2018 Internationaux de France Men's Short Program

[AJVMSA8588]

Kolyada: people keep saying I’m a headcase with good technique
Aliev: remove “good technique” and hold my vodka

But both so beautiful

 

[moonvine]

Jason looks so much better with short hair, hate to sound mean but I wanted to cut that pony tail off lol!

I loved the pony tail

 

[dorispulaski]

Men's SP group 2
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vEugm0-AbiM

Dmitri Aliev
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DFpkG3kO-2Y
Denis Vasiljevs
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=T_1YmKA0Ruc
Alexander Samarin
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DN98TLFv0Mk
Nathan Chen
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=UkZnC67-ZaA
Jason Brown
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2PafQ8K8QaM
Boyang Jin
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7CCraNSSpls

 

[moonvine]

A fall from Slaythan? Nooooo!! He looked so shocked too lol...

Tara's going to have an apoplectic fit.

 

[LaArdilla]

I have just caught up with the Men and, having watched the whole event I must say it wasn't half bad! French guys were a joy to watch - Romain Ponsart (aka Mr. Mariah Bell) in what looked like Cizeron's Mozart shirt was uber-hot. Raf was so happy! And you can't help loving Kevin. If both men keep improving and that little Anna Kuzmenko turns senior and is still so lovely, France is going to have quite a team at the Olympics!

Well done Jason!

 

[moonvine]

..Don't know how I feel about Jason leading by that much with a quadless program.

I feel great about it. I know quads are difficult - well for a few they seem easy - but really good step sequences, spins, etc are difficult as well. Some who can do quads can't do decent step sequences or spins. Honestly if all a skater can do is quads, and gets 1-2 GOE on all other elements, I'm not going to find it very interesting. And if a skater can only do quads well, and falls on them, it's a 1/2 the value in GOE. So I can definitely see a squeaky clean quadless program scoring over a flawed one with quads. I know a lot of people seem to only care about quads, and how many quads are done in a program - Tara, I'm looking at you, here! For me it's just another element.

 

[moonvine]

Good for Jason for going clean, but a program with no quads should not beat a program that had two quads!

Why not? If you don't land them/land them super sloppy they are not worth much at all anymore.

 

[moonvine]

I'm just super, super stoked for Jason! He's such a sunshine guy, it's been terrible to see him so disappointed after bad skates. Now finally, and leading after the short too!

(I don't expect this to continue in the free, but still!!!)

Me either, but fingers are crossed for a podium!

 

[moonvine]

Legit laughing out loud at people thinking quads are the be all and end all of skating instead of...you know...the actual skating.

Seriouslyl!

 

[Harriet]

Just got caught up on Jason Brown's SP - how utterly gorgeous. The timing of that 3A to the music and the long curve sweeping into it were stunning. I'm glad to see him in the lead!

 

[moonvine]

Which is why I believe the new scoring system will limit the athleticism of figure skating...or at least set it back. Skaters should not be afraid to try and land new jump in competitions, because they know that the judges will rip them into pieces if they are not perfect.

It was already athletic while sacrificing artistry. Quads are not the only thing about figure skating. Maybe we need a new sport and call it "skate jumping" or something and award medals to the skaters who land the most jumps. But figure skating isn't that.

 

[twirlingblades]

I’m less worried about the fall with Nathan (ice is slippery) and more worried about the levels. That’s a lot of points given away. He has nice spins and footwork, there’s no reason he shouldn’t be hitting those levels.

Good for Jason! I hope he stays on the podium. I don’t think he’ll win (he just doesn’t have the BV), but anything could happen.

 

[TallyT]

Good for Jason for going clean, but a program with no quads should not beat a program that had two quads! Talk about over scored. At this point, it's better for Aliev to just stick with triples, if the judges are going to award quadless programs with SP scores over 90!

If the quadless one was done so much better... than why not?

 

[Colonel Green]

I don’t think he’ll win (he just doesn’t have the BV), but anything could happen.

I mean, Rika Kihira got a higher free skate TES score than all but three men skating so far this year (Yuzuru, Shoma, Nathan). He could do it if the quadsters don't deliver.

 

[karne]

I mean, Rika Kihira got a higher free skate TES score than all but three men skating so far this year (Yuzuru, Shoma, Nathan). He could do it if the quadsters don't deliver.

Jason's had high 80s-90 TES in the past, and clearly the judges are more than willing to go with him when he's on, if he delivers a clean quality FS it's very possible.

 

[Mathman]

(Jason) could do it if the quadsters don't deliver.

To me, that's the key right there. Quads are still the be-all and end-all of men's figure skating -- if they deliver.

 

[WeakAnkles]

Just rewatched Jason's program, and what I found super interesting was watching BO's reactions in the K&C. Someone looks like they had their eyes opened to something they never considered before. And Jason looks like he's done a bit of growing up. He took the compliment but didn't gush over it. That's genuine maturity. Al very very interesting.

 

[TallyT]

As much as I appreciate Jason, he still needs a quad to challenge. Right now, he is counting on his competitors to make a mistake, and he much be clean all the time.

I hate to say it, but this may be the first and last year where that strategy makes pays dividends...

 

[Mrs. P]

Just rewatched Jason's program, and what I found super interesting was watching BO's reactions in the K&C. Someone looks like they had their eyes opened to something they never considered before. And Jason looks like he's done a bit of growing up. He took the compliment but didn't gush over it. That's genuine maturity. Al very very interesting.

If you remember it was Tracy Wilson that came to bat for Jason for him to train at TCC. I think Brian knew of his gifts and talent, but kinda didn't realize how powerful he could be when he did a clean program.

I think Brian realized he had something special at his hands (if he didn't before). As he told Jason "YOU DID THAT"

And yeah at Jason -- he seemed really focused and intense.

 

[sworddance21]

It was already athletic while sacrificing artistry. Quads are not the only thing about figure skating. Maybe we need a new sport and call it "skate jumping" or something and award medals to the skaters who land the most jumps. But figure skating isn't that.

Yes - it is would be like power tumbling instead of artistic gymnastics...