Junior JGP Ladies Long
Jon Seydl
The warmup was a splatfest, but the programs were almost uniformly better.
Suzuki, JPN (3 overall) Not superfast but even. 3lz-toe axel. 1f
(2footed). layback (13). strong 3lp-2lp. 1a. 3f from steps. flycamel
(8). 3flz (maybe 2foot?). 3s (a little prerotated?). 2a. combo
(11/7). I'll bet that I missed a 3t in my notes. The element list masks
the beauty and joy and complexity of her skating, and I especially loved
the mood changes with each section of the program.
Phaneuf, CAN (7 free, 7 overall): layback (10, with 5 uprights on each
end). 2a with good height and excellent distance. 3t fall b/c break at
waist. 3s no flow. 3p (squat with hand down), flycamel (10). 3lz
(could have been flutzed, but barely) with painfully slow entry (squat
with hand down). 3t fall (this time overrotated). 2a-2t. some double.
combo (10/8). She must put power in her edging. Latin music was a
problematic choice because it lends itself to smaller rhythmic movements,
something that works against extending her motions out more. Pleasant to
watch. 4.2-4.6, 4.3-4.7.
Ota, JPN (6? overall). 2a (landed low). Slow entry into 2.75flz fall,
flycamel (8). 3t-2t. Slows down here. 2f (badly 2footed). 3s. combo
(10/12, including magical layback and Thompson positions, timed to the
music-one of the few spins in the whole competition to do this). 3lp
(turnout, prerotated). outstanding inas and spirals to the musical
highlights (memo to Michael Weiss). beautiful step sequence including a
smashing split jump-her speed increases through here. 3t (landed low).
layback (20 in great positions). She seriously lacks power and doesn't
look at the audience, but she is a mesmerizing interpreter of music
nonetheless. Ota skates with excitement and expansive breadth-she skates
bigger than any of the others in many ways. She (and the always-thinking
Tom Dickson) really got something out of Turandot I have never seen
before. 4.4-4.6, 4.2-4.8.
Tkatchuk, RUS (last in free): Beautiful plum velvet dress with cross
strips in the back. Brahms vln/cello concerto, an unusual choice of
music, thoughtfully and creatively interpreted. 3f (through the roof),
1flz (2foot), flycamel (8), 2s (2foot), 3t no flow, sidelean spin (6),
3lp, spirals slow. 3lz (2foot). 2a. Combo (6/8). Alas the jump
problems really disrupted the flow. Her patterns also did not utilize
the whole ice surface well, despite her unexpected changes of direction.
4.1-4.7, 4.2-4.7
Nelidina, RUS (up to 2 overall): Verdi I think. 3lz-2t from steps. 2a
with great flow. 3lp (2foot takeoff?). 3f. 3t. layback (9, not great
position). Lame, adequate spirals. 3s. ok circular steps. Butterfly
(12). Walley-mazurka to combo (12/15). Fast without being really
energetic, nor are her positions-except for jumps-truly finished off.
Sort of the opposite of Ota-she doesn't take advantage of her superior
stroking and flow. 5.1-5.4, 4.7-5.4 (the latter seem extreme)
Nakano, JPN (5 overall?): Something from Smetana's Ma Vlast not the
Moldau? 3fz (bad)-2t. 3t with great flow. very high 3lp even more flow
in and out. flycamel (11). High 2lp (was to be 3lp-3lp, though none
correctly executed in practices). Layback (12 with ok positions). Then
it unraveled: Slow section slowed down with weak positions. 3fz fall
(flutz so wrenched to the inside that her balance was utterly thrown
off). 3t-3t fall (crossedfoot landing). Terrible waxel. Combo (6/slow
scratch). The long program is not as carefully constructed as the short,
and it really needs refinement. Her jump technique is seriously ailing,
and no sign at any practices of a 3axel. 4.7-5.0, 4.6-5.0
Ando, JPN (1 free, 1 overall): Tchaikovsky ballet music? Supernova
program; I was quivering at the end. The trip to Bled was worth it for
this program alone. Magisterial 3t from steps. High 3lz-3lp (hard to
see if there was a cheat, but I noticed in practice that she cannot do
the 3loop when she flutzes). 2a-halflp-3s. layback (8). Slowed in slow
section. Decent straight-line steps. Telegraphed high 3lp. 3flz.
flycamel (7 and a bit slow). 2a. Bang-on 3flip. Combo spin
(15/scratch). She still lacks the power and height of the Russians, but
her composure during the jumps (their lift!) and the way they integrate
into the program is astonishing. Emotional presentation without
emoting. La la la! 5.4-5.6, 4.9-5.5
Basova, RUS (5? free). The kind of performance you hate to see, and I
don't even mean because of her utterly banal and slightly trashy
interpretation of Malagueña. High 3lp from double threes (turnout).
High 3lutz with excellent flow. flycamel (7 in unstable position). 2f
(2footed) right into 1a with little speed (2footed). 2t with flow.
2.5t. combo (9/6 but camel not secure). 3s (hand down). Travelling
layback without turning out the leg. Power, but generally sloppy and
jerky. The camel was another big problem for her here-she could not get
the freeleg position set). She was furious with herself afterwards.
4.3-4.9, 4.8-5.2
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Jon L. Seydl jse...@sas.upenn.edu