Japan Open

[rain]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7srDDFkzpJI" Mao Asada's FS.

Her jumps were not there, obviously, but this is a stunningly beautiful new program. This suits her style to a "T" and is what she should have been skating to for the Olympic season, IMO. The phrasing to the music is brilliant and Asada finally, finally looks like she's expressing the music rather than skating right through it. I have great hopes for her this season based on this program alone. I can't wait to see it on the Grand Prix circuit.

[sigrid]

Adam's LP: http://video.fc2.com/content/1010FSJ...01003n46XYs64/

he can improve some parts of the program, but it's quite good for the beginning of the season. Way to go Adam!

[seniorita]

Buttle
Evgeni
Brezina
Takahiko
Julia S

interval Honda

[gmyers]

I can't believe Plushenko even came that close to doing a beilman!

[FlattFan]

Plushy is really impressive. Those 3As are to die for.

Rippon's PCS is too high. He was jerky with all the jumps throughout. The first lutz looks URed.

[hikki]

Didn't like Mao's program- Stunning spins and her usual beautiful posture, line and overall presense aside, not much seemed to be happening in terms of transition/ choreo. Didn't like the music cut, costume, which to me gave a junior-ish feel.

[Edited to add]
My my I sounded so negative above. On second viewing on youtube, I found many nice things like all her jump entries (except the first 2a/3t) being done with little telegraphing, the lovely lyrical choreo, much smoother skating etc. Anyway I guess I expect too much too soon from Mao and sometimes forget to just enjoy her skating.

Loved everything about Miki except the step sequence. I hope this will be a great season for her!

[Edited to add] I loved it even more!
Yuka Sato's commentary: 'With the required spiral sequence gone there was much more room (for her) to express and interpret the music and I thought this program was wonderful.' '(In the wrap-up) I enjoyed Miki's program most.'

I like Rippon, although I thought Takahashi and Kozuka had better speed and conviction. As lovely as Rippon is, Rachmaninov is still a bit out of reach for him IMO.

Takahashi: last year's LP > this year.
Kozuka: Loved it.
Plushenko: He seemed noticeably slow.

Rochette: She should go to Worlds!!!

[seniorita]

Now I watched all of men at once!

Rippon: very polished program, all his elements look nice and balanced, I loved his costume, he hit two 3axels! dont like 3 times tano back to back to back, cause it looks to me like he found the one way to add goe everywhere, when he was doing it one time it was unique. I think also he skates calm and confident, the score was like almost Lysaceks in Olympics, which is to say Wow..

Dai: Still I like la strada more, music is so used here I dont like the head banging every 5 secs(maybe low the rate at one head banging per 30 secs) , I know it is on Tango choreo but it is disturbing me, it make him aggressive too much. But great attitude, choreo and quad to die for!

Kozuka: I like it more than last year LP, I love it actually, he grew up and skates more confident, and the quad attempt was cool!I love he tries different style every year!!!I think he is my fav skater right now!

Plush: I spotted the minimum arm flailing of the last 5 years!Like Buttle they went for a walk, cant see their program as a competitive one, Plushy hasnt trained since Vancouver and his jump layout was the one he had at his juniors years and got level 1 for his spin, but he looks more disciplined to his program and does more choreo than he did the whole last year, which is something I want to . I wish Blades could watch it and tell me one question I have regarding new rules!

Brezina: Cant say much, if he doesnt change the program, I hope he changes the costume. I also think judges dont like this program much. But 4S, wow!

[Figure88]

Adam's LP: http://video.fc2.com/content/1010FSJ...01003n46XYs64/

he can improve some parts of the program, but it's quite good for the beginning of the season. Way to go Adam!

Wow. Just wow. This is my favorite program so far this season. I love the choreography (sort of reminds of Yuna's Gershwin program)---David Wilson is a genius. Adam's 3A technique and overall skating seems to have improved as well. I think he will do well this season. Here's a recent interview with Adam:

http://www.lifeskate.com/skate/2010/...-big-star.html

[Tinymavy15]

Mao changed everything about her jump layout so it is not surprising she was not landing them. We all agreed her development will take another season or two. I was very surprise how many different things she tried here, from the double axel/3 toe, the lutz (very odd takeoff, she will have to change that), the triple salchow and the triple axel attempt in the second half of the program (not sure that is worth the extra 10%. switch that with the 2 axel triple toe). Beautiful music for her and although the performance suffered from the failed jumps I know it will be beautiful if she can do it rather clean.

[mylastduchess]

Planned jump layout

Mao Asada

2A+3T
3F+2Lo
3Lz
3A
3F+2T
3S
3Lo

I actually don't understand this layout... so she's only trying 1 3A this year and no 3/3? I thought with the new scoring system its worth it to try 2 3A... no? and I don't know why people keep on insisting her to put a 3Sal in her program, I know people wants her to have a complete set of triples but she has never looked good with that jump, why not just replace it with a 3toe then focus her time on improving much more important jumps like the lutz.

[Tinymavy15]

my hunch is that she wants to do 3flip/3 loop instead of 3 flip/double loop, change the first pass to a triple axel and put the solo 2 axel after the halfway point.

[Nadine]

Omg, finally made it home, and I have just watched the following three programs: Adam Rippon, Evgeni Plushenko, and Julia Sebestian.

Here are my thoughts after one viewing (will try to watch everybody else later on):

1.) Evgeni Plushenko is simply the best....words are inconsequential.....he's simply the best. I honestly got chills, like I did last year at almost the same time when I saw him skate at COR for the first time since the 2006 Olympics, and lol I almost cried as well, but they were tears of awe. Just to watch him skate, especially like that, is almost too good to be true. That program imho is his signature piece, defines him, shows off all his superb qualites, everything that is great about him, like watching the ending scene in the Billy Elliott movie. He represents every generation of great male skaters, from Gillis Grafstrom's time to now, and he knows it. His very confidence is part of his overall appeal; to have that kind of confidence is something I would kill for. To live in the era of the great Evgeni Plushenko, and to be able to see him skate now, like that, is a gift from God. I seriously want to buy a poster of this program alone, it's his greatest masterpiece to date.

2.) Adam I watched first because of all the talk on the boards. And he didn't disappoint, he was exquisite, exquisite. Totally reminiscent of the great 1976 Olympic Champion John Curry, but with his own uniqueness, like the beautiful & gorgeous Rippon Lutz. He's so young, and already this brilliant, it will be a joy to watch him develop further over the years. If he keeps it up, the stars the limit!

3.) What can I say, Julia Sebestian is simply wonderful, especially those 3Lutzes. For those alone I would give her +5 GOE on each one, and that's the truth. She shows the young ones how it is done, and correctly at that! Bravo, Julia, Bravo! *clapping*


Btw, I did watch Mao & Miki also, but their programs didn't really stick with me, except I have to say I love Mao's choice of music this season ~ Liebestraum ~ and Miki's 3L and 2A/3T were both lovely. I hope to see them & their individual programs grow as the season progresses. However, for Mao I realize she's working on her technique, which will take at least a year or two, so I don't expect much in the way of jumps this year, which is alright, there is no progress without sacrifice.

[yangjie]

I actually don't understand this layout... so she's only trying 1 3A this year and no 3/3? I thought with the new scoring system its worth it to try 2 3A... no? and I don't know why people keep on insisting her to put a 3Sal in her program, I know people wants her to have a complete set of triples but she has never looked good with that jump, why not just replace it with a 3toe then focus her time on improving much more important jumps like the lutz.

Because Mao want to try 8 triples in her FS. As for 3-3, she will try 3lo3lo in SP.

[NMURA]

All Triples FS is Asada's goal of this season. Eight triples, if possible. Even Midori Ito didn't achieve that.

[let`s talk]

That score for Adam is ridiculous. 82.36 for components is something for an anecdote. If you switch off the music, you will never guess what music he is using. He is a slow scared boy on the ice who absolutely doesn't match the powerful passion of that music masterpiece. And it looks like nobody in the judge panel noticed that. Again.