Skate America 2015 - The Russian Effect (Ladies FS)

This is a very important moment for Russia - they are about to break the record for the highest number of brilliant skaters competing for one country at the same time.

Elizavet Tusynbaeva falls on the triple Flip, but if I hadn't seen it, I wouldn't have known. She moves on from the error as if it was just in her imagination, which is something more mature skaters can find impossible to do. I'm impressed! Perfect choice of music for her age and style - Papa, Can You Hear Me? Her score: 119.30. Overall: 178.56.

Julia Lipnitskaia is visibly insecure before her jumps, which leads to a single Lutz instead of a triple and missing a combination. Her acting skills are still as good as ever though, and her blue dress is very elegant. She gets 108.39 points. Overall: 170.63.

Karen Chen's blue, white and red costume is pretty, but I would have wanted to see her in something more 'miserable' or period-accurate. Apart from that, her presentation of Les Miserables is pretty good. Technically, she has issues with the Lutzes (steps out of the first, falls on the second) and falls on the triple Loop. Her score: 110.26. Overall: 172.54.
Evgenia Medvedeva wins her first senior Grand Prix medal in Milwaukee
Photograph: www.news.yahoo.com

Satoko Miyahara skates to Un Sospiro by Franz Liszt. Clever use of the music to emphasize the spins. She gets 122.95 points. Overall: 188.07.

I was excited about Gracie Gold's Firebird even before seeing it, and she hasn't let me down. Love the choreography - it makes such a difference when bird mannerisms such as the flapping of the wings are included. She has no errors whatsoever. Her score: 137.41. Overall: 202.80.

It's easier to count the jumps Evgenia Medvedeva does without her arms aloft than the ones with. I love the delightful arm movement following the changes in the music. She falls on the first double Axel though. She gets 135.09 points. Overall: 206.01.

It's official - with Medvedeva's victory, Russia now has six brilliant ladies skating for them. It's going to make this season very interesting - could we get an all-Russian Grand Prix Final? Until then though, congratulations to Gracie Gold for her silver medal and to Satoko Miyahara for the bronze.

For more Skate America coverage, go to: http://crystalskate.blogspot.co.uk/

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