2017 GP Skate America Mens FS

[Kelly]

German Eurosport floats with the tide. Last week: Shoma/Javier had a bad skate = Nathan will be the last man standing. This week: Nathan had a bad skate = It's Patrick Chan's BIG chance.

OK.

I like their predictions.

 

[shine]

Fact is you are a hater of Jin for whatever unreasonable cause and he deserves 0pcs but Chen is artistic and oh so much more artistic than Jin (look at those ballet lines that NBC commentators pointed out to me) that he should get over 87 pcs and be on the same level as Uno and Fernandez. Funny you should say that unpleasantness is directed at you when you were the one who was being rude and unpleasant about a skater accusing his MIND BLOWING "79 PCS" as a "mockery of the sport" but thinks Chen 87 pcs is deserved. LOL! (yes i know you didnt deny or agree it but the fact you dont admit it speaks for itself and also your unjustified prejudice against Jin)

Why are you calling another poster rude and unpleansant if they just stated their actual opinion about a skater? Are we only able to say positive things about skaters now? This is a FS discussion board, not a shrine of one particular skater. You yourself also can't seem to criticize Chen without mocking his "ballet" skills. Hey, I'm sorry that the very existence of his nice lines bothers you so much, and I'm sorry that Jin just doesn't have the same lines or fluidity. For the record, I was there and I think he improved on his stroking, but during the steps it was quite obvious they WERE still quite weak and slow.

 

[beki]

It was pretty questionable for Boyang to be skating with two sprained ankles. Yes, it completely regressed all the strides he's made on the second mark, but he still managed to grit out his TES. Good job! And even though he made the GPF, I don't know if it's worth it. All the ammunition for his critics.

I was in Helsinki and on that occasion Jin's SS were better than Nathan's. His footwork was faster and more secure. So it will depend on the day.

 

[Bcash]

Why are you calling another poster rude and unpleansant if they just stated their actual opinion about a skater? Are we only able to say positive things about skaters now? This is a FS discussion board, not a shrine of one particular skater. You yourself also can't seem to criticize Chen without mocking his "ballet" skills. Hey, I'm sorry that the very existence of his nice lines bothers you so much, and I'm sorry that Jin just doesn't have the same lines or fluidity. For the record, I was there and I think he improved on his stroking, but during the steps it was quite obvious they WERE still quite weak and slow.

Sorry. I like Chen but his ballet "lines" are pure fiction. His shoulders and upper back have nothing balletic.

**Coming from a serious ballet fan who lives in one of the biggest ballet cities in the world.

 

[kevinVchicago]

and maybe Alexei for the 3rd spot.

Which Alexei? Bychenko?

 

[el henry]

Which Alexei? Bychenko?

You need to follow our amazing US junior men. Même Hugo, il devrait aussi les suivre....

Alexei is Alexei Krasnozhon, who will be repping the US of A at the Junior Grand Prix final along with two other of our men; Alex has won two JGPs. He will compete as a senior at US Nats.

Sadly, he is not yet a citizen, (he emigrated from Russia) and will not be by 2018 Oly time. He has said in interviews his eyes are on the prize, both citizenship and hopefully making the Oly team, for 2022.

 

[silverfoxes]

Sorry. I like Chen but his ballet "lines" are pure fiction. His shoulders and upper back have nothing balletic.

**Coming from a serious ballet fan who lives in one of the biggest ballet cities in the world.

I thought I was the only one who noticed how hunched over he is much of the time. He is no Emanuel Sandhu, Viktor Petrenko, or even Andrei Lazukin or Misha Ge in the posture department.

 

[KwanIsALegend]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the Skate America rinks are slightly smaller in width than other internationals rinks, yes? If so, that explains the slower speed I sensed throughout the program and thus more mistakes in general in the jumps.

Skate America rinks?? They're at a different location every year.
Also, this is in Lake Placid which had a winter Olympics, so the rink would have to be Olympic sized.

 

[Crossover]

Sorry. I like Chen but his ballet "lines" are pure fiction. His shoulders and upper back have nothing balletic.

**Coming from a serious ballet fan who lives in one of the biggest ballet cities in the world.

Well, that's still enough looking "balleric" to many including current figure skating commentators and critics and he actually trained ballet when much younger. Even some people insist that Zagitota's ugly and hunched posture is balleric.

 

[KwanIsALegend]

Thanks! I can't see it either and I think Raf has worked miracles for him!

I think so too. Adam had Brian Orser, a fabulous coach, and he couldn't
bring out of Adam what Raphael has manged to.

 

[Mathman]

Skate America rinks?? They're at a different location every year.

Also, this is in Lake Placid which had a winter Olympics, so the rink would have to be Olympic sized.

Almost all rinks in the United States are regulation hockey rinks, which are slightly narrower than the Olympic sized rinks that most European skaters are used to. Lake Placid has three ice skating rinks (and a separate speed skating oval), but I don't know how big they are.

 

[Button's Niece]

Almost all rinks in the United States are regulation hockey rinks, which are slightly narrower than the Olympic sized rinks that most European skaters are used to. Lake Placid has three ice skating rinks (and a separate speed skating oval), but I don't know how big they are.

Most North American rinks are "NHL size" or 200 ft long x 85 ft wide, while "Olympic size" is 200 ft x 100 ft. My ultra-quick google search didn't turn up any specific rink dimension info for Lake Placid, but an article about college hockey games being played there discussed the "Olympic sized" ice being wider than they were used to.

 

[charlotte14]

Well, that's still enough looking "balleric" to many including current figure skating commentators and critics and he actually trained ballet when much younger. Even some people insist that Zagitota's ugly and hunched posture is balleric.

I like Nathan but I am fed up with some certain media outlets use ballet to describe his strength. Ballet people might feel offended if we call many of our beloved skaters as "balletic".

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

Almost all rinks in the United States are regulation hockey rinks, which are slightly narrower than the Olympic sized rinks that most European skaters are used to. Lake Placid has three ice skating rinks (and a separate speed skating oval), but I don't know how big they are.

Most North American rinks are "NHL size" or 200 ft long x 85 ft wide, while "Olympic size" is 200 ft x 100 ft. My ultra-quick google search didn't turn up any specific rink dimension info for Lake Placid, but an article about college hockey games being played there discussed the "Olympic sized" ice being wider than they were used to.

While this is true in some places, most of the top training centers for figure skating in the US have at least one Olympic sized rink. Some examples: Toyota Sports Center in LA, Detroit Skating Club, World Arena in CO Springs.

 

[Crossover]

I like Nathan but I am fed up with some certain media outlets use ballet to describe his strength. Ballet people might feel offended if we call many of our beloved skaters as "balletic".

I don't mind that hype at all when Nathan gets attention from the media because the general public's interest in men's figure skating is not comparable with ladies skating. It is certain that Nathan has generally good posture as compared to his rivals, and he took balletic features in his program. I'm more fed up with that double standard that Nathan has been scrutinized more strictly than his rivals.

Your concern goes too far that such labeling would offend ballet people which I think, is purely your imagination. I took a history class of dance when in college, I was amused by unexpected encounters with figure skating in my class. My instructor raved about Oksana Baiul's 1994 Olympic short program and Sasha's balletic features. She said such usages in other genre or medium can widen a spectrum of ballet and people would pay more attention to the performing art. They are not professional or even trained ballet dancers though. I don't believe you're "ballet people", so you don't need to worry about it. If you include ballet goers as ballet people, you can count me in.

 

[charlotte14]

I don't mind that hype at all when Nathan gets attention from the media because the general public's interest in men's figure skating is not comparable with ladies skating. It is certain that Nathan has generally good posture as compared to his rivals, and he took balletic features in his program. I'm more fed up with that double standard that Nathan has been scrutinized more strictly than his rivals.

Your concern goes too far that such labeling would offend ballet people which I think, is purely your imagination. I took a history class of dance when in college, I was amused by unexpected encounters with figure skating in my class. My instructor raved about Oksana Baiul's 1994 Olympic short program and Sasha's balletic features. She said such usages in other genre or medium can widen a spectrum of ballet and people would pay more attention to the performing art. They are not professional or even trained ballet dancers though. I don't believe you're "ballet people", so you don't need to worry about it. If you include ballet goers as ballet people, you can count me in.

I have seen ballet people who find it very amusing when some the skaters are dubbed as "balletic". And these ballet people are trained from young to dance. One of them even teaches at one of the most prestigious ballet school in Russia.

My point is, whatever the skaters are doing on ice, it is ok to say they take dance class and ballet class to improve their posture etc. But to call them balletic is a bit too much.

 

[kevinVchicago]

You need to follow our amazing US junior men. Même Hugo, il devrait aussi les suivre....

Alexei is Alexei Krasnozhon, who will be repping the US of A at the Junior Grand Prix final along with two other of our men; Alex has won two JGPs. He will compete as a senior at US Nats.

Sadly, he is not yet a citizen, (he emigrated from Russia) and will not be by 2018 Oly time. He has said in interviews his eyes are on the prize, both citizenship and hopefully making the Oly team, for 2022.

Thanks! You inspired me that I need to watch all of the junior events at the GPF! I'm going to do that for the first time this year!
Hugo says: "I only follow citizens."

 

[TontoK]

Thanks! You inspired me that I need to watch all of the junior events at the GPF! I'm going to do that for the first time this year!
Hugo says: "I only follow citizens."

Don't you be flirting with El. She's MY friend.

I actually started watching some of the junior men on her recommendation. I don't watch junior women, because I see enough juniorish skating from women on the senior circuit.

Don't watch junior pairs much, but then again, I don't even watch senior pairs much. I root for the Aussie's, though, because I'm so proud a non-traditional power broke through.

If you're interested, catch Anthony Ponomarenko in ice dance He is a stunning skater with great promise. He has a partner, but I view her as the junior version of Jean-Luc Baker's partner. She doesn't stand up to his skills.

Edit to add: I second her recommendation on Alexei, but neither El nor I would want you to miss Andrew Torgeshev, who is my personal favorite junior. He debuted at US Senior Nats last year, and made the final group, if I'm remembering correctly.

 

[cell]

Don't you be flirting with El. She's MY friend.

I actually started watching some of the junior men on her recommendation. I don't watch junior women, because I see enough juniorish skating from women on the senior circuit.

Don't watch junior pairs much, but then again, I don't even watch senior pairs much. I root for the Aussie's, though, because I'm so proud a non-traditional power broke through.

If you're interested, catch Anthony Ponomarenko in ice dance He is a stunning skater with great promise. He has a partner, but I view her as the junior version of Jean-Luc Baker's partner. She doesn't stand up to his skills.

Edit to add: I second her recommendation on Alexei, but neither El nor I would want you to miss Andrew Torgeshev, who is my personal favorite junior. He debuted at US Senior Nats last year, and made the final group, if I'm remembering correctly.

Um what exactly is so bad about Kaitlin Hawayek? I know Jean-Luc is fantastic, but... I just don't get it...

 

[shine]

I don't mind that hype at all when Nathan gets attention from the media because the general public's interest in men's figure skating is not comparable with ladies skating. It is certain that Nathan has generally good posture as compared to his rivals, and he took balletic features in his program. I'm more fed up with that double standard that Nathan has been scrutinized more strictly than his rivals.

Your concern goes too far that such labeling would offend ballet people which I think, is purely your imagination. I took a history class of dance when in college, I was amused by unexpected encounters with figure skating in my class. My instructor raved about Oksana Baiul's 1994 Olympic short program and Sasha's balletic features. She said such usages in other genre or medium can widen a spectrum of ballet and people would pay more attention to the performing art. They are not professional or even trained ballet dancers though. I don't believe you're "ballet people", so you don't need to worry about it. If you include ballet goers as ballet people, you can count me in.

I don't understand why people are offended when nathan's balletic qualities are mentioned? He DOES have balletic qualities in spades from his posture, lines (better than most skaters IMO), and the use of his arms and hands, and just general danceability. Just because the media brings it up doesn't make it untrue.