Max Aaron: "I'm shooting for Olympic gold" (per IN, May 21) | Golden Skate

Max Aaron: "I'm shooting for Olympic gold" (per IN, May 21)

CanadianSkaterGuy

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 25, 2013
Hard-working Aaron aims to modernize 'Carmen'
Reigning U.S. champion moves full steam ahead with little break, plans five total quads
By Amy Rosewater, special to icenetwork.com
(05/21/2013)
http://web.icenetwork.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130521&content_id=48162418&vkey=ice_news

Another quote: "I'm doing a lot of work with ballet and ballroom." :)

Five quads actually puts him in the hunt for bronze. And two quads in the SP will not go unnoticed by the judges. Very ambitious of him and hope he can execute all of that content, especially if he's going for a quad lutz.
 

aftertherain

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Jan 15, 2010
Five quads actually puts him in the hunt for bronze. And two quads in the SP will not go unnoticed by the judges. Very ambitious of him and hope he can execute all of that content, especially if he's going for a quad lutz.

Wow. That's really ambitious. I hope he moderates his quad training though. It would not be good for his body in the long run to be practicing so many quads every day, as Tim Goebel has said through his own experience on a few occasions.
 

merrywidow

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Jan 20, 2004
Looking forward to his version of "Carmen". Gotta love Max, his self-confidence & enthusiasm.
 

silverlake22

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Nov 12, 2009
He will have to contend with Kevin Reynolds, though.

Reynolds is much more prone to URs though, his fate really comes down to the discretion of the caller and if he's having a good jumping day or not, more so than all the other guys. Plus his PCS are in the same range of Max anyways, and his 3a gives him trouble which Max's usually don't. Javi, however, does not have these issues (well maybe the 3a is a little inconsistent but when he hits it he hits it beautifully), and gets big GOEs on his quads, and higher PCS than both those guys by quite a bit at this point. Hanyu also has 4t and 4s, as does Brezina, I'd be surprised if either attempted 5 in their two programs, but 4 I think is quite possible. It will be interesting to watch for sure.
 

skateluvr

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Oct 23, 2011
I think he is a real competitor and a podium threat. Likely bronze. Chan is the fave, and Javi and Dai skate with elegance. Kevin is better as a skater. 5 quads wont happen, but Hanyu is the one to fear if you are Chan. Maybe 4th for Max.
 

silverlake22

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Nov 12, 2009
I think he is a real competitor and a podium threat. Likely bronze. Chan is the fave, and Javi and Dai skate with elegance. Kevin is better as a skater. 5 quads wont happen, but Hanyu is the one to fear if you are Chan. Maybe 4th for Max.

Hanyu and Fernandez. Plus Denis Ten's coming out of nowhere, no one else jumps like that, so clean, so textbook...you know when they work. I honestly think Chan will get bronze at the Olympics and realistically deserve to be more like 4th or 5th behind someone like Max, Kevin, Brian, or Michal. Not sure but Chan has been a mess as of late and if Javi and Hanyu deliver those scores are going to be massive...enough to overtake a Chan with errors, at least in a fair world.
 

aftertherain

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Jan 15, 2010
Hanyu and Fernandez. Plus Denis Ten's coming out of nowhere, no one else jumps like that, so clean, so textbook...you know when they work. I honestly think Chan will get bronze at the Olympics and realistically deserve to be more like 4th or 5th behind someone like Max, Kevin, Brian, or Michal. Not sure but Chan has been a mess as of late and if Javi and Hanyu deliver those scores are going to be massive...enough to overtake a Chan with errors, at least in a fair world.

Brian and Michal are more of a headcase than Chan has been this year. The only major international competition that Kevin has truly delivered in was 4CC on two occasions; Max's breakout year was this year, where the only podium he stood on that really mattered was at Nationals. Denis pretty much had the skate(s) of his life, and while I'm hoping he can hang onto that confidence, nothing is set in stone for him. Also, Patrick's artistry isn't all that great, but it's better than all of theirs.

Hanyu and Javier are certainly a different story as one used to have the WR in the SP and the other came really close Patrick's WR in the LP.
 

silverlake22

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Nov 12, 2009
Brian and Michal are more of a headcase than Chan has been this year. The only major international competition that Kevin has truly delivered in was 4CC on two occasions; Max's breakout year was this year, where the only podium he stood on that really mattered was at Nationals. Denis pretty much had the skate(s) of his life, and while I'm hoping he can hang onto that confidence, nothing is set in stone for him. Also, Patrick's artistry isn't all that great, but it's better than all of theirs.

Hanyu and Javier are certainly a different story as one used to have the WR in the SP and the other came really close Patrick's WR in the LP.

I agree, which is why I say bronze for Chan. Hanyu and Javi are very dangerous, have more content, and while they aren't beacons of consistency, they are less error-prone than Chan, PCS is behind but not by that much (unless Hanyu skates like he's having an asthma attack and Javi tanks, then the gap can get pretty big), they can do 4t and 4s and 3a is more stable compared to Chan, Hanyu's spins are better, Javi has the whole charming and good looks thing going for him, Yuzu has youthful exuberance, etc.

The others, as you mentioned, have had spotty results so it's hard to tell what will happen. I just mentioned their names because they have had some notable success RECENTLY and have certain weapons, mainly technical (multiple quads and/or better/more consistent 3a), that COULD enable them to eclipse a zamboni Chan. However, because Chan's margin of error is huge for anyone except for Javi and Hanyu (and Dai if he can miraculously get his jumps back), and he doesn't always tank, and the others don't always skate blinders (and sometimes tank themselves), then the chances of Chan getting knocked off the podium by one of them is unlikely. However it is possible. Gold certainly is not in the bag though.
 

CanadianSkaterGuy

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Jan 25, 2013
Hanyu and Fernandez. Plus Denis Ten's coming out of nowhere, no one else jumps like that, so clean, so textbook...you know when they work. I honestly think Chan will get bronze at the Olympics and realistically deserve to be more like 4th or 5th behind someone like Max, Kevin, Brian, or Michal. Not sure but Chan has been a mess as of late and if Javi and Hanyu deliver those scores are going to be massive...enough to overtake a Chan with errors, at least in a fair world.

Hanyu is my pick to win, because I think his technique is solid and he will peak next year for the Olympics. I picture Chan getting silver and Fernandez bronze. Javi and Hanyu have the technical chops to make up for any PCS advantage Chan has over them. I still think Javi needs a bit more mileage to see if he can consistently stick 3 quads in his FS. I think Hanyu can definitely get 3 quads in his FS (he should replace a lutz with a 4T in my opinion), and he seems to be overcoming his asthma. I love Takahashi but unless he really turns it around (literally, considering his < and << tendencies), I don't see him winning -- but he'll probably have the best programs, and is certainly a threat. I also think Brian's number is up -- he gave decent performances and just isn't getting the PCS he needs to hang with the big guys (not that his programs are actually deserving of the same PCS). I would actually love for Brezina to sneak onto the podium -- he's had such a string of 4ths (other than Euros last year) and it would be nice to see him breakthrough.
 

drivingmissdaisy

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Feb 17, 2010
Trying 5 quads is going to really hurt his PCS score because it is hard to do the necessary transitions into and out of those difficult jumps.
 

ForeverFish

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Aug 21, 2012
I think he is a real competitor and a podium threat. Likely bronze. Chan is the fave, and Javi and Dai skate with elegance. Kevin is better as a skater. 5 quads wont happen, but Hanyu is the one to fear if you are Chan. Maybe 4th for Max.

That's not necessarily certain. Max has a more athletic on-ice personality than many other male figure skaters due to his background as a hockey player. Patrick, Javier, Daisuke, and possibly Yuzuru can get higher PCS, so Max will need to make up the point deficit in TES.

IF Max has a good season, places first or second at US Nationals, and lands five quads at the Olympics (fingers crossed), I see no reason why he wouldn't be in the hunt for a bronze or even silver medal. Of the aforementioned men (Pat, Javi, Dai, Yuzu, Kevin), only Javi has been anywhere close to consistent this season. At this point, honestly, I see Javi as the gold medal favorite, with Pat, Dai, and Yuzu fighting for silver, and Kevin and Max fighting for bronze. Pat, Javi, Dai, and Yuzu are pretty close in terms of PCS, so it'll come down to the quality of the technical elements.
 

fairly4

Medalist
Joined
Oct 28, 2007
I have Max more in line for 2018.

However anything can happen. Yes chan has a bit of gap in regards to pc over skaters, but as.pointed out now Javier, Dennis ten has a bit of rep. Denis ten delivered skate at eorlds where chan hasnt .
Chan had to consider daisuke, hanyu, denis ten ,javier breathing doan his neck capable of winning.
Than add max aaron, kevin,
Possibld return of evan, evgeny .so
sorry forgot brezina, brian, florenf.
So in reality anyone can win depends on how well the skate and how close tbey are piint wise,so can make up difference.
 
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