(I'm not honestly sure how I feel about the new rule, or if I think it was necessary, but.... it is what it is.)
Probably one of Speedy's "Brilliant Ideas" - because everything should be quick, right? Like a race? -_-
And because they want to hit the bar 5 minutes earlier?
I note that
TV commentators seem to have the biggest struggles with the new 30 seconds start:
The TV footage generally remains on the replays and kiss & cry until a skater's score is announced and we get their reaction. Cameras cut to the next skater just as their name is called or slightly before. Commentators barely have time to spit out the skater's name, country, and age before the skater takes their position and the music starts (which is now significantly less than 30 seconds in most cases).
eg. Whats-his-face doing the skater introductions for the JGP keeps getting in a right fluster because of this.
For this reason alone, I wish they'd stick to 1 minute. Then the commentators (mostly) have time to give us some information and a bit of a build-up, and are not left still talking when the music starts :-/
~~~~~~~~~
PS.
Had a brilliant time at Finlandia, excellent and entertaining competition. The medal winners were all worthy, and lots of the others seriously tried their hardest (especially Ge and Strid), and it was really great to see.
Very pleased for Rika Hongo, I hope she does well at her GP debut at Skate Canada. She (and many others) got hit by costly Lutz "e" violations, I hope she can fix that in the future. Efimenko was a revelation, another bright hope for Finland. Pleased for Voronov too, and Adam Rippon - he was so close to winning it...
The audience was generous to all skaters, of all nationalities. Many Japanese made the trip despite Hanyu withdrawing (true FS fans I guess), and there were not as many empty seats as I feared. Seems I appeared many times in the TV footage too
I wonder who was the poor lady in the Angry Bird Stella mascot costume? (I presume it was a lady, from the white skates)
I'll post photos soon - got a lot to sort through though, so posts will be spread over the coming days/weeks...