2013 Skate America: Ladies Short Program Recap

Can I watch Mao Asada (JPN) on repeat until the next event? That was so easy to watch. I felt like I was going to the ballet. Everything was fantastic down to the costuming. Nobody glides seamlessly out of the jump like Mao does. The 3A was two-footed, but how remarkable that she is still doing it? Short Program Total: 73.18!!!!!

Aside from the wrong colored tights and the slow final spin, Ashley Wagner (USA) threw it down today. We are finally seeing her competitive mettle now that she gave us the 3-3 combo. I appreciate her punched landings on the jumps; there's nothing weak about her skating. Thank goodness she ended with that hair toss. Short Program Total: 69.26

I try not to think about these tween skaters until they make it past their grown spurts, and Elena Radionova (RUS) is no exception. She is so itty bitty and she has so much growing to do before we take her seriously as a senior lady. For now, what a great moment for her to make her debut with a clean program. Let's not call her the future of skating yet because that didn't work out so well for Mirai or Caroline. Short Program Total: 67.01

Valentina Marchei (ITA) blew me away today. I don't give a crap about the technical content because that was a thing of beauty. This is what figure skating should be. This is why I fell in love with figure skating because of the quiet, delicate beauty. Short Program Total: 59.25

I love me some bubblegum pink, but Viktoria Helgeson (SWE) showed us a classic example of a costume that distracts from the skating itself. It's unacceptable. The skating content itself was ok, nothing blew us away, but it was pretty clean. Make a costume change ASAP or the Olympic audiences will eat you alive!  Short Program Total: 58.80

How interesting for Elene Gedevanishvili (GEO) to follow Radionova. We go from a 10-year-old to a mature lady. That skate was easy to watch because, other than the peeing dog sit spin, there were no distractions, just nice smooth skating. However, why on earth wear flesh colored gloves?? Short Program Total: 56.68

Mae Berenice Meite (FRA) is kind of just there for me. I want some fierce when you are skating to prince and she just isn't giving it to me in any sense of the word. The jumps are a pleasure to watch when they're on because they are so straight and so strong. She is an athlete through and through, but where is the art? Short Program Total: 55.84

Samantha Cesario (USA) did us proud! Not only did she go for the 3loop-3loop but she looked sexy while doing it. All we can ask for is firepower and she brought it. She could go even more all out, but I predict this will bring the house down at Nationals. Girlfriend has "it"! Short Program Total: 53.51

Elizaveta Tuktamisheva (RUS) oh honey why? Cursed puberty! Why must you ruin so many careers! She has not adjusted well to her body's changes. Can she and Caroline have a support group? She is upping the sass level though, especially on the footwork. Sans the gloves, the costume is not nearly as garish as we've seen from her in the past. Short Program Total: 53.20

Caroline Zhang (USA)  had a pretty skate and there's not much else to say about it. ALW is just so overdone, especially Phantom. There was no spark, no life to that program so let's just call a spade a spade. Go out there and fight like you mean it! Short Program Total: 45.76

2012 Grand Prix Final: Ladies Preview

One lady has dominated the 2012 Grand Prix and that is Ashley Wagner (USA). Sure, Mao Asada won two events as well, but the NHK results were spotty and her programs have not been perfect. Ashley is like a rocket steadily climbing toward Worlds and the Olympics. She has reinvented herself yet again. She is a lady, a diva, on the ice and she invites audiences to simply come along for the ride. I don't feel nervous when she competes, I feel like I'm watching a seasoned professional performing. The rest of this season is hers for the taking if she just keeps on keeping on.

I do love Mao Asada (JPN) and her new programs, but she gets a lot of her points on reputation. Let's just say that she can make little mistakes and get away with them. That being said, we love her and her Swan Lake is to die for.

Akiko Suzuki (JPN) is one of those skaters who never gets the credit she deserves. She basically has to skate perfectly and others have to fall apart if she wants to medal-but that's how it's always been for her whole career.

Kiira Korpi (FIN), other than her beauty, has really never done much for me. In terms of her skating, she's just kind of "there". She is elegant and pleasant to watch, but she just doesn't bring much excitement to the sport.

After starting out with such a bang last year, this Grand Prix was a slight disappointment for Liza Tuktamisheva (RUS) but she's still done quite well for herself. She's getting used to a growth spurt and she's survived. She didn't falli into a complete sophomore slump, so I think she's here to stay.

Christina Gao (USA) is certainly the surprise of the Grand Prix. Who ever would've thought the US would have 2 ladies at the GPF? She has skated with such joy this year and I am so happy to see her doing well, especially being a Harvard student. The balance in her life is unreal.

Podium Preductions:
1) Ashley Wagner (USA)
2) Mao Asada (JPN)
3) Akiko Suzuki (JPN)

Skate Canada: Ladies Free Skate LIVE BLOG!

1) Polina Shelepen (RUS)
 Music: Gone With The Wind

• 36.37 (TES) + 43.74 (PCS) -2.00 (DED) = 78.11
• 46.18 (SP) + 78.11 (FS) = 124.29

2) Gracie Gold (USA)
 Music: Life Is Beautiful

• Here's to hoping she can recover from this
• From what I can see on my feed she is looking confidant
• Lovely Bielman
• Squirrely landing on that axel
• This is a very senior program, she will do well as she grows with this over the season
• Does this costume remind anybody else of Tara Lipinski when she won her Olympic gold?
• She is a little taller this season, let's hope this is all that she'll do in terms of growing so there is no re-learning of jump technique
• 48.02 (TES) + 51.36 (PCS) = 99.38
• 52.19 (SP) + 99.38 (FS) = 151.57

3) Caroline Zhang (USA)
 Music: Nessun Dorma

• Not much height on these jumps, she is looking winded
• Not a lot of speed on the spins or steps either
• The feed is frozen to the extend where I really can't assess the quality of the skating
• I'm glad she stuk with this program, it definitely still has growing room
• Her spiral position has improved, I like the extension there
• Definitely not the disaster that she usually starts out with, this is really a new Caroline
• 46.96 (TES) + 49.94 (PCS) = 96.90
• 52.97 (SP) + 96.90 (FS) = 149.87 

4) Amelie Lacoste (CAN)
 Music: Rhapsody in Blue & Concerto in F

• My feed is totally froze but I hear she did a lovely 3flip and 3lutz
• Maybe the new blonde did her some good!
• I love nuance in the little footwork section on the part of Rhapsody that we all know!
• She looks so light this year, like a little fairy
• I like her much better this season, great adjustments!
• 45.05 (TES) + 52.58 (PCS) = 97.63
• 53.81 (SP) + 97.63 (FS) = 151.44

5) Elizaveta Tuktamysheva (RUS)
 Music: Black Eyes

• Is it just me or is Liza starting to look like Sasha Cohen?
• She is definitely taller, but from what I've seen in this small sample size, the jumps havent been affected
• Uh oh, little slip, not enough pop caused that fall
• This music choice suits her very well
• Very zippy spins
• Her performance quality is much improved, she is interacting with the audience
• Her upper body is more expressive as well
• The middle of the program is a little dull, the choreographer may need to tweak a few things here in the middle
• 58.14 (TES) + 53.76 (PCS) - 1.00 (DED) = 112.90
• 55.10 (SP) + 112.90 (FS) = 168.00

6) Akiko Suzuki (JPN)
 Music: O

• That opening is charming, it's so musical
• Girlfriend si still doing her thing at age 28, major props to her for that
• I hate that bent leg camel, just not my cup of tea
• I love this music, it's whimsical, yet very post moder as well
• She loks so comfortable in this piece; not that I know her but I believe this suits what I believe her personality to be
• She just keeps ticking off those jumps and elements
• This seems like a championships caliber program; I can see this looking outstanding by worlds
• I love that beautiful open position on the stretched out camel; she looks like a star hanging from the sky and spinning in midair
• That was lovely, that was the most enjoyable of all of the ladies programs I've seen this year aside from Ashley Wagner's
• 60.22 (TES) + 59.82 (PCS) = 120.04
• 55.12 (SP) + 120.04 (FS) = 175.16 

7) Kanako Murakami (JPN)
 Music: Oblivion, Fuego Lento

• Oh no, all my commentary was deleted
• Basically, I said that this is a step in the right direction for her and she has a lot of room to grow in this program
• 53.49 (TES) + 58.34 (PCS) = 111.82
• 56.21 (SP) + 111.82 (FS) = 168.04

8) Ksenia Makarova (RUS)
 Music: Megapolis

• Oh no, I miss my little Russian blonde
• I love her expressive upper body
• This music is a little odd, I can't decide if I like it or not
• She has such a fluid upper body, but then the lower body seems so rigid
• When she falls, it's always dramatic
• This isn't really holding my interest, I'm not so sure why
• The music is interesting and I love the choreography, but it's not a complete piece yet
• 40.43 (TES) + 56.12 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 95.55
• 58.56 (SP) + 95.55 (FS) = 154.11

9) Kaetlyn Osmond (CAN)
 Music: Carmen Ballet

• This is interesting, a Canadian lady with amazing potential; something we haven't seen in about 3-4 years
• She is a firecracker, loving her already
• Skate Canada has been the poster child for Carmen thus far
• Uh oh, feed going wonky, but I hear applause so I assume things are still on the up and up
• She has a lot of things to clean up, but she is landing the jumps and she is exciting which is what the Canadian ladies have lacked since Rochette
• This is starting to get pretty messy toward the end, but those are all things that can be fixed with better conditioning and more experience
• 57.28 (TES) + 59.61 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 115.81
• 60.56 (SP) + 115.81 (FS) = 176.45 

10) Elene Gedevanishvili (GEO)
 Music: Don Quixote

• Hard fall on opening jump, she is a very heady skater, the beginning always sets the tone for the whole program
• She is looking like such an elegant diva out there on the ice
• She is going so fast, can she hang onto this speed for the whole program??
• I love her intensity, through the good and the bad she never loses that quality about her
• Definitely losing speed here at the end
• She is running out of steam, but I love that little ode to a fouette in the footwork sequence
• 42.83 (TES) + 57.89 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 99.72
• 60.80 (SP) + 99.72 (FS) = 1160.52 

Skate Canada: Ladies Preview

Friday October 26th at 2:05 pm-Short Program
Saturday October 27th at 10:45 am-Free Skate
I should be available to live blog part of the Short Program and all of the Free Skate!

Watch out skating fans because there's a new girl in town and she's about to bust this sport wide open. The Skate Canada Ladies Event was won by a rookie last year and Gracie Gold (USA) is going to continue that tradition. She has talent beyond her years and has the goods to win pretty much any major skating event that she enters. I'm praying that she is the skater we have been waiting for and that she and Ashley Wagner battle for the top 2 spots in the US for years to come. I cannot wait to see her Hernando's Hideaway and Life Is Beautiful programs!

Elizaveta Tuktamysheva (RUS) is about to go into a little bit of a sophomore slump, but what I mean by that is perhaps she won't win both of her Grand Prix events. She still has a lot to prove in terms of maturity, but she'll get there.

Kanako Murakami (JPN) experienced her own sophomore slump last year but she came out of it beautifully. She was a little jumping caterpillar in her first season as a senior who turned into a beautiful butterfly by the end of the second. I love her new lyrical quality and I hope that this is the year she will combine that with the springy jumping combinations she once had.

Akiko Suzuki (JPN) is a grandma by figure skating standards. However, she did defy the odds and won her first world medal last year at age 27. If I were her, I would've hung up the skates at the top of my game, but if she still loves the daily grind of training and competing then more power to her. It is refreshing to see a woman on the ice in a sea of tiny girls.

My Podium Predictions:
Gold: Gracie Gold (USA)
Silver: Elizaveta Tuktamisheva (RUS)
Bronze: Kanako Murakami (JPN)

The Rest of the Field
Amelie Lacoste (CAN)
Kaetlyn Osmond (CAN)
Elene Gedevanishvili (GEO)
Ksenia Makarova (RUS)
Polina Shelepen (RUS)
Caroline Zhang (USA)

Grand Prix Final: Ladies Preview

She's baaaaaaack. After a disastrous 2010 Grand Prix, World Champion Mao Asada is gradually returning to top form. Though she has yet to do 2 clean programs at one event, she is showing her fighting spirit and I believe in her, enough to think she can topple the only double Gold winner of this Grand Prix season, Elizaveta Tuktamisheva. Liza has been outstanding, but she's also been almost 100% clean in all 4 programs thus far, which the other ladies cannot say. Because she lacks the maturity and elegance of the other ladies, Liza is beatable if other skaters go clean. Akiko Suzuki is another feel-good story this season, becoming one of the oldest ladies ever to win a Grand Prix at NHK Trophy. She receives very high PCS marks if she can land the jumps. Carolina Kostner & Alissa Czisny have had very comparable seasons, each winning one event and medaling in the other. Both are elegant and mature, but often make silly mistakes and beat themselves out of titles. Alena Leonova is not my favorite and that is no secret. I respect that she does the best she can with what she is given but her choreography is crap, in my opinion. You can shoot me if I'm wrong, but I say she is the only lady who has no shot of winning this thing.

Placement Predictions:
1) Mao Asada (JPN) Season's Highest GP Score 184.19
2) Elizaveta Tuktamisheva (RUS) Season's Highest GP Score 182.89
3) Akiko Suzuki (JPN) Season's Highest GP Score 185.98
4) Carolina Kostner (ITA) Season's Highest GP Score 182.12
5) Alissa Czisny (USA) Season's Highest GP Score 179.15
6) Alena Leonova (RUS) Season's Highest GP Score 180.45


Competitive History: 


Mao Asada (JPN)-1st at 2011 Rostelecom Cup, 2nd at 2011 NHK Trophy, 6th 2011 Worlds, 2nd 2011 Four Continents, 5th 2010 Trophee Eric Bompard, 8th 2010 NHK Trophy, 1st 2010 Worlds, 2nd 2010 Winter Olympics; PB: 205.50 at 2010 Winter Olympics (NHK Trophy, Rostelecom Cup)


Alissa Czisny (USA)-3rd at 2011 Trophee Eric Bompard, 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 (Skate America, Trophee Eric Bompard)


Carolina Kostner (ITA)-2nd at 2011 Trophee Eric Bompard, 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 (Skate America, Cup of China, Trophee Eric Bompard)


Alena Leonova (RUS)-2nd at 2011 Rostelecom Cup, 3rd at 2011 NHK Trophy, 4th at 2011 Skate Canada, th 2011 Worlds, 5th 2011 Europeans, 9th 2010 Cup of Russia, 3rd 2010 Cup of China, 1st 2010 Coup de Nice, 3rd 2010 Finlandia Trophy; PB: 183.92 at 2011 Worlds (Skate Canada, NHK Trophy, Rostelecom Cup)


Akiko Suzuki (JPN)-1st at 2011 NHK Trophy, 2nd at 2011 Skate Canada, 7th 2011 Four Continents, 1st 2011 Triglav Trophy, 5th 2010 Grand Prix Final, 2nd 2010 Rostelecom Cup, 2nd 2010 Cup of China; PB: 185.98 at 2011 NHK Trophy (Skate Canada, NHK Trophy)

Elizaveta Tuktamisheva (RUS)-1st at 2011 Trophee Eric Bompard, 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: 182.89 at 2011 Trophee Eric Bompard (Skate Canada, Trophee Eric Bompard)

2011 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating: Trophee Eric Bompard Ladies Free Skate LIVE BLOG

1) Lena Marrocco (FRA)
     Music: Notre Dame de Paris

• Hello Esmerelda!
• I missed the 1st 30 seconds so I don't know how she started off
• She's a decent little jumper when she's on...but her arms tend to kind of do whatever they want without exact placement
• She does a decent job of acting the character as well
• I'd like her to look up and out more
• This program looks very junior-ish, but she is very young
• Not really much too this program in the way of composition, I don't see the spins or footwork receiving very great levels
• She finally looked up on that spiral!
• A lot of little errors here and there

FS Score: 43.14 (TES) + 39.88 (PCS) = 83.02
Total Score: 43.95 (SP) + 83.02 (FS) = 126.97

2) Yretha Silete (FRA)
     Music: Xotica

• Hello loud costume
• Those hair clips + flower + the dangles in the back are really distracting
• Fall on the opening jump
• She has a lot of power in those legs
• At least this program has more in the way of choreography than Marrocco
• She's taken 2 very hard falls, both out of jumps that looked underrotated
• That split jump needs more height and stretch if she's going to do it
• All her jump landings are shaky
• I don't know how those loose pieces on her costume aren't driving her nuts in the spins and jumps
• I hope she's not hurt after those hard falls she took

FS Score: 47.60 (TES) + 42.05 (PCS) - 2.00 (DED) = 87.65
Total Score: 48.25 (SP) + 87.65 (FS) = 135.90

3) Sonia LaFuente (ES)
     Music: Concierto de Aranjuez

• I've had quite enough Aranjuez for one event thank you
• Hand down on the opening jump
• Sonia is looking pretty good so far
• Hardly any height at all on these jumps, but she's landing at least
• She could really straighten out her free let on that sit spin and point the foot
• There is no attempt at expression here at all
• Very nice hair cutter spin position, ended after the music

FS Score: 42.99 (TES) + 43.82 (PCS)  = 86.81
Total Score: 49.51 (SP) + 86.81 (FS) = 136.32

4) Mae Berenice Meite (FRA)
     Music: Fever, Jessica's Theme, Hey Pachuko

• This costume is just way too much
• And when you can see your tights in the back, you know the dress is cut to low
• She is mostly hitting the jumps
• The other elements of her program are slowly improving each competition
• The home crowd is loving her
• Her free leg is wrapped really high
• She is putting on a show for the home crowd

FS Score: 51.87 (TES) + 44.08 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 94.95
Total Score: 50.49 (SP) + 94.95 (FS) = 145.44

5) Viktoria Helgesson (SWE)
     Music: Sunset Boulevard

• Nice 3 jump combo
• It's fun to watch the sleeve puffs as she rotates her jumps
• If we have to hear Webber, I'm glad it's something other than Phantom or Evita
• So much passion in this footwork, She's a much different skater now after the confidence boost of winning Bronze at Skate America
• This program is a joy to watch, she's really giving it everything she has

FS Score: 48.59 (TES) + 52.15 (PCS) = 100.74
Total Score: 54.16 (SP) + 100.74 (FS) = 154.90

6) Kanako Murakami (JPN)
     Music: Violin Concerto

• I like this music on her a lot
• She looks so much more confident than she did in China
• She is flying through this beginning, but its a little sloppy
• She still looks like a little girl wearing big girl clothes
• 2nd popped jump, she's had a look of surprise on her face both times
• A skate with 2 singles is not going to put any pressure on the top ladies
• She is flying through everything, not taking time to hit any positions or feel the music
• She's a very emotional skater, in China she was crying after a decent skate, and now after two pops she's laughing at herself

FS Score: 51.66 (TES) + 53.88 (PCS) = 105.54
Total Score: 55.77 (SP) + 105.54 (FS) = 161.31

7) Alissa Czisny (USA)
     Music: Valse Triste

• 2 clean triples, and then she singles the axel
• Gorgeous spiral of course
• Alissa & Johnny Weir could've done pairs because the both jump and spin the same way
• Beautiful arch in the back on the camel
• Triple-double, no attempt at the 3-3 combo today
• There we go with a clean double axel
• All of the jumps seem to be a little pitched forward, they aren't perfect but she's learned to fight
• That straight leg and pointed toe on the sit spin are to die for!
• She is interpreting the music and performing much better overall here than she did at Skate America
• Why do I even comment on the spins, they're always going to be beautiful!
• She should be pretty happy with that, will be enough to medal

FS Score: 60.06 (TES) + 61.84 (PCS)  = 121.90
Total Score: 57.25 (SP) + 121.90 (FS) = 179.15

8) Carolina Kostner (ITA)
     Music: Adagio from Concerto 3 by Mozart

• Huge spring on the opening triple
• Now she's doubling jumps
• Really great speed as usual
• There is a smile finally!
• Really tight rotation, body position is perpendicular to the ice

FS Score: 66.97 (TES) + 63.65 (PCS) = 119.62
Total Score: 59.70 (SP) + 119.62 (FS) = 179.32

9) Elizaveta Tuktamisheva (RUS)
     Music: Latin Selection

• I wish she'd soften her hands
• Nice 3-3 combination!
• She's performing a little more today than she did in Canada
• This program still looks junior-ish, which it should since she's 14
• We'll see if the judges place her above or below the veterans, there's hardly room between them
• She really needs to straighten that foot on the sit spin
• What a little jumping bean!
• Very nice skate from Liza, do they give it to her? I think they have to unless there were deductions that we didn't see

FS Score: 63.66 (TES) + 57.19 (PCS) = 120.85
Total Score: 62.04 (SP) + 120.85 (FS) = 182.89

Pl.	Name	Nation	Points	SP	FS
1	Elizaveta TUKTAMISHEVA	RUS	182.89	1	2
2	Carolina KOSTNER	ITA	179.32	2	3
3	Alissa CZISNY	USA	179.15	3	1
4	Kanako MURAKAMI	JPN	161.31	4	4
5	Viktoria HELGESSON	SWE	154.90	5	5
6	Mae Berenice MEITE	FRA	145.44	6	6
7	Sonia LAFUENTE	ESP	136.32	7	8
8	Yretha SILETE	FRA	135.90	8	7
9	Lena MARROCCO	FRA	126.97	9	9

Pl.   Name Nation TSS = TES +   PCS + SS TR PE CH IN Ded. - StN. 1 Alissa CZISNY USA 121.90 60.06   61.84 7.86 6.96 8.04 7.75 8.04 0.00 #7 2 Elizaveta TUKTAMISHEVA RUS 120.85 63.66   57.19 7.07 6.61 7.54 7.14 7.39 0.00 #9 3 Carolina KOSTNER ITA 119.62 55.97   63.65 8.11 7.50 7.82 8.14 8.21 0.00 #8 4 Kanako MURAKAMI JPN 105.54 51.66   53.88 7.04 6.25 6.82 6.82 6.75 0.00 #6 5 Viktoria HELGESSON SWE 100.74 48.59   52.15 6.57 6.14 6.64 6.57 6.68 0.00 #5 6 Mae Berenice MEITE FRA 94.95 51.87   44.08 5.79 5.00 5.61 5.61 5.54 1.00 #4 7 Yretha SILETE FRA 87.65 47.60   42.05 5.39 4.93 5.25 5.46 5.25 2.00 #2 8 Sonia LAFUENTE ESP 86.81 42.99   43.82 5.79 5.21 5.50 5.50 5.39 0.00 #3 9 Lena MARROCCO FRA 83.02 43.14   39.88 5.29 4.46 5.14 5.04 5.00 0.00 #1

2011 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating: Trophee Eric Bompard Ladies Short Program LIVE BLOG

1) Sonia LaFuente (ESP)
     Music: Cry Me A River

• I love this costume! The coloring on the straps is so interesting
• Nice triple lutz to start off
• Triple loop-double toe
• Spiral into a double axel
• All her jumps are landed, but none of them get a lot of height and they rotate pretty slowly
• She needs to really straighten that leg on the camel spin
• Decent footwork, but I wish she'd show a little more expression on her face
• She needs to look up and out instead of down at the ice
• She needs to straighten her knee on the I-Spin

SP Score: 27.43 (TES) + 22.08 (PCS) = 49.51

2) Yretha Silete (FRA)
     Music: Black Swan

• Interesting to use this this music for the short, it's been mostly a free skate piece all season
• She can jump, but there's not much style there
• Stumble out of the double axel
• This is somebody who shouldn't be doing a Bielmann spin, if you can't do it great, then don't do it at all

SP Score: 26.60 (TES) + 21.65 (PCS) = 48.25

3) Lena Marrocco (FRA)
     Music: Minnie the Moocher

• This is a very different sort of program, grabs your attention right away
• Doubles the flip, that will hurt
• Turn out of the lutz, double toe on the end
• Nice double axel
• Her hands are very stiff, that breaks the arm line
• I appreciate her attempt at performance, she should take some acting classes to teach her how to relax her face while still expressing the music
• This step sequence showcases the nuances of the music
• The whole thing looks a little frantic to me
• Hits her last pose slightly after the music
• That was a decent outing, not terrible, not great

SP Score: 22.95 (TES) + 21.00 (PCS) = 43.95

4) Elizaveta Tuktamisheva (RUS)
     Music: Tango by Piazzolla

• Go Liza!
• Nice 3-3 combo, get it girl!
• She is looking stronger that Skate Canada, going to give those top ladies a run for their money
• Her jumps just look so easy
• This program looks more mature that at Skate Canada

SP Score: 34.99 (TES) + 27.05 (PCS) = 62.04

5) Mae Berenice Meite (FRA)
     Music: Derniere Lettre du Prince

• She always wears such loud flashy costumes
• Solid opening combination, she rotated very quickly
• I think she would have done quite well under the 6.0 system
• Did she go through a growth spurt in the off season?
• She is going through the motions really slowly in this step sequence
• Love the music by the way
• Some one of her muscular build should FLY across the ice
• Very nice stretch in the came spin
• I don't know that that costume is the best for showing off her body line

SP Score: 28.71 (TES) + 21.78 (PCS) = 50.49

6) Viktoria Helgesson (SWE)
     Music: My Funny Valentine

• What lives under that hair
• I don't like this version of My Funny Valentine, but that's just a personal opinion
• So far so clean
• She looks like a new skater today, that Skate America medal has given her so much confidence
• Interesting spin variations
• I love that she skates like a woman and not like a little girl
• I liked this program much better here than at Skate America

SP Score: 28.13 (TES) + 26.03 (PCS) = 54.16

7) Kanako Murakami (JPN)
     Music: Violin Muse

• She needs to get the confidence back that she had last year on the Grand Prix
• She is in a similar situation to Mirai Nagasu, she had a rough 1st Grand Prix so now she can skate lights out here
• Funky second landing, but hits the 3-3!
• She is carrying good speed throughout!
• She is really looking good in this step sequence
• I'd love to see her look up and out more rather than down at the ice
• She is so happy, so different from her last outing!

SP Score: 28.88 (TES) + 26.89 (PCS) = 55.77

8) Alissa Czisny (USA)
     Music: La Vie En Rose

• I love this program on her
• Triple lutz, a little shaky on the landing, let's hope that's the only bobble
• Turn out of the triple loop-double toe
• Weird swing out of the double axel
• Her jumps are not there today, but at least she didn't fall!
• This is such an elegant program
• Her PCS and the spin levels should hold her up pretty close the top even though the jumps were off
• Not her best, but she recovered from early mistakes and didn't fall

SP Score: 27.49 (TES) +  (PCS) = 57.25

9) Carolina Kostner (ITA)
      Music: Allegretto From Trio No. 2 by Shostakovitch

• Awesome speed
• Triple toe-triple toe, very tight quick rotation
• Is he underlayer of her costume different
• Was that a hand down on that triple salchow?
• A lot of ice coverage on the double axel
• Oh goodness, a fall on footwork, a simple concentration break
• She had a dear in the headlights look there for a minute and had trouble finding where to restart it

SP Score: 29.88 (TES) + 30.82 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 59.70

Pl.	Name	Nation	Points	SP	FS
1	Elizaveta TUKTAMISHEVA	RUS	62.04	1
2	Carolina KOSTNER	ITA	59.70	2
3	Alissa CZISNY	USA	57.25	3
4	Kanako MURAKAMI	JPN	55.77	4
5	Viktoria HELGESSON	SWE	54.16	5
6	Mae Berenice MEITE	FRA	50.49	6
7	Sonia LAFUENTE	ESP	49.51	7
8	Yretha SILETE	FRA	48.25	8
9	Lena MARROCCO	FRA	43.95	9

Pl.	Name	Nation	TSS =	TES +		PCS +	SS	TR	PE	CH	IN	Ded. -	StN.
1	Elizaveta TUKTAMISHEVA	RUS	62.04	34.99		27.05	6.68	6.25	7.07	6.89	6.93	0.00	#4
2	Carolina KOSTNER	ITA	59.70	29.88		30.82	7.86	7.36	7.61	7.82	7.86	1.00	#9
3	Alissa CZISNY	USA	57.25	27.49		29.76	7.50	6.93	7.43	7.64	7.71	0.00	#8
4	Kanako MURAKAMI	JPN	55.77	28.88		26.89	6.86	6.39	6.79	6.79	6.79	0.00	#7
5	Viktoria HELGESSON	SWE	54.16	28.13		26.03	6.57	6.14	6.68	6.57	6.57	0.00	#6
6	Mae Berenice MEITE	FRA	50.49	28.71		21.78	5.61	5.18	5.50	5.57	5.36	0.00	#5
7	Sonia LAFUENTE	ESP	49.51	27.43		22.08	5.68	5.21	5.71	5.61	5.39	0.00	#1
8	Yretha SILETE	FRA	48.25	26.60		21.65	5.46	5.18	5.43	5.61	5.39	0.00	#2
9	Lena MARROCCO	FRA	43.95	22.95		21.00	5.32	4.93	5.32	5.43	5.25	0.00	#3

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