How Yuna Kim (Mao Asada and Carolina Kostner) Beat Adelina Sotnikova Move by Move (part 2)
Their 3T preceding 3Lz (3Lz-3T combination jump)
*Note that I used a slower gif for Adelina because the video I have doesn’t clearly show the blade on her skates on normal speed.
Guidelines for +GOEs in Jumps (copied from ISU’s actual pdf) (+1 GOE: 2 bullets; +2 GOE: 4 bullets; +3 GOE: 6 or more bullets)
1) unexpected / creative / difficult entry
2) clear recognizable steps/free skating movements immediately preceding element
3) varied position in the air / delay in rotation
4) good height and distance
5) good extension on landing / creative exit
6) good flow from entry to exit including jump combinations / sequences
8) element matched to the musical structure
It has pre-rotation. She was already rotating her body even before the toe pick hits the ice. She was facing at least 80-90 degrees off of her original trajectory. If that was the case, her REAL take-off must have been the one where she was facing the tech callers and her under-rotation was so easy to spot because she should have landed in the same angle. Again, there was no < (under-rotation) sign on her scorecard. The tech callers did not call an under-rotation problem even though there obviously was.
She has **almost full-blade take off (see image above). Not a clear toe take off. This is a toe jump and therefore should ONLY use the toe pick to launch oneself in to the air. I used the image above because it’s the clearest frame and both the skaters’ body were facing the same direction. The only difference is their feet which clearly shows who executed the jump correctly and with better technique. (FYI, the answer is Yuna.)
She has under-rotation. Even if, say, she took-off in her original trajectory (facing the same direction where she landed her 3Lz) which she didn’t, her 3T would still be under-rotated by at least 110 degrees or more than the 1/4 or 90 degrees allowance. According to ISU rules, under-rotated jumps should receive -1 to -2 GOE if there is < sign from tech callers but there wasn’t. If there’s no < sign, there should still be -1 GOE. Here is her scorecard. Notice that penalties were not applied by majority. Only 1 judge gave -1, the rest are 4 +2s, 1 +3, a 0 and a +1.
According to the rules stated above re +GOEs, I have only listed 3-4 bullets (#2, #4 surely and #5 and #6 for consideration), that means she should only get +2 GOE at most for her 3-3 combination. BUT notice her multiple mistakes that should be penalized and receive -2 to -3 for wrong edge Lutz take off (with ‘e’ sign) or -1 (no ‘e’), -1 to -2 for poor take off (pre-rotation and use of full blade for 3T) and -1 to -2 for under-rotation (3T). All in all, she should have received -2 (worst) to 0 at best.
Mid-air position not so good, wobbly in action. Unlike Kim, Kostner and Asada, her body is not very straight in mid-air position (IMO).
Good points: 1.) Her jumps have great elevation and covers good distance, 2.) She has good speed coming into her jumps tho tends to slow at times. 3) She has steps preceding her jumps.
Correct entry. The blade of the right foot is on the correct trajectory when the toe pick of the left foot hit the ice. The blade of right foot and toe pick of left foot are touching the ice at some point in time unlike Sotnikova’s 3T where the right blade is already elevating as the toe pick hits the ice. (observe .gifs and photo above)
No pre-rotation. Face and body are facing front on take-off. Same with the position of her feet which were stable prior to take-off.
Good mid-air position. Tight arms and legs (a little bit air between legs but just really small), straight body, correct alignment of shoulders and hips. *note that the photo above shows only the start of rotations so there’s still space between the legs of both skaters.
Not so fully rotated on landing but ACCEPTABLE based on the 90 degrees allowance for skaters and because it is still backwards so should basically receive full credit.
**In my opinion, it should receive all +3 GOEs based on above guidelines. I got #2, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8 (sure) and #3 (consideration) so #2-#8 (without #3) are 6 bullets, with #3 are 7 bullets. For me this is clearly +3 GOEs across the board but 6 judges gave her +2s and only 3 judges gave +3s. I do not understand what she did wrong to only receive a +2 because she clearly met the requirements for a +3 and even exceeded it IMO. **Yuna received more +3 GOEs before than in Sochi.
Conclusion: Adelina’s 3-3 combination should have received - to 0 or +1 at best GOEs based on multiple faults that SHOULD HAVE been called by the Tech callers and reviewed well by the judges and Yuna should have received more GOEs.
Again, Adelina Sotnikova is NOT technically superior than Yuna Kim. Her multiple errors indicate that she has not mastered the jumps (3Lz-3T) nor even done them right this season,**not that I know of**. Even her 3Lz-3Lo attempts got edge calls and under-rotation issues before. This is a clear display of technical vulnerability and a little bit of inferiority not superiority. Furthermore, GOEs can be highly subjective and vulnerable to manipulation by the judges. The Technical Panel can also have a great effect on the final scores. A called wrong edge (severe) means an automatic -2 to -3 and a mandatory negative scaled GOE but without an ‘e’ call, it would only be -1 to -2 and negative scaled GOE is not mandatory. That means a lot. GOEs alone can change the overall standing of the skaters and in Sochi, the rules in giving GOEs were not followed, rather they were given without explanation or valid reason to support them. Like handing out candies on Halloween except to only 2 kids who were both Russians.
**I found it! XD http://www.usfsa.org/content/2013-14%20S&P%20Establishing%20GOE.pdf
Disclaimer: This is only **MY analysis and is therefore subject to criticisms and corrections. Any correction of facts are very welcome because I am not an expert and just trying to make my own analysis. This is not a personal attack and definitely not a hate post against Adelina Sotnikova. Adelina is a very talented skater no doubt. But every analysis I’ve seen points to one thing: the scores in Sochi are not accurate and it benefited some skaters. It is unfair for skaters who are not Russians. I would even say it is unfair for the Russians because their talent which is great on its own is being overshadowed by exaggerated and faulty scores for the sake of “winning”.
ETA: If I said something wrong, please point it out and I would gladly update my analysis. Thank you.
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