Ilia Malinin's quad difficulty

[treblemakerem]

Malinin's quads have at least as good technique as Chen, if not more stable technique (than Chen's earlier quads). From technique standpoint, I'm not worried. Of course, Injury as well as mental stuff is important, but technique is definitely going for Ilia.

But Chen didn’t grow very much. Ilia has good technique so I am hopeful he can keep his jumps but I would not be surprised if he got a lot taller. It’s just one more challenge. I really think he’ll be able to keep the quads for the most part. But something like +4lo combo is a lot more difficult when you are bigger. The smaller you are the easier it is to rotate fast.

 

[cheerknithanson]

Something that would make it more epic is if he did it to epic music for a FP.

 

[Amei]

But Chen didn’t grow very much. Ilia has good technique so I am hopeful he can keep his jumps but I would not be surprised if he got a lot taller. It’s just one more challenge. I really think he’ll be able to keep the quads for the most part. But something like +4lo combo is a lot more difficult when you are bigger. The smaller you are the easier it is to rotate fast.

His ISU bio lists him at 168 cm as his parents are both skaters there are height stats on them - mother is 160 cm; his father 176 cm, so his parents aren't that tall so maybe he still has some growing but probably not too much.

Edit to add some heights of other quad skaters:
Timothy Goebel (original quad king) 170 cm
Evgeni Plushenko: 180 cm.
Brian Joubert: 179 cm
Alexei yagudin: 175 cm
Nathan Chen: 166 cm
Yuzuru Hanyu: 172 cm

These are all fairly good quad skaters and with the exception of Nathan, Ilia is shorter than all of them

 

[halulupu]

Shame shame on us federation not to bring him to the Olympics

 

[katymay]

With how he skated at Nationals-I felt he could win the Olympics, or even medal there. Nathan's quads are starting to look a bit labored, whereas Ilia soars and his quads are easy and light. (Same with Trusova-also her quads are not as easy and light as they used to be-why this happens? Because I don't think it is as simple as weight/height ratios. As a skater ages, I do not think rotation speed is as easy to maintain)

 

[Amei]

With how he skated at Nationals-I felt he could win the Olympics, or even medal there. Nathan's quads are starting to look a bit labored, whereas Ilia soars and his quads are easy and light. (Same with Trusova-also her quads are not as easy and light as they used to be-why this happens? Because I don't think it is as simple as weight/height ratios. As a skater ages, I do not think rotation speed is as easy to maintain)

Nathan and Trusova have both been injured this year

 

[lariko]

Same with Trusova-also her quads are not as easy and light as they used to be-why this happens?

Because her foot is fractured and is still healing? Like, she had a stress fracture through her foot in mid-October, that's three months, darn it, and people are like... her quad lutz is heavy...

 

[GabrielleBaker]

I thought it was silly to not send him to the Olympics. He reminds me of Yuzuru in some ways. He has a similar body shape so can make elegant looking moves on the ice.

 

[chuckm]

With how he skated at Nationals-I felt he could win the Olympics, or even medal there. Nathan's quads are starting to look a bit labored, whereas Ilia soars and his quads are easy and light. (Same with Trusova-also her quads are not as easy and light as they used to be-why this happens? Because I don't think it is as simple as weight/height ratios. As a skater ages, I do not think rotation speed is as easy to maintain)

Trusova has acquired hips via puberty, thus lowering her center of gravity. That makes it harder to get the body high enough to complete 4 rotations. Ilia is still a boy, not a man; Nathan has matured.

 

[ladyjane]

Ilia is going to try and get his TES minimums for Worlds at.....Challenge Cup. According to the Dutch skating Federation he will be skating there (regrettably aside from that news, and the news that a certain Japanese Female skater will be there, as yet no preliminary entree lists). This means I'll probably get to see him live. Already looking forward to it!

 

[century2009]

As much as I would like to see these in competition, the current rules prevent this. There is now a limit and this is probably what has stop skaters from doing these combination because there is no value.

Ilia has potential but needs time to mature. I do worry about how his growth will affect him. It affects all skaters as that is a reality of the sport.

 

[el henry]

Ilia is going to try and get his TES minimums for Worlds at.....Challenge Cup. According to the Dutch skating Federation he will be skating there (regrettably aside from that news, and the news that a certain Japanese Female skater will be there, as yet no preliminary entree lists). This means I'll probably get to see him live. Already looking forward to it!

A tad OT from the thread topic, but US junior Taira Shinohara is also assigned to the junior men division. A delightful performer, hopefully you will get to see both.

 

[Jammers]

I hope Ilia doesn't go crazy in the SP and plays it safe even just triples will get him the minimums no need to go for two quads.

​

 

[cheerknithanson]

I hope Ilia doesn't go crazy in the SP and plays it safe even just triples will get him the minimums no need to go for two quads.

​

I agree. Play it safe in the SP, then go crazy in the FP. 34 TES. That’s all he needs. That can easily be done with his junior layout.

 

[kolyadafan2002]

I agree. Play it safe in the SP, then go crazy in the FP. 34 TES. That’s all he needs. That can easily be done with his junior layout.

I predict a 1 quad layout for him

 

[Lutzedge]

I hope Ilia doesn't go crazy in the SP and plays it safe even just triples will get him the minimums no need to go for two quads.

​

That thought had also came to my head. Yes, he has won both JGPs, and he killed it at Nationals, but all triples or just one quad seems like a good plan, as his aim is to get the SP minimums. And in the FS, I guess he could do whatever he wants!

 

[José Rosé]

With how he skated at Nationals-I felt he could win the Olympics, or even medal there. Nathan's quads are starting to look a bit labored, whereas Ilia soars and his quads are easy and light. (Same with Trusova-also her quads are not as easy and light as they used to be-why this happens? Because I don't think it is as simple as weight/height ratios. As a skater ages, I do not think rotation speed is as easy to maintain)

I think it has to do with the body wearing out over time. The quads destroy the body much more quickly than triples. when the human body wears out, the joints become stiff. Nathan's body looks stiff on the quads. His joints are stiffening.

The bigger the tricks, the shorter the careers.

 

[José Rosé]

As much as I would like to see these in competition, the current rules prevent this. There is now a limit and this is probably what has stop skaters from doing these combination because there is no value.

Ilia has potential but needs time to mature. I do worry about how his growth will affect him. It affects all skaters as that is a reality of the sport.

And this is why it was foolish to not put him on the olympic team. This could be his only chance and he's on FIRE!

 

[Lutzedge]

Ilia Malinin Quad Axels.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CZ2lsV7OFy9/

He tricked us! Or did he...

 

[el henry]

Ilia Malinin Quad Axels.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CZ2lsV7OFy9/

He tricked us! Or did he...

This is the one from a week ago?

Yeah, I think most people agreed he was being funny with the caption. Four axels. Har de har.