2018 Rostelecom Cup Men's Free Skate

[AJVMSA8588]

I am in the midst of studying, moving, and all the other things. My boyfriend sat down with me during a break and watched some of the replays on youtube, I will share his non-figure skating fan commentary:

1. Hanyu. "Oh neat, I enjoy this music. What is it?"
"He is good, right?"
First two quads, "These are perfect scores?"
"Oh he fell, is that called the axel?"
"Neat how he slides, like he realizes he is on ice and isn't fighting it."
"Are all of those Pokemon?" "No, Pooh." "Oh, that's so sweet. People love him so much." "He looks happy, like a nice person."

2. Mikhail Kolyada
"His costume does not look comfortable." "Oh wow, that's good right?"
"He accents music with his head, what is the ballet term you told me about: Epoulet?"
"Oh, this isn't good, this is going bad."
"I want to see his coach's face. Oh, he got a hug; that's nice. That coach looked like they would be angry at the start of that."

3. Keegan Messing
"Oh, I like him."
"Cool costume."
Exclaims, "Ooooo, wow!" (as though he is watching fireworks, opening triple lutz)
Things start to unravel. . ."He is too buff, poor center of gravity; he needs more hips to balance him out, like soccer players." Me--"okay?"
"Oh, I wanted him to do well."
"I like his coach; he is so chill. We just got a new professor in our department"

4. moris kvitelashvili
"Oh, he looks classy."
"Is he too tall?"
"You don't like this music, do you?"
"Oh, can we skip this video? This music grates me."
"I though I would like it; he isn't graceful like the others"

5. Kerry
"There is skaiting in Austraila?"

6. Fentz
"Oh, I know this music."
"you told me you didn't like him. I disagree. I like the Candian more, but this guy is neat."

7. Krasnozhon
"I love his hair; that's what I do with my hair. He just does it better."
"This Russian dancing looks risky."
me--this music is not my favorite. "yea, i hate it."
"His coach looks mean too."

We didn't watch Tomono. Overall, I was stunned with the outcome of the event.

I didn't hear of Hanyu's injury. It is estimated he will be out long?

 

[TallyT]

I didn't hear of Hanyu's injury. It is estimated he will be out long?

3 weeks is the estimate, but it means the GPF is a washout and probably Nationals. But he seems even in the midst of his disappointment to be determined to come back for Worlds....

 

[Interspectator]

I am in the midst of studying, moving, and all the other things. My boyfriend sat down with me during a break and watched some of the replays on youtube, I will share his non-figure skating fan commentary:

1. Hanyu. "Oh neat, I enjoy this music. What is it?"
"He is good, right?"
First two quads, "These are perfect scores?"
"Oh he fell, is that called the axel?"
"Neat how he slides, like he realizes he is on ice and isn't fighting it."
"Are all of those Pokemon?" "No, Pooh." "Oh, that's so sweet. People love him so much." "He looks happy, like a nice person."

2. Mikhail Kolyada
"His costume does not look comfortable." "Oh wow, that's good right?"
"He accents music with his head, what is the ballet term you told me about: Epoulet?"
"Oh, this isn't good, this is going bad."
"I want to see his coach's face. Oh, he got a hug; that's nice. That coach looked like they would be angry at the start of that."

3. Keegan Messing
"Oh, I like him."
"Cool costume."
Exclaims, "Ooooo, wow!" (as though he is watching fireworks, opening triple lutz)
Things start to unravel. . ."He is too buff, poor center of gravity; he needs more hips to balance him out, like soccer players." Me--"okay?"
"Oh, I wanted him to do well."
"I like his coach; he is so chill. We just got a new professor in our department"

4. moris kvitelashvili
"Oh, he looks classy."
"Is he too tall?"
"You don't like this music, do you?"
"Oh, can we skip this video? This music grates me."
"I though I would like it; he isn't graceful like the others"

5. Kerry
"There is skaiting in Austraila?"

6. Fentz
"Oh, I know this music."
"you told me you didn't like him. I disagree. I like the Candian more, but this guy is neat."

7. Krasnozhon
"I love his hair; that's what I do with my hair. He just does it better."
"This Russian dancing looks risky."
me--this music is not my favorite. "yea, i hate it."
"His coach looks mean too."

We didn't watch Tomono. Overall, I was stunned with the outcome of the event.

I didn't hear of Hanyu's injury. It is estimated he will be out long?

I always like hearing reactions to skates. --And I needed to be cheered up. Thanks for sharing! :thumbsup:

 

[katymay]

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.

The problem with a distinctive and unique program is, it has a short shelf life. I love the program, but it shouldn't have been recycled another year. I don't favor recycling, period, but especially programs that are quirky, (or gimmicky).

 

[Interspectator]

This made me smile, though I'm still really sad about Yuzu being injured again.

Alexei Yagudin, being so supportive of Yuzu during his skate.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BqTCY3mhSi6/
He admitted that this competition was the first time for him to see Yuzu skate and was so complementary, despite Yuzu skating a tribute to his Arch-rival-nemesis Plushenko. It was a nice moment.

Tarasova is a totally biased fan already, so her reaction is expected.

 

[Tonichelle]

The problem with a distinctive and unique program is, it has a short shelf life. I love the program, but it shouldn't have been recycled another year. I don't favor recycling, period, but especially programs that are quirky, (or gimmicky).

That could be it, too. I LOVE Kurt Browning, and always will.. and his Raggy the Clown was super cute for the first two seasons (since the first season he only skated it in SOI Canada I hadn't seen it until he brought it to the US the next year)... but by year 4 I was over it. Still brilliant in performance and choreography, but it was old.

But I think more than anything I just feel like he is in "hurry up" mode through the whole program and it just doesn't work as well this season.

Still better than anything Rory Flack ever gave him so, I can't complain that much.

 

[chuckm]

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

If, as expected, Yuzu withdraws from the final, even if Samarin gets silver, Junwhan would be in too (assuming Nathan wins gold at IDF)

NATHAN 30
SHOMA 30
BREZINA 26
VORONOV 24
SAMARIN 22
CHA 22

BTW, Nathan would be in even if he finished 3rd or 4th. In that case, the only way Cha would not be in is if Samarin won silver and one of the 7-pointers (Jin or Aliev) won gold.

 

[Sai Bon]

Been busy catching up after a weekend away. Obviously awed by Yuzu and concerned about his injury, but SO STOKED for Kazuki. The BESP guys were raving about him. Watched a fluff TV piece on him and he's such a sweet, modest young man. It's going to be a fierce battle for the third sport for Worlds.

 

[moriel]

Just a though. I know i would be beaten for this but...
In FS, Hanyu clearly skated from element to element and looked clearly struggling. I understand he is injured and all, but there is no "injury bonus" in PCs, afaik. Where all the 9s and 9.25 is PCs came from? There was literally no performance or interpretation, and he seemed having trouble with literally every movement.

 

[TallyT]

Just a though. I know i would be beaten for this but...
In FS, Hanyu clearly skated from element to element and looked clearly struggling. I understand he is injured and all, but there is no "injury bonus" in PCs, afaik. Where all the 9s and 9.25 is PCs came from? There was literally no performance or interpretation, and he seemed having trouble with literally every movement.

You didn't see performance and interpretation, and that's fair enough. Other people - and not only the judges, the comments all over make it clear - obviously did.

 

[blue_idealist]

Just a though. I know i would be beaten for this but...
In FS, Hanyu clearly skated from element to element and looked clearly struggling. I understand he is injured and all, but there is no "injury bonus" in PCs, afaik. Where all the 9s and 9.25 is PCs came from? There was literally no performance or interpretation, and he seemed having trouble with literally every movement.

He wasn't as good as usual, but he was better than the other men. I know judges aren't supposed to judge skaters relative to each other, really, but they're human.

 

[Wynter]

Just a though. I know i would be beaten for this but...
In FS, Hanyu clearly skated from element to element and looked clearly struggling. I understand he is injured and all, but there is no "injury bonus" in PCs, afaik. Where all the 9s and 9.25 is PCs came from? There was literally no performance or interpretation, and he seemed having trouble with literally every movement.

He definitely struggle there, but I would beg to disagree about him having no performance or interpretation since I actually prefer his Step Sequence there compared to Helsinki. Maybe for you 9 and 9.25 in PCS is too high of a score, but remember that we're talking about the guy who are capable of getting 10s.

 

[Arriba627]

The performance was very flat which isn't surprising if he was hurt. He needs different choreographers too. It's all starting to look way too similar and predictable.

 

[Wynter]

He needs different choreographers too. It's all starting to look way too similar and predictable.

I bet if I say the same line about the skater on your profile pic you will be combusting so I'll spare all of us some unnecessary posts. :hap85:

 

[Arriba627]

I bet if I say the same line about the skater on your profile pic you will be combusting so I'll spare all of us some unnecessary posts. :hap85:

No, I've heard it all 1,000 times already.

 

[Neenah16]

The performance was very flat which isn't surprising if he was hurt. He needs different choreographers too. It's all starting to look way too similar and predictable.

I have to disagree with this. Except for the short section where the axels are (where he was visibly struggling), everything else was better than Helsinki. He put his all in the performance and he added choreography that wasn't there in before. Nothing flat about the performance.