2015 Nebelhorn Trophy General Chat

[karne]

I'm watching some videos after the fact and came onto this PBP thread just to find out what people thought of Max's performance. WOW he has really upped his game in the choreo/presentation department, yes?? Hope he has a season he can be thrilled with!

He's been working very hard. I can't wait to watch Skate America if this is how he's going to bring it. It's been such a difficult couple of seasons for him but he has always kept his head up and kept working and it's paying off, big time. When you consider that the "low" PCS he got for the FS here was about the average he was getting for a relatively clean FS last year and the year before... :yes:

 

[Layback11]

He's been working very hard. I can't wait to watch Skate America if this is how he's going to bring it. It's been such a difficult couple of seasons for him but he has always kept his head up and kept working and it's paying off, big time. When you consider that the "low" PCS he got for the FS here was about the average he was getting for a relatively clean FS last year and the year before... :yes:

I'm starting to like him a lot more, and this coming from someone who cares extremely little about men's as a whole. And I account that mainly to his improved performance. I'm going to see him at SA so I hope he does this well there!

 

[karne]

I'm starting to like him a lot more, and this coming from someone who cares extremely little about men's as a whole. And I account that mainly to his improved performance. I'm going to see him at SA so I hope he does this well there!

I hope you get a chance to meet him - from all accounts he's a real sweetheart, too!

 

[Violet Bliss]

I don't think Max's PCS is so low. He is very vertical and on two feet throughout the program, even during the step sequence.

 

[tvuckic16]

I liked CB's program... nothing out of this world, but quite solid. I like it more than BS FD, less than IZ FD, as much as CL FD, although I think they are technically better than CL. I think all those will be scoring in the same range. None of them were earth shattering to me.

 

[Layback11]

I hope you get a chance to meet him - from all accounts he's a real sweetheart, too!

Actually, I took a picture with him at Nationals. It's disappeared into the depths of iPhonedom, but I still have a postcard he signed. I didn't really talk to him but he seemed very nice and genuinely happy to meet fans.

 

[Layback11]

I liked CB's program... nothing out of this world, but quite solid. I like it more than BS FD, less than IZ FD, as much as CL FD, although I think they are technically better than CL. I think all those will be scoring in the same range. None of them were earth shattering to me.

I'm hoping the Shibs and Weapo will have the strongest programs because we haven't seen a truly great (IMHO) program yet. (I don't have much hope for Weapo's SD, but their FD sounds great, and both of the Shibs' choices look promising.)

 

[Barb]

I have to say that the camera work at this competition was really good. Considering it is a B competition. Thank you Germany.

C/B EX

 

[WeakAnkles]

I have to say that the camera work at this competition was really good. Considering it is a B competition. Thank you Germany.

C/B EX

Yes. As was the stream. They deserve those 10s.

 

[blue_idealist]

I'm hoping the Shibs and Weapo will have the strongest programs because we haven't seen a truly great (IMHO) program yet. (I don't have much hope for Weapo's SD, but their FD sounds great, and both of the Shibs' choices look promising.)

I found most of the free dances I watched at this comp. kind of "meh." The only one I really enjoyed was that of the German team that placed 4th (I can't remember their exact names off the top of my head), skated to music from the Amelie soundtrack.

 

[caitie]

I loved Chock and Bates' ex! I'm particularly obsessed with the kiss/bite lift and right after that where the beat really starts pumping and Madison leads Evan into some crossovers... it's awesome. Great choreo by Rohene.

 

[Ice Diva]

I've never been a fan of Chock & Bates and didn't like their SD. Chock's dress lovely but the pink panties not a good look. This was a "Virtue & Moir super light" program, with many elements copied from V/M's 2008 OD -- Dark Eyes.

 

[Alex D]

Yes. As was the stream. They deserve those 10s.

Will let the OC know

I am currently sitting over the column, its going to be a huge write up, with interviews of Maxim & Tatjana, Kaetlyn, Kailani and many more so please bare with me if it takes a while.

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Just a quick question - what time's the gala on?

Trying to work out if I will have time to catch up on the Ladies FS and the Free Dance before it starts.

Of course, I would prefer to watch everything in order. But, watching the videos on Daily Motion is a nightmare.

I made the mistake of not watching the Men's FS on Friday night, and when I started watching the videos yesterday afternoon, I found that it is taking me an hour to watch what took half an hour to broadcast live! Firefox just keeps crashing, and crashing, and crashing!

On average, it is taking 3 attempts to get the whole way through each 8 minute video. And it is driving me mad!!!

So, even if I don't get caught up the Ladies and Dance beforehand, I don't care! I just can't stand it any more!

CaroLiza_fan

 

[LisaM]

Just a quick question - what time's the gala on?

The gala was last night!

 

[Blades of Passion]

---Elladj Balde was so good! It's too bad he probably won't get to go to Worlds despite having the Quad now and showing this good form.

---Nice to see Osmond back out there and skating pretty well.

---Max Aaron and Courtney Hicks continue to not get it. I mean, it's just funny to watch at this point. He thinks he can do Swan Lake and she thinks she can be Queen Elizabeth. "Loving" it. http://www.etonline.com/movies/2015/06/24156613/GIF_spy_rose_byrne.gif

---Volosozhar/Trankhov might be in big trouble this year. The little extra difficulty they've already tried to add is making their skating sloppier and less magisterial. They may not gain anything at all from it right now, since they are giving up GOE and cleanliness of presentation, but they need that extra difficulty and THEN some (Quad Twist) in order to deservedly beat an on-form Duhamel/Radford, Stolbova/Klimov, and Sui/Han. Reputation+Politics may keep them afloat for now, and then perhaps by 2017 they will have become acclimated to the extra difficulty if they continue to that point, but this season it's looking to me like they might deserve to only be 4th at Worlds.

 

[bramweld]

---Elladj Balde was so good! It's too bad he probably won't get to go to Worlds despite having the Quad now and showing this good form.

---Nice to see Osmond back out there and skating pretty well.

---Max Aaron and Courtney Hicks continue to not get it. I mean, it's just funny to watch at this point. He thinks he can do Swan Lake and she thinks she can be Queen Elizabeth. "Loving" it. http://www.etonline.com/movies/2015/06/24156613/GIF_spy_rose_byrne.gif

---Volosozhar/Trankhov might be in big trouble this year. The little extra difficulty they've already tried to add is making their skating sloppier and less magisterial. They may not gain anything at all from it right now, since they are giving up GOE and cleanliness of presentation, but they need that extra difficulty and THEN some (Quad Twist) in order to deservedly beat an on-form Duhamel/Radford, Stolbova/Klimov, and Sui/Han. Reputation+Politics may keep them afloat for now, and then perhaps by 2017 they will have become acclimated to the extra difficulty if they continue to that point, but this season it's looking to me like they might deserve to only be 4th at Worlds.

Surprisingly, Trankov is of the view that the judges were too strict on them at Nebelhorn. If that is their real attitude they're in for even bigger surprises this season. He claims that D/R are the athletic pair while he and Tatiana are the artistic pair. He is half right. D/R are improving significantly where artistry is concerned and only Tatiana appears to be living up to that perception. When I watch Trankov skate, I don't see Sergei Grinkov. I don't see a man who loves what he's doing. Rather at this point it just looks like work; no softness, fluidity, ease. I hope he completely recovers from his injuries and finds his mojo soon, and stops with all his whining.

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

The gala was last night!

WHAAAT???!!! I thought it was on Sunday!

Drat!!! I wanted to see what Eladj had up his sleeve (I always love his gala routines!)

I'm all annoyed now!

I take it it wasn't broadcast on the livestream then, given that the last videos in the archive are from the Free Dance.

Oh well, at least now I don't have to hurry as much with catching up on the Ladies FS and the Free Dance.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[LisaM]

I take it it wasn't broadcast on the livestream then, given that the last videos in the archive are from the Free Dance.

Sorry to disappoint you again, but it was streamed! Eladj was a star, he even had an encore!

 

[Alex D]

WHAAAT???!!! I thought it was on Sunday!

Drat!!! I wanted to see what Eladj had up his sleeve (I always love his gala routines!)

I'm all annoyed now!

I take it it wasn't broadcast on the livestream then, given that the last videos in the archive are from the Free Dance.

Oh well, at least now I don't have to hurry as much with catching up on the Ladies FS and the Free Dance.

CaroLiza_fan

I am very sorry that you missed it, I probably forgot adding the time at the first post ;( Yesterday was very busy too, so I could not be around here much. The Gala was recorded for a German TV station, so its definitely not lost and might appear some time later this year,