Which Skaters This Season You are Now a Fan Of.... But Used to Not Care Before?

I find Yuzuru expressionless when he skates. Both he and Han have big jumps, with Yuzuru having shown off fancy combos which wouldn't be seen in competitions. Han's skating is more mature and sophisticated whereas Yuzuru rushes between his jumps. They were rivals as Juniors and may the rivalry continue.

Oops, I forgot Alissa Czisny. I find myself rooting for her even if her skating style isn't the most to me, because she definitely has a different mood to her skating--gentle, refined, and steady--and I know she is trying hard to improve which is always admirable.

Spun Silver said:

KVDP has never been my cup of tea but I'm so amazed at the feats he is still pulling off at his advanced age that I look forward to every skate. I was concerned about his choice of Yagudin's MITIM music, but dang if he didn't pull it off in his way.

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There is worse. This music is haunted! Last year I was watching B/L lp in TEB to MITIM music and up until the middle of the program I found myself waiting for them to do the signature moves of Yags in the program. Then i woke up.

I think Duhamel and Radford are great. She is really into the skating and the scoring and wants to do well and Coldplay FS.

Olympia said:

So are you saying I must give up hope that you will ever become a Kwan-bot?

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Yeah, that's never gonna happen. I just don't enjoy her skating, sorry. *shrugs*

On the other hand, Kurt will never lose you or me as fans.

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Very true.

(By the way, Tonichelle, I watched a YouTube video of Kurt from last year's Kaleidoscope show, and I have decided that his footwork would have to be classified as perhaps a Level 9...because 4 can't begin to cover it. He spoiled us all rotten for other skaters, didn't he.)

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He really really did. I rewatched a tape I had (a friend made it) from a competition "way back" in 1997 and yeah, there's just no comparison (there was stuff from earlier on and he had Yags' footwork years before Alexei was a top contender... so much for unique, eh? )

Berton/Hotarek - I barely paid attention to pairs after Salt Lake City, and found the discipline over the past two quads to have gone from bad to worse. So I missed the beginning of these guys as a pair, but I love them now! Great skating skills, beautiful dance qualities in both of them but especially her, nice tech in most of the pairs elements, and they really look and most importantly skate like a pair. They have delightful amounts of personality, and I'd really like to see them start consistently medalling on the GP circuit and becoming regular GPF attendees.
Kawaguti/Smirnov - I love Moskvina and I've loved most of her teams, but I've just never been able to warm up to these two. I could appreciate how good they were on a technical level when they actually had their stuff together, but there was just something missing.... until this season. I liked their LP last season, but I really love their SP this season. It's my favorite of any team. Maybe it's just the weak state of the discipline overall, but K/S come on ice and I'm like "aaaah, time to watch the professionals!". Somehow, they seem like the class of the field even more than S/S and V/T to me this season.
Carolina Kostner - Her programs this season are great, and her consistency makes some of her flaws much more tolerable. I still think she has a lot of flaws, is often overscored, but it's acceptable given the state of the field, and I don't think she's had any unfair placements because of it, unlike prior seasons. It makes it much easier to just enjoy her performances for what they are: unique and expressive.
Ross Miner - I think his presentation has improved a lot and so have his skating skills. He really underwhelmed me last season, and his programs are still completely unappealing, but I'm looking forward to him developing as a skater.
Brobova/Soloviev - Just because I'm contrary and she gets so much hate for her bad qualities, that I feel compelled to figure out her (and his) good ones and appreciate them.

When I see a skater, I either love them immediately or have complete indifference. I love Haruka Imai from the Japanese Nationals, I love Laura Lepisto from her bronze medal performance at 2010 Worlds, I love Caroline Zhang from her what, 2007 Nationals, Carolina Kostner from her 2007 World SP, Ashley Wagner with her Spartacus LP ... Sometimes I don't even know why I love them, they just appeal to me.

Some skaters I have indifference toward are Mao Asada, Yuna Kim, and Michelle Kwan. They just don't do it for me.

Once you're on the favorite list, there's no going back.

Carolina Kostner for sure. I'm usually majorly underwhelmed by her performances, but this season, I'm really a fan of her long programme! I thought she skated it really well in Paris and I'm looking forward to the rest of her performances this season.

chuckm said:

If you could combine Han Yan's jumps and Yuzuru Hanyu's expressiveness, you'd have an incredible skater. I hope both develop their talents fully in the coming years.

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Han Yan is quite expressive and his skating skill and speed is already magnificent. Instead of Han Yan, I wish I could combine Nan Song's consistency with Yuzuru!

SkateFiguring said:

I find Yuzuru expressionless when he skates. Both he and Han have big jumps, with Yuzuru having shown off fancy combos which wouldn't be seen in competitions. Han's skating is more mature and sophisticated whereas Yuzuru rushes between his jumps. They were rivals as Juniors and may the rivalry continue.

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Skating is truely subjective sport, the way about Yuzuru expressiveness is exactly the same way I feel about Chan.


Back to the thread; I would say Carolina. She as beautiful as in the past, it just that my taste have changed and I'm more apprciated by her style than before! Now I became her fan.

Not impressed with Kiira Korpi. Seems to me she gets extra points for being incredibly beautiful. At CoR, she got 105 for a FS with two triples, both 3Loops. She even underrotated a double salchow attempt.

chuckm said:

Not impressed with Kiira Korpi. Seems to me she gets extra points for being incredibly beautiful. At CoR, she got 105 for a FS with two triples, both 3Loops. She even underrotated a double salchow attempt.

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Kiira is indeed very beautiful. Met her a few times in person, everyone around is convinced she is an actress or super model. Beauty has its advantage, that's just the way it is.

I don't know, most of the skaters I'm fans of this season are ones I've been fans of the last couple of seasons. I've been a fan of V. Helgesson for the last couple, and I've been wondering when other people are going to realize how great she is lol.

One I guess I could say is Nan Song.. I used to find him incredibly boring or not notice him, but now I think he's really good and interesting to watch. Oh, and Adam Rippon has grown on me a bit. I found him a little overrated in the past.

Adam is definitely one who changed my mind this season. All it took was two programs that fit his lyrical style while also having some power. I am happy to watch those over and over so I'd love to see him get to Worlds. I'm impressed that he keeps going for that 4Lz.

TelmoFe said:

Alena Leonova, I liked her, but since last worlds she ring me everytime.

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I take it that whenever she rings you up, the two of you have a very fun night. That must have been the basis for her SP this season. Then you told her you didn't actually want to be her boyfriend, and that was the basis for her LP this season.

Viktoria Helgesson Personnally, I don't care of her before and even when she win the bronze medal at skate america, I was not agree with her placement, I though that another skater should have win the bronze. But finaly, I realise her quality of skating and her great presence at TEB and I became a fan of her SP She is great!!!

Joelle Forte also impressed me a lot, I think that she was one of the best US ladies this season, after Alissa Czisny

chuckm said:

Not impressed with Kiira Korpi. Seems to me she gets extra points for being incredibly beautiful. At CoR, she got 105 for a FS with two triples, both 3Loops. She even underrotated a double salchow attempt.

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Definitely beauty bonus points. Despite her beauty, her skating is not all that impressive. Her knees are stiff and the stroking is quite jerky besides those often botched jumps.

for me is Javier Fernandez. i think he is enriching the european men's field. Can't wait to see what he can do at euros this year

Blades of Passion said:

I take it that whenever she rings you up, the two of you have a very fun night. That must have been the basis for her SP this season. Then you told her you didn't actually want to be her boyfriend, and that was the basis for her LP this season.

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Nan Song and Javier Fernandez!:thumbsup: Wish Fernandez's success at Euro!

I already liked Carolina the person but now I enjoy her performances. She's had some of the best put together programs for the past 2 years so I actually started to really enjoy her skating last year.

Just thought Akiko was a sweet girl but I'm loving her skating this year. She has 2 of the best programs this year.

Really always liked Mao but I'm really a fan now.

I've taken notice of Hanyu and Fernandez...They have potential of pretty good artistry and beautiful quads. I'm not an advocate of quads but when they are done with such beauty that you have to just appreciate it.