Figure Skating Chat!- Page 28

[MTVMANN]

Posted: 2/22/06 at 3:04pm

Now my thoughts on the ladies SP!

First things first! The Heartbreaks! I was sad for Elena Sokolova! She was a real dark horse, but she could have been up there! Great practices, but that one bad skate. It was actually heartbreaking if you like this skater.
Then there was Carolina Kostner. They've all been very vocal about the pressure put on her and she does have the goods, but there was no way she could land that jump like that! It was really sad, but a good LP could get her back up there!

The Suprises!
The girl from Turkey, Tugba KARADEMIR did qualify for the LP as did Silvia Fontana.

Also the girl from Georgia Elene GEDEVANISHVILI was the true suprise of the night! I saw the standings before I watched the programs(I had a rehearsal last night and only got back in time for Sasha, but I had it recorded! For the LP, I will have to do the same, but AM NOT GOING TO KNOW the results ahead of time!). Anyways, I thought that was weird that she was up there and had no idea who she was!

Now the Programs!

The Japanese!
Yeah for Fumie and Shizuka! 3rd and 4th! I love both of these skaters. However, in the LP Awakawa should have her 3-3, and her gorgeous ina bauer move. She's skating to the same music that she won the 2004 WC with, and that's a smart move! Fumie is very artistic, but I'm not sure what she's skating to. Beautiful landings though, and one of the best "pure" skaters there. Too bad for Miki Ando, but she didn't fall apart!

Irina! I LOVE Irina Slutskaya so much and I LOVE that program. I'm not sure why she did a triple lutz-double toe combination, since she usually does a double loop. It might have been a cover up and a good one at that(Shizuka Awakawa did the exact same thing, only we know she was going for the 3-3). I LOVE her combination spins! And I wish her all the luck in the LP!

The Americans!
Well Sasha is in the lead, but not by much at all! Beautiful program though, with all that you would expect from Sasha. The spins and the spirals, everything. Beautiful dress too! It makes me think of bubble gum because of all its bright colors! However, all the announcers were like "She did it, She's over her demons!" But really, We've seem Sasha skate clean SP's Many Many times......including that last Olympics!

Kimmie! I want to know what her music was, I liked it! Great opening combination and a great program! I'm glad she will be in the final group of ladies! She's got a chance! However, I do not like her sit spins. I think she should get lower!

Emily! Yeah Emily! She spins and does spirals everybit as good as Sarah did! I was so happy for her. I really wish she was in the final group for the LP though. However, the fact that she can be that close to Kimmie and the girl from Georgia w/o a 3-3 combination, means that she was better than them on the other aspects of skating!

Joannie Rochette was the 10th skater that I forgot about in a post that I made earlier! Too bad about that touch down. She can move up with a good LP!

[MTVMANN]

Posted: 2/22/06 at 3:17pm

Peach, ignore what I said about Miki Ando's music. NBC Olympics has their music listed and she did skate to Merry Christmas Mr. Lawerence......but it did sound like a variation of the main theme from "The Last Emperor".


On that page they also listed why there was only 29 skaters instead of 30. Victoria Voltkova of Russia had to withdraw!

I really liked her! Updated On: 2/22/06 at 03:17 PM

[DivaBrigader]

Posted: 2/22/06 at 4:02pm

I thought that Miki Ando skated to the soundtrack from "Spirited Away"? Or was that one of the other Japanese skaters?

Sasha was dynamite last night and if anyone else has seen the chart in today's NY Times, she won the SP on the spiral sequence. Irina's greatness comes from her speed, adrenaline, and frenetic energy. I'm actually glad she stopped pretending she could be an artist on the ice and just kills the audience with her athleticism instead. I still think Sasha is better because of her posture, her positions, and her ability to seduce the crowd, but it will be close. Irina's LP is worth more points so if they both hit, Irina's marks will be tough to beat technically. But let's all remember that Irina skated last in SLC as well. :)

GO SASHA!

[JLSatUD]

Posted: 2/22/06 at 4:10pm

I saw on a show last week that Sasha actually did some of the designing for her costumes including her SP costume. I really liked it - it was not too plain but not gaudy either. The blue was a great color!

I'm going to have to tie myself down not to check the results tomorrow. I know they'll wait until like 10:15pm to start showing the last warmup group of girls and it will be torture knowing I could just check online!

[Garland Grrrl]

Posted: 2/22/06 at 4:37pm

i also wanted to acknowledge the grace and nobility of the turkish skater. i'm so glad she will get to skate her lp as was her goal.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 2/22/06 at 4:39pm

MTVMANN, Was Victoria Voltkova the one who skated her LP to music from "Gone With the Wind" a few seasons ago?

[Jane2]

Posted: 2/22/06 at 4:42pm

Sasha's worn that costume before last night. I like it a lot. I'm happy with the results, I think they were fair. I feel that the LP will be pretty exciting because in the past, Sasha hasn't been able to overcome her nerves when it really counts.

[Garland Grrrl]

Posted: 2/22/06 at 4:44pm

several skaters have been using music by ennio morricone from THE MISSION. yo-yo ma recorded a haunting arrangement last year. this has long been one of my favorite pieces of music from a film.

[MTVMANN]

Posted: 2/22/06 at 4:45pm

Me TOO! Maybe she didn't do the most difficult jumps, but when it was all over, she did a clean and neat program. What's funny is that I saw her in the Opening Ceremony and then I forgot about her. I remembered that Carolina Kostner and Galit Chait carried their flags and then I saw her, but forgot about that until yesterday!

BTW, if anyone criticizes Irina's SP music, remember that Michelle Kwan was going to skate to it too. As for how Michelle would have done? Well, since the top 4 ladies didn't do a 3-3, only a 3-2 and since her programs were supposed to be ready to compete with the new code, I think she would have been in the top 3.

[JLSatUD]

Posted: 2/22/06 at 6:21pm

I'm watching "Olympic Ice" on USA right now ... I'm pretty sure Irina's skate blades are gold instead of silver. Interesting. From watching this practice it looks like it will be an exciting hour of skating tomorrow night for the medals!

[MTVMANN]

Posted: 2/22/06 at 7:38pm

DottieD'Luscia, Yes that was her! She skated to that at the 2002 Olympics. I'm really not too sure what she did in the skating world of 2004 and 2005. But at the 2003 WC, she was really close to winning a medal, but ended up in about 5th place. Very Pretty Skater, with the body and looks of a model.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 2/22/06 at 7:44pm

Thanks MTVMANN. I was wondering why I didn't see her last night. I remember she had a lot of potential but always fell short during her LP.

[cturtle]

Posted: 2/22/06 at 11:51pm

VOLCHKOVA's LP at DC worlds was a PONDEROUS affair, skated to THE SEASONS. i remember being struck by how SLOWLY she was skating. this is not always evident on TV, but seeing it live, i thought she would NEVER get across the ice. maybe it had to do with the additional weight of her ample bossum

[MTVMANN]

Posted: 2/23/06 at 12:01am

Ahhhh!


The 2003 WC was also the first time I saw Carolina Kostner, she was 7th(at least I hope she was otherwise this won't make sense!), then 5th in 2004 and 3rd last year......

Just like Sarah Hughes! 7th in 1999 WC, 5th in 2000, 3rd in 2001 and 1st the next year at the Olympics in her home country.

It was really setting up to be the same for Carolina as the Olympics are also in her home country, but after her SP it does not look like that is going to happen.

[MTVMANN]

Posted: 2/23/06 at 3:08pm

Ahhhh! Today is the day!!!!!! Some talented young ladies life is about to change forever! Well, actually everyone's life is about to change forever!

Honestly, it's going to be an upset if any of the top 3 don't stay in the top 3.
That's all I'll say......no jinx!

I have a feeling that I'm going to be crying tonight! I did 4 years ago!

Also, I've very much enjoyed talking with all of you about figure skating!
Updated On: 2/23/06 at 03:08 PM

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 2/23/06 at 3:24pm

Same here, MTVMANN. I've learned so much from this thread. I'm wondering where VEITgrl has been and also wish that KMF had something to add. I think with the new scoring system that the rankings are now very volatile (meaning since everyone is so close, things are bound to change with the final standings).

[Garland Grrrl]

Posted: 2/23/06 at 3:27pm

i can't see the skate but i have a link to live audio....
w/ commentary
live audio to women's free skate

Updated On: 2/23/06 at 03:27 PM

[Kitzarina]

Posted: 2/23/06 at 4:59pm

I have to break my addiction to Yahoo! Sports before it turns dangerous.

[Bluemoon]

Posted: 2/23/06 at 5:00pm

GG - thanks for the link. Everyone in the office huddled around the computer to listen. It was like a scene from the days of radio.

[mominator]

Posted: 2/23/06 at 5:03pm

Been following it on MSNBC myself, don't think I'll be able to stay awake to watch. BGG is a very happy poster!

[robbiej]

Posted: 2/23/06 at 5:07pm

I'm floored...I can't wait to watch tonight. My heart wouldn't have been able to take it without knowing!

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 2/23/06 at 5:08pm

Who was doing the commentary on the audio?

[Bluemoon]

Posted: 2/23/06 at 5:10pm

Two British gentlemen, but I don't believe they gave their names. The commentary was VERY minimal - no discription of what moves were being done. Only a brief recap at the end.

[pattifan2]

Posted: 2/23/06 at 5:12pm

Bluemoon, was one of them Robin Cousins? He's been doing some of the presenting on BBC here.

[Bluemoon]

Posted: 2/23/06 at 5:15pm

Could very well have been. I would have known if I had seen them, but I couldn't distinquish the voices. One gentleman did call the other Chris. Maybe Chris Dean?

Again, the feed was obviously designed to go along with video, but we just got audio. Still, nice to hear.
Updated On: 2/23/06 at 05:15 PM