Canadian Ladies 2017-18 season news & updates

[ChiquitaBanana]

I don't think callers across the globe have heard of the concept of pre-rotations. Has it ever been called?
Like...ever?

Wayyyyyy OT but this one kills me the most these days. Which sucks, because I dig his skating so much. Full half-turn pre-rotation. If this never gets called, nothing will. * shrug *

It is pre-rotated and underrotated... iiikkk!

 

[aftershocks]

I hope Gabby slays!!!

Ah Kaetlyn lady, you are the best but you don't show it like you really need to. I guess here's to always hoping you can overcome those nerves and upset the set-in-stone kowtowing to Russian ladies dominance.

I agree that Satoko is criminally underscored on pcs but, on the flip side, the technical panel are very kind to her. I still don't get how any of her triples are called fully rotated, considering the blatant prerotation.

In any case, tech panels tend to be very lenient at the Olympics which plays in her favour. If Osmond is a little off her best, I think Satoko can definitely beat her.

Exactly re tech panels' leniency toward Satoko's jumps. It may have something to do with the powerful political quotient wielded by Japan fed (and that only means politics and reputation are always factors in the scoring). Johnny mentioned Satoko's 'hummingbird wings' jumps again. Maybe I heard the hummingbird comparison from Johnny first, but I've also posted about Satoko's jumps reminding me of a hummingbird fluttering just over the ice surface. Too bad there isn't a separate division for great artists on the ice. That's Satoko in a nutshell, and often she tends to get the job done with the jumps, sometimes miraculously. It's always fascinating to me how Satoko and Shoma are able to camouflage their jumping weaknesses!

Meanwhile Gabby and Kaetlyn have all this speed, power, ice coverage and stunning beauty. Bradie has technical consistency and unflappability, but she's fairly new on the scene and thus gets no respect on PCS -- Bradie is as good as Alina on PCS IMHO, and not far behind Med who doesn't always have programs that match her talent. Mirai is the full package technically and artistically, but she's unpredictable. She often seems to become distracted from performing expressively when she's focused on the jump elements. Satoko and Carolina rival each other in the artistic realm, but their technical abilities do not match their artistic strengths. Kaori is young yet but very talented; she's fast building reputation and a resume.

 

[mag]

Bradie has technical consistency and unflappability, but she's fairly new on the scene and thus gets no respect on PCS -- Bradie is as good as Alina on PCS IMHO, and not far behind Med who doesn't always have programs that match her talent.

I admit to being stumped by the PCS both Med and Alina get, but even so, Bradie is not anywhere near them. I completely admire how she has handled her season but her programs, both the choreography and the presentation, are quite juniorish IMHO. She is 20 years old and I would have guessed 16. Before I get jumped on, I believe this is Bradie’s first year as a senior and clearly her team has prioritized tech over PCS. That was the right call to make. Hopefully over the next four years they will work to develop the PCS side. Like learning to land a triple jump consistently, learning to interpret and express music and learning to move your body a la Carolina takes years of practice and training. Both Med and Alina should keep working on this (I know their marks would indicate they don’t need to) and hopefully they will. Bradie’s PCS is more than fair for what she is doing. She needs time to develop and more exposure to international competition. She and her team certainly seem like make valuable use of the feedback they are receiving.

 

[aftershocks]

It's just a matter of Bradie staying in there and continuing to prove herself @mag. That's figure skating. As far as Bradie focusing on tech over artistry, I don't think that's the case. Bradie has always been a great jumper/athlete. That jumping ability comes to her naturally. Bradie's also somewhat of a late bloomer as she just turned 20 years old on January 31. I think Bradie's team is simply focused on having her continue to do what she does best, particularly after her comeback from injury and surgery a couple of years ago, which set her back a bit in her career development. Bradie's in her right place at the right moment, and she simply needs to maintain. She seems grounded and smart. I'm hopeful she will get help choosing the right music and choreo in the coming seasons to help her grow in her artistic development.

As far as how Bradie rates up against Russiya ladies, I think Bradie, along with Med & Alina still lack emotional maturity. Med is the one who obviously knows how to emote the most, and Med is also much more graceful and fluid with her arms and overall positions. I think Alina is more of an edgy modern dancer, but we don't get to see who Alina is behind the excess froufrou, since she's being relentlessly over-packaged as a busybee ballerina. In general, there's snooty pretentiousness surrounding the Russian ladies' 'aesthetic,' as usual. Bradie needs to grow more into emotional maturity, soften her arms and find out who she is artistically. But once again, the Russian ladies are definitely not better on PCS than Osmond, Satoko, and Carolina. Even Karen Chen has good expressive qualities and gorgeous spins, but she lacks tech consistency and she's still finding out who she is emotionally as well. The Russian ladies are good at coming off the factory shelves and there's a kind of desperation they have to be the best and to perform perfectly that seems molded into them from birth. The youngest of them still lack emotional maturity but the camouflaging and froufrou packaging works.

Once again, Osmond, IMHO is the best. But she has to believe it through-and-through herself. In that respect, she's like Gracie, except that Gracie was rarely coddled when she made tech errors.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Team Canada has me confused this week...

When did Gabby go back to RIB? I know Gladiator wasnt doing well but I thought she got a new dress for that program and everything....

And D&R switching has me confused.. What Free did they do at SA, GP Final and Can Nats?

 

[Sylvia]

When did Gabby go back to RIB? I know Gladiator wasnt doing well but I thought she got a new dress for that program and everything....

Daleman went back to Rhapsody in Blue and convincingly won Canadians last month.

ETA:

And D&R switching has me confused.. What Free did they do at SA, GP Final and Can Nats?

Answer can be found here: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...adford-uber-thread.101118/page-4#post-5284530

 

[Bellanca]

Congratulations to Kaetlyn and Gabby!! Team Event Gold Medalists!!

 

[screech]

Start order is up for the ladies SP

Larkyn will skate 11 - second last in the second warm-up
Gabby will skate 21st - 3rd in the second last warm-up and right after Mirai
Kaetlyn will skate 27 - 3rd in the last warm up and right after Satoko/before Alina

 

[coppertop1]

Go, ladies! We're riding the momentum from the Team gold!

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Giada Russo, Isadora Williams, Mambekova, Larkyn Austmann and Paganini all have more ISU point standings than BRADIE????
I mean I know she has basically the SkAM points and some B's but what the heck do those other chicks have?

ANL

 

[coppertop1]

Giada Russo, Isadora Williams, Mambekova, Larkyn Austmann and Paganini all have more ISU point standings than BRADIE????
I mean I know she has basically the SkAM points and some B's but what the heck do those other chicks have?

ANL

Except for Larkyn, the others competed at 4cc or Europeans, that's the only thing I can think of. Paganini finished fourth at Europeans.

 

[Sylvia]

Off-topic for this thread but Bradie Tennell "could have drawn as late as 15th to skate" according to @Tony Wheeler in the Olympics subforum in Kiss & Cry:

Skaters are split in half - since there are 30 here, 15 in the first half of the night, 15 in the latter.

Top 6 in World Standings (not season standings) are in the final group. Next 6 are in the second-to-last group (group four). Since that leaves 3 skaters in the second half, those skaters go to the end of group 3. All other skaters, as long as they have a World Standing, are drawn randomly for any spot in the first half (here- groups 1, 2, and the first 3 skaters in group 3). If skaters don't have a World Standing, they would go at the very beginning of the night.

Kaetlyn Osmond feature article (by Kristina Rutherford, Sportsnet): http://www.macleans.ca/olympics/down-but-never-out-kaetlyn-osmond-is-a-threat-to-win-gold/

 

[coppertop1]

Great start, Kaetlyn!! She was awesome. I can't believe Gabby missed her combo but otherwise a good performance. Larkyn just missed the FS but still a respectable performance.

 

[WanderlustTO]

Yikes, what a miss for Gabby. I just couldn't believe she missed that combo - she can do it in her sleep. It is what it is - she fought hard, I'm proud of her representing Canada. I'm sure she'll be fired up for the long program.

As far as Kaetlyn goes - I won't lie...she was even better than I ever imagined. I had to look a couple of times at the final score - I knew she had it in her to do an amazing skate...but her final score relative to others was more than I could have possibly hoped for. So thrilled for her.

Not the skate that Larkman would have hoped for and I'm sure she's deeply disappointed by her final result. But it's the Olympics - she should be proud of herself making the team - and I appreciate the tremendous work/effort she put in to represent the country.

 

[Rafter]

On a vain note, I thought Gabby’s makeup was terrible today. Too much, too goth.

 

[coppertop1]

Yikes, what a miss for Gabby. I just couldn't believe she missed that combo - she can do it in her sleep. It is what it is - she fought hard, I'm proud of her representing Canada. I'm sure she'll be fired up for the long program.

As far as Kaetlyn goes - I won't lie...she was even better than I ever imagined. I had to look a couple of times at the final score - I knew she had it in her to do an amazing skate...but her final score relative to others was more than I could have possibly hoped for. So thrilled for her.

Not the skate that Larkman would have hoped for and I'm sure she's deeply disappointed by her final result. But it's the Olympics - she should be proud of herself making the team - and I appreciate the tremendous work/effort she put in to represent the country.

Gabby is kicking herself but at least she held it together. She didn't let go. Kaetlyn is only four points back of first, three points behind Med. I'm already nervous! Come on, Kaetlyn!

It was a tall order for Larkyn to make the free skate.it's such a strong field. Larkyn did well to make the team and looked like she enjoyed her performance. She should have a positive takeaway from this.

 

[WanderlustTO]

Gabby is kicking herself but at least she held it together. She didn't let go. Kaetlyn is only four points back of first, three points behind Med. I'm already nervous! Come on, Kaetlyn!

It was a tall order for Larkyn to make the free skate.it's such a strong field. Larkyn did well to make the team and looked like she enjoyed her performance. She should have a positive takeaway from this.

Exactly. My only "problem" (if you even want to call it that) is that Gabby missed something that is so easy for her - but, like you said, I'm so proud of her for showing fight and pushing through.

A big reason that Canada has become so competitive in an event we've (historically) had difficulty with is because of Gabby!

 

[nimi]

It was a tall order for Larkyn to make the free skate.it's such a strong field. Larkyn did well to make the team and looked like she enjoyed her performance. She should have a positive takeaway from this.

Exactly.

Excerpts from her instagram post:

I can't tell you how incredibly heartbreaking it is for me to miss qualifying for the long program by only one spot. I knew coming into the Olympics that I would most likely only qualify for the long by a hair, but I never let myself think about it. I am forced now to come to terms with travelling all the way to Korea and only competing a short program. Frankly, I'm embarrassed, but life will go on and I will get over it. (...) Despite all of the disappointment, I had the time of my life out on Olympic ice and I wish it could have lasted a lifetime! I've had so much fun here with all of Team Canada, and especially our skating team, who have shown me unwavering support. I'm so excited to make the best of the last few days I have here in the Olympic Village, especially since tomorrow is my 20th birthday! (...) See you all in Milan for worlds, and in Beijing 2022

 

[Seerek]

I think Larkyn was selling herself a little short with that post - 18th in components in the short program means the judges were willing to go with her had she skated just a little cleaner.

 

[mag]

Kurt and Carol said it best, Austman was there for the Olympic experience, full stop. Obviously there was a chance she could make the freeskate, but considering her personal best was around 42 going into these games, she was going to need the skate of her life and some help.

All of that said, she had a great skate! She performed, she WENT FOR THE 3/3 WITH NO TURNS!! I would say that is the very best she could be expected to do. I don’t think Austman and her team understand the value many of these skaters have got from competing a lot outside their own Fed. They have to do it to get a reasonable PCS score, Austman gets that PCS respect because she is Canadian, but there is so much more value to getting out of your bubble. From a strategy standpoint they were crazy to have her go for the 3/3. A big clean 3/2 (she gets the big fed PCS bump anyway) would have put her in qualification. She doesn’t have a 3/3 and her levels here reflected what she usually does. The tech panels at local competitions tend to have blurry vision when it comes to her ability especially with step sequences which, in retrospect, is probably not helpful.

At least the judges are doing their best to make sure Osmond shows up for Worlds, but if she doesn’t things are going to get interesting!

 

[ChiquitaBanana]

All of that said, she had a great skate! She performed, she WENT FOR THE 3/3 WITH NO TURNS!!

I had the exact same thought! Good for her, good for a fighting spirit. Go all out! That was an accomplishment for her!

 

[coppertop1]

Larkyn missed the cut by one point. One. She was very close. It was a good performance and valuable experience. Athletes are always hard on themselves. I was worry she'd be a deer in the headlights like Susan Humphreys in 1994 and people would say Alaine should have been chosen instead, but Larkyn held it together. I wonder where Alaine would have finished with a good skate?

 

[mag]

Larkyn missed the cut by one point. One. She was very close. It was a good performance and valuable experience. Athletes are always hard on themselves. I was worry she'd be a deer in the headlights like Susan Humphreys in 1994 and people would say Alaine should have been chosen instead, but Larkyn held it together. I wonder where Alaine would have finished with a good skate?

I believe Alaine score 60+ at 4CC’s. The thing is, Alaine didn’t hold it together at Nationals and didn’t have a body of work that would give her the spot over Austman. The reality is the 3rd lady doesn’t matter here or at Worlds. It is an experience spot. My only regret with Austman getting it is that I don’t see her being a factor in 4 years and so we may well have a women’s Olympic team with no veterans on it (Gabby of course may still be around.)

ETA: just realized that Gabby and Austman are the exact same age.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

On a vain note, I thought Gabby’s makeup was terrible today. Too much, too goth.

I dint mind the makeup but hated the bridesmaid hair... why do girls like that?????

Give this gay guy the pretty pony back PLEASE!!!!!!

 

[Erin]

All of that said, she had a great skate! She performed, she WENT FOR THE 3/3 WITH NO TURNS!!

Yeah, I was super impressed with this! She really doesn't have anything to be embarrassed about. She put out a season's best performance and did much better than many people expected her to do (including me).

 

[mag]

Yeah, I was super impressed with this! She really doesn't have anything to be embarrassed about. She put out a season's best performance and did much better than many people expected her to do (including me).

It does make me wonder about the expectations of her team. Did they really think she would miraculously land a 3/3 for the first time in competition at the Olympics? Everything else was fine. Being disappointed at not making the free is understandable, but to say you are embarrassed when you improved your personal best score by 9 points seems a bit

Oh well, emotions run high. I hope when she gets home she can realize that she did more than anyone expected her to do and be proud that she just got out there and did her best.

 

[Rafter]

What do we think Osmond has to do to get her PCS up to the level of the Russian girls and Kostner?

 

[manhn]

Consistency is her biggest issue, and I think the judges give her more of the benefit of the doubt. I also think her less than ideal SP at the team event hampered her a bit. Had she skated similarly last week and got a similar score, there would have been an entire week of "Well, Osmond should be a lot closer to Med, she should have even beaten her!" narrative.

Kostner is kinda one of a kind. It's like saying "Oh, just improve your skating skills to Patrick's level". Not exactly easy to do.

 

[coppertop1]

I believe Alaine score 60+ at 4CC’s. The thing is, Alaine didn’t hold it together at Nationals and didn’t have a body of work that would give her the spot over Austman. The reality is the 3rd lady doesn’t matter here or at Worlds. It is an experience spot. My only regret with Austman getting it is that I don’t see her being a factor in 4 years and so we may well have a women’s Olympic team with no veterans on it (Gabby of course may still be around.)

ETA: just realized that Gabby and Austman are the exact same age.

Gabby and Larkyn will both be 24. I think Gabby will still be around. Larkyn might be but it's hard to say where she will be. Kaetlyn may or may not be. She'll be 26. It's hard to say. Same with Alaine. Many of our juniors will have matured, too.

 

[fsfann]

What do we think Osmond has to do to get her PCS up to the level of the Russian girls and Kostner?

Skate under the Russian flag maybe?