Ladies' Turn, Part 2

Yuna Kim is the only skater in recent years who's managed to come back on top of her game, but Carolina Kostner has been doing a smashing job these few seasons and she's not one to back down. On the other hand, Japan's rising star, Kanako Murakami, has everything she needs to be the next best thing, and something tells me we haven't seen the last of the new Russian faces. Alright then...get ready...set...GO!


  • Sonia Lafuente delivers a pretty program, but doesn't impress overall. The skater from Spain gets 87.22 points. Overall: 139.66.
  • Jenna McCorkell's clean skate needed more speed, more heart and more solid elements. Her score: 91.04. Overall: 142.47.
  • Despite a promising start and great presentation skills, Alena Leonova loses focus in the middle of the program. Double-footed jumps and a fall amount to tears and 102.76 points. Overall: 159.06.
  • The future doesn't look dark at all for Elizaveta Tuktamysheva, as she delivers the best performance of the season. That last combination was absolutely stunning. She gets 119.52 points. Overall: 174.24.
  • With a fall on the Triple Loop, but music (Black Magic Woman by Carlos Santana) that seems to fit her like a glove, Elena Glebova obtains a score of 97.90 points. Overall: 152.49.
  • Elegant and with very good elements, Natalia Popova exceeds expectations with this LP. Her score: 103.85. Overall: 155.52.
  • You could see how focused Gracie Gold was from the very start. The American learnt her lessons well and it paid off. Despite two mistakes, she simply shined out there. She gets a tiny cut and 125.40 points. Overall: 184.25. She beats Russia's wonder-child, Tuktamysheva.
  • Viktoria Helgesson is always elegant, but often inconsistent, as she proved today. Her second part of the program was very beautiful, but the first part was peppered with doubles instead of triples, over-rotated landings and hands touching the ice when they shouldn't. Such a shame! Her score: 100.44. Overall: 158.80.
  • Akiko Suzuki's costume has got to be the best of the day. If only her skating had been as impressive. A beautiful, almost magical performance, artistically speaking, the program suffered from a fall and a couple of dodgy landings. The skater from Japan gets 103.42 points. Overall: 164.59.
  • Tiny mistakes for Mae Berenice Maite and decent presentation skills. Her score: 108.13. Overall: 165.03.
  • When you skate on music you love, it shows. Adelina Sotnikova just has fun with her program and decides to ignore the fall on that Triple Flip. Now that's a champion attitude! Unfortunately, she's unlikely to get a medal today, but can't wait to see her next year. The Russian gets 116.36 points. Overall: 175.98.
  • What a fairytale happy ending for Zijun Li! The Chinese skater gets standing ovations even before finishing the program, and she deserves it entirely. Technically flawless and artistically great, Sleeping Beauty gets her a score of 127.54 points. Overall: 183.85.
  • A second of distraction can cause a whole lot of damage. Ashley Wagner falls during the step sequence and has a few other mistakes on some landings, but the presentation is at its best. The American's score: 123.36. Overall: 187.34.
  • Kanako Murakami is determined to leave her mark on this World Championship. Her performance is absolutely spectacular. At this point, it's almost impossible for her to go home without a medal. She gets 123.09 points. Overall: 189.73.
  • Carolina Kostner starts the program with a serious nose bleed she decides to ignore. She had two mistakes, but the program still remains a masterpiece and the condition she skated it in deserves a standing ovation in itself. She lands the Triple Lutz perfectly and can't be defeated in the presentation (at least not by anyone who skated before her). Her score: 131.03. Overall: 197.89.
  • Mao Asada has enough experience not to let her dodgy SP ruffle her feathers. She might have just destroyed Kanako Murakami's chances at a medal, but there's just no denying it: her LP was better. Her combinations have got to be the best of the day. If she does misses the podium, it will be due to the short. The Japanese gets 134.37 points. Overall: 196.47.
  • Kaetlyn Osmond seemed to come from nowhere (this is her second senior competition) and make things difficult for more experienced skaters, but after the fall on the Triple Flip, her confidence went south. Still a remarkable performance. Well done! Her score: 112.09. Overall: 176.82.
  • They don't call Yuna Kim the "Queen of Ice" for nothing. Forget the standing ovations, this skater deserves fans and skaters alike bowing in front of her. There are no words fit enough to describe just how magnificent this program was, but I will say this: it deserves an Olympic gold. The Korean wins yet another World title with 148.34 points. Overall: 218.31.

Long live the Queen! I for one will never doubt again that her name is Yuna Kim. Congratulations again and again for that breathtaking skate. As for Carolina Kostner, she did a terrific job and gave her all. Mao Asada managed to climb from the 6th place to the Bronze medal - that's something only true champions do.

To see the full results, go to: http://www.isuresults.com/results/wc2013/

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