2024-25 Senior Grand Prix Final Men's Free Skate

[YuBluByMe]

Shaidorov being last in the free is just wrong.

 

[reader3]

Congrats to all the medalists and big time congrats for Ilia and so deserving!

Yuma had a very good FS.

 

[TontoK]

I don't see this happening as he wants to be the first to land all quad jumps in the same program. Maybe he will calm down for Worlds in Boston but somehow, i feel that he is very strong minded and will want his name in the record books... Especially since others are starting to pick up more and more quads/fancy combos too.

Given the situation - a big SP lead and his rivals having sub-par LP performances before him, if not now... when?

That said, I didn't particularly enjoy that, as the sketchy landings were apparent in real time. These weren't close calls.

He knew it, too, because the other aspects of the program were low energy compared to previous outings.

The question now is whether he dials it back or cleans it up at US Nats and in Boston.

 

[skylark]

I give Ilia Malinin so much credit for pushing himself ... and the sport ... in every way.

Artistically, no less than Jean-Luc Baker praised him for developing his artistry so beautifully (while Jean-Luc commented on practices at SA). Then, look what he's done today. He pushed himself technically during the free skate. That's very risky, especially at an important competition like the Grand Prix Final! How many of those harping on what people see as his limitations give him credit for what he DOES do, so brilliantly and so beautifully?

I'm very grateful that we have two commentators -- Mark and Ted -- who appreciate and vocalize what they can see IS Ilia's genius. Right now.

 

[4everchan]

Skating is done for the day, for me anyway!

time to get some dinner, and perhaps watch some Hallmark Christmas movies.


DON"T JUDGE!

I recorded the Holiday Sitter... LOL Saw it last year... but i love a good ham and cheese sandwhich

 

[Ares]

You know you do karaoke to this at least twice a month.

Invite me for a bingo Carol!

 

[4everchan]

Given the situation - a big SP lead and his rivals having sub-par LP performances before him, if not now... when?

I think he will try it again... and again... I imagine it being hard to tell him to tone it down... this being said, I don't know him personally.

That said, I didn't particularly enjoy that, as the sketchy landings were apparent in real time. These weren't close calls.

It was not good. Let' s just be honest.

He knew it, too, because the other aspects of the program were low energy compared to previous outings.

Exactly. At worlds last year, it was exciting. Even, I, a non-fan, I was up and cheering. Today, no.

The question now is whether he dials it back or cleans it up at US Nats and in Boston.

I think he will clean up at nationals as the record doesn't mean anything unless it's international competition. If he goes to 4CC, he may try it again.

I have no idea what he will do in Boston.

 

[Kris135]

I don't see this happening as he wants to be the first to land all quad jumps in the same program. Maybe he will calm down for Worlds in Boston but somehow, i feel that he is very strong minded and will want his name in the record books... Especially since others are starting to pick up more and more quads/fancy combos too.

Well Raf saying he going to Worlds for the first time in years and he implied that he going because of Ilia. I really hope that he can knock some sense into his head and stop the extreme stunt pulling. I know wants to push the limits but he might going too far. I really like Ilia and his skating. I just want him to be healthy and in one piece by the time we get to the 2026 Olympics. He is incredible and once in generation talent but it means nothing he ruins all by a career ending injury. I love Ilia parents but I think he really needs a stronger hand now and somebody really needs to rein in Ari his agent because between all the shows he booked him for I do not think is getting enough time to train and to pratice his skates. This craziness needs to stop now.

 

[Arigato]

Thanks to Yuma for saving the face of figure skating in the free. Cheers!

 

[cailuj365]

OK, I have not watched any of the men yet because I can't watch anything live, but I absolutely knew this was going to happen with Ilia. He has not practiced the second 4Lz in his GP free skates this year, he was getting at least one q call on his quads per GP performance, and when you watch him in real time or in practice, he frequently does q's in his jumps. Up until this year, very few skaters were getting called for them, but now everyone is. The downgrades that happened on his protocols is insane but it reflects what was actually happening. I still think he's a genius and he is the first of a new generation of skater, but he needs to go back to the drawing board with this layout or figure out how to stop the q's and <s, because the tech panel is no longer forgiving.

 

[4everchan]

Well Raf saying he going to Worlds for the first time in years and he implied that he going because of Ilia. I really hope that he can knock some sense into his head and stop the extreme stunt pulling. I know wants to push the limits but he might going too far. I really like Ilia and his skating. I just want him to be healthy and in one piece by the time we get to the 2026 Olympics. He is incredible and once in generation talent but it means nothing he ruins all by a career ending injury. I love Ilia parents but I think he really needs a stronger hand now and somebody really needs to rein in Ari his agent because between all the shows he booked him for I do not think is getting enough time to train and to pratice his skates. This craziness needs to stop now.

I don't know. I see a young guy who is doing what he loves and making money out of it.

As Ted said, Ilia mentioned he almost didn't want to compete in Montreal last year.. mental health, fatigue, pressure...
If I were his fan, I would certainly be concerned about worlds in Boston then. The pressure will be much bigger. Same for Amber but she has a different attitude.

Mismanaged talents have happened in the history of figure skating/sport in general (if you follow tennis you know what I am talking about) but I am not thinking it will get that far.

I think at this point, the first bit of the season is over and now the real stuff starts. Let's see what he chooses to do. I wish he would work on his basic skating which is super rough but he won't if the judges give him. 8.5/9s in PCS. So then, he can work on the quality of the elements, because clearly, he got negative GOE on every single jumping pass today.

 

[4everchan]

OK, I have not watched any of the men yet because I can't watch anything live, but I absolutely knew this was going to happen with Ilia. He has not practiced the second 4Lz in his GP free skates this year, he was getting at least one q call on his quads per GP performance, and when you watch him in real time or in practice, he frequently does q's in his jumps. Up until this year, very few skaters were getting called for them, but now everyone is. The downgrades that happened on his protocols is insane but it reflects what was actually happening. I still think he's a genius and he is the first of a new generation of skater, but he needs to go back to the drawing board with this layout or figure out how to stop the q's and <s, because the tech panel is no longer forgiving.

I think the second lutz was a yolo one... He had fallen on the first one, he wanted to land all quads in the same program so he went for it. Ted or Mark mentioned the planned content featured two 4ts not two 4lzs

 

[4everchan]

I give Ilia Malinin so much credit for pushing himself ... and the sport ... in every way.

Artistically, no less than Jean-Luc Baker praised him for developing his artistry so beautifully (while Jean-Luc commented on practices at SA). Then, look what he's done today. He pushed himself technically during the free skate. That's very risky, especially at an important competition like the Grand Prix Final! How many of those harping on what people see as his limitations give him credit for what he DOES do, so brilliantly and so beautifully?

I'm very grateful that we have two commentators -- Mark and Ted -- who appreciate and vocalize what they can see IS Ilia's genius. Right now.

Sorry but
1) there was not much beauty in today's skate.
2) I am one of the ones who don't have him in my preferred skaters' list... yet, I am the first one to say out loud how enthusiastically I cheered for his LP at worlds last year. Now, that was a great achievement. A superb technical performance. Today's was a miss. Let's be real.

 

[cailuj365]

I think the second lutz was a yolo one... He had fallen on the first one, he wanted to land all quads in the same program so he went for it. Ted or Mark mentioned the planned content featured two 4ts not two 4lzs

I think he was absolutely planning to do the second 4Lz. He was doing 4Lz-eu-3F in practice here. The published planned content never reflects what Ilia actually plans to do.

OK, I've only had time to rewatch Ilia's skate now. Yeah, messy landings all over the place, and he knows it, but the admirable thing about Ilia is that he really fights for it. Was it pretty, no, but he came out as champion and he gave it everything.

I freaking love that 4A. I don't care that it got a q, lol. It was awesome.

When skating history looks back at who changed the game, who made everyone work harder, jump higher, jump better, it's going to be Ilia. Yuzuru and Nathan were gods in their own right, but this "QUAD-ONLY or gtfo" mentality is seriously unprecedented, lol. He's the first to start it, and I think some of the Russian juniors will be next.

 

[Karoltyna]

Today's was a miss. Let's be real.

I think Ilia knows it and that's all that matters. They all need to regroup and stay healthy for the Worlds.

 

[lariko]

The way i see it, Ilia already skated clean in Montreal. He skated carefully in his gp events, paying attention to artistry. The grand Prix final is for him to have fun, and for him to have fun is to skate a program with every quad. He knows the event attracts a lot of fans (or as much as could be found nowadays). He gives a show and something new and crazy and shoot for the stars. Same as Shaidorov who rapidly picked up popularity and on whose behalf the arena booed the judges--that's a huge one for him, coming from Kazakstan with no fed and no nobody to promo him. Perhaps, focusing on something other than winning gold or attaining a particular score that doesn't depend on the skater is a psychological excersise that helps with mental fortitude, redirecting the mental energy. Now Ilia who pulled it out of his backside somehow with URs has a new goal to repeat this skate, but clean for Boston.

Basically, they are young, charismatic, full of piss and blaster and they use it. Imo, good for them.

 

[4everchan]

I think he was absolutely planning to do the second 4Lz. He was doing 4Lz-eu-3F in practice here. The published planned content never reflects what Ilia actually plans to do.

OK, I've only had time to rewatch Ilia's skate now. Yeah, messy landings all over the place, and he knows it, but the admirable thing about Ilia is that he really fights for it. Was it pretty, no, but he came out as champion and he gave it everything.

I freaking love that 4A. I don't care that it got a q, lol. It was awesome.

When skating history looks back at who changed the game, who made everyone work harder, jump higher, jump better, it's going to be Ilia. Yuzuru and Nathan were gods in their own right, but this "QUAD-ONLY or gtfo" mentality is seriously unprecedented, lol. He's the first to start it, and I think some of the Russian juniors will be next.

Ilia is certainly changing the game. Whether or not it ends up being good or not, is to see. I am a fan of much older skaters like Buttle, Lambiel and Chan. I miss the kind of edge quality they brought to skating. I don't see this in young Russians nor in Ilia's skating. So sure, history has been made and Ilia is a wonderful jumper (not today but in general) but that doesn't change what I like or not ?
Someone kept telling me I lived very close to the best dim sum restaurant and that I should give it a try... yet, I don't like dim sum so I never went. See what i mean ?

 

[4everchan]

The way i see it, Ilia already skated clean in Montreal. He skated carefully in his gp events, paying attention to artistry. The grand Prix final is for him to have fun, and for him to have fun is to skate a program with every quad. He knows the event attracts a lot of fans. He gives a show and something new and crazy. Same as Shaidorov who rapidly picked up popularity and on whose behalf the arena booed the judges--that's a huge one for him, coming from Kazakstan with no fed to promo him. Perhaps, focusing on something other than winning gold or attaining a particular score that doesn't depend on the skater is a psychological excessive that helps with mental fortitude, redirecting the mental energy. Now he has a new goal to repeat this skate, but clean for Boston.

Basically, they are young, charismatic, full of piss and blaster and they use it. Imo, good for them.

I am fine with this version As long as they have fun and stay healthy.

I do miss gorgeous skating. Fun is fun. Gorgeous is more than that ... IMHO

 

[4everchan]

I think Ilia knows it and that's all that matters. They all need to regroup and stay healthy for the Worlds.

Agreed. Ilia knows. Now it's up to him to see what chapter of his story he wants to write next. Up to him.

 

[lariko]

I am fine with this version As long as they have fun and stay healthy.

I do miss gorgeous skating. Fun is fun. Gorgeous is more than that ... IMHO

I take fun and competition over gorgeousness unless it triggers something very personally emotional in my soul. Like, ice dance has a lot of gorgeous, basically (save for Pasechnik) it's all about gorgeous. But very few dances click for me. Just like the prose can be gorgeous but the book is hopelessly boring. Ilia is basically DaVinci Code of figure skating, while Kagiyama is that upmarket novel nobody ever managed to get past page 12 but everyone says is very well written.