Well, Nathan Chen, your career has certainly skyrocketed over the last three months- it’s amazing what 20 or so quads landed in competition will do for a guy : ) This event can be tough for the North American skaters just coming off Nationals, but Nathan showed little fatigue- and most impressive- ability to perform under pressure. In both programs, he was fourth in PCS to Hanyu, Chan and Uno, which I think was about right where he should be, and of course the quads were there for him. It was big for Nathan to follow up his strong GPF with this result. He's now a definite podium favorite for Worlds and winning the whole thing certainly isn't out of the question. #Slaythan Yuzuru Hanyu skated a stronger set of programs here than he has yet this season, issues with that quad sal aside. I thought the performance value went up a notch here, which was frankly good to see. He's just looked less invested this year than last when he's skating and I'd like to see him create some of his Yuzu magic again. Unlike past seasons, he's going to Worlds without a huge peak performance behind him- maybe this is finally the year he'll show up at Worlds at his strongest. A clean Yuzu still has the whole package to beat a clean Nathan Chen and we know you can't ever count this guy out. Oh Shoma Uno, those triple axels in the free skate! Those mistakes aside, this was a strong performance and Shoma's first Four Continents medal. Truthfully, Shoma might be my favorite *performer* in the men's event so far this season. He's committed to his performance quality every minute, every skate, no matter how well the jumps are going. There's an intensity to his skating that makes him really fun to watch. After finishing a disappointing seventh at last year's Worlds, I'd love to see him take this momentum to a podium finish in Helsinki. Like all of the top men, Patrick Chan's free skate started out *so well* and then mistakes crept in, leaving hi in fourth. I have to wonder what Patrick is thinking at this point about his comeback- there have been absolute moments of beauty but overall you have to wonder if he has what it takes to compete consistently in this field. Patrick does bring the skating skills and performance quality to the field that would be dearly missed without him, but is finishing off the podium enough for him? I would guess not and that is obviously why he's trying to add more quads. The thing with Patrick is that all the pieces to a beautiful skate are always there- he just has to put it all together at the right moment. A good finish at Worlds could swing some momentum back his way before the Olympic season. Boyang Jin finished fifth here, with two quad falls in the free skate. When the jumps aren't there for Jin, the judges really knock him in components. While he is certainly not the class of the field in PCS, Boyang *does* use his music, engage with the audience and perform on the ice. He is not an artist in a classic Patrick Chan kind of way, but why would he try to imitate someone else's artistry instead of finding his own? Javier Fernandez is artistic in his own right, without trying to imitate Yuzu or Patrick, so I think people need to keep a more open mind about Jin's programs this year. In my opinion, these were great music selections because they open him up to being a more engaging performer. Many eyes were tuned to Jason Brown to see how his injury recovery is going. With Nathan's recent success, the U.S. men's chances are certainly looking up but Jason has to be healthy enough to get a top ten finish. It definitely wasn't his best finish, but sixth was probably about the best he'd have finished in this field regardless. REST AND HEAL, JASON. REST AND HEAL. We need you for Worlds. Jason is the U.S's best option currently so we're sending the best team to Helsinki possible. I'm fairly optimistic actually. That's it for Four Continents! I'm planning fun previews for Worlds, so stay tuned! I'm not prepared for the actual competition, but the previews I can do! Until then! Thanks for reading!
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Overall, the ladies had the messiest event at Four Continents, especially in the free skate, with only one of the tpp three short program finishers making it to the podium. That doesn’t mean there isn’t plenty to discuss though! Congrats to Mai Mihara for pulling off a big win here (with two clean skates, too!). After her strong Grand Prix season, many saw her as a dark horse, but probably not the winner. Yes, she has to mature yet, but she knows how to show up and deliver. She’s had a heck of a season for her first senior year and she’ll be the leader for Team Japan if Satoko can’t compete at Worlds. (*Prays that Tiny Queen is healing well*) Gabby Daleman didn’t look thrilled with her skates here, but she should be happy. I know she made some mistakes in the free, but this is her first international medal and she placed higher than her Canadian rivals. They did a good job picking music for Gabby this year, and she’s improving her performance quality. And of course that 3T-3T is gorgeous. I’m glad Gabby will be back at Worlds this year; she had a great finish in Boston. With the best free skate of her career, Mirai Nagasu grabbed her second consecutive Four Continents medal. I’m glad Mirai could end her year on an incredibly strong note (see more on that later) for herself. Her performance in the free was measured and concentrated, but I loved when she came alive at the end, especially in her last step sequence. Good for, you Mirai! #MiraifortheWorldteam Kaetlyn Osmond’s long program issues really came to a head here, and unfortunately she let mistakes creep in on the short as well. As a favorite to win, finishing a distant fourth is a definite disappointment. After a strong first half of the season, how she responds to this setback at Worlds is anyone’s guess but she will definitely need the best performance of her entire season to grab a medal at Worlds. I liked Dabin Choi’s new short program here- I thought she did a nice job with it and fifth is a great result for her. I think they have one ladies spot for Worlds, and with her teammates struggling with injuries, she might get that spot. (Have they announced it yet? I don’t think so?) Finishing sixth, Mariah Bell had a so-so outing here. This was her first big international event outside of Skate America so now at least she has this experience under her belt before Worlds. While I do like a lot about Mariah’s skating and packaging this year, the consistency just hasn’t been there. I do think Raf is good coaching choice for her and hopefully she can pick up some momentum after training with him for a whole summer. How much impact he’ll be able to have before Worlds is probably limited though. SIGH. Just a note on Karen Chen: On Instagram, Karen cited boot issues/injuries as playing a factor in her disappointing finish here. While there is a long list of Karen’s great skating qualities, I really hope she takes time to evaluate her injury before Worlds and does the right thing for her health and her career. (And selfishly, the U.S. ladies Olympic spots). Speaking of…. There is no way the U.S. ladies team as named will get three spots for the Olympics. My opinion since before Nationals has been that if the U.S. wanted three spots, we needed to send two ladies who had been to the World Championships before. Once Gracie bombed Nationals, we really needed (and still need) Mirai Nagasu on that team. USFS made the decision they did by following their procedures as outlined, but there needs to be some future consideration on those procedures being the most effective. (BTW, Russia still hasn’t named their team with ⅔ of the spots almost certain. Just sayin!) I was prepared to stress over the three ladies Olympic spots, but *two*?!!? The U.S. ladies’ dumpster fire of a year was definitely poorly timed. The U.S. men on the other hand, they’re looking up! More on that in my last preview to come! Part two! This dance field was stacked; along with the French, these top four are possibly the last warm up group at Worlds, so this was a nice chance for everyone to stack themselves against each other #bloodbath. Virtue and Moir continued their dominant comeback season with another win. Though their performances never seem to be 100 percent clean, the message from the judges is clear. To me, it’s the short dance that wins them events; it’s probably my favorite short dance of the season. I’ve never had really strong feelings about Tessa and Scott either way, but there’s not another team in the world that could pull off that short dance they way they do IMO. There’s still some bobbles to clean up, but apparently the judges just ignore them when they do (ex. free dance). I’m not seeing much standing in their way of winning the World title this year. Congrats to the Shibs on skating SO WELL here. Their free dance was the best performance this season, and they’ve really continued to hold their spot over Chock and Bates internationally this year. The short dance is actually true hip hop and so well thought out- it’s a close runner up to the Canadians for me. While the free dance certainly isn’t in your face, there’s a quiet elegance to it that is really effective when you just slow down and pay attention. Maia and Alex manage to be incredibly consistent and their twizzles are always the most synchronized of all the teams. While I don’t see them winning a World title this year, holding strong to stand on the podium for a second consecutive year would be a huge win for them. Chock and Bates did what they needed to do with their performance here and this was probably the result most were expecting. While I am relieved they are trying new things with their programs/choreography this year, I can’t back “Bad to the Bone” as a good choice for them. I’m hoping this year was their year to really *experiment* and they’ll tone it down next year. Also, I like the black free dance costume ! I was really happy to see Madi and Zach finish in fourth here. Though it was close, I *think* this is the first time they have placed above Weaver/Poje in an international event ( Madi and Zach did make it to the GPF this year while WeaPo did not), which is a good step for them. I know that they want to keep moving up the international ranks, but they have had some errors this year and that short dance isn’t doing them any favors. I’m hoping they can finish above the Russians in Helsinki . *fingers crossed* It was hard to watch Paul and Piper’s reaction to their short dance score after her fall, but they came back in the free dance, with a score that was literally only 0.01 behind Weaver/Poje. I think the programs they’ve chosen this year are great for them and their season best score is actually higher than Kaitlyn and Andrew’s. Worlds could be very interesting for this team if they can come out strong with two clean skates. Hopefully I'll get the other recaps out soon. . Men and ladies to come! OHMYGOD THANK GOD SUI AND HAN ARE BACK! That is all that I have to say about this event. Done. (Not really, obviously or there wouldn't be any more words after this.) But if you want my #hottakes on the event, that would be it. If there's anything I'm sad about regarding the return of the World silver medallists, I'm distraught that we will not be able to see those programs for a full season. Lori Nichol's choreography isn't always my favorite, but she legitimately hit it out of the park with Sui/Han two seasons in a row. Hands down, those are the two best programs in the pairs field. It is incredible that they were able to make such a strong return after such a serious injury and I know many fans are glad to see their artistic abilities back on the ice. They weren't perfect here, but their gold medal was a big statement before Worlds. Duhamel/Radford's event went kind of like their season as a whole- a bit rocky. They rely on the consistency of their technical elements for their points, and their programs fall flat when they're not clean. Overall, there is just something very off for me about their packaging this year. Neither program really feels like it suits them. They were able to pull off their second World title after a similarly competed season last year, so they certainly aren't out of the game, but their main competitors have been improving and came out with really strong programs this year. Competition will be tight at Worlds for sure. Luba and Dylan really surprised here for the bronze medal. Their look on the ice is really gorgeous and they were able to remain fairly consistent at this event. She, of course, is gorgeous and hits stunning positions. They looked really happy with this medal and it was a huge international placement for them. They will head to worlds where hopefully they can build on this good finish. After their silver medal at the GPF, Yu/Zhang falling to fourth here is a bit of a disappointment. Yu is incredibly elegant on the ice and they do have great pair elements, but there is an understandable lack of connection between the two of them on the ice that really shows. They will be strong contenders at worlds, but may need to rely on other's mistakes for the podium. I was so happy to see Peng/Jin end their season on a really strong note here. Aside from a random spin fall in the short, they skated a clean event. (OMG landing things!) They looked so happy with their scores, and I am just happy that they look happy. Three Olympic spots shouldn't be a problem for the Chinese pairs, and I am excited to hopefully see this team there with more time under their belt. Honestly, kudos to Scimeca/Knierim on the highest finish of the U.S. pairs here. While U.S. pairs as a whole are admittedly inconsistent, these two are the only ones to have made an impact on the international level. Sending them here and to Worlds looks to be the right choice so far, so good for them for carrying their weight, so to speak. As far as the programs go, the short is stronger than the free but I think they were both solid choices for them. I think I actually saw Chris emote once a few times in that free ; ) If their season was longer, I would say change his shirt in the free, but with only one more event to go, probably not worth it. You could tell that this was their first event, but they have a solid footing for Worlds. Thanks for reading! Now if you don't mind me, I'll probably be getting misty eyed over Sui/Han's free skate now. #SobbingforSui More recaps to come! Though Four Continents can sometimes be so-so in terms of competitors, this year’s event is actually packed with World medal contenders in mens and dance, two big returns in pairs and a ladies field with North American women looking to make a statement. I am genuinely really excited about this event! See my predictions below. Links: ISU event page IN Streaming Schedule Practice Video PAIRS: While the men at Four Continents are hosting #quadfest, we will be seeing three quad attempts in pairs as well. Duhamel/Radford will try a throw quad salchow and both Yu/Zhang and Sui/Han will be trying a quad twist. To say that I am excited about Sui/Han’s return is a vast understatement. The quality of their line and choreography with their explosive technical elements is a combination that is hard to find in pair teams. Although I’ve only seen practice videos, Sui/Han’s programs this year are STUNNING and already have so much potential. Because of the uncertainty of the status of Sui/Han’s recovery from injury, I’ll go with the safe pick of Duhamel/Radford to win the title here. Though they lost a little practice because Meagan’s skates were lost in transit, they have toned down their program’s technical content, which should put them in a comfortable spot to skate clean. Sui/Han will be my pick for silver; a good showing here can set them up for the World podium. Their teammates Yu/Zhang are my pick for third. For fourth, I’ll pick the third Chinese team of Peng/Jin. I hope Scimeca/Knierim can have a solid start to their competitive season for fifth, followed by Ilyushechkina/Moscovitch in sixth. Though Four Continents can sometimes be so-so in terms of competitors, this year’s event is actually packed with World medal contenders in mens and dance, two big returns in pairs and a ladies field with North American women looking to make a statement. I am genuinely really excited about this event! See my predictions below. Links: ISU event page IN Streaming Schedule Practice Video LADIES: Numbers-wise, Kaetlyn Osmond is the clear favorite after the withdrawal of Satoko Miyahara. The only lady in this field to break 200 total points this year, the strength of her short programs have lead her to a breakthrough season after injury. Her free skates, though, have been messy, including her last outing at Canadians. Those mistakes can leave the door open. My dark horse pick for the gold medal is actually Mirai Nagasu, coming off a rough Nationals free skate of her own. I think Nationals will give her the motivation to skate well here and we may see finally see the debut of that 3A in competition. Osmond will have to make mistakes and Nagasu will have to skate perfectly for Mirai to win, but that’s my gut instinct. Bronze is 100 percent a toss up as most of these ladies have been extremely inconsistent. My not--too-confident pick is on Wakaba Higuchi; I love the quality of her skating and she’s a brilliant performer if she can pull the jumps together. Unfortunately, I don’t see two clean skates coming out of Karen Chen or Mariah Bell. As much as I want to be wrong about that (for the sake of our Olympic spots), my confidence in their consistency is low. They are in a tough spot coming off Nationals. Gabrielle Daleman also has brilliant potential, but her big jumps can get away from her. I’m not at all confident about these picks, but I will say Chen, Bell, Daleman for 4th-6th. Your guess is as good as mine : ) I’ll be keeping my eyes on Osmond’s consistency as she heads to Worlds with the possibility of good skates here setting her up for a World medal, as well as the U.S. ladies on the World team. It’s hard not to think that Bell and Chen need good skates here to have a prayer at three U.S. ladies Olympic spots. *PRAYS* Though Four Continents can sometimes be so-so in terms of competitors, this year’s event is actually packed with World medal contenders in mens and dance, two big returns in pairs and a ladies field with North American women looking to make a statement. I am genuinely really excited about this event! See my predictions below. Links: ISU event page IN Streaming Schedule Practice Video DANCE: Truly, this event’s big names all come from two countries- Canada and the U.S. The national fields in those countries are so highly competitive that this event is as much about how you fare against your compatriots as how you fare against the field as a whole. Each country’s respective national champions are favorites for the top two spots. Fueled by the best short dances of the season (IMO), Virtue/Moir and the Shibutanis are my picks to finish 1-2. Chock/Bates’ scores have climbed over the course of the season, but their inconsistency and cleanliness isn’t quite where the Shibutanis are at yet. They’re still a solid pick for third, and silver certainly isn’t out of reach. The battle for 4th-6th is going to be fun to watch. Both Hubbell/Donohue and Gilles/Poirier have been trying to move up in the standings domestically but each finished third at nationals. Weaver/Poje have been under huge changes this year to put them back on the World podum. After a fall in their free dance, I am picking Hubbell/Donohue to come back with vengeance for a somewhat surprising fourth place. Weaver/Poje will again assert themselves as Canada’s #2 team and finish fifth, followed by Gilles/Poirier in sixth. The politics of this discipline make it really tough to move up the ranks, but as always dance scores are too close for any of the teams to make even the slightest mistake. #DRAMA Though Four Continents can sometimes be so-so in terms of competitors, this year’s event is actually packed with World medal contenders in mens and dance, two big returns in pairs and a ladies field with North American women looking to make a statement. I am genuinely really excited about this event! See my predictions below. Links: ISU event page IN Streaming Schedule Practice Videos MEN: Brace yourselves, folks. According to the planned content sheets, about 60 quads are going to be attempted in this men’s event, with the top contenders doing four or five in their free skates alone. Simultaneously exciting and terrifying, #quadfest could make this event either absolutely brilliant or a complete mess. I am anticipating at least one performance of brilliance from Hanyu to win the gold medal. Unlike years past, I feel like he’s pacing himself to peak later in the season. After losing to Javier at Worlds two years in a row, I think he’s on plan to win a World title this year. A win here will set him up for Finland. After breaking through to a silver medal performance at the GPF, the international judging panel is likely to throw more points at Nathan Chen’s PCS. Nathan will solidify himself as a major Worlds podium contender with a silver medal here. Because he likes to make us #LOCO, Shoma Uno is adding quads to his free skate. Shoma has a more solid set of components than some in this field, so I see him skating well to earn the bronze medal. I think Patrick Chan will finish a close fourth, followed by Boyang Jin. Jin is also adding a quad to his free skate, because you can’t be the only guy at the party without five quads, right? Though I enjoy his programs, the judges will rank his components low comparatively. For Jason Brown, a solid sixth place finish would inspire some confidence before Worlds. Three Olympic spots is tentatively realistic for the U.S. men, but the health of Jason at that event is critical. He doesn't need to blow the roof off here, just demonstrate a nice pace in his training and healing heading to Worlds More previews to come! |
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