U.S. Ladies [#18]: These Boots Are Made for Skating

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It would truly amaze me if Polina can hit her jumps in that body. I had no idea she grew even taller. I don't think I've ever seen a skater this tall.
 
analia said:
It would truly amaze me if Polina can hit her jumps in that body. I had no idea she grew even taller. I don't think I've ever seen a skater this tall.
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AngieNikodinovLove said:
Volchkova, Zawadski
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Peggy Fleming, and very memorably tall: Lisa Marie Allen

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMu83vVWshY Allen at 1980 Olympics -- that spiral sequence with changes of position is gorgeous, as is her opening layback spin. Interesting how it's announced during this performance that Anett Poetsch had 'squeaked' ahead of Linda Fratianne in the standings. The announcers declare they are stunned.

Seemingly Priscilla Hill (Weir's former coach) was also a somewhat tall skater:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioAg5bbd58M

And Debi Thomas was fairly tall as well at 5' 6".

Polina's height is listed as 5' 5 1/2" in Wiki, but she's surely a bit taller than that now.
 
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Sylvia said:
Just published today: http://www.today.com/series/love-yo...e-gold-talks-body-image-2018-olympics-t114216

"Definitely athletes in the spotlight — figure skaters, especially — are under pressure to fit a certain mold, and fit a certain body type," Gold, who currently lives in Canton, Michigan, told TODAY Style. "It's really easy to be critical of ourselves in that way ... oh, this person's arms look a little bigger. It's easy to start playing that game. But people have different builds. I think a lot of athletes struggle with that."
...
"A lot of us struggle with (weight issues)," she added. "And maybe it's a bit closeted — I don't want to speak for all figure skaters. But I don't blame the sport for it. I think that we all have to take responsibility for ourselves. That's the game I got into, and it comes with the territory."
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I get what Gracie is trying to say here, I really do. But IMO, it's a bit of PR spin because she has both gained weight and suffered from poor performances. The issue is that sometimes when skaters gain weight, their technical ability often goes down. If Gracie put on 10 pounds and could still hit a 7-triple program with two 3-3s, I don't think anyone would care one bit if her arms "looked bigger".

It's not the same as dance, where Jamie Silverstein could still perform the L4 elements at 95 lbs and 120 lbs. The best weight or strength or whatever for a skater should be judged on performance, not numbers or looks.
 
Most skaters who look "tall" are really only about 5'6". Carolina, Katrina etc, I would be shocked if any are over 5'7". It is, however, possible to do the jumps when you are taller. It is just more difficult and there is no margin for error. It will be interesting to see how Polina does. One thing about being tall (over 5'7") is you need lots of speed, power, and solid, deep, edges to get those jumps up and around. A shorter skater can rely on springy legs. A tall skater needs perfect technique.
 
8 U.S. senior ladies are entered in the Philly international comp next week (listed in alphabetical order):
Starr Andrews, Karen Chen, Franchesca Chiera, Amber Glenn, Courtney Hicks, Tessa Hong, Bradie Tennell, and Angela Wang.

ETA:

It looks like Paige Rydberg (who is senior in the U.S. and made her senior international debut in SLC last year) is entered in the Philly Junior event to get her ISU Junior minimum scores, along with Ting Cui (who will make her JGP debut in Australia).
 
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Sylvia said:
8 U.S. senior ladies are entered in the Philly international comp next week (listed in alphabetical order):
Starr Andrews, Karen Chen, Franchesca Chiera, Amber Glenn, Courtney Hicks, Tessa Hong, Bradie Tennell, and Angela Wang.
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AWESOME!!!
 
aftershocks said:
Peggy Fleming, and very memorably tall: Lisa Marie Allen

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMu83vVWshY Allen at 1980 Olympics -- that spiral sequence with changes of position is gorgeous, as is her opening layback spin. Interesting how it's announced during this performance that Anett Poetsch had 'squeaked' ahead of Linda Fratianne in the standings. The announcers declare they are stunned.

Seemingly Priscilla Hill (Weir's former coach) was also a somewhat tall skater:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioAg5bbd58M

And Debi Thomas was fairly tall as well at 5' 6".

Polina's height is listed as 5' 5 1/2" in Wiki, but she's surely a bit taller than that now.
Click to expand...

Peggy Fleming is listed as 5'4" on a few sites that I checked. She seems about average height. I thought Tenley Albright seemed fairly tall but it could be just because of her long gorgeous lines in her time! Ot, I was trying to find out how tall Dr. Albright is when I found this pic from the 1952 Olympics where she won silver: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/474144666991967610/ I did not know that Britain had a ladies Olympic gold medallist! Jeanette Altwigg. I need to study up some more on my figure skating history! Very bad of me not to have known this! Be nice of one day Britain can get up there again in singles! And I see the ladies wore bling back then too - that's a very pretty and shiny dress that Jeanette was wearing! :D
 
Wikipedia lists Polina as 5'6", but that may not be up to date. I'd be interested to know her actual height now, my guess is she's 5'7" or even 5'8".
 
mag said:
I would say 5'8". Which sounds close, but at that height, every inch makes a huge difference!

ETA: Wiki says Phaneuf is 5'7"
Wiki also says Katarina Witt is 5'5", Debbie Thomas is 5' 5 1/2", Nancy Kerrigan is 5'4", Gracie Gold is 5'6" and Carolina Kostner is 5'7"
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Wiki also has Karen Kwan at 5'8" :glamor:
 
Reading all this I got the impression that Tinkerbell is actually 6'2" :lol:

With reliable jump technique one can make height work. Like Kostner has proven, and even if his jumps weren't anything to write home about, Lycacek is also proof of this. I think Polina's issues (if there are any by the time of nationals) would have to do more with her jumping technique rather than her height. When the jump technique isn't there and you're also tall, that's when I believe it's an issue.
 
All I know is that Edmunds was about 170cm three years ago when I saw her at a competition I think three years ago. She definitely looks taller now and not by just a little.
 
Her long lines could be her secret weapon next quad, Polina Edmunds will be the star. :glamor:

As long as she gets back to where she was before with the jumps, it'll make everything she does look that much more beautiful IMO. Embrace your inner Svetlana Khorkina. I hope she's not just in it for this year though, that "Time to Say Goodbye" LP choice really has me wondering.. :shuffle: I wouldn't put it past her to get pissed if things don't work out (or even if they do) this year and have that be her final program. :lol:
 
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What I'll be looking for with Polina is:

1.) How are her lutz and flip looking? Those were the two jumps that were specifically affected by the bone bruise, per the articles. And if she still plans to do the flip in the sp, how is the edge looking?

2.) Is she still planning to do a 3F+1lo+3S as her second combination (and is it staying in the first half)? She tends not to get high GOE on this combination due to either flip edge issues or under rotation calls. Her Instagram live showed her practicing a double axel triple toe recently, I believe.

I don't think we'll see her do a full layout of all jumps at glacier falls, but I do expect to see her do more than ALL intentional doubles-when she did that in the LP at GF two years ago, she had two grand prix spots (she does tend to peak later in the season I think, but nationals technical callers tend to be more generous to her than the international ones, as they are with the others. Still, Ashley, Mirai, Mariah, Karen, and Gracie have at least been exposing themselves to international panels in Polina's absence while she has been out, which I think should be taken into consideration at nationals if it is close when taking body of work into account. Though I suspect that nationals results/Olympic spots will ultimately be less controversial than people are preparing themselves for).
 
Karpenko said:
Her long lines could be her secret weapon next quad, Polina Edmunds will be the star. :glamor:
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YASSS! I love how the tall, long limbed skater looks on the ice. I take Carolina Kostner every day over tiny jumping beans... I can't take my eyes off skaters like Kostner, Zawadski, Lysacek, Czisny, etc

Side note: If she doesn't start doing some triples soon tho I can't see her getting the SkAm TBD spot.
 
Karpenko said:
I wouldn't put it past her to get pissed if things don't work out (or even if they do) this year and have that be her final program. :lol:
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Her injuries are her injuries. But, I had this feeling after 2016 nationals that she had had just about enough of figure skating biases and politics. Can be pretty ugly out there at times.
 
Karpenko said:
Her long lines could be her secret weapon next quad, Polina Edmunds will be the star. :glamor:

As long as she gets back to where she was before with the jumps, it'll make everything she does look that much more beautiful IMO. Embrace your inner Svetlana Khorkina. I hope she's not just in it for this year though, that "Time to Say Goodbye" LP choice really has me wondering.. :shuffle: I wouldn't put it past her to get pissed if things don't work out (or even if they do) this year and have that be her final program. :lol:
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How I would love to have an American Khorkina on the ice!

ETA: I would setlle for a Russian, Japanese or Canadian skating Khorkina.
 
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