2014 Japan Open

[Mista Ekko]

Oh Ashley :disapp:
5UR's and only one element up to level 3 ...
At least we know that score could drastically improve

Ashley's reaction in the K&C is priceless! Just getting the scores and leaving!
After all that she talked about the disgraceful Russian audience. She should look at herself really...

Bogus comparison, You're just a hater

 

[LRK]

I am afraid at the end of the season, we might have to make a pool of which program is the worst POTO ever.

Maybe this might exorcise the demon... er phantom... if not for good, then for at least... one season? Or am I being too optimistic?

 

[Meoima]

Maybe this might exorcise the demon... er phantom... if not for good, then for at least... one season? Or am I being too optimistic?

Can it be for good, please? or at least for the next 3 years. I can't...omg all the vocals just make it worse.

 

[demarinis5]

I just watched the Men. Patrick was absolutely fabulous, loved it!
Shout out to Tomas, loved his program too!

Off to watch the Ladies....

 

[Mista Ekko]

You would think Fernandez would've learned the lesson with the salchow after Olympics...

hopefully they look at his protocols (Last spin too) and avoid this from now on.

 

[Chris_E]

I'm watching the videos now, and the program that impressed me the most so far has been... ashley's I'm sad for all those URs but the performance itself wasn't a bad one at all and this program is just completely different from everything else we're seeing righ now and from what she did in the past, too, it almost looks like an EX program. You can see that she's really trying hard to connect to the music and feel it, this is really a difficult music to skate to and I got the impression that she needs a lot more time to be able to "handle" the choreography and go through the program without making it seem an "emotional marathon", but I see great potential (and some crossovers too many... )

ITA on most of what you said. I admit I'm an Ashley supporter so somewhat biased. Definitely needs to reduce the number of crossovers but I saw some different entrances into the flip and salchow that were interesting. I see a program that is undertrained. Hopefully a few more weeks will be enough of an improvement for her to make an impact on the Grand Prix Circuit.

 

[yyyskate]

watched a few programs. I am so proud of Mirai
Elena and Satoko are the 2 outstanding performances for me. Anna is great, but a bit confused about the choreo, Ashley is also great, but it indeed feels like "emotional marathon", program needs variety/diversity. All girls' costumes are decent this time.
Kanako... lovely girl but I dont know what do say, very confused about her program...

Patrick, you have a season to polish that program, and it will be a masterpiece... just please change the thing you were wearing and find yourself a professional coach and costume designer...

 

[LRK]

You would think Fernandez would've learned the lesson with the salchow after Olympics...

hopefully they look at his protocols (Last spin too) and avoid this from now on.

I'm more concerned about his coach? Of course, Orser may have objected, and Javi insisted on this layout or nothing, but... it just seems... odd? Surely Javi isn't that wedded to the 3S?

 

[LRK]

Can it be for good, please? or at least for the next 3 years. I can't...omg all the vocals just make it worse.

I wish! But I didn't dare say that, as I know it would be too much to hope for... Even one POTO-free season seems like... a hopeless dream...

 

[Mrs. P]

I'm more concerned about his coach? Of course, Orser may have objected, and Javi insisted on this layout or nothing, but... it just seems... odd? Surely Javi isn't that wedded to the 3S?

That is the most mysterious thing to me. Surely he knows how to do other triple jumps? I mean he does them in the rest of his program. Heck just put a 2A there!

 

[lady_bee]

Patrick, you have a season to polish that program, and it will be a masterpiece... just please change the thing you were wearing and find yourself a professional coach and costume designer...

I've just watched the men. I agree with you, yyyskate!
Patrick's performance was just amazing, but his costume
He should take the　shirts(?) off. It might be better to skate half-naked (I know it's illegal, though)

Even though his performance was so shaky, I like Kozuka's program.
What's wrong with him? I hope he doesn't have serious problem.

 

[desertskates]

Oh, Ashley I'm a huge fan, and really hoped she could have a great start to her season in Japan. I think her score was pretty low, but I just don't like the program. And I can't even put my finger on why. Hopefully, some of the kinks will get worked out and it will go a lot more smoothly at Skate Canada. Love the dress, though!

 

[Interspectator]

My thoughts on the men tonight (caution, long and opinionated post)

Jeffery Buttle-
Charmed, my dear, charmed. There is something lovable about him and his skating is sooo beautiful.
The program wasn’t a ‘wow’ program for me, but since it was skated so well it was thoroughly enjoyable.

Takahito Mura-
Nice 3A! This is the second time I’ve seen this program and I think it’s getting better. Of the Team Japan men, for me, Mura is the least ‘polished’ but well used songs like POTO actually suit him. Not bad. If Mura wants to really break out this season, he will need to make sure his jumps are rock solid though. That’s where he can impress the most.

Tomas Verner-
I like the simplicity of his costume. Very classy. Another veteran who just oozes ‘coolness’. But I think Verner will do much better now that he’s focusing on show numbers than he did when he was a competitor. A lot of his jumps just didn’t look ‘comfortable’. When he was doing the step sequences and choreography, it was great.

Patrick Chan
As usual, Patrick Chan’s shirts bring great big question marks into my mind. Grey shows up sweat SOOO MUCH. Patrick was in a class all his own in this competition. This program was skated so well and it suited Patrick perfectly. There was power, and there was speed, and there was also delicacy and intricacy of movement. If Patrick were competing this year, he would be the one to make everyone quake in their boots. That first combination was so big it nearly went off the rink! By all accounts, I should like Patrick much more than I do, but it’s my personal problem that I can’t seem to really ‘get into’ his programs – complex feelings of not feeling enough from Patrick’s skating. Heh.

Takahiko Kozuka
When Kozuka does a spread eagle, it gives me deep joy…but I was really hoping he had fixed his jumping problems by now. It makes me more frustrated than I can express. Kozuka’s skating is fluid and beautiful and should be celebrated so it makes his current wonky jumps stand out more. It was just not his day. Does he have boot problems? Or is he injured? There were so many uncharacteristic mistakes from him. The program itself has the potential to put him on podiums this year, but this was not a good skate at all.

Javier Fernandez
Javi looks good in a vest!
The music suits him, but if he doesn’t get his Salchows under control it’s going to cost him medals!
The vocals did not over power his skating and Fernandez will always skate ‘Fernandez’ better than anyone else. This was not a particularly good performance from him, but the program has the potential to take him to the GPF IF he can make sure he doesn’t zayak. It’s important to me that he does this because I really want him to win the GPF.

 

[MK's Winter]

Loved to see Mirai come out fighting! Definitely a step in the right direction, much faster here. Also loved the Salchow attempt even though she fell. Mentally she looks to be getting stronger, hopefully she will get stronger for SA.

I really enjoyed Ashley's program. Shame on her jumps. Hopefully just an off day.

I don't know about anyone else but while Elena definitely has the the technical prowess I didn't love her performance. Too much arms and she really didn't finish her movements. I think she was scored a little too high in PCS.

 

[Mista Ekko]

watched a few programs. I am so proud of Mirai
Elena and Satoko are the 2 outstanding performances for me. Anna is great, but a bit confused about the choreo, Ashley is also great, but it indeed feels like "emotional marathon", program needs variety/diversity. All girls' costumes are decent this time.
Kanako... lovely girl but I dont know what do say, very confused about her program...

I think it's good Radionova's costume matures her as opposed to that of last season,
But must it look like she has an extremely hairy upper body area from afar ?

 

[Interspectator]

I think it's good Radionova's costume matures her as opposed to that of last season,
But must it look like she has an extremely hairy upper body area from afar ?

It doesn't look like hair to me, but it doesn't look good either. It's just way too many big pearls and beads and sequins, tone it down a bit and that dress will actually be really pretty.
As for her performance, Radionova makes me smile. She and Satoko seem so solid right now. They are both confident in their abilities and that makes them fun to watch.
Although I like Kanako so much as well, her POTO program is one I actually dislike, and that's rare for me. The music cut, her dress, the choreography, it all seems disjointed and not playing to her strengths. I wish so much that she had chosen something else to skate to this year.

 

[yyyskate]

yea, the decoration on shoulder area is a bit too too much. but overall improvement. that is enough for me

EDIT: hairy damn hairy Russians

 

[Alba]

Wow, I think Ashley has reason to be upset about how she was judged; I would estiimate an average -2 on every jump, never getting a level higher than 2 on spins. The elements often didn't look as crisp and clean as they should be, but this seems overkill to me.

But, after watching Wagner, I must say that I feel really bad for her and Mirai, both of them should have score higher. I can understand why they looks upset with their score

The only reason they have the right to be upset about is their skating.
I don't think it's a huge problem, yet. Furthermore, Mirai looks to have an ambitious program.
The season have just started and they have plenty of time to improve.
But I really cannot understand how can you expect them to have good scores with so many UR and fall.

 

[Meoima]

Although I like Kanako so much as well, her POTO program is one I actually dislike, and that's rare for me. The music cut, her dress, the choreography, it all seems disjointed and not playing to her strengths. I wish so much that she had chosen something else to skate to this year.

My same feeling. The music cuts and the choreography are just... Oh dear Kanako, I am very sad if you quit after this season with this program. Who choreographed it for her? I am curious. I hope she will receive some feed back for details change.

So worried about Yuzuru's POTO at this moment. I haven't seen any decent POTO so far. :disapp: It turns out Gracie's is actually the most decent one at this point. Oh Yuzuru... please come up with some okay choreography or else I will be very heart-broken.

 

[Violet Bliss]

Patrick, you have a season to polish that program, and it will be a masterpiece... just please change the thing you were wearing and find yourself a professional coach and costume designer...

Patrick had a contract with Tu Ly to design all his costumes till the Sochi Olympics and his girlfriend too is a designer who did Jeremy Abbott's costume. Patrick's competition costumes had never been ready at JO and since he is not officially competing this season, I don't think he would or should spend on a new LP costume just yet. He likely just picked out something from his old or practice wardrobe.

As for his coaching and training situation, a seasoned champion like Patrick, with his team of support including the federation, knows what is best for himself. Last season's TEB and this JO performances clearly show that he has all the techniques and unparalleled skills plus artistic expression. The Olympics is always and truly an unique situation for skaters to deal with and their performances often do not accurately reflect their athletic competence but their mental state at the moments of competition, thus the results are often full of surprises. Patrick, was particularly under the greatest pressure as the favorite with expectation to bring the first Men's gold medal to Canada.

Patrick's performances at JO, like his costumes, were customarily not quite season ready so it is exceptional that he skated to near perfection here. And a brand new choreography at that, when he could have repriced a well practiced program from his repertoire. It makes me hopeful that his year out of competitions will bring us a relaxed confident skater with a new mindset when he returns next season. The polishing of a program is not always and entirely a function of having a renowned technical coach and endless practice. I also hope he enjoys his university experience.

I haven't watched everybody's performance yet but I would not judge and predict the season for each skater based on this early event.