2021 Nebelhorn Trophy: Men's Free Skate

[Skatesocs]

I think his Short Program shows his artistic potential way more than his FS. His FS had a lot of unfinished movements and he could show more conviction in his poses and more tension in his hand gestures.

Actually, I think his LP is better. His SP comes off as corny (and the song to my ears is horrifying). For me, if they wanted to show off "lyrical emotion" with him, that Chasing Cars SP was a much better choice for him. He understood how to move to the cadence of that "emo" music far better.

 

[snowflake]

We shouldn't forget that the USFS shouldn't have even been in this position to begin with, and that they were was also entirely Zhou's doing.

Making the free skate at Worlds should not be a difficult ask for a US National medallist.

Just let it go. EVERYONE can fail iat important moments of their lives... figure skaters not the least

 

[el henry]

I think he excels at his overall program performance when the timing is right and the universe aligns. Otherwise he wouldn't have won this competition. Not giving up, not letting yourself go down into oblivion, and coming back stronger after a bad season it's a merit on its own.

I'm not sure that winning the competition means that? I would not say that Vincent "excels" at overall program performance, but then again, I am picky, and leave that designation for skaters like Jason.

But to win a comp, you don't need to "excel" at performance, just combine a good/really good performance with really good jumps, and you'll get it. Plus you get the quad bonus on PCS

Vincent got the job done and I am exceedingly happy. .

 

[karne]

sour grapes. And I loved your comment on the pbp you wrote for Vincent. "Job done." I suppose it was the best you could do.

5 qs and a <. If anything, I was nice to him.

And Job done is factual. I could have written "Job done, shame it's six months later than it should have been" but apparently we're supposed to just gloss over the fact that Zhou couldn't even perform the simple task of making the free skate at Worlds to avoid Nebelhorn altogether.

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

We shouldn't forget that the USFS shouldn't have even been in this position to begin with, and that they were was also entirely Zhou's doing.

Making the free skate at Worlds should not be a difficult ask for a US National medallist.

Oh geez.... when it comes to Zhou, I'll have to give it to you — you are consistent. I knew this would be your only fallback if Zhou did well, and of course you'd have gleefully jeered if he bombed/lost.

But here's the tea. Now that Zhou has claimed the 3rd spot for the US men, that has completely absolved him from his Worlds SP. The result is the same, 3 spots, it just was another hurdle to get there.

Zhou redeemed himself, slayed here, and has now established himself as the US number 2 (his total score here — even with all the q's lowering his GOE/TES — still beat Jason's PB by almost 10 points).

But feel free to keep reminding us about the Worlds SP, seeing as how that's your only saving grace right now, given your longstanding dislike of Zhou. I mean, couldn't you just be happy for Kerry and leave it at that?

 

[Skatesocs]

Ah, the men's skating tea on this website is

 

[jenaj]

We shouldn't forget that the USFS shouldn't have even been in this position to begin with, and that they were was also entirely Zhou's doing.

Making the free skate at Worlds should not be a difficult ask for a US National medallist.

I remember when Lu Chen didn't make the cut at Worlds in 1997 but went on to win an Olympic bronze medal in 1998. Things happen. The ice is slippery. Vincent redeemed himself here and the US has 3 spots thanks to him.

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

5 qs and a <. If anything, I was nice to him.

And Job done is factual. I could have written "Job done, shame it's six months later than it should have been" but apparently we're supposed to just gloss over the fact that Zhou couldn't even perform the simple task of making the free skate at Worlds to avoid Nebelhorn altogether.

Even with 5qs, he scored 99.04 TES which would have been the 3rd highest TES at Worlds this year (for comparision, Uno had the 3rd highest with 94.90). Those are all clean jumps and the only one with a carrot call was the 3T. With Shin Amano as the tech specialist - so you can't even complain that the tech specialist went easy on him.

And yes, we are going totally gloss over the fact. Because the ultimate result is the same as it would have been if he had made the FS at Worlds. Three Olympic spots for the US men.

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

I remember when Lu Chen didn't make the cut at Worlds in 1997 but went on to win an Olympic bronze medal in 1998. Things happen. The ice is slippery. Vincent redeemed himself here and the US has 3 spots thanks to him.

But... but.. but... jenaj! It doesn't matter if he got the 3rd spot today — he didn't get the 3rd spot six months ago, so everyone should be trivializing this competition/Zhou's redemption and focus on the failure that was Worlds 2021!

Also, Lu! That was such an amazing comeback story. Jin also had a similar set back not making the FS. Same with Oda and Czisny.

Even the best skaters - like the only American man other than Chen who has managed to medal at Worlds in the past decade - have bad days.

 

[LiamV426]

5 qs and a <. If anything, I was nice to him.

And Job done is factual. I could have written "Job done, shame it's six months later than it should have been" but apparently we're supposed to just gloss over the fact that Zhou couldn't even perform the simple task of making the free skate at Worlds to avoid Nebelhorn altogether.

I'm not sure what your issue is. Yes, it's his fault the US were here in the first place, and now he cleaned up his own mess by winning and getting the spot back? So that surely absolves him of any guilt?

I cut everyone at 2021 Worlds some slack anyway, given the weird season that preceded it.

 

[figureskatingandrainbows]

I cut everyone at 2021 Worlds some slack anyway, given the weird season that preceded it.

Practically everyone made mistakes. Even Nathan Chen fell. And I think that not making the FS for Worlds really lit a fire under Vincent, and he's looked even better since then

 

[jenaj]

But... but.. but... jenaj! It doesn't matter if he got the 3rd spot today — he didn't get the 3rd spot six months ago, so everyone should be trivializing this competition/Zhou's redemption and focus on the failure that was Worlds 2021!

Also, Lu! That was such an amazing comeback story. Jin also had a similar set back not making the FS. Same with Oda and Czisny.

Even the best skaters - like the only American man to medal at Worlds other than Chen in the past decade - have bad days.

Also, Lu's finish in 1997 meant she had qualified no spots for China at the 1998 Olympics. Like Vincent, she had to qualify a spot in later competitions.

 

[Dogo]

Ah, the men's skating tea on this website is

I swear, sometimes it's better than any episode of RuPaul

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

I'm not sure what your issue is. Yes, it's his fault the US were here in the first place, and now he cleaned up his own mess by winning and getting the spot back? So that surely absolves him of any guilt?

I cut everyone at 2021 Worlds some slack anyway, given the weird season that preceded it.

Zhou could win Olympic gold and we'd STILL be reminded about his Worlds 2021 SP.

 

[Artemisa]

Congrats to men.. but i'm the only one thinking that Zhou score is too tooo generous .. both in PCS and TES

 

[skylark]

I'm not sure what your issue is. Yes, it's his fault the US were here in the first place, and now he cleaned up his own mess by winning and getting the spot back? So that surely absolves him of any guilt?

Without naming names, I think there are some Jason fans who feel threatened by Vincent and try to do everything they possibly can to put Vincent down every chance they get. ETA: Not all Jason fans, by any means.

Not that I understand it. I'm a huge fan of Jason and Vincent and am half in love with both of them.

 

[el henry]

I am happy with Vincent's performance today, and I enjoyed watching it.

That does not mean that Vincent is a steady, consistent performer with one disaster skate that anyone could have so let's all forgive and forget. He has had more than one "less than" skate. And he has also won a World medal. He in the past has confounded all expectations, good and bad.

Vincent appears to now have a mindset where previous bad performances inspire him, and I am here for that, and I hope he keeps it up. But I'm not going to post as though only the mighty Nathan Chen can defeat Vincent, and then barely.

The season is young.

 

[skylark]

I'm not sure that winning the competition means that? I would not say that Vincent "excels" at overall program performance, but then again, I am picky, and leave that designation for skaters like Jason.

But to win a comp, you don't need to "excel" at performance, just combine a good/really good performance with really good jumps, and you'll get it. Plus you get the quad bonus on PCS

Vincent got the job done and I am exceedingly happy. .

I think Vincent excels at overall program performance. In a completely different way than Jason does. Performance is partly objective and partly subjective. On the subjective side, Vincent's expression and emotion bring me right into his world. That's just me, but it's not only me. Plenty of others respond to his artistry.

I loved this German commentator! That's one of his phrases I'm going to co-opt from now on. 'such and such' a skater brought me into his/her/their world.

 

[Skatesocs]

I would not say that Vincent "excels" at overall program performance

Agree.

 

[yume]

We shouldn't forget that the USFS shouldn't have even been in this position to begin with, and that they were was also entirely Zhou's doing.

Making the free skate at Worlds should not be a difficult ask for a US National medallist.

Chen almost didn't qualify for the free skate at olympics. If judges had not given the very generous PCS to save him he wouldn't have qualified and wouldn't have had the opportunity to redeem himself in the free.
Bad day can happen to anyone.