Mid-Season Takeaways

[Yatagarasu]

Hanyu should be back to normal by now.
He's changing tactics this season though, so I think the form he's in currently is pretty on par with that. He wants to peak at Helsinki but at the same time he wants to have a good enough form throughout the season to be able to win even if not at his peak.

In fact my takeaway from his mid-season is more positive than the last one, looking retroactively. His quad sal combo problems are due to timing, not stamina and it's just unfortunate it's such a big mistake but I think his FS is even now coming together really well. He popped that final 3Lz again not because of stamina but because he has been fiddling with the Ina Bauer and it messed up his timing again The differences between SC and NHK were really big, you just had to look, it's that type of program and considering he has stated that he's focusing on the technical at first even, I'm very happy where he is right now. Most importantly he is much more health conscious, which is a huge movement forward in thinking.

If the ladies aren't doing 3A or quads, we've basically reached the ceiling as far as ladies pushing the sport technically.
...How about they change the rules so she can experiment with 3-3-3 and 3-3-3-3 combinations,...

I think Evgenia was working on the 4S this summer and even TAT mentioned the 4S when she jumped the 3S just now at GPF but I think considering it is simply less feasible for ladies to go in the quad direction, the idea of opening up the field to 3-3-3 would allow a different kind of movement for them. I like that.

 

[lappo]

Here we are...
ladies: Polina T' SP is my favourite this year, I feel like she really improved an awful lot since the last year and this is very impressive considering all her misfortunes! I know that I shouldn't get attached to juniors too much because you never know how they turn out, but I really can't help it. Stay healthy! Honorable mentions to Honda FS, Gubanova both, Satton FS and Kaetlyn Osmond for her amazing comeback!
men: apart of Hanyu's everything, Spiderboy has my hearth this season! Kudos also to Shoma LP, though! On the junior side I really like Cha!
dance: as I said somewhere else, V/M both programs had me like "Oh Canada"...and I'm not Canadian at all! Seriously, I'm addicted! :luv17: The Shibs will always have my support, no matter what and the Parsons are brilliant this season, hope they gonna win the worlds!
pairs: I usually don't care much about pairs but I love P/J SP so much! Go guys!

 

[skylark]

Pairs. Ashley Cain and Timothy Leduc have my vote for their leaps and bounds as a brand new (partners since May 23, so 6 months) pairs team this season. Their steady technical improvement is impressive, but what I love most: their gorgeous lines, their skating as one, mutual commitment to quality, pairs spiral, matching stretched long limbs, and emotional commitment to the programs. I teared up at the end of their GS fs. They have only a 6 or 7 inch height difference, but Tim must be made of steel, because the lifts and throws are confident. Since Finlandia, they've got a 3twist. They were each without partners for 2 (Tim) or 4 (Ashley) years. Very inspiring, and I think they're a better match than either was with previous partners. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqJbbn9DCb8.

I'm also enchanted by Cheng Peng and Yang Jin and what they've been able to do in 6 months, but they started at a way higher level. I:luv17: them for some of the same reasons I love Cain/Leduc: their attention to unison and joyful quality. P/J have such charming interpretation and great connection.

Haven Denney and Brandon Frazier are my choice for their most gorgeous (in the US) pairs skating, perfect program and choreography, and heroic comeback after her knee surgery (reconstruction I think?) and being out for a year. I think the trust between them is extraordinary, and this gives their skating both tangible and intangible qualities. I was already thinking Tarah/Danny and Alexa/Chris will be challenged by D/F, but I if they keep going the way they are, Ashley/Tim look to challenge for the US national podium as well. But as long as I get to see D/F and C/L skating, I hardly care about their scores. SA was D/F best outing this season so far: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2OrFbS0iK8

Duhamel and Radford. Switch gears to negative (sorry!), but seeing them skate without maximizing their tricks, to me just demonstrates that they don't exhibit other important qualities of a well-rounded pair. They're working the points system, which is vulnerable to such manipulation and in my opinion needs to be changed so that things like quality of skating, skating as one, attention to position, and harmony of movement don't take a back seat. It makes me angry that the whole sport is being hi-jacked by the technical score. This is way beyond Meagan not being a lyrical skater.

Question: Not rhetorical, but real. Can someone well-versed in the language of FS technique tell me why D/R lifts and twists exhibit little of the beauty of other pairs? Is it a matter of their technique going into and out of the elements? In the lifts, is it mostly that Meagan lacks extension of her limbs and has little acquaintance with dance, which in the Russian system is a basic element of pairs? (and btw I've always wished US pairs would catch onto this!) Well, there's also the fact that a 16-inch difference in height and corresponding size doesn't lend itself as well to harmony. I realize it's a matter of taste, too, and other people may disagree wildly. But I'd like to hear a bit of analysis.

ETA: I just re-watched Tarah Kayne and Danny O'Shea's FS from NHK and had to come back to say how thrilled I am with their progress with these programs over the season too. Their timing and synchronization are so beautiful. They've added difficulty within the elements and sharper movement and some little nuances that I think are a great development and just what they needed. Can't wait for nationals.

 

[slider11]

The state of US Ladies took an unexpected turn this fall with Gracie floundering and Ashley failing to medal in China. Who would have predicted less than a top 4 placement for either? With Polina being a question mark for Nationals (will she even compete?), the door is wide open for new bodies on the World team. It will be interesting to see who handles the pressure and skates onto the podium. After watching the technical level of the GPF skaters, the US ladies really have some work to do.

The Men's event is officially a jumping competition and the price for doing 4 or 5 quads in a program is interpretation and artistry. There are a few that can give us both but that is rare and I fear will be even rarer. Javi has a great presence on the ice and when he is "on" like at Worlds last year, his jumps are integrated into the program not the basis of it. Patrick could not even jump and his program would still be worth watching. In the US our senior men (outside of Nathan) still struggle to incorporate one quad into their programs let alone four. If you had told me that two US men would make the GPF I never would have predicted those two would be Nathan and Adam. Again, the door is open for a changing of the guard in US mens and it will be interesting to see what happens in January.

Pairs: Pairs is kind of in a transition phase, everyone is trying to up the technical ante and it is causing some rough performances and injuries. I am old-fashioned, I would prefer less quad throws and better basics (LANDING jumps and throws, UNISION on SBS spins, beautiful death spirals). The outlook for US Pairs remains bleak, we have talented teams but they have great difficulty in landing jumps and throws and skate small in comparision to the top international teams. If we aren't careful, holding onto two World spots might be an issue.

Dance: Remains my favorite event. I was surprised at how V/M showed everyone up so quickly. I thought they might struggle a bit this season and then dominate next year. But their skating skills and performance ability is light years ahead of all the other teams and I see a golden future for them. US nationals is going to be insanely competitive at both the SR and JR level and I am glad I have a rink-side seat to watch!! I want the SR teams to watch the Parsons sibs' SD and see what unison looks like.

Agree in all areas! Also, in dance I am thrilled with Gilles and Poirer and Hawayek and Baker making some strides. V/M seem to have a lock on gold for the Canadian Nationals. But will Piper and Paul surpass Katelyn and Andrew. I am torn since I love both teams.