Men's LP

[Joesitz (RIP)]

I hope the posters who do not want to know results don't look in this section.

Anyway, from the ISU Board, Sandhu is still on his roll beating Lambiel by 14 points including the PCS. Griazev dropped to 3rd and Ferrer held his own in 4th place. I think Janke was 5th and Savoie 6th. and Chengjiang Li in
8th!!! Must have had a meltdown in his home town. He will not make the GPF.

Sandhu will be in the Final with 24 points. Griazev will have to hold his breath with 7 as his total GP score. Savoie with 4 total, and Li will be out of the money regardless of his next skate although it's possible to win with 12 if he can win.

And so it goes in Skateland.

Joe

 

[hockeyfan228]

Li had a horrible time with his jumps in the LP after skating a brilliant SP and ending in a virtual tie with Griazev and Lambiel. (I thought Li's was the best of the three shorts.) Almost all of his jumps were downgraded, as he popped and doubled most of them

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

Maybe this will give some interest in the Russian Fed to consider Klimkin for the Olys but he will have to give an outstanding skate at COR.

Joe

 

[emma]

Li had a horrible time with his jumps in the LP after skating a brilliant SP and ending in a virtual tie with Griazev and Lambiel. (I thought Li's was the best of the three shorts.) Almost all of his jumps were downgraded, as he popped and doubled most of them

After his great short...I was sooooo bummed by his LP (i'm talking about Li of course). I was starting to get all these visions of a really, really tight Olympic competition with Li totally in the mix...then the visions went away :scowl:

 

[Kasey]

Maybe this will give some interest in the Russian Fed to consider Klimkin for the Olys but he will have to give an outstanding skate at COR.

Joe

Ok, I like Klimkin a lot. But why would Griazev leading after the short, getting his first Grand Prix senior medal, and scoring new personal bests in short, long and overall competition, as well as breaking into the 7s in PCS for the first time, make the Russian fed consider Klimkin more? It will depend a lot on how he does at CoR, and Nationals, and probably Euros as well....but I don't understand your reasoning as to why, when Griazev finally puts together a nice, mostly clean competition, you think that has indication on Klimkin being more desireable?

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

Kasey - It's just my opinion that I find Griazev immature as a skater and as a Toreador. I do think it was good that he skated clean and more than likely landed his quad. For competition purposes that quad is sooooo important in the Men's division for gold.

Illia Klimkin is an extremely mature skater and even when he was a junior. A few years ago, I watched him do a l'apres midi un faun - incredible; in Dortmund he did the evil Rothbart in Swan Lake - incredible. His musicianship is unquestionable. But he's had his injuries. Still I'd like to see him in the Olys rather than Griazev. Russia can send only two and they will not leave out Evgeni nor would I want them to.

Otherwise, we have Griazev with 7 points after 2 competitions - not enough for
the final. Ilia has only one competition in COR. If he gets 2nd, his points will be 9. not enough for the final. The Russian Nationals will separate the two but I am sure TT's power will have Griazev to go to the Olys.

Joe

 

[Kasey]

Joe,

I agree with Ilia being a very mature, interesting and intricate skater, and has been for years. My ideal Russian Nats would be him AND Andrei going to Olys!

I just wonder if Ilia has the jumps back, and if the Russian fed will say "well, he's old, he's had his chance" (even tho he really hasn't, what with Plush/Yags/Abt trifecta for so long, plus his injuries). Being that Griazev is the younger, and can be more expected to remain in for the next four years, they may send him just for the experience. Which is wrong, I want whoever goes to go because they DESERVE to.

But keep in mind, Andrei didn't do a quad at China, and in the free skate only had one 3 axel, and had doubled 2 other triple jumps. Hitting all jumps, his marks could be expected to be nearer 145 range, when he got 129 without them. Not Plush territory, but definitely acceptable.

Again, hopefully the one to go to Olympics will be the one who earns it.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

Joe,


But keep in mind, Andrei didn't do a quad at China, and in the free skate only had one 3 axel, and had doubled 2 other triple jumps. Hitting all jumps, his marks could be expected to be nearer 145 range, when he got 129 without them. Not Plush territory, but definitely acceptabl

He also had a sloppy Skate Canada including several falls yet he got excellent PCS scores. Something is going on behind the scenes. Klimkin is going to be dumped.

Joe

 

[chuckm]

Klimkin has never been a consistent skater and he's always had stamina problems in the FS. Griazev's performances under pressure at Worlds 2005 were not encouraging. So they have a choice between older/inconsistent and younger/competition nerves. Either way, the Russians have to have all their hopes pinned on Evgeny Plushenko

 

[slutskayafan21]

Klimkin wont ever be a real contender, he has been around too long to have not reached that point to ever get there. Griazev has some potential but I am not sure if he has as much promise as people say he does. I believe the next great Russian male star is somebody we dont know much about yet.

 

[Vash01]

I like Klmikin a lot but he has had way too many injuries. It is hard to tell what he is capable of. Hopefully the GP (COR in this case) and the Russian nationals will answer that question. When he was healthy, he was better than Griazev. I don't see Griazev as even a top 10 skater at worlds, but he has time to develop. If Klimkin's injuries have taken their toll, he may not be the skater he once was. Even then he was very inconsistent.

I am curious about the poster that wanted Klimkin AND Griazev to go the Olympics. I hope he is not wishing an injury to Plushenko! Plushenko, even with an injury, is generally in the top 5 or 6 skaters in the world.

Vash

 

[Kasey]

I like Klmikin a lot but he has had way too many injuries. It is hard to tell what he is capable of. Hopefully the GP (COR in this case) and the Russian nationals will answer that question. When he was healthy, he was better than Griazev. I don't see Griazev as even a top 10 skater at worlds, but he has time to develop. If Klimkin's injuries have taken their toll, he may not be the skater he once was. Even then he was very inconsistent.

I am curious about the poster that wanted Klimkin AND Griazev to go the Olympics. I hope he is not wishing an injury to Plushenko! Plushenko, even with an injury, is generally in the top 5 or 6 skaters in the world.

Vash

I was who wished Klimkin and Griazev to go to Olympics, and I do not wish injury on Plushenko. I'm not someone who would WISH injury on anyone, and that you jump to that conclusion, just is quite curious. I simply prefer the styles of Klimkin and Griazev to that of Plushenko. Simple. End of story. I credit Evgeny with all the talent he has, and fully agree he is going to generally be among the top 5 in the world at any competition he's in. I just don't generally enjoy his skating. It's part of the sport, different likes and dislikes, and differences of opinion are allowed.

Oh, and I'm a she, not a he.

 

[slutskayafan21]

I like Klmikin a lot but he has had way too many injuries. It is hard to tell what he is capable of. Hopefully the GP (COR in this case) and the Russian nationals will answer that question. When he was healthy, he was better than Griazev. I don't see Griazev as even a top 10 skater at worlds, but he has time to develop. If Klimkin's injuries have taken their toll, he may not be the skater he once was. Even then he was very inconsistent.

I am curious about the poster that wanted Klimkin AND Griazev to go the Olympics. I hope he is not wishing an injury to Plushenko! Plushenko, even with an injury, is generally in the top 5 or 6 skaters in the world.

Vash

I could not believe Griazev's PCS scores at the Cup of China. I suspect there is some politics at work there unless he has improved alot. I agree Klimkin has alot more talent, but hasnt put it together, even when he was healthy, he had the creativity combined with the jumping ability to be a top 5 skater at one point.

Did you used to be on CNN figure skating message boards?

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

I could not believe Griazev's PCS scores at the Cup of China. I suspect there is some politics at work there unless he has improved alot. I agree Klimkin has alot more talent, but hasnt put it together, even when he was healthy, he had the creativity combined with the jumping ability to be a top 5 skater at one point.

Did you used to be on CNN figure skating message boards?

I have to see this. I did see his Toreador in Canada and it was so unlike a Toreador. All his pasa doble positions are TT creations and you can see that none of the body, arms, fingers (everything that makes a Spanish dancer) are given any flair by him, in fact in Canada they prevented him executing several jumps.

The routine is standard Carmen. Nothing you haven't seen before. He should be doing it better. The jumps when he makes them are good but nothing special. Don't forget this skater beat Lysacek twice in juniors. He's been around for quite a while.

I think if he were not held up in the PCS scores, he would work to become a better skater. There is talent there but it needs emotional oomph.

Joe

 

[Linny]

Too many injuries?

Abt had many, many injuries but he gave us some wonderful memories near the end of his eligible career.
Linny

 

[Ptichka]

Russia often makes up its mind about whom to send after Europeans. I imagine Piseev will consider both the Russian Nationals and the Europeans in making his determination. However, there is also another consideration - namely, Griazev's coach Tarasova being the official consultant could mean she can pull more strings then Klimkin's coach Kudryavtsev.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

That's what I was figuring.

I'm hoping Klimkin skates well enough to be shown on TV COR. It just may be the last time I see this superb artistic skater perform.

Joe

 

[Skater1973]

I like Andrei but if he will go to Oly only because his trainer more influential than Kudryavcev, I am afraid I shall wish him bad day.