GPdF 2025 PBP - Women SP: “Which came first - the chicken or the edge (call)?”

[Spikefan]

Some great skates this early in the season.

 

[NinjaTurtles]

Nakai was really a delight. My section didn’t give her enough love for that 3A.

 

[kwanfan1818]

I've given up hope that Sakamoto's Faux 3Lz will get called unless someone on the tech panel gets their skating order wrong and thinks she's another skater. I'm not buying that everything together was within 4 TES points to Nakai, at least today.

Sumiyoshi skated to soft, classical-lite-ish music that I don't recognize in a dress of lovely pastels. I loved her skate and her dress.

 

[jenny12]

Spectacular power as always from Kaori made that damn music bearable. Definitely some questionable jumps.

What a great competition to start the season overall!

 

[Skaterbob]

Nakai was really a delight. My section didn’t give her enough love for that 3A.

They might not have realized it was a triple axel because it was so easy looking.

 

[PRlady]

Can’t argue with Kaori’s PCS, no one has her speed and power. Think the top four are accurate. I enjoyed that despite what seemed to be 10 different falls on the solo jump.

 

[Theatregirl1122]

The back of the dress needs to be raised so that it goes straight across the back along the bra-line rather than the deep V down to the small of her back. It would look infinitely better that way.

My concern is the look of the "halter" on top, which drapes weirdly across her shoulder.

 

[zigzig]

Ami - SUB-LIME. Should have cracked 80 with this skate.

Sakamoto - didn't look entirely comfortable out there but got the job done. Good program for her. Didn't like all the sharp, staccato choreography at the top to such lyrical music.

Levito - combo looked very wonky so lucky she got that called clean. Perfect material for her - so charming and natural on her and really integrates the elements well.

Sumiyoshi - annoyed she got a q on her combo - seems harsh compared to some other skaters. Dress has too much going on.

Schild - she needs a clinic in Japan to get down into her knees. Amazed as always that she can eke out the triple toes in her combos with no speed/momentum.

Kim - lots of growth in expression and connection to music/audience. Kind of a harsh q on the combo. Shame about the flip.

Lin-Gracey - this song is atrocious. Lara Fabian needs to be banned from skating programs. Kind of a meh-fest in general.

Shin - has a bad habit of popping. Generic but good program for her.

Serna - pretty good combo, too bad about the flip.

You - tech panel clearly had a bone to pick with her. Good fresh program for her though.

Mayindu - lucky she didn't get any rotation calls since the combo and axel certainly seemed under. Home field advantage I guess.

Livia - hard falls, poor girl. Insane elevation on her lutz. That was like a pole vault. But weak skating to such powerful music. And no accentuation of the big climax of the song.

 

[skatingguy]

I'm sorry, the only acceptable cover of Stairway is by Heart.

I'm confused - that's the version she was skating to.

 

[floridaice]

I'm confused - that's the version she was skating to.

No, she was skating to Beth Hart. I'm referring to the version by the band Heart -- Ann & Nancy Wilson.

 

[sk8nlizard]

Pacific Northwest Ballet got a liquor license for their costume staff to use vodka to spray on the costumes after dress rehearsals and performances, until they were deep cleaned at the end of runs. Vodka kills the bacteria and smells without destroying the fabric.

When I was still taking classes, I sprayed vodka into my Flamenco shoes after wearing them. I was really surprised that it didn’t dry out and degrade the leather insides.

Think this would work with my 12 year old’s volleyball shoes that smell AWFUL?! Or will she get pulled aside for smelling like alcohol

 

[kwanfan1818]

Luckily, the alcohol evaporates once everything starts drying, lol. I sprayed my shoes after class, and then let them dry out, and there was no vodka smell by the time I used them again.

For costumes, they mostly spray them on the inside and the edge around the armpits. The tutus and tunics are lined, so that helps.

 

[victorskid]

Free Skate Start Order/Results: https://results.isu.org/results/season2526/gpfra2025/SEG004.htm

Detailed time schedule: https://results.isu.org/results/sea...----------FNL-000100--_StartListwithTimes.pdf

ISU YouTube stream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlCM3GohF78

START ORDER
Warm-Up Group 1
1 Livia KAISER SUI 12 42.30
2 Clemence MAYINDU FRA 11 48.05
3 Young YOU KOR 10 54.40
4 Lea SERNA FRA 9 57.06
5 Jia SHIN KOR 8 59.23
6 Elyce LIN-GRACEY USA 7 59.30

Warm-Up Group 2
7 Chaeyeon KIM KOR 6 62.24
8 Lorine SCHILD FRA 5 62.45
9 Rion SUMIYOSHI JPN 4 71.03
10 Isabeau LEVITO USA 3 73.37
11 Kaori SAKAMOTO JPN 2 76.20
12 Ami NAKAI JPN 1 78.00


NOTE - There is now a separate FS thread

 

[LilJen]

Kaori, WHAT is that outfit? I do not understand her fashion sense. This plus last year’s FS costume make me want to fire her dressmaker.

 

[Evgeniafan]

Can't we send Tammy and Joanne McLeod to some kind of farm upstate?

Yes.

 

[peibeck]

Mayindu's disco ball blouse gets all the from me, much I'm sure to @AngieNikodinovLove (ANL) 's chagrin. Not a great skate, but I like her presentation

Young You started well and giving more emotion than I remember from her and then splat on the 3F.

Serna: lovely 3z/3t combo but egads this music is hideous.

Kaiser: Oh dear... packaging, choreo, and presentation all coming off as very junior. I guess she hasn't recovered from her injuries.

Nakai a marvel of technique and nice presence. "La Strada" isn't a warhorse I care for, but she sold it well although it's a bit too cutesy in choreography.

Sumiyoshi She's come so far in her presence over the last few seasons. Interpretation the most elegant of this first flight.


Schild: I'm sure there could be a good program to "Stairway to Heaven" but other than the steps, this wasn't it. And this costume is a big no.


Shin's presentation is as grey and drab as her dress.



Lin-Gracey's elegance is astounding, but her technique is about 3 Olympic cycles in the past, I fear.

Kim's mud colored dress doesn't help her practically non-existent presentation (at least she tried a little during the steps).

Levito improved jumps, but if you're going for this "Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" vibe bring some humor or camp.

Sakamoto is making me sad to see her go. Such mature presentation and wild energy.

 

[genevieve]

I'm late watching, just saw Ami Nakai and her expression and performance quality is so great that I had no idea that she'd done a 3A Yes, it flagged a bit at the end but holy cats that was a very nice surprise!

 

[skateycat]

Every time that the commentator butchers Kaori’s name I want to scream!

I think I have found something that peeves me more than when someone writes loose when they mean lose.

I think I am going to “loose” my mind LOLOLOL

 

[skatingguy]

Short Program Protocols

 

[4rkidz]

Finally catching up, wow some great programs! LOVE the top 3, Isabeau what a lovely surprise I absolutely loved that program, she will put the pressure on the US women and I hope I get to see that program at the Olympics. Ami, watched her live as a junior as she did not disappoint and such great presentation with a fabulous triple axel that looked so smooth. Finally, Kaori - did not disappoint. I love this final program for her it was just beautiful, good scoring as well. What an exciting start for the Grand Prix season.

 

[Matryeshka]

I don't care about Kaori's flutz, I loves her so much and I don't want to say goodbye