After watching Alisa and Daria, I can't say I particularly enjoyed their FS. I'm sorry. Alisa, I think, lost any kind of spark the moment she made the first mistake and had to catch up. And then with each further mistake, she became even less enthusiastic and more and more grim. I'd love to see this program skated cleanly, though, because I don't think it was a bad program at all. 

 

Daria seemed like she was going into the gallows all through her FS. Her choreography was puzzling in itself but I think it was made worse by her demeanor being so completely detached from what I'd expect her expression to be with the kind of choreographic touches she had in the FS, like the little jumps and skipping around. She has lovely jumps, though, and I think she has some of the best rippons from the Russian girls. I watched her FS from an earlier competition, and even though I didn't particularly like the choreo there either, I realize going clean (which she did in that competition) makes a lot of difference when it comes to appreciating it a bit more, especially in backloaded layouts.

 

I don't particularly like fully backloaded layouts in the FS (don't have as much of an issue with it in the SP because it's shorter). I wish these girls would at least place a spin in between the jumps in this case, or go like Trusova and Tarakanova and do at least one jump in the beginning -- and still do a spin between the backloaded jumps). My issue with composition isn't even when all jumps are backloaded; I had my issues with Nathan Chen's layout last season too, because he placed all his spins at the end. I just like balanced layouts. Heck, I even prefer H&L's layout to Seimei's because of that sense of balanced elements. 

 

Daria's sadness at the medal ceremony was really hard to see, though. Cheer up, you can do better in your next assignment, I'm sure of it!

 

All in all, my favorite skates were definitely Rika, Yuhana and Emmy. 

 

 

1 hour ago, Hannah said:

And congrats to Daria!!! Please stop blaiming Eteri in everything that her skater feels or shows. Daria is a perfectionist by nature. She was like this for two seasons already. Last season I dont remember her falling. So yes, she was disapointed and surprised a little bit. In addition she usually doesn't really show her emotions. She keeps it all inside. So we dont know what she really thought or felt at that moment. Not everything should be about Eteri....

 

Yes, well said. 

Plus there is such massive pressure in the Russian squad, due to the incredible depth of the Russian ladies field. I've posted twice today already in the Igloo thread about the constant reshuffling that is going on. There are simply so many good Junior ladies that one mis-step and you're out. 

Gubanova has lost her 2nd assignment. Vasilieva is out and hasn't even skated.

Kostornaia has gotten Poland. 

 

Everything counts. It's perfectly understandable why Daria is unhappy, she knows she can do better and she knows there is no room for error. She may have a first place from here but if the Fed has to pick between her, perhaps Kostornaia and say if Guliakova puts her 3A back, what will happen then, when she was iffy here in the FS?

 

This is not related to Eteri at all. It's just really tough right now to be a Russian Junior lady.

Tomas must be so proud 

 

 

It is tough to be a Russian junior lady right now, no question. To get out of Russia, it seems they have to be perfect... with their very difficult backloading etc.. They work very hard, puberty can totally disrupt their skating, and pressure is immense... the benefit will be tough competitors if they make it through, but it will certainly be unkind to some. 

Missed out due to adulting and just watched some of the girls. My thoughts so far:

• Rika: Good fight! She pulled a Yuzu and rallied for her FS. I read that she looked nervous and I actually think the fall on the 3a helped dispel that nervousness. Like, she's done the most difficult element in her program so now she can just concentrate on everything else. Nice seeing Yamato there.
• Yuhana: Who decided to make a junior skate to burlesque? /sigh/ She did well though. Her jumps are huge and she has a nice personality on (and off) ice.
• Daria: Poor girl. I know there's too many girls at Eteri's school to just individualise choreography and they also have a winning system in place (if it ain't broke don't fix it) but I feel the the Eteri school-style choreo for garnering points really doesn't suit her. I also feel worried about the immense pressure these junior russian girls have, particularly Eteri's girls because they are now expected to perform perfectly every competition and with consistency as well. Non-Eteri students are also now in constant fear of having their gp assignments revoked if they have one imperfect skate. The field is just too deep and can be merciless.

 

2 hours ago, kaeryth said:

I also feel worried about the immense pressure these junior russian girls have, particularly Eteri's girls because they are now expected to perform perfectly every competition and with consistency as well. Non-Eteri students are also now in constant fear of having their gp assignments revoked if they have one imperfect skate. The field is just too deep and can be merciless.

 

The result will be that whoever comes out alive will have crazy Evgenia-level never-before-seen consistency while doing the hardest layouts possible. Even if they change the rules, I'm sure the girls will just adapt. Maybe not individually, but as a whole. Top US ladies can't even rotate a triple-triple as the first element on the program. The most they can hope for is magical improvements or politics to keep them afloat.

 

I do find it bittersweet, though, because if you think about the greatest ladies skaters of yesteryear, Yuna, Carolina, Mao, Sasha, even Adelina, none of them would have gotten anywhere near the Junior World podium if they were skating today. I do wonder, coming from the no-name, little-funding federations that some of them did, if they would've been able to develop into the skaters that they later did, or pushed to retire long ago.

 

Men's FS in 16 minutes. 

30 seconds countdown and I'm alone in here. No1curr about the boys.

I'm here.... poor boys..

They're not nearly as interesting as the ladies, to be honest. 

 

Which is funny because I find Senior Men more interesting than the Senior Ladies. 

Hahaha... it's sad to say it but I agree.

Daniels ROSCIKS (LAT)
Symphony No. in C Minor by Ludwig van Beethoven;
choreo by Julia Tepliha

I would say nice costume except for that belt...

Evan WRENSCH (RSA)
Exogenesis Symphony, Part III by Muse;
choreo by Dantin Broodryk, Irina Bogomolova

17 minutes ago, xeyra said:

30 seconds countdown and I'm alone in here. No1curr about the boys.

I do, I just have plans that take precedence this time 
I'll be here the first hour or so but then I have to leave

Samuel MCALLISTER (IRL)
Sherlock Holmes (soundtrack) by Hans Zimmer;
choreo by Jeranjak Ipakjan