Perhaps Patrick Chan is peaking at the right time in his comeback season-we saw a clean short at Canadians, and finally a clean long here. That clean performance really let you relax into Patrick’s skating and really appreciate how good his skating skills are. He may be setting himself up for the best performance of his season at Worlds, which he will need to get a medal. It will still be interesting to see at Worlds if he is clean- will that even be enough to beat Hanyu or Fernandez? We shall see. But at least Patrick was able to pick up some nice momentum here and can head to Worlds with a strong skate under his belt.
Boyang Jin looked great at this event- those jumps are strong and they were ON here. His skating needs lots of work in the component area, but you can see, especially in his short program, that he’s making an effort to improve. That being said though, the component marks here were a bit high in my opinion, especially in the free skate. While he was able to medal in this smaller field, I don’t see his components being so high at Worlds when you add Hanyu and Fernandez to the field (similar to what happened at the Grand Prix Final). He is definitely a podium threat though if the other men make mistakes and I expect him to skate well there. What a breath of fresh air it was to see Han Yan skating well! He’s really got good speed and I may be in the minority here, but I like his programs. His short is one of the better suited ones of the season for me. I do wish he looked more...enthusiastic at every moment of his choreography, but this was a fantastic set of skates for him. It’s been tough for him this season, and I hope we get to see him skating like this in Boston. Oh, Shoma Uno, I just love you. Even when he makes mistakes, I am hooked on this kid’s skating. I was really hoping he’d medal here, and I am sure he’s not thrilled with this skate either. Worlds will be interesting for him- With Patrick, Hanyu and Javi being favorites for the podium, I see his key matchup really being against Boyang. Shoma beat him at the GPF, and then Jin beat him here. Shoma definitely has a components edge, but he’s got to be more consistent with those jumps. Either way, this kid has such a bright future and I can’t wait to watch! Takahito Mura had a good event here! Even though he ended in fifth, this was a really nice way to end his season. His year started out pretty rocky on the Grand Prix, but he recovered at Japanese Nationals and here as well. Only two Japanese men get to go to Boston, so this is the end of the year for him, but you have to think that Japan will get that third spot back this year. I hope Mura can start his season off on a better note next year, because when those jumps are on, they’re really beautiful. The American men had a really rough event here. Grant Hochstein’s short program was a bit of a bright spot, landing him in the final flight for the free skate, but he fell to 8th overall after the free. Max Aaron had a really bad short, and much like Gracie Gold, he just checked out mentally, like he was completely out of a competitive mindset. And seriously- Ross Miner looks like he was really hurt. I heard he had back issues at Nationals, and it certainly looked like he was still having problems here. My message to all of them- GO HOME! REST! STAY HEALTHY! That’s it for Four Continents! I can’t believe the season has flown by so fast! All that we have left now is the excitement of Worlds : ) It’s like I want it to get here because I am so excited, but I also will be very sad when it ends. I will be previewing all of the action for Boston in the coming weeks, stay tuned!
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It looks like taking some time off to rest Sui’s foot injury paid off well, as Sui/Han earned their third Four Continents title. I think they have the best set of programs of any pair this season; each one is so well suited to them and I love the music in both. It was definitely exciting to see them pull off a clean short program and both of their quads in the free skate. Also of note, they did beat reigning World Champs Duhamel/Radford in both TES and PCs in the short program. Their performance here really showed that they are still a strong contender for that Worlds podium. Heading to Boston, they could give themselves a technical advantage over the other top teams if they can keep those quads consistent.
Congratulations to Scimeca/Knierim on a fabulous free skate to win silver here. While many North American skaters struggled, they were a great example of what huge momentum can be gained by competing at this event. The jumps were a little shaky in the short, but they avoided any huge mistakes to set themselves up for a good free. BLESS THEM for finally landing those jumps! It was exciting to see that kind of skating out of this team- look what happens when they are clean! In the free, they actually had a higher TES than Sui/Han because of that cleanliness. Their elements are really quality with good transitions. I’ve been waiting for their free skate music to connect with me, and that finally happened this time out. Good for them heading to Worlds! The Chinese team of Yu/Jin had a bit of a messy competition. They had two deductions in the short, one for the side by side jumps and one for a time violation and a fall and underrotation call in the free. After beating Scimeca/Knierim twice this season, they fell behind then in both segments of the competition here. I like their costumes and their music, but their performances were a little flat for me. They are likely to be named to the Chinese World team, where they will try to make a good showing in their first appearance at that event. I know Kayne/OShea were hoping to gather similar momentum after their national title, but unfortunately they weren’t skating their best here and Tarah was sick. Even though they weren’t perfect, I think the music choices are working really well for them and I expect their consistency to return in time for Worlds. After a really shaky short, I thought they pulled it together well for the free that was almost clean. After this skate, I think they still have work to do before they’ll be considered the U.S.’s number one pair team. They’ll start that work in Boston, where I am sure they will be hungry. Also messy here were Canadians Iliushechkina/Moscovitch, who landed in fifth. After winning a contested spot on the Canadian World team, they have to step up their skating at Worlds to make the most of that opportunity. They have some really lovely moments, but she really has a hard time with those side by side jumps. Similarly, Americans Castelli/Tran weren’t able to end their season on the highest of notes. For their first season competing internationally, they did alright, but I see so much more potential in them. I hope they rest up and get started on the new season nice and early so they have plenty of prep time for next year. Also- can they please keep their Journey free skate for next year? I think that one deserves a clean skate : ) What I originally thought was going to be a battle between Satoko Miyahara and Gracie Gold for gold here turned out to not be a battle at all as Satoko Miyahara used her incredible consistency to coast to the win here. She posted the highest scores she’s seen this season in both segments of the competition and she has really solidified her status as a podium favorite for Worlds. This little dynamo has been getting better all season and her programs have really developed to suit her so well. She is so clean and precise that it’s hard to imagine her not getting a medal at worlds. Congrats to Satoko on a great event and earning a huge bit of momentum!
While the rest of the North American ladies struggled big time, Mirai Nagasu rose to the occasion, delivering two clean and steady skates to end her season on an incredibly high note. Her silver medal here shows off all the work she’s done, on and off the ice, to increase her strength as a competitor. This was a building block season for her. I am sad we won’t see her in Boston, but she can rest, recover and then set to work early on new programs for next year, where she can really capitalize on the opportunities she’ll get next season because of her great results this year. I’m so happy for her and most importantly- she seems happy : ) Rika Hongo hung on for the bronze, even after placing fourth in the short and fifth in long after some mistakes. Though she’s struggled with consistency this season, this medal will be good for Rika’s standing as she heads to Boston. At Worlds, Rika will be one of those skaters on the bubble for that top six/last FS warm up group and she’ll need to find a bit more steadiness to achieve that result against such a competitive (yet unpredictable) field. So Youn Park turned in a good set of skates to beat her international season best score by over ten points, and post a new personal best as well. She was able to edge out Gold by less than a point for fourth place, and it’s great to see her skating so well. Let’s hope she can continue that momentum and repeat that consistency at Worlds. Oh, Gracie. Why do you do this to yourself? Though I understand that there was a huge potential opportunity for her here, competing here was also a huge risk. One that, ultimately, did not pay off and has really stalled her Nationals momentum heading to Worlds. She was obviously not in this competition to win it, whether that was mental, physical or a combination of both, she was not focused and ready to compete. I think she’ll skate better at Worlds, but this result only confirms that she has not yet left her self doubt and self confidence issues behind her just yet. I think the judges can let this skate go, but can she? That’s the question. Kaetlyn Osmund came back from a disappointing short program by placing fourth in the free skate and landing in sixth overall. Considering she’s come back this season from a difficult injury, she did well with what she had at this point in her recovery;there are some really nice things about her skating. Conversely, Kanako Murakami had a fabulous short program that had her in medal contention, but she really came undone in the free to land in seventh overall. My other favorite Karen Chen did what she could with little prep and recovery time, but she struggled here. For these skaters, now is the time to rest, recover and prepare for a stronger season in 2016-17 Alaine Chartrand also could not continue her nationals momentum, with a very disappointing 11th place finish. She still has Worlds coming up, so she needs to let this event go and move forward to Boston. With the exception of Satoko and Mirai, this was really a disappointing, messy event and I’m just happy it’s over so that skaters and rest and look forward to Boston or a new season. There was a lot of excitement in the dance event at Four Continents, with three of the world’s top dance teams competing here for more than just medals. With the World championships looming in five weeks, these teams are jockeying for position and for very important momentum heading to Boston. With European teams Papadakis/Cizeron and Cappellini/Lanotte skating well, these North American teams will be fighting for the World podium and this event is an important precursor for that battle.
The Shibutanis pulled off a stunning victory here, just weeks after winning their first national title. With two clean skates, they grabbed their first Four Continents title and a huge momentum boost to their season. They won both segments of the competition and posted the highest TES in both programs as well. However, they lost in PCS in both dances to Weaver/Poje and were only 0.12 ahead of Chock/Bates in the short, and lost to them in PCS in the free. It’s nice to see the Shibs being recognized for their technical excellence, but those PCS scores could be a real factor come Worlds. Other than their overall victory here, I think it was huge that they were able to beat the Canadians when both teams were skating well in the short dance. That precedent has them heading to Boston with huge momentum. Fellow Americans Chock/Bates were able to recover from a disappointing short dance to win the silver medal with a personal best free dance score. Due to so many changes in their content at the beginning of the season, these two have been slow to gain traction this year, but I think their programs have built solidly since the Grand Prix Final. This free dance should be good for their confidence as they head to worlds. Technically, they’ve made a few mistakes over the course of the season, including a big one here in the short, so they have to be very conscious of preventing those mistakes with their training before Worlds. The race will be so close among the top teams that every little point will matter. Coming into this event undefeated, Canadians Weaver/Poje have to be disappointed with a third place finish here. They were a close second to the Shibutanis in the short, but made several costly mistakes in the free to fall to bronze. Unfortunately for this talented team, it was a bad time to have a bad skate; they’re now heading to Worlds with far less momentum than before. Again, I think their defeat by the Shibs in the short, though narrow, may be more damaging than their overall placement. Even despite their mistakes, Weaver/Poje won the PCS score in both segments of the event and I think they will be just as highly rewarded at Worlds as well. Last season after this event, they were still undefeated and yet fell to bronze at Worlds. Perhaps this loss here will catapult them to that elusive first World title. Hubbell/Donohue, the third American team competing here, had another strong competition to add to their season. They were second in TES in both segments of the competition, placing a strong third in both dances. However, overall, they ended up about 1.50 points off bronze. They received a 1.00 deduction in the free dance, but it is really their PCS where they face a deep deficit in comparison to the top three teams. They have made huge improvements in their career this year, with a Grand Prix win and a Grand Prix Final appearance. Last year, they were 10th at Worlds, and they can certainly improve on that this season as they look towards Boston. Just a quick note on Gilles/Prior, I feel like you could tell on their faces in the Kiss and Cry that they are frustrated with their scores here, perhaps a sign that their content and packaging aren’t working for them with the judges. I do want to give them a shout out for being original, and for posting their season’s best score in the free dance. Looking towards Boston, there are at least five teams that could win a World title and that will certainly make that event one to watch! After I get all caught up from this event, I will begin my research for all of my Worlds previews. Thanks for reading! Yes, I know the event started already, but I forgot to post these! And of course, they are legit.
USFSA: Satoko Miyahara Patrick Chan Weaver/Poje Sui/Han Alaine Chartrand Grant Hochstein Hubbell/Donahue Yu/Jin Da Bin Choi Jinseo Kim Muramoto/Reed Suto/Boudreau-Audet TSL: Satoko Miyahara Patrick Chan Weaver/Poje Sui/Han Gracie Gold Shoma Uno Shibutani/Shibutani Duhamel/Radford Alaine Chartrand Boyang Jin Chock/Bates Yu/Jin Rika Hongo Max Aaron Hubbell/Donahue Scimeca/Knierim Mirai Nagasu Takahito Mura Gilles/Prioir Kayne/OShea Kanako Murakami Grant Hochstein Paradis/Ouellet Ilyushechkina/Moscovitch Wow! What a fabulous first day of skating we’ve had at Four Continents, with exciting results in the dance, ladies and pairs events : ) As the men are set to start their competition early tomorrow morning, here’s my preview of their event:
Shoma Uno---GP Season Best 276.79 GPF--- Shoma has had a strong season, with three medals on the Grand Prix circuit, including a bronze over Patrick Chan at the Grand Prix Final. His skating is beautiful to watch and the jumps have been pretty steady for him this year. Because he’s younger, he could lose out on components to a skater like Chan, but he does have a slight technical edge. He’ll have to be clean here to steal the show from Chan. Patrick Chan---GP Season Best 271.14 SC--- Patrick had a slow start to his comeback season, with his first clean short program coming just weeks ago at Canadian Nationals. He’ll need another one if he has hopes to win here. He’s added a second triple axel to his free skate to up his technical ante, but it was doubled at Canadians. Patrick’s skating skills will give his PCS a boost here, but Shoma won’t be easy to beat technically. Boyang Jin---GP Season Best 266.43 NHK--- This kid has quads- and a lot of them. Like, four in one free skate at times this season. It’s incredible to watch but the judges really nail him in components, and rightfully so. Those quads add up a lot of points though, and with Denis Ten out of this field, he’s got a great shot at the podium. Han Yan--- GP Season Best 263.03 SA--- Yan has had an...uninspiring year. I like the programs he’s using this season, but most of his performances have been middle-of-the-pack quality. I expect him to skate well, but probably not well enough to make a podium impact. Max Aaron---GP Season Best 258.95 SA--- Max skated two strong and steady performances at U.S. Nationals last month, and he looks to continue that consistency here. With U.S. Champ Adam Rippon out of the field, Max can make a strong impression on the judges here before Worlds. He doesn't have as many quads as Boyang, or the PCS that Uno and Chan will score, so he’ll need to rely on consistency here to put him near the top in the field. Ross Miner---GP Season Best 248.92 RC--- Ross is coming off an uneven performance at U.S. Nationals; he had a strong short but struggled in the free while. Apparently, he was having back issues at Nationals and I’m worried those won’t be completely healed while he’s here. He had a great performance at Rostelecom earlier in the year, so he is capable of a strong showing. After missing out on Worlds, I’d love to see him skate well. Takahito Mura---GP Season Best 242.21 NHK--- It’s been an up and down season for Mura, with a shaky Grand Prix, but then he had a nice competition at Japanese Nationals to earn his spot here. He won’t be at Worlds, so he’s looking to end his season on a high note here. His quads aren’t as consistent as the men above, but they are beautiful when landed. Grant Hochstein---GP Season Best 235.63 NHK--- Grant has had a renaissance season in terms of results: Two fourth place finishes in tough fields on the Grand Prix, a fourth at Nationals, and a World Championships berth after Nathan Chen’s injury. With Boston looming, I’m praying Grant can have a strong showing here. Though he probably won’t podium, he needs to continue building that international credibility here before Worlds. Predictions: *this will differ from the fantasy picks I’ve already submitted...changed my mind*
The dance event at Four Continents features several of the top teams in the world, and a lot of up and coming dance teams you may not have heard of just yet- the best of both worlds! There are three North American teams favored for the podium, and two more of them battling it out in the top five. Let’s take a look at those top five: Weaver/Poje--- GP Season Best 182.66 GPF--- So far this season, the Canadian champs are undefeated and coming off a strong performance at their national championships. Last year, the only competition they lost was the World title, where they were a disappointing third. They are favored to win here, but there are two other teams hot on their heels. I expect them to be skating well as they set themselves up for a rematch with the reigning World champions Papadakis/Cizeron in Boston. Chock/Bates---GP Season Best 177.55 GPF--- Though Chock/Bates came in second at the U.S. Championships, the reigning World silver medallists looked stronger there than we’ve seen them all season. I know they’ll be hungry here, and I think they will skate well. I would argue that it is their material, not their skating, that has fallen a bit short this year, but they are a very good team and have historically scored better than their American teammates internationally. A win over the Shibutanis is crucial for them here heading to Boston. Shibutani/Shibutani--- GP Season Best 174.92--- Riding high on their much deserved national title, the Shibutanis need to skate lights out in Taipei City to keep their season’s momentum alive. Now that a national panel has scored them above Chock/Bates, will an international panel be willing to do the same? We will find out, but the Shibs have no room for error. They are such a consistent team and I see that continuing here. They may be in third after the short dance, but if they can keep a close margin heading to the free, the magic of Coldplay can do wonders for them again. Hubbell/Donahue--- GP Season Best 163.20 GPF--- A coaching change has given new life into this team and their emotional Hallelujah short dance is truly a beautiful piece. They were overshadowed at the U.S. Championships, but they really did have a strong event in St. Paul. With this field, I think their quality will have a chance to shine. I am hoping the judges take note of that short dance and place them near the top teams heading into the free. Gilles/Prioir---GP Season Best 157.58 SA---It’s been a tough year for these two, placing lower at their Grand Prix events than they’d hoped and missing out on the Final. They are truly strong skaters, but their atypical packaging stands in the way of that quality shining through on the ice. I love them for being different, but I wish their look was more simple so the eye could focus on their skating skills. Strong skates here will give them a boost for Boston as they will face a tough challenge in trying to maintain their 6th place standing from last year. Predictions:
Much like the ladies, there are two front runners for the gold medal- Canadians Duhamel/Radford and the Chinese team of Sui/Han. The reigning World Champs have been struggling a bit this season and we haven’t seen Sui/Han since Cup of China, so this matchup comes with a lot of question marks. Outside of the top two, it seems like there are several skaters who could end up in each spot, so we have plenty of interesting storylines to watch! Duhamel/Radford ---GP Season Best 216.67 (GPF)--- After being undefeated last season, Duhamel/Radford have seemed out of it this year, with shaky elements and uneven skates. Consistency led to their success last year, but they haven’t found that yet this year. Their season best is the highest of all of the competitors by a slim margin. According to their planned content, they are attempting one quad, the throw quad salchow in their free skate. This competition is important for them to gather some confidence and momentum before Worlds. The European pairs field is so strong that they will need strong skates here to carry them into Boston on a high note. Sui/Han---GP Season Best 215.62 (COC)--- Coming back from an injury, this is the first time we’ll see Sui/Han since November. Surprisingly, they are planning not one- but two- quads in their free skate. We saw them successfully complete the 4Tw at Skate America and Cup of China, but this will be the first time we’ll see their quad throw salchow attempt. It’s an ambitious program for coming back from an injury, but it is exactly what they need to do to go into Worlds with a strong case for the podium. They could really make a statement here with clean performances. Yu/Jin--- GP Season Best 197.75 (COC)--- This Chinese pair has had a strong season thus far, earning two medals on the Grand Prix and making it to the Final. They struggled with falls in their free skate at the Grand Prix Final, but they have put up some very competitive scores this year, compared to the rest of the field below. They are not planning any quad attempts for this event, which I think is a good choice; they will be in better stead with a solid event here. Scimeca/Knierim- GP Season Best 191.97 (SA)--- Scimeca and Knierim will be looking to put some disappointing skates behind them here before Worlds. We haven’t seen them skate solidly since Skate America, but they are capable of it. They plan a quad twist in the free skate, which has given them troubles recently, but can be a beautiful element for them. More important than their placement with international teams here will be their placement against American teammates Kayne/Oshea, as they fight to stay the U.S.’s number one pair team internationally. Kayne/OShea- GP Season Best 181.23 (RC)--- Tarah and Danny are coming in on the high of winning their first national title. Propelled by a new short program, their personal best score could really see a jump here. They have been a very consistent team, and that can pay off especially when others make mistakes. I expect them to be skating well here, and for me it is mostly a question of what the judges will do with them in comparison to an international field. Canadians Ilyushechkina/Moscovitch (GP Best 180.63) look to continue their strong performances from Canadian Nationals before Worlds, and newer American team Castelli/Tran (GP Best 173.40) look to take advantage of their last international competitive skate of the year, with a good performance and really nothing to lose. Predictions:
In the ladies event, there’s really two names vying for the gold medal- Satoko Miyahara and Gracie Gold. Both are in the discussion for a world medal, so this match-up is important before Boston. Gold beat Miyahara at Skate America, and then Satoko beat Gracie at the Grand Prix Final. Both skaters are coming off of a National title win and each one has what the other one lacks- Gracie needs a dose of Satoko’s consistency and Satoko needs the big, powerful jumps that Gracie has. Satoko Miyahara- GP Season Average 200.04--- Satoko should be coming into this event with more confidence than ever. After consistency won her a silver medal at Worlds 2105, she grabbed gold at NHK Trophy and silver at the Grand Prix Final. Her consistency is starting to pay off with the judges in PCS- you can tell, especially in her short, that she’s working on expression and being a performer. However, they are really picky with her jump calls. She got one call at the Grand Prix Final (a flip edge in the short), so hopefully she can keep up that cleanliness. She’ll need every point and GOE to beat Gracie. Gracie Gold- GP Season Average 198.80--- What this will come down to for Gold is one question- Can she put down two clean skates at one event? Completely clean, Gold will win over Miyahara because of GOE and PCS marks. (Satoko doesn’t get the credit in those areas that she often deserves.) However, clean skates have been a problem for Gold and last year, she finished fourth at this event when she easily should’ve won. This is a huge opportunity for Gracie to gather some momentum before Worlds and unfortunately, anything other than perfection will probably rouse her doubts. She is more than capable; she just has to do it. Rika Hongo- GP Season Average 187.44--- After a strong start to the season with a silver at Cup of China, Rika struggled a little at Rostelecom Cup and Japanese nationals. Like Miyahara, her consistency under pressure is what will carry her to a possible podium finish; she just has to find those jumps and those feet under her. She added technical difficulty to her programs this year and she’s worked hard on her presentation. Don’t count her out! Mirai Nagasu -- GP Season Average 175.64--- Mirai’s skating is looking better than ever this season, as she has been more confident and consistent than we have seen from her in a long time. At NHK and at Nationals, she was solid and her jumps are looking higher and cleaner. After a fourth at Nationals, I hope she can end her season on a high note with a great top five finish here. Karen Chen-- GP Season Average 174.24--- Karen (replacement for Polina Edmunds) has had a rough season so far, struggling with boot problems and a heel injury. She is the total package skater and has incredible potential, but I am not sure how much time she has had since nationals to train or to address those issues. How she will compete here is a bit of a question mark for me. I’m very glad she’s getting the opportunity though. Go Karen! Kanako Murakami- GP Season Average 171.59--- Kanako scored that 171.59 at Skate Canada, where she came in fourth before competing in Trophee Bompbard’s short program, where she was also fourth. At Japanese nationals, she placed sixth. We haven’t seen too much of her this season sadly, so I hope she can skate well here to end her season on a high note. She’s probably out of medal contention, but not out of the top five. Alaine Chartrand- GP Season Average 160.81--- Alaine’s skating took a huge upward turn as she won her first Canadian title with two clean skates in January. In her Grand Prix events, she had strong shorts and then terrible longs that included unsuccessful triple axel attempts. At Nationals, she forwent the 3A and skated so well that I hope they continue that strategy here. Her personal best is 173.42, but I think two clean programs could score in the mid-high 180s. She could really surprise here. Predictions: 1.Satoko Miyahara 2.Gracie Gold 3.Alaine Chartrand 4. Rika Hongo 5. Mirai Nagasu While all U.S. skating fans’ attention was focused on the U.S. Championships in St. Paul, Canada was also hosting their nationals. I finally had time to catch up on the highlights and check in on some of the Canadian skaters before they take part in Four Continents this week.
DANCE: Weaver and Poje looked strong and consistent as usual as they easily grabbed another Canadian title. Though I appreciate the quality of their skating, I have to say their programs this season feel generic to me. She’s a little too much and he’s a little not enough, and that combination with their programs just isn’t “magic” for me. Their free is the stronger of the two, though I wish they would go back to their black costumes from the beginning of the year. It’s interesting to note that this season’s results are an exact duplicate of last year’s, being undefeated going into Four Continents and Worlds. They are favorites to win in Taipei this week, but I think Worlds will be more of a challenge for them- just like last year. Piper Gilles and Paul Prioir had a nice event here. They look more comfortable with their programs after having some time off after the Grand Prix. They changed their free dance costumes, but to be honest, I wish they’d kept their old ones and traded out their neon short dance ensemble instead. I 100% appreciate them for their commitment to being different in a discipline where we see so much of the same, but unfortunately their “quirkiness” this season simply distracts you from how good of a team they really are. Instead of focusing on their amazing edges or striking lifts, you’re stuck wondering what the hell they’re wearing and trying to piece together the storyline of their programs. I wish they would attempt something more simple so that their skating could shine through like it deserves. PAIRS: Wow, there was a lot of storylines to watch in the pairs. Duhamel and Radford deserved their win here, but they are not looking as solid as fans would hope going into Worlds. Their confidence seems to be missing, and you can see it in their mistakes and overall skating this year. I don’t think there was anything wrong with her short program dress, though I do think the new one does a good job of softening her and it looks better overall with his shirt. After such a big season last year, they are working through some adjustments this year it looks like. Seeing what the European teams have done this year, Duhamel and Radford are going to have a hard time reclaiming that title this year. I love Julianne Seguin/Charlie Bilodeau. They have a great connection to each other, to their music and to the audience. They had some bobbles in the short, but overall they looked strong. What a season they have had already- two medals on the Grand Prix and a fourth place at the FInal! It was announced this past weekend that she sustained a “minor injury” and that they will be out of Four Continents “as a precaution” for Worlds. All the best to them as they heal; I can’t wait to see what they can do in Boston. It was nice to see Lubov and Dylan have a consistent competition they have some nice moments. Props to Moore-Towers/Marinaro for the great recovery in the short program. These two have good potential; they are just too new of a team and need more time to smooth everything out. That's it for Canadian Nationals! This week will be all about previewing Four Continents; I will post a preview and fantasy picks for all disciplines before the event starts late Wednesday night. Though I will not be watching live (too late/early for the work week), I will be following the results and catching up each day. I will post reviews next week after I am all up to speed! Happy watching : ) |
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