Wednesday, March 26 - Ladies Qualifying A

Hey Ladies, Get Funky


I found my assigned section to set up for the Ladies Qualifying, and I also found Kieran sitting toward the front of our section. It was nice to see him. I sat down also in the row with him, and the Ladies event began. It didn't actually turn out to be very crowded, probably because it was during the day. The Metro station ran under the MCI Center. So, sometimes in the middle of a skate, you could hear and feel the faint rumblings of a train below.

Sarah Meier of Switzerland - Anna and the King soundtrack/Kodo Drums:
triple lutz
triple loop - two foot landing
camel spin
stepped out of triple
swung around on triple landing
combo spin
stepped out of triple lutz
layback spin - back position far extended
backward spiral
double axel
triple-double
camel spin
Tech: 4.3-4.6
Pres: 4.5-4.6

Julia Lautowa of Austria - Malaguena/Macarena/World of Flamenco:
nice ruffled Latin skirt
triple-double
triple
popped triple loop
touch down on triple
layback spin
triple lutz - swung around on landing
straight line footwork
touch down on triple
popped triple loop
double axel
combo spin - positions nicer if held longer
Tech: 4.2-4.8
Pres: 4.4-5.1

Miriam Manzano of Australia - The Count of Monte Christo:
pink skirt, multicolored top
triple lutz-double
double flip
triple-double
death drop into sit spin
triple lutz - stepped out
single loop
layback to sit spin
double
spin
triple
triple
camel spin into ending pose
She looked happy at the end.
Tech: 4.1-4.7
Pres: 4.1-4.7

Lucie Krausova of Czech Republic - Havana and Mambo Kings soundtracks:
triple
stepped out of triple
jump combo - stepped out of first jump
spin combo
fell on triple
forward spiral, backward spiral then both repeated
camel spin
fell on triple lutz - took a few seconds to get back up
more lively music and footwork
double
combo spin
Tech: 3.5-4.2
Pres: 3.5-4.2

Elena Liashenko of Ukraine - Tango:
triple-double
triple
stepped out of triple
dancing in place in front of judges
double axel
lunge
two foot landing on triple
jump combo - stepped out of first jump
triple
All of her jumps seemed to have unsure landings.
Tech: 4.8-5.4
Pres: 4.7-5.6

In the warm-up for group 2, Sarah Hughes seemed to have quite the cheering sections and people calling her name. I could barely recognize her as her hair was different, and she had a new long program costume.

Joannie Rochette of Canada - Once Upon a Time in the West:
triple
triple lutz - legs folded at the end
triple flip-double
jump combo - hand down on second jump
layback spin
forward spiral, backward spiral
two foot landing on triple
double jump - scratchy landing (sound heard)
camel spin
double axel
stepped out of double axel
layback to camel to sit to backscratch spin
Lovely program actually. I hope she can smooth out the jumps.

Pair skater Rena Inoue just passed into the stands to sit in the skaters' area and watch.

Michelle Kwan of U.S.A. - Aranjuez:
triple loop
triple lutz-double
triple flip
double axel
camel spin
triple
camel to sit to scratch spin
spiral - held for a long time
triple-popped jump
triple lutz
straight line footwork
spread eagle
combo spin
Speed noticeably faster than most of the previous competitors.
Tech: 5.7-5.8
Pres: 5.8-5.9

Sarah Hughes of U.S.A. - La Bayadere:
new costume is light blue
double axel
triple
popped triple
split jump
backward spiral into triple jump
triple lutz-double (rotations cheated)
fell on triple flip
combo spin
layback - very nice positions
popped triple jump
backward spiral, forward spiral
headless to backscratch spin
A bit of a meltdown. Even the jumps she landed, the number of rotations appeared cheated, meaning the ending one half turn to full turn was done while making contact with the ice surface.
Tech: 4.7-5.4
Pres: 5.0-5.7

Zuzana Babiakova of Slovak Republic - Kolja soundtrack:
baby crying - oh, that's in the music score
fell on triple lutz
triple-double
camel spin
popped triple loop
layback - leg could have more stretch
double axel - two foot landing
triple lutz
fell on triple - a bit of a graceful fall
baby cooing during circular footwork
combo spin
Interesting concept with use of the baby and related noises.
Tech: 3.9-4.6
Pres: 3.8-4.6

Shirene Human of South Africa - Star Wars Episode 2 soundtrack:
spread eagle
fell on triple flip
fell on triple right in front of judges
spin
two footed triple
spin
triple
double axel
double
split jump
double flip
camel to sit spin - slow
double axel
spiral
She had a gentle style in the beginning, but seemed to lose confidence after the jumps unfolded. She seemed disappointed in Kiss & Cry.
Tech: 2.8-3.7
Pres: 3.1-3.9

Shizuka Arakawa of Japan - Titanic soundtrack:
her jumps were very solid in warm-up group
triple lutz-triple
triple-double
camel spin
stepped out of triple lutz
donut spin
triple lutz
triple loop
ina bauer
catch foot spiral
spread eagle
layback
straight line footwork - increased feeling and energy
triple flip
double axel
spin combo
Her speed appears better live. Nice soft instrumental to My Heart Will Go On.
Tech: 5.4-5.6
Pres 5.3-5.7

Sara Falotico of Belgium - Journey of Man from Cirque du Soleil:
opening jump close to boards
two foot landing on triple
triple-single - two foot landing on triple
spin
double
layback - leg needs more extension
triple
more jump problems
Tech: 4.0-4.7
Pres: 3.8-4.9

Sasha Cohen of U.S.A. - Piano Concerto No. 2:
opening triple - eked out landing
triple lutz-double
triple-double
triple loop right in front of judges
spread eagle
triple-double
layback spin
ina bauer
double axel
spiral - held long
triple
straight line footwork - good
combo spin
backscratch to headless spin
Standing ovation from the crowd. She received a big hug from coach, Tatiana Tarasova. Judges aren't ready for her yet. People upset over the 5.1.
Tech: 5.5-5.9
Pres: 5.1-5.9

Ana Cecilia Cantu of Mexico - Work Song:
orange dress
double axel
long telegraph into a fall on jump
fell on cheated jump
layback
jazzy music
double
double
triple loop - cheated
double
combo spin
spiral - edge a little shaky
shoot the duck
spiral with leg held in front
circular footwork
popped jump
Russian split jump
sit to backscratch spin
Tech: 3.1-3.8
Pres: 3.2-3.9

Alisa Drei of Finland - Adagio:
double lutz
triple-double
triple loop
spin with interesting turned out positions
double axel-double (stepped out of axel)
triple
camel spin
spiral
spread eagle
spread out fall on triple
double axel
camel to sit to layback to biellmann spin
ends with her in lunge position
She has a nice, soft style.
Tech: 4.2-5.1
Pres: 4.2-5.3

Well, I made a decision to skip the final group of Qualifying A and the entire Qualifying B to skip over to the Convention Center to view the free dance practice. I had wanted to especially see Dang Fang, Fumie Suguri and Georgina Papavasiliou, but I'd cross my fingers and hope they would make the next cut. Dance was just pulling me stronger.

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