2012 US Figure Skating Championships: Senior Ladies Free Skate LIVE Coverage

1) Morgan Bell
  Music: Avatar

• Rough short for Morgan, I want a really great free, I"m pulling for her
• Good 2a, two-foot on a 3lz, little stumble
• She is always intense out there on the ice, I think the music fits her well
• 2lz-2t, really close the boards
• Spread eagle into the 3t was a highlight
• Rough 3s and a fall, seemed like she was lacking energy getting up in the air
• She looks really tired in this step sequence, very rigid in the upper body
• I think she's just run out of steam here
• Only one fall, and a very respectable program from Morgan

   38.46 (TES) + 38.47 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 73.93
   38.55 (SP) + 73.93 (FS) = 112.48

2) Joelle Forte
  Music: 13th Warrior

• She was really able to shine in the free skate last year at Nationals
• She looks a little tentative here tonight, very relaxed
• She is just really missing a spark here tonight
• I don't think this music is pushing her as much as it should, there's not a lot of energy behind it

   49,98 (TES) +  41.71 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 91.69
   48.13 (SP) + 91.69 (FS) = 139.82

3) Angela Wang
  Music: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

• Calm and collected off the bat
• 3f-2t, and 3lz-2t back to back
• Any position with the booty up in the air should be banned
• I like this music, it sounds like the theme from Survivor Thailand
• She is just ticking off her elements
• She's not doing the hardest elements, but she's putting out a clean performance
• I love the placement of that layback spin right on the crash in the music

   62,61 (TES) + 47.07 (PCS) = 109.68
   48.98 (SP) + 109.68 (FS) = 158.66

4) Aimee Buchanan
  Music: Medley by Michael W. Smith

• Not crazy about the design, but love the color of the costume
• That donut spin is fantastic
• Oh no, her jumps aren't with her today, but she's so happy just to be there as a last minute replacement
• She achieves a fantastic Biellmann position, the leg was almost completely straight in the back
• The music was lovely, but I don't think it had enough drama to propel her through the program

  31.75 (TES) + 35.37 (PCS) -3.00 (DED) = 64.12
   37.77 (SP) + 64.12 (FS) = 101.89

5) McKinzie Daniels
  Music:

• I love her body lines on the ice, nice long limbs
• It's a difficult transition from Junior to Senior
• I love a good Wally jump!
• This program is simply lacking in excitement for me, I think she's holding back as to avoid mistakes
• She looks exhausted, probably some under-training

  49.17 (TES) + 42.29 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 90.46
   49.96 (SP) + 90.46 (FS) = 140.42

6) Kiri Baga
  Music: La Strada

• We love Kiri, she's a dynamic little firecracker
• Kiri actually belongs in a later group, but issues in the short can kill you
• I don't know that she's tapping into the character of La Strada
• She still looks a little junior-ish to me, I'd love to see her choose totally revamp her costuming, make-up and artistry
• Needs to point the foot on that Sit spin
• She's starting to bring it home here toward the end
• Strong finish

  51.08 (TES) + 48.15 (PCS) = 99.23
   50.15 (SP) + 99.23 (FS) = 149.38

7) Sophia Adams
  Music: Titanic

• We love Titanic around here, it was a thrill to see Simpson & Blackmer do it so well
• Not a good start so far, 2 falls
• Fantastic stretch on that catch foot spin
• Stumble out of that loop, I think she's not opening up out of those jumps quickly enough
• Lovely spiral, that stretch is fantastic, a true highlight of the piece
• The whole piece is really lacking speed
• Kind of anti-climactic, I don't feel the choreographer used the best parts of the music

   32.56 (TES) + 3.26 (PCS) -2.00 (DED) = 73.82
   51.40 (SP) + 73.82 (FS) = 125.22

8) Haley Dunne
  Music: Rondo Capriccioso

• Fall on the 3s, fall on the opening jump seemed to be the theme of this night
• Not her night tonight, I'd like to see more attack on this program
• I want her to just go all out
• This music has so much nuance, but I want her to accent it with her expression and her movements
• She looks just happy to be done with that program, but still seems upbeat
• I think she showed us a lot of good qualities and aspects of her skating, she can take away a lot from this and improve for next year

   43.46 (TES) + 43.41 (PCS) -2.00 (DED) = 84.87
   51.41 (SP) + 84.87 (FS) = 136.28

9) Leah Keiser
  Music: Dr. Zhivago

• 3lz-3t looked to be in slow motion a little but, but hey, great combo
• Sat down that easy 2a after that great combo
• Gorgeous donut position on that spin
• She is lovely to watch, a little spitfire, but I'd love more speed
• She still looks very junior-ish in her skating, but good for her for trying to come into the senior level

   49.10 (TES) + 46.01 (PCS) = 93.11
   52.44 (SP) + 93.11 (FS) = 145.55

10) Yasmin Siraj
  Music:

• Lovely musicality, good nuanced use of the body
• Really crooked in the air on that 3f
• I love her style, she has a special air about her
• I keep forgetting about her injury, that will really effect flip and lutz
• The choreography suits her well
• Normally she is more of an explosive performer than this, but I'm afraid that a poor technical showing is throwing off her presentation skills

   41.92 (TES) + 44.95 (PC) = 86.87
   51.96 (SP) + 86.87 (FS) = 138.83

11) Nina Jiang
  Music: Turandot

• Fall on the 3lz, very short on that as well
• 3f turned into a 3t, nice and clean on that one
• She has a very fluid upper body, expressive arms
• Popped loop
• She looks scared to death out there, you can see it on her face
• Oh good old Nessun Dorma, why always purple for this piece
• Nice spread eagle, strong finish though 
• Beautiful moments, gorgeous qualities

   (TES) + (PCS) = 92.76
   53.66 (SP) + (FS) = 146.42

12) Rachael Flatt
  Music: Firebird

• I'm so nervous I can hardly watch
• Wobbly triple lutz, but landed
• Doubles the flip
• Nice accents with the arms and head
• I feel like she's just going from element to element, so nervous she's going to miss, that she's forgetting to attack the program
• There's a good triple flip in a 3-jump sequence
• Her legs are under her out there now, she can really start going after the performance now
• Nice seeing some passion on her face in the spiral sequence
• 3loop-2t
• Lovely stretch on the Ina Bauer
• I feel like this is really slow, but it's a very courageous skate for her
• Just letting it fly in the foot work, letting it fly 

   56.49 (TES) + 55.78 (PCS) = 112.27
   52.71 (SP) + 112.27 (FS) = 164.98

13) Vanessa Lam
  Music:

• Gorgeous skater if she can stay out of her own head
• Those gloves are bothering me
• 3lz-2l-2l
• These jumps lack height, but so far so good
• Stumble on the 3lo
• Very promising skater, lots to work with there and build on

  51.27 (TES) + 52.68 (PCS) = 103.05
   54.57 (SP) + 103.05 (FS) = 157.62

14) Christina Gao
  Music:

• She has such long legs, she's still growing into her height
• All of her landing are a little wobbly, she just looks slightly uneasy
• This program is lacking in excitement for me
• Very few of these landings have been clean and smooth, growth spurt is the cause of most of that
•  A choppy skate, but no falls!

  55.40 (TES) + 56.13 (PCS) = 111.53
   54.83 (SP) + 111.53 (FS) = 166.36

15) Mirai Nagasu
  Music: Spartacus

• I want to see her be gritty and gutsy
• Nice clean, crisp 3lo-2t
• 2a-2t, was going to be a 3t
• 3-2-2 looked like she had it but, tripped and stumbled at the end
• Another fall, and a pop
• I'm sorry, she just looks so bored out there, no expression
• She's crumbling, so rattled right now
• I feel like this program never suited her well all season
• There is no energy out there at all
• Fantastic as that layback is, it will not salvage that program

   50.74 (TES) + 56.23 (PCS) = 104.97
   59.02 (SP) + 104.97 (FS) = 163.99

16) Caroline Zhang
  Music:

• Stumble on the trip flip
• 3lz had that big donkey kick, but still lands it
• 2a, not a lot of height or distance, but hits it
• She is losing a lot of speed here, needs to be more aggressive at this point
• She has no expression on her face either
• Come on girlfriend, the jumps and elements are nice, but where's your spark? Where's your hunger to win?
• Now after the the last jump was landed, she's finally giving us some face!
• That's the comeback story of the last 5 years

   56.46 (TES) + 56.55 (PCS) = 113.01
   60.18 (SP) + 113.01 (FS) = 173.19

17) Ashley Wagner
  Music: Swan Lake

• Come on Ashley, you got this girl
• Awesome start, girl is competing hard
• Nice speed coming into this section
• Lazer beam focus here, beauty of a triple lutz
• I love that look in her eye on the spiral, such focus and passion
• Nothing even looks shaky, oh no spoke too soon, just singled a triple salchow
• No falls, but she'll be unhappy about that popped salchow
• People are applauding that port de bras, that you don't see everyday

   60.64 (TES) + 63.32 (PCS) = 123.96
   63.06 (SP) + 123.96 (FS) = 187.02

18) Alissa Czisny

  Music: Valse Triste

• I'm not loving this costume, it's very Nancy Kerrigan
• Hand down on that triple lutz, needs to relax and get it together
• 2a-2t, looking really tight
• She's finally coming to life with this more uptempo section
• Very crossed on that jump, fall and a very had one on the knees at that
• She needs to get out of her own head here
• 3lo-2t-2t
• The layback is to die for
• She just wasn't her usual self tonight, it was a struggle

  56.03 (TES) + 61.86 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 116.86
   63.14 (SP) + 116.86 (FS) = 180.00

19) Agnes Zawadzki
  Music: Rhapsody in Blue

• 2a-3t
• Big, big jumping tonight
• Big wipe out on that triple lutz, uh oh
• We'll see if that rattles her or not
• She looks like she's running out of steam her
• 3lz-2t almost into the wall, rough pass there
• Another fall, she's crumbling a bit
• 2toe
• Did she just make eye contact with her coach off-ice?
• I'm not really sure where this will finish at this point, could be a toss up at this point
• I love her toe point on that catch foot spin

   (TES) + (PCS) -2.00 (DED) = 107.86
   66.24 (SP) + (FS) = 174.10

Start No.	Name	Short Program		Free Skate		Total Score
		Place	Score	Place	Score
1	17	Ashley Wagner, SC of Wilmington	3	63.06	1	123.96	187.02
2	18	Alissa Czisny, Detroit SC	2	63.14	2	116.86	180.00
3	19	Agnes Zawadzki, Broadmoor SC	1	66.24	7	107.86	174.10
4	16	Caroline Zhang, All Year FSC	4	60.18	3	113.01	173.19
5	14	Christina Gao, Northern KY SC	6	54.83	5	111.53	166.36
6	12	Rachael Flatt, Broadmoor SC	9	52.71	4	112.27	164.98
7	15	Mirai Nagasu, Pasadena FSC	5	59.02	8	104.97	163.99
8	3	Angela Wang, Salt Lake Figure Skating	16	48.98	6	109.68	158.66
9	13	Vanessa Lam, All Year FSC	7	54.57	9	103.05	157.62
10	6	Kiri Baga, FSC of Bloomington	14	50.15	10	99.23	149.38
11	11	Nina Jiang, TX Gulf Coast FSC	8	53.66	12	92.76	146.42
12	9	Leah Keiser, All Year FSC	10	52.44	11	93.11	145.55
13	5	McKinzie Daniels, Broadmoor SC	15	49.96	14	90.46	140.42
14	2	Joelle Forte, SC of NY	17	48.13	13	91.69	139.82
15	10	Yasmin Siraj, SC Of Boston	11	51.96	15	86.87	138.83
16	8	Haley Dunne, WA FSC	12	51.41	16	84.87	136.28
17	7	Sophia Adams, All Year FSC	13	51.40	18	73.82	125.22
18	1	Morgan Bell, Rocky Mountain FSC	18	38.55	17	73.93	112.48
19	4	Aimee Buchanan, Colonial FSC	19	37.77	19	64.12	101.89