Figure Skating

[Salacious Kitty]

I hope Kaitlyn hasn't suffered another concussion. She has a bad history with them. 😢

[ChicksDigScars]

Yeah, I don't see the Pair's Short, which means that we need to check Peacock for coverage. Also looks like the U.S. and Europeans will be overlapping in some coverage. Bummed about H/B. Upside is that C/P might make it to Worlds? 

But no JLB? Bumming HARD. 

 

 

Edited January 18, 2023 by ChicksDigScars

[annzeepark914]

4 hours ago, Good Queen Jane said:

Yikes! That doesn't sound good for the future of H/B. I wonder if they have gotten worn out because of never making the next step up. I was looking forward to seeing them at Nationals.

I was just thinking the same thing. Where does the motivation come from after so many years?  

[MaryMitch]

In the comments on an article about Kaitlin Hawayek and Jean-Luc Baker being out of the US championships, someone posted this link:

https://usdirectv.com/skating/

If you register for a free account, it says you can live stream the entire event.

[peachmangosteen]

Does anyone know how legit that site is lol?

[Jaded]

51 minutes ago, peachmangosteen said:

Does anyone know how legit that site is lol?

It looks like one of those clickbait trap sites that use other things like movies and TV shows to eventually try to infect peoples computers when they try to sign up. I haven't seen one of them in quite awhile. If it was a spammed link in the comments and it looks like the site posted above it's probably not legit.

[A. Dixon]

On 1/18/2023 at 2:46 PM, peachmangosteen said:

Does anyone know how legit that site is lol?

It is difficult to say definitively if a website is legitimate or not. But it seems new and probably not legit.

[Domenicholas]

Apparently, if you have a VPN, you can watch the U.S. Nationals on the Olympic Channel: https://olympics.com/en/sport-events/2023-usfs-figure-skating-toyota-u-s-championships-san-jose-california/

[HartofDixie]

Results page for European championships 

http://www.isuresults.com/results/season2223/ec2023/

[HartofDixie]

Results page for Nationals 

https://ijs.usfigureskating.org/leaderboard/results/2023/30876/index.asp

[Avaleigh]

Watching the Europeans now. Very exciting ladies event!

First, I'm enjoying Adam's commentary. It's a nice change from Johnny and Tara. I'd love it if NBC picked up Adam and Polina as their B team for the next Olympics. 

As for the skating:

I've been rooting for Olga Mikutina for a couple of years now so I'm glad she was able to have a nice performance. Her short program wasn't my favorite in terms of the music and choreography but I really like her skating so I'm hoping I respond to her long program better. She's definitely one to watch out for if she gets the entire package in terms of memorable music and choreography. The jumps and skating skills are definitely there.

Nastia Gubanova--I know she's Russian adjacent (I think they said she's never even been to Georgia before--really? That's...meh.) Anyway, I think her jumps are gorgeous and I liked the choreography for the most part. My biggest complaint is her spins. That combo spin made me wince and the layback wasn't much better. On top of that, these are the elements she chooses to end the program with? Two subpar spins are the last thing you want the judges to see? That made no sense to me.

My girl Loena is such a pleasure to watch. No one in this event has the same level of joy in their skating except maybe Kurakova. She has so much fun out there. Such a bummer that she missed that combo. I was practically holding my breath. I really wanted her to have a clean skate. Disappointing, but every other element was on point. Fingers crossed for the long for her to win. 

Kimmy Repond, wow. Considering this is her debut season, how exciting to already be in the top 3. I preferred Olga, if I'm being honest, but it was a nice skate. I wish she could get more height with her jumps.

My biggest disappointment was Ekaterina Kurakova. I was hoping that she'd come in second or even be a surprise win if Loena didn't deliver. I love her short. It's such a fun program and she's another one whose joy for skating really shines through. Hopefully the long program is flawless.

 

[Maelstrom]

I watched Euro mens SP last night, and most of the ladies' SP today, and I totally agree about Adam Rippon! He's such a breath of fresh air. His commentary is insightful and knowledgable, without resorting to cattiness or pointless blabbering. I would be more than thrilled to have him take over commenting duties from the Johnny and Tara show.

So excited for Adam Siao Him Fa, what a fantastic skate! I'm endlessly impressed with his talent and creativity. Denis V was delightful as usual - he always looks like he's having the time of his life and that's so enjoyable to watch. I'm sorry for Kevin Aymoz having that flubbed jump, but I suppose on the Aymoz scale of disastrous skates that probably only rates about a two or three - the rest of his program was beautiful, so maybe he can still pull out a podium placing with the free skate. Daniel Grassl falling apart surprised me, he started the season so strong and with such potential but seemed a shadow of himself here. The first time I saw his SP I could almost imagine it was Jason skating, but this time around he seemed very awkward and ungraceful. Nerves and pressure, I suppose.

I've yet to watch the final five ladies, but I enjoyed Olga Mikutina and Kimmy Repond as well. Lots of promise there. The other Belgian skater, Nina something, was really excellent and could well be one to watch in the next few years.

Anyone know if Jason is skating at Nationals?

[absnow54]

40 minutes ago, Maelstrom said:

Anyone know if Jason is skating at Nationals?

Yep. They just posted the start order, and he’s on it. 

[annzeepark914]

I'm watching the RD. Barely any audio for music so I have to turn it way up. Then Ben or Johnny start talking and it's loud. Wow! Flores & Desyatov were so exciting!

[specialj67]

18 minutes ago, annzeepark914 said:

 Wow! Flores & Desyatov were so exciting!

Their speed and energy was so great! Hoping for good results in the free dance for them.

[anniebird]

Where are you watching that you're getting commentary? I'm watching on Peacock and it's streaming with no commentary.

[Salacious Kitty]

5 minutes ago, anniebird said:

Where are you watching that you're getting commentary? I'm watching on Peacock and it's streaming with no commentary.

They were watching the Dance on USA. 

Women are just getting started right now on Peacock. 

Edited January 27, 2023 by Salacious Kitty

[anniebird]

1 minute ago, Salacious Kitty said:

They were watching the Dance in USA. 

Women's are just getting started right now on Peacock. 

Thanks - USA is the channel I forgot to check - I just switched over to Hulu TV from cable and everything is new to me.

 

[Avaleigh]

Yes about Adam Sio Him Fa! I first noticed him with the Star Wars program and he's had my attention ever since. I feel like he's a full package skater.

Glad to see others are watching the live Peacock coverage.

So glad Ting is back! I wasn't sure if she retired or not. I heard she'd been injured. I can see she's not in top form but her skating skills are still excellent. Hope that she has the jumps by next season. 

Hanna makes me want to cry. She could be such a stand out if she didn't let her nerves get to her. She's not a skater that's talked about much but she's great when she's on. Makes me think of all the skaters who are incredible in practice but then can't deliver when the time comes. 

[Salacious Kitty]

Ting's a full time college student. I wonder if she'll ever devote herself to skating going forward. 

[justmehere]

That is the most I have ever enjoyed Bradie Tennell. A beautiful (short) program that really fit her. She wasn't trying to be something; she was just present in the flow, and it was lovely. 

[annzeepark914]

13 minutes ago, justmehere said:

That is the most I have ever enjoyed Bradie Tennell. A beautiful (short) program that really fit her. She wasn't trying to be something; she was just present in the flow, and it was lovely. 

Amen! A beautiful SP, sophisticated costume, and Bradie herself looks so pretty now...so serene. Moving to France has made a huge difference for her.

[honeywest]

Stephane Lambiel looked a lot happier with Deniss in the kiss-and-cry than he did at his first Grand Prix.

[Avaleigh]

Happy for Starr and Gracie. I wish Amber had been clean but nice effort overall. 

Bradie's program was gorgeous. Isabeau was great but I think Bradie should be in first.

Sad for Gabriella Izzo. Yikes

Hope they all stay strong for the long.

[annzeepark914]

Is Lori Nichols still creating choreographies for skaters? 

[absnow54]

The Ladies Free Skate is going to be interesting. Both first and second and then third and forth are separated by hundredths of points. I thought Bradie Tennell was over scored, but it was still a great performance. It’s the first time I’ve enjoyed watching her skate. 

[iMonrey]

It doesn't seem like there are a lot of top contenders in the ladies' discipline. Isabeau is the clear favorite, feels like everyone else is competing for second place. Starr and Amber have been also-rans forever. I have no confidence either one will have a clean FS. Maybe someone else will sneak in there.

[absnow54]

18 minutes ago, iMonrey said:

It doesn't seem like there are a lot of top contenders in the ladies' discipline.

I don't necessarily disagree, but if you compare it to Ice Dance and Pairs, where the leaders are ahead by 10-15 points, the Ladies category is far more competitive. 1st through 5th place are all within about 6 points of each other, which means the podium can shift dramatically, especially since most of the the ladies in podium position are so inconsistent. 

[Avaleigh]

Dave Lease interviewed Elena Bechke sometime back and he was asking her why the US haven't had great success in pairs in comparison with how well they do in singles (and dance). Her take was because most Americans want their kid to be a Nathan Chen or Michelle Kwan. The average parent wants their kid to be the best in singles. It isn't until they're older or aren't having as much success as a singles skater that they think maybe my kid should try pairs (or dance). In Russia they decide fairly early on whether or not someone is better suited to pairs (or dance) and they're quickly paired up with a partner. In the US not only are skaters making the decision to go into pairs later in the game but it takes awhile to find a partner. 

Looking at the pairs short program--honestly, some of those teams didn't even seem like they were senior level. I hope some young skaters are inspired by the recent success of Knierim and Frazier. 

[annzeepark914]

There's a nice article about Ilia in today's Washington Post (I don't know how to "gift" an article...maybe someone else here can??):

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/olympics/2023/01/26/ilia-malinin-figure-skating-quadg0d/

So rare these days to get any coverage of figure skating in the Post. I added the names of several other metro DC skaters competing this weekend to the comments section (Michael Parsons, Emily Bratti, Ian Sommerville, and Caleb Wein). 

 

[Avaleigh]

Poor Deniss. I felt bad listening to how disappointed he was in his skate. 

I wish Adam and Kevin had been clean. They have my favorite step sequences this season. Adam's programs in particular I love. I think Kevin has the edge artistically, but they're both wonderful. Very happy that Adam won his first major title.

How exciting for Matteo and Lukas! I didn't predict either of them for the podium.

[iMonrey]

Quote

I totally agree about Adam Rippon! He's such a breath of fresh air. His commentary is insightful and knowledgable, without resorting to cattiness or pointless blabbering. I would be more than thrilled to have him take over commenting duties from the Johnny and Tara show.

I thought he was just OK. I really don't mind Tara and Johnny. Their obvious biases towards certain skaters is annoying, but otherwise I find them both articulate and informative. Adam stumbled a few times, over-explaining or repeating himself. He'll probably improve with time.

I was really moved by Matteo Rizzo's emotions at the end of the program. I really preferred him to Adam Siao Him Fa, but the latter had a huge cushion going into the FS. I wish they hadn't cut away to Kevin Aymoz crying after he'd been knocked off the podium. I don't know if that was an accident or just in poor taste.

[CeeBeeGee]

3 hours ago, annzeepark914 said:

There's a nice article about Ilia in today's Washington Post (I don't know how to "gift" an article...maybe someone else here can??):

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/olympics/2023/01/26/ilia-malinin-figure-skating-quadg0d/

So rare these days to get any coverage of figure skating in the Post. I added the names of several other metro DC skaters competing this weekend to the comments section (Michael Parsons, Emily Bratti, Ian Sommerville, and Caleb Wein). 

 

*sigh.* Marshall HS is in Fairfax County, not Falls Church. (I was raised in Falls Church, this is a thing.)

That said, great article. I love a polite young man.

 

[annzeepark914]

16 minutes ago, CeeBeeGee said:

*sigh.* Marshall HS is in Fairfax County, not Falls Church. (I was raised in Falls Church, this is a thing.)

That said, great article. I love a polite young man.

 

But it's sorta on the line of Tysons/Vienna/Falls Church, right 🤗.

Wow...still on a high from watching that ethereal Jason Brown SP, that followed the amazing Ilia "mega quad" Mallinin's SP. Poor Naumov having to follow those guys.

[absnow54]

29 minutes ago, CeeBeeGee said:

*sigh.* Marshall HS is in Fairfax County, not Falls Church. (I was raised in Falls Church, this is a thing.)

It’s literally in Falls Church, VA. Just not the City of Falls Church.

[Salacious Kitty]

A whistle clean short from Ilia followed by brilliance from Jason. 

Made up for the rest of the competition. 

[Avaleigh]

I have to admit that I giggled when Yaroslav gave that massive yawn before his program started. 

Ilia was great. Love the program. 

Funny that Ilia skated to I Put Spell on You but Jason was the one who seemed to cast a spell over the audience with that program. Definitely glad that he isn't retiring just yet. 

I won't call this a complete splat fest, but yeah, a lot of unfortunate skates today.

Watching Camden in particular was a bummer. Love him.

[justmehere]

Wow. Jason was sublime, so incredibly beautiful. I'm sad that we haven't seen him before with this program (and may not again; fingers crossed for Worlds) but so happy that he decided not to retire yet so that we do get to see him again. 

Illia is obviously amazing with the jumps, but only a 3-point difference between him and Jason on PCS? Illia has improved, but it looks more like flash than substance. This isn't new, of course, being rewarded with inflated PCS because of high jump scores. Jason wasn't going to pass him for the top spot, but it should have been notably closer.  [Edit: Closer total, that is, by Illia having a lower PCS score. Jason was nearly perfect at 49.84 (I didn't realize there is a limit), and Illia should have been lower, IMO, than 46.63.)

Thrilled that Tomoki had a clean skate but crushed for Camden. 

Edited January 28, 2023 by justmehere
Clarification

[iMonrey]

Ugh. I realize there wasn't a lot of stiff competition here, but you'd have thought Ilia and Jason Brown were the only two skaters since those are the only ones they talked about. I was really looking forward to seeing Yaroslav and they didn't even mention him until he took the ice. (Then Terry Gannon said we hadn't seen him since 2021 and I was like "What? He was there last year, doing the exact same short program!") Sad about Camden too - but they could have focused on at least a few of the other skaters instead of endlessly name-checking Ilia and Jason.

I had no idea Ilia's mother was a former skater until they showed archival footage of her skating days and then I was like "Hey I remember her!" God I'm old. I was watching this kid's mother skate before he was even born.

[Crs97]

I thought Ilia’s song choice really helped his artistic score.  Whoever suggested it was right on.  Jason is just gorgeous to watch.

[CeeBeeGee]

22 minutes ago, absnow54 said:

It’s literally in Falls Church, VA. Just not the City of Falls Church.

THIS IS CETI ALPHA V!

I actually wept after Jason's program. What a gift he is to figure skating. I saw him in Stars on Ice and as soon as they release the NYC-area dates I'm going to see him again--this time, in the first couple of rows.

[Avaleigh]

Alexa gets nice height on her jumps. She definitely needs to work on her overall skating skills and music interpretation, but at least under rotations aren't her problem.

Hanna withdrew. Too bad, I was hoping to see her have a great long. 

Nice comeback from Gabriella Izzo! She definitely skated with fire.

Why must every step sequence include sliding around on the ice? Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't, so it shouldn't be meant for every program. Some people like Kevin Aymoz and Jason can do it so it feels like it makes sense with the choreography, but with other people it just seems like a robotic and messy way to score points.

[annzeepark914]

Heck...I'm only seeing reruns of last night's interesting skates right now at 8:28 pm.

[anniebird]

Someone needs to tell Johnny Weir that Aaron Copland, not Leonard Bernstein, composed Appalachian Spring.

[SeanC]

From the Euros RD, I do love that the Taschlers' RD is choreographed with basically no regard for them being siblings. Shakira + Enrique Iglesias.

Britschgi, the Swiss champion, having the performance of his life and getting the bronze medal in men's was great.

Edited January 28, 2023 by SeanC

[honeywest]

Jason did everything I hoped he would.

Poor Deniss. Poor Kevin. Poor Hanna. Poor Camden.

Edited January 28, 2023 by honeywest

[CeeBeeGee]

DAMMIT. Gracie sucked me in for a moment and then she reverted to type.

At this point she needs to see a sports psychologist. She's too good a skater to just give up and I'm tired of having to sit through her Nationals therapy sessions.

Simone Biles should refer her psychologist, she didn't lose an AA title for eight years after that.

[alexa]

Every time I see Gracie skate it is like watching an empty shell.  She goes through the motions, but there is no energy or personality.  I wish she would know she doesn’t have to skate if she doesn’t love it.  Or maybe she does but just can’t show it effectively.

[CeeBeeGee]

7 minutes ago, alexa said:

Every time I see Gracie skate it is like watching an empty shell.  She goes through the motions, but there is no energy or personality.  I wish she would know she doesn’t have to skate if she doesn’t love it.  Or maybe she does but just can’t show it effectively.

I was thinking that last night--J&T were rhapsodizing about her SP, and I was like, she looked completely blank out there--if not terrified--until her step sequence. That's not artistry. And when you've got such wonderful music (I love that adaptation of East of Eden, much better IMO than the 1955 movie), you need to feel it.

[Avaleigh]

Too bad about Starr. She had such an opportunity here.

Amber wasn't perfect but I really liked her program. Her jumps are by far the best out of the US ladies.

People are so critical of Isabeau but her programs are clean and she's beautiful to watch. Can't wait to see where she'll be in one or two years.

I think both of Bradie's programs are winners.