2022-23 GPF Senior Men's Free Skate | Page 15 | Golden Skate

2022-23 GPF Senior Men's Free Skate

4everchan

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 7, 2015
Country
Martinique
Hi,

im curious why there were four Japanese men? i Thought there was a three per country limit at the GPF or am I totally off my rocker?
As said above it is 3 per country for ISU championships and Olympics BUT also on individual each ones of the individual GP events... Then, for GPF, anything goes, they take the best finishers.
 

figureskatingandrainbows

As Kao Miura once said, スケートって難しい
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 8, 2020
Country
Olympic
Off topic: I can't wait to see this skater return to the upcoming comps. He has healed well.


Anyway, congrats to Uno.
I want to add on to this about Yuma (I miss him too)

He has been training since the end of September after a two-month break from the ice. He struggled with regaining quads and 3As, and is currently not at 100% yet. I believe he is still dealing with some pain/lingering effects from his injury, as stress fractures take a long time to heal, seen with Rika. He is planning on competing at JNats, likely with "watered-down" content (likely 3 quads in the free and 2 in the short), and is excited to perform. He has started doing media-open practices, which is a very good sign that he and his team feel confident about his fitness levels. I expect that he'll be less consistent in his comeback, but he seems to have a good team around him and some of his best programs yet that push him artistically.
 

Greengemmonster

On the Ice
Joined
Oct 22, 2019
I want to add on to this about Yuma (I miss him too)

He has been training since the end of September after a two-month break from the ice. He struggled with regaining quads and 3As, and is currently not at 100% yet. I believe he is still dealing with some pain/lingering effects from his injury, as stress fractures take a long time to heal, seen with Rika. He is planning on competing at JNats, likely with "watered-down" content (likely 3 quads in the free and 2 in the short), and is excited to perform. He has started doing media-open practices, which is a very good sign that he and his team feel confident about his fitness levels. I expect that he'll be less consistent in his comeback, but he seems to have a good team around him and some of his best programs yet that push him artistically.
Grrrr not another crappy stress fracture!!! Why does everyone I like have them???? 😭😭😭

Sending him lots of healing vibes!!!
 

msteach3

Medalist
Joined
Mar 28, 2013
Country
United-States
I had absolutely no problem with Sota fist pumping. He skated two clean programs and has been through a lot of struggles, so it was understandable he was psyched. I remember Yuzu fist pumping a few times in his career and nobody seemed to mind. :shrug:

Congrats to the medalists! :clap:
 

surimi

Congrats to Sota, #10 in World Standings!
Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 12, 2013
I always think of hearing long-time judge Joe Inman say that to him when a skater fist pumps (during a program), it shows him that a skater isn't "into" his or her music. If I remember right, he was referring to a pairs skater when he made that remark.

I think it simply means they're too overcome by emotion at that moment to notice the music. As long as it's not after every other element, or in each program of the season, I guess I don't see the big deal in it when it comes to fans' impressions. I certainly mind it way less than tano'ing each single jump. If one is a judge determining to what extent music is performed to, I understand they have to do their job first and foremost, with no space for empathy.
 

surimi

Congrats to Sota, #10 in World Standings!
Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 12, 2013
Hey, thank you so much for letting me know about Sota Yamamoto's experiences and challenges. That gives me greater insight. I have given similar career challenges info and background to posters who tear down skaters I appreciate.

But in fact, I never denigrated Yamamoto's skating, nor his character (which happened to Alexa Knierim by a poster in the SA fp thread this season). There have also been posters going overboard about Knierim/ Frazier being over-scored, when I don't think that's true, especially relative to how a lot of pairs were scored this season and at GPF. In contrast, I gave Sota Yamamoto credit for probably having the two cleanest performances overall. So I don't argue with the results. LOL at @Arigato fist-pumping the results. 🤣 I fist-pump and bow down to all the men who competed in the finals. 🤩 Also, it's significant to point out that the men were given the most rest in between their sps and fps, unlike ladies and pairs.

Now that you've provided context about the fist-pumping by Yamamoto @surimi, I get it in his case. Still, I don't like to see multiple fist-pumping in programs, unless it's connected to an exciting performance melding great music with choreo. Even then, not on every second half jump landing. But with the context you have provided, I get how happy and victorious SY was feeling to skate two clean performances. Again, I never criticized his skills. I simply prefer the skating of some other guys. Yet, I can now be happier for SY in knowing what he's overcome. At the same time, my opinions about whose skating in the men's GPF fp appealed to me the most, hasn't changed.

I also still say that Shoma and Yuma (if he's healthy) will make the Worlds team. And the third spot for Japan will be extremely hard fought and dependent upon which one of all these talented contenders meets the huge challenge on the day of competition. It could be any one of Shun Sato, Kao Miura, Sota Yamamoto, and K. Tomono, et al. I am familiar most with Tomono, because he's been on the international scene longer. Tomono, for me, projects more emotion into his performances out of his fellow teammates. But doing the advanced tech content cleanly these days, is a demanding requirement.

As another poster said upthread, I too miss seeing the exciting, creative, diversified skating of Junhwan Cha, Adam Siao Him Fa, and Kevin Aymoz. Even Matteo Rizzo, at his best is a joy to watch. And Koshiro Shimada is for me a real sweetheart. Koshiro's successes were nice to see this season, because I happen to know more about him and his career than I do the other up-and-coming male Japanese skaters. I'm also happy that Jason Brown is planning to compete at U.S.Nationals this season. 🥰

As we know, the sport has such a problematic competitive structure. It limits opportunities for many talented skaters. Enjoy your happiness for Sota Yamamoto in his personal victory at GPF @surimi.

It sucks that Peacock didn't show the victory ceremonies. Maybe they will be posted on YouTube.

Thanks for a polite reply. I never said you were bringing down Sota's personality and skating. I criticized yours, and others', dismissal of him in GPF, because if you look at your previous post, you found something nice to say about each of the competitors except for Sota. He just got a remark from you about having the most boring program, and 'needlessly' fistpumping. He did so 3 times, one of them barely perceivable. I think the flack he got for that is over the top.
I provided the context for his emotions overcoming him, as he's normally a reserved skater. If that isn't a 'mitigating circumstance', I don't know what could be. Maybe only his words in a new interview where he apparently says he practices each day knowing that if the bolt breaks, it's over for him. And yet some believe he's not justified in being overwhelmed and celebrating possibly the biggest win of his career.

But I think you, CSG and others don't need to worry about Sota offending again. He seems to have noticed words of all who posted about his transgression, and sheepishly said he might have done it a tad too much in a recent interview.
 
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4everchan

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 7, 2015
Country
Martinique
Figure skating is a sport. Athletes from pretty much all the other sports celebrate when they do well. Since it's FIFA's world cup right now... just look at what happens when someone scores... I don't see what's wrong with a couple fist pumps when a figure skater performs THE program of their lives. I hope fans will not be as mean with Sota as they were with Meagan when she did the same. It is ironic that fans demand fictional emotional skating in connection to a program and the music chosen, but don't want to see real emotions. :slink:
 

elbkup

Power without conscience is a savage weapon
Medalist
Joined
Mar 3, 2015
Country
United-States
Sorry to cross post (I also posted this picture in his Fanfest) but I like it so much. Courtesy of IFS.
View attachment 6136
Wonderful picture; it is such a “Shoma”moment! I remember early days when he could not find his way to the K&C after his skate.. so cute.. that said, I am amazed how mature and elegant he is now compared to his first years..
 

MaiKatze

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 4, 2012
You ARE Blessed!!! Isn't it such a thrill to see these skaters close up? So happy you got to be there.
I had a very good seat on Saturday so I was extremely close to all the action, and yes after the last three years it is a pleasure and a gift to be able to be at such an event. And of course, for me personally, witnessing Shoma skating a personal best, because I've been a fan of his for his entire senior career through the good and the bad. It was definitely worth every cent and the memories I made there will stay with me.
 

mrrice

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 9, 2014
I had a very good seat on Saturday so I was extremely close to all the action, and yes after the last three years it is a pleasure and a gift to be able to be at such an event. And of course, for me personally, witnessing Shoma skating a personal best, because I've been a fan of his for his entire senior career through the good and the bad. It was definitely worth every cent and the memories I made there will stay with me.
This line could not be more true. If there's one thing the members on this site know about me.........Seeing Maria Butyrskaya in person was, and will always be the thrill of my decades of following this amazing sport. A true dream come to life.
 

BlissfulSynergy

Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 1, 2020
Country
Olympics
He seems to have noticed words of all who posted about his transgression, and sheepishly said he might have done it a tad too much in a recent interview
I seriously doubt that Sota Yamamoto read our posts on GS. He may have been told about some reactions on social media, or he heard about talk in the arena. Or, he was specifically questioned about the fist-pumping by reporters. Anyway, he should feel proud of his accomplishments, be at peace, enjoy his medal win, and do all the fist-pumping his heart desires, both literally and figuratively. ✊
 

BlissfulSynergy

Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 1, 2020
Country
Olympics
I don't know about some of the criticism.

If a skater can call himself "Quadgod" and wear hats to that effect in the KnC, then a skater can fist pump after a jump.

Neither of them bother me. Let skaters be themselves🤷‍♀️
Regarding Sota Yamamoto's fist-pumping, I never criticized him personally. Fist-pumping in general, doesn't bother me. Doing it so much tho' makes it very noticeable and also takes us a bit out of the performance. Others were also wondering about it, not just myself. It's likely that someone asked him about it afterward for him to have made such a response in press interviews.

Now that I know about SY's challenges and all he's overcome, the fist-pumping is more understandable. I can go back and watch his performance and enjoy it more and celebrate with him.

I remember at 2016 Worlds when Meagan Duhamel fist-pumped at the tail end of her winning performance with Eric Radford, one of the commentators, Mark Hanretty, was slightly critical. The other commentator didn't feel the fist-pump was a problem. I didn't either, because Meagan did it after all the difficult elements were done. And it didn't detract from the performance. In fact, it enhanced the audience's enjoyment and intensified the excitement in the arena. This is largely because they skated so brilliantly, and the music flowed so well with their execution. That championship performance by D/R remains memorable.
 

lariko

Medalist
Joined
Jan 31, 2019
Country
Canada
Malinin was his usual lovable brat self. I adore him! And Uno was just brilliant.
 
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