I think Yuzuru skated here better than NHK, this is fancam: http://youtu.be/tVYfH8P8v6AHonestly, I think Yuzuru skated better at NHK. But in relation to how other guys ,Medvedeva and other girls are scored,I think the score he received was not controvesial.
I didn't know only a sample of jumps are reviewed, do they pick randomly or only pick the iffy looking ones.
Can you see this video without being blocked: http://youtu.be/QWQs--Rgl4kI'm feeling a little sick that I missed watching this live. I've been able to see all of the videos except Hanyu as they are all coming up blocked ((( (by sony). I'll just wait for Icenetwork to put it up.
But, first -thanks to all of you for your amazing and excited commentary. A joy to read!!!! I'm speechless by what I did see, what a great event! And, I watched the medal ceremony - I don't remember the last time I saw such a happy bunch! Echoing another poster somewhere earlier in the thread, if there was ever a time for the 4th place finisher to be there too, today was the day as Chan's long was so beautiful.
How extraordinary, though, that Hanyu has the tech he has and the programs he has (both are great, but that LP just wipes me out), and he just skated them each twice (NHK and Final) so exquisitely. Again, didn't see this LP, but to be able to be that consistent with such difficulty just is truly a world apart. I read all the 'what's next' in terms of upping the ante and just think to myself: if he skates at this level with this difficulty basically cleanly, that's ALL i need. It's like the best of Kwan and Kim and a bunch of amazing guys from the 70's, 80's, 90's, 2000's, all in one person. Truly stunning.
Yay yay, and OLE and Bravo to javi. So great to see him skate like this. I will confess that I just don't love this LP simply because the music/style is not my cup of tea. BUT, he does this so well - at least he did today; I was just all smiles and so, so happy for him and the crowd. I cannot believe how "complete package" he has really become.
Uno - well. wow. He just got out of juniors? really?
I missed the two others but will watch. I'm just totally speechless at what is going on with the men. Amazing!
ETA Mao88 is the most awesome poster/person ever! Thanks for all the videos. Just watched hanyu - the spanish version. Totally awesome. I meant the commentary was awesome. He was awesome. You, Mao88, are awesome for sharing all of these videos. Thanks so much!
Is there a forum rule against 'spoiling' other disciplines in competition threads? Because I feel like it's kinda of a given on... a forum dedicated to figure skating.
I absolutely am NOT a fan of Patrick Chan or of his skating. However, his LP really looked amazing this time around. Is he better than Yuzuru? Well for me, in terms of artistry - he's less exciting but more convincing now. Yuzuru still looks to effeminate and young for some of the emotion he tries to convey. Don't get me wrong - his movement is epic - not just his jumps but each and everyone of his elements is superb. However, for me right now- Javier is the only one who has the jumps, level of maturity and personal style to clinch it all together. He just needs to stay on his feet and skate entirely perfect programs to beat Yuzuru. It may be difficult yet it is entirely possible for Javier to get there in terms of scores and recognition. With that said the greatness of Yuzuru makes me super happy and excited. Javier would kick all of his competitors' asses any other time in history but two goliaths train under another at the same time. WOW! !!
Also during nationals he has no competition whatsoever nowadaysI´m so happy for Javier that he won the silver medal in a competition held in his own country!!! It must be veeery difficult for him to compete for such an enthusiastic home audience with big expectations.... I mean that unlike e.g. the Japanese skaters Javier is not used to home crowd (only last year for the first time) in an international competition, the Nationals will hardly draw this kind of an audience?
Why? I'm a Yuna fan, but obviously I'm not a ultra uber Yuna fan, because I don't get why you thank the skating Gods for providing Yuzuru the Y chromosome. I mean, he is surely happy about it, being male and all and I guess his female fans who have a crush on him are also happy about it. But what has that to do with Yuna? It would be different if she was still competing, but she isn't, so ... ? :scratch3:As an ultra uber Yuna fan for for life... I sincerely thank the skating Gods for providing Yuzu with that extra Y chromosome so he can only compete with the men...sheeshh... Male Yuna and ~~~beyond!!
Can you see this video without being blocked: http://youtu.be/QWQs--Rgl4k
It's Yuzuru's free skate and my friends in US have tested and they all said ok.
Random question if anyone wants to take a wing at it...Who do you predict as 2-5 at Worlds if everyone skated completely clean programs? Long shot but still....after today, nothing is impossible.
Honestly, I think Yuzuru skated better at NHK. But in relation to how other guys ,Medvedeva and other girls are scored,I think the score he received was not controvesial.
My favorite for this competition is actually Shoma. He attacked every thing, skated his heart out. The first skate this season that gets me in tear
Right know the top male skaters are better than the female skaters imho. They have better skating skills, better programs and more polish overall. This wasn't always the case.
I was also a bit surprised that Yuzuru pulverised the NHK score, as I thought, when I watched it, that it was not as perfect, on some landings in particular. But on the other hand, it might be because at NHK I could hardly believe what I was seeing and now, we've seen it before, I know it is possible indeed. Honestly, I had my doubts that it would happen again, but Yuzuru proved me wrong. He is just amazing, and I have no words. I also agree about Javier and audience engagement. But maybe Frank Sinatra is more mainstream than Seimei. Still, Seimei is my favourite LP of Yuzuru since the original Romeo & Juliet (the Baz Luhrman RJ).
And I'm beyond happy for Shoma Uno, and glad for Patrick that he could manage such a comeback.
Why? I'm a Yuna fan, but obviously I'm not a ultra uber Yuna fan, because I don't get why you thank the skating Gods for providing Yuzuru the Y chromosome. I mean, he is surely happy about it, being male and all and I guess his female fans who have a crush on him are also happy about it. But what has that to do with Yuna? It would be different if she was still competing, but she isn't, so ... ? :scratch3:
That said, the competition yesterday was maybe the best I've ever seen, because four skaters skated at their best, with very very good programs, all were inspirational! It's good to see that those quads have become stable for the top men, I doubted that possibility a couple of seasons ago. It's just great. Right know the top male skaters are better than the female skaters imho. They have better skating skills, better programs and more polish overall. This wasn't always the case.
Yuzuru is about 10,000x more exciting than Yuna ever was for me...I don't get the comparison either. But then, I've always thought the men were more interesting in general, with harder elements, more varied programs, more power & speed, etc. And yet even after the amazing record-shattering skating in Barcelona, this thread is still quite a bit shorter than the ladies' FS thread. Why is it always like that? Of course, you could probably cut it in half by skipping all the complaining about ''teenage Russians" & over-the-boot tights.
Yuzuru is about 10,000x more exciting than Yuna ever was for me...I don't get the comparison either. But then, I've always thought the men were more interesting in general, with harder elements, more varied programs, more power & speed, etc. And yet even after the amazing record-shattering skating in Barcelona, this thread is still quite a bit shorter than the ladies' FS thread. Why is it always like that? Of course, you could probably cut it in half by skipping all the complaining about ''teenage Russians" & over-the-boot tights.