Skate America 2025 Women’s Free -Misses Accomplished

[mtnskater]

If you haven’t seen the free skate press conference it’s a must watch! Alysa absolutely cracked me up. Phil Hersh said she looked “tired” out there and Alysa was genuinely surprised and said hmmm she did not feel tired. She said she tends to do things at the last minute and tied her skates too tight so her jumping didn’t feel quite right. She said next time she’s going to get her skates tied sooner Then she was repeatedly asked about which free program we would see in the future and she said it’s basically whichever vibe she is feeling at the time And if her costume is not ready for the Gaga program for the GPF, even though the program is ready she won’t skate it. She makes me want to tear my hair out with this kind of stuff, but it’s actually pretty refreshing she doesn’t sweat bullets over everything like most of the skaters. Rinka came across much more competitive and fiery, which also surprised me. Gubanova came across as much quieter and shyer than the other two, which also surprised me. Press conferences sure give a little window into the skaters personalities.

I also don’t think there was “home cooking” in the result. World Champions always get bonus PCS and GOE whether at home or not. Look at Kaori Sakamoto and how her flutz is often not called. Reputation has caused bias or bonus in figure skating judging for as long as figure skating has been a judged sport. In any event, I felt it could go either way too, knowing that Rinka has often gotten Q and under calls. So I’m not wuzrobbing here. I enjoyed so many of the women’s short and long programs at SA. Well skated event. And I’m especially happy for Starr!

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Interesting, the majority of the judges put LaNaGu on the podium.

 

[Karen-W]

We have manmade judging and officiating systems across all sports. We might bitch and moan about them, but it's when there are built-in incentives for not following them, like the corridor and federation-controlled judges, that it's just not a matter of humans disagreeing.

Well, I won't disagree about the corridor or federation-controlled judges; but I don't think either of those came into play here at SkAm for the women's result. Some people might argue that there was JSF internal politics at play with the Japanese judge placing Rinka 5th, but, honestly, I have a hard time believing that any federation is actively trying to lowball their own skaters, especially when they're in medal contention and could potentially qualify for the GPF. That doesn't serve the federation's interests.

It'd be a lot simpler to have the 4 top Japanese women this season qualify for the GPF and have another head-to-head comparison of those 4 women ahead of Japanese Nats to consider when selecting their Olympic team. Personally, much as I love Loena and like Samodelkina, I'm rather hoping the Finlandia results have Mone & Amber in 1st & 2nd (in whatever order, don't come at me, ANL!), which will then qualify Rinka for the GPF.

 

[PRlady]

The really interesting battle is the hair’s breadth difference in score between Stasia and Lara - given the impact on TE results in the upcoming Italy/Georgia battle.

 

[kwanfan1818]

I was speaking philosophically

 

[nlloyd]

Thanks for the correcting me re home cooking. It's interesting to see that the US judge had Rinka in first and for some reason the Japanese judge ranked her so low (5th).

I know people have talked about Alysa's components score as something that should be scrutinized in comparing the scores (and I think the program was emptier than Rinka's) but I am more interested in the jumps. I think the 3A + 3T should earn more points. When you compare Rinka's (at 14.03) to Alysa's highest scoring jump (3Lz +2A+ 2T SEQ at 12.73), it looks like the former should have a higher base value. Also, I was surprised to see that a 3S done well (Alysa's scored 5.22), does better than a 3Lz < (Rinka's scored 4.52). Also that a 3A << scores less (1.65) than a 2A < (2.52).

Alysa did slightly better on the spins, but not the step sequence. I don't know enough technically to know if that was justified.

Overall, Rinka's jumps seemed underscored to me even if she received one q and a << more than Alysa (but she also had more difficult content). It's late here so my numbers should probably be checked.

 

[MacMadame]

Overall, Rinka's jumps seemed underscored to me even if she received one q and a << more than Alysa (but she also had more difficult content). It's late here so my numbers should probably be checked.

The q, < and << all impact the GOE that can be given, though.

Or maybe some people are getting way too overworked over a manmade judging system which is never going to be perfect if only because we're human beings and bound to disagree. Paradoxically, it's both that deep and not that deep at all.

Nothing is perfect but that doesn't mean that all non-perfect things are the same. IJS could be improved in the area of technical calling and there are things that could be done using technology to make everything about judging better.

 

[SkateFanBerlin]

The q, < and << all impact the GOE that can be given, though.


Nothing is perfect but that doesn't mean that all non-perfect things are the same. IJS could be improved in the area of technical calling and there are things that could be done using technology to make everything about judging better.

We want good calls and technology can help with that. But, we`ve gotten away from the nature of this sport. Think of a Ballet competition. The judges are evaluating the quality of the "elements" - leaps, spins, toe-work, etc. But, thery decide based on the overall impression - the beauty of it, the emotion of it, the technique, etc. Nureyev was not a great technition but he was the best male dancer of his time. (arguably)

To get more interesting programs and skaters IJS needs a different move than improving technology. It needs to take elements out of PCS. We have GOE for judging them. Having them in GOE and PCS has weighed skating down. PCS should be a way for the judges to give value to the overall skating. Composition, presentation and skills such as use of edges, position/extension - other things I`m not educated enough to name.

There are people who are more comfortable with exacting numbers and they would want to to judge the skater based on an absolute standard. (Why not technology to measure deviation from a hologram image of the element?). In doing so they are creating a sport closer to school figures than skating. I think in part this has turned off much of the fan base.

 

[MacMadame]

I have been thinking about this because of the link @Matryeshka posted with the "best" Mission program. It was to Pairs program and compared to today's programs, it was relatively empty but it was, IMO, a better program and the elements were at least as hard as we see today, sometimes harder.

I like many aspects of IJS, but one thing it does not do is allow programs to breathe. So some sort of scoring that allows for that instead of getting more credit for "packing it in."

I do think, though, that technical aspects need to be judged as exactly as possible. Calling some under-rotations but not others is not acceptable.

 

[Coco]

I've been viewing youtubes of Albertville programs and wow....

IJS has been around 20+ years, and I am so used to IJS programs that I forgot what 6.0 skating - and spins - were like.

 

[Rob]

I miss long soaring spirals.