2021 Cranberry Cup International

[BlissfulSynergy]

I don't keep up with stuff like Personal Bests, but I'd be surprised if that's not it. I've never seen him better.

Vincent has scored slightly higher in the sp, but this is a good score for him. He needs to maintain his focus moving forward.

 

[Amei]

Totally thought the same thing about ham-i-ness. But it was so much fun. Can't wait to see him gain more confidence with it and go even more full Travolta with the choreo as the season continues.

The program only works because he's not afraid to sell it.

 

[TontoK]

How did you know?!

Without the BOX I'm lost!

Alright let's do this thing!

This mid-group of men have roughly the same PCS - adequate, but not spectacular - so it's really down to who delivers the tech. I can remember most of the jump content, so it's a quick in-the-head figuring of who had the best jumps and were they before/after the bonus. In this case, he jumps were about where Uncle B was... but I did give the maturity boost to the old dude.

I'm not nearly this accurate in large competitions.

 

[auser]

Awww. I don't want it to be over. Good thing there is tomorrow. Thank you skaters. Well done. That was fun.

 

[TontoK]

Protocols up. Vincent did about as well as he could have dreamed in a season opener.

Very good GOE on every element. Lost only one level - the steps.

Very solid PCS. 8's, which is nothing to sneeze at this early in the season.

He had to have been nervous, so good for him in persevering.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

Vincent didn't look nervous. He seemed ready to vindicate himself. I'm sure there were normal nerves, but nothing unmanageable. You're not human if you don't have nerves. Or, as someone once said about acting: "If you don't feel nervous when you go out on stage, or in front of the camera, then you need to call it quits altogether."

 

[Dogo]

Vincent's warm-up was solid. He was landing things and his facial expression was very calm. Whatever he's doing, he should keep doing it.

For me, Yaroslav was at the same level of Jimmy. Similar speed and commitment to the program. For now at least, there is a clear line between those two and the guys above (Nathan, Jason, and Vincent). But it makes me so happy to see that they are pushing themselves and we will see a lot of amazing progress in the future. Maybe not for the Olympics but for the upcoming year. For now, this Vincent can take out Shoma easily in artistry (and I'm a HUGE Shoma fan), also Kolyada in Tech. But those 3 are unpredictable sometimes when it matters. Adding a solid Yuma, and another unpredictable Boyang, then you have a huge big battle over bronze/podium.

 

[Dogo]

Rest well people! Looking forward to tomorrow

 

[auser]

"Gifts and/or flowers are not permitted to be thrown onto the ice during any portion of the event," per COVID protocols as of Aug 2. (The section re "Spectators" is on p. 3.)

I know that you been checking the SCOB website diligently, moonvine. Although I am not attending, today I happened to click on the link to the COVID document for the first time. Maybe you already have seen it.



I do hope that you will have a chance to hand some of your gifts to skaters.

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Is it possible that SCOB has 400 parking spaces?

Anyway, FWIW, the ticket pages show that at this point, close to 300 tickets have been sold both for Saturday and for Sunday.
And as bostonskaterguy says, there also will be vehicles belonging to competitors, coaches, officials, volunteers, SCOB staff, etc.

I will keep my fingers crossed for hassle-free parking for everyone.

---

I'm sad to see that Joe Klein is missing from the start order for tomorrow's Junior Men SP.
As of last week, he was on SCOB's competitor list.

---

ETA (on Aug 12):

I forgot to add the link to the handy-dandy (?? ETA: see caveat added below) USFS Competition Central page for Cranberry Cup and Lake Placid International.​

​

2021 Cranberry Cup International and 2021 Lake Placid Ice Dance International

2021 Cranberry Cup International and 2021 Lake Placid Ice Dance International

usfigureskatingfanzone.com

​

It presents the information and links from SCOB in a different way that also could might(??) or might not be helpful.​

ETA (on Aug 12, updated on Aug 13):​

​

Caveat: A problem with the Competition Central page is that its West Rink streaming links for Thu were an old link from Tue ... which could continue to be a problem for Friday.​

​

Although the good news is that at least temporary archiving of streaming seems to be in effect.​

(Competition for Cranberry Open started on Tue.​

International competition for Cranberry Cup and Lake Placid started on Thu. I have been posting some Lake Placid Dance time-stamps in the Lake Placid thread.​

Schedules for Cranberry Cup and Lake Placid and Cranberry Open show which segment was in which rink on which date and at which time.​

If desired, start orders can be deciphered from results pages for Cranberry Cup and Cranberry Open. And for Lake Placid.)​

​

Tue Aug 10 Performance Rink, approx. 9 hr 38 min in length​

Tue Aug 10 West Rink, approx. 10 hr 15 min​

Wed Aug 11 Performance Rink, approx. 9 hr 25 min​

Wed Aug 11 West Rink, approx. 5 hr 19 min​

Thu Aug 12 West Rink, approx. 9 hr 39 min​

(Cranberry Cup Junior Women SP starts at approx. 4:44:05)​

(Cranberry Cup Junior Men SP starts at approx. 6:13:05)​

Thu Aug 12 Performance Rink, approx. 9 hr 32 min​

Thu Aug 12 Performance Rink last group of Junior RD + Malcolm/Lafornara Junior RD exhibition, approx. 28 min​

Fri Aug 13 West Rink, approx. 8 hr 31 min​

(Cranberry Open [not Cup] Senior Men SP starts at approx. 1:10:30)​

(Cranberry Cup Junior Women FS starts at approx. 1:54:30)​

(Cranberry Cup Junior Men FS starts at approx. 3:45:10)​

Fri Aug 13 Performance Rink, approx. 7 hr 10 min​

Sat Aug 14 West Rink, approx. 3 hr 26 min​

Sat Aug 14 Performance Rink, approx. 12 hr 00 min​

Sat Aug 14 Performance Rink last group of Senior Men SP, approx. 43 min​

Thank heaven for you and this wonderfully current post containing links to the archived streams. I tried to access the Sat Aug 14 P Rink 12 hr stream from SC_Boston vimeo page and got the dreaded interminable circle of video buffering Hades. Your link worked. I have bookmarked this oasis of a post. You are a treasure ice coverage.

 

[auser]

Rest well people! Looking forward to tomorrow

You too! Thank you for all your on site insights. Much appreciated and enjoyed.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

About the protocols in the pairs event, as someone said earlier that the protocols will tell the story.

Actually, I knew before I looked that T/M are over-scored on PCS. That's a given. I was right. It's not a mystery.

Their GOE seems reasonable and fair. They were taken off the requisite maximum on the sbs 3S error. But as usual, PCS are over-scored in the Performance, Composition, and Interpretation of Music categories. Checking those scores, I would remove a total of four points altogether. In those categories, I think 9.25s and 9.50s are too high. I'd leave a 9.25 here and there, but take away the 9.50s. I think 8.75; 8.50; and some 9.00s are okay. Plus leave a high 9.25 in a couple of places.

For SS, they got straight 9.0s across the board. But that's where they deserve a couple of 9.25s at least. So, I'd take two .25s from two of the Transition scores and transfer those to the SS. Maybe even add a .50 to one of the SS scores.

Altogether I'd remove a total of 2.75 to 3.00 from the other three categories where they really aren't as strong as they are judged, as I stated above, leaving them somewhere more reasonable around 73+ overall.

I think K/F deserved slightly higher GOE in a few areas, especially on the lift. Plus, they definitely do not deserve a lowball 2 on their 3-twist. Maybe it wasn't quite as high as usual, but it was still good. They had mostly 3s and one 2. It should be straight 3s across the board, IMO. And one judge didn't give anything extra on the death spiral. I don't think that's fair. At least a 1 or a 2. I think the 7.75s in their PCS marks are way too low. Maybe 7.75 is okay for transition mark. I don't pay too much attention to transitions. But they deserve better for Composition, Performance, and Interpretation of Mus7ic: 8.25s; 8.50s; and a few 8:00s okay, but nothing lower than that. Forget about lowballing them with 7.75s which three judges did in some categories, particularly judge #2, who gave them nothing above 7.75. That's wrong. They deserve at least 2.0 to 2.25 additional points overall. So somewhere around 71.87 or around 72.10.

I'm not sure what C/J did wrong on their death spiral. What was the problem there? They received minus GOEs there, which is not usual for them. They also should have received at least a 1 or 2 from judge 3 for their beautifully landed sbs jump which was completely cleanly. They should not be judged on what someone expects they might do based on past track record, but on what they did do in this performance. They deserve more GOE on their lift and more on their 3S. They were really overboard lowballed on PCS by Judge 3. That's simply wrong! No! They should get at least 8s on skating skills. Maybe lowball 7.75s if judges must be nitpicky and mean. I'd give them at least additional 2.00 to 2.25 points total, bringing them to at least 70.90 or 71.15.

 

[moonvine]

Thank you for representing us there all day! Now go make like Yaro and hit the hay

I mean they’ve killed me. The men killed me and I’m dead.
Need to figure out a better way to deal with the flags. They come in lovely square packages and I unfold them and then wad them up and shove them in my bag.

 

[Seven Sisters]

I’m back from the rink, and I just happened to see Blissful Synergy’s post above.

Definitely do not agree with you, Blissful, about T&M being overscored. Their speed is astonishing (like, Davis & White fast, absolutely flying around the rink) and live, it is apparent that they are truly in a class by themselves. I happened to be sitting with a more casual fan of US skating, ie, knows Kwan and Cohen but not all the fine points as it were, and during the pairs she asked, “Did you SEE those Russians?! When he threw her, she landed halfway across the rink! And SO HIGH!”

Well, exactly. It almost looks like a different sport, when they do it!

(not an exaggeration, BTW. The throw in question went across the short side of the rink and did span close to half the width.)

Calalang and Johnson came out with guns blazing—also terrifically fast, truly attacking each element, exhilarating to see. Both were clearly overcome with emotion afterwards (not sure the stream you were watching would have shown that.) Now, she did “ just” hang on to one landing, there were little things off here and there and a clearly visible error on the exit to the death spiral (it looked to me he might have had an issue counting the rotations), but really, a fantastic performance and I absolutely would have had them ahead of K/F.

Loved Chan/Howe’s flamenco program, beautifully constructed and performed. I will also comment that the beauty of Danny O’Shea’s skating skills, though apparent on video, is even more impressive live!

 

[Seven Sisters]

A few more little notes from the rink today:

That Amber Glenn. She enters the rink just as Gracie Gold is leaving after what was undoubtedly a very disappointing skate and as she enters, she is applauding for Gracie, her competitor. Now that is class.

And as she sees Moonvine waving the pride flag after she skates, she touches her heart. So a double class act, with her actions today.

Another touching moment—the spontaneous standing O for Vincent Zhou, after a brilliant skate. I‘ve never understood why there seems to be such negativity towards Vincent, but really, what he put out there today is all any fan could possibly ask of any skater. Really, really impressive!

 

[Azikin]

I’m back from the rink, and I just happened to see Blissful Synergy’s post above.

Definitely do not agree with you, Blissful, about T&M being overscored. Their speed is astonishing (like, Davis & White fast, absolutely flying around the rink) and live, it is apparent that they are truly in a class by themselves.

Yeah, some things can be very different when you see them by your own eyes, especially when it comes to speed, presence on ice, dress impressions....
Speaking of dress, that thing Mariah had on her is not her competition dress, I hope...

 

[Seven Sisters]

Yeah, some things can be very different when you see them by your own eyes, especially when it comes to speed, presence on ice, dress impressions....
Speaking of dress, that thing Mariah had on her is not her competition dress, I hope...

Weirdly…I liked Mariah’s black bodysuit, and thought that it effectively conveyed what I “think” is the intent of the program. It might look different on video.
The program itself, I continue to think is all kinds of wrong for her. I absolutely could see it working for a very different type of skater, though.

 

[auser]

I mean they’ve killed me. The men killed me and I’m dead.
Need to figure out a better way to deal with the flags. They come in lovely square packages and I unfold them and then wad them up and shove them in my bag.

Thanks for your wonderful flag waving(it was fun to look for/see you on the live stream). And for posting your on site insights. Much appreciated. Hope you are having fun even though it is a long day and tiring.

 

[moonvine]

A few more little notes from the rink today:

That Amber Glenn. She enters the rink just as Gracie Gold is leaving after what was undoubtedly a very disappointing skate and as she enters, she is applauding for Gracie, her competitor. Now that is class.

And as she sees Moonvine waving the pride flag after she skates, she touches her heart. So a double class act, with her actions today.

Another touching moment—the spontaneous standing O for Vincent Zhou, after a brilliant skate. I‘ve never understood why there seems to be such negativity towards Vincent, but really, what he put out there today is all any fan could possibly ask of any skater. Really, really impressive!

It’s because he went to Worlds injured. That spot could have gone to another skater and we wouldn’t be in the position of having to claim that spot for Nebelhorn. That being said I certainly don’t hold it against him. He made a mistake which we are all entitled to and I don’t think he’d do it again. Lovely skate.

 

[moonvine]

Thanks for your wonderful flag waving(it was fun to look for/see you on the live stream). And for posting your on site insights. Much appreciated. Hope you are having fun even though it is a long day and tiring.

I was born to have a good time. Ask anyone who has ever met me. Too bad I have a huge sense of personal space. I’m extra enough to be an ice dancer.
Still can’t believe I waved my finger at Adam Rippon. But hey he did it to the judges. I’m just channeling his sass

 

[gold12345]

About the protocols in the pairs event, as someone said earlier that the protocols will tell the story.

Actually, I knew before I looked that T/M are over-scored on PCS. That's a given. I was right. It's not a mystery.

Their GOE seems reasonable and fair. They were taken off the requisite maximum on the sbs 3S error. But as usual, PCS are over-scored in the Performance, Composition, and Interpretation of Music categories. Checking those scores, I would remove a total of four points altogether. In those categories, I think 9.25s and 9.50s are too high. I'd leave a 9.25 here and there, but take away the 9.50s. I think 8.75; 8.50; and some 9.00s are okay. Plus leave a high 9.25 in a couple of places.

For SS, they got straight 9.0s across the board. But that's where they deserve a couple of 9.25s at least. So, I'd take two .25s from two of the Transition scores and transfer those to the SS. Maybe even add a .50 to one of the SS scores.

Altogether I'd remove a total of 2.75 to 3.00 from the other three categories where they really aren't as strong as they are judged, as I stated above, leaving them somewhere more reasonable around 73+ overall.

I think K/F deserved slightly higher GOE in a few areas, especially on the lift. Plus, they definitely do not deserve a lowball 2 on their 3-twist. Maybe it wasn't quite as high as usual, but it was still good. They had mostly 3s and one 2. It should be straight 3s across the board, IMO. And one judge didn't give anything extra on the death spiral. I don't think that's fair. At least a 1 or a 2. I think the 7.75s in their PCS marks are way too low. Maybe 7.75 is okay for transition mark. I don't pay too much attention to transitions. But they deserve better for Composition, Performance, and Interpretation of Mus7ic: 8.25s; 8.50s; and a few 8:00s okay, but nothing lower than that. Forget about lowballing them with 7.75s which three judges did in some categories, particularly judge #2, who gave them nothing above 7.75. That's wrong. They deserve at least 2.0 to 2.25 additional points overall. So somewhere around 71.87 or around 72.10.

I'm not sure what C/J did wrong on their death spiral. What was the problem there? They received minus GOEs there, which is not usual for them. They also should have received at least a 1 or 2 from judge 3 for their beautifully landed sbs jump which was completely cleanly. They should not be judged on what someone expects they might do based on past track record, but on what they did do in this performance. They deserve more GOE on their lift and more on their 3S. They were really overboard lowballed on PCS by Judge 3. That's simply wrong! No! They should get at least 8s on skating skills. Maybe lowball 7.75s if judges must be nitpicky and mean. I'd give them at least additional 2.00 to 2.25 points total, bringing them to at least 70.90 or 71.15.

The pairs SP scoring was pretty much fine to me, the placements were correct. I rarely see a protocol sheet where I find absolutely every mark spot on, and I would go nuts if I dissected it all, especially the PCS, where the categories tend to get blurred together and they don't have time to break down the 5 PCS categories. It becomes more of a placeholder at times. Tarasova/Morozov's 6 point lead seemed a bit much. But it's debatable.

I wish the stream hadn't buffered in the middle of T/M's twist so that I could see if it deserved those +5s. Their twist is one of the absolute best, but there are differences in how it looks depending on the day. Their skating and SP are beautiful and they have some of the best qualities, but they are also sometimes helped by having an established reputation. K/F are still a relatively new team, and C/J have never been to a major international competition-- they don't have the same clout and aren't going to get monster PCS with a fall in an international competition like T/M might. The judges left little room for anyone to outscore T/M even though they fell, which was a little weird, but they showed very high quality elements after the fall. It was one of their best throw 3loops. Nobody from the US can do throws with the explosiveness of T/M except Knierim/Frazier on a good day.

I agree that a +2 was definitely too low for Knierim/Frazier's twist. I've seen far weaker twists get +2s. But I think they've done slightly better twists than that in the past. They can explore why that is, but I think it's mostly about getting Brandon to always buy into the new technique he learned and not revert back to previous technique. They have a lot of potential with their elements and I don't think they've hit the "sweet spot" with them yet. Their marks should go up just by continuing to skate well, because right now they're "the new team" who international judges have seen 2 or 3 times.

Calalang/Johnson didn't have their best death spiral today, hence the low GOE from some judges, other judges let it slide. I wouldn't have given them -1 for the SBS jump, but one judge gave them +4 which was definitely too high, so it kind of evens out. They jump far apart. Usually her 3S is kinda small and has to be reviewed for rotations. Today was the best 3S they've done in maybe a year. Their throw 3Lz isn't a great element for them even when she hits it, and today's throw was very wonky and still got a +2 from someone. So I didn't see any egregious lowballing in any pair's GOE. The protocol sheets are rarely perfect, but it tends to all work out in the end.

On another note, this thread is already 45 pages and the LPs haven't started yet. If only there could be separate discipline threads because I can't imagine anyone scrolling through 45+ pages. Especially for Pairs fans, our posts will be lost in the sea of Singles posts.