2012 Skate America Men's Short Program

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It’s not any specific program, it’s the overall style Kozuka tried to imitate. Takahashi has skated to several sexy edgy programs and the judges liked them. Kozuka tried to imitate that sexy edgy style in his Innur Urge, Soul Man, and Bold as Love programs but failed because he never had the required showmanship. Yuzru tried the sexy edgy style for the first time and made it work.



First of all I do think Yuzru should have a four-point PCS lead over Kozuka because Yuzru’s transitions, ice coverage, and presentation were all so much better. But if we want to mark Yuzru down on PCS just to make some skaters’ fans happy, then we better be fair on TES first. Kozuka should have gotten a -3 for no steps preceding the 4T, which would make it something like 92 vs. 86, still 6 points lead.

I agree: I like Kozuka's flow and gentleness on the ice, but I usually find his music boring, and, now that he has a good one, he wastes it with the usual interpretation, I would really like to see him having fun on the ice, at least once in his career! Except this, he landed his jumps and skated a good program, so he deserved 85, nothing more for me. But Hanyu, he's just I simply love him, his program, the energy he has and the easiness that you can see all through the program, you can see him landing a quad like "it's not difficult", it makes you want to put on your skates and try it! Yes, 95 is what he deserves!

[dorispulaski]

10th Douglas Razzano
Rachmaninov Piano Concerto #2
Poor Doug. Perhaps the less said the better about this program. But he did look very dashing on the ice. Only his 3lz3t well well. He did get at least a high enough TES for 4CC's though.

9th Tomas Verner CZE
Dracula soundtrack
Tomas did not fall on his 4t, but he might as well have, because it was underrotated and landed on two feet, thus netting him only 4.2 points. In contrast, when Brezina fell on his 4S, he got 7.5 points. Thus the peculiarities of COP. His 3A was fine, but he popped his combo to a single, but did not try to tack on a second jump, thus netting only .36, compared to Brezina again, who tacked on a 3t and feel on it for more points. Clearly Tomas needs a COP lesson. His costume needs a makeover too; it looks more drum corps than vampire. Maurizio Magaglio had the best Dracula costume

8th Alexander Majorov SWE
Ray's Blues
Alexander did have a decent 3f3t and an OK triple axel, and doubled his flip, but this was a completely unmemorable program for me.

7th Armin Mahbanoozadeh USA
Kashmir
Armin went for his quad toe, but this time fell on it. And his 3A had a wide swinging free leg on the landing. His footwork was interesting and complex, and I would have had him ahead of Brezina. However, he does not give the impression of power when he is skating, particularly in the second half of the program, and that may have hurt him.

6th Michal Brezina
Hall of the Mountain Kind
It's sad to think that Michal won Skate America last year, because this year, the same Michal did not show up. He was wearing a costume with an excessive amount of raggy bits hanging off it. Who knew the gnomes or goblins (whichever the mountain king was), with access to all the jewels of the earth, would be dressed in rags?
Things did not start well when he fell on his quad salcow, although it was fully rotated. His triple axel was very nice indeed; his best thing in the program IMO. However, his worst thing was his attempt at a combo. He popped the first jump to a single, and tried to take a triple toe on it, underrotating it and falling. The sad thing abou tthis is that he still managed to get 3 points for this disaster of a combo. He seemed to me to have lost energy by the end of the program, his last spin & footwork being particularly anemic. He failed to get a qualifying TES for worlds; however, he will have another GP and Europeans to earn it, if not some Senior B already.

5th Konstantin Menshov
Pina soundtrack.
He got a -1 deduction for a time violation-the timer on the scoreboard showed his program timed at 2 min 52 seconds, so that was right.
I liked his program a lot, no matter that this is Savchenoko & Szolkwy's last year's music. He had a wonderful 4t3t, and a slightly wild but still good 3a. And then he has to go an pop to a double lutz :wall: The see through shirt with the black gloves was a trip, but I particularly liked his interesting arm/hand movements and his footwork. I hope I get to see him skate again. I think he was somewhat underscored here.

4th Tatsuki Machida
F.U.Y.A by C2C; Choreography by Lambiel
Stephane did the choreo and it showed. The music is rather odd, though. All three jump passes were nicely done, but he was the only guy here who did not try a quad in the SP. How things have changed since 2010. He did put a hand down in the middle of the footwork, and I wonder whether that dropped him to level 2 there. I really liked his program too! The choreo was interesting and entertaining to me.


3rd Jeremy Abbott USA
Spy by Nathan Lanier
Maybe its due to having watched seventy leven Junior boys doing spy programs with lots of bang- bang capgun hands, but this program bored me utterly to tears, and I think it was very below Jeremy. The footwork & the spins were relatively simple and nothing to write home about, too. Only his combo was topnotch. The triple axel was wonky, and he fell on an underrotated quad toe. I'd have him behind Machida & Menshov. I know this is not a popular opinion, but that's how it looked tome.

As to Kozuka & Hanyu, Taka was wonderful and Yuzuru sublime. Or maybe Taka was sublime and Yuzuru wonderful. either way, if they skate like this, I can definitely see them both medalling at Worlds.

And yes Yuzuru's 3a from a counter, so huge landed so securely, and with complex steps on the way out was instant for me.

But Taka's steps, done with such feeling, were wonderful too. In the arena, who can see facial expressions, or care about them? His body is so expressive!

Of course, Taka lost points on the 4t, and he missed some chances for bonus points, but wonderful for him to get a personal best when he had struggled so hard in the practices, something I'm sure may have affected the judges more than it should.

[Buttercup]

6th Michal Brezina
Hall of the Mountain Kind
It's sad to think that Michal won Skate America last year, because this year, the same Michal did not show up.

KvdP should have won last year. And while I still don't see how, based on your description, this should not be considered a mostly subpar SP - SA 2012 is certainly looking to be of a much higher standard than the 2011 edition!

He failed to get a qualifying TES for worlds; however, he will have another GP and Europeans to earn it, if not some Senior B already.

Surely Brezina has a qualifying TES from last year, having done so well in the SP at Worlds?

BTW, Doris, I still remember your awesome GP previews in the 2008-9 season. Any chance you'd be up to doing that again, even for some events?

[demarinis5]

Thanks to Doris and Mrs. P for your great reports! It is always nice to hear from folks who watch the competition live at the arena.

[seniorita]

^ Thank you for reports too!

When I saw Hanyu at 2009 JW, I thought he'd be going places, I just didn't think he'd do it so fast (I can dig up the three and a half year old post where I said he'd more likely contend in 2018). Keep proving me both right and wrong, Yuzuru

And I m thankful you told me to notice him at Junior Worlds, now I can say I had watched a future Olympic Champion on the making

Is there something in the water in Japan that makes them all glide so smoothly? I agree watching live is sth else. Kozuka could have had better marks around 90 and I would be fine with it.

[seniorita]

As to Kozuka & Hanyu, Taka was wonderful and Yuzuru sublime. Or maybe Taka was sublime and Yuzuru wonderful.

I thought the same. I cant choose which I liked most

[Skater Boy]

I really liked the power and flow of Hanyu. Kozuka was good too but Hanyu is coming into his own. though I think Chan deserved an Oly gold; the timing of life favours Hanyu. Had the olympics been this year Chan would have gold but his time has come and gone. Prince Hanyu wants his crown - he has the coach, the talent and the federation and its money. chan is a mess with the coaching and jumping issues. Tak may have overstayed his welcome which means Joubert really is over ripe. Kozuka maybe like the red headed child not able to get the attention with Tak and Hanyu stealing the limelight. Plushy may podium but not gold with Hanyu - wonderful skate and the jumps - wow!!!!

[mikiandorocks]

Now that I've rewatched the programs, all I can say is that I'm in love with Abbott and Kozuka's SP.

[Bluebonnet]

It was an amazing SP from Hanyu...but where were his hands most of the time?

Will this fall on quad in SP become a new normal for Abbott this year? I think he and Yuka should rethink the strategy they use here.

[Ice Diva]

Yeah, that's the point. Ridiculous! Jeremy has way more maturity, dynamism and dance skills than Hanyu. Politics at work all the way. And Orser looks like the cat who licked the cream.

Totally agree. While Hanyu good & was technically superior in short, his skating lacks maturity, some spins shaky as was a landing. Jeremy Abbott is a way better skater. I never appreciated just how good he was until I saw him in Stars on Ice earlier this year. Amazing lines & skating skills.

[Bluebonnet]

If the scores cross the competitions are not good to compare with each other, the world records, the highest totals, or such, are not accurate and reliable at all. To be honest, I think Chan's 2011 world SP and Takahashi's 2012 WWT SP both were better qualitied than Hanyu's this SP.