Just seen Eurosport highlights. Plushenko was much better than I expected. Gachinski is deservedly in the lead, I would have him further ahead. Well done to Verner, he hasn't had a great season, hopefully he can keep it up in the free. Thought Fernandez was overmarked, nice performance but problems on the jumps.
Plushenko was amazing.. I'm not even a Plushenko fan and I loved the program! Since the broadcast wasn't in English, I couldn't tell that he didn't do a quad, so I was confused as to why he was behind Gachinski at first.. I actually thought his program was BETTER than Gachinski's.. but now I see! Should be an interesting free skate. The only other video I watched so far is Verner's. It's heartbreaking to see Joubert so far down the list, as a longtime Joubert fan I think watching the video will just depress me.
I agree with you blue_idealist -- Plush skated very well and overall a better performance than Gachinski's. Plush is more of a seasoned performer than Gach, and the jumps Plush landed were awesome, especially at his age and state of injury. I know a lot of people like Gachinski -- he is cute and kinda sexy in a Russian sort of way, but I find him to be still a bit like a newborn thoroughbred, all awkward coltish legs and jerky movements --sure Gachinski can jump, but he's not a fluid or polished skater and he has a long way to go developing artistry and interpretive skills (altho' I'm sure he's been working on those aspects). I think Gach needs to do a lot of off-ice ballet training to develop more stretch -- he is from the country of ballet, after all. Right now, he is very rough around the edges.
To me the main things Gach has going for him are his jumps, his coach, his Russian lineage, which apparently = rep with judges. Of course, with landing the quad and going clean, Gach probably belongs in first vs the competition here. Too bad Javier did not step up the way he needed to, because he definitely has the goods to win here if he brings it. Happy Verner placed well. Sad to see Joubert at this point a shell of his former self (I think broken down more from injuries and disappointments, than from age).
When i heard Evgeni wouldnt do the quad I got excited even if it sounds odd because I never seen him quadless but I suspected he would be more light and fast and would pay some attention to his levels instead of being labored, I had also calculated a bad 4-3 would give him less points than a great 3-3! And basically he skated so cheerfully that I prefer non quadplush!
About Joubert:
Excuse me he is not past himself technically, Joubert in practice stands out, speed, height in jumps, presence..I feel bad because in his case i start believe Plu must have jinxed him, and is sad because I know he said he prefers competing with him than others. I can't explain the lack of combo, really...
I hope matrix can work its magic cause if he performs it like we saw in practice it will be great..
And i met the jouberettes in my hotel, if you don't know them search the section who cheers loud and have cheerleader stuff with them.
Sth worth mentioning is chafik has a huge support which I ve seen also in teb, it is really touching. Off to ladies practice!!
I think Plushenko is on the right track. No sense pushing quads so early on in coming back again....his second comeback attempt. He doesn't need to win anything else more...He's already won all the accolades several times over....He's already a legend...any results now are "extra." I love it when past greats make comeback attempts. It only matters that he peak in Sochi if his health permits.... It would be great to see him win a medal again! Imagine if he wins like a bronze next time...He'll have a medal in every color and medaled in 4 Olympics! One thing I love about the Olympics is that you never know what can happen....Many figure skating Olympics have brought us unexpected results.... Maybe being the underdog this time will serve him well.
What happened with Javi? He performed the most beautiful quad of the night but he looked so down. He was sick, caught a cold? Cheers to Tomas that he could make it back on tracks after the fiasco in Sapporo. Jou exposed his old problem- the lack of self-control at the most important moment. How could such a handsome skater with so well-cut body and the spirit of masculinity has this mental problem, is still a kind of mistery for me. Very disappointing for fans, a real tragedy. He has zero chances to medal now. Plushenko was way better than in RN, especially in his body condition in which most of skaters simply wouldn't skate. Great work, man! Gachi wasn't that beautiful but he performed clean a more difficult elements. So it's natural that he is in the lead now. That's why I like Europeans. They are not saint but the level of corruption and manipulation is much lower than in GP or Worlds. True sportsmanship! In general the level of men's field was lower than I expected. Only three people landed clean quads (less than in RN), only one of them in combo. Too many mistakes, falls, steps out, etc. Are the conditions there fine? Not the rink conditions only but the general conditions that organizers provide for athletes? Speaking about organizers, fan forums reported that security doesn't allow to hang or even to open banners. They didn't even allow to open the Russian flag because it had a skater's sign on it. What is it all about? Anybody knows? Also, the audience, except fans, seems like cold and not so supportive. Some people were eating hamburgers there in the audience and the staff did nothing about that. They should eat in the cafeteria. It's just ill-mannered and gross. Waiting for LP. Still it's impossible to say who will medal and win. I hope it's gonna be a Russain duel!
I found the level last year worse. Only two clean quads we saw there, both in combo though. But the level of the free skate was a catastrophe, so I have good hope it will be much better this year overall.
There are no cafeterias at an ice-rink. The only place to sit down and eat is in the stands. Eating hamburgers in an ice-rink is the USUAL thing that's done. There is nothing rude or gross about it.Originally Posted by let`s talk
Some people were eating hamburgers there in the audience and the staff did nothing about that. They should eat in the cafeteria. It's just ill-mannered and gross. Waiting for LP. Still it's impossible to say who will medal and win. I hope it's gonna be a Russain duel!
Just want to sayfor Verner smiling happily in K&C. My favorite for gold. IMO he was worth as much as Plushenko in PCS.
Gachinski was very good!!! And it was great to see that he actually has choreography now. I was as enthusiastic as our commentators, who mentioned that apparently he has worked very hard.
As usual Plushenko was overscored (transitions, choreography and performance).
I assume that you haven't watched Plushenko's SP yet. Otherwise, you wouldn't have said things like this.
Last edited by Bluebonnet; 01-27-2012 at 04:05 PM.
As usual sour grapes!
I ll come back with practices for today
Small medal ceremony
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10150615177635664
Where? In Canada? That sucks. Welcome to Russia. You will eat decent stuff and might learn some manners too:
www.hockey-palace.ru/uslugi/restoran/restorany
www.newarena.spb.ru/services/#front-176
well i find strange to eat a hamburger or hotdog in an actual competition, unless there is an ice resurface or something, as I wouldnt in a theater or somewhere people were actually performing something in front of me etc..
but I didnt find sushi in Megasport arena either, last time I was there!
I think Sheffield arena was fine, had lots of bars, and as you were sitting for 100 hours per day in competition, it was ok to eat stood up in the bar for ten minutes. Or could go to practice rink next door with a super pink bar and big couches!
The banners / flags situation sucked indeed, it was not normal all the scrunity there was. Maybe it had something to do with their Olys or tv rights?
As also the exit green door that all arena had to go to one only exit!
Last edited by seniorita; 02-01-2012 at 07:58 AM.
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