big question...I thought H/B had fantastic skating skills but they rec'd 8.86 compared to 9.39 G/P. Has Piper improved her skating skills drastically over the last few yrs. because it was said they were bad a lot a few yrs. ago..Paul always had great skating skills. l am asking for expert opinion as unless it is exactly pointed out to me where and when something happened & why it is bad I am lost....I never figure skated?
When thinking about Piper Gilles' skating skills, it's important to consider who the references are. Does she compare well to Papadakis or Hubbell? No. But they aren't in the field anymore. Does she compare well to Lewis? Absolutely, yes. Does she compare well to Chock. Yes, I'd say they're about the same--and some of G/P's choreography is more complex and difficult, which Gilles is executing well, so for this season I'd say her skating skills have been better than Chock's. Does she compare well to Hawayek? It depends on which Hawayek shows up. Sometimes, she skates with effortless glide. Sometimes, she looks tense and skates tense. And of course, Hawayek/Baker don't have the same reputation so this whole discussion is rather academic.