As the Skating World Turns - Coaching Changes

Kim and Orser are no more. The summer is usually a time of coach swapping here are some other swtiches:

2009 US Champ, Alissa Czisny, will continue to train at the DSC but will work with Yuka Sato. I'd love to watch Yuka Sato coaching in Detroit. What a lovely session between a trio of beautiful skaters: Yuka, Jeremy Abbott and Alissa. I think a change of pace could be good for Alissa, but I'm not sure if Yuka can completely overcome Alissa's previous challenges with nerves.

2007 US Champ, Kimmie Meissner made a coaching change to be closer to home. She had been working with Richard Callaghan and Todd Eldredge in Florida, and is now working with Chris Conte back in Maryland. This change occurred pre-summer as Kimmie was coming back from a knee injury. Here's hoping to a great comeback this year!

Speaking of Florida skaters, this week, Denney and Barrett also announced they are leaving their coaches to train with husband and wife team, John Zimmerman and Silvia Fontana just down the road. This move was rather surprising. Their previous coaching team of Jim Peterson, Lyndon Johnston and Alison Smith. THis team was just named "Developmental Coaches of the Year" by the PSA and seem to be building a great training base for US pairs. However, the other top pair team, Evora and Ladwig, trained with them so maybe the friendly competition was changing to full on rivalry. Find more here: IceNetwork News

The ice dancing team of Emily Samuelson and Evan Bates also made a change of the neighborhood move. They are now in Canton, MI with the mega-team of Igor Shpilband and Marina Zoueva. Another rink filled with greatness, I just hope it doesn't end up pushing a team out as well.

Caroline Zhang is now coached by Tammy Gambill after her former coach, Mingzhu Li became the head coach of the Chinese team. Tammy Gambill has had some great up and coming skaters lately, perhaps she can fix Zhang's miserable flutz for this season.

I believe Mao Asada and Brian Joubert have some shakeups in their coaching teams as well, however I can't find the exact info. If anyone knows, definitely pass it along in the comments.

Ladies Night

It's Ladies Night at the Olympics. Will the top three mirror the top at Worlds last year?

So many skaters to enjoy!

Tugba Karademir skates 7th

Mirai Nagasu is the first American skating 11th. Her coach said she's going for a triple-triple in the short. Cute program for a young, bubbly teenager to Pirates of the Caribbean.

Elene Gedevanishvili skates 16th for Georgia. If she's broadcast on NBC, I'm sure they'll be several mentions of the Georgian slider and the fatal mishap on the luge track. Elene's skating could leave a bright memory at the mention of the tiny Georgian nation.

Sarah Meier is right after skating 17th continuing the tradition of Swiss spinning mastery and elegance.

Kiira Korpi and Laura Lepisto of Finland skate 19th and 21st respectively. I love Finnish skaters.

Mao Asada will attempt the triple Axel skating 22nd.

Right after Mao, Yu-Na Kim will be out as a Bond girl. Will she cave under the weight of being the favorite or blow away the competition?

Akiko Suzuki of Japan has had a phenominal season, and she'll have a tough act to follow Kim however she skates.

The crowd will erupt with supportive applause and cheers as Joannie Rochette takes the ice to skate 26th. Sadly, her mother suffered a heart attack this weekend and past away. She came into these Games looking to capture the Canadian pride Elizabeth Manley earned in on the Calgary podium. She's the reigning world silver medalist, but has had an up and down season. I've heard she's looked focused in practice since getting the news of her mother. It's still tough to handle nerves in any competition, not to mention the emotions of suddenly losing someone.

After the emotions get charged, Julia Sebestyen of Hungary will skate in her fourth Olympics. She's a few years younger than I am, so I'm impressed that she's still at it.

Rachel Flatt, "The Rock" will skate 28th as the only skater who has beaten Yu-Na this year. She won the free skate at Skate American handily over Yu-Na.

Carolina Kostner, the European champion is 29th.

Miki Ando, the reigning world bronze medalist closes out the competition. She had a great Grand Prix season, but faltered at Japanese nationals. She can go either way tonight.

From Quads to Triple Axels

The dust is still settling in the quad debate. Tuesday night we'll get to see an event with a woman who can do a triple Axel in combination and there's been minimal excitement about it!

Why do I think there should be excitement about the triple Axel in the ladies event? Considering only six women have landed it in competition makes it a rare event. Seven women if you want to count pair skater Rena Inoue, but that was with extra oomph as part of a throw jump from her partner.

Mao Asada is the lady of the evening with the triple Axel. She has two planned for the long program, one in combination with a double toe that includes gracefully putting her arm over her head. Her triple Axel is light and fast. Most of ladies who have landed one have had their share of shaky landings, but Mao's looks controlled and graceful.

However, like the five ladies before her in the triple Axel club, Mao has had her struggles with the jump. While it garners points, it's risky like the quad. Miss it and a number of points are lost. Mao's persistence in keeping the Axel in her programs has created a ripple effect in her programs and with her other jumps. I always feel like Mao is stalking the triple Axel the first quarter of her program. She's also taken out her Lutz due to wrong edge calls. Her Salchow isn't always consistent either. She basically has four of the six jumps in her repetoire while her competitors will do all six.

Since the triple Axel is consistently performed in the mens event, the ISU seems to award the triple Axel appropriately with balanced risk unlike the quad. Mao's success will ride on her completing three triple Axels this Olympics which is unprecedented for a woman. One in the short and two in the free. She'll be on the podium if she can back up her Axels with her four remaining triples.

Lost

Stayed up to watch the premeire of Lost and then got up for a 5:50 a.m. session. I'll need a Starbucks run this afternoon. Maybe it's the anticipation of a caffeine jolt, but I'm thinking about some "lost" skaters this season, that seem to be trapped on their own mysterious island from a dangerous mix of hubris and bad decisions while debating their destiny.

Mao Asada

Mao Asada - She can do a triple Axel-double toe combo with one arm over her head. Amazing! However, if she misses that her programs are dead and she lands way far away from the podium. Especially since the triples she goes on to attempt include a triple flip and triple loop. She can fly across the ice with grace, but she's been coming out with these heavy programs that don't use her lightness on the ice to her advantage. This year her long is to Rachmaninoff's "Bells of Moscow." I find the music and the choreography interesting, (a blogger called the music the "Bells of Death") but it's painful to watch Mao laboring through to the music if she misses the initial triple Axel jump passes. It's becomes "Bells of Mao's Dying Olympic Dreams." She's coached by Tatiana Tarasova who helped Alexei Yagudin become a legend. It seems Mao and Tarasova are attempting to recreate a Yagudin highlight reel with her programs. Mao needs to find her own style and inner muse. Jumps are easier when you're happy on the ice and skating for you.

Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto - I lamented earlier on this blog that they're great skaters but, similar to Mao, haven't shown their style this year or created a memorable program for the ages. They also seem to be attempting to channel some former Soviet or Russian champions instead of being Belbin & Agosto, the most decorated American ice dancing team ever. I did get past the gaudy gear they wore at Nationals and saw a beautiful free dance hidden amongst the nude lycra. However, I don't want to go back to it to review sections and nothing stands out but how horrible their costumes looked.

Tanith & Ben: Great Position, Bad Outfits

Jonathan Ferrey, Getty Images

Brian Joubert - Brian has plodded through the season. The spins and footwork are improved which garners more points, but he doesn't look like he's having fun on the ice. As Scott Hamilton commented during the Grand Prix, "He's a meat and potatoes skater, not a lot of parsley on that plate." Brian looks like he's completely weary of the little bit of parsley about him. Brian does have his own style but I also don't think he's used it to his advantage and insteads tries to add some dried, crushed parsley instead of producing a juicy steak covered in a marinade that's got a kick. I've got an exhibition program to Coldplay from a couple of seasons back below. The choreography is similar to the in between jumps moves in his programs, but he seems free to move and enjoy skating. If only he could find this mix during competitions.