2010 World Ladies' Free Skate

Well, we can rest assured that bullshit continues to reign in the world of figure skating.  What I'm seeing here (see below) says that Kim Yu Na WON the free skate.  NOT.  I watched her performance, and I watched Asada's performance.  I watched every performance for the last 3 groups (18 skaters).  I'm no expert but I've watched figure skating for over 45 years and I've learned a few things about it in that time.

So reputation trumps actual performance for Kim.  She didn't look too happy on the medals stand, I'm thinking she knows she got an absolute gift in that silver medal.  If she's not thinking it, she SHOULD be.  I've got nothing against Kim Yu Na, I think she is a magical skater.  But not in this competition.

Kim sure as hell did not out-performace Mao Asada in the Free Skate nor do I think that she out-performed Mirai Nagasu.  Asada has her shortcomings but she did a really fine performance in the Free Skate, I thought it was better than her performance at the Olympics.  The American skaters were absolutely screwed.  No way did Nagasu deserve 11th place ranking for her Free Skate - not after what I saw the other skaters did.  It's all there, you will be able to watch it on video and judge for yourselves. I'm thinking the judges thought the Americans won an ice-dance medal and that's enough for this year, and since Nagasu is the "future of American figure skating" (and they are all hoping that Rachel Flatt leaves the sport and becomes a Nobel Prize Winner in science) they could screw them over with their scores.  Which they did.  Way to go, judges. 

FPl. Name Nation Points SP FS
1 Mao ASADA JPN 197.58 2 2
2 Yu-Na KIM KOR 190.79 7 1   WAY OVERSCORED
3 Laura LEPISTO FIN 178.62 3 6  WAY OVERSCORED
4 Miki ANDO JPN 177.82 11 3  WAY UNDERSCORED
5 Cynthia PHANEUF CAN 177.54 8 4
6 Carolina KOSTNER ITA 177.31 4 5 OVERSCORED
7 Mirai NAGASU USA 175.48 1 11 WAY UNDERSCORED
8 Ksenia MAKAROVA RUS 169.64 5 8  OVERSCORED
9 Rachael FLATT USA 167.44 6 9  UNDERSCORED
10 Viktoria HELGESSON SWE 161.79 9 10

Here is the table for the Free Skate (top skaters):
Pl. Name Nation TSS = TES + PCS + SS TR PE CH IN Ded. - StN.
1 Yu-Na KIM KOR 130.49 66.45 65.04 8.35 7.75 7.95 8.15 8.45 1.00 #15
2 Mao ASADA JPN 129.50 67.02 62.48 8.25 7.40 7.95 7.55 7.90 0.00 #20
3 Miki ANDO JPN 122.04 63.64 58.40 7.35 6.85 7.60 7.30 7.40 0.00 #14
4 Cynthia PHANEUF CAN 118.04 61.48 56.56 7.20 6.65 7.35 7.15 7.00 0.00 #17
5 Carolina KOSTNER ITA 115.11 54.87 60.24 7.70 7.20 7.55 7.55 7.65 0.00 #19
6 Laura LEPISTO FIN 114.32 54.24 60.08 7.60 7.40 7.45 7.50 7.60 0.00 #22
7 Akiko SUZUKI JPN 111.68 58.96 52.72 6.80 6.10 6.85 6.55 6.65 0.00 #6
8 Ksenia MAKAROVA RUS 107.58 55.14 53.44 6.80 6.20 7.00 6.70 6.70 1.00 #24
9 Rachael FLATT USA 106.56 53.20 53.36 6.75 6.45 6.75 6.75 6.65 0.00 #21
10 Viktoria HELGESSON SWE 105.47 54.91 50.56 6.40 6.05 6.55 6.40 6.20 0.00 #16
11 Mirai NAGASU USA 105.08 49.04 57.04 7.40 6.75 7.20 7.25 7.05 1.00 #23
12 Jenna MCCORKELL GBR 98.78 51.82 46.96 6.10 5.40 6.20 5.80 5.85 0.00 #10
13 Sarah HECKEN GER 98.74 54.14 45.60 5.90 5.35 5.85 5.70 5.70 1.00 #7
14 Alena LEONOVA RUS 98.50 51.50 48.00 6.25 5.75 6.00 6.00 6.00 1.00 #8
15 Julia SEBESTYEN HUN 91.56 42.28 49.28 6.55 5.90 6.30 6.05 6.00 0.00 #18
16 Yan LIU CHN 91.33 47.65 43.68 5.70 5.45 5.30 5.60 5.25 0.00 #12

Liu Yan - that's the Chinese skater I mentioned in my earlier post today.  I'm thinking keep your eye on her.  She's got something special, despite the lousy costume.  I think she's got that "IT" factor.  Looking forward to seeing the competition heat up between her and Nagasu in the next few years.  For the Russians, Leonova has more "it" than Makarova, but Makarova has a "prettier" presence on the ice.  Leonova, ditch the "edgy" haircut, it doesn't do anything for you, trust me girlfriend. 

Rachel Flatt should change her last name and lose 10 pounds.  I know that sounds cruel - but I will bet you money that is what every single international judge who is looking at her thinks. 

I love Miki Ando, but she peaked in 2007 and hasn't been back since.  Today I saw more spark in her than in the last year - she was particularly flat at the Olympics.  I think she should retire, I think she will be a fabulous coach because she knows what it feels like to "lose that loving feeling" for the sport.  I think she should coach Nagasu after Frank Carol retires.

That's it until Nationals for me, in January 2011.  Geez, I'm getting old, and I'm not liking it one bit.