a hard skater to watch because you know she is stuck inside her own head
• If she could get herself straightened out mentally and just perform it would be amazing
• And we start with a popped jump
• One of the few skaters brave enough to go backless without illusion fabric
• And another pop
• She clearly has no self-confidence as these jumps are fine in the air but but she second guesses herself and opens up out of them
• I don't love this classical piece on her, I'd rather see something more modern and aggressive
• I'd rather see a skater fall 5 times than pop jumps because at least then you know they are really going for it
• She is starting to look like herself here in the step sequence
• It's a shame she wasn't able to take over where Joannie Rochette left off 
• She is not happy with that at all

FS Score: 38.71 (TES) + 48.69 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 86.40
Total Score: 45.42 (SP) + 86.40 (FS) = 131.82

3) Mae Berenice Meite (FRA)
     Music: Fever, Hey Pachuko, Who Framed Roger Rabbit

• I am not a fan of this costume on her, it would be perfect for a Latin short dance, but not a singles program
• When the back is cut so low that you can see the top of your tights, you know it's a problem
• She has a very high wrap on her jump rotations which is a technical issue
• The jumps are her strength and when she under-rotates and puts hands down, that really hurts her
• She has pretty good speed, at least what I can see on my screen
• Her jump entries are very long, she could earn more points by changing the entries with some steps
• This is a very weak spiral positions, she'd do well to actually hold the leg up as Nancy Kerrigan did
• This is an odd mixture of music for me
• The ending was strange, I felt she was just standing and posing

FS Score: 47.68 (TES) + 43.96 (PCS) = 91.64
Total Score: 52.05 (SP) + 91.64 (FS) = 143.69

4) Kiira Korpi (FIN)
     Music: I Got Rhythm

• This is a very interesting costume, I'm not sure how I feel about the shoulder details, but it looks very high fashion to me
• This is very playful and theatrical choreography
• Very good speed so far
• I love that she is perfectly in the period of this music, down to her hairstyle
• Great fly into the sit spin
• I love her commitment to the performance
• She has such fantastic posture and body carriage
• She's having a hard time finding the jumps today, a lot of doubling and singling
• I'm liking this program on her, it's a departure from what she usually does and I appreciate the risk
• She needs to stretch out through her fingertips, breaking at the wrists disrupts the arm line
• Abrupt ending of the final spin trying to catch the last beat of the music on time

FS Score: 46.23 (TES) + 57.60 (PCS) = 103.83
Total Score: 53.70 (SP) + 103.83 (FS) = 157.53

5) Agnes Zawadzki (USA)
     Music: Rhapsody in Blue

• It's strange seeing a new coach her with her
• I don't like the dark hair, it doesn't work for her at all
• I like this costume, it's a step in the right direction after what she wore last season
• She is skating very slowly starting out
• She rotates very quickly with a nice straight body position and very tightly wrapped legs
• Her spins have improved greatly
• She doesn't look over her legs in these jumps
• Her spiral position has improved as well
• Though she's not proving it today, I think that switching coaches will prove to be a positive in the long run
• That leg overhead sit spin variation is very cool
• I don't know that this music suits her so well, it is very big and broad and she needs to have the personality to live up to it
• After the second fall, she is really struggling to get back up and keep going
• She still looks very fit, but she looks undertrained stamina-wise
• I appreciate the toe point on the I-spin, most skaters have an ugly flexed foot in that spin

FS Score: 36.52 (TES) + 49.82 (PCS) -2.00 (DED) = 84.35
Total Score: 53.84 (SP) + 84.35 (FS) =138.19

6) Ashley Wagner (USA)
     Music: Black Swan

• I've always thought that skating 1st after warm-up must be difficult
• This costume is exquisite
• I love her upper body carriage
• I wish she'd look up at the audience more rather than down at the ice
• Very nice 3-jump combo to open, with an arm variation
• Her rotation speed is much faster now, after the coaching change
• She his fighting harder for the landings this season than ever before
• I love way she uses her arms to attack the music
• She's been getting lower PCS than I believe she deserves so it seems that the judges are holding her down until she can earn their respect again
• With these programs and her execution of them, I hope she goes to Worlds along with Czisny
• She'll be so happy with this skate!

FS Score: 54.45 (TES) + 55.32 (PCS)  = 109.77
Total Score: 55.88 (SP) + 109.77 (FS) = 165.65

7) Elene Gedevanishvili (GEO)
     Music: Phantom of the Opera

• I don't like this costume, it just doesn't suit the music at all
• That was a very long approach to that triple lutz, hand down
• She is getting better at fighting for landings, Orser has clearly helped her mental game
• I'm so over Phantom!
• She is an athlete, but she really does nothing to try to interpret the music
• What an ugly heel stretch spiral, she needs to point the foot and drop the hip
• She looks a little disappointed in that skate

FS Score: 47.74 (TES) + 56.33 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 103.07
Total Score: 57.37 (SP) + 103.07 (FS) = 160.44

8) Mao Asada (JPN)
     Music: Liebestraum

• Mao is getting huge applause here at home
• Opens with a 3A, likely short of rotation
• I'm glad she's having another go at this program after the rough last season
• That toe point on the catch foot spin is gorgeous
• Another triple axel! 
• This is a piece of art and the jumps are just part of it
• Aside from a few jump exits that could be held out a bit longer, this was a fantastic program
• She's made a comeback! And at home!

FS Score: 61.20 (TES) + 64.57 (PCS) = 125.77
Total Score: 58.42 (SP) + 125.77 (FS) = 184.19

9) Alena Leonova (RUS)
     Music: Adagio for Strings, Requiem for a Tower

• She is a very clean jumper with fast rotation
• This is actually a fairly elegant program compared to what she normally puts out there
• She looks very calm, she's not giving away the easy point that she normally gives
• Toe jumps are much stronger for her than edge jumps
• She has rather long, boring entrances to her jumps
• And she just opened up a jump, so much for not making small mistakes
• She needs to concentrate on pointing her feet
• That was a very abrupt ending
• Very wild footwork, she needs to control it
• PS what is up with her hair?

FS Score: 50.50 (TES) + 58.42 (PCS) = 108.92
Total Score: 61.76 (SP) + 108.92 (FS) = 170.68


10) Akiko Suzuki (JPN)
      Music: Die Fledermaus

• Akiko is so teeny tiny!
• Would be great to see Japan go 1, 2 in this event
• Nice triple lutz, great extension on the free leg
• I've never seen someone continue improving technically in their later years as she is
• She has such an elegance in her body carriage
• I love that "sleeping position" on the sit spin variation
• That upside down broken camel is just ugly, though I know it increases the level
• Popped a jump, but still able to add on two doubles to make a 3-jump combo, now that's a veteran move
• Another pop, she is opening the door for Mao
• She'll hold on to win, but this is not the perfect free skate she wanted for her first Grand Prix victory

FS Score: 57.04 (TES) + 62.39 (PCS) = 119.43
Total Score: 66.55 (SP) + 119.43 (FS) = 185.98

FPl.	Name	Nation	Points	SP	FS
1	Akiko SUZUKI	JPN	185.98	1	2
2	Mao ASADA	JPN	184.19	3	1
3	Alena LEONOVA	RUS	170.68	2	4
4	Ashley WAGNER	USA	165.65	5	3
5	Elene GEDEVANISHVILI	GEO	160.44	4	6
6	Kiira KORPI	FIN	157.53	7	5
7	Mae Berenice MEITE	FRA	143.69	8	7
8	Agnes ZAWADZKI	USA	138.19	6	9
9	Cynthia PHANEUF	CAN	131.82	9	8
10	Shoko ISHIKAWA	JPN	122.14	10	10

Pl.   Name Nation TSS = TES + PCS + SS TR PE CH IN Ded. - StN. 1 Mao ASADA JPN 125.77 61.20 64.57 8.11 7.75 8.07 8.21 8.21 0.00 #8 2 Akiko SUZUKI JPN 119.43 57.04 62.39 8.07 7.50 7.71 7.75 7.96 0.00 #10 3 Ashley WAGNER USA 109.77 54.45 55.32 7.04 6.61 7.04 7.00 6.89 0.00 #6 4 Alena LEONOVA RUS 108.92 50.50 58.42 7.54 6.86 7.43 7.32 7.36 0.00 #9 5 Kiira KORPI FIN 103.83 46.23 57.60 7.14 7.00 7.11 7.39 7.36 0.00 #4 6 Elene GEDEVANISHVILI GEO 103.07 47.74 56.33 7.32 6.75 7.07 7.00 7.07 1.00 #7 7 Mae Berenice MEITE FRA 91.64 47.68 43.96 5.68 5.18 5.54 5.54 5.54 0.00 #3 8 Cynthia PHANEUF CAN 86.40 38.71 48.69 6.36 5.71 5.96 6.18 6.21 1.00 #2 9 Agnes ZAWADZKI USA 84.35 36.53 49.82 6.50 6.04 6.14 6.25 6.21 2.00 #5 10 Shoko ISHIKAWA JPN 77.07 34.14 42.93 5.61 5.18 5.29 5.54 5.21 0.00 #1