2019 Challenge Cup, The Hague, 21-24 February 2019

[livetoskate]

Great skate by Sota Yamamoto!

https://youtu.be/6x3qVKRA3kQ

 

[rosewood]

Great skate by Sota Yamamoto!

https://youtu.be/6x3qVKRA3kQ

The process of Sota's comeback from the serious injuries is inspiring. Maybe he'll be competitive with other Japanese Sr men for the 3rd spot for Worlds next season as well as a sport for 2022 Beijin. We'll see.

ETA:
I think Kagiyama is promising too. I like him.

 

[zigzig]

The < on Kihira's 3T in the combo seems
Drives me insane Asian skaters seem to be under the microscope while Russian girls get off scot free.

 

[ldec]

Back at the competition for the ladies FS. Didn’t take notes during the first 2 skate.

M Stalen Nor
3t step out
3s hd
2a-2t step out
Popped axel
2lz-3t (?)
2fl-2t(?)

Lovely music but she seems to be just skating through it
2flip

 

[ldec]

C Vandersarren BEL

Pop axel
2lutz
Popped loop
3toe
2toe looks discouraged
3t-2t
Popped axel fall

Graceful lovely skater imo but I guess this was not her competition

 

[ldec]

Y Lehmann SUI - skating to Danse Macabre

3lutz fall
3flip fall
3loop shaky
Popped axel
3t step out
3salchow (?)
2 axel good

 

[ldec]

Didn’t take detailed notes on the 2 Austrian girls but Sophia had a good skate, her team went insanely happy once her score came out. Did she qualify for worlds or something?

 

[ldec]

Sophia Sula - don’t want to mislead with inaccurate PBP so I won’t post my jump notes on her here. She seemed to have major trouble with the flip falling on one and popping the 2nd. Score is 79,87 for FS, 128,95 total, she’s now 2nd.

 

[Hanna]

OMG Schaller in the K'n'C, that totally made my day. .02!

 

[ldec]

MBM

3loop - was off axis, fall
3lutz- 2toe
3flip
Another combo that was successful but I missed writing it
3lutz- hand down
3salchow

I liked her SP better. Goes into first.

 

[umronnie]

Time for Rika's "come from behind" schtick.

 

[Hanna]

Suck on that, British fed!!!

 

[ldec]

Wakaba seemed to struggle a bit with jumps during the warmup.

3toe
3lutz-2toe
3toe (?)
2axel
3lutz very nice
3loop
Popped axel
2flip
Her footwork is beautiful
Nice spin to finish

She looked fast and fluid today.

 

[ldec]

S Andrews

3lutz
3t-3t
3flip
2axel
3loop
3loop I think she repeated that?
3salchow

Beautiful skate from her. She’s very happy. Goes to 1st.

 

[ldec]

Rika looked very solid during the warmup

3axel(!)
2a-3t
3loop
3lutz-3toe
3flip
3lut(rippon) -2lo-2lo
3toe

Very good skate for her, she looked stable and confident. Will probably go to first with huge advantage.

 

[umronnie]

64.48 PCS <Shakes head in disgust>

 

[ldec]

Amber Glenn

Good speed into 3flip - 3toe fall
2axel (nice height) - 3toe - 2 loop
3 salchow
Long settup into a popped lutz
3loop
3toe-2toe
2axel

 

[maureenfarone]

@Idec thanks for the PBP!

 

[ldec]

@Idec thanks for the PBP!

Happy I could help!

Top 3 is:
Kihira
Starr Andrews
Wakaba Higuchi

ETA. Protocols are ready: http://kunstrijden.knsb.nl/2018-2019/20190221/TheH220218_LadiesSenior_FS_Scores.pdf

I see I have a lot to learn about distinguishing jumps in real time

 

[Wyliefan]

Thank you for the PBP!

 

[Braulio]

Rika Kihira FS
https://youtu.be/8RWMx5jixrU

Starr Andrews FS
https://youtu.be/w5QtN4fiIx0

Karly Robertson FS
https://youtu.be/vvW_uNRgTxc

Mae Berenice Meite FS
https://youtu.be/zJx8Wdyopsc

Wakaba Higuchi FS
https://youtu.be/4eva2nAhn-I
https://ok.ru/video/950674066049

Amber Glenn FS
https://youtu.be/kzSbu0sdNzQ

 

[zigzig]

Hm...Rika's PCS has ranged pretty widely this season (64.48 here to 72.40 at GPF). She's undefeated internationally this season and has the most difficult content of all the current senior ladies but judges just don't seem to be sold

 

[Jeschke]

OMG Schaller in the K'n'C, that totally made my day. .02!

Ah, I need to see
@Braulio ?

 

[SmallFairy]

Ah, I need to see
@Braulio ?

Me too!!

 

[Braulio]

Ah, I need to see
@Braulio ?

Sorry I don't have it. And since the stream is not archived well...

 

[jenny12]

Hm...Rika's PCS has ranged pretty widely this season (64.48 here to 72.40 at GPF). She's undefeated internationally this season and has the most difficult content of all the current senior ladies but judges just don't seem to be sold

Unfortunately for her, she isn’t Russian.

 

[Hindernisse]

Ah, I need to see
@Braulio ?

Check Ziegler's and Kiefer's instagram stories. Their scream after Schaller's score came up was even louder than the reaction of Japanese fans after Kihira landed 3A. Then they hopped happily to join Schaller and Kiefer's sister in K'n'C. Very cute!! Loved this team spirit.

 

[Hindernisse]

Did MBM leave Zimmerman?
It's funny how she is a head taller than Amodio (OK, in her skates but still)

Fontana and Zimmerman just didn't bother to come to the Hague. MBM is still very happy with them.

Ah no, missed TES by .4pts.
Roth is really sad

Cup of Tyrol girl!

Roth was very hurt having missed the minimum and cried for a good hour after her skate. Koenig did his best to encourage her, but not too successfully.

Wakaba seems to struggle a bit with the 2nd jump of her lutz combo on the warmup.

She had the same problem during practices on Saturday and Sunday. She hardly landed a clean triple-triple. Either the second jump was a double, or a < triple or botched altogether, because of a huge lean upon landing the lutz. She just didn't look in shape at this comp.

 

[WillyElliot]

Rika looked very solid during the warmup

3axel(!)
2a-3t
3loop
3lutz-3toe
3flip
3lut(rippon) -2lo-2lo
3toe

Very good skate for her, she looked stable and confident. Will probably go to first with huge advantage.

Would it be worth more points to change this into a 3Z-2A sequence? How much is a 2A versus two 2L's???

 

[ldec]

She had the same problem during practices on Saturday and Sunday. She hardly landed a clean triple-triple. Either the second jump was a double, or a < triple or botched altogether, because of a huge lean upon landing the lutz. She just didn't look in shape at this comp.

I did not see any practices but all I can say is that it was a real treat to watch Wakaba at this competition (first one I saw live btw!) despite her not being in best shape, and I liked her the most from the ladies here (followed by Starr Andrews and Mae Bernice).

The current field of Japanese ladies is insanely deep and I cannot give a proper assessment of her chances for next year but I have my fingers crossed that she can overcome whatever difficulties are plaguing her and have a successful comeback. She is a very talented skater and truly entertaining to watch. It would be a real pity and waste of talent if someone like her gets overshadowed and buried with time.