Practice reports?

[karne]

Friendly reminder to those who are trashing off Gracie after practice that Max spent the entire first practice session in Milwaukee splattering himself from one end of the ice to the other, and we all know how that ended. Practice =/= competition.


Did anyone see Brendan this morning?

 

[Violet Bliss]

Friendly reminder to those who are trashing off Gracie after practice that Max spent the entire first practice session in Milwaukee splattering himself from one end of the ice to the other, and we all know how that ended. Practice =/= competition.


Did anyone see Brendan this morning?

I see the Loin King Belly Flop did take a lot of practice.

I can't help it, Karne.

 

[rosy14]

Where did you read that?

I don't remember exactly if here or in an Italian FB page on skating.

 

[CoyoteChris]

I had that same problem this morning. It finally let me sign in and I was able to watch a video

It seems to be working intermittantly now....it lets me sign in but the throughput isnt great...video on demand has jerks in it every so often....youtube works fine in HD mode...I guess we hope for the best for 8 pm

 

[sabinfire]

It seems to be working intermittantly now....it lets me sign in but the throughput isnt great...video on demand has jerks in it every so often....youtube works fine in HD mode...I guess we hope for the best for 8 pm

I'll light a candle for those of you stuck using IN to view tonight's events. Hopefully the Sears Centre allows an open flame.

 

[CoyoteChris]

I'll light a candle for those of you stuck using IN to view tonight's events. Hopefully the Sears Centre allows an open flame.

Thanks! Light your phone up for us...(You dont have a Samsung Note 7, do you?) Let's just hope this isnt the start of a growing series of cyber attacks on the web.....!

 

[machin]

Friendly reminder to those who are trashing off Gracie after practice that Max spent the entire first practice session in Milwaukee splattering himself from one end of the ice to the other, and we all know how that ended. Practice =/= competition.

Very true. The opposite being also common. Stanick Jeannette and many other unconsistent skaters during competition, was called "king of pratices". Sadly...

But what bugs people in this case IMO is they know she's not yet in the shape she usually is at this point of the year given she said it herself. Also she's known to be a practice queen. Anyway, you're still right, even then, she may rocks one or both her program at Skate America. Nothing is written in stone.

 

[SunDae]

Shibs. Regal. Elegant.

FD music starts with Spiegel Im Spiegel. Has spellbinding quality. Costumes are midnight blue. Pristinely fitting with their music. Highlights their now leaner look.
Jump-catch into rotational lift seems new. Smooth and fast. Footwork is musical as usual.

Signature twizzle series, done after run through, synchronized, fast and like nobody else in the business. Drew applause.

No, I'm not misting. Dang, silly, just something in my eye.

 

[matcha]

Shibs free dance: https://youtu.be/PzxV7Tth7sk

 

[andyjo24]

Not practice-related, but I just saw Tammy Gambill at TJ Maxx. Lmao

 

[TMC]

I see the Loin King Belly Flop did take a lot of practice.

I can't help it, Karne.

:

 

[Chantilly]

It's very lovely
But it's very similar to both V and M and P and C. So not sure it's going to stand out. But I guess one could say that about all three teams.
I thought they were light and flowing but a bit slow in the straight line footwork and the second half.
Love the first piece of music.
But this is a lovely dance and should be battling for the top spot on the podium based on what I've seen so far.
Ice dance is going to be a blood bath.
I prefer them much more to the other top US teams. But C and B have more power and speed.
Anyway I think this is a very good dance.

 

[Tavi...]

Okay, I had a post that disappeared!

My apologies but I arrived late and was semi-distracted, so this will not be a full summary but just random thoughts on things that caught my attention:

First, since speed seems to be on everyone's mind - today both ladies and men overall looked quite different to me. Partly it's because I was on the opposite side of the ice. Partly it's because more people were skating full out, at least for part of their programs.

For ladies: Gabby is the fastest. Mariah didn't seem as fast today but has a lot of flow. No one struck me as super slow. Ashley has average speed, not a lot of power or flow. Gracie has a lot of power.

For men: no one struck me as super fast or slow today. Sergei V may have looked fastest but not by a lot. Shoma is also one of the faster skaters - he has a lot of flow but not really a lot of power. Jason didn't look as fast today, but he was not slow and he still had nice flow and good power. Nam has improved in speed but is not one of the fastest. Boyang Jin was interesting - not a lot of speed or power for anything but jumps - but he goes into jumps really fast!

For pairs: no real opinion - all average speed to me. Left before dance practice started.

A few thoughts on individual competitors / teams:

Mao: I missed her, sorry! I heard she was very good.

Gracie: clean 3Z-3T and good footwork! She looks beautiful. I wish she also looked happy, but she did not. We'll see tonight. She did not do 3F in program and had trouble with it outside program. Not sure if she will medal.

Mai Mihara: looks very solid overall. Could medal.

Mariah: fell on opening 3Z but later did good 3Z-3T outside program.

Gabby: love her music. She did not do full program but I liked what I saw. Could challenge for medal.

Ashley: I don't love the program, but it was very well done. In a way it reminds me of her last short although music is very different. Unless her jumps are dinged looks like one of strongest contenders.

Tarasova / Morosov: clean, good twist, nice lines. I think they could win, but for me they are a bit bland.

Shoma: jumps inconsistent today but looks good otherwise. He fell on 4F (I think). Hard to tell who is front runner as between him and Boyang.

Boyang: hardly did anything in program (La Strada) - no jumps. He landed a few outside program. He has definitely improved his presentation but he has a way to go to deserve high PCS, IMO. Spins better but need work. His footwork is cute the way Nam's was for same music. It may be a little "young," but it gives him a chance to smile, and he has a nice smile. Didn't see enough judge whether he can beat Shoma.

Frazier / Denny: loved them. Really nice lines, good connection.

Marissa / Mervin: some nice moments but inconsistent. Good chemistry. Mervin did a great triple jump - but not in program.

A/R: skated very well in program but in rest of warmup did not look as good. Could medal I think.

Julianne / Charlie: a lot of spunk, fun program. Could medal.

Adam: New FS, but he left a lot out. He landed both 3A. I don't know if he landed the 4T in program but he fell on one outside. At this point, not sure whether he or Jason has upper hand.

Nam: looks really good! He didn't do many jumps in program but he landed quite a few outside, including 4S I think. His presentation is much better and he seems happy. I like the program - it is upbeat and gives him a chance to show personality, but in more mature way. Really glad for him!

Brendan: singing in rain. sorry Karne, he didn't do a lot today. He popped quad and put hand down on combo but then did v good 3A. He didn't do full program.

Tim: FS. jumps not all there but overall really nice presentation. Movement was bigger and freer today. Shades of Jason, program includes hydroblade and spiral. 4S hand down, good 3A. I like him a lot.

Sergei: inconsistent jumps but he had really nice presentation. Popped first 3A landed second. I think he landed quad. Had a lot of trouble with 3A outside program.

Jason: SP. Looked a bit lower energy today. Fell on quad but otherwise clean. Outside program, attempted both 4S and 4T many times. 4T closer. He fell so much that he left ice and came back with padded shorts over his pants! He landed a really beautiful 4T-3T, but that's the only thing I saw him land (may have missed others). Overall he looked solid yesterday and today and I think he has good chance to medal even if he falls on quads (unless they are also <). But he's not untouchable - Adam or even Nam could beat him. He does have hometown advantage.

Sorry, that's really all I have for now! More later.

 

[VIETgrlTerifa]

The Shibs' routine could use some work in terms of adding more, but I already like it more than Fix You in terms of holds and what they're doing in and out of their elements. I think this has potential to be absolutely spellbinding. To use an example, it took Worlds for H/D's "Tron" to work for me and it's become my most rewatched program of any competitor at 2016 Worlds.

 

[Plisskin]

Beautiful FD from Shibs. Last season, I was of the minority that only thought Fix You was just "alright", and their SD was weak compared to their FD, but this season? They've got 2 winners on their hands. I have a feeling by Worlds that FD will be as beautiful as their Coldplay "O" EX.

 

[hippomoomin]

Not practice-related, but I just saw Tammy Gambill at TJ Maxx. Lmao

 

[CAS]

Have the Shibutani's talked about the theme of their FD? I don't quite get what they are going for with that glimpse, I don't feel anything watching it.

 

[bramweld]

Have the Shibutani's talked about the theme of their FD? I don't quite get what they are going for with that glimpse, I don't feel anything watching it.

Gold. They're going for gold. The top three at worlds might just be Shibs, V/M and P/C.

 

[karne]

I see the Loin King Belly Flop did take a lot of practice.

I can't help it, Karne.

 

[VIETgrlTerifa]

Beautiful FD from Shibs. Last season, I was of the minority that only thought Fix You was just "alright", and their SD was weak compared to their FD, but this season? They've got 2 winners on their hands. I have a feeling by Worlds that FD will be as beautiful as their Coldplay "O" EX.

I seriously hope the judges this season agree with you. Just going with my gut feeling from what I've seen from the practice clips, I simply have a very good feeling about the Shibs this season even though my anxiety about how the judges and callers will stack them may make it seem like I don't, haha.