Winning the short program at Skate America was not at all realistic when Oda scored an 81 in the short program. Weir and Takahashi could not get close to that with their great shorts at Skate Canada, Oda's short was just a special skate with unusual high GOE scores imparticular.
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Takahashi scored almost 79 at Skate Canada without the quad and with a scratchy landing on the 3A. That's pretty close to 81. Having been at both events, I think Takahashi was slightly undermarked on GOE, and Oda, perhaps a little overmarked in his non-jumping skills. Just saying.