Figure Skating

[specialj67]

Keegan Messing’s long program performance at nationals was so charming! I hope Skate Canada names him to the 2nd spot for the men on their Olympic team.

[ChicksDigScars]

@OlyPhil is at is again tonight. I guess the Can-flation is even worse in the long programs. (Well, DUH, Phil).

"The Canadian yahoos masquerading as judges just gave V/M perfect score. With 80 of 81 +3 for GOE and 44 of 45 10.0 for PCS. Should they lose at Olympics to an incredibly talented French couple, how will that go over in a Great White North that now believes they are God-like?"

Good lord.  I realize what they're doing. They're boosting their skaters for the Olympic judges. It almost makes you think that they need international judging panels for National championships, if that's even possible, It's just doing everyone involved a disservice to over-inflate, isn't it? I mean, it's not like everyone needs a freaking reminder that Virtue and Moir are good. 

Edited January 14, 2018 by ChicksDigScars

[NUguy514]

1 hour ago, Libby96 said:

I was sad enough when Tara won over Michelle in '98.  I don't need to relive it.  Tara skated lights out that night, but I still think if the skate order had been reversed, Michelle would have won.

100% agreed.

[NUguy514]

Also, I loved V/M in Vancouver and was thrilled they won, but I've spent the last eight (!!) years falling more and more out of love with them to the point where I now kind of hate them (well, I hate Scott; I don't think Tessa seems as gross and entitled).  Their reaction to winning silver in Sochi was pretty shitty, and I think I just want any other ice dancing team to win gold in PyeongChang.  The propping by the Canadian judges isn't helping.

[Libby96]

1 hour ago, NUguy514 said:

Also, I loved V/M in Vancouver and was thrilled they won, but I've spent the last eight (!!) years falling more and more out of love with them to the point where I now kind of hate them (well, I hate Scott; I don't think Tessa seems as gross and entitled).  Their reaction to winning silver in Sochi was pretty shitty, and I think I just want any other ice dancing team to win gold in PyeongChang.  The propping by the Canadian judges isn't helping.

I still wonder why they wanted to come back.  Obviously they still have the skills, and I certainly think if you can compete with the best in the world they have every right to do so, but I really can't see what they have left to prove, unless they couldn't stomach coming in second in what was at the time thought to be their last Olympic appearance.   

[NUguy514]

1 hour ago, Libby96 said:

I still wonder why they wanted to come back.  Obviously they still have the skills, and I certainly think if you can compete with the best in the world they have every right to do so, but I really can't see what they have left to prove, unless they couldn't stomach coming in second in what was at the time thought to be their last Olympic appearance.   

Completely, although if they're still hung up on coming in second in Sochi, they reallllllly need to get over it because it's tiresome and because Meryl and Charlie were the superior team (I'd say far superior, actually) in Sochi and deserved their gold.

[Jillibean]

7 hours ago, NUguy514 said:

Completely, although if they're still hung up on coming in second in Sochi, they reallllllly need to get over it because it's tiresome and because Meryl and Charlie were the superior team (I'd say far superior, actually) in Sochi and deserved their gold.

I think in their minds, Marina had somehow systematically improved Meryl and Charlie to their detriment. I’m sure that the fact that Marina’s son had been in a relationship with Tessa (I believe) in Vancouver when they won but was in one with Meryl when Meryl and Charlie won was also a factor in their version of reality. They were seemingly completely unable to accept that Meryl and Charlie might have legitimately skated better programs of their own merit. It makes it pretty impossible for me to like Tessa and Scott, and I would love to see anyone somehow beat them for the top of the podium.

In related news, a belated congratulations to Meryl and Fedor on their engagement. 

With regard to Ashley’s La La Land program, I thought a lot of the music choices for programs were a bit questionable. There seemed to be unending Moulin Rouge and Les Mis (the movie version, no less, which—why?). As others have pointed out, neither Emma Stone nor Ryan Gosling is an amazing singer, which I think makes the songs sound a bit thin out of context. But for me, the Audition Song was the most emotional moment in the movie and would have made a possible emotional ending to the program if she had used the full, uncut song and really skated out those feelings. By chopping it up and having different elements of it in different sections, I thought it really diluted whatever artistry you could derive from it. 

[Moxie Cat]

34 minutes ago, Jillibean said:

neither Emma Stone nor Ryan Gosling is an amazing singer

I'd say the same about Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman. Their voices are fine but a bit thin, which doesn't help lend emotional heft to a skating performance. So sick of hearing "Come What May."

[Dots And Stripes]

22 minutes ago, Jillibean said:

I think in their minds, Marina had somehow systematically improved Meryl and Charlie to their detriment. I’m sure that the fact that Marina’s son had been in a relationship with Tessa (I believe) in Vancouver when they won but was in one with Meryl when Meryl and Charlie won was also a factor in their version of reality. They were seemingly completely unable to accept that Meryl and Charlie might have legitimately skated better programs of their own merit. It makes it pretty impossible for me to like Tessa and Scott, and I would love to see anyone somehow beat them for the top of the podium.

I think the Canadian press really pushed the blaming Marina angle. All involved are really lucky the Canadian press didn’t seem aware of the love triangle angle because that would have gotten messy. I hold it against Marina that she continued to employ her son as a coach when he was dating her students. It added to the appearance of a conflict of interest.

I do think Tessa and Scott felt like they were not Marina’s favorites last time around. I didn’t see them blaming the Fedor/Meryl thing but I could have missed it. I wonder why Tessa and Scott went to another coach where they are once again training with their biggest competition. 

I see Tessa and Scott now as competing for their place in history. Every win adds to them being seen as all time greats. I like that they came back last season rather than waiting for the Olympic season. They put in the work. Seeing them cap off their career with another Olympic gold would make a great storyline. I’d like to see it happen.

[MostlyC]

Love triangle?

[HartofDixie]

21 hours ago, annzeepark914 said:

Well yeah I was being sarcastic.  We'd just been subjected, last weekend during Nationals, to a couple of pre-taped interviews w/ Tara (by Johnny) where she talked about her 1998 experience + Terry, over the years, seems to always remind Tara about her glory days prompting her to talk about them.  For some of us, it is always just a dangerous bit too much ;>)

If Tara was our last ladies champion then I would sort of get it but she’s not. Will NBC do the same for Sarah in 2022?

[HartofDixie]

Canadian Olympic team: www.cbc.ca/amp/1.4486484

[carrier76]

I’m glad Keegan Messing made the team.

 

I roll my eyes at Chan being gifted with a trip. I am basing this on what I saw over the course of the Grand Prix, as I didn’t watch Canadian Nationals.

[Jillibean]

1 hour ago, MostlyC said:

Love triangle?

Fedor Andreev, who is Marina Zoueva’s son, has had long-term relationships with three of the biggest female stars his mom coached—Tanith Belbin, Tessa Virtue, and Meryl Davis. The break-up with Tessa and then new relationship with Meryl happened between the 2010 and 2014 Olympic cycles, when both teams were training with Marina.

[annzeepark914]

5 hours ago, HartofDixie said:

If Tara was our last ladies champion then I would sort of get it but she’s not. Will NBC do the same for Sarah in 2022?

Doubt it.  Gee--I had to stop and think, "If not Tara, then who (was the last US ladies OG medalist")?  Sarah was not a memorable skater.  In 2002, the door opened, she took advantage of it, and won.

[SophiaD]

I'm watching the rebroadcast of the gala right now.  Karen is a beautiful skater and I loved her costume, but the music choices did nothing for me.  

Scott was very diplomatic about Adam's inclusion, saying that he'll skate to prove that he deserved to be included.  I hope so.

The Olympics Channel has a new set of commercials now.  Every time I hear these, I wonder if they were planning on debuting a new set, or if they had to re-shoot them after Ashley didn't make the team.

[ChicksDigScars]

So, the relationship triangle begs the question, is Charlotte Quinn, Scott’s or Fedor’s? Snark...

 

So, Tanith, Tessa and Meryl shared a boyfriend, who was the son of the coach they also shared. Tanith then married Meryl’s skating partner. Yeah, it’s all a bit...close. 

 

The above article said that Duhamel and Redford scraped their long and went back to their 2016 program.

[Souris]

During Hubbell & Donohue's gala skate, all I could think about what how disturbing I found her costume. Why would you put splotches of red ... there?

Thank heavens Nathan Chen didn't injure himself this time.

Still cranky about Ross Miner not even getting first flipping alternate.

I really, really, really want Mirai to land a clean triple Axel at the Olympics.

Edited January 15, 2018 by Souris

[Jaded]

Has Tanith always been so annoying? I'm glad she didn't commentate the entire time the US Nationals were going on. Even her commentary during the exhibition performances drove me crazy. One of the ice dancing teams was skating at the time and she started going on about this overly complicated way she had compared them to other teams or something. I admit that I kinda stopped listening because it sounded so inane.

[carrier76]

Mirai’s exhibition skate to Body Language, of all songs, was one of my favorite things about Nationals, as a whole.

[Matryoshka]

13 hours ago, LadyKenobi said:

I had to raise my eyebrows at the shade the crowd seemed to give Vincent over the love-fest for Ross.

Is that really how it came across on TV? I was there and while I felt the audience definitely wanted to show appreciation for Ross’ performances over the weekend and his grace in not ditching the gala; I didn’t think anyone deliberately shaded Vincent.

I thought the audience was really supportive of all the skaters for the whole event.

[Jaded]

6 hours ago, carrier76 said:

Mirai’s exhibition skate to Body Language, of all songs, was one of my favorite things about Nationals, as a whole.

That was one of my favorites too. I'm embarrassed to say that due to the Foo Fighters "Hot Buns" music video that sampled parts of "Body Language" I kept seeing the bare butt shower sequence in my head while watching Mirai's performance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1sTM_yEPFU

[carrier76]

Oh, I have seen that video many times. :)

[Matryoshka]

1 hour ago, LadyKenobi said:

I'm assuming there were other skaters besides the 1-2 winners and Olympic team plus Jason Brown? I got mad because they wasted about an hour in showing competition performances and interviews instead of actually televising the event. 

The first half of the gala was a Special Olympian, the Junior champions (men’s, ladies, pairs & dance), Hawayek & Baker, Kayne & O’Shea, Ross and Jason. Then the second half was the Olympic team.

I did think it felt a bit rushed or abbreviated from some other Nationals’ galas I’ve seen, there was less joking around between numbers and fewer local skate clubs participating. I know there was a send off event for the team  immediately after the gala with a semi-pricey ticket, so they probably needed to keep things moving to get that started on time.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

On 1/6/2018 at 1:27 PM, blackwing said:

So Bradie is more like Tara Lipinski, all jumps and no style?  

More questions from "I haven't watched figure skating in four years" me.

1.   It sounds like they get more points for doing the jumps with the hands making an O?  I know it's harder.  I seem to vaguely remember at least a few doing it last time.  Now it seems like many do?

2.  That Bielmann spin... do you get a yellow if you can't fully do it?  So many of these girls try to do it but aren't flexible enough to get the leg fully extended over the head.  Do you lose points for an Ugly Semi-Bielmann?

3.  I'm more impressed with the spin with the leg straight up in front and over the head.  I think Karen Chen did it, and Mirai?  I remember Shizuka Arakawa doing it in the Olympics.  Seems a lot harder.

 

On 1/13/2018 at 10:43 AM, Spiderella2 said:

 Number one, yes that is correct. Hands above the head give them an increase in Grade of execution between +1 - +3. It makes the jump much harder as it throws off your center of gravity.  So you do get an additional bonus for that. Which is why many of the Russian ladies tend to do it because they’re all about any points these days. I personally think it does not look pretty unless it is a perfect oval, but it does make the jump so much harder to do.

Not only does having your hands up change your center of gravity, but it also creates resistance which means you aren't spinning as quickly so if you want to get all the way around to get full credit for however many rotations, you have to push off on the takeoff much harder.

One of my pet peeves with flexibility moves is when people put them in even though they can't get their legs split 180 degrees. It's so ugly. There's a yoga pose that lots of people like to post on instagram (natarajasana/dancer's pose or dandayamana dhanurasana/standing bow) and it's essentially a more relaxed version of the Bielmann because your chest is parallel to the ground, rather than having your torso upright. Many of the people who post pictures of themselves doing this pose have their back thigh parallel to the floor or slightly higher and I always think ugh, it's so ugly like that. It's fine if you're taking pictures to track your progress, but honestly, I don't want to see that pose until your legs are split 180. Same goes for any sort of leaps or splits in competition or performance.

As for whether it's more impressive to do a spin with your leg behind you or in front of you, I find the one behind the head (Bielmann) to look more elegant (both the entry into it and the actual spin), but neither is MORE impressive to me because it's just a matter of where your flexibility lies. Either way you have to be able to do the splits. From there it's just a matter of whether you have a flexible back to do the Bielmann. A lot of the I-spins are not right in front -  they're more to the side like Sasha Cohen. To me, when you say that you’re holding your leg in front, I expect your leg to be in front of your face like a rhythmic gymnast (shin touching your forehead), not to the side (leg grazing your ear).

I find the I spins with the leg to the side unattractive because you can clearly see that their hips are not squared (years of ballet have made me think it's cheating if your hips aren't squared).

Anyway, my point is that just as you need to complete all the rotations in order to get credit for a jump, I wish you had to have your legs split 180 in order to get credit for a Bielmann.

ETA: Some beautiful rhythmic gymnastics pivots in the Bielmann and I spin positions!

Edited January 16, 2018 by ElectricBoogaloo

[HartofDixie]

European Championships start tomorrow!  Follow the results here: http://www.isuresults.com/results/season1718/ec2018/

Wed.     Jan. 17     7-9a LIVE     Europeans (Mens Short)     Olympic Channel
Wed.     Jan. 17     noon-2pLIVE     Europeans (Pairs Short) NBCSN
Wed.     Jan. 17     2-4     Europeans (Mens Short)     NBCSN
Thurs     Jan. 18     7:30a-9:30aLIVE     Europeans (Ladies Short) Olympic Channel
Thurs     Jan. 18     noon-2LIVE     Europeans (Pairs Long)     NBCSN
Thurs     Jan. 18     2-4LIVE     Europeans (Ladies Short) NBCSN
Fri.     Jan. 19     7a-8:30aLIVE     Europeans (Short Dance) Olympic Channel
Fri.     Jan. 19     noon-2pLIVE     Europeans (Mens Long)     NBCSN
Fri.     Jan. 19     2-3:30     Europeans (Short Dance)     NBCSN
Sat.     Jan. 20     7a-9aLIVE     Europeans (Free Dance)     Olympic Channel
Sat.     Jan. 20     12:30p-2:30pLIVE     Europeans (Ladies Long) Olympic Channel
Sat.     Jan. 20     6:30-8:30     Europeans (Free Dance)     NBCSN
Sat.     Jan. 20     8:30-10:30     Europeans (Ladies Long) NBCSN
Sun.     Jan. 21     3-5     Europeans (Ladies and Mens Long) NBC

[Quof]

Quote

Their reaction to winning silver in Sochi was pretty shitty, and I think I just want any other ice dancing team to win gold in PyeongChang.

And now we have to watch closeups of DoucheFace carrying the flag in the opening ceremonies.  I think I may have to watch American coverage.

[displayname]

8 hours ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

ETA: Some beautiful rhythmic gymnastics pivots in the Bielmann and I spin positions!

IDK how I feel about them. Balletic movements and pirouettes are so much more beautiful than the contortionist, hyper-extended ones. And it's bound to be a lot harder to do on ice. No, I'd rather see better response to music. Goodness knows I can pick out maybe three from the current field of ladies to check that box.

Edited January 16, 2018 by fan94

[andromeda331]

10 hours ago, HartofDixie said:

European Championships start tomorrow!  Follow the results here: http://www.isuresults.com/results/season1718/ec2018/

Wed.     Jan. 17     7-9a LIVE     Europeans (Mens Short)     Olympic Channel
Wed.     Jan. 17     noon-2pLIVE     Europeans (Pairs Short) NBCSN
Wed.     Jan. 17     2-4     Europeans (Mens Short)     NBCSN
Thurs     Jan. 18     7:30a-9:30aLIVE     Europeans (Ladies Short) Olympic Channel
Thurs     Jan. 18     noon-2LIVE     Europeans (Pairs Long)     NBCSN
Thurs     Jan. 18     2-4LIVE     Europeans (Ladies Short) NBCSN
Fri.     Jan. 19     7a-8:30aLIVE     Europeans (Short Dance) Olympic Channel
Fri.     Jan. 19     noon-2pLIVE     Europeans (Mens Long)     NBCSN
Fri.     Jan. 19     2-3:30     Europeans (Short Dance)     NBCSN
Sat.     Jan. 20     7a-9aLIVE     Europeans (Free Dance)     Olympic Channel
Sat.     Jan. 20     12:30p-2:30pLIVE     Europeans (Ladies Long) Olympic Channel
Sat.     Jan. 20     6:30-8:30     Europeans (Free Dance)     NBCSN
Sat.     Jan. 20     8:30-10:30     Europeans (Ladies Long) NBCSN
Sun.     Jan. 21     3-5     Europeans (Ladies and Mens Long) NBC

Can't wait!

[Maelstrom]

ElectricBoogaloo, I luff your post so much! I took years of dance classes when I was younger and always view everything through that lens as well. I agree that if a skater isn’t flexible enough to properly do a certain move they shouldn’t do it, with Biellmanns being some of the worst culprits. Heck, IMO Yuzuru Hanyu has a better Biellman than some of the ladies I’ve seen attempt it.

[displayname]

If we're continuing on with that, then Adam Rippon has a better layback (and Rippon!) than most ladies currently.

 

Karen Chen has the best LSp4, except maybe for Satoko Miyahara.

Edited January 17, 2018 by fan94

[ElectricBoogaloo]

9 hours ago, Maelstrom said:

ElectricBoogaloo, I luff your post so much! I took years of dance classes when I was younger and always view everything through that lens as well. I agree that if a skater isn’t flexible enough to properly do a certain move they shouldn’t do it, with Biellmanns being some of the worst culprits. Heck, IMO Yuzuru Hanyu has a better Biellman than some of the ladies I’ve seen attempt it.

I know it's probably not fair to judge other sports from a dance perspective, but what I find aesthetically pleasing was formed at an early age due to all those dance classes!

But in a broader sense, I have always felt that if you can't do something correctly, then it shouldn't be in a competition routine, regardless of what the actual move is. A Beillmann is not supposed to be with your legs split 170 degrees and an obviously bent knee. If that's what yours looks like, well, keep working on it before you put it into your routine. I mean, you wouldn't say, "I've been working on my triple, but I can only get it around two and a half times. I guess I'll just put it in my routine anyway." And what makes it worse is that a Beillmann is not a required element. There are other spins that you can do instead! I think if you put in an element and can't do it properly, then you shouldn't get credit for it.

[Jeddah]

1 hour ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

 A Beillmann is not supposed to be with your legs split 170 degrees and an obviously bent knee. If that's what yours looks like, well, keep working on it before you put it into your routine. I mean, you wouldn't say, "I've been working on my triple, but I can only get it around two and a half times. I guess I'll just put it in my routine anyway." 

I’m not an ice skater, but I never thought a Beillman has to be in a 180 split or with a straight free leg. That could certainly be a variation of it, but not the only way. Ballerinas do arabesques and attitudes that aren’t meant to be 180. I thought a Biellman was sort of a turned in attitude position, not a split. But again, I’m not a skater. I could be totally wrong.

One of my favorite Biellman variations was Caroline Zhang’s pearl spin. The most impressive part of that spin was when she was leaning back, so her leg was definitely not in 180. That spin was gorgeous.

[Vera]

On 1/14/2018 at 9:51 AM, ChicksDigScars said:

@OlyPhil is at is again tonight. I guess the Can-flation is even worse in the long programs. (Well, DUH, Phil).

"The Canadian yahoos masquerading as judges just gave V/M perfect score. With 80 of 81 +3 for GOE and 44 of 45 10.0 for PCS. Should they lose at Olympics to an incredibly talented French couple, how will that go over in a Great White North that now believes they are God-like?"

Good lord.  I realize what they're doing. They're boosting their skaters for the Olympic judges. It almost makes you think that they need international judging panels for National championships, if that's even possible, It's just doing everyone involved a disservice to over-inflate, isn't it? I mean, it's not like everyone needs a freaking reminder that Virtue and Moir are good. 

2

It's not like Davis/White didn't get a perfect score for their FD at the 2014 U.S Nationals or near perfect scores in the SD. At the French Nationals this season, Papadakis/Cizeron fell in the middle of their step sequence in the SD and scored 79+ and 123+ for the FD. 

It's nationals. Every country is going to overscore at nationals, especially in an Olympic year. The skaters themselves know not to take them seriously. But it does give them a good moral boost if nothing else.

On 1/14/2018 at 9:53 PM, Dots And Stripes said:

I didn’t see them blaming the Fedor/Meryl thing but I could have missed it

 

They didn't. Tessa hasn't been asked nor has she given her opinion on either of them. At Worlds (or the GPF?) last year, Tessa and Meryl shared a hug and were quite chatty according to people who saw them there.

Tessa and Scott also said that Meryl and Charlie deserved their win. When asked about a possible cheating scandal, they said they didn't think there had been one. When asked however about whether they felt Marina had been in their corner, they said no. Tessa wanted to do P&P for 2014, but Marina kiboshed it and gave them seasons instead. They had a lot of difficulties with the music and by October, right before the GPF, the music had been cut too many times and still hadn't been ready. 

Don't quote me on this and take it with a grain of salt as I can't find the source to it right now but if I remember this right, someone asked V/M why they hadn't left Marina at one of their Meet & Greets. According to them, they wanted out after the 2012-13 season, but SC didn't think it was a good idea. It was an Olympic year and every decision would play to the judges. It wasn't a decision that went well for Belbin/Agosto in the previous cycle. 

Canton IMO turned messy after Igor left. In 2010, he could split attention between D/W and V/M. When he left, Marina had those two teams and the Shibs as well. Chock/Bates left with Igor.

Quote

I wonder why Tessa and Scott went to another coach where they are once again training with their biggest competition. 

They are very close to Marie-France and Patrice, have been since their days as juniors. I would say MF/P mentored V/M in the same way Shae-Lyn Bourne coached/mentored W/P (and Carol Lane is a coach to G/P!). They've even said that in the time preceding to Sochi, MF/P were who they turned to for support. They also wanted to stay in Canada I think. It's easier for them to get off ice support (now with B210) there.  Their only other options would have been Carol Lane. 

V/M and P/C also don't train at the same rink apparently. They did last season, but not this one. 

On 1/14/2018 at 9:53 PM, Dots And Stripes said:

I see Tessa and Scott now as competing for their place in history. Every win adds to them being seen as all time greats. I like that they came back last season rather than waiting for the Olympic season. They put in the work. Seeing them cap off their career with another Olympic gold would make a great storyline. I’d like to see it happen.

This and I think it's also about having a redo? They won in 2010, but always say they couldn't enjoy it. Tessa's legs were a bigger problem than either had let on to the media. Even last season, B210 said Tessa's had two shin episodes. 

[Jeddah]

It is really interesting how skaters share coaches. It seemed like Raf  Arutyunyan was all over the place at US Nationals between coaching Ashley, Mariah, Adam, and Nathan. That’s got to be intense.

This is a good article about coaching multiple elite skaters: Coaches reveal secrets for handling elite skaters

[Vera]

Bruno Marcotte at Canadian Nationals was also coaching over half the pairs competing, including D/R and Moore-Towers/Mariano on the podium. He's also coaching the South and North Korean pairs teams. 

THE INTERVIEW: Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir

[Jeddah]

Olympic Ice, live figure skating show, to air nightly during Olympics

I cannot wait. When was the last time they had Olympic Ice? Was it 2006? I’m glad it’s back!

[HartofDixie]

1 hour ago, Jeddah said:

Olympic Ice, live figure skating show, to air nightly during Olympics

I cannot wait. When was the last time they had Olympic Ice? Was it 2006? I’m glad it’s back!

Dick Button and Tamara Moskvina need to make a guest appearance!

[specialj67]

3 hours ago, Jeddah said:

Olympic Ice, live figure skating show, to air nightly during Olympics

I cannot wait. When was the last time they had Olympic Ice? Was it 2006? I’m glad it’s back!

If it’s the same delightfully low-rent masterpiece it was back then, I will be watching every night!

[Silver Raven]

Mike Pence has been chosen to lead the US delegation to the Olympics, and Adam Rippon isn't having it.

https://thegailygrind.com/2018/01/17/gay-us-olympian-rips-lead-olympic-delegate-mike-pence-homophobic-policies-plans-avoid/

[ChicksDigScars]

Euros: @OlyPhil's Tweet. "Ridiculous skating while Russian bonus for Medvedeva who is .27 ahead of Kostner."

Show of hands, who's shocked by this? Skating While Russian on Russian Ice, no less? Please. It's a given.  

 Zagitova in first after Women's short. Medvedeva in second, Kostner in 3rd. 

 

His earlier observation, before the top skaters had performed, "There must be 20 Russian women better than the 33 from elsewhere who have skated so far in SP at #EuroFigure Going into final group, which has the three Russians, the leader has 56.04. UGH"

Edited January 18, 2018 by ChicksDigScars

[carrier76]

I am so sick of the Skating While Russian bonus. I may skip the ladies’ portion of Europeans altogether....

[HartofDixie]

31 minutes ago, carrier76 said:

I am so sick of the Skating While Russian bonus. I may skip the ladies’ portion of Europeans altogether....

Carolina should be 1st!

[ChicksDigScars]

36 minutes ago, carrier76 said:

I am so sick of the Skating While Russian bonus. I may skip the ladies’ portion of Europeans altogether....

You might want to stay away from the Pairs long program, too, then. UGH.

[displayname]

3 hours ago, HartofDixie said:

Carolina should be 1st!

I agree with this, for once.

 

Honestly, I'd love for the OWG podium to be Satoko, Kostner, and Karen Chen. Good, artistic skaters. Or, really, anyone but the Russian ladies. It would be different if we had Kostornaya or Tsurskaya in the mix, but we don't. Tutberidze's "school" of "skating" needs to end.

Edited January 18, 2018 by fan94

[specialj67]

The only thing interesting me about the EC women’s short program is that Medvedeva is not in the lead, and only because that’s an unusual occurrence.

The pairs result was frustratingly predictable. It’s boring when any country sweeps the podium, honestly.

[Vera]

 

I wish the ISU wouldn't give Russia anymore hosting opportunities. 

[legaleagle53]

To those who are dismayed at the dominance of Russia at Europeans, remember that the Olympics will be a different story, since it's still unclear which, if any, of the Russian skaters will be allowed to compete or in what capacity.  The IOC has made it very clear that Russian athletes will be permitted to compete on a specific invitation-only basis, and even then, they're not permitted to imply in any way that they represent Russia.

[Jillibean]

12 hours ago, legaleagle53 said:

To those who are dismayed at the dominance of Russia at Europeans, remember that the Olympics will be a different story, since it's still unclear which, if any, of the Russian skaters will be allowed to compete or in what capacity.  The IOC has made it very clear that Russian athletes will be permitted to compete on a specific invitation-only basis, and even then, they're not permitted to imply in any way that they represent Russia.

I think we're going to have to wait and see what the decision is. I was reading an article yesterday suggesting that anti-doping authorities are dismayed at how vague the handling of this has been and the complete lack of transparency, and here is another one from the Washington Post. There are concerns about different standards being applied to different athletes and concerns that athletes still under investigation or with a past history of doping may still get on the invite list. Basically, some are speculating that this was just a political statement from the IOC that will end up having no real effect except that all the athletes will be "Olympic athletes from Russia" rather than competing under the Russian flag. I guess we won't know until the final decision comes down, but at this point I would expect every Russian skater and skating team that Russia wants to send to be able to compete. The only place where I can see Russia maybe not being a factor is the team event, because I'm not sure how you enter a team event with no official country--unless they are allowed to enter as an "Olympic" team. 

Edited January 20, 2018 by Jillibean

[healthnut]

My two cents on the team Comp 

Ice dance - Shibs (short) Chock/Bates (free) - best scores from Nationals 

Mens - Chen (both) - hard to justify Adam for either 

I don’t know what to do for the ladies, Bradie (short), Mirai (long)? -Bradie’s long is just so juvenile and I think if Mirai goes up first, that’s a recipe for disaster.