Community Chat

[songbird]

Lipnitskaia. That Julia. I predicted she would win a gold medal. She's won her first. Pretty confident she will win her second. Gracie Gold skated well but she doesn't have level 4 spins (toughest of spins) Nobody does. Her routine is the hardest also. There is another factor for Gracie. That's Yuna Kim the current world champion. I think Julia will get past her. I've been aware of Julia since early in 2012. She massacred the junior competition. I think she'll be winning titles for quite a while. She's not perfect. She does flutz (taking off for a Lutz and landing on an edge for a flip) A flip is far easier. But most of the women do. I think Michelle Kwan was one of the few that didn't. But then she's pretty young.

[Preds]

Julia was just beautiful to watch on ice. I was hoping for Gracie until I watched the little firecracker.

[lulu2]

Do not count Yuna Kim out. Technically her programs are loaded. Her component scores are off the charts. Julia Lipnitskaia lights up the crowd but she is young and unpredictable. She won the European title but received edge calls in both her programs. Her teammate and current Russian champion won the short program in both the Russian and European championships. Julia won both long programs.

There are at least 2 Russians, 1 Korean, 1 Japanese, 1 Italian and 1 American in the hunt for 3 medals. It should be a terrific competition. 3 of the ladies were at the previous Olympics and 3 are mere babies when it comes to the international arena.

[songbird]

On 2/10/2014 lulu2 said:

Do not count Yuna Kim out. Technically her programs are loaded. Her component scores are off the charts. Julia Lipnitskaia lights up the crowd but she is young and unpredictable. She won the European title but received edge calls in both her programs. Her teammate and current Russian champion won the short program in both the Russian and European championships. Julia won both long programs.

There are at least 2 Russians, 1 Korean, 1 Japanese, 1 Italian and 1 American in the hunt for 3 medals. It should be a terrific competition. 3 of the ladies were at the previous Olympics and 3 are mere babies when it comes to the international arena.

I'm not counting her out. The reason she was not in the Team competition is because South Korea doesn't have any skating team. It's just her. So Julia will be facing her tomorrow. The other threat is from Japan. She did the technical team program, but did not do well. She holds the silver in the worlds. She has been falling lately. I haven' t seen Kim at all, since she simply goes to the Olympics. She doesn't have to compete. It depends if she tries a triple axel. Julie is too young for that. Don't know if she can do it. When 15 year old Lipinski was competing. None of the women tried triple axels. I still think Julia will squeak through. If Gracie Gold has a chance, it will be bronze. The judges have been kind to Julia for her flutz, (but I didn't see her flutz during the free program) I watched her landing edge carefully. Kim (like Kwan) does not flutz. But even Flutzing is a minor deduction. Gracie is good. A better then average skater. She doesn't have flexibility Julia has. My word. Julia has the body of a 10 year old boy. That's why gymnasts are so young. I hope Gracie will medal, but I doubt it will be gold. Unless Kim implodes, Julia will be hanging that gold around her neck. Plus she's Russian. Asia has been dominating skating for so long, the judges might want to take a break

[lulu2]

On 2/10/2014 songbird said:

On 2/10/2014 lulu2 said:

Do not count Yuna Kim out. Technically her programs are loaded. Her component scores are off the charts. Julia Lipnitskaia lights up the crowd but she is young and unpredictable. She won the European title but received edge calls in both her programs. Her teammate and current Russian champion won the short program in both the Russian and European championships. Julia won both long programs.

There are at least 2 Russians, 1 Korean, 1 Japanese, 1 Italian and 1 American in the hunt for 3 medals. It should be a terrific competition. 3 of the ladies were at the previous Olympics and 3 are mere babies when it comes to the international arena.

I'm not counting her out. The reason she was not in the Team competition is because South Korea doesn't have any skating team. It's just her. So Julia will be facing her tomorrow. The other threat is from Japan. She did the technical team program, but did not do well. She holds the silver in the worlds. She has been falling lately. I haven' t seen Kim at all, since she simply goes to the Olympics. She doesn't have to compete. It depends if she tries a triple axel. Julie is too young for that. Don't know if she can do it. When 15 year old Lipinski was competing. None of the women tried triple axels. I still think Julia will squeak through. If Gracie Gold has a chance, it will be bronze. The judges have been kind to Julia for her flutz, (but I didn't see her flutz during the free program) I watched her landing edge carefully. Kim (like Kwan) does not flutz. But even Flutzing is a minor deduction. Gracie is good. A better then average skater. She doesn't have flexibility Julia has. My word. Julia has the body of a 10 year old boy. That's why gymnasts are so young. I hope Gracie will medal, but I doubt it will be gold. Unless Kim implodes, Julia will be hanging that gold around her neck. Plus she's Russian. Asia has been dominating skating for so long, the judges might want to take a break

I see like me, you are a skating fan.

If nothing else the Olympics are unpredictable. Look what happened to Michelle Kwan twice. Sasha Cohen was the skater to beat in Torino.

Close family friends have daughters who skated. We followed their careers and hoped for the best. When one was chosen to go to the SLC Olympics we went to support her. Who would have thought she'd have the skate of her life the final night? She won the gold medal. The following year, her body developed and her skating was never the same. (her lutz became a flutz)

Believe it or not, instead of sharing her joy, some said she stole the gold medal from Michelle Kwan. Michelle was her idol and she fell that night. (actually it was Tara Lipinski who "stole" the gold medal from MK by executing a more difficult program)

Personally I cannot wait for the individual events to begin.

[Preds]

I can't imagine what they go through and feel. I hurt for any of them when they can't pull off what they need. I don't understand most of it, but I do enjoy the beauty, talent and strength of these women (girls). It's breathtaking and heartbreaking.

[NoelSeven]

On 2/10/2014 Predsfan said:

Julia was just beautiful to watch on ice. I was hoping for Gracie until I watched the little firecracker.

Me, too

[songbird]

On 2/10/2014 lulu2 said:

On 2/10/2014 songbird said:

On 2/10/2014 lulu2 said:

Do not count Yuna Kim out. Technically her programs are loaded. Her component scores are off the charts. Julia Lipnitskaia lights up the crowd but she is young and unpredictable. She won the European title but received edge calls in both her programs. Her teammate and current Russian champion won the short program in both the Russian and European championships. Julia won both long programs.

There are at least 2 Russians, 1 Korean, 1 Japanese, 1 Italian and 1 American in the hunt for 3 medals. It should be a terrific competition. 3 of the ladies were at the previous Olympics and 3 are mere babies when it comes to the international arena.

I'm not counting her out. The reason she was not in the Team competition is because South Korea doesn't have any skating team. It's just her. So Julia will be facing her tomorrow. The other threat is from Japan. She did the technical team program, but did not do well. She holds the silver in the worlds. She has been falling lately. I haven' t seen Kim at all, since she simply goes to the Olympics. She doesn't have to compete. It depends if she tries a triple axel. Julie is too young for that. Don't know if she can do it. When 15 year old Lipinski was competing. None of the women tried triple axels. I still think Julia will squeak through. If Gracie Gold has a chance, it will be bronze. The judges have been kind to Julia for her flutz, (but I didn't see her flutz during the free program) I watched her landing edge carefully. Kim (like Kwan) does not flutz. But even Flutzing is a minor deduction. Gracie is good. A better then average skater. She doesn't have flexibility Julia has. My word. Julia has the body of a 10 year old boy. That's why gymnasts are so young. I hope Gracie will medal, but I doubt it will be gold. Unless Kim implodes, Julia will be hanging that gold around her neck. Plus she's Russian. Asia has been dominating skating for so long, the judges might want to take a break

I see like me, you are a skating fan.

If nothing else the Olympics are unpredictable. Look what happened to Michelle Kwan twice. Sasha Cohen was the skater to beat in Torino.

Close family friends have daughters who skated. We followed their careers and hoped for the best. When one was chosen to go to the SLC Olympics we went to support her. Who would have thought she'd have the skate of her life the final night? She won the gold medal. The following year, her body developed and her skating was never the same. (her lutz became a flutz)

Believe it or not, instead of sharing her joy, some said she stole the gold medal from Michelle Kwan. Michelle was her idol and she fell that night. (actually it was Tara Lipinski who "stole" the gold medal from MK by executing a more difficult program)

Personally I cannot wait for the individual events to begin.

I never thought Sasha was the one to beat. For a long time she simply "choked" that's the only word I can think of. She had it all. But not when it came to the competition. She went from coach to coach because of that. People say Julia a cross between Tara and Sasha. She certainly had that amazing flexibility. Both had very small not mature bodies. So did Tara. But Tara was a jumping jack. All she could do was jump over and over without missing. Most knowledgeable skating fans know that spins are harder then jumps. Kwan could spin in either direction without "traveling" But jumps are the draws, not the spins. So they gave it to Tara. If you go by history, the gold is usually given to teen jumpers. Julia has the jumps and spins. Yuna is drop dead gorgeous on the ice. Those of you who didn't see her will be amazed. LOL...I'm a frustrated skater. I took figure skating classes in Italy. I kept it up till I was 12. Not good enough. By the way, all figure skaters from novice recreational to olympic entries are "observed" by the ISU. In every country around the world, they had people watch you to see what you can do. I was. Everyone was. That's the way Julia was discovered. You are weeded out. That way they get an idea what a skater can do. All I could do was skate backwards on one foot, on an edge. And that is figure skating. Nothing else.

[ahoymate]

The Russians are the BEST! Love Evgeny PlyushenKo, Julia, and the ice dancer's that took the gold for the team!!!!!

However, I'm an American so I route for: Davis & White, Gracie Gold! Beautiful skaters!

[BellaPaprika]

The OP has some misinformation here. Gracie Gold used to lack some confidence on level 4 spins and did not always have them in her program in the past. She has worked on that and now has them in spades. Also, Julia did not win an individual gold medal. She was part of a team that together was awarded gold. Her individual event will come next week.