2020 Skate America: Men's FS

[Flying Feijoa]

I liked Nathan's shirt OK. Better than his SP costume. Plus, his LP music wasn't the worst of the competition.

It maybe just needs a bit of darting at the back to lie flat across the shoulders. I'm not overly fussed about costumes as long as they don't actively make the skater look bad.
I don't think Nathan has much of a postural problem, he looked fine in the ISP videos of his freeskate wearing stretchy workout clothes. But on his frame, an open neckline/lower collar might work better. Anything turtleneck would have to be carefully tailored so that it doesn't make material ride up towards his neck (I get that problem with shirts too if they're too tight across the shoulders).

I really like the LP music, it's just a bit unforgiving if you make mistakes.

 

[Ophelia]

Does anyone except Yuzu actually know what Nathan needs to beat him? I mean, I adore Yuzu, but uhm... for all we know, he has been sitting on a beach with his feet propped up since March instead of spending all his days training.
Sorry, just kidding... well, half-kidding.

I believe Hanyu's been training in Japan in private. The Japanese paparazzi was tailing him at the rink.

 

[pianistliz]

Great job to all the medalists. I've had a soft spot for Keegan since I noticed him last year. I don't even normally listen to his style of music, but he sells it and I can't help but get on board and root for him. I actually liked Vincent's FS artistically. I love Nathan's SP but his FS is doing absolutely nothing for me.

 

[el henry]

So glad Keegan medalled. He has always been such a class act, and he sells a program even when I'm not feeling it (well, not Chaplin, but that's in the past ) Of course, can't complain about Nathan's win, and Vincent is really trying. He still doesn't "grab" me, but I give him A for effort.

Young Ilia is showing his chops, but I hope he stays with the performance qualities that first caught my eye, and not just the jumping bean part

I miss Jason

 

[jersey1302]

I love that Keegan snagged a medal here, well deserved. I still can't get over how fast he is. He is probably the fastest skater in the circuit right now easily. In saying that.. I think he needs to tone it down a bit going into jumps and as well as in his SP. I find hes too fast for his music. I feel like im watching a speed skating race to music sometimes.

I have been critical in the past about Nathan too on my FreeSkate youtube channel and I will say this year, he has improved again this year on the PCS portion. I thought he was getting far too high marks for just skating into quads and jumps with nothing in-between. Well, not nothing but significantly less than Yuzuru who was scoring the same PCS. I see this year he has a bit more substance all around to his program rather than just in picked spots. I also noticed he struggled on his jumps a bit more than usual too and was pondering in the back of my head that maybe his up in program content and musicality and steps is going to make it harder for him to put in the 5 quads all the time. Its what I said last year.. When he pays as much attention to his program as Yuzuru does, you'll see a give in his tech. pts. I guess I'll see through out the season ! But I will say I was pretty happy with his programs this season...minus that black costume for his FS.. terrible lol.

 

[elektra blue]

random comments after the free:

Ilia MALININ: this boy is one to watch, if (very big if for a man skater, i know) can keep his consistency and work on his stamina he's going to be a podium threat. you go boy! but next time keep your arm out of the concrete

Alexei BYCHENKO: uncle By drunken pirate is here to teach the youngsters how to be immortal. does he turn into a skeleton under the full moon?

Keegan MESSING: welcome back, Keegan, also whoever skates to Guns & Roses gets a +5

Nathan CHEN_ he's human after all and likes to follow trends, like the trend of the night: messing spins and pop as much as you like.

 

[Rere]

Just watching this tonight, and I need to take a pause before watching Nathan, to scream a bit about how I FINALLY DIG KEEGAN AND WHY HE IS ONE OF THE GREATEST OUT THERE AAAAAA. How he spins, how he lands his jumps, how he SKATES! I started watching figure skating right after the competition where I saw how Patrick Chan was moving across the ice (and then he retired almost right away ) - well, now I'm getting the same high just watching Keegan skate, omg it's such a joy

 

[Rere]

I am a bit surprised that Vincent Zhou received similar artistic scores to Keegan Messing. I think Keegan feels and moves to the music so much better than Vincent. Vincent's got his jumps but I become bored watching him; his movements are so artificial. Maybe Keegan's attraction to more alternative/heavy metal music turns off the judges. He doesn't have to do Charlie Chaplin all the time but maybe Keegan can find something a little more adaptable to movement and story telling. Sorry, I like all music but his FS and skating are not a match. I can't even tell you what Vincent skated to but I have no desire to watch it again. I think he's lucky he got silver.

I was soooo surprised how Vincent has got a higher artistic score than Keegan , like - how? especially when one was skating right after the other... I liked Vincent's FS far better than the SP, but still it looked like a bit different league.

I was about to rant how I cannot dig long FS programs along some mellow instrumental music where nothing happens at all, and how most skaters today were skating just to that, but...

The real thing is it's such a joy to watch figure skating again, and to see Alexei Bychenko, and Keegan, and Nathan, and Tomoki, and my new favourite Jimmy Ma. So great that the athletes still manage to train and compete in these crazy times