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.
MEN: Truly, the only man I checked in on was Patrick Chan. It was nice to see him pull out a clean short program for the first time this season; when his jumps are on, you can really relax and take in the great quality of his skating. I also appreciate the change to the sweater vest : ) He’s added a second axel to his free skate, which is definitely taking him in the direction he needs to go technically. Though that second attempt wasn’t successful here, his jumps are steadily improving and I can see him landing both at Worlds. But will it be enough? Though he’s added technical content, he is still not as technically competitive as Javier Fernandez or Yuzuru Hanyu. Yes, Patrick’s skating quality will get him extra points, but enough extra points to make up that gap? LADIES: Congratulations to Alaine Chartrand for her deserved first national title. She skated the best over both segments of the competition and it was SO nice to finally see a clean free skate out of her! Taking the 3A out of the long was the best decision, and I hope they stick with that choice for Four Continents and Worlds. Her programs work really well for her this year and it would be great for her career to continue the momentum with two more strong events in Taipei and Boston. You could see how upset Gabby Daleman was with her mistake in the short program; it was nice to see her fight through the long program. Though she did not retain her title, she was able to get a spot on the Worlds team, which is a victory considering how badly Skate Canada really wanted Osmund to get that spot. She had to fight for it, and she did. She is also out of Four Continents with a minor injury, but is expected to compete at Worlds. Best to her! Though the judges gave Kaetlyn Osmund quite the gift in the short program, she couldn’t hang in through the free skate to get a spot on the Worlds team. Coming back from a big injury is hard, and I think she’s on the right track. Outside of the jumping issues, she’s a really nice skater to watch. The jumps that are clean are good, and I like her lines. She just needs a little more time to get back into fighting condition. She laid the groundwork this season, and she can come back stronger next year. She will get to skate at Four Continents, and I hope to see her skating consistently there. I'm going to share a few comments on dance and pairs in another post since this one was getting so long!
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PAIRS: Volosozhar and Trankov can carry some momentum into Worlds after a solid win here. Their programs looked more fluid than we’ve seen them this season and their elements looked better as well. I would’ve liked to see them compete against Stolbova and Klimov before Worlds, but the latter team withdrew due to an injury, raising some questions about the seriousness of said injury and Russia’s strategy for their pair teams heading to Boston. Both aforementioned teams will most definitely be favorites for the World title there.
What an exciting silver medal debut for Aliona Savchenko and Bruno Massot! I have say-they are so much fun to watch. They have such speed and power and their elements are really quality. Their twist is SO HIGH and their throws look really smooth. They lost points in the free skate on invalid lifts and I think he made a mistake on the side by sides, but overall, a great event for them. Aliona is such a star and she rocks that red bodysuit like no other. I actually think Bruno looks good with her and he does a good job of partnering. I’m really excited to see what the future holds for them! They could certainly make an impact at Worlds. With Kavaguti/Smirnov out of Worlds also due to injury, new European bronze medallists Tarasova/Morosov look to be the easy choice for the third pair team at Russian nationals. Their twist is the highlight of their elements, with great height and flow out of it. Their side by sides were a trouble spot in the free, but overall they had a solid competitive effort. I think this team has potential, but their programs are really lacking for me this season. The pair field is so packed in Russia that they will really need to step their content going forward. James and Cipres had a bit of a rough competition, with a fluke error on a death spiral in the short and jump issues in the long. I’m sure they weren’t thrilled with those skates, so I hope to see some fire from them at Worlds. DANCE: The long awaited return of reigning World Champions Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron happened with a splash, as they grabbed their second European title. I wasn’t sure how strong they would be, having lost so much training time due to Gabriella’s injury, but they looked very confident here. I like the modern take on their waltz costumes for the short dance, and I really do love their free dance. I know it is similar to what they did last year, but can you blame them? Last year’s free dance went over pretty well : ) Modern, lyrical music tends to bring out a crowd more than classical as well, so I think it’s a good choice. To be honest, we see so much of the same in ice dance, that it’s nice to see something that stands out. Italians Anna Cappellini and Luca Lannotte looked very strong here. Shoutout to Anna for having two of the best skating dresses I have ever seen. I’ve always loved her free dance dress, but that new short dance one is so stunning. I often have a hard time watching them because she can be a little TOO much, but I think their programs this season go well with that style. I think their free dance is perfectly suited for them, but I think they may lose out on the audience appeal factor. Bobrova and Soloviev are continuing a very successful comeback season as well, taking third here, just ahead of countrymen Sinitsina/Katsalapov. As Russia has only two dance spots for Worlds in Boston, these placements make a strong case for these two teams to make it to Boston. Whew! I think that’s it for Euros! Look for a brief recap of Canadian Nationals and the US Mens event before I start making previews and predictions for Four Continents! I can’t believe we are heading to the last event before Worlds! Where has the season gone? Men:Congrats to Javier Fernandez on a fourth straight European title. It was really exciting to see him up the technical ante, adding another quad to his short and another triple axel to his free. Though the new elements weren’t perfect here, he’s on the right path to stay as technically competitive as he can. Those two jumps are good ones for him, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he lands them all in Boston.
A surprised Alexei Bychenko got the silver medal here, with a set of much better skates than we’ve seen from him thus far this season. Maxim Kovtun hung on here for bronze, but as usual, I was underwhelmed by his performances; technically, though, he has enough firepower to amass points. What a wonderful memory we will all have of fourth place finisher, Florent Amodio, in his final competitive performance. His free skate was so passionately skated and he really hung on to his elements- what a great way to exit! I am assuming Mikhail Kolyada will be named to the Russian men’s World team after a fifth place finish here. Ladies:The hot streak continues for Evgenia Medvedeva, winning the European title in her first appearance. Aside from the double axel issues, she was clean and consistent as always. While she may not have been perfect, the cleanliness of her overall skating and her expression to the music presented a better overall package than anyone else at this event. At this point, we’d all be shocked if she wasn’t on the world podium, but they need to address the issues on that axel before Boston, just to be safe. It was hilariously obvious that Elena Radionova wasn’t happy with being second here, after having less jump issues than Medvedeva, but I agree with the placement. I think Lena is struggling with a relative comparison issue- last year, compared to everyone else on the scene, her weaknesses were less noticeable. This year, compared to Medvedeva, she looks sloppy, flaily and unpolished. I do like her passion and fire, but her programs this year just aren’t doing it for me. She’s in the conversation for the Worlds podium, but she’s vulnerable to cleaner, more well packaged skaters who I think could beat her if they’re clean. What the hell is up with Anna Pogorilaya’s falls? They are frankly terrifying to watch and really deflate her programs. Considering that I’ve never seen another skater fall like that as consistently as she does, it’s a problem and they need to correct this issue. She’s in danger of being passed up by the many talented Russian juniors, so now is the time. I am guessing she’ll go to Worlds, but she really needs to make the most of that opportunity. Shout out to Roberta Rodeghiero on her nice short program and Angelina Kuchvalska’s great free skate. Up Next: Men's and Dance! I will also work on a Canadian Nationals recap and the second half of my US Mens National post! I still have so much to catch up on before Four Continents next week! The men’s event at U.S. Nationals exposed three of skating’s most time-honored debates.
And while I think too much importance was placed on these controversies than the actual skating (which I will write about later) I have a few thoughts on these universal truths of the sport that we all must recognize: Sport Versus Art- Will we ever settle this one? I don’t think so, in terms of which one is more important, but historically, the greatest of champions have a great combination of both of those pieces. Yuzuru Hanyu does not score 300 points simply because of his quads- his spins, his footwork, his skating skills, his performance quality - is what puts him in the eschalion of the greatest in men’s skating. There is a reason Boyang Jin came in fifth at the Grand Prix Final with several quads, just like there is also a reason a beautiful skater with no triples will not win either. In skating’s basic form, the technical elements have to be there to get a skater in the game, and then it’s the quality of those elements and of your performance that differentiates skaters and puts them over the top. You have to have both; one is not enough. Most skaters are not Yuzuru Hanyu and at the top of both sides of the scorecard. Most are better at one than the other, or a combination of solid in both (see Gracie, Ashley and Polina). There are good jumpers, good spinners, good performers, fast skaters, flexible skaters and everything in between. The sum of all of their parts equal their total package as a skater. Scores reflect that, as the should. The sum of all the scoring categories add up to a total. Which leads me to my next point... Jumps < TES: Just like it’s assumed that facial expression equals PCS, it is also assumed that jumps equal TES, and neither of those assumptions are true. Though a man lands quads, that does not mean that his spins, his footwork, or his choreographic sequences are of high quality. And those other elements make up a significant portion of a technical element score. In Hanyu’s short program from the Grand Prix Final, 30% of his technical element points came off of non-jumping elements. Though not worth as much proportionally as much as the jumps, that number is statistically significant and affects scores. GOE complicates this scenario even further. Skaters like Jason Brown use GOE as their bread and butter; though they may not do the highest technically difficult elements, they do them so well that they gather a lot of points. A skater can gain up to three points on each jump, on each spin and on each step or choreographic sequence. It is the way that the system works; it is how the math adds up. Adam Rippon’s mom tweeted “Three dimes are worth more than a quarter.” Beyond her own son, that simple logic is undeniably true. Nationals Scoring: There is a reason that the ISU does not list National event scores in their official statistics and that is because national event scores never translate to international ones, in favorable and unfavorable ways to the skaters. And this is not just true of the United States- check out any Russian event if you doubt me. Whether that is because panels relate more to a national-specific style of skating or because they are more emotionally invested in a skater, or because a national audience is more invested in their own skaters, that is a fact. In a sense, a certain amount of overscoring is expected at a national event, right or wrong. At this Nationals, both technical panels in the singles events were lenient with jump calls. There were many skaters who benefited from this, and not just the winners. While I don’t think that is the best strategy to prepare skaters for international events, I also think that the skaters are well aware of this fact. If a skater struggles with a jump, they know it and they know when it is cheated and when it is clean. Judging of this sport in general is a convoluted process, but Nationals scoring is a different beast all its own. An interesting scenario to think about- What if an international panel had judged the other events? Would Kayne/OShea be pairs champions? Would Polina Edmunds be a silver medallist? Would the Shibs have won the dance event? Though no one disagreed with the results in the other disciplines as vocally as the mens, I would think that at least one of those other podiums would’ve looked drastically different if an international panel would have judged it. Which begs the question- WHY are national events judged by domestic judges? Because each federation likes to strategize the development of its skaters? That would seem the most logical of answers. That is also why the selection process is set up the way that it is; a selection panel determines the international teams, not the event judging panel. Again, this is the same abroad as it is in the U.S. Top Chinese skaters don’t even compete at their national championships, as the selection panel make their decisions based on so many other factors than just those results. So that being said, is the event scoring more a reflection of the selection panel’s strategy than the skating taking place? I don’t know the answer to that or to any of these debates. It will take a far more intelligent and experienced mind than my own to find the answer. But, I am sure that these thoughts are racing through the heads of many other fans like me. And we will never stop talking about it, debating it, or discussing it, because that is after all the center of our favorite sport- subjectivity. I predicted the ladies event was going to bring a lot of drama, and boy did it. Lots of ups, lots of downs, and numbers that made you scratch your head. I think I am still processing all that unfolded. With a clean free skate and a last position draw, Gracie Gold grabbed her second national title. I think the judges held her up in the short more than they should have after a completely invalid jumping pass. Outside of her three jump combo, her jumps looked much more confident in the free skate. Skating last after a big score is usually when Gracie folds, but she hung in there this time. I still don’t see the “fire” of Firebird in her face while she skates to it, but that’s just who she is as a performer. The choreography that begins the second half of the program is really off of the musical accents and I don’t understand why- they were at the beginning of the season. The NBC commentators said that this performance “redefines” Gracie as a competitor, but I will wait to make that statement. The title certainly could/should give Gracie confidence, and a confident Gold would be very hard to compete with. But I’m not sure she’s erased all her doubts just yet. Polina Edmunds's consistency fared well for her here as she won her second silver medal at Nationals. She was almost the only one (the only one?) to leave the short program with no major mistakes and the weary audience/ judges got very excited about it. Of all Polina’s programs, Moonlight Sonata is truly the first one to do her real justice in terms of portraying a mature lady on the ice. Her free skate, on the other hand, does not. Outside of landing all of her jumps, the program and her performance are snoozy and the packaging is beyond terrible. Skaters younger than her look and present more maturely. It’s really going to hold Polina’s career back, which is unfortunate because she does have a competitive attitude. History has shown that Polina’s national results don’t translate to international events, in PCS or TES, but she can leave Nationals having solidly claimed the spot as US’s third lady for this season. It was an uncharacteristic week for Ashley Wagner, ending up with the bronze medal. I wasn’t completely shocked by her fall in the short, as that combo had looked troublesome in practice, but her pop in the free skate totally took me by surprise. Ashley will fall, she’ll underrotate, but she never pops. And that free skate was going so well, too! I think had she landed that lutz, she wouldn’t been second here and impartial or not, I think she still should’ve been. Also uncharacteristic of Ashley, her comments to the media leading up to the event and during seemed really tentative and impassive. I’m not sure if it was nerves or pressure, but she seemed to back off of her competitive mindset a bit, and that is her bread and butter. A positive for Ashley, she sold her programs and those two triple triples in the free looked the best we’ve ever seen her skate them. I hope she uses that as fire for Worlds. Huge congratulations to Mirai Nagasu for a very consistent set of performances in St. Paul and for being so calm about the boot situation. Why do crazy things happen to Mirai at Nationals? She truly handled this one like a champ though and it’s a testament to the emotional stability she’s building in competition and good for her! She looks so much happier on the ice this season and it’s great to see. She’s had such a consistent season that I am thrilled she gets to go to Four Continents; she’s earned it and it will be good for her to get some more international exposure. Her fourth place also means she should get much better international assignments next year, and it’s great to see her building some positive momentum. And her free skate dress is one of the most gorgeous costumes I’ve ever seen. It was great to see some up-and-coming talent get the spotlight for a bit at Nationals, as Tyler Pierce and Bradie Tennell finished fourth and fifth, respectively. Tyler Pierce looks ten times better that I last saw her and it’s looking like her decision to go back to her old coach was a good one. I actually loved watching Bradie’s free skate- she was so entertaining to watch! She has some long limbs, but she works really well with them and she gives good face. I’ll be cheering for these two at Junior Worlds and here’s hoping they can put down some good skates. Two skaters that I think have incredible potential finished in 6th and 7th- Hannah Miller and Karen Chen. Shoutout to Hannah Miller for that fantastic free skate- she’s really improving technically under Raf and I see a lot of artistic potential in her. Great costumes, too. Karen is 100% the whole package and it’s tough to see her struggling with boot and heel problems. I know she’s competitive, so I hope she resolves all those issues and comes roaring back next year. Can’t wait to see what the future holds for those two. A few notes on the next three- I really loved Courtney Hicks’s new free skate dress, I want Angela Wang to keep “Paint It Black” for a third season (dreams) and I do see a lot of potential in Mariah Bell. In the world of ice dance, politics usually run the show. But, on the free dance night in St.Paul, it didn’t- Maia and Alex Shibutani won their first U.S. title after an incredibly long wait. Before the event, I had hoped this would be the outcome, but I had no confidence in the judges. I think I knew they were going to win after the short dance because the scores were so close and I knew Shibs free dance was going to create a moment. That music is just pure magic and the audience was so into their performance.
Please remember one thing about the silver medallists- Madison Chock and Evan Bates skated so incredibly well. They made no mistakes and their free dance was 1,000X better than I saw at Skate America; you can really tell that they are settling into that program. They are a very talented team with good edges and difficult choreography. After re-watching their free dance, you can really see why they have so many international credentials to their name. Though their dances this season may not grab you, the level of their skating is still incredibly high. As they move forward, they will still have everything they need to post good numbers internationally. Like Chock/Bates, don’t let the talent of Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donahue go unnoticed. They have such a beautiful chemistry on the ice and both of their skates here looked improved from earlier in the season. Unfortunately, their “Hallelujah” short dance was underscored in my opinion and they kind of got lost in the shuffle in the free dance, skating behind the Shibutanis. Their recent coaching change seems to have done them so well and both of their programs this season are very emotional and well choreographed. In another field, their skating could easily have placed higher, but this is such a competitive group. Huge congratulations to Anastasia Cannuscio and Colin McManus for breaking the dance hierarchy and placing fourth at these championships. They have such a crisp energy to their skating and they kind of wake you up when you’re watching them. I love the end of their free dance where he’s spinning her and her leg movements accent the beat of the music- very effective! They looked so happy with their placement and I hope they can continue their progress next year with some good international assignments.
Kaitlyn Hawayek and Jean Luc Baker have really had a rough season. They had mistakes at early events, had to withdraw from a Grand Prix event because of illness, and they just never seemed to really settle into their programs this year. They attempted new costumes in both programs- I liked her new short dance dress, and I liked their new free dance costumes in general, but they really didn’t fit the program...so I was left mostly confused. I think their free dance in particular has such incredible potential- part of me hopes they keep it and refine it so it can be the piece they really want it to be. I really like these two, so hopefully they take the time off to reset and revise. Overall, what I really felt after watching that event was that U.S. ice dance has so much to be proud of...and a lot of teams with so much talent. That whole last group was an example of really great skating. Well, it wouldn’t be figure skating if the “easiest event to call” ends up with a surprise winner! Congratulations to Tarah Kayne and Danny O’Shea on their first national title. They really stole the show, putting down two completely clean skates. Kudos to them for having the courage to change their short program before Nationals, as it really worked in their favor. I love that program for them and I’m glad we get to see it again at Four Continents and Worlds. They were so genuinely happy to win and I loved Tarah’s NBC interview in the Kiss and Cry when she said that no one gave them a chance to win, because really, no one did. They were clean and consistent when it mattered most, so huge props to them for creating such a big moment for themselves. I had expected Alexa Scimeca and Chris Knierim to skate better than they did in St. Paul, but it seems they’re still carrying some confidence issues from their last two events with them. On a positive note, they made a big improvement on their quad twist in the free skate, and actually that free skate, though flawed, looked better than the ones they’ve put out this season. When you watch the pairs warm up, it’s Alexa and Chris who draw your eye with their speed and power. I think internationally they may still score higher than their national champions, but they have to get those side by side jumps together. Mistakes on that element just take so much air out of their programs. Hopefully they have fire in their eyes at Four Continents. I really love the team of Marissa Castelli and Mervin Tran. They look so good together and there’s a star quality about them that you can’t deny. Shout out to Marissa for the best costumes of the event, too. I know they are disappointed that they aren’t skating at Worlds in Boston, but I think their time is still coming. I’m happy they’re competing at Four Continents, as they need the international exposure and maybe with some of the pressure off and nothing to lose, they can put out some fabulous skates. They have a ton of potential and just need to grow as a team. Big congrats to Madeline Aaron and Max Settlage for a good competition. After an injury took them out of the beginning of the season, they skated well enough here for the pewter medal. I like these two and I hope they can come back next season even stronger. I like a lot of things about teams 5-7 (Calalang/Sidhu, Smith/Reiss, Pfund/Santillan) and I hope they can hang in there and improve for next season. |
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