Figure Skating

[Mellowyellow]

My girls did not splat! URs but no splatting and the judging is strict at Autumn Classic.

Woot I can go on YouTube with abandon now 🥰 

***

Ok watched it.

Hmm they seem to have dinged Rika on PCS. She won but I didn't feel her PCS should be lower than Zhenya. Performance wise I didn't feel Zhenya was superior to Rika.

Anyways mega mega big yaaaaays all around. So happy!!!!! Gold and Silver and no splatting! Can't ask for more!

***

Can someone who watched the men's program explain why Junliet was hammered in his score compared to Hanyu?

Definitely Hanyu's performance was better and that twizzle out of the 3A is nuts but he did fall so I'm wondering why the scores are so different. I know Junliet had sketchy landings but what else did they ding him on?

Edited September 14, 2019 by Mellowyellow

[Ruby Gillis]

On 9/12/2019 at 6:58 PM, specialj67 said:

As much fun as Elizaveta Tuktamysheva is as a jumper, the actual non jumping portions of her programs are a complete snooze and seem like they were recycled from last year. She seems like a natural performer, but the programs always lack any nuance or depth.

Apparently the music to her program was supposed to be Drumming Song, but she switched it.  A fan re-dubbed it and it has so much more energy.  Or the elusion of energy. 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-38PnQZ0Z8uHXa4mCHdu2S1YAEKXFSin/view

[HartofDixie]

[healthnut]

I enjoyed Karen Chen’s routines, good to see her back. 

[Ruby Gillis]

Anna Shcherbakova landed a quad lutz to win the Lombardia Trophy.  I really enjoyed both the Korean skaters though, Young You and Yelim Kim.  They both floated across the ice.  I root for Tuktamysheva and fun, sultry song selection is probably the way to go, but she never seems to fully commit to the choreography.  And some of the choreography is this:

Edited to add:  if you can't see, she's licking her thumb and dragging it down her neck

Edited September 15, 2019 by Ruby Gillis

[KittenPokerCheater]

Not to cast aspersion on any of the single skaters, because they all work super hard, but I am bored of the Triple/Quad race.  I'd rather see some footwork and spins and stuff OTHER than the jumps.  

[carrier76]

5 hours ago, KittenPokerCheater said:

Not to cast aspersion on any of the single skaters, because they all work super hard, but I am bored of the Triple/Quad race.  I'd rather see some footwork and spins and stuff OTHER than the jumps.  

YES. I couldn’t care less about seeing Trusova and the rest of the Russian sprites coming into seniors this year. I just don’t care to watch that kind of skating. They will score big scores with their big jumps, terrible choreography, and junior programs. Yawn. I’m still bitter about Tursynbaeva’s silver medal last year. Maybe I’m just a bitter old woman.

[Ruby Gillis]

17 hours ago, KittenPokerCheater said:

Not to cast aspersion on any of the single skaters, because they all work super hard, but I am bored of the Triple/Quad race.  I'd rather see some footwork and spins and stuff OTHER than the jumps.  

At least the disco British ice dancing team is back, this time with a Madonna free dance. (He’s much better at voguing than she is though 😆)

Edited September 16, 2019 by Ruby Gillis

[TwoBitUsherette]

They may not be the most technically polished team, but I just love the Disco!Brits. Their Vogue program is so fun, and I can't wait to see how it grows over the season. And I agree that Lewis seems much more comfortable with it right now than Lilah does.

[SeanC]

With the first two Challengers done, so far this is easily my favourite senior RD:

[displayname]

Two senior events in, and the judging is already a travesty. At least the right people all won.

[Ruby Gillis]

On 9/16/2019 at 10:02 AM, TwoBitUsherette said:

They may not be the most technically polished team, but I just love the Disco!Brits. Their Vogue program is so fun, and I can't wait to see how it grows over the season. And I agree that Lewis seems much more comfortable with it right now than Lilah does.

She looks gorgeous with the Madonna ponytail.  Love the costumes as well.

14 hours ago, SeanC said:

With the first two Challengers done, so far this is easily my favourite senior RD:

Thanks for sharing!  I hadn't seen this one!   Choosing the Bonnie and Clyde musical was a brilliant choice.  

2 hours ago, displayname said:

Two senior events in, and the judging is already a travesty. At least the right people all won.

Should we prepare ourselves for world champion Trusova if that's who makes the Russian team?  Would they give her the PCS?

[KittenPokerCheater]

Has anyone seen Chock/Bate’s programs this year?  Or Hubble/Donahue?  I’m curious.

[SeanC]

3 hours ago, Ruby Gillis said:

Thanks for sharing!  I hadn't seen this one!   Choosing the Bonnie and Clyde musical was a brilliant choice.  

The funny thing is that they're the second Canadian team doing Bonnie & Clyde this year, the first being the junior team Galiyanova/Lochhead, and they have basically the same twizzle features:

Quote

Should we prepare ourselves for world champion Trusova if that's who makes the Russian team?  Would they give her the PCS?

Trusova doesn't need particularly big PCS to win Worlds, she has three quads.  The only skaters with a similar technical payload are Kihira (particularly if/when she introduces her own quad Salchow) and (further back) Shcherbakova.  In a battle between Trusova and Kihira (which we'll see first at Skate Canada International), the cleaner skater prevails.

6 minutes ago, KittenPokerCheater said:

Has anyone seen Chock/Bate’s programs this year?  Or Hubble/Donahue?  I’m curious.

Neither has competed yet.

Chock/Bates debut at the US Classic later this week, and their program information was just announced ("Too Darn Hot" in the RD, a free dance of various pieces of Middle Eastern-themed music).

Hubbell/Donohue aren't doing a Challenger this year, so they won't be seen until Skate America.  They're doing "Let's Be Bad" (from the TV show Smash) and "Shallow" from A Star is Born.

[displayname]

6 hours ago, Ruby Gillis said:

Should we prepare ourselves for world champion Trusova if that's who makes the Russian team?  Would they give her the PCS?

If she manages to build a reputation, it can happen. She has a leg up based off her 2 JWC golds.

[Ruby Gillis]

17 hours ago, displayname said:

23 hours ago, Ruby Gillis said:

If she manages to build a reputation, it can happen. She has a leg up based off her 2 JWC golds.

I’m feeling bad for the current crop of Russian youngsters. They’ll be on the Medvedeva timeline, hitting puberty around the next Olympics. For that reason, I’m hoping Medvedeva can pull off a miracle and have a long career. The Japanese and Korean fields seem so deep, I’m also hoping they’ll be increasing factors. Prefer both their styles of skating but don’t know where they are politically. Is Eteri’s camp working on triple axels at all?

[Mellowyellow]

Oh Alysa. Poor kid I got teary watching her dejected little self at the Kiss and Cry.

I could see she was nervous and didn't have the usual sparkle so I was relieved when the 3A3T was landed and then that loop......poor kid looks so devastated.

I'm sad that she looks so sad rather than that she double the loop 😭

Ted is such a treasure though and made some very lovely and appropriate comments. How did they find such a perfect person to comment on Juniors?

[SeanC]

1 hour ago, Ruby Gillis said:

Is Eteri’s camp working on triple axels at all?

She has a novice who can do a triple Axel.

Kostornaia used to be able to do a triple Axel (never attempted it in competition), but lost it. She said she wanted to work on getting it back (and you can tell her programs are choreographed with the idea that at some point they might put it in, because she always opens with a double Axel), as yet it hasn't happened.

1 hour ago, Mellowyellow said:

How did they find such a perfect person to comment on Juniors?

He came to them.  Video-streaming the JGP was his idea, so he was put in charge of running it.

[displayname]

2 hours ago, Ruby Gillis said:

Is Eteri’s camp working on triple axels at all?

Her camp has a very weak, unsustainable axel technique, which she hasn't yet shown she can get through to the form of a triple in seniors. We've seen Kostornaia do a 3A in practice, but that's it (and she didn't get her basic technique from Eteri). They focus on jumping cheated quads instead.

[SeanC]

Other than Panfilova/Rylov (untouchable, of course), the Russian pairs in Gdansk definitely did not have a good day.  And even with that, only two other pairs were able to get in front of them into second and third.  We'll see if they can hold on in the free.

Oh, and from the ladies:

Tomoe!  Finally!

[Darknight]

On 9/15/2019 at 12:55 PM, KittenPokerCheater said:

Not to cast aspersion on any of the single skaters, because they all work super hard, but I am bored of the Triple/Quad race.  I'd rather see some footwork and spins and stuff OTHER than the jumps.  

I agree. I blame the judges for this. They're rewarding it. I find Eteri skaters all looking the same like machines who are programmed. I do enjoy Kamilla's SP but it's the same like her LP. Alexandra's programs are boring to me. Yes she can jump quads but skating is more than jumps. I worry fir her the most because there is no way her body can handle that for three years. 

I'm curious to see how Alysa handles pressure and coming back. And Anastasia's scores. Why do they always do this to her? Also, I heard Anna's PCS scores went up in a day. Her quad was similar to Alysa's 

And Hanyu will not retire until he lands a 4A. I read he is doing quints in hardness. Someone should tie him down to a chair before he injuries himself. He sounds obsessed with landing the 4A. I hope he stays healthy..

Edited September 19, 2019 by Darknight

[Darknight]

10 hours ago, Ruby Gillis said:

I’m feeling bad for the current crop of Russian youngsters. They’ll be on the Medvedeva timeline, hitting puberty around the next Olympics. For that reason, I’m hoping Medvedeva can pull off a miracle and have a long career. The Japanese and Korean fields seem so deep, I’m also hoping they’ll be increasing factors. Prefer both their styles of skating but don’t know where they are politically. Is Eteri’s camp working on triple axels at all?

I'm guessing one of Eteri's juniors will be at the Olympics maybe one senior Alena or Alina but I can't see her senior quad skaters Anna and Alexandra lasting until the Olympics without injuries or burning out. The human body especially a kids body can't handle all of that. 

Japan has Rika and upcoming juniors. South Korea and China has amazing skaters too. I'm actually hoping Liza can make the team. It's unfair they don't reward her amazing technique. She needs better choreography and I wish she wouldn't change things around. 

As for the 3A she has a 12yo doing two quads and two 3A which is ridiculous to me. She can't compete in juniors for two years. However, her 3A looks small and hopefully it gets bigger. But that's not her technique. 

As for her seniors Trusova is trying to learn a 3a but I can't see her skaters doing a 3a at least this season. Maybe next season. She can cheat quads but it's harder to cheat a triple axel. It's interesting  to see her skaters as well as other lady skaters who can do quads but not the 3a. That says a lot. 

And just heard Tessa and Scotf are retiring no shock there. But they were so amazing. 

And Vanessa and James pulled out

Edited September 19, 2019 by Darknight

[Traceyphillips]

On 9/17/2019 at 9:30 PM, SeanC said:

With the first two Challengers done, so far this is easily my favourite senior RD:

Music choice is fantastic in this!! Such a lovely routine!

[SeanC]

Sigh, I knew Tomoe would fall apart in the free skate.  She's so nervy to begin with, and skating last certainly didn't help, especially after everybody else in the flight skated well.

Alysa's clearly got the competitive instincts of a champion.  Which she'll need going up against Kamila in the Final.

Pairs, two non-Russian teams on the podium, though the Russians definitely sent the D-team here apart from Panfilova/Rylov (the twist!  the intricate lifts!  sigh, the double jumps).  It's kind of weird to see Annika Hocke temporarily back in juniors after going to the Olympics.

---

From Nepela, Kaori is never good at Challengers, but I was hoping it'd be different this year.

Lara Naki Gutmann seems like a rising star for Italy, between this and her JGP assignment.

---

US Classic, Satoko brings us hip-hop Cleopatra.

[Mellowyellow]

Gooooo Alysa! Good to see the smile and chatter in K&C again. 

I didn't want to see her sad but this was a good lesson for her and tested her competitive nerves I guess.

I did some calculations and she's going to hit puberty around the Olympics??? I hope she'll be able to keep her jumps! But then better to be able to do them now and try to keep than to have never been able to do them at all.

She's so exciting to watch and utterly charming as a performer. I guess it's better

[SeanC]

[Mellowyellow]

Thanks for posting that. Thoroughly enjoyed it! Especially her dancing and hand movements.

[displayname]

@ChicksDigScarsErm, H/D are doing My Heart Belongs to Daddy for their RD. 

[Ruby Gillis]

7 hours ago, displayname said:

@ChicksDigScarsErm, H/D are doing My Heart Belongs to Daddy for their RD. 

Speaking of American ice dancers being tacky, I don't know what that Chock and Bates free skate was at the US Classic.  Some sort of snake charmer theme?  Tons of Walk like an Egyptian arms.    

[Sew Sumi]

I loved it. 

[Growsonwalls]

Uh, so Virtue/Moir have officially retired and are dissolving their partnership after one last tour.

People commenting on the secret baby blog are finally calling out the blog for lying about the secret marriage and three kids:

http://dubemoir.blogspot.com/2019/09/thank-heaven.html

[ChicksDigScars]

On 9/21/2019 at 12:28 PM, displayname said:

@ChicksDigScarsErm, H/D are doing My Heart Belongs to Daddy for their RD. 

Oh, and the face clutching, bodice ripping, faux romance angst that will surely be coming our way as they also over-emote to Shallow. 

[HartofDixie]

4 hours ago, ChicksDigScars said:

Oh, and the face clutching, bodice ripping, faux romance angst that will surely be coming our way as they also over-emote to Shallow. 

I’m not going to be surprised if they finish off the Worlds podium. Will they hold onto to #1 or will C/B beat them?

[HartofDixie]

Someone made a master list of music programs for the 19/20 season.

https://twitter.com/sywtwfs/status/1171915296413818883

[Ruby Gillis]

On 9/22/2019 at 2:39 AM, Sew Sumi said:

I loved it. 

I really loved their free dance last year, but this wasn't doing it for me for some reason!  I think the music is so dramatic that they could tone down their facial expressions.  The arm movements just look awkward to me, especially the sharper movements, but maybe it will grow on me.  

I probably won't be able to get over Hubbell/Donahue doing My Heart Belongs to Daddy, no matter how they choreograph it.  

I'm enjoying the US junior ice dance team Avonley Nguyen and Vadym Kolesnik

[Chaser]

That Jr team is gorgeous. Beautiful lines. 

[Ruby Gillis]

Guys, what do we think of Papadakis and Cizeron doing fame for their rhythm dance and spoken word for the free.  I just don't know...

[Harry24]

26 minutes ago, Ruby Gillis said:

Guys, what do we think of Papadakis and Cizeron doing fame for their rhythm dance and spoken word for the free.  I just don't know...

On first watch, I LOVED these.  It's so nice to see these supremely talented skaters stretching artistically.

[doodlebug]

42 minutes ago, Ruby Gillis said:

Guys, what do we think of Papadakis and Cizeron doing fame for their rhythm dance and spoken word for the free.  I just don't know...

Free Dance: I like the skating, the spoken word part didn't do much for me, seemed a bit pretentious.  I like my ice dance more straightforward and musical.

Rhythm Dance: Loved it all, I was a fan of the movie back when it came out in the 70's.

Edited September 28, 2019 by doodlebug

[Souris]

On 9/23/2019 at 10:33 PM, HartofDixie said:

Someone made a master list of music programs for the 19/20 season.

https://twitter.com/sywtwfs/status/1171915296413818883

How did two U.S. dance teams (three total) end up using “Too Darn Hot”?! That’s rather random to duplicate.

Edited September 29, 2019 by Souris

[annzeepark914]

This is the first time I've actually enjoyed watching P/C skate. There was no angst, no hanging onto each other, etc. It was pure ice dance with their superb skating skills very obvious. 

[Bewitched]

59 minutes ago, Souris said:

How did two U.S. dance teams (three total) end up using “Too Darn Hot”?! That’s rather random to duplicate.

Maybe the Broadway revival this spring of "Kiss Me Kate" inspired all the choreographers?

[ML89]

11 hours ago, Ruby Gillis said:

Guys, what do we think of Papadakis and Cizeron doing fame for their rhythm dance and spoken word for the free.  I just don't know...

The Fame RD is dull. Is that first part from the stage show? At least they finally got to the real music. Torvill and Dean skated to Hot Lunch Jam, why not them? 

[KittenPokerCheater]

I’m not sure that I like the rhythm dance choice this year of “broadway type music.”  The music choices are....meh.

When does the Grand Prix season start?

[annzeepark914]

I just saw that Daisuke Takahashi is switching to ice dance! He & his partner will train in MI with Marina Zoueva. I'm so happy. I've always loved his skating & now he'll be competing in my current favorite discipline. Just like Nikita, Daisuke will probably be the eye catching member of the ice dancing duo.

[Harry24]

4 hours ago, annzeepark914 said:

I just saw that Daisuke Takahashi is switching to ice dance! He & his partner will train in MI with Marina Zoueva. I'm so happy. I've always loved his skating & now he'll be competing in my current favorite discipline. Just like Nikita, Daisuke will probably be the eye catching member of the ice dancing duo.

Just when we thought Dai couldn't get any cooler.  This is awesome.

[annzeepark914]

2 hours ago, Harry24 said:

Just when we thought Dai couldn't get any cooler.  This is awesome.

Yup!  This guy rules, IMO.  Also. I saw that Mariah won Nebelhorne.  Made me happy because here's another skater whose style is so beautiful that I could watch her skate for hours on end (and I sure miss seeing that type of skating these days).

[Sew Sumi]

Mariah landed 7 triples with NO carrots! Tech to match her artistry. It's nice to see well-rounded skaters in this era of little jumping beans.

[SeanC]

I really enjoyed the pairs event at Nebelhorn, after yet another US Classic where everybody was gasping for air (I really hope the reports that that's being moved to California next year are true).

Anyway, KMT and Michael won gold, and their free program was probably their best ever on a technical level.

The Knierims still can't jump, but everything else is so good.

The Supreme Leader finally paid for Ryom and Kim to get new programs.

One of my favourite comparatively minor teams, Hase/Seegert, just missed the podium.  The short program is clearly trying to replicate "Say Something" from last year, which was brilliant, but it's still good.

Lots of interesting things happening in the world of ice dance, as well (including stream issues that rendered much of the RD footage unusable because of sound synchronization issues).  Fournier Beaudry/Sorensen won with a clean FD this time (no freak fall from Laurence), so they're clearly a team on the rise.

Big movement clearly in the works in the US ranks, as Hawayek/Baker would have lost to Carreira/Ponomarenko if Anthony hadn't mucked up his twizzles.  I'd say the former's position as US #3 is in major jeopardy.

Fear/Gibson were fourth by about two points.

Further down the ranks, I like Allison Reed and her partner's free dance (the third Reed sibling, unlike Cathy and Chris, has to wander the world searching for partners, and has been skating for Lithuania for a couple of years).  The most compelling they've been so far.

[ChicksDigScars]

Yeah, I'm not feeling the spoken word thing. It does strike me as pretentious. "Look, we're so awesome, we can skate to someone TALKING, and still receive gold medal fellatio by the judges!"

Wasn't there once a time that teams were docked because of a lack of dance-ability to the music? What was the excuse that Judy Blumberg and Michael Siebert were screwed out of the '84 Olympic bronze? Their music was declared "unsuitable for dancing" by the Italian judge? 

The joke being that the music in question was Scheherazade. I'm guessing they've changed their mind since 1984 on that piece of music.