2022 Beijing Team Event - Day 1

[gsk8]

Team USA leads Olympic Figure Skating Team Event

Editor’s note: On Jan 30, 2024, the International Skating Union (ISU) recalculated the standings after Kamila Valieva was disqualified due to violating the anti-doping rules. The Team Event in Figure Skating at […]

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Lots of new personal bests and great performances!

Nathan Chen climbed near Yuzuru Hanyu's record SP scored of 111.82 (111.71) - This is going to be exciting!

Sui and Han did fabulous! I'm hoping the rest of their performances will be just as good! Mishina and Galliamov got a new PB and Knierim/Frazier did a great job as did Miura/Kihara.

And DANCE

What are your thoughts of Day 1?

 

[Colonel Green]

Russia having Sinitsina/Katsalapov do both parts of the team event is baffling to me given how shaky he looks. They should have been below both the Italians and the Canadians.

The USA came on strong here, though a lot is riding on Karen to keep it close if they're to have a real chance at an upset.

Japan on course for a historic team medal.

Rough day for Roman, but that's pretty much what I expected. Maddie, it's all up to you now.

 

[Blades of Passion]

Russia having Sinitsina/Katsalapov do both parts of the team event is baffling to me given how shaky he looks.

They forfeit the chance at a Gold medal if S/K don't skate the Team Event LP. That would be unwise.

 

[readernick]

Good day for the Americans. I had faith in either US pairs team to perform well here. Nathan was obviously the favorite. I didn't think politics would allow H/D to be first in the RD but they definitely deserved it based on skating quality and cleanliness today. Still the favorites for the silver. Perhaps, they have a chance for gold

Russia may not have scored as well in dance and pairs as they hoped, but Mark did well and was scored generously so that helped them out and M/G were reliable as ever. Definitely still the favorite for the gold, but prior to today, I would have put their chances at 90 percent. Now, I would say 75 percent.

Japan performed to expectations. Shoma had perhaps the best SP of his career. It was beautiful and my favorite performance of the event so far barring one. M/K absolutely adorable but did make a few minor errors that cost them 3rd place. Team KoKo performed to expectation. On the whole, they are looking good for bronze.

Canada had a rough go. The Canadian pair team placed as expected but Roman had a rough program and P/P weren't at their best. It will be a real battle to make the FS.

Sui/Han had my favorite performance of the night. It was just a wonderful program full of quality elements weaved into a mature, emotional performance, Just fabulous. Boyang did ok and so did Wang/Liu. So, it looks like they might make the FS?

To me, the Italian dance team was the second-best in the RD. They are very precise. I don't like their program but I like them. Grassl did well but his 4Lz got the calls that he deserved and that hurt the team a bit. Pair team had a rough go of it. It's been a difficult season.

Team Georgia performed to expectation. I have been thinking they could make the FS and their results here still leave that possibility open.

On the whole, a great day.

 

[Wafflecakes]

They forfeit the chance at a Gold medal if S/K don't skate the Team Event LP. That would be unwise.

IDK Seems risky either way.

There is a non-0% chance that they lose to the Americans in both programs. Then you are in trouble for a medal at all individually.

 

[gsk8]

Some comments from the Team Captains:

"We have an incredibly strong team and everyone is the most prepared they have ever been," said Team USA's captain Madison Chock. "We have complete faith that this momentum will keep building, and we are setting ourselves up for the rest of the team event."

Her partner, Evan Bates, agreed: "Very, very proud of Team USA today. They really set the tone for the team event. I was really excited to be sitting rink side and to witness those Olympic performances. It was just a very special day for USA.

"Our team has great potential and that was demonstrated today in the great performances," he added. "I don’t necessarily think that we feel surprised to be leading the team event. Looking at the roster, we know we have the potential to bring home the gold medal."

Team ROC's captain, Nikita Katsalapov, felt they had a good performance and is looking forward to the Women's short program.

"I am sure Kamila Valieva will do very well," he said. "There is no doubt she is very well prepared, and all of those who have done their short programs now have time to catch their breath and prepare for free skating."

"We have an extremely talented team," he said, regarding Team ROC coming in as the main headliners. "Everyone did their utmost. It’s unfortunate about that (that they are in second place), but there is still the free skating to make up for it. Provided everyone does what they should, the result will be exceptional."

Sui Wenjing feels that she and partner Han Cong are fully prepared to skate for Team China in the Free Skate and that it would give them more opportunity to show their abilities.

"It’s wonderful to be able to compete in the Olympics and also to get a very good result," said Han. "It’s a great recognition for all of us."

 

[GoneWithTheWind]

Russia having Sinitsina/Katsalapov do both parts of the team event is baffling to me given how shaky he looks. They should have been below both the Italians and the Canadians.

I doubt it but maybe S/K have decided that the probable Team gold is more important to them than trying to get the individual silver? Because I can see Chock/Bates outscoring them in the FD if they skate like they did here, and then both silver and bronze in the individual will be up for grabs. Agree that they were scored too highly though.

My highlight of the dance event was, of course, Guignard/Fabbri scoring a SB, getting the highest tech BV of the event, hitting all their key points and coming in 3rd! I thought they looked a little cautious in the middle section, but perhaps I was projecting my nerves on them . Hubbell/Donohue were awesome too, such attack and such deep edges, I don't think many other teams could do that deep edge into drop to the knee slide they do in their step sequence. A well deserved win and fabulous score for them! I think Gilles/Poirier were hurt in having to come after H/D, they were not going to win that battle in terms of skating skills and speed.

 

[Ali81]

Shoma and Nathan were definitely the class of the mens field as expected. Shoma showed so much class and refinement , he is just wonderful to watch in this form. Nathan gave a powerful and dynamic performance as expected . He seems to be in very good shape and positioning himself strongly to earn the singles gold.
Very impressed by Grassl .He is improving at a rate. Why is he getting lower pcs than Kvitelashvili ? Very strange.
Kondratiuk was solid as usual but watching him in juxtaposition to Shoma and Nathan just exposes the gulf in class a little bit .

 

[brigit66]

where we can see programs?

 

[lariko]

Shoma Uno was the brightest highlight of Day 1 for me! I was a bit bummed about Grassl’s placement behind Kvitealashvili, but on the whole, it was what it was. I am of two minds about Kondratyuk’s scores. I am happy that Russian men proved a strong link there and I hope ROC gets their gold so we don’t spend another 4 years hearing how bad Russian men are at skating, but his scoring was too forgiving, particularly since Uno skated right after him. That small difference in PCSs between them was . But, eh, better him than Kvitelashvili if some figure skating convention established that Grassl is not complying with whatever requirements.

The rest, honestly, went as expected, given Katzalapov’s back

 

[cathlen]

Wait, Sui/Han will be skating Free as well?....

 

[Tahuu]

Wait, Sui/Han will be skating Free as well?....

I think they will as pairs SP won’t start until the 18th, nearly two weeks.

 

[cheerknithanson]

Can I say I want Mark to do the FP? His FP is fun to watch.

 

[Tahuu]

Cross figure Karen get third and keep Team USA in a tie with ROC going into the free skate/dance. Vincent can beat Yuma and put Team USA in the lead again. C/B can easily win the FD if Katzalapov’s physical condition is getting worse.

 

[DonnaR]

Sui/Han and Shomo were definite highlights for me - just a joy to watch them both.

 

[cheerknithanson]

I can’t wait to go home from work to finish up watching what I missed cause of sleep.

 

[Arigato]

Really enjoyed Shoma's skate and more importantly, his own reaction to it at the end. That's the Shoma Uno I know - confidence with a fist pump. Great job.

 

[larat]

Shoma Uno was the brightest highlight of Day 1 for me! I was a bit bummed about Grassl’s placement behind Kvitealashvili, but on the whole, it was what it was. I am of two minds about Kondratyuk’s scores. I am happy that Russian men proved a strong link there and I hope ROC gets their gold so we don’t spend another 4 years hearing how bad Russian men are at skating, but his scoring was too forgiving, particularly since Uno skated right after him. That small difference in PCSs between them was . But, eh, better him than Kvitelashvili if some figure skating convention established that Grassl is not complying with whatever requirements.

The rest, honestly, went as expected, given Katzalapov’s back

Shoma artistically was even better than Nathan here, in my opinion. Nathan has just amazing program and performs it very well. His level of artistry is amazing. I think he can do it even better (more free) which would be amazing to watch.

 

[Ali81]

Shoma artistically was even better than Nathan here, in my opinion. Nathan has just amazing program and performs it very well. His level of artistry is amazing. I think he can do it even better (more free) which would be amazing to watch.

Yeah true. Shoma was just clicking today , the jumps were silky smooth with great flow and knee bend and the carriage and artistry were top notch. His triple axel was stunning although we were somewhat deprived by the weird camera angles. I think he should have had the highest PCS today. Nathan is a very powerful skater and a great performer , but his jump landings are a bit stiff and should not really be getting those high GOE

 

[icybear]

Perks of the day. The USA judge giving Sui/Han the highest score even more the Chinese. Considering the judges from USA has always religiously underscored skaters from China and often the worst, I wonder why they have suddenly taken a liking to them. Totally has nothing to do with what's at stake for them. And coincidentally they gave the Russian the lowest across the board.
Also looks like Mummy Eteri might not be able to get her talented daughter an olympic gold. If the judges think their World Champion pair is lower than the Americans, I dont know where they will place this pair, the prestigious "Warsaw Cup" champion. Probably last in the teams FD like they ought to be.