Men's Free Skate Play-By-Play

[sequinsgalore]

11 CHA Junhwan (KOR)

Music: Morning (Love Sonnet XXVII) from "Il Postino" (The Postman) soundtrack
Theme from "Il Postino" (The Postman) soundtrack
Mi Mancherai from "Il Postino" (The Postman) soundtrack

White/grey ombre lace shirt, black pants

3Lz+3T
4S - fall, maybe <
3A+2T - tight
FCSp
CCoSp
3A
3F+1Lo+3S
2A
ChSq
3F
StSq
3Lo
CCoSp

A fall, but otherwise strong skate!

FS: 84.94+81.22-1.00 = 165.16 (PB), 248.59 (PB), 4/11

 

[draqq]

Cha Junhwan (KOR)

Solid 3Lz+3T to start. Fall on the 4S, but looks like he could land it in the future. Good 3A+2T into a flying camel spin with a Yuna leg spin. Nice illusion into the sit spin. Good flow out in the second 3A. Strong flow in the 3F+1Lo+3S and a good 2A. Clean 3F. Good series of steps in the step sequence. And a solid 3Lo into a fast spin with lots of positions and a beautiful layback.

Cha has been listening very well to Orser's training. His artistry has improved immensely over the course of this season with moments where he let the music come to him and paying attention to the phrasing and lyrics to his movements. He has strong basics and good landings. Cha has risen up to the challenge as the hometown man. Fantastic!

 

[sequinsgalore]

12 KERRY Brendan (AUS)

Music: Shine On You Crazy Diamond by Pink Floyd; Money by Pink Floyd

Black jacket and pants

2T
3S
3F
CCSp
StSq
3Lz+3T
3A
3A+2T - turn inbetween
3Lz
3Lo - twofoot
CCoSp
ChSq
FSSp

Popped both quad attemps, but the rest was better

FS: 73.33+77.42 = 150.75, 233.81 (SB), 8/12

 

[draqq]

Brendan Kerry (CAN)

Hard pick into the attempted 4T, only a 2T. Popped the 4S into a 3S. Competent 3F into a nicely centered camel spin. Choreo sequence seemed to be there for him to save his energy. Decent 3Lz+3T. Solid 3A with a superb landing, but three-turns between the second 3A+2T(rippon). A bit tilted in the air on the second 3Lz but still landed fairly well. Two-foot landing and stand still on the 3Lo. Alright combo spin into the footwork with strong curves. Nice butterfly into the sit with good speed.

I wish that this program had a unifying theme of some kind, some style or story to tie the elements together. Kerry felt detached to the music, a disconnect between his movements and Pink Floyd. He might have been skating to something else rock and I might not know the difference. But he fairly good jumps and spins despite the pops in his first two jumps.

 

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13 HENDRICKX Jorik (BEL)

Music: Concerto de Aranjuez by Joaquin Rodrigo, performed by Il Divo

Dark red shirt, black pants

3A+2T
3A
3S
CSSp
StSq
3Lz+2T+2Lo - bit forward
3Lz
3F
3Lo+2Lo
2A
FCSp
ChSq
CCoSp

Good skate for Jorik, he should be pleased

FS: 81.79+82.42 = 164.21, 248.95, 4/13

 

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14 MESSING Keegan (CAN)

Music: The Sober Dawn (from "City Lights") by Charlie Chaplin
The Reel Chaplin: A Symphonic Adventure, Pt. 2 by Charlie Chaplin

Black Chaplin suit

3Lz
4T
1A+2T+2Lo
FCoSp
StSq
4T+2T
3S+3T
3A
FSSp
2Lo - foot down
ChSq
3F
CCoSp

2 pops, but the rest was very nice

FS: 84.88+85.44 = 170.32 (PB), 255.43 (PB), 3/14

 

[draqq]

Keegan Messing (CAN)

Wonderful 3Lz and strong 4T as well! But only a 1A+2T+2Lo, major pop. Playful step sequence that fits perfectly with the Chaplin theme. Great 4T+2T in the second half, and a strong 3S+3T to bank in those points. Nice recovery on the second 3A with a bold landing. Wonderfully high death drop into the sit spin. Only a 2Lo out of footwork. Inventive sequence of steps in the choreography, and a nice split jump into a clean 3F. And a fantastic combo spin!

Some major pops in the program in the Axel and Loop, but wonderful pair of quad toes and great choreography and transitions between the jump elements and the footwork has great characterization. It's a choreographically complex program that shows off his multidirectional ability and glide. Very challenging edgework.

 

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15 ZHOU Vincent (USA)

Music: Nature Boy (from "Moulin Rouge" soundtrack) by Eden Ahbez, performed by David Bowie
Come What May (from "Moulin Rouge" soundtrack) by Franklin Tableporter, performed by Ewan McGregor & Nicole Kidman

Red shirt, black pants

4Lz+3T
4F - stepout, hand down, maybe <
4S - ok, maybe <
CSSp
ChSq
4Lz
4T
3A+2T
3A - bit scratchy, maybe <
FCSp
StSq
3Lz+1Lo+3F
FCCoSp

Wow, great skate, high difficulty. He fistpumps

FS: 112.20+79.92 = 192.16 (PB), 276.69 (PB), 2/15

 

[draqq]

Vincent Zhou (USA)

Great 4Lz+3T(rippon)! Heavy step-out on the 4F (might be <). Very clean 4S into a low sit spin. Strong change of edge spread eagle in the choreo sequence. Wow, a second 4Lz! And a clean 4T as well. A fine 3A+2T and another 3A to boot. Adequate flying camel spin and a decent step sequence. Solid 3Lz(rippon)+1Lo+3S combo. Wonderful combo spin with the scratch spin right at the crescendo of the music!

Another brilliant technical performance from an American man today! Just a step-out on the 4F but five quads in total. Artistically, he has a tendency to hunch down his shoulders and his edgework and speed can be a bit labored at times in a Nam Nguyen kind of way. But this is a wonderful Olympic standard program for him. Overall, his short and long program has been very strong and he should be very confident in his work.

 

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16 KOLYADA Mikhail (OAR)

Music: Steamroller Blues by Elvis Presley
Can't Help Falling In Love by Elvis Presley
Rip It Up by Elvis Presley

Blac jumpsuit, purple lapel

4Lz - fall
4T+3T
3A+2T
FSSp
StSq
4T - hangs on
1A
3Lz+1Lo+3S - stepout
2Lo - twofoot
3A - fall
CCoSp
CCSp

Mixed skate with 1 fall and 2 pops

FS: 91.62+87.94-2.00 = 177.56, 264.25, 3/16

 

[draqq]

Mikhail Kolyada (OAR)

Similar fall on his knee on the opening 4Lz. Solid 4T+3T though, much better, come on Kolyada! Nice bracket entry into the 3A+2T. Low and centered sit spin. Good energy and edgework through the step sequence. Got the landing of the second 4T with a slight tweak of the free leg. But a major pop of the 3A into a 1A, ouch. Step-out on the end of the 3Lz+1Lo+3S, and only a 2S with a two-foot landing. Tried for a second 3A but a fall. Decent combo spin and solid camel spin to end the program.

A mixed outing for Mikhail. The opening fall on the 4Lz is expected at this point. But the pops on the Axel and Salchow are going to hurt, and the fall on the 3A at the end was the nail in the coffin, so to speak. I did admire his portrayal of Elvis, or his own version of it. There's something about his bent elbows, though, that I felt distracted from his body line much of the time.

 

[sequinsgalore]

17 BREZINA Michal (CZE)

Music: Human by Jamie Hartman, Rory Graham performed by Rag'n'Bone Man
Stand by Me by Ben E. King, Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller
Human (MJ Cole Remix) performed by Rag'n'Bone Man

Sheer black shirt over white top, black pants

4S - stepout
3A+2T
2S
FSSp
StSq
3A
3Lo
3F+2T+2Lo
3Lz
3S - hand down, stepout
ChSq
FCCoSp
CCoSp

Problems with his salchows, but overall solid skate for Michal

FS: 76.58+84.34 = 160.92 (SB), 246.07 (PB), 9/17

 

[draqq]

Michael Brezina (CZE)

Step-out on the opening 4S, might be <. Solid 3A+2T with good ice coverage. Only a 2S in the attempted 4S. Nicely centered sit spin. Intentional arm movements in the footwork with lots of turns in separate directions. Strong second 3A and 3Lo. Good 3F+2T+2Lo and a well-landed 3Lz. Sloppy step-out on the 3S. Choreo sequence was a bit slow, but the last two spins were alright in speed.

I wish Brezina didn't look down so much in this program and that he emphasized the beat in the first part of the music. When the middle section started, though, he was able to slow down the movement and project. His energy left him a bit near the end of the program, however.

 

[sequinsgalore]

18 RIPPON Adam (USA)

Music: Arrival of the Birds ("Crimson Wing" soundtrack) by The Cinematic Orchestra
O by Coldplay

Aqua blue sparkly sheer top, dark blue pants

2A
3F+3Lo
2A
FCSp
StSq
3A+2T+2Lo - tight, turnout
3A - ok, bit tight landing
3F+3T
3S
ChSq
FCCoSp
CCoSp

Really nice skate, he seems pleased. Won't have near enough tech to stay ahead

FS: 84.47+86.94 = 171.41, 259.36, 4/18

 

[draqq]

Adam Rippon (USA)

Opening with a smooth 2A. Well-landed 3F+3Lo, rare combo. Great 2A to follow into a balanced camel spin with nice positions. Soft and subtle footwork with attention to the hand movements. Squeaked out the 3A+2T+2Lo, might be < on the 2Lo. Stronger second 3A, also might be <. Solid 3F+3T combo. Clean 3S as well. Nice wallie into the 3Lz. Fast spins to end the program with that stunning layback spin.

I put Adam Rippon and Misha Ge in the same breath. Beautiful, soft skating that may be without the quad but is fantastic and effortless to experience. It won't reach the technical heights of his American counterparts, Zhou and Chen, but a fairly clean performance that he should be happy with to end his career. An artist, through and through. Thank you, Adam, for your skating and for unabashedly being yourself.

 

[sequinsgalore]

19 ALIEV Dmitri (RUS)

Music: To Build A Home by Cinematic Orchestra
The Winner Is (from "Little Miss Sunshine" soundtrack) by Mychael Danner & DeVotchKa
How It Ends (from "Little Miss Sunshine" soundtrack) by Mychael Danner & DeVotchKa

Dark blue draped shirt, black pants

4T+3T
4T - fall, seems hurt? looked <
3A - fall
FCSp
ChSq
3Lz
3A+2T
2Lo+1Lo+3S - foot down
3F
3Lo
StSq
CCoSp
CSSp

2 rough falls, not his best. Still solid Olys debut

FS: 85.39+85.14-2.00 = 168.53, 267.51, 3/19

 

[draqq]

Dmitri Aliev (OAR)

A strange hitch out of the corner but he put that aside with a solid 4T+3T combo. Ouch, a hard fall on the second 4T, not such if it all the way around. And a fall on the 3A, looks like he was injured slightly on the two falls. A nice camel spin. Wonderful landing on the 3Lz. Good 3A+2T as well. Only a 2Lo+1Lo+3S, but a stronger 3F and a good 3Lo. Very precise edging in the contemporary-styled footwork and right into a low cannonball for the combo spin. Nice illusion entry into the sit spin.

It looked like the pain in his leg after the two falls really made him struggle through the rest of the program, but he was sturdy and intrepid enough to complete the majority of his jumps quite well. I love his ability to portray both contemporary movement from this free, and traditional movement from his short; his versatility is amazing. I haven't been excited for Russian male skating for a while but he's definitely one of my new favorites. His spins could be better but he has everything to be one of the top skaters in the next quadrennial.

 

[sequinsgalore]

20 JIN Boyang (CHN)

Music: Mars (from "The Planets") by Gustav Holst
Cantina Band (from "Star Wars: A New Hope") by John Williams
Guardians of the Whills Suite (from "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story") by Michael Giacchino
The Throne Room/Finale (from "Star Wars: A New Hope") by John Williams

Grey/black ombre blouse, black pants

4Lz - ok, close to the boards
4S
3A+1Lo+3S
FCSp
ChSq
4T - fall, maybe <
4T+2T
3A
3Lz+3T
3F
CCSSp
StSq
CCoSp

A fall, otherwise strong skate. He fistpumps. Is it enough to maintain the lead?

FS: 109.6+85.76-1.00 = 194.45, 297.77, 1/20

 

[draqq]

Jin Boyang (CHN)

"Star Wars".
Anyway, strong and high 4Lz, almost hitting the barrier. Clean 4S with fair ride-out. Strong 3A+1Lo+3S! Alright camel spin. Good humor and playful step sequence with the Cantina music. Some slower movements to save some breath before going into the first 4T, with a fall, shame. Second 4T is a success with a 2T. Solid second 3A. Nice 3Lz+3T and 3F, might be <. A little slow at the end but got through the step sequence and combo spin good enough.

This will be close, but I think he might go ahead of Nathan Chen here depending of where the judges choose to place him. I think he has good personality, though the transitions are a bit easier and open. His speed is alright, though his interpretation to Star Wars is still a little under. We'll just have to see how this plays out.

 

[sequinsgalore]

21 CHAN Patrick (CAN)

Music: Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen, performed by Jeff Buckley

Dark red shirt, black pants

4T+2T
3T - stepout
3A+1Lo+2S
StSq
3Lz+3T
3A - hand down
2Lo
CCSp
3F
2A
FSSp
ChSq - stumble

Nice program, but too many mistakes and lower difficulty to keep up

FS: 81.56+91.86 = 173.42, 263.43, 6/21