2018 Olympic Season: Team Event

[Sjs5572]

I'd say it is a wise decision if T/M will not compete at the Team Free. They can carry the momentum into the individual event after the great showing at the Team Short. They should save some energy for the most important event. Poor Kolyada, but he can get an opportunity to redeem himself in the Team Free perhaps.

I agree. It also makes for an exciting battle for the silver between the U.S. and OAR.

 

[Crossover]

It's allowed. Canada would sub the men and ladies, and use D/R & V/M for both segments.

Really? D/R are supposed to do the free instead of Patrick? No...they should also save their energy for the individual event.

 

[Sjs5572]

Really? D/R are supposed to do the free instead of Patrick? No...they should also save their energy for the individual event.

D/R said they have trained to do all four segments and would be open to doing the long. I think they hope to guarantee a gold medal for themselves, if not in the individual, then at least in the team event.

 

[Crossover]

D/R said they have trained to do all four segments and would be open to doing the long. I think they hope to guarantee a gold medal for themselves, if not in the individual, then at least in the team event.

They are veterans but also medal contenders in the individual event as well.

 

[Sasha'sSpins]

I mean, they've all known about this schedule for months now. It sucks, but they weren't just surprised with this news out of the blue. The Russian team presumably was training in Japan all that time to get used to this schedule. I'm not sure how well other skaters/teams prepared, but they were given plenty of fair warning.

In his Twitter Jeff Buttle pretty much said it's not as easy as one might think. Jet lag is a contribution too and once you're there you're at the mercy of the schedule and other factors.

Nathan and Patrick (as well as Mirai) have said the early morning starts are hard to adjust too. I'm not even sure how one would prepare for that. Competitions at 10:00 a.m. - a lot of the top skaters aren't used to that either. I mean really, how do you prepare for that?? Having mock early competitions on home ice??

Nathan also said that once you got to the rink at 6:00am for 7:00am practice you had to stay there. You can't go back to the Village because there's no time, you're stuck there until the actual competition begins. THAT for sure is not something that is easy to prepare for even months in advance. The hours suck for the skaters no matter what anyone says and it's a darn shame. I'm praying for great skates from all going forward now that opening jitters are done, and hopefully their bodies and minds have adjusted to the unusual schedule.

As a former elite competitor and an Olympian I think Jeff would know a bit more about the situation. Some of his tweets:

https://twitter.com/J_Butt/status/961784616251162624

Jeffrey Buttle@J_Butt
Feb 8

Let’s all remember we are watching this live from Korea. The event started at 10am in Korea. Unconventionally early for a skating competition of this caliber. Wondering if that is a factor?

In response to someone who replied to his tweet:
Jeffrey Buttle@J_Butt
13h13 hours ago

Top names skated 45 minutes after the first group. They definitely prepared for a.m. but once in Korea, they are at the mercy of official practice schedule and it may have been hard to adjust because of that and jet lag. I sympathize for them, you don’t have to.

In response to someone who tweeted 'anything for U.S. prime time'

Jeffrey Buttle@J_Butt
Feb 8

Yup! $$$

In response to someone else who said 'shouldn't they have all in advance, known the schedule and prepared?' (Question - why are people assuming that the athletes didn't prepare for the early time/schedule/practice/competitions?? These are professional athletes and MOST imo DO prepare for such scenarios but preparation is one thing, reality, once you are there, is a whole other animal imo).

Jeffrey Buttle@J_Butt
Feb 8

Of course, but it’s hard to “practice” the effects of jet-lag, the stresses that can sometimes occur going through Olympic security...

And to another user who apparently thinks she knows best and said the athletes 'should have prepared better', this was Jeff's response:

Jeffrey Buttle @J_Butt
13h13 hours ago

You’re probably right. Guess they should have trained better.

You tell off all of those judgemental know it alls Jeff!! Roll your eyes and let 'um have it!

 

[Tonichelle]

It's allowed. Canada would sub the men and ladies, and use D/R & V/M for both segments.

I meant the have someone on the practice ice who wasn't going to compete?

 

[ChiquitaBanana]

A strategy to throw off OAR? I don't think it is in Canadian roots/philosophy to do such a thing, and even more cutting very needed practice time for PAtrick Chan. It's not like he is over he top of his game and can afford to miss one practice...

 

[rollerblade]

Why didn't Savchenko/Massot skate in the free? They were 3rd in the SP.

 

[ramurphy2005]

Why didn't Savchenko/Massot skate in the free? They were 3rd in the SP.

Because as a team, Germany didn't qualify for the free skate.

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

So Nagasu skates the LP. Tough break for the dance teams.

 

[rollerblade]

Because as a team, Germany didn't qualify for the free skate.

So they don't know if they qualify until after the ladies SP? Which is on the same day as the Pairs Free. The schedule is so silly.

It's no wonder some skaters couldn't be bothered.

 

[Sackie]

I think they pretty well knew before the Ladies that they would not be skating the free.

 

[Tonichelle]

So bummed Canada stuck with Chan :no:

 

[fireovertheice]

These days I don't know where to post things like this..

However, here you are a video from the Figure Skating Comparison Team focused on the steps/movements before the solo jumps in top 7 men's SP, including performances of the later comps and of Oly TE --> https://youtu.be/P0472ZAo5Bc

I am looking forward to look what they will be able to do in the single event.

 

[NanaPat]

So bummed Canada stuck with Chan :no:

I'm of two minds about this. For the medal, it's the right decision. However, I would have really liked to have seen Keegan skate in the team event. His skating is really exciting and would have made people sit up and take notice. The individual men's event is much larger, and it will be harder for him to attract attention there.

Do you think NBC would have shown him, since he's from Alaska, or treated him like Bychenko?

 

[Tonichelle]

I'm of two minds about this. For the medal, it's the right decision. However, I would have really liked to have seen Keegan skate in the team event. His skating is really exciting and would have made people sit up and take notice. The individual men's event is much larger, and it will be harder for him to attract attention there.

Do you think NBC would have shown him, since he's from Alaska, or treated him like Bychenko?

They showed all of the Free Skates tonight, so had he skated the LP like people were speculating, he'd have been shown... I don't know if they'd have chacked him or not in the SP.

 

[sammyott]

Does anyone know where I can watch replays with British Eurosport? I cannot stand the NBC commentators and I don't live in Europe. All of the youtube videos are obviously being taken down by the IOC.

Thanks!

 

[AshWagsFan]

So proud of Adam and Mirai for pulling through in the long! I hope this sets both of them up PERFECTLY for the individual!

 

[Tigerlily87]

I honestly never thought I’d see Olympic CHANpion. Imagine if this event was around in 98 or 94? It would’ve played to the strengths of Kurt Browning or Josee chouinard who could only do one good program.

 

[AshWagsFan]

Also to all the haters on twitter dissing Ashley she said she knows Alina is an AMAZING technician and that she can’t skate that well technically but she has an opinion, ONCE AGAIN (ik everyone in Russia thinks she can’t have one) that Alina Zagitova has the potential to be a great performer, but isn’t doing as much with the backloaded program. And for ALEXEI MISHIN, a respected coach in skating, to ask WHERE ASHLEY IS NOW is completely ridiculous, because I wonder where he is rn: Liza didnt make it out of nationals and Carolina left him... Just sayin...