- Joined
- Jan 6, 2007
Well, I spend my morning waiting for a call from the hospital about my father's operation - and at a certain point I decided to stop biting my nails and just watch the early groups of the men's competition. Here are my insignificant observations about some of the skaters (first two groups)...
Guy from Korea - 32,31
Ruben Errampalli, Italy - 43,41
Severin Kiefer, Austria - 44,61
Dennis Wieczorek, D-Land - 50,37
Nikita Mikhailov, Russia - 46,40
Guy from Korea - 32,31
- didn't catch the name
- jumps weren't good except for the double Axel which looked like Asada's double Axel
- program was nicely choreographed and he sold it quite well
- the technique on the spins wasn't that good (some traveling) - but I adored the positions, among others he did a Donut-spin and a Y-spin (a real one, like the girls)
- he was really tiny especially compared to the German guy
- quality on the ice was okay
Ruben Errampalli, Italy - 43,41
- the overall program (choreography, not the actual performance) was, well, weak
- he had a horrible camel spin, other spin positions were good and even a bit creative
- double Axel didn't look good, but he landed all the jumps
- good overall speed
- but what I really enjoyed was the guy himself: rather tall (for an Italian man), but looked like he is from Naples or even Sicily, seemed self-confident, in a good mood, not so shy like some of the Eastern European guys - I think he has a certain charisma and would really love to see more of him in the years to come, he could enrich the scene in a Préaubert-kind-of-way
Severin Kiefer, Austria - 44,61
- okay, who names their son "Severin"?
- nice height on the jumps, good technique, he seemed secure on them
- good footwork, a bit tentative
- appropriate program
- didn't know Austrians could skate - but apparently they were a powerful skating nation a zillion years ago, the Swedish and Austrians pretty much won every World Championships in the first 40 years of competitive skating
Dennis Wieczorek, D-Land - 50,37
- he landed the jumps but they weren't good, he should write a mail to Lysacek and ask about how to land jumps if you are very tall and lanky - it always looked like he didn't know what to do with his free-leg
- great spins: speedy, centered and very nice though not creative positions
- quite polished overall
Nikita Mikhailov, Russia - 46,40
- he fell on the combo but I still loved him...
- his quality on the ice is amazing, soft, fluid - loved it
- he moved with conviction - especially during the footwork, not like "oh, I remember, I have to raise my arm at this point", his movements were connected to each other
- good spins for a Russian guy, pretty Donut, nice speed
- the jumps he landed were beautiful, soft, controlled with a great ride-out
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