2015 TEB: short programs
I think Gracie is still ahead of Julia, but her winning margin may be small.
Gracie is more powerful than Julia while Julia now seems to pull off continuity in motion as well as momentum.
Although Julia still lacks of completeness and accuracy in her overall moves, she has indeed improved. Compare this to her past performances.
Julia's inherently flawed jumping technique still holds her back, however. For example, she breaks before takeoff, which shows that she hasn't shaken off her junior relics.
Gracie is stiffer than Julia, but Gracie is more definitive in the overall moves.
Her jumps are 0, -2, and -1 and her PCS is 7.25.
Liza's merit may lie in her consistency of landing jumps.
But here she is unable to show her greatest weapon. Although her skating is characteristically a dead skating, her jumps often show a few merits, if judged without skating context. At least she manages to earn ratification at her best.
So this is very unfortunate for her, because her skating is virtually empty without her jumps.
Her jumps are -3,-3 and -3. Her PCS is 6.5.
I am hoping for Julia.
She still needs to fix her jumping technique, but her spin is well centered, and her moves are much less jagged. Her edge control is still weak, but in this competition, she performs pretty well.
Her jumps are 0,-2 and -1 and her PCS is 7.0.
I am sad to see Kanako.
She was once a promising skater, but she never blossomed. Pity that she didn't fix her old habits. Kicking leg before takeoff earns her -2 automatically.
I remember the day when she was introduced to the international field. It was so remarkable to see such a talented skater, but in her skating I saw a great void. And that void has grown like a sink hole.
From the beginning her skating was without principle. It can't do. It never does.
Figure skating is an aesthetic sport. Figure skating is a physiological sport. All moves on ice are to evoke aesthetic perfection. And that's what Kanako has ignored.
Her jumps are -2,-2, and single and her PCS is 6.75.
