2016 US Figure Skating Championships: Ladies Recap

Ashley vs. Gracie: Part 4

1. Does anyone else matter to the skating faithful?
1. I feel that as a skating community, we have taken to Hannah Miller at this competition. Bradie Tennell is another one to watch. 
2. Does Ashley come from behind in the short to win in the free as has become commonplace?
1. Well, she was behind and she did so well until that pop, but it wasn't a true Ashley Wagner comeback, clearly, as she took third.
3. Does my girl Ashley, an old broad by skating standards, have any gas left in the tank to take another US title and have a prayer of a World medal?
1. I hate to say it because I love her, but I don't think she has a shot at a world medal unless others falter. She had her shot several times when she couldn't nail a short program. 
4. Does Gracie live up to her word of “no more doubles”?
1. After popping in the short, Gracie just threw it down in the free. She certainly lived up to her promise. 
5. Does Gracie, clearly the more talented of the two, get out of her head and put up the points we know she can?
1. Finally, yes, Gracie got out of her own head and threw down a fantastic performance. That was a "Nationals" performance and she clearly owned that free!
6. More importantly, which of these two will give us the best Side Eye?
1. Oddly enough, Polina was giving us some great face when she realized that Gracie had beaten her.
7. Can Polina finally perform like a mature young woman?
1. I'm just going to say it, because the free skate hair didn't help. It was more Pollyanna than Polina. She had the jumps, but she needs to learn how to perform and needs to be packaged differently.
8. Does Karen Chen make the Gracie vs. Ashley debate moot by wiping the floor with all of them?
1. She did not wipe the floor with them, but her free skate did make an impression aside from the fall. She has the potential to be great, but let's not crown her yet. 
9. Can Courtney Hicks’ jump propel her back into the conversation?
1. Unfortunately for Courtney, her jumps are what failed her. In my opinion, she needs to back off the speed and master her jumps again before she can put together a full program again. 
10. Where does Carly Gold factor in, and more importantly, how does her presence affect Gracie?
1. If she didn't have a famous sister, we wouldn't be talking about her and NBC certainly wouldn't be showing her short before the pairs free.
11. What chance does Mirai Nagasu have after all these years, particularly where International assignments are concerned?
1. She still has the skills, clearly, after nailing 2 clean programs, but that does not guarantee the "committee's" faith in her. She finished behind Ashley Wagner who popped a jump, so that doesn't demonstrate how much faith the international committee has in her. 
12. Will any one performance make me cry or stand up and cheer?
1. I certainly didn't cry, but I did cheer for Gracie because she had a true "Nationals moment".
13. Can anyone from last year’s top ten trio of Bell, Pierce, or Miller surprise us and make the podium?
1. Miller gave us a true performance. Pierce had that phenomenal short, but she really needed to go clean if she wanted to make to get to the program. She did show some fire at the end of the free so I'm very excited about her going forward! Bell showed us that she has the potential but she needs some smoothing out and just more experience. Unfortunately, not counting her combinations killed her. Fortunately, Kori Ade is her coach and in my opinion, she is the best in the business. 
14. How will last year’s Junior winner by a mile, Bradie Tennell, handle the pressure of the Senior event?
1. Bradie Tennell put on a show! She proved that her junior win was not a fluke and that she could handle the pressure. She held onto first until Wagner skated.
15. Finally, will the dreaded “committee” have to step in when it comes to International assignments or will they let the competition play out?
1. This should be pretty straightforward--Gracie, Polina, and Ashley will go to Worlds.

Barbie's Thursday Thoughts

Pairs

1. A new program can transform your season-"Take Me To Church" clearly elevated Kayne & O'Shea's level of skating
2. An emotional song will pull in the crowd over a rock song any day of the week
3. You can never rely on US Pairs to perform the way you expect
4. Too much confidence is always a cause for concern (I learned this from Ann Jensen)
5. Castelli & Tran have a future if they can.....eh hem.....stay together!
6. Never underestimate the power of real ballet training-Aaron & Settlage show us that in their posture and extension through each limb
7. If Denney and Frazier had not been injured, this would have truly been a 4-way race and the most competitive US Pairs event in years
8. A purple unitard is something we all think about wearing but most of us leave it in the back of the closet with the gold lame hot pants
9. Todd Sand still looks as fabulous as ever......like a real life Ken doll
10. I love Jimmy Morgan for his skating, but also because I met him in real life and he tweets with me

Ladies

1. I want Kori Ade to be my coach when I go back in time and become an elite figure skater; the respect between pedagogue and pupil is palpable 
2. Heidi Munger's costume was far and away my favorite
3. Mirai Nagasu has done some living and that showed in her performance in a great way; her struggles have taught her to skate like a woman
4. Karen Chen has "it" but "it" just wasn't her night, don't freak out people, she will come along
5. Tyler Pierce blew me away with how effortless her program looked
6. Ashley Cain should stop fighting the urge to skate to Frozen, she clearly already has the dress
7. Abbott & Rippon are a breath of fresh air as choreographers
8. Polina may not wow me as a performer, but she knows how to COMPETE at Nationals
9. Ashley Wagner...well that broad sure knows how to put on a show
10. Gracie Gold, you had one job and you singled a lutz?
11. We had our moments, but I just wanted some clean skating; too much to ask?

2016 US Nationals: Ladies Preview

Ashley vs. Gracie: Part 4

1. Does anyone else matter to the skating faithful?
2. Does Ashley come from behind in the short to win in the free as has become commonplace?
3. Does my girl Ashley, an old broad by skating standards, have any gas left in the tank to take another US title and have a prayer of a World medal?
4. Does Gracie live up to her word of “no more doubles”?
5. Does Gracie, clearly the more talented of the two, get out of her head and put up the points we know she can?
6. More importantly, which of these two will give us the best Side Eye?
7. Can Polina finally perform like a mature young woman?
8. Does Karen Chen make the Gracie vs. Ashley debate moot by wiping the floor with all of them?
9. Can Courtney Hicks’ jump propel her back into the conversation?
10. Where does Carly Gold factor in, and more importantly, how does her presence affect Gracie?
11. What chance does Mirai Nagasu have after all these years, particularly where International assignments are concerned?
12. Will any one performance make me cry or stand up and cheer?
13. Can anyone from last year’s top ten trio of Bell, Price, or Miller surprise us and make the podium?
14. How will last year’s Junior winner by a mile, Bradie Tennell, handle the pressure of the Senior event?
15. Finally, will the dreaded “committee” have to step in when it comes to International assignments or will they let the competition play out?

SKATE AMERICA 2014: Ladies Preview

We are about to kick off the 2014-2015 figure skating season and I couldn't be more excited! I'm still feeling a little bit of the post-Olympic hangover, of course, but I love the fresh feeling of starting a new Olympic cycle. These skaters have a blank canvas ahead of them and the youngsters will start emerging as the favorites. Many of our favorites are returning and a handful of the great juniors have moved up, so here we go! Skate America kick off on Friday October 24th from Chicago, IL.

Podium Predictions:
Gold: Elizaveta Tuktamysheva (RUS)
Silver: Gracie Gold (USA)
Bronze: Elena Radionova (RUS)

Elizaveta Tuktamysheva (RUS) was a phenom on the senior ISU circuit a few years ago, but the growing pains hit her hard last season. Missing out on the Sochi team was certainly devastating for her, but she appears locked and loaded to make a comeback. She swept the senior B events earlier this season, winning Nebelhorn, Finlandia, and Coup de Nice. This could be her year to go for a world title.

Gracie Gold (USA) has everything needed to be a perennial world medalist, and certainly the drive, but we question whether she can put everything together in the same competition. Her Phantom of the Opera program choice is a red flag for me, because I question if she has the musicality to really sell that grandiose music. If she tells us one time that she "watched the movie" for inspiration, I'm going to vomit. She generally peaks later in the season, so while I think she will have a strong competition, I think she will make one more mistake than Liza and take the silver. She finished a strong 4th at the Sochi games and is poised to remain at the top of the field for the next Olympic cycle.

Elena Radionova (RUS) was the surprise of the senior ISU circuit, but was not eligible for the Olympics. She's been known for her technical work, not her artistry, and I think that will hurt her against Gold and Tuktamysheva. Don't be surprised if you see a drop off from last season, as we did with Liza last year, but she will still be competitive.

The Rest of the Field
Brooklee Han (AUS)-14th at 2014 Four Continents, 20th at 2014 Olympics, 19th at 2014 Worlds, 6th at 2014 US Classic, 4th at 2014 Nebelhorn Trophy
Mae Beranice Meite (FRA)-5th at 2014 Europeans, 10th at 2014 Olympics, 15th at 2014 Worlds
Elene Gedevanishvili (GEO)-10th at 2014 Europeans, 19th at 2014 Olympics
Haruka Imai-4th at 2014 Four Continents
So Youn Park (KOR)-9th at 2014 Four Continents, 21st at 2014 Olympics, 9th at 2014 Worlds, 3rd at 2014 Asian Open
Natalia Popova (UKR)-23rd at 2014 Europeans, 28th at 2014 Olympics, 21st at 2014 Worlds, 4th at 2014 Coup de Nice
Samantha Cesario (USA)- 8th at 2014 Four Continents, 2nd at 2014 Finlandia Trophy
Mirai Nagasu (USA)-4th at 2010 Olympics, 10th at 2014 Four Continents, 5th at 2014 US Classic

Sochi Figure Skating Thoughts and Feelings

Where on earth do I begin? I have feelings of Olympic proportions about these Olympics we just experienced. I waited for a week to post because I didn't want to say anything I would regret in the heat of the moment. Read between the lines and you know who I'm talking about. Let's start at the very beginning, a very good place to start.

The Team Competition
What I Loved: I loved seeing the pride that the skaters have for their country and I also loved seeing national rivals pretend to like one another. I'm looking at you Diva Wagner. I liked that the top skaters had a chance to get the Olympic jitters out before the event.
What I Hated: I hated that some of the skaters felt like they weren't taking this seriously, though I think that may change in a few Olympic cycles if this event becomes more important. I also hated the points system and that the free skates barely mattered. Since IJS is all about those points and breaking records, let's just add up all the total points and be done with it. In the future, I would like to see this event at the end of the Games so the top skaters aren't conserving energy for the individual events.
What I Was Apathetic About: I found myself not caring about any team outside of Russian, Canada, and the US because they had no shot at the podium.
Feelings Meter: I was as anxious as I always am the night before the TONY awards when I can't predict how they will stage the opening number.

The Pairs Event
What I Loved: Volosozhar & Trankov in the short program, Savchenko & Szolkowy in the short program, Pang & Tong's passionate farewell free skate, and Ksenia Stolbova's facial expressions in the free. I also loved seeing Volosozhar & Trankov stand up under all that pressure. Though I was really over Russia later in the games, all seemed right with the world with two Russian pairs on the podium. I love the spunk of Kirsten Moore-Towers and hope they medal at worlds and keep going.
What I Hated: I hated the OCD flare-up I had when Tatiana Volosozhar's bun came loose in the free skate. I hated how I was bored during their Jesus Christ Super Star until the lift in the second half on the "Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ" music. You know what I'm talking about. I hated how the over scoring of Volosozhar & Trankov (a plus GOE on a throw with a hand down) made me feel dirty inside and made me skeptical that the judging would get worse and worse.
What I Was Apathetic About: I found myself not caring about any pairs outside of the top 5. None of the other performances got me excited.
Feelings Meter: I felt about Volosozhar & Trankov winning gold like I did about Bernadette Peters winning the TONY for the revival of "Annie Get Your Gun." I was so happy they won, but the win wasn't supported by great material.

The Mens Event
What I Loved: I loved Jason Brown in the short, everything about Takahashi at all times, the clean skating of Denis Ten, and the fact that it was over and eventually the falling stopped.
What I Hated: I hated that craptacualar mess of a free skate and the fact that we have an Olympic Champ who fell several times. I hated that we couldn't copy and paste Jason Brown's skate from Nationals and snag him a bronze medal.
What I Was Apathetic About: I stopped caring that Javier Fernandez wasn't on the podium because if he cannot count the jumps at this stage in his career, he doesn't belong on an Olympic podium. I couldn't bring myself to feel bad for Patrick Chan because Hanyu left the door open for him and he couldn't triple axel through it cleanly.
Feelings Meter: I felt like I was watching the women's All-Around finals in Sydney and knew disaster was upon us and could do nothing to stop it.

The Ice Dance Event
What I Loved: I loved the short dances of Virtue & Moir, Cappellini & Lanotte, the free dance of Pechalat & Bourzat, and the look in Meryl's eyes during the free. I loved the sigh of relief on the faces of Charlie & Meryl when they saw that all of their hard work paid off. I loved the Spanish team's Picasso free skate and I hope to see more from them in the future.
What I Hated: I was angered by the fact that Pechalat and Bourzat's superior skating and artistry were not rewarded and were beaten by (in my opinion) a knock-off ballet. They lost that mandatory 3 points for skating while not being Russian. I hated the nastiness directed at Bobrova & Soloviev on social media, it wasn't their fault that they've been propped up for so long and were upset when scored semi-appropriately. I especially hated Canada's inability to form an argument. Either lash out at the judging or at Marina, not both.
What I Was Apathetic About: Oddly enough, Weaver & Poje did nothing for me, though I generally love them. I didn't feel strongly about either American team, which worries me for the future.
Feelings Meter: That bronze medal decision was like "La Cage aux Folles" beating "Sunday in the Park with George" for best musical in 1984; camp was chosen over true art.

The Ladies Event
What I Loved: I must start by saying that Mao's free skate was one of the finest programs I've seen in my 20 years watching figure skating. I loved Carolina's ethereal angelic short program, Carolina's sassy nuanced free skate, and everything else that Carolina did. I loved the subtlety of Yuna's short program and the emergence of Gracie Gold as a major threat on the world stage. I loved that Ashley Wagner had no filter when speaking about the judging, and though it was a little bit of sour grapes on her part, she's saying what we're all thinking. What I loved most was how out of control and ridiculous we got on twitter during that ladies event. I'm looking at you Dave and Ann.
What I Hated: I hated seeing Julia fall, especially when I heard that reporters were stalking her family and bugging her house, and all I wanted to do was give her a hug. I hated seeing Diva Wagner's scores drop in front of her very eyes as the judges chose a new favorite American and I really hated that she cut the post-short program ponytail flip in the ladies event. I hated seeing Mao crumble in the short, because I strongly believe that she'd be Olympic Champ if she had skated that short cleanly. I hated when Sotnikova waved at me from her spiral sequence, but we will blame Peter for that and not her. I hated the judging in most events, but the judging errors really were egregious in this ladies event.
What I Was Apathetic About: I feel nothing about our ladies champion. I know I should be outraged that Carolina didn't win, but when I look back on some of our recent ladies champions (cough Tara, Sarah, Shizuka) they don't represent the best of that era of skating either, so whatever.
Feelings Meter: I wanted to throw a floor lamp out of my 2nd story dressing room window like Patti LuPone did when Andrew Lloyd Webber fired her from Sunset Boulevard.


As mother Evita would ask, "Where do we go from here?" I know we are going through skating withdrawal, but worlds are just a hop, skip, and a jump away. I have a love/hate with Olympic-year Worlds because many of our favorites will retire, but there are always "A Star is Born" moments too when the babies step up and reach the podium. I'm looking at you Gracie and Julia! See you in Japan!

The Casual Figure Skating Fan's Guide to Sochi 2014

I know more than my fair share about figure skating and follow it very closely every season, but I'm also aware that most people do not. Therefore, I give you "The Casual Figure Skating Fan's Guide to Sochi 2014". If I see a facebook status asking about Johnny Weir, Michelle Kwan, or 6.0, I will probably post this link on your wall to keep me from saying something catty.

General Notes:

-Figure Skating is no longer an art form, it is a math problem

-You will be confused and frustrated because the best programs rarely score the highest

-If you think all the programs look the same, you're probably right; IJS programs are very cookie cutter

-Skaters are scored on TES (the old technical mark) & PCS (the old artistic mark)

-Every element (jumps, spins, lifts, throws, footwork sequences) is given a base value and/or a level and a grade of execution mark

-There is no "best score," though the NBC commentators will likely compare skaters' scores to their own Season's Best of Personal Best

-This season will be the debut of a Gymnastics-style Team event where skaters from all 4 disciplines will combine their scores and the "top country" will win gold; this even will begin before Opening Ceremonies and conclude before the individual disciplines begin

-Here is a link to the full IJS code of points if you want to confuse yourself even further

http://www.isu.org/en/single-and-pair-skating-and-ice-dance/isu-judging-system/introduction

Ladies:

2013 WORLD Medalists: Yuna Kim (KOR), Carolina Kostner (ITA), Mao Asada (JPN)

-If anyone outside of Kim, Asada, or Kostner win Gold it will be a Sarah Hughes-esque surprise

-If we do have a Sarah Hughes moment, it will be Russian teen Julia Lipnitskaia

-If Yuna Kim skates cleanly, expect her to win a 2nd OGM, regardless of how the other ladies skate

-The US ladies have an outside chance at a medal but are in no way favored

-NBC will talk up Gracie Gold, and probably Ashley Wagner as medal favorites, but they will only medal if others make mistakes

-The fully rotated triple-triple combination is key for the ladies, expect NBC commentators to talk that to death

-You will be able to tell which skaters NBC loves because they will drop phrases like "complete package," "complete program," or "fantastic transitions"

-A US lady hasn't won an Olympic or World medal since 2006, expect to hear that from NBC commentators on repeat

-A certain 'top lady' waves during her spiral sequence, I'll let you look for it in Where's Waldo fashion

Mens:

2013 WORLD Medalists: Patrick Chan (CAN), Denis Ten (KAZ), Javier Fernandez (ESP)

-Johnny Weir has retired and Evan Lysacek is injured, neither will compete

-Patrick Chan has won the last 3 World Titles, and though he is sputtering this season, it will be an upset if he doesn't win Gold

-The Quadruple jump (Quad) is key in the mens event, it will be hard to get near the podium without one

-The elder statesman Evgeni Plushenko has returned for one final hurrah and the Russians will be doing their best politicking to get him back on the podium

-You will probably prefer Yuzuru Hanyu's more artistic programs and you'll hate it when Patrick Chan wins regardless

-US men have little to no chance of winning a medal, we haven't won a World or Olympic medal since 2010

-Jason Brown (USA) will be one of the darlings of the games and will probably rise to the occasion under pressure, but without the Quad he will have a hard tim finding the podium unless others make mistakes

Ice Dance:

2013 WORLD Medalists: Davis & White (USA), Virtue & Moir (CAN), Bobrova & Soloviev (RUS)

-There are no longer 3 phases to the Ice Dance competition, there are now only 2

-Expect to hear the phrase "Finn Step" a lot as it is the compulsory pattern that all teams will perform in the original dance

-Free Dances range from Classical and Opera to Musical Theatre and Michael Jackson

-Gold & Silver will go to Davis & White (USA) or Virtue & Moir (CAN) and it will likely be very close; they are far above the rest of the field and will take the top spots on the podium

-Davis & White are slightly favored for Gold because they beat Virtue & Moir at the 2013 Worlds and this season's Grand Prix Final and their scores have been consistently higher

-Bobrova & Soloviev (Russia) will likely win bronze, primarily because of Russian politics; if you personally feel that their performances are not deserving of a medal, you would be correct

-The other teams that have a shot at bronze are Pechalat & Bourzat (FRA), Ilinykh & Katsalapov (RUS), Cappellini & Lanotte (ITA), and Weaver & Poje (CAN)

-The top dance teams are coached by the same small cluster of coaches; become familiar with names like Marina Zoueva, Igor Shpilband, Pasquale Camerlengo, Nikolai Morozov, and Alexander Zhulin

-All 3 American teams are likely to finish in the top 10

-It's tough to tell the difference between average, good, and great ice dance programs because there are no jumps/falls; you should look for speed, overall flow across the ice, synchronization, and smooth transitions in and out of lifts

Pairs

2013 WORLD Medalists: Volosozhar & Trankov (RUS), Savchenko & Szolkowy (GER), Duhamel & Radford (CAN)

-US Pair Teams will be very fortunate to finish in the top 6 and have about a 1% chance of winning a medal

-Volosozhar & Trankov (Russia) will win Gold unless they make major mistakes

-Savchenko & Szolkowy (Germany) will win Silver unless they make major mistakes

-Pang & Tong (China) will most likely win bronze, but Canadian teams have a shot

-The pairs event directly follows the Team Trophy event; fatigue/training could play a role in this event

-Expect some drama with the top two teams, they've been going back and forth in the standings for several years

-Commentators will make a huge deal about Russians retaking the top spot on the Olympic pairs podium

2013 Skate Canada: Ladies Preview

Julia Liptnitskaia (RUS) is the one to beat here. She doesn't necessarily have the best skills or artistry of the field, but she is the best competitor and at these early events, that generally wins the day. She has her sights set on Sochi and as long as she can stay healthy, she is all but guaranteed to make the Olympic team. She has fared the best overall of the "Russian babies" as she transitioned from the junior to the senior ranks and I appreciate her skating more than that of Sotnikova, Tuktamisheva, or Radionova. She qualified for the Final last year and likely would have done quite well if not for that concussion. My only concern for her is that Schindler's List is beyond her current range as a performer. We shall see.

Akiko Suzuki (JPN) is a longtime favorite of nearly the entire skating world, but the biggest question mark with her is a competitive edge. I'm afraid that her window of opportunity has passed her by and and that she reached her peak in 2012 with that World bronze. She recently finished behind Lipnitskaia at the Finlandia Trophy. I question her choice of Phantom of the Opera for her free skate because I think she can do better than that warhorse. She is so classical and refined that I'd prefer she choose something more nuanced.

Kaetlyn Osmond (CAN) won this event last year and she has the potential to do it again. However, she won primarily because she was simply cleaner that the other women. I personally don't believe that she has the maturity or performance quality to beat a clean Suzuki, Lipnitskaia, or even Gao. I truly believe this event will be decided by who makes the fewest mental errors.

Gracie Gold (USA) is the "no pun intended" Golden Girl in US Figure Skating. USFS wants her to be the answer that we've all been looking for, the next Michelle Kwan who can dominate national and international events. She is almost guaranteed a spot on the Sochi team, but she needs to prove that she has the mental game to compete and that's where she's been lacking recently. Luckily for her, she is a late bloomer across the course of a season. She bombed at this event last year, but went on to win silver at Cup of Russia, silver at US Nationals, and placed a respectable 6th at Worlds. If the wheels fall off here, we don't need to lose our minds yet, but it will be cause for concern for Team Gold if Gao or Hicks beat her here.

Christina Gao (USA) is a personal favorite of mine and I am really pulling for her to make the Sochi team. She has a much more international look than many of the US ladies and much more classical elegance than either Wagner or Gold. We know that she is an extremely hard work and my biggest fear for her, opposite of Gold, is that she will peak too early. She has finished 5th at US Nationals for the past four years, so she's going to have to show USFS that she is the real deal on the Grand Prix before their judges will PCS her high enough at Nationals to make the podium.




My Podium Predictions:
Gold: Julia Liptnitskaia (RUS)
Silver: Akiko Suzuki (JPN)
Bronze: Kaetlyn Osmond (CAN)

The Rest of the Field:
Amelie Lacoste (CAN)
Veronik Mallet (CAN)
Natalia Popova (UKR)
Christina Gao (USA)
Gracie Gold (USA)
Courtney Hicks (USA)

Rostelecom Cup: Ladies Free Skate LIVE BLOG

Pl.	Name	Nation	Points	SP	FS
1	Kiira KORPI	FIN	177.19	2	1
2	Gracie GOLD	USA	175.03	1	2
3	Agnes ZAWADZKI	USA	166.61	3	4
4	Kanako MURAKAMI	JPN	166.34	6	3
5	Adelina SOTNIKOVA	RUS	157.98	5	7
6	Alena LEONOVA	RUS	157.27	4	8
7	Polina KOROBEYNIKOVA	RUS	153.32	8	6
8	Viktoria HELGESSON	SWE	151.48	7	9
9	Valentina MARCHEI	ITA	148.67	9	5
10	Caroline ZHANG	USA	138.21	10	10

Pl.   Name Nation TSS = TES +   PCS + SS TR PE CH IN Ded. - StN. 1 Kiira KORPI FIN 115.64 56.12   60.52 7.68 7.07 7.61 7.71 7.75 1.00 #9 2 Gracie GOLD USA 112.87 54.77   58.10 7.54 6.93 7.32 7.39 7.14 0.00 #10 3 Kanako MURAKAMI JPN 109.56 53.22   56.34 7.32 6.46 6.96 7.29 7.18 0.00 #5 4 Agnes ZAWADZKI USA 106.43 51.10   55.33 6.93 6.61 7.04 7.18 6.82 0.00 #8 5 Valentina MARCHEI ITA 102.42 50.88   51.54 6.29 5.82 6.71 6.71 6.68 0.00 #2 6 Polina KOROBEYNIKOVA RUS 101.87 52.45   50.42 6.68 5.86 6.29 6.61 6.07 1.00 #3 7 Adelina SOTNIKOVA RUS 100.87 48.28   55.59 7.14 6.50 6.79 7.25 7.07 3.00 #6 8 Alena LEONOVA RUS 98.42 41.17   57.25 7.39 6.71 6.86 7.50 7.32 0.00 #7 9 Viktoria HELGESSON SWE 97.38 43.60   53.78 6.75 6.46 6.79 6.93 6.68 0.00 #4 10 Caroline ZHANG USA 92.06 48.57   43.49 5.93 4.93 5.29 5.71 5.32 0.00 #1

1) Caroline Zhang (USA)
  Music: Nessun Dorma

• I love that deep color on her
• What I'd really like to see on her jumps is a nice, long glide out of the jump
• The jumps are looking especially small today
• I feel like she normally has more extension in the spiral than she does today
• I love that ending-how she just comes straight out of the spin and finishes, nothing fancy about it
• 48.57 (TES) + 43.49 (PCS) = 92.06
• 46.15 (SP) + 92.06 (FS) = 138.21

2) Valentina Marchei (ITA)
  Music: The Artist

• I'm sorry I didn't get to watch you Valentina, i was switching feeds
• But you look happy coming off the ice!
• 50.88 (TES) + 51.54 (PCS) = 102.42
• 46.25 (SP) + 102.42 (FS) = 148.67

3) Polina Korobeynikova (RUS)
  Music: Swan Lake

• Very clean jumping, fast rotation
• This costume is a choice
• This program looks very calculated
• She is ticking off the elements, but where is the performance?
• Girl-Please give us some face!
• Oh no, a fall on the final jump on the most dramatic piece of the music, not a good picture ot leave in the judges' minds
• This program is looking very labored, there's just no fire in her belly
• 52.45 (TES) + 50/42 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 101.87
• 51.45 (SP) + 101.87 (FS) = 153.32

4) Viktoria Helgesson (SWE)
  Music: Spellbound Concerto

• This costume is perfection, I love how white goes into ice blue
• This is how a woman skates, not a little pixie girl
• I feel like there is a lot of fluff in this program-too many simple crossovers and long approaches to jumps
• A lot of these jumps look UR and a lot of turns out of the landings
• This program was easy on the eyes, but there also was no excitement either
• 43.60(TES) + 53.78 (PCS) = 97.38
• 54.10 (SP) + 97.38 (FS) = 151.48

5) Kanako Murakami (JPN)
  Music: Oblivion & Fuego Lento

• Aww look at our little girl, she's growing up!
• There's not a lot of drama in this music
• This music might still be a little sophisticated for her, it's subdued and you really need to work to bring out the accents
• She'll be hit with some underrotations on her TES mark
• Something was off with that 2A combo
• 53.22 (TES) + 56.34 (PCS) = 109.56
• 56.78 (SP) + 109.56 (FS) = 166.34

6) Adelina Sotnikova (RUS)
  Music: Burlesque

• For a girl who has the potential to be a World Champion, this is not a World Champ program
• I do like the skirt of this costume
• I love her jumping, nice quick rotation
• Why did Tarasova choreograph this mess?
• Oh no, 2 falls in a row; this piece is going nowhere fast
• I hate when good skaters sell themselves short with garbage programs
• I've heard enough riffing for the day now
• 48.28(TES) + 55.59 (PCS) -3.00 (DED) = 100.87
• 57.11 (SP) + 157.98 (FS) = 157.98

7) Alena Leonova (RUS)
  Music: Poeta en la Mar

• This feed keeps sticking, so who knows what happened in the 1st minute
• This step sequence is strange, it's like she's trying to give us sassy face, but she's looking down toward the ice-it's odd
• This is a poor choice of music for her style
• This is so flat for me, she doesn't look like she wants to be there
• This piece of music sounds frantic, but the skating is slow; it's been an odd 4 minutes for me
• 41.17 (TES) + 57.25 (PCS) = 98.42
• 58.85 (SP) + 98.42 (FS) = 157.27

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

• Leaned way to the side, but clean 1st jump
• She looks so strong; she is in such good shape
• I love how expressive her upper body is
• She has interesting choreography out of the jumps, she doesn't just hang out and wait to get back into the piece
• I love her zippy, tight rotation
• She is having an "on day" I can see that right now
• This is a very mature program and well composed, I am happy she hung onto it
• This is a wonderful program, but this is the best execution I've seen from her in so long
• What a breath of fresh air to see somebody who wants to be on the podium
• 51.10 (TES) + 55.33 (PCS) = 106.43
• 60.18 (SP) + 106.43 (FS) = 166.61

9) Kiira Korpi (FIN)
  Music: Once Upon a Time in America

• She is flawless
• Some of these jumps are really telegraphed
• Just when I was about to say that her jumps are crisp and clean today, she falls
• 56.12 (TES) + 60.52 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 115.64
• 61.55 (SP) + 155.64 (FS) = 177.19

10) Gracie Gold (USA)
  Music: Life is Beautiful

• Gracie, please excite me because nobody else has today
• Clean through the 1st minute, thank you feed for freezing
• I have nothing else to say because me feed went out on me unfortunately
• 54.77 (TES) + 58.10 (PCS) = 112.87
• 62.16 (SP) + 112.87 (FS) = 175.03

Rostelecom Cup: Ladies short program LIVE blog

1) Gracie Gold (USA)
  Music: Hernando's Hideaway

• Who doesn't love Hernando's Hideaway?
• Nice 3-3 Gracie, I love the speed
• So far so good, but I feel like she's speeding through the choreography and just ticking off the elements
• Now that's she's put down a clean short on the GP, that's a huge step
• Our girl looks thrilled
• 34.92 (TES) + 27.24 (PCS) = 62.16

2) Caroline Zhang (USA)
  Music: Rushing Wings of Dawn

• I love everything that she does with her face at the beginning of this piece
• I love this music so much
• Uh on, pupped the first jump, not a good sign
• That stretched out camel is wonderful, but the bent leg position looks rough
• The step sequence is lovely in this piece, it perfectly fits the tone of the music
• 21.84 (TES) + 324.31 (PCS) = 46.15

3) Polina Korobeynikova (RUS)
  Music: Romeo & Juliet

• I'm loving this braid into the bun
• I actually really love this dress
• Her body type reminds me of Alissa Czisny
• She seems like a very introspective skater to me, which is coming back to me now from the Junior GP
• 26.42 (TES) + 25.03 (PCS) = 51.45

4) Agnes Zawadzki (USA)
  Music: Sex and the City

• Agnes honey, what is this odd costume situation we've got going here?
• So, are you Carrie Bradshaw in Abu Dahbi?
• Well  I guess you can be whomever you want to be when you are jumping like this
• She is looking so slick today, so in a zone
• This is a great piece for a short program, it suits her energy
• I love all these arm variations in the combination spin
• 33.01 (TES) + 27.17 (PCS) = 60.18

5) Valentina Marchei (ITA)
  Music: Esperanza

• This program suits her fiery personality
• I feel like her spins and body positions are so improved this year
• Those swing programs last year didn't show of any of these wonderful things we are seeing from her this season
• The technical content is not at the level of the youngsters, but this is still a very solid program that will receive a good score
• 20.48 (TES) + 25.77 (PCS) = 46.25

6) Adelina Sotnikova (RUS)
  Music: Capriccio Espagnoi

• Nice 3-3
• Uh oh, baby popped her flip
• She is killing it in this footwork, you can tell that being at home helps her energy
• 29.11 (TES) + 18.00 (PCS) = 57.11

7) Kanako Murakami (JPN)
  Music: Prayer for Taylor

• Baby girl is killing it today
• I love that she reinvented herself into an artist, this is a beautiful piece
• Darn that fall, but still she's becoming quite the lovely skater
• 29.01 (TES) + 28.77 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 56.78

8) Viktoria Helgesson (SWE)
  Music: Poinciana

• I remember when it used to flip back and forth-who was better-between Viktoria & Joshi, but honestly it's not even close anymore
• That was just okay, iffy technique
• I like the short hair much better that last year's poofy up-dos
• Wait, doesn't her mom coach her anymore?
•  26.67 (TES) + 27.43 (PCS) = 54.10

9) Kiira Korpi (FIN)
  Music: The Girl with the Flaxen Hair

• This is my favorite costume of the season
• This is so delicate and soft
• That was pure enjoyment to watch
• 31.51 (TES) + 30.04 (PCS) = 61.55

10) Alena Leonova (RUS)
  Music: Slumdog Millionaire

• I never quite know what's going to happen when this one steps out onto the ice
• 
  
• (TES) + (PCS) =

Rostelecom Cup: Ladies Preview

This event is going to come down to who wants it the most. I can see this going so many different ways it's making my head spin. There are about 6 ladies that could win this thing, so let's get started. I'll be live blogging the short on Friday AM and all the free programs on Saturday AM. Here is a link to the schedule http://backstagebarbie.blogspot.com/2012/10/2012-grand-prix-of-figure-skating.html.

Adelina Sotnikova (RUS) is our favorite Russian baby. She is a more complete skater than Tuktamisheva and Lipnitskaia and I hope she can win here and make it to the Grand Prix Final in Sochi. She won bronze at Skate America so let's hope that she keeps escalating!

Kiira Korpi (FIN) is looking divine this season. Her costumes are gorgeous and I appreciate how calm she looks on the ice. I love that every time she steps out, we know that we are going to get something beautiful. I love her elegance. We know she will always receive high PCS marks so that helps give her the edge over many other skaters.

Kanako Murakami (JPN) looks to factor into the medal scene this season after already securing a bronze at Skate Canada. She is finally growing into her body and she's held onto her jumps while developing a new sense of artistry. I expect to see her in the top 6 at Worlds this year with her lovely programs.

Gracie Gold (USA) could easily hit the podium if she goes clean. We all expected her to medal at Skate Canada, but she is a rookie senior and we shouldn't put so much pressure on her. She is brand new on the scene and we need to be patient while she develops.

My Podium Predictions:
Gold: Adelina Sotnikova (RUS)
Silver: Kiira Korpi (FIN)
Bronze: Kanako Murakami (JPN)

The Rest of the Field:
Valentina Marchei (ITA)
Polina Korobeynikova (RUS)
Alena Leonova (RUS)
Viktoria Helgesson (SWE)
Agnes Zawadzki (USA)
Caroline Zhang (USA)

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)

2012 US Figure Skating Championships: Junior Ladies Free Skate LIVE Commentary

1) Gwendolyn Prescott

   Music: Atsuhime

•  Loving this dress!
• Oh no, unfortunate fall, hips were too far back on landing
• There we go with a good triple loop
• Fantastic speed on that Bielmann and the head is so far back!
• I like the build and intensity of this music
• Very courageous, going for the combination even after the hands went down on the first jump
• A few flaws here and there, but she should be happy with her Nationals thus far

 36.78 (TES) + 38.91 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 74.69

 44.84 (SP) + 74.69 (FS) = 119.53

2) Jenelle Herman

   Music: Tosca

•  Ironic music here
• I love that shade of purple on her
• That was a dynamic double axel she just threw down
• I like the speed coming out of the gate here, aggressive
• I like the expressiveness of her upper body, but I really want her to show me something on her face
• Look up and out and let us see your pretty face!
• She is really fighting for every point, nailing those triples

 40.87 (TES) + 37.95 (PCS) = 78.82

 39.03 (SP) + 78.82 (FS) = 117.85

3) Camille Davis

   Music: William Joseph Medley

•  This music is a little different, I like it
• Good triple sal combination there
• She sprung up quickly after that fall, that's the most important thing
• The jumps rotate quickly, but not a lot of spring up there
• She's lacking dynamic range, I feel like the whole performance is one note
• You can tell she is really thinking going into each jump
• I really like the costume, elegant but it pops
• Uh oh another stumble in footwork, you can thank IJS for that
• Good quality skate for her, needed more performance though

 33.48 (TES) + 33.76 (PCS) -2.00 (DED) = 65.24

 39.43 (SP) + 65.24 (FS) = 102.67

4) Jessica Hu

   Music: Scheherazade

•  Lovely smile right off the top
• Two-foots the opening jump, but landing it is a good confidence booster
• Point that toe on that flying sit please!
• Eyes up and let us see your lovely face!
• Shaky landing, but decent  triple lutz
• Nice donut variation
• I think she may be a little young for this music, probably doesn't understand how to play the character yet
• That definitely needed more emotion, but I respect clean skating

 31.84 (TES) + 35.93 (PCS) = 67.77

 42.35 (SP) + 67.77 (FS) = 110.12

5) Allison Timlen

   Music: Mark Twain Portrait

•  There's something I really like about her skating, I feel like she's a fighter
• I appreciate the pointed toes in her spins
• She has the perfect presence on ice for this youthful music
• Nice job hitting that opening jump
• I love this music, it's a little off the beaten path
• See what I mean....she's fighting for the landings when other skaters would fall
• That leg on the camel is arrow-straight and the foot is pointed, Hallelujah!
• What a great smile, she has so much joy for skating
• Fought for another landing, good for her
• She is good at making adjustments mid-jump
• She is really skating lights out
• Fantastic double axel
• This music is really building and she's matching it

 33.40 (TES) + 42.23 (PCS) = 75.63

 35.94 (SP) + 75.63 (FS) = 111.57

6) Katarina Kulgeyko

   Music: Nostradamus

•  This should be a very dramatic piece
• That free leg swings around at warm speed in those jump exits
• She has a little Ashley Wagner in her
• Wonderful posture in the jumps
• She is in the zone, and it's good to be focused, but I want her to open up and show some feeling as well
• Oh no, starting to make some mental errors here, a stumble, a doubled jump
• Let's get back into rhythm
• She was great in the first half but fizzled out unfortunately
• That was also an abrupt ending choreographically

 33.81 (TES) + 36.57 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 69.38

 46.55 (SP) + (FS) = 115.93

7) Gracie Gold

   Music: The Mission and The Untouchables

•  Here we go, the favorite is on the ice
• This is a popular piece of music this season
• She is looking very introspective right now
• Huge triple lutz-triple toe
• That double axel covers so much ice, not to mention the combination tacked on
• She skates so fast!
• Wonderful spin variations
• That broken arm variation on the layback is unique, very angular
• Her jumps aren't telegraphed, they just come straight out of the program
• Oh no, one fall, just really crooked on the takeoff
• That fall was a fluke, nothing to worry about
• If I can say anything she needs to work on, it's relating more to the audience
• Not a moment is wasted in this program
• Slight loss of balance in that final spin

64.92 (TES) + 54.79 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 118.71

 60.21 (SP) + 118.17 (FS) = 178.92

8) Ashley Cain

   Music: Who Wants to Live Forever

•  I love that criss-cross dress, it looks fantastic on her in that shimmery blue
• Her extension and line is to die for
• I love that she gets really deep into her knees
• Very mature and polished, wonderful intensity on her face
• Knee is nearly parallel to the traditional layback position
• She doesn't wast a second, every bit of music is used
• So far so good, great clean skating 
• The speed and flow across the ice is quite marvelous
• Oh no, one fall, legs were all tangled up, probably UR-ed as well
• The legs are slightly bent in the catch leg spin, that spin should only be done if the flexibility is extreme
• Great emotion on the face
• The fall, yes, but great performance as a whole
• So animated in the Kiss & Cry

 51.28 (TES) + 53.40 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 103.68

 51.80 (SP) + 103.68 (FS) = 155.48

9) Hannah Miller

   Music: Masquerade Waltz

•  I like this music on her, really good speed, very athletic look
• I like that costume a lot
• Nice Rippon variation, both arms overhead
• Popped a jump to a double, 
• Really great speed on that layback
• She's so springy, those jumps aren't even hard for her!
• Hard fall, feet totally slipped out from under her on this landing
• A few little mistakes will add up here
• She has really good jumping technique overall, really squares her body off on the landings
• I love this footwork sequence, it really fits the character of the piece
• I love the way her arms zap out to the sides to check her landings

 46.99 (TES) + 49.25 (PCS) = 95.24

 54.44 (SP) + 95.24 (FS) = 149.68

10) Mariah Bell

   Music: Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind

•  Great attack from the beginning
• I love that rose-colored dress on her
• Nice double axel
• Shaky landing on tha tlutz, but hit it
• Doubled a jump there, small error, but it costs points
• I like her sit spin variations
• This music suits her personality, it's light an playful at points
• She has a very relaxed, fluid upper body, she clearly studies ballet
• Her sense of musicality is beyond her years
• A lot of little jumping errors like two-footing and form breaks
• She is so exuberant, hasn't lost an ounce of energy at all throughout

 44.62 (TES) + 45.53 (PCS) = 90.15

 46.75 (SP) + 90.15 (FS) = 136.90

11) Barbie Long

   Music: 42nd Street

•  I love 42nd street, I'm looking forward to this one
• She has great lines
• She is flying out of the gate on the overture
• Starting right off with a spin, sit variation
• 3-jump combo to start off her jumping passes
• She makes fast skating look easy, one push sends her flying
• Feet were crossed on the landing, just sat that one down
• I love that extended arm variation on the sit spin, anyway she can extend the body lines and show off her assets it's a plus
• She's really looking down a lot here in the footwork
• This music requires a Diva performance and I want to see more on her face
• Lost my feed for about 20 seconds right there
• That was a fine double axel, she showed some fight on the landing
• I love her skating but this was a bit flat for me, I'd rather see her do a more lyrical piece

 52.00 (TES) + 44.77 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 95.77

 48.80 (SP) + 95.77 (FS) = 144.57

12) Polina Edmunds

   Music: Circus Princess

•  She is darling in that costume!
  
• Oh no fall right off the bat
• No no, sat down the 2nd jump, didn't fight for the landing at all
• She is dear, but I'm afraid her nerves got the best of her
• All her jumps look really stifled, not a lot of height or distance
• I really like the footwork, it's very youthful and whimsical
• I want her to show us her pretty smile, she's really concentrating
• Lovely double axel on a big musical accent

 41.28 (TES) + 43.76 (PCS) -2.00 (DED) = 83.04

 51.02 (SP) + 83.04 (FS) = 134.06

Start No.	Name	Short Program		Free Skate		Total Score
		Place	Score	Place	Score
1	7	Gracie Gold, Wagon Wheel FSC	1	60.21	1	118.71	178.92
2	8	Ashley Cain, Stars FSC of TX	3	51.80	2	103.68	155.48
3	9	Hannah Miller, Lansing SC	2	54.44	4	95.24	149.68
4	11	Barbie Long, Springfield FSC	5	48.80	3	95.77	144.57
5	10	Mariah Bell, Rocky Mountain FSC	6	46.75	5	90.15	136.90
6	12	Polina Edmunds, Peninsula SC	4	51.02	6	83.04	134.06
7	1	Gwendolyn Prescott, Peninsula SC	8	44.84	9	74.69	119.53
8	2	Jenelle Herman, SC Of Boston	10	39.03	7	78.82	117.85
9	6	Katarina Kulgeyko, Los Angeles FSC	7	46.55	10	69.38	115.93
10	5	Allison Timlen, Columbia FSC (MD)	12	35.94	8	75.63	111.57
11	4	Jessica Hu, SC of NC	9	42.35	11	67.77	110.12
12	3	Camille Davis, Salt Lake Figure Skating	11	37.43	12	65.24	102.67