2023 Cup of China: Men's Thoughts?

[moonvine]

Jimmy is SO talented, and I just can't understand what makes him tick. I understand he is a classical pianist too. I don't see it when streaming his performances, but when I've seen him live, it seems like he gets too excited and then the program gets away from him. Like he starts to get wild, if that makes any sense. Maybe he needs to learn to control his energy better?

Yes! He played Carnegie Hall. And his music never bores me.

I think he thinks he doesn’t belong. He’s been in medal contention at a GP and at 4CCs and totally blew the long.

 

[Arriba627]

That's amazing! Didn't know about Carnegie! I know another skater shared recently that because of her ADHD, she tended to have a hard time keeping her focus in the long program. I don't know if the same would apply to Jimmy. Mostly he just seems like he's having too much fun out there!

 

[demarinis5]

January 23, 2024 will be my 20th year on this board. Enough said. I don't post as much as I used to
back in my day but I am still here.

 

[icewhite]

No idea what makes Jimmy Ma tick, but I love him and I don 't care if he wins or falls. He's wonderful.

 

[icewhite]

That happened with Brian Orser around 2015-18, then Arutyunyan, now it's Stephane...

Yeah, personally I would always send skaters to Orser... and Arutyunyan, although I don't like him, I can understand.

 

[ladyjane]

January 23, 2024 will be my 20th year on this board. Enough said. I don't post as much as I used to
back in my day but I am still here.

Congratulations! I hope yoo're still enjoying it, even if you post less.

 

[noskates]

I came away from the men's freeskate thinking the rivalry between Adam SHF, Shoma Uno and Ilia Malinin is going to be a blockbuster!!! If those three skate clean..........holey moley!!!

 

[throw_triple_flip]

The second half of Shoma Uno's free skate was so beautiful. Spiegel im Spiegel is such a brave choice of music, there's nowhere to hide. I can't think of any other skaters that could really pull it off.

I really hope Adam Siao Him Fa can keep this standard up as he has a real shot at the world title (though I do find Benoit Richaud's free skate choreo a bit ludicrous and admit I did giggle a couple of times in the replays).


Sota Yamamoto is such a charismatic performer, shame the jumps didn't all work out for him. Though i suppose, looking at the standings (and knowing how all over the place mens skating can be), it's not entirely impossible he could make the final, even if it is a long shot..

 

[Arriba627]

I came away from the men's freeskate thinking the rivalry between Adam SHF, Shoma Uno and Ilia Malinin is going to be a blockbuster!!! If those three skate clean..........holey moley!!!

Originally, I was including Jun in there too (for the GPF possibly?) and hoping for an even bigger showdown! So sorry he won't be there. Maybe for Worlds?

 

[throw_triple_flip]

Adam is having a great season. Hope he remains consistent. There is a long way before worlds.
Shoma is just starting his season. I love his programs, especially the LP.
Costly mistakes for him there today but nice to see a big smile on his face. His costume is really good too. What a great musical choice for him. Shows his maturity and mastery.

I am not like many GS fans on the Shaidorov train yet. To me, he has to improve in both departments (TES and PCS). He has some good steady tricks that bring in big points and he can build on that. However, the basic skating for me is lacking too much to put him on my personal list of candidates for great skating. Of course, he is young, he is developing and as a skating fan, I always wish for skaters to grow and develop their sport.

I was a bit disappointed with Sota as he won Skate Canada and was GPF bound. It seems like he was affected by fatigue or jet lag or whatever it is like other skaters who did Skate Canada. The GP season is SO quick. I wonder if the ISU should so SKAM and SCI back to back, then take a week off, do European GPs, take a week off and do Asian GPs. It may be easier on skaters on their second assignment and better overall for the sport because of the chance for better performances.

I think 10 years ago (or perhaps more recently than that), a skater like Mikhail Shaidorov is now would've been more of a world podium prospect. But now quads are more 'routine', and it seems that the judging is perhaps heading back toward a balance, not weighted quite so much on attenpting jumps as it was. They want a more rounded skater, with the artistry and skating skills too. I think Shaidorov has the potential to be a decent components skater (and he has improved in that regard), but at the moment perhaps not the priority.

He does seem to have already developed a fanbase who like to complain about him being 'underscored', but those strong technical elements still likely give him a bit of a PCS boost (when fully rotated) so I don't really get the complaints. He medalled in China and not in Canada because he was objectively better on the tech side (and not just jump rotation, the spin levels were better).

 

[throw_triple_flip]

I am not like many GS fans on the Shaidorov train yet.

I think 10 years ago (or perhaps more recently than that), a skater like Mikhail Shaidorov is now would've been more of a world podium prospect. But now quads are more 'routine', and it seems that the judging is perhaps heading back toward a balance, not weighted quite so much on attenpting jumps as it was. They want a more rounded skater, with the artistry and skating skills too. I think Shaidorov has the potential to be a decent components skater (and he has improved in that regard), but at the moment perhaps not the priority.

He does seem to have already developed a fanbase who like to complain about him being 'underscored', but those strong technical elements still likely give him a bit of a PCS boost (when fully rotated) so I don't really get the complaints. He medalled in China and not in Canada because he was objectively better on the tech side (and not just jump rotation, the spin levels were better).

 

[4everchan]

I think 10 years ago (or perhaps more recently than that), a skater like Mikhail Shaidorov is now would've been more of a world podium prospect. But now quads are more 'routine', and it seems that the judging is perhaps heading back toward a balance, not weighted quite so much on attenpting jumps as it was. They want a more rounded skater, with the artistry and skating skills too. I think Shaidorov has the potential to be a decent components skater (and he has improved in that regard), but at the moment perhaps not the priority.

He does seem to have already developed a fanbase who like to complain about him being 'underscored', but those strong technical elements still likely give him a bit of a PCS boost (when fully rotated) so I don't really get the complaints. He medalled in China and not in Canada because he was objectively better on the tech side (and not just jump rotation, the spin levels were better).

I am a Chan fan...I guess I cannot hide it even if I wanted to. I like skaters who have it all and actually, in Chan times, world podiums featured skaters who had it all maybe not at every single GPs but certainly at world podiums. Right now, the TES is no longer balanced with the PCS... mind you back then, even a guy like Patrick barely got over 8s. Judges were stingy like that. It started to escalate regularly with Sochi... Shaidorov is young, he has a lot of time to make me change my mind. Until then, I will simply have to ignore the complaints of those who feel he is underscored because I agree with you, he is doing well already for what he brings on the ice. Congrats to him for seizing his opportunity this weekend.

 

[throw_triple_flip]

I am a Chan fan...I guess I cannot hide it even if I wanted to. I like skaters who have it all and actually, in Chan times, world podiums featured skaters who had it all maybe not at every single GPs but certainly at world podiums. Right now, the TES is no longer balanced with the PCS... mind you back then, even a guy like Patrick barely got over 8s. Judges were stingy like that. It started to escalate regularly with Sochi... Shaidorov is young, he has a lot of time to make me change my mind. Until then, I will simply have to ignore the complaints of those who feel he is underscored because I agree with you, he is doing well already for what he brings on the ice. Congrats to him for seizing his opportunity this weekend.

While I agree that TES and PCS is still out of balance, it still feels like it's become a little less so again in the past season.


I suppose the time I'm referring to is that point toward the end of Chan's career, when jumps like a quad Lutz were much more unusual. At that point i think we did see more skaters winning medals because of their jumps alone (before they lowered quad base values), and sometimes just an attempt was enough. I think that's much less likely to occur now.

(And of course, there were aome very good complete skaters at that point too, like Yuzuru Hanyu).

Though perhaps PCS were judged more strictly at that point (which I feel is right, honestly complaints about stingy PCS make me roll my eyes, as skaters need to be motivated to improve in that aspect). Now it feels that the technical side has gotten stricter (also correct in my opinion).

 

[jersey1302]

So ( free plug ..my new pod cast The Freeskate.. also on youtube..but now a podcast..) I go off on judge 4.. Kazakstan judge gave Adam a 6.75 in composition and 7.75 in presentation.. in the short program. There. Is absolutely no excuse for that.. That is like giving Michelle Kwan 5.8 and 5.9 across the board and then one judge like.. 3.4. Absolutely ridiculous. Adam has had a phenomenal year. If everyone is clean at worlds, I think he would win. Its going to take a series of mistakes by Adam to open up a hole for someone else to win.

 

[Skating91]

I got around to finishing this. Misha should feel aggrieved. He and his coach are better than me I don't think I could put up with that. The PCS is low and that's so subjective it's hard to pin anyone down on it. There will be always some kind of justification. You kind of have to accept some skaters will always be at a 10 point disadvantage, but to ding him on the jumps was something else. It's really cruel.