2011 Trophee Eric Bompard: Ladies Preview

This ladies event is going to be a heated battle of the Gold medalists from the first 3 events of the season: Czisny, Tuktamisheva, and Kostner. These three competing head to head will be a battle of youth v experience. The ladies skate their short Friday November 18th at 12:15 p.m. and their free Saturday November 19th at 12:30 p.m. EST.

So maybe I'm going soft, but after years of criticizing Carolina Kostner (ITA) she's finally turned me into a fan. Some say that the nuances of her skating are an acquired taste, and I'm finally beginning to see that. She chooses very highbrow music and her programs are very sophisticated. She does not perform a triple lutz and has just recently added back her triple flip. This strategy appears to be working as she earns very high GOEs on the jumps she does perform as well as very high PCS scores. Of the ladies competing here, she currently has the top score of the season at 182.12 at Cup of China. Alissa Czisny (USA) has the 2nd highest score of this field at a 177.48, though that came with a mistake filled free skate at Skate America. Her programs are much more accessible to audiences than Kostner's and it seems to simply be a matter of preference choosing between the two. Because Czisny is planning a 3lutz-3toe and a more difficult array of triples, she has more scoring potential to pass Kostner if she skates cleanly. Elizaveta Tuktamisheva (RUS) the young phenom finished just a hair below with a 177.38 in her win at Skate Canada. She was nearly perfect technically in her first outing but I don't know if she'll hold up against a perfect Kostner or Czisny. Kanako Murakami (JPN) may factor in here, though her Cup of China performance left much to be desired. She may be going through a sophomore slump after a great senior debut last season.

My Podium Predictions:
1) Carolina Kostner (ITA)
2) Alissa Czisny (USA)
3) Elizaveta Tuktamisheva (RUS)


Competitive History:


Alissa Czisny (USA)-1st at 2011 Skate America, 5th 2011 Worlds, 5th 2011 Four Continents, 1st 2010 Grand Prix Final, 3rd 2010 Trophee Eric Bompard, 1st 2010 Skate Canada; PB: 182.25 at 2011 Worlds


Viktoria Helgesson (SWE)-3rd at 2011 Skate Americ, 5th 2011 Nebelhorn Trophy, 17th 2011 Worlds, 6th 2011 Europeans, 1st 2011 Nordics, 1st 2010 Merano Cup, 6th 2010 Skate America, 9th 2010 NHK Trophy; PB: 161.79 at 2010 Worlds


Carolina Kostner (ITA)-1st at 2011 Cup of China, 2nd at 2011 Skate America, 3rd 2011 Worlds, 1st 2011 Gardena Spring Trophy, 2nd 2011 Europeans, 3rd 2010 Skate America, 1st 2010 NHK Trophy; PB: 184.68 at 2008 Worlds


Sonia LaFuente (ESP)-9th 2011 Nebelhorn Trophy, 25th 2011 Worlds, 12th 2011 Europeans, 2nd 2011 Winter Universiade; PB: 143.60 at 2010 Trophee Eric Bompard


Lena Marrocco (FRA)-3rd 2011 O Nepela, 1st 2011 Mont Blanc Trophy, 12th 2010 Trophee Eric Bompard, 10th 2010 NHK Trophy, 1st 2010 Ice Challenge; PB: 122.03 at 2010 NHK Trophy

Mae Berenice Meite (FRA)-7th at 2011 NHK Trophy, 1st 2011 O Nepela, 14th 2011 Worlds, 9th 2011 Europeans, 9th Trophee Eric Bompard, 8th 2010 Skate America, 3rd 2010 Coup de Nice, 7th 2010 Triglav Trophy; PB: 150.44 at 2011 Worlds

Kanako Murakami (JPN)-6th at 2011 Cup of China, 8th 2011 Worlds, 1st 2011 Asian Winter Games, 3rd 2010 Grand Prix Final, 1st 2010 Skate America, 3rd 2010 NHK Trophy; PB: 178.59 at 2010 Grand Prix Final 


Yretha Silete (FRA)-11th 2011 World Juniors, 3rd 2010 NRW Trophy, 6th 2010 JGP Germany, 4th 2010 JGP France


Elizaveta Tuktamisheva (RUS)-1st at 2011 Sktae Canada, 2nd 2011 World Junior Championships, 1st 2010 Junior Coup de Nice, 2nd 2010 Junior Grand Prix Final, 1st JGP Romania, 1st JGP Germany; PB: 177.38at 2011 Skate Canada