2018 Rostelecom Cup Men's Free Skate

[elektra blue]

catching up with men:

Artur DMITRIEV: why try something so difficult like a 4A when you clearly can’t land simpler jumps? i get he wants to make history, but i don't see the point. wouldn't it be better and more rewarding to put the same effort in actually landing your jumps?

Mikhail KOLYADA: I’m happy to see him better! I didn’t give up and that’s important. He’ll do better next time.

Paul lannister FENTZ: give this men a medal! Any medal! Is he available for weddings?

Yuzuru HANYU: pulling out a victory with a totally unpracticed program is the difference between athlete and genious. anyway, any news on his injury? is it serious?

 

[TontoK]

Protocols are up: http://www.isuresults.com/results/season1819/gprus2018/gprus2018_Men_FS_Scores.pdf

Morisi got 3 negatives GOEs on his jumps and an UR on his axel which seems fair. Honestly, even if he was a little overscored the placements were correct. This was a mess today overall. He earned that silver.

I am so pleased! I love it when a smaller federation has a breakthrough.

I don't know who keeps track of such, but when is the last time Georgia won a GP medal?

 

[Mrs. P]

I am so pleased! I love it when a smaller federation has a breakthrough.

I don't know who keeps track of such, but when is the last time Georgia won a GP medal?

I'll have to check, but I'm pretty sure Morisi would be the first. The only other high-profile skater from Georgia was Elene Gedevanishvili, who won European medals, but never a GP medal.

 

[Arbitrary]

"Sambo 70" (self defence with no arms) was originally a self-defence sport school for kids esteblished in Moscow in 1970. Later there were other martial arts added like Ju-do and some other sports too.

 

[Mathman]

I don't know who keeps track of such, but when is the last time Georgia won a GP medal?

My man Vakhtang Murvanidze competed in several Grand Prix events (also two Olympics), but never won a medal. Even so, for my money he stole the show at 2002 Skate America!.

Anton Sikharulidze won all kinds of stuff in pairs with Elena Berezhnaya, but they competed for Russia.

 

[Jaana]

So unless Samarin gets silver next week Junhwan is in????

Cha has 22 points and his scores were not bad. Even if Samarin would get a silver it still is only 22 points for him and the scores will decide.
Or is 4th place and one silver seen as better result than 2 bronze medals?

 

[RemyRose]

Cha has 22 points and his scores were not bad. Even if Samarin would get a silver it still is only 22 points for him and the scores will decide.
Or is 4th place and one silver seen as better result than 2 bronze medals?

2+4 goes ahead of 3+3.

 

[norwegianfairytale]

Wrong thread

 

[Jaana]

That does not sound rightful, IMO,especially as Cha has gotten a total score which beats that of both Brezina and Voronov...

 

[Tonichelle]

I think it's time for Keegan to retire Chaplin. It was built for the longer time for the Long Program. Now all the elements are hastened and the details crammed in, it's impossible not to feel rushed when you are rushing half a minute the entire time. I know he often holds onto one program or the other for more than one season, but this was not the best idea IMO. And I loved his Chaplin... but I feel like he can't settle into the program this year.

 

[Colonel Green]

I think it's time for Keegan to retire Chaplin. It was built for the longer time for the Long Program. Now all the elements are hastened and the details crammed in, it's impossible not to feel rushed when you are rushing half a minute the entire time. I know he often holds onto one program or the other for more than one season, but this was not the best idea IMO. And I loved his Chaplin... but I feel like he can't settle into the program this year.

His earlier performances of it were fine, character-wise. The program wasn't the problem today (or yesterday).

 

[Mrs. P]

I think it's time for Keegan to retire Chaplin. It was built for the longer time for the Long Program. Now all the elements are hastened and the details crammed in, it's impossible not to feel rushed when you are rushing half a minute the entire time. I know he often holds onto one program or the other for more than one season, but this was not the best idea IMO. And I loved his Chaplin... but I feel like he can't settle into the program this year.

It was fine at SCI, IMO. I just think this was a tough competition in general.

 

[Tonichelle]

Maybe it translates better live, but it felt rushed both times to me.

 

[gmyers]

Very sad kolyada is so sick or injured

 

[CellarDweller]

Happy with the podium finishes, but what a messy competition.

I hope Yuzuru Hanyu's injury heals quickly!

 

[Ichatdelune]

My take on the men. Finished my Hoegarden and I'm getting sleepy, so I may finish this after I get some sleep. But here goes:

- Kazuki. Kazuki was clean!! Okay, he had some spin-outs and underrotations, but still he did not fall, did not pop, and most importantly he skated his heart out. He may not be Jason Brown level with Riverdance (honestly, who can beat him with Riverdance), but he is filled to the brim with charm and energy and I enjoyed every second of it. And he got a bronze!!!!!

- Yuzuru. Dear lord, Yuzuru, you may be Hanyu God-on-the-Ice Yuzuru, but your ankles are human, protect them please... He started out impeccable, then around the 4T+3S he started to wobble, then he fell on his 3A and started fighting... But still, even with that ankle injured he performed the heck out of the program, it's much more polished than compared to at ACI. I still do think of Plushenko's original program while listening to the music, and while I do love watching Yuzuru skate to it I can't help but think that I do love the original Tribute to Nijinsky more. Nevertheless, although it wasn't faultless it was still something great. I do want to see him at finals, but then I value his ankles more, so if he withdraws then it's all for the best (for my darling getting to go to finals in that scenario... It's not the time for me yet to get more booze.)

- Mikhail Kolyada. Sort of a redemption skate, I think. And so far, out of the Russian skaters he has the best Carmen program. (Why are there that many skaters in Russia using Carmen this season is an important question, but it's not one that I can answer.) The role of the Toreador fits him, he sells it well, a great match. Shame about all that pops... If it's a mental problem then I do think he would benefit greatly from seeing a sports psychologist, when he does them right he has giant jumps, and he has the skating skills to match. It's just sad to see them not shown to their full potential.

- Morisi Kvitelashvili. I am still not sure whether I'm spelling his surname right. Eteri magic was strong in the motherland, and even with the piles of dead jumps lying on the ice he landed most of his jumps. I personally don't connect with his skating, but good for him to survive this icky mess of a competition and get a first GP medal for his country. Side note, I've never cared for Mozart l'Opera Rock. there's Mozart! for a musical about Mozart, and it has (in my opinion) better music. But then it's Daniil G...

- Keegan Messing. Ouch... It was sad to see him like this, he has great skating skills, spins, and character, but that was underwhelming. The only part that was a relief was that he bounced right back up after his falls, so the flow wasn't damaged too much. Hope to see another SC Charlie Chaplin at 4CC.

- Andrei. Another sort-of redemption skate for Mr. Liza T. His classic Mishin lines are a great match with Rachmaninoff, and although it was definitely not a clean performance it was pretty okay in comparison with the others who crashed and burned. His spin levels must've hurt, but that's a matter of polish. The fact that I like him has to be taken into consideration, but I think Liza T would've felt much better than at the SP.

- Artur Dmitriev. I have no idea why he attempted the accursed 4A, but all that left him was pain and the death of future jumps, plus almost all the other 3As had to die to cleanse the curse. I didn't care much for the program in general, and with his sad skate the uncle renaissance has been halted. I know he's in singles so it doesn't quite compare, but it must suck to be a Jr. with your father as a two-time Olympic champion plus your coach and have this kind of skate.

- Julian Yee. If I were not in a good mood this might've gotten me off the Julian Yee train, overall was very messy. But I am in a good mood still, and his awesome SP at SA is keeping me on that train for now. While it doesn't live up to the SP in my opinion this FS has a lot of fun stored in it, he just needs to clean for it to shine properly. I'll be patient, and besides, being this good from a fed small as Malaysia is something awesome on its own.

- Alexander Majorov. Well that was a disaster. The program itself is highly disagreeable for me (I don't buy the magic tie nor the what-have-I-been-smoking-wait-I-didn't-smoke-anything vibe of it all), it was just very, very befuddling. I may be biased because I am not a fan of his style of skating, but I'd like to not see that shirt that makes my eyes hurt for a while...

- Brendan Kerry. Well, as karne put it, Disaster Grease. Enough said, really. He was exempted from the 3A curse since he skated first, so there's that at least.

- Alexei Krasnozhon. Also very messy, and for me who enjoys lovely lines and artistry than power jock-ness his skating doesn't reach me that deeply. But good for him to fight until the end.

- Paul Fentz. The Game of Thrones guy, as I remember him. I still disagree with his costume. I still don't feel much from the program either, and I'm a fan of ASOIAF and GoT here. I have no idea who he's supposed to be, but from that performance he was a dude that dies before people start remembering his name.

 

[Mathman]

That does not sound rightful, IMO,especially as Cha has gotten a total score which beats that of both Brezina and Voronov...

It goes back to the original idea of the Grand Prix. You have 6 events. Then the six winners get together to decide the championship. If one skater wins two events, then we reluctantly have to fill in the roster with some runners-up.

Over the years the rules have evolved little by little to give more weight to respectable showings of second, third, fourth, etc. But still, one spectacular performance and one so-so gets the nod over over two pretty good ones.

 

[demarinis5]

Congrats to Yuzu, Morisi and Kuzuki!

 

[shyne]

catching up with men:


Yuzuru HANYU: pulling out a victory with a totally unpracticed program is the difference between athlete and genious. anyway, any news on his injury? is it serious?

It's serious. He got injured during practice today and was told by the doctor there to stay off ice for 3 wks. This was before the FS. So GPF is pretty much out of the question now and he may even have to skip Japanese national.

 

[lauravvv]

Yuzuru HANYU: pulling out a victory with a totally unpracticed program is the difference between athlete and genious. anyway, any news on his injury? is it serious?

It was not just problem of a (briefly) unpracticed program. Hanyu said at the press conference that he was considering withdrawing as the injury to his ankle is more serious than it was initially thought - most likely there is some ligament damage. Doctors recommended him not to skate, and that pertains also to the GP Final and probably even Japanese Nationals. Apparently that is also the reason why he decided to skate at least this time. But we could see that he left the more difficult jumps - the 4Lo and the 4T-3A - out. He was not able to jump the quad loup at all.

I hope Yuzuru Hanyu's injury heals quickly!

See my response to elektra blue above. Unfortunately, does not seem that it will heal so quickly.