2018 Olympic Figure Skating Team Event Day 1

[TCAngel18]

Lord, I missed SO DANG MUCH already. Looks like Skaters are human, after all. You never know how people will respond on Olympic Ice. Nail-biting stuff.

 

[beki]

As some have mentioned, it is true that the Team Event needs to work out some quirks, but it is also true that it gives people like him a chance to shine. Even with such a fine performance, he would probably be lost among others in the Men's discipline (at least to the casual viewers)

I'm not so sure. If past history is any guide, casual viewers might love his performance and wonder why he didn't place higher. He was certainly my favorite of the night.

 

[esteticlove]

What do you think about the boards? I can't get used to so much purple colour at one place - it's not only the ice boards but the whole arena as well

PS The first thing I thought of was this: https://cache.pressmailing.net/cont...14b-11a77e781244/image-x?attachment=false.jpg

 

[Lota]

I'm not so sure. If past history is any guide, casual viewers might love his performance and wonder why he didn't place higher. He was certainly my favorite of the night.

True, but that's if they watch the entire event, a lot of people may tune in only for the final group or two. Here, as there are only 10 people per discipline and it is the very beginning of the Olympics, everyone gets a chance to shine. Or make National headlines as those who fell and failed (I feel really sorry for the rest of the men here (sans Uno), yeesh, that's a nightmare start to the Olympics). This applies to any non top-5 and especially non top-10 skaters here, as surely less people would get to see them during the usual events.

 

[madison]

What do you think about the boards? I can't get used to so much purple colour at one place - it's not only the ice boards but the whole arena as well

PS The first thing I thought of was this: https://cache.pressmailing.net/cont...14b-11a77e781244/image-x?attachment=false.jpg

It gives me a feeling of anxiety.... i don't wanna think to the athletes how they should feel with all that purple...

 

[shiroKJ]

Two quick points:
2) Yes, Nathan tanked. I'm not sure how the event was aired around the world, but in the US, television cameras followed him mercilessly after he arrived at the arena... they hounded him... to the point of following him entering the rest room (in fact he first almost went into the ladies by accident... completely captured by the cameras). Then NBC interviewed him (before and after SP)... and almost always a camera as he stretched, warmed up, drank water. True, most elite skaters are filmed backstage, but the level to witch Nathan was scrutinized was almost abusive. I can see how this could easily have affected his focus and concentration.

It unfortunately comes with the territory. Some skaters manage to rise above it, others fall victim to it. :noshake: At least they're not following him into the changing room like they do with Hanyu. Yet.

 

[Putina]

I have many thoughts after watching Mens SP, but will write one big thought that I've had for years:
Male single skaters NEED to eat more and get appropriate amount of muscle AND body fat for their stamina not only physically but also MENTALLY, that are of course required for athletes of ANY sport in order to compete under enourmous pressure at the very high level like the Oly Games. Look at Shoma. He may, most probably in this particular sport, weighs heavier for his height, however his speed, ice coverage, sharpness of body, attack and concentration did beat all other men. I mean it sans his tech score. When a skater can fly, s/he literally dominates ice, judges and audience. Her/his tininess doesn't matter at all. They are athletes first. They need to eat properly.

Do you have in mind a current male skater with less-than-ideal weight? Asking this because I have thought the weight-related problem in men's is not as readily apparent as in lady's. And if anything I thought Mr. Uno has lost some weight leading up to the Olympic games. Not to a dangerous degree, but visibly nonetheless. I have no idea how much he weighs, and I see no basis to believe that he has more muscle mass or higher body fat percentage than competing male skaters. He is naturally short-framed, and he has a strong lower body (naturally or otherwise).

Having said that, some skaters have clearly more meat in their bodies - see Rippon and his glutes. And you of course need strong muscles to exert forces so that you can perform. But I have not seen an evidence that severe weight loss followed by deteriorated performance is a widespread problem in men's skating.

 

[fredtx121]

Not that Im hoping for a splatfest in the ladies SP event, but like in the men's SP event we can only expect the unexpected- it is the Olympics after all. Can you see anything like this happening in the ladies event that will dramatically shake up the standings?
A shocking but probably unrealistic but possible outcome....
1- USA-Bradie
2- Italy-Carolina
3- Japan- Miahara
4-OAR- Evgenia
5-S Korea- Choi
6-Canada- Katelyn
7-France- Mae Berenice
8-China
9-Germany
10-Israel

What I think will happen
1- OAR- Evgenia
2-Canada- Katelyn
3-Japan- Miahara
4-USA- Bradie
5-Italy- Carolina
6-S Korea- Choi
7- France- Mae Berenice
8-China
9-Germany
10-Israel

 

[fredtx121]

Two quick points:

1) I agree with those who have speculated that the early competition hour seems to have an ill effect om the Men. (And why are they scheduled at that hour? I assume the fees paid the IOC from NBC so that the competition will air in prime-time in the US has an impact?)

2) Yes, Nathan tanked. I'm not sure how the event was aired around the world, but in the US, television cameras followed him mercilessly after he arrived at the arena... they hounded him... to the point of following him entering the rest room (in fact he first almost went into the ladies by accident... completely captured by the cameras). Then NBC interviewed him (before and after SP)... and almost always a camera as he stretched, warmed up, drank water. True, most elite skaters are filmed backstage, but the level to witch Nathan was scrutinized was almost abusive. I can see how this could easily have affected his focus and concentration.

Now Nathan knows what most star Japanese skaters go through. Media is ruthless. I can remember how much pressure was put on Midori Ito in 1992. Thank God she won a silver medal thanks to the late Triple Axel thrown in at the end of her free program. Even a silver medal was considered a disappointment to her because of so much media hype. I think as far as Nathan-- the US team doesn't really have any gold medal hopefuls besides him which = pressure and distracting unwanted attention

 

[Blades of Passion]

1	UNO Shoma	JPN	103.25	1	video
2	BYCHENKO Alexei	ISR	88.49	2	video
3	CHAN Patrick	CAN	81.66	3	video
4	CHEN Nathan	USA	80.61	4	video
5	RIZZO Matteo	ITA	77.77	5	video
6	CHA Junhwan	KOR	77.70	6	video
7	YAN Han	CHN	77.10	7
8	KOLYADA Mikhail	RUS	74.36	8	video
9	FENTZ Paul	GER	66.32	9	video
10	BESSEGHIER Chafik	FRA	61.06	10	video

Quoting this so that more people can find it. Also, is there Mr. Yan's performance anywhere?

https://www.sendspace.com/file/y6ubfx

 

[Putina]

https://www.sendspace.com/file/y6ubfx

TY. You are the best.

 

[Tally]

Not that Im hoping for a splatfest in the ladies SP event, but like in the men's SP event we can only expect the unexpected- it is the Olympics after all. Can you see anything like this happening in the ladies event that will dramatically shake up the standings?
A shocking but probably unrealistic but possible outcome....
1- USA-Bradie
2- Italy-Carolina
3- Japan- Miahara
4-OAR- Evgenia
5-S Korea- Choi
6-Canada- Katelyn
7-France- Mae Berenice
8-China
9-Germany
10-Israel

What I think will happen
1- OAR- Evgenia
2-Canada- Katelyn
3-Japan- Miahara
4-USA- Bradie
5-Italy- Carolina
6-S Korea- Choi
7- France- Mae Berenice
8-China
9-Germany
10-Israel

That would definitely be interesting, and it IS the Oly's so anything's possible, but I think it's very unlikely. I don't think we would ever see Evgenia in 4th against that competition - and Carolina's and Miahara's PCS will keep them up there even with mistakes. I think the men were a more uncertain variable than the women to begin with, but it sure would be exciting to see SOMETHING at least a bit unexpected!

 

[karakaka]

Do you have in mind a current male skater with less-than-ideal weight? Asking this because I have thought the weight-related problem in men's is not as readily apparent as in lady's. And if anything I thought Mr. Uno has lost some weight leading up to the Olympic games. Not to a dangerous degree, but visibly nonetheless. I have no idea how much he weighs, and I see no basis to believe that he has more muscle mass or higher body fat percentage than competing male skaters. He is naturally short-framed, and he has a strong lower body (naturally or otherwise).

Having said that, some skaters have clearly more meat in their bodies - see Rippon and his glutes. And you of course need strong muscles to exert forces so that you can perform. But I have not seen an evidence that severe weight loss followed by deteriorated performance is a widespread problem in men's skating.

The Olympics website posts the heights and weights of all the athletes, and of the currently competing men, there are definitely a number that are underweight or very close to it, particularly among the guys with lots of quads. Of the young quad-jumpers, Uno is definitely an exception. There are also about 40 ladies at the Olympics with a BMI under 19, which is definitely not great. I don't want to call anyone out because I'm not their doctor and I don't know what's healthy for them, but it's definitely an issue.

Figure skating really needs to take nutrition and eating disorders seriously in every discipline, since body image issues can be a problem for anyone, especially in such an aesthetic-based sport. I don't remember the exact article (I'm sure you can search for it on Google), but in 2013, someone wrote about Yulia, and how figure skating puts a cruel emphasis on being thin to the point of underweight. This was right after Skate Canada, where the podium was Yulia, Akiko, and Gracie, and the author wrote about Akiko's recovery from anorexia, as well as Gracie's relative normalcy. Now all 3 of them have, at some point, retired or withdrawn for an extended period of time because of eating disorders.

Anyways, sorry for being off-topic, but I'd like to see all these athletes happy, healthy, and competing for as long as they want to.

 

[Blades of Passion]

I think like anything else, it's going to take an adjustment. This is only the second Olympics for the Team Event.

People already pointed out 4 years ago how unbalanced the scoring of the event is. The ISU didn't make any changes at all after 4 years. That's called incompetence.

 

[Jedi]

It is kind of ironic that Patrick Chan's dreadful program nevertheless (by beating Nathan Chen and clobbering Mikhail Kolyada) was the performance that has virtually assured Canada of the gold medal. With a first in dance coming up, plus perhaps a 2nd place in ladies, there will be n catching them, at least for the short program.

Mathman - really? Do the Math. Canada has a lead over Russia and that is not taking into consideration the great ole US of A of 4 points. If Kolyada wins the freeskate and Chan is fifth there goes that lead. If Evgenia or Alina beat the Canadian girls by four spots there goes the lead in either the short or long. I agree Virtue and Moir will be B/S in both long and short and could earn a 6 point lead for Canada but again between Pairs, Men's and women a total of 10 pts can be made up by Russia.

 

[Mrs. P]

People already pointed out 4 years ago how unbalanced the scoring of the event is. The ISU didn't make any changes at all after 4 years. That's called incompetence.

I know you sent plenty of feedback to ISU regarding everything, but did anyone else?

 

[labgoat]

I would like to thank the internet for doing something right. The alternative NBC Olympics video has the screen of the skaters and a smaller screen that shows the coach and the team. It was interesting to watch.

http://stream.nbcolympics.com/figure-skating-team-event-mens-short-program-pairs-short-program

Unfortunately this stream is very jerky for me. All the triples look like the they are missing rotations and spins only have 2-3 revolutions. Stream also keeps freezing.

 

[labgoat]

Live Yuzudaughter commentary: a spread eagle out of a jump? He stole that from Yuzuru! Call the police!

Yuzu stole it from Peggy Fleming...

 

[labgoat]

Flashback to my favorite tweet that describes exactly how I feel about Tara commentating.

She is Tara-fying...

 

[zanadude]

It unfortunately comes with the territory. Some skaters manage to rise above it, others fall victim to it. :noshake: At least they're not following him into the changing room like they do with Hanyu. Yet.

With the possible exception of the Stanley Cup, the Winter Olympics are much bigger than any individual winter sporting event. It's something that all of the athletes have to deal with equally.