Kiira will skip Worlds!

This is bad news. I’m beginning to wonder if the new point scoring system is to blame for this. Perhaps skaters are being pushed past their limits. (Race horses suffer broken legs because so much is demanded of them.) Seven triple jumps in long programs now, plus all the practice. That’s a lot of impacts on the ice. I’ve read that the G-forces when a skater lands are enormous. I think it was Jill Trenary who said about 20 years ago that the number of jumps should be limited. The ISU needs to take a look at all this. I don’t like it when skaters get injured.

Get well soon, Kiira!!

I’m so sad about what I’ve just read in artonice.it… get well soon Kiira

Somebody’s going to have to invent an ice skate with shock absorbers. Little pneumatic pistons in the skate blade itself. Then maybe we wouldn’t be having these injuries. Anyway, the five top contenders at Worlds will now be Alissa Czisny, Kostner, Asada, Leonova and Murikami. Politically, Kostner looks to be slated to win. Her sponsor Lancia-Fiat could insert a lot of money and advertising into ladies figure skating if she wins Gold. Ferrari should be Alissa Czisny’s sponsor. Three more days until Worlds!

Worlds underway without Kiira – just very sad… Let’s hope that Kiira will recover completely and will finally be problem free next season!!

In my opinion alongside Kiira Alissa Czisny is the 2nd most expressive lady in figure skating. But as we have seen art is not the dominant factor in the current ISU scoring system. Nevertheless, on a good day, Alissa should be strong enough to make the podium. Carolina has had a great season so far and maybe it should be her turn to finally win the world championship. Tough competition from Mao Asada and Akiko Suzuki for sure, and I should not forget one lady that in my opinion is the prime contender for Gold – Ashley Wagner. Amazing how much Ashley has improved her skating compared to her performance last season. The switch in choaches (or whatever combination of factors) took her to a new level. I don’t see Leonova even getting close to the podium, nor do I think Kanako MurAKAMI will medal. Just a few more days and we’ll find out if Nice 2012 will have any major surprises for us.

LOL Northeagle. That was funny. I’ve watched the short programs for Worlds and there is a definite loss of magic when Kiira isn’t skating. I think the Russkis will be the next big thing in skating, not only do they have Leonova but Lipnitskaia, Sotnikova, Tuktamysheva…what are the Russkis doing to come up with so many great skaters? The ascendancy of the Japanese is waning and the USA has only Gracie Gold coming up. The Russians could dominate the sport in the next few years.

It’s the ice that’s causing people to fall at Nice! Everybody is remarking on how brittle it is. The damn French screwed up again. There’s 15 phases, or types, of ice (see the Wikipedia article on ice). Doesn’t the ISU regulate the ice temperature and formation at rinks and competitions? There should be a regulation temperature for the ice at competitions. If the ice had been at the right temperature Alissa Czisny would have been at the top after the sp. Alena and Kanako were terrific! With crappy ice the competition is wide open. Anyone can win. The Frenchies have turned Worlds 2012 into a destruction derby.

I think we all just witnessed the Worst Skating Disaster in History. By falling 5 times (her PCS scores were still high) Alissa Czisny lost all places for the USA at the next Worlds except for one. With one fell swoop of her hand Alissa Czisny has wiped out the American ladies figure skating team. Only Alissa could have done this.