I received a ton of e-mails asking where the program flashes went. With Nationals (both U.S. and Canada) and Euros happening all together I decided not to. But, for the ladies short program only, I've decided to do a flash...in honor of Sasha's return!
Rachael Flatt - Nailed it. She came out lookin' ready! Hit the triple/triple and worked the footwork. Awesome.
Alissa Czisny - Oooops. Fell on opening lutz and then doubled flip. Spins and spiral are awesome but not enough to hold her up. Probably will miss out on the Olympics because of that short.
Christina Gao - Solid for her first senior outing. Needs a little more stretch and finishing off but nice. What is Brian Orser feeding these kids?
Mirai Nagasu - Skated with good attack and more importantly confidence. Amazing footwork and not a downgrade in sight! Takes the lead...less than a point ahead of Rachael.
Alexe Gilles - Doubled her opening lutz but came back strong with her triple flip combo. In this field of ladies I fear that kind of mistake will cost her though.
Caroline Zhang - Came out with great speed and attack but the life went out of the program after she turned out of her opening combo and fell on the triple loop. She looked nearly panicked in the Kiss and Cry. She said "There's always next year." Sad.
Amanda Dobbs - Her solid week continues. She didn't go after the toughest jumps but what she did she did well. Into 4th ahead (ahead I say!) of Czisny.
Melissa Bulanhagui - Came out like a little spitfire with a Memoirs of a Geisha program. Nice work.
Sasha Cohen - The comeback is successful to this point. She had the face of fierce determination in the short program, hitting all her elements including a ridiculous spiral sequence! She shut up all the nay-sayers with one skate! There is less than a point spread between Flatt, Cohen, and Nagasu at this point.
Emily Hughes - Strong Flip combo but doubled her lutz...cost her. Good attack though. But out of the top six...not good.
Ashley Wagner - She came out with steely determination. After hitting her flip combo she crashed and burned on the lutz. Still, she earned good levels on her elements and still managed 4th place.
1 comment:
I kind of want to throw a huge party for Sasha and Mirai but cry for Ashley. :/
Then again, Sasha has had issues with clean long programs pretty much her whole career, and Ashley does best when she's the underdog. So, maybe I should be crying for Sasha? Or Mirai? She did a fabulous short followed by an OY long earlier this season....
To be perfectly honest, though, Ashley has proven herself more internationally this year than the other girls, so the USFSA really ought to consider that in their Olympic team decision, regardless of the placements this weekend (unless of course she has a total meltdown and is WAY out of it). Not like that will happen, though.
I can't wait for the free skate. It's going to be INSANELY dramatic!
Post a Comment