Difficulty of skating wise yes Suzanne and Clare are superior, they were stronger skaters at this point. Performance wise it is close though.

Hayley and the girls who have always skated and performed so well, seem to have come from a dancing/performing arts background so maybe that's why they excel at skating on ice!

Until this week I would have said that both Suzanne and Clare had shown significantly more skating skill than Hayley and that her marks had been slightly artificially enhanced due to her exceptional performance skills (agree with your second sentence btw). However, I've always felt that her apparent lack of skating skill (in comparison to the aforementioned) was due to lack of content rather than lack of ability and that she was quite capable of more difficult stuff if only she was given it. Seems that may have been true...

Indeed

I think so too
I am a fan of hers and she just keeps getting better well done Hayley

I absolutely agree - it was an amazing routine and a joy to watch.

The jump last week brings that into question though, anything dance related she's fine, get her to jump or use edges she struggles. We still have to see a routine with a high skating content from Hayley, whether thats that they havent given her one i dont know. From other elements in the routines she's given i have my doubts as to whether she's that strong a skater, she's very good now, but she's not showing the skating ability of Suzanne or Clare at this point. She has a chance with the jump and that was very disappointing so you can't really say its because she isnt given stuff.

Hello Sid - I too was a huge fan of Suzanne and Claire; in fact defending my views of Hayley I felt a bit of 'deja vu' - been there before with Suzanne, and to a lesser degree Claire.

It's always difficult to compare the past with the present - so suffice to say all three have left me awestruck; and no one more than Hayley tonight - I was holding my breath before that spin.

I do think that for skating ability and performance we'll never see the likes of Ray again - but that is a different topic entirely.


xxx

True, but it can also work the other way round. Gary Lucy is an actor yet he struggles with the performance side of things.



Ah right, I'm not an expert so I have no clue about these things!

But I did think Hayley stepped things up a notch tonight in terms of the skating and her required element was easily the best of the bunch - and rather difficult.

Like I said, I've enjoyed watching all three girls. I wasn't so keen on Hayley to begin with but she has grown on me week by week

Agreed she's very good at dancing while not moving and then being mainly lifted by her partner

I think she would struggle with one of Ray's routines from last year

Hayley thoroughly deserved sixes across the board. One of my favourite DOI performances ever. I absolutely love that song and film and her interpretation was stunning/perfect.

But what really annoyed me though was when Philip the idiot announced before her routine that 'she got 5.5s last week, will she get 6.0s this week'? In a way, it was obvious she was likely to get sixes and this detracted a little from the routine. He spoiled it a little for me. But I still loved it and now she deserves to win the overall series.

And that is what I have been waiting for from her. Exciting, strong and fast. My favourite routine of the night and she's not my favourite contestant.

Evening gorgeous! X

What I love about the trio of girls is how different they each are in terms of their looks, personality and what their strengths and weaknesses are.

Suzanne & Claire might have had a slight edge on technical ability (I don't know) but I think Hayley is a slightly more versatile performer. She's like a chameleon.

I see what you mean re: the jump but my point was that Hayley was better technically than her detractors were giving her credit for. Hopefully she'll continue to progress from this and bring her technical content up to her performance level. Still think any comparison with Ray is very premature though...

IMO, Suzanne and Hayley are the best skaters ever on DOI.

With Chris 3rd and Ray 4th, even though I don't like Ray.

Yes perhaps we shouldnt really debate who is best etc. It's a bit unfair on them. Though it shows how great they are and that people havent forgotten or stop appreciating them. I wont forget clares backflip or those two sets of 30s in the final for the first time ever from Suzanne. Suzanne, Clare and Hayley are all very different. Hayley is probably the most graceful one though not quite up to the others technically, clare holds an edge (at least now cos she's still skating and improving) very well indeed and Suzanne is definetly the daredevil of the bunch. We've been very lucky to have seen all them. I suppose we'll have to make the big five (Ray, Suzanne, Kyran, Clare and Chris) a big six. They are all so so different. Comparing Ray and Chris (although i do think Ray is better lol) is like comparing Chalk and cheese really. It's the same for the girls.

I am not very keen on Hayley, but enjoyed her and Dan's performance this week especially, and those 6's were well deserved

It was nearly as good as Music. The move where Dan lifted her over his head and Hayley did the splits, was the same move Suzanne did, at that point I knew it'd be 30.0.


He was wrong, she got a 5.5, not 5.5's!

Fabulous routine, totally deserved every 6.0

Yes, she did suzannes splits lift. Only the second girl to do that.

Amen to that!!

Why can't people be gracious enough to give credit where credit's due? That was such an amazing performance from Hayley & Daniel

The dance this week included lots of jumps and difficult footwork & movments.

She was the only one as well to do a good job of the required element at least one never inluded it at all

Yes, perhaps, I mean she can skate. She just needs to strengthen her skating to suzanne and clares level. Hayley might pip them on performance but to be honest its harder to judge that looking back a few years than the skating cos we're seeing Hayley now whereas the if we watch a clip of the others its for the second time or whatever. She has the performance she justs needs to develop technically now, funny it was the opposite last year with Jess.

Just one X - must be losing my touch.