It's twelve thirty in the west
If you believe the Olympics people, today's ladies' figure skating competition is timed down to the second.
For example, here are the start and finish (Torino) times for the first warm-up group.
19:07:00 19:13:45 1 KARADEMIR Tugba TUR
19:13:45 19:20:30 2 MEISSNER Kimmie USA
19:20:30 19:27:15 3 POYKIO Susanna FIN
19:27:15 19:34:00 4 KORPI Kiira FIN
19:34:00 19:40:45 5 ROCHETTE Joannie
According to schedule, the last skater (Sasha Cohen) will start at 23:14:00 and end at 23:20:45. That is 2:20 pm local time in California.
Here are some excerpts from NBC's running coverage. They are not covering all skaters (no mention of Kiira Korpi, for example).
Meissner, dressed in a black dress with pink and silver trim, takes the ice. Her triple Lutz-triple toe loop is her first element. She landed it. She didn't have much speed coming out of the Lutz, but got the toe around. She's showing good speed now. Footwork into a triple flip -- nice. Then a layback spin. Now she's into her spiral sequence, something she's been working on a lot this season. Not Cohen-esque, by any means, but improved. Next, an easy double Axel. Meissner does her combination spin, and then goes into straightline footwork. She ends with a flying sit spin. She pumps her fists and then claps at the end. Very solid. Amazing poise for someone making her senior championship debut.
Sale: She had absolutely no fear tonight, and I knew from when she took her beginning position that she was going to skate really well. Her body language was telling us that she meant business. All of her spins were beautiful, she skates fast, and she spins well.
Pelletier: I loved the attack. Every jump she attacked, especially the triple-triple. She was a little bit rushed during her footwork. Musically, her footwork could've been a little bit better, but I'm being picky. She's a young senior and that will come with maturity.
She is in first place....Her total, 59.40, is a personal best by more than three points. Transitions, linking is the lowest component, Pelletier notes -- which it should be, he says.
She got me very excited about the ladies' event, says Sale....
Poykio opens with a clean triple Lutz-double toe. Then footwork into a clean triple flip, though it looks like she had to fight to hold onto the landing. Nice spirals -- particularly her first position. Ends with a catch-foot (Biellmann) position. Very fast final spin. She finishes slightly behind her music but it's only at 2:49 -- within the time requirement.
Sale: She was a very cute skater. She made me smile when I was watching her. She delivered the goods. Really gorgeous triple Lutz. Beautiful jumper and great spinner as well -- nice package overall. Not sure that her second marks will be high because the program was a bit young.
Pelletier: Technically, the program was very good. But the program was unfortunately a bit junior for me -- I think she's capable of doing better choreography than that. The program was lacking a bit of pizazz.
She is in 2nd place....
[Rochette's] first combination is triple Lutz-double toe. Very nice. She's agressive, Sale notes. She really got a lot of speed from the beginning and attacked that. Footwork into triple flip. She slid out on the landing and touched a hand down. That's a shame, because traditionally it's been the Lutz, not the flip, that gives her problems, and she had no trouble with the Lutz tonight. Nice layback spin. Into her spiral. Then a great footwork sequence -- very fast. Nice double Axel. Final combination spin. Rochette smiles at the end of her program, but does not look thrilled. She must be disappointed in the error on that flip.
Pelletier: I love Joannie's skating. She's fast, and I loved the choice of music she had. The height she gets in her jumps is comparable to some men. If she wants to be a contender for a medal, she has to learn to use a little more of her upper body. There's a stiffness to it. But she had one of the best laybacks you'll see tonight.
Sale: I thought that this was a really great performance for her, being her first Olympics. Being back with her old coach has been one of her main ingredients, she knows her very well. I've never seen Joannie so trained. She's ready for this. She seems to be loving her Olympic experience so far. I've talked to her, and she seems really calm. Doesn't seem like she's freaked out by this at all.
She is in second place, behind Meissner.
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