2018 Skate Canada Men's Free Skate

[karne]

Hmmmm I just looked through the PCS again and I guess Keegan's is actually okay in relative terms. Aymoz got a bit stiffed with only a 77. Cha was a little stiffed as well, only 80. Samarin had 75 and if you're going to give Samarin 75 then I can totally see Keegan being 10 points better.

 

[Colonel Green]

Hmmmm I just looked through the PCS again and I guess Keegan's is actually okay in relative terms. Aymoz got a bit stiffed with only a 77. Cha was a little stiffed as well, only 80. Samarin had 75 and if you're going to give Samarin 75 then I can totally see Keegan being 10 points better.

Aymoz’s PCS had an unfortunate case of First Flight-itis. Only Jason had the vaccination up to date for that.

 

[DanseMacabre]

Hmmmm I just looked through the PCS again and I guess Keegan's is actually okay in relative terms. Aymoz got a bit stiffed with only a 77. Cha was a little stiffed as well, only 80. Samarin had 75 and if you're going to give Samarin 75 then I can totally see Keegan being 10 points better.

Yeah, I'm mostly fine with the placements, but some of the numbers get a side eye from me.

 

[karne]

Aymoz’s PCS had an unfortunate case of First Flight-itis. Only Jason had the vaccination up to date for that.

It must have been wearing off though because he's usually much higher than an 84, even with mistakes.

 

[katymay]

Congratulations to the medalists

If Keegan stays being consistent on his jumps, he will be a threat in this season. I hope he does good in the next competition and am looking forward to seeing different sides from him in new programs if he competes next year

Even though I've seen this program over and over again...I just love it. It never gets old for me. I don't know how he is going to top it next year.

 

[mau]

I'm just loving the fact that he's doing great this year (two medals so far, and it's just begun!) with a program that pretty much everyone hated on first hearing, and he alone clearly really really loves....

After a debut season marked by injuries and inconsistency, it’s amazing to see him doing so fine.

And like it or not, no one can deny that JULIEEETTT is a really unique program.

 

[melgirl25]

Congrats to Jason, he skates really well to Simon and Garfunkel! Team Orser is on the mend...

 

[karne]

Also, I just want you all to know in advance, when I'm sitting there in Anaheim, if I hear sniggering during Brendan's free skate, I won't even be mad. Because I'll be trying not to laugh too. (Or die cringing through my seat. Not sure really.)

 

[Tavi...]

I’d assume he was lowering the PCS due to the errors, which does happen, though it’s inconsistent. It’s not like anybody had some agenda to keep Jason down; he wasn’t a threat to make the podium.

I’m going to have to disagree. I do think he was generally stingy with the SS mark, but he awarded Keegan an 8.75 with a fall, and he gave Shoma, who had two falls, a 9.0. Jason popped his opening 4S to a 2S, but that was his only really obvious error. I think it’s more likely that J4 scored Jason so low in SS (and most other things) because (1) he skated first (2) no quad, and (3) give Nam and Roman a chance to improve their standings. Or maybe he just dislikes Jason’s skating. Whatever the reason, it’s pretty clear it wasn’t objective.

 

[pearly]

Love it! Only took me until Europeans to realize what the "costume change" was in Alina's program.

I didn't get it until Olympics or Worlds and I had to ask someone to point it out. But wow - best costume change I've seen.

 

[sayaka1030]

Just in case you don’t have the translation

https://twitter.com/goldenskate/status/1056301270338805760?s=21

His interview to the Golden Skate

“In this competition I found where my weaknesses and challenges are, so I will go on working on them towards the next Grand Prix”

 

[century2009]

The PCs seems right.

Shoma had 2 falls/major errors, it should not be anywhere a 9. Although Keegan has less skating skills than Shoma, i would put him around 84 - 86. But it is Skate Canada so a little advantage there, and he did try to battle for gold going last.

Cha is where he should be. He could use a better FP to show off his skating skills but it is not there yet.

Jason should be above him and Shoma and Keegan should be way above him.

 

[Seren]

The PCs seems right.

Shoma had 2 falls/major errors, it should not be anywhere a 9. Although Keegan has less skating skills than Shoma, i would put him around 84 - 86. But it is Skate Canada so a little advantage there, and he did try to battle for gold going last.

Cha is where he should be. He could use a better FP to show off his skating skills but it is not there yet.

Jason should be above him and Shoma and Keegan should be way above him.

Shoma should be the highest, but Keegan should not be that far above Jason. I'm fine with him being above him, but I think he was a little over rewarded here. Cha has potential but he has a lot of room to grow.

 

[Arriba627]

(Also, someone get that boy some chapstick! His lips look awful in closeup! :shocked

Twice I threw him a 3-pack of Burt's Bees chapstick. Guess he never used it. Nervous habit - chewing his lips.

 

[Skater Boy]

The PCs seems right.

Shoma had 2 falls/major errors, it should not be anywhere a 9. Although Keegan has less skating skills than Shoma, i would put him around 84 - 86. But it is Skate Canada so a little advantage there, and he did try to battle for gold going last.

Cha is where he should be. He could use a better FP to show off his skating skills but it is not there yet.

Jason should be above him and Shoma and Keegan should be way above him.

But Jason's scores were getting too inflated in the past. The problem is they could never differentiate for example Chan from Hanyu from fernandez and from every other Tom, Dick and Harry. I actually think Messing is underrated for his skating skills - if he had stayed American he could be like a stronger jumper Jason Brown type. But heis Canadian and not as respected in the skating world.

 

[Mrs. P]

I actually think Messing is underrated for his skating skills - if he had stayed American he could be like a stronger jumper Jason Brown type. But heis Canadian and not as respected in the skating world.

I will do a full-report later regarding the men's free skate, but in response to your skating skills comment having observed both of them live this week: Keegan is faster than Jason, not by a lot, but there is a noticeable difference-- and that's not to say Jason is slow, just that Keegan is more fast. He reminded me a bit of Max Aaron in the speed department. I'd say Jason has better flow to his edges and a bit more control.

Also RE: the Canadian judge -- that 7.75 is kinda strange if you look at the other scores given to Jason from the same judge. The rest of the PCS categories were in the 8.25-8.5 range. Generally if you have a judge that is lowballing a skater/pair, they usually do it for all categories. The 8.25-8.5 is pretty much within the corridor. Jason's +GOE is also within the corridor generally. Can't help but wonder if that 7.75 was supposed to be something else. (I guess you can argue it was an attempt to low ball SS specifically, but that its just not how judges roll generally).

 

[NoNameFace]

I will do a full-report later regarding the men's free skate, but in response to your skating skills comment having observed both of them live this week: Keegan is faster than Jason, not by a lot, but there is a noticeable difference-- and that's not to say Jason is slow, just that Keegan is more fast. He reminded me a bit of Max Aaron in the speed department. I'd say Jason has better flow to his edges and a bit more control.

Also RE: the Canadian judge -- that 7.75 is kinda strange if you look at the other scores given to Jason from the same judge. The rest of the PCS categories were in the 8.25-8.5 range. Generally if you have a judge that is lowballing a skater/pair, they usually do it for all categories. The 8.25-8.5 is pretty much within the corridor. Jason's +GOE is also within the corridor generally. Can't help but wonder if that 7.75 was supposed to be something else. (I guess you can argue it was an attempt to low ball SS specifically, but that its just not how judges roll generally).

I agree. I did not see Jason live, but for me while Keegan powers through his programs with that compact speed and swiftness, creating that feel of dynamic, Jason uses his speed in more 'deliberate' way, in more detailed approach with highlighting his edge work, lines and extensions. For me, both perspectives are suitable for respective skaters and benefit them in their own way.

 

[Jaana]

Feeling sooo happy for Cha, only became 17 last month and now got his first GP-medal, WOW!!! Uno´s gold medal was expected, but great that Messing won the silver...

 

[eppen]

I did watch the FS last night after all...

It was nice to see Jason do better in the FS - this I think is a better fit for his lyrical version than the SP which would IMO require more of a masculine style (Jason's movement is too pretty for that), Brian looked so worried after the SP...

Kevin Aymoz was good to watch even though this is perhaps not my fave of what he has done so far. Needs to work on those jumps still. A lot. He has to drop performance for jumps which I don't like, particularly with someone who has a strong performance side, the break becomes a bit irritating after a while.

Nam Nguyen was a bit like watching a Javier Fernàndez program ca. 2015 without Javier Fernàndez - the layout almost 100% Javi, some of the patterns as well (particularly the approaches to quads). The costume with no bling ditto.

Brendan Kerry gets the reward for the "what were they thinking?!" program - combining a sort of a ballet prince version of Grease with the movie original was utterly strange. At least there was some kind of difference with movement style in the two parts (which still accentuated the strange choice of music). I laughed out loud although don't think it was intended as comedic.

Saw Keegan's Chaplin in Milan and the 30 s cut has made it a bit more tolerable - not as much repetition in movement. Chaplin could become a sort of a Carmen for men as a ready-made character without having to actually make a character - the fact that you actually would have to be able to do comedy with some kind of credibility makes it too difficult to most (thank heavens). In general, his two programs are a bit too similar in style and content. The 87 PCS feels a little exaggerated to me particularly for still rather clumsy movement, dropping peformance for jumps etc, but he was skating in Canada, so not too surprised perhaps (Nathan got 82 for PCS for his FS in Japan Open and 90 in Skate America).

Cha's program is kind of true to the spirit of the Baz Luhrmann movie, and in some weird way I like it. That "Juliet!" though There were three tall guys there - Nam, Roman and Junhwan, all beginning to slowly get over their massive growth spurts. With Cha it easiest to forget because of his boyish styling, but when you see him towering over Brian, it becomes chrystal clear.

Shoma looked good in the first part but started to deteriorate towards the end - the 4 min program really takes its toll. He is unable to get over a 90 in PCS this season it seems (his highest is 89.44 from Japan Open with a fall and two carrots, here two falls and a carrot get him 89.44). As I said in the SP thread, it does not really matter what music he skates to because it still all looks the same and this is no exception. It would be interesting to see him get a choreo from someone else for once. Could he actually adopt a different movement style??

E

 

[demarinis5]

CONGRATS TO SHOMAJESTY!!!! So proud of him!