Comparing and contrasting the 2 most current WORLD SILVER medalists in LADIES

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Kaetlyn and Ashley are 2 of my favorite current competitive skaters. To me, they also compliment each other nicely as skaters, style and packaging.

Now that Ive seen a sniplet of Kaetlyn's "Black Swan" I remember Ashley's as well.

To me both are powerful skaters. One thing is that Osmond doesn't get the URs that Wagner gets. From the untrained eye their jumps can look somewhat similar perhaps but when you see the coverage Osmond gets the power is way obvious.

Both can assume a character in their pieces. Perhaps more for Ash? Or do you think they are even in this?

Would you give spins advantage to Osmond?

Both can entertain an audience and both can emote easily.

I should go back and look at Ashley's protocols from her Silver and Osmond's protocols from her Silver and see how they did comparatively.

What differences and similarities do you see between them?

 

[Spun Silver]

To me Osmond is a far better skater. But Ashley performs the heck out of her material. I usually much prefer Osmond but sometimes Ashley at her best can steal the thunder from an inconsistent Osmond.

Also, Osmond has a joyous quality that I love watching. Ashley's sex goddess thing seems forced to me.

 

[screech]

Kaetlyn has a coach that excels and maximizing point potential (being a technical specialist is a huge benefit here). To me there is no comparison in their jumps. Kaetlyn's have such height and power, and IMO her landing positions are among the most gorgeous of all competitors (male or female).
Ashley is better at embodying a character but overall, but when Kaetlyn skates, her love of skating is palpable. I'd rather watch Kaetlyn than Ashley, though I have watched Ashley's performance from Worlds 2016 a few times.

I think it would be interesting to compare the 2 most current world bronze medallists!!

 

[Karpenko]

Oh dear mother of god, why are you torturing me with this?

Ashley did it first and set a great example for Kaetlyn to try and imitate/follow/make better.

I am so freakin annoyed that she's doing Black Swan. Out of everything out there they went with Black Swan. Just throw her personality away on that generic warhorse that we've already seen a million times.

I'll leave everyone predicting gold medals with a thought:
https://youtu.be/ybFH4uqWIyU

 

[briancoogaert]

I appreciate both. Their skating is very powerful with good glide.
I think Osmond has a better technique in both basic skills and jumps. But Ashley delivers so well, she is hypnotizing when she is on.

 

[aftershocks]

Now that Ive seen a sniplet of Kaetlyn's "Black Swan"

Since you mentioned the 'sniplet,' but didn't provide a link to it, here it is:
https://twitter.com/kaetlyn_23/status/884847717830111232/video/1

If Kaetlyn is able to keep it together, she's obviously a very lovely skater with great jumping ability (again, when her nerves do not get the best of her). With Kaetlyn coming in second at Worlds this year, maybe she's gotten over the nerve-wracking hurdle. Time will tell.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIvN9GIBWAk 2017 sp
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAwZXW-O0dg 2017 fp

Ashley Wagner will forever be the best ever role model for making a very successful career through her own gumption, and saving U.S. ladies bacon in the process, after having been written off:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kq_Fgh4Qwb4 pretty memorable Ashley swan 2012 U.S. Nats
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjkdeueVJSs delightful Delilah 2012 TEB
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9p7ml2Ta34 Skate Canada sp 2015 fun & sexy, and she wins
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPJbXWylVNM 2016 Worlds fp (medal podium drought for U.S. ladies ended)
Boy Medvedeva should learn how not to pout when the camera is annoyingly trying to capture reactions!

 

[Skate Talker]

Thanks for the links. I cannot for the life of me figure out why, but I cannot recall ever having seen Ashley's Black Swan program, which is impossible.
I absolutely admire and enjoy Ashley Lots of guts and hard work maximizing her potential many times and not letting anyone dissuade her from her chosen path.
As for Kaetlyn, I have not always liked her free program choices, but have always enjoyed how she gives her all to the character she has chosen to create. (Some of the characters to me have been too brassy so I really enjoyed her evolution this year into a more refined, though still strong character.) I think she she also works exceptionally hard and loves to perform in front of a crowd so I would have to say I like both ladies very much. The difference I think is in the additional strength and speed Kaetlyn has, which is already, imo ahead of Ashley at her best, with the potential to improve even more.
jmho - love them both.

 

[clairecloutier]

Looking at the questions in the original post ... In comparing Kaetlyn/Ashley, technically, the edge goes to Kaetlyn. Her skating skills are among the strongest of current ladies; her jumps are the biggest and have some of the best exits (when she doesn't fall). It's interesting because I suspect Ashley's jump content is probably more difficult, and she has generally been more consistent in landing jumps than Kaetlyn. However Kaetlyn gets full rotation whereas Ashley often doesn't, and her jumps are bigger. In terms of spins, I'm not sure. Spins are a weak area for Ashley, and I think Kaetlyn probably has better rotational spin speed.

Artistically, I'd go with Ashley 100%. Kaetlyn is a good skater, but artistically she doesn't reach me. The only program of hers that really had impact for me was "Big Spender" and that was about 4 years ago. Since then, nothing has particularly stood out. I feel like Kaetlyn looks great, but doesn't really put as much of herself into the routines as she could. Whereas Ashley is one of the best in terms of selling every move and making it matter. Most of Ashley's routines since 2012 have been pretty memorable and interesting to me (last year's routines a little less so), whereas I can't say that for Kaetlyn. Of course, this is just my personal opinion.

 

[Vagabond]

I am so freakin annoyed that she's doing Black Swan. Out of everything out there they went with Black Swan. Just throw her personality away on that generic warhorse that we've already seen a million times.

According to she was going to do Carmen, but someone talked her out of it.

 

[VGThuy]

According to she was going to do Carmen, but someone talked her out of it.

Another thing she and Ashley have in common. Shae-Lynn said Ashley came to her and wanted to do Carmen while Shae-Lynn was like let's do something else that has the same effect. From that came Moulin Rouge!

 

[Karpenko]

According to she was going to do Carmen, but someone talked her out of it.

I think Kaetlyn could KILL IT as Carmen. Seriously, she's got the personality to do it justice. She should've gone that route instead and went with "fire and passion". But instead we get "soft pretty generic ice princess" with huge jumps.

 

[Meoima]

Osmond has better chance.

 

[honey]

I think Kaetlyn could KILL IT as Carmen. Seriously, she's got the personality to do it justice. She should've gone that route instead and went with "fire and passion". But instead we get "soft pretty generic ice princess with huge jumps".

Well there's also the small wrinkle that she's already skated to Carmen.

 

[Karpenko]

There's still Malagueña, that also would've fit her IMO.

I love Kaetlyn's personality and charisma, I don't understand why it's not emphasized more with the appropriate warhorses. there have been so many to choose from

 

[honey]

Back when she first came on the scene, people complained that she was a one trick pony and could do nothing but showy smiley programs. So she moved in another direction and now there's complaining that there's not enough personality being shown. Guess you can't please everyone.

I agree that they'd be foolish not to capitalize on her personality on the ice, but we have no idea what the rest of black swan lp will look like. The clip she posted seems like it has potential for her to have a great vamp moment in front of the judges at least. The (now expired) clip I watched on Amelie Lacostes Instagram
Story of the footwork had lots of power and attack and based on these clips my expectation is that she's going to be going for a dramatic, edgy black swan. I think there's lots of opportunity to show off her personality if it's been well choreographed.

 

[VGThuy]

There's still Malagueña, that also would've fit her IMO.

I love Kaetlyn's personality and charisma, I don't understand why it's not emphasized more with the appropriate warhorses. there have been so many to choose from

I think Swan Lake done right could be a great vehicle for her as long as she's committed to doing more than the bare minimum in terms of interpretation. There's a lot of depth to the best Odettes/Odiles. Of course, since we're old guards here, we've seen some...generic...Swan Lakes.

 

[Eeyora1]

According to she was going to do Carmen, but someone talked her out of it.

Well there's also the small wrinkle that she's already skated to Carmen.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ftIP1pqlm64

Maybe now that she's older she could do the music even more justice!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ftIP1pqlm64

For teenager I will admit her take was pretty could! But more fun and flirty than suductress.

 

[Skate Talker]

So speaking of Kaetlyn and her choreography, I just happened grab an old VCR tape to take to my aunt's today and part of it was 1991 Canadians - Men's Original program. Who should they show but an impossibly young 18-year-old Lance Vipond. Two biggest impressions - what a baby face, and never would have guessed someone with such a run of the mill program would become a choreographer. Of course there were some pretty entertaining programs happening from most of the men they showed so perhaps he was merely suffering from comparison to a really good bunch of programs.

 

[barbarafan]

According to she was going to do Carmen, but someone talked her out of it.

who?????????????????

 

[Marco]

Kaetlyn is a better skater in almost every aspect, but I feel Ashley is the better performer. The only technical advantage that I feel Ashley has over Kaetlyn is probably the fact that her jumps are much straighter in the air and that she has a consistent loop (inclination to UR notwithstanding).

I love them both though and would love to see them both to make the Olympic podium along with Marin Honda. (yeah I know)

 

[Bellanca]

There's nothing to debate. Advantage - Osmond.

 

[giselle23]

I think Ashley's Black Swan, choreo by Phillip Mills, is close to iconic. It certainly turned Ashley's career around. Ashley has been around a lot longer than Kaetlyn and has proven herself on the national and international level (to the podium level, at least). We'll see if Kaetlyn has really arrived or if she was just lucky this past season. If I had to predict right now, I would say neither will be on the Olympic podium.

 

[danibellerika]

To me Osmond is a far better skater. But Ashley performs the heck out of her material. I usually much prefer Osmond but sometimes Ashley at her best can steal the thunder from an inconsistent Osmond.

Also, Osmond has a joyous quality that I love watching. Ashley's sex goddess thing seems forced to me.

That tends to be my issue with Wagner as well. I rarely buy what she's selling. And I was lukewarm at best to Osmond the entire season. But after watching both of their SPs live in Helsinki and practices, I was more impressed with Osmond's performance than Wagner's, who was noticeably slow. Osmond's jumps in person were really big and impressive to me.

 

[DimaToe]

Osmond is obviously the more naturally talented of the two. I personally prefer Wagner mostly based on the type of career they have each had.

Thinking about it when was the last time the North American ladies were this strong? 3 different ones have medaled at worlds in the last 2 years.

 

[MAXSwagg]

Osmond is obviously the more naturally talented of the two. I personally prefer Wagner mostly based on the type of career they have each had.

Thinking about it when was the last time the North American ladies were this strong? 3 different ones have medaled at worlds in the last 2 years.

As for Ashley, well. We're not in Boston anymore...

 

[Vash01]

Osmond is a better jumper and she is a natural performer. Inconsistency has hurt her in the past. Ashley has worked hard to become a great performer but sometimes she overdoes it and sometimes she struggles with the jumps. She has had a long career already, so the 2016 silver was a high point. For Osmond the 2017 silver could be a start of a long career.