On Site Reports:@ 4CC 2016 | Page 4 | Golden Skate

On Site Reports:@ 4CC 2016

Interspectator

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 25, 2012
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3swa76 News clip from TV about the ladies Sp and the mens training.
Shoma's taking naps on ice again, Mura pulled him up like, "That's not where people sleep Shoma!" :biggrin: Mura and Tanaka are said to be looking good.
you can see Shoma's loop attempts here also. They mostly look UR, as for why he is doing it, he said it's so he can raise the tech soon. The video also shows that Shoma is putting more planning into his training, warmups and off-ice conditioning and diet.
There's also a clip of Yuzu stopping an interview mid-way saying, "I'm sure you are all interested to see him. I certainly am." and left to watch Shoma skate his SP at Nationals and only continued the interview when Shoma had finished. He did this for Javi too during GPF.
 

OniBan

Final Flight
Joined
May 8, 2014
So this is my report! I arrived in Taipei on the 16th, but after going thru customs, buying data plan at the airport and the bus ride to Taipei Main Station (that took about an hour plus) it was too late to reach Taipei Arena before their ticket counter closed.
So we went the next morning instead. (the mrt system in taipei is quite efficient and easy to figure out and there is a station right next to Taipei arena itself).

I got my booked tickets and they were all the yellow section on the 3rd floor. Not ideal because it is quite high up but I can't complain either because it's free. Could've sworn I saw Radford and Duhamel arrive for practice at this point but couldn't be sure. As I walked around the Arena lobby, my brother pointed out a guy with the Malaysian flag on his jacket. Couldn't believe my luck - it's Julian Yee! He was there with his manager - as mentioned earlier we had a chat and they were happy to have some malaysian fans over. His manager is super nice - I accidentally left my malaysian flag behind while packing and she said she will give me hers if we meet up again the next day after Julian ' s practice on the 18th afternoon. Took some photos with them and left the arena feeling awesome!

Afternoon 18th I went to the arena early and met up with Irene (julian ' s manager) and Julian as he finished practice. He said practice went well. His coach (same coach for Kailani Crane I think) was also there. We had a short chat about men needing quads XD. Also an extremely lucky stroke of luck - She did some talking to the lady at the counter and bumped up our seat from third floor to the front of the rink just behind thr judges!! I was ready to explode from all the awesomeness at this point. So so grateful.

So after the opening ceremony (we actually saw the girls who performed at the ceremony practice when we arrives earlier) it was time for the ladies event! These are the things I noted:
The first group - nothing too outstanding but Maisy Hu have real potential! Looks confident on ice and seems pretty fast. She is the first to get the audience stirring for her performance. Too bad about the popped combination jump! I like her though - will be looking out for her in the future.

Amy Lin gets super warm cheers from the home crowd - in fact ppl behind me n all around has purple banners with her name and the taipei flag on it. She need more polish but she gave her all and produced an exuberant performance that got the crowd going so it was really great to see.

2nd group:
During warmup - one could see right away that Katelyn Osmond obviously has a strong presence on the ice. She looked relaxed and calm as she circled the ice around warm up.

Notes from this group:
Kailani Crane has charisma on ice and is a pleasure to watch. Her jumps let her down today but I love her presentation.

Katelyn Osmond is obviously a class above everyone in this group - good speed, confidence going into her jumps, a relaxed demeanor. So it was a huge shock for me when she popped and fell on the double axel! But it's great to see that wonderful smile of hers in real life. She is also faster than everyone in this group so far.

NA Hung Kim
Solid j
Looks like she's going to cry in her performance (idk but she has this tortured expression on her face!)
Doesn't project as much or as compelling as Osmond in terms of performance but has solid jumps.
Her skate is clean and she moves up ahead of the pack.

Next up 3rd n 4th group of ladies!
Gtg for the free dance now, I will update after this!
 

OniBan

Final Flight
Joined
May 8, 2014
Cont report:
Time passes super fast when you watch this live - before I know it 3 hrs have passed and we are down to the last 2 grps.
Also I forgot to mention at the opening ceremony, there were a minute of silence given for those who suffered the earthquake in southern taiwan.
For some inexplicable reason it was at this point the cameraman chose to focus on the large kangaroo toy someone brought for the Australian skaters (it was left sitting on the seats in the yellow section).

So when the 3rd grp of ladies (short program) came in for warm up, there were very loud cheers for the whole lot, particularly Zijun Li, Karen chen and So Youn Park. I think there is a lot of Korean fans sitting behind me as well.
Zijun li is so so so pretty irl omg - She is like this fairyland nymph or something. Karen Chen is like a tiny rocket zooming around the ice. My brother who came to watch with me thought she was 12 at first. Skaters look a lot tinier in person live than I thought they'd be , haha XD

Some notes from group 3:
Brooklee Han has gorgeous spin and her costume design show it off in a really nice way I thought. It went in flashes of black and white as she spins, which is interesting to see.

Karen Chen is fast!! As I said - a tiny rocket! Very confident looking too. Her jumps don't exactly soar but they're decent. An engaging skate from her, I thought - pity on the pop on her second jumping pass. I didn't expect that from her as she looks so confident and self assured from the get go.

Also, I think now I can understand why people keep using certain war horse music a lot - as in the case of Nessum Dorma. Because these music, when heard in this arena add a certain gravitas and sense of grandeur that just reaches out to you as an audience and grabs you. Something that could be missing when using contemporary or pop pieces.

Da Bin Choi - another tiny little thing! I have a feeling her performance will come across better on screen than in real live because she doesn't quite project as much as Karen does and being tiny doesnt quite help either. But she has little flourishes in the choreography that are cute and and would be far more noticeable on screen, I think.

So Youn Park
A seriously gorgeous girl! Love her costume. People are yelling 'So Youn Park FIGHTING!!'
She gave a lovely performance that is not overdone yet draws you in.
Consider me a new fan. Now I hope she has a clean long program :)

Zijun Li
The crowd behind me went nuts for her. Her skate looks so effortlessness and easy compared to others. Maybe a bit too easy at times that you kinda want her to show some kind of life haha XD but her jumps seamlessly blend with the program and it goes away very fast.

It is also at this point I realize that watching a competition live - having physical advantage such as height, proportion of body etc do make quite a discernible difference in terms of.projection and presence on the ice. When one is tall/ or aesthetically proportionate they form a 'bigger' presence on the ice - you tend to notice them more somehow. This phenomenon do not come across on screen because the way the camera focuseed on each skater does not allow for context of their size in relation to the rink.
It makes me feel more for the tiny babies in skating world like Karen, Satoko, Shoma and tiny Da Bin Choi XD
They do have to work more to reach out to the audience!
 
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OniBan

Final Flight
Joined
May 8, 2014
The old cliff hanger :dbana:

Sorry for that! Crazy busy schedule with two competitions to watch back to back today (free dance n men's sp).
I have also learned that you really have to line up early before getting into the rink because while the sections are assigned, seats are not so once inside ppl are scrambling to the best seats!
I've seen one staff at a section entrance got bum rushed by people scrambling inside for the best seat @_@

Cont ladies last group:
The crowd goes nuts over as everyone took to the ice for warm up. My first thought was: 'wow Rika is tall!' Considerably taller than the others in the group anyways. She is all limbs n gangly.. its like the odd awkward tomboy out of the lot and somehow I like that XD
Satton is seriously tiny. So cute!! She is like a real life chibi come to life with big head n small body. It's easy to not notice her as she quietly makes her way around the ice among all the other ladies.
Gracie is also smaller in person than I thought. The only person that didn't appear smaller in person to me is Kanako.

Some notes from the final group performances:

Rika hongo
Ok this girl is not graceful. At all. She is like that endearingly awkward tomboy in a sea of balletic graceful nymphs and glamorous divas. She is fast though - her jumps look good n she has a clean skate. Doesn't seem to project much to the audience, but the crowd cheered warmly for her nonetheless.

Gracie
She is fast but what's with all the botched jumping passes? It's really too bad because she has a good presence on ice and aside from the jumps, had some good moves that makes me think maybe the high pcs she got all these while isn't entirely baseless.

Satoko
The crowd know what's coming and were very supportive of her. She's quite fast n covers a lot of the ice despite her diminutive size. I know people say her jumps are small but as i see it they are in proportion to her size, so it doesn't seem jarring or weird. She can do with a bit more projection with her performance but she went clean n got a standing ovation!

Kanako murakami
Ok what I didn't expect is that Kana-chan's jumps are quite big in person, hammer toe n all.
She is super passionate n energetic n that energy is infectious. People kept throwing her gifts as she walks back to the K&C. And then both her n her coach couldn't see the scores on screen n squinted so hard XD XD They were both so cute.
Best performance of the night easily goes to Kanako for me!

Mirai Nagasu
So pretty irl!
She doesn't have Gracie's speed but she has a more emotional skate and definitely a more successful one jump-wise.
Except for a slightly iffy second jumping pass it's a great outing for Mirai.

When we got out of the rink, we saw So Youn Park and one of the Korean tiny baby skater walking to one of the sections. Just seconds behind them were two excited ladies running after them hahaha! They probably want some photos / autographs XD
 

Ravyn Rant

Totally 80s Dance Party!
Medalist
Joined
Jan 22, 2004
OniBan, thank you for being our eyes and ears at 4 Continents! On-site reports are a lot of fun to read, and it sounds like you're having a wonderful time!
 

slider11

Medalist
Joined
Jan 12, 2014
I am curious if those who are at 4CCs notice that the skaters are just a little off their "game". I haven't seen a performance yet that really is a show-stopper. Is it just too soon after the North American Nationals and, for whatever other reason (maybe because many Asian skaters skate in the US or Canada) the travel takes its toll. Maybe Ashley, Adam, Polina, Julianne and Charlie had the right idea to stay home and focus on Boston. I do enjoy seeing them compete before Worlds; maybe a show-stopper will come tomorrow.
 

OniBan

Final Flight
Joined
May 8, 2014
I am curious if those who are at 4CCs notice that the skaters are just a little off their "game". I haven't seen a performance yet that really is a show-stopper. Is it just too soon after the North American Nationals and, for whatever other reason (maybe because many Asian skaters skate in the US or Canada) the travel takes its toll. Maybe Ashley, Adam, Polina, Julianne and Charlie had the right idea to stay home and focus on Boston. I do enjoy seeing them compete before Worlds; maybe a show-stopper will come tomorrow.

I do notice this with the men in the sp. There were a lot of splatfest leading up to the final group (Kevin Reynolds totally did an Anna P level meltdown) and I think even in the final group only Han Yan, Takahito Mura n Boyang Jin went totally clean.
There may be some problem with the ice too because each time before the zamboni came out you see ppl running out with buckets (of what I wonder??) to patch spots on various areas.
In free dance, right before Elisabeth and Francois took to the ice - there's a couple of little girls stamping and smoothing down the ice in the corner with their skates. I wonder what's that about.
Maia and Alex do look pretty nervous just before their programme (they were circling the ice while waiting for the scores for prev couple and went right past us XD).. at one point she was rubbing her hands and thighs so I wonder too if the rink is colder than usual/ than what they're used to. I noticed Madison Chock did the same.
 

yyyskate

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 1, 2013
@OniBan Thanks you so much for your detailed report. it is so much fun to read. So jelly, I wanna watch "nymph like pretty Zijun" too:love:
That Korean tiny baby skater with SoYoun maybe Squirtle. Some Taiwanese fans got a photo with Squirtle. I also enjoyed Kana's performance the most although it is on the screen. that killer stsq. also i thought Mirai's performance is a very emotional one. Glad that kinda emotion really projected live too.
Are you going to write live report about LP as well. puppy eyes.

about the ice. the thing you described is normal. people always use ice to fill up the holes, marks, left behind by skaters e.g. toe picking before zamboni.
Although I DO think maybe the ice conditions are not idea. since some skaters with strong SS tripped quite a lot, like other posters mentioned elsewhere.
Thanks again:luv17::love::eek::
if ice is too cold, it is kinda more difficult to show-off SS. Skaters with strong SS usually prefer softer ice.
 
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OniBan

Final Flight
Joined
May 8, 2014
Men SP report, just some brief notes on each groups :)

Group 1
No one can seem to stick their jumps properly this round omg. Perfromance wise I rather enjoyed Brandon Kerry and Argentine Denis Margalik (who already played up to judges even during the warmup by doing his step sequence right in front them and catching their eyes XD)

Group 2
Julian Yee!! So this is when we were supposed to raise our flag (I thought we were the sole Malaysian fans there, but later saw there's another group with a Julian banner XD) and my brother, in his overzealousness, ripped the flag right out of my hand when we raised it up. Such sorry excuse for fans we are. Probably need more practice in waving flags XD XD
Anyways Julian did his best and even if the jumps aren't quite with him today (none of the jumps are quite with anyone today it seems except for a very select few!!) it's great to see him perform and I'm happy that he didn't drop character and just went for it throughout the whole time.

Kevin Reynolds is not having a good day at all :(
And as I jotted this down in my notebook - he fell on the step sequence. Poor guy - I wonder what's up.

(After this point I don't remember which group I'm watching because nothing really stood imo. Also during intermission the Japanese lady sitting next to me got super excited everytime a Beneseed ad comes out? I wonder why)

Keiji Tanaka has super star hair and super warm welcome. Seems relaxed but again, step outs on jumps otherwise okay.

Group 3
Grant Hochstein is a short baby but I love love love his performance. You can tell he really feels the music he is skating to and he draws you in with it. So beautiful.
He can skate like that all day without jumps and I'll be fine with that! Consider me a new fan :)

Ross Miner is also not having a good day :(

Group 4
I love how the atmosphere just change when the last group of skaters come out for warmup. There's this buzz in the air and everything is electric. Can't explain it but there is definitely something there!
So I got to see for my own eyes how tiny Shoma is XD He was jumping up and down by the boards before taking to the ice with all the taller guys standing behind him. . just can you get any cuter? Lots of fans in the crowd - guy two seats away from me were yelling his name over and over.

Max Aaron is also not having a good day :(
I feel for the North American team.
But I also find that he has a buttspin I don't entirely hate XD

Takahito Mura is a surprise and revelation. Went absolutely clean in the short (which had been a series of stepouts and splats) and totally charmed the audience. Good ice coverage and seems relaxed and calm. I'm sold. There's a noticeable rumble of dissatisfaction in the crowd when his scores came out - many felt it could've been higher. He got a standing ovation.

Boyang Jin is a monster. I mean really. His jumps are just humongous and ppl went nuts over them and rightly so. His jumps are beautiful and just crazy!! In between jumps he skates..small I feel - it feels contained, short strokes, small ice coverage, not fluid or seamless looking. I think that may translate a bit differently on screen. What I do like (aside from his jumps) is his somewhat boyish enthusiasm which is quite charming XD Standing O from the crowd!

Finally, Patrick Chan. I was never a huge fan but I think I can finally understand what his skating skills are all about. The guy moves like knife through butter and I don't know how to explain it - but his moves just flows and they are big. When he does his step sequence it isn't just on a small area on the ice with short strokes, it went in large arcs around the ice so smoothly that you don't realize what a feat that is until you compare it to someone else.
I know his jumps aren't entirely here today.. but damn - his PCS shouldn't be only 5 pts ahead of Boyang Jin. I can't believe I'm saying this for Patrick Chan (I mean him, needing more pcs points???). But I get it now.
The judges are doing their 'reward PCS for technical prowess' thing here ..and well I guess we'll see how FS goes.

P/s forgot to mention - I also like the Korean skater who skated to Moonlight Sonata in the third group.. I think? I can't remember his name but he looks promising and has nice performance quality.
 
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yyyskate

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 1, 2013
^^ Yes Patrick's SS is special, as special as Boyang's 4LZ, I totally understand you, especially if this is your first time watching live competition.
That Korean skater maybe Jimbo. I havent watch his performance yet.
but how do you feel about another Korean male skater, skated to Jeremy Abbot's legendary music "muse".
 
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el henry

Go have some cake. And come back with jollity.
Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 3, 2014
Country
United-States
Thx for the men's report, OniBan, and especially for your new :love: for Grant.

Good luck for you and your brother to Julian Yee!:hap10:
 

karne

in Emergency Backup Mode
Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 1, 2013
Country
Australia
Thankyou for the report, OniBan!

Did you like Andrew? :)
 

Batsuchan

Medalist
Joined
Mar 8, 2014
Thank you SO MUCH for your awesome reports, OniBan! :bow: :thank:

It is also at this point I realize that watching a competition live - having physical advantage such as height, proportion of body etc do make quite a discernible difference in terms of.projection and presence on the ice. When one is tall/ or aesthetically proportionate they form a 'bigger' presence on the ice - you tend to notice them more somehow. This phenomenon do not come across on screen because the way the camera focuseed on each skater does not allow for context of their size in relation to the rink.
It makes me feel more for the tiny babies in skating world like Karen, Satoko, Shoma and tiny Da Bin Choi XD
They do have to work more to reach out to the audience!

This is TOTALLY what I noticed when I saw a live competition--it's not really "fair," but being bigger really gives you an advantage. :yes: I didn't notice this so much for the ladies when I went to Worlds 2009, but for the ice dance--wow, the tall skaters with long lines just looked more impressive. :eek:
 

OniBan

Final Flight
Joined
May 8, 2014
@oniban thanks you so much for your detailed report. It is so much fun to read. So jelly, i wanna watch "nymph like pretty zijun" too:love:
That korean tiny baby skater with soyoun maybe squirtle. Some taiwanese fans got a photo with squirtle. I also enjoyed kana's performance the most although it is on the screen. That killer stsq. Also i thought mirai's performance is a very emotional one. Glad that kinda emotion really projected live too.
Are you going to write live report about lp as well. Puppy eyes.

About the ice. The thing you described is normal. People always use ice to fill up the holes, marks, left behind by skaters e.g. Toe picking before zamboni.
Although i do think maybe the ice conditions are not idea. Since some skaters with strong ss tripped quite a lot, like other posters mentioned elsewhere.
Thanks again:luv17::love::eek::
If ice is too cold, it is kinda more difficult to show-off ss. Skaters with strong ss usually prefer softer ice.

Squirtle?? Lolol what a cute nickname. Like the pokemon?
I am sitting at the rink now for the ladies LP. Unfortunately I came too late to have my tickets changed to a better seat (they say come an hour before event to have it changed but when I came an hour and half earlier no other tickets were available except those in yellow section level 3, the ones I originally had anyways), so I am at a different vantage point today. How I wish I have spiderman powers so I can climb down to the 2nd level here rawr

Thanks for the info regarding ice resurfacing. Hee I learnt something new today. So the people with the buckets filling up patchy surfaces are normal, yes? That's good to know :)
 
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OniBan

Final Flight
Joined
May 8, 2014
Thx for the men's report, OniBan, and especially for your new :love: for Grant.

Good luck for you and your brother to Julian Yee!:hap10:

Thank you! My exact writings in my notebook says: His (Grant Hochstein) movements are precise, clean and absolutely lovely to watch :love:
 
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