2023 World Figure Skating Championships Men's Short Program

[RatedPG]

I’m catching up. I just finished watching the men skate. I just want to state how happy I’m with the top 6. With the exception of Ilia, those are the five skaters I like the most from an artistic stance.

Uno - great 4F. Lovely artistry. Kinda irks me that he always seems to double his combos with no fight. I agree with his coach. One of these days, it is going to cost him. He deserves first place due to best combination of technical and artistry though.

Malinin - I love his jumps the most. I wish he was allowed to go for 4A in the SP. His 4Lz 3T was amazing and his 4T looked like a triple. He fights for every point and that is what I like about him. He may be the only competitor in the final flight, who I don’t like as much from a PCS perspective. But, I think I may be rooting for him versus Shoma tomorrow. I like rooting for the underdog.

Cha - I loved his 4S and the 3Lz 3Lo is what makes him my fave. I was worried about the 3A, and he finally nailed it. Well deserved third place finish. @Ichatdelune I’m a bit worried about him with the free skate. But, I think skating before the two big guns may be better for him. So, I think it is actually better he was not scored higher than Ilia. We will see.

Messing - I think this was my favourite performance of the night. He skated with so much freedom. His 4T 3T was the best I’ve ever seen. His 3A is amazing! I was kind of hoping he would end his career with an exact 100 SP score. Kind of sad to not see him win a small medal with the skate he put out there. I want him to medal so badly.

Aymoz - solid. A bit overscored with his combo. I might be in the minority. But, I like his artistry the most. It is more interesting and I find him more expressive than Jason.

Brown - I love how he clearly deserved this 6th place. Perhaps on TES alone. Shows you can still challenge for top 5 with no quads. Personally, I like Aymoz, Uno and Messing more artistically. I actually think Brown is too predictable with his programs and skating.

I had a friend tell me that the competition was not over after Uno skated as the top two ranked skaters were still left. I told her, that these two final skaters shouldn’t really be in this final flight. Grassl, Rizzo and Adam are in my opinion, just not final flight skaters. They go for layouts that are too ambitious and are over ranked due to the endless competitions they enter each year.

Sota - I just don’t like his skating. Besides the quads, he bores me compared to the 5/6 in the top flight. He was the one I didn’t want to medal and this allows one of my faves, Cha, Messing or Aymoz to medal. I’m very selfish.

Andrew - barely made the free skate. Good thing Jason is here or else USA would lose one of their spots.

Conrad - I thought he just really made one mistake. I’m so sad not to see him in the free skate. @4everchan ill give you a . I still think he was correctly selected and I hope he doesn’t get discouraged as I really see the improvements he has made with his new coach. I hope Canada still keeps two spots if Keegan places in the top ten.

 

[JimR]

Indeed suprising. Considering he had a clean skate and he's American, you would think this would give them a reason to start inflating that pcs. He got less pcs than his 2nd GP event. I guess its because we are in Japan and he is Uno biggest rival for gold.

I don't understand how he was scored and even more confusing are people defending it.

It does seem he's not truly accepted for whatever reason. Like some kind of outsider. Although he is a born and bred American. Maybe if his surname was easier to pronounce, like Brown, the judges would maybe remember him more.

 

[JimR]

I was asking what could Ilia do better to improve his scores.

This was Shoma's 4F. Maybe Ilia should use more prerotation and the full blade to assist his toe jumps. He's leaving points on the table by not prerotating and by not using the full blade. This is something to work on over the summer I think.

 

[Arriba627]

(Can Rohene please choreograph something for Shoma?)

I'd give anything to see a Shoma /Rohene collaboration.

 

[RatedPG]

I don't understand how he was scored and even more confusing are people defending it.

It does seem he's not truly accepted for whatever reason. Like some kind of outsider. Although he is a born and bred American. Maybe if his surname was easier to pronounce, like Brown, the judges would maybe remember him more.

Artistry matters…. I do find myself looking elsewhere after his jumps. There has to be a differential difference separating those with the whole package. PCS skaters often don’t get rewarded enough. I thought the PCS was very fair in this competition. With that being said, I hope Ilia kills it in the free skate and lands all those quads. The 4A should be worth more. The free skate is where technical advanced skaters can separate themselves from the rest of the pack. The SP favours artistic skaters, because the technical skaters only have three jumps and then lose out on PCS score. The free skate allows the technical skaters, the ability to attain 100+ TES scores that are insurmountable. Ilia needs and has time to improve this weakness of his. But, placing in second here was a good result for him. He is a fighter

 

[moonvine]

Kyrylo!

Hey Burak! Or is that a different Burak

Gasp Mark, Belinda it's "Ukraine" by itself with no "the"!

DR FINLAND!!! And awww bless him for helping out Kyrylo!

I like his costume, looks like lightning.

Dr Finland is the best. Should have gotten an invite for that alone.

 

[moonvine]

Jari and Kyrylo . Jari is very Finnish name which is super popular among men born in the 60s. I think I know at least 30 men called Jari, maybe more. It would be interesting to know how he has got his name.

I don’t know 30 people…let alone 30 men…let alone with the same name…

 

[TT_Fin]

I don’t know 30 people…let alone 30 men…let alone with the same name…

I am an engineer, I have studied and worked with men quite a lot. Also in my childhood neighbourhood was two boys called Jari.

 

[moonvine]

Belinda: Adam didn't come here to play, he came here to slaaaaay

My son!!!! Adopted him a couple of years ago when he was a young bespectacled boy…. I love skaters in spectacles..don’t ask me why..

 

[Tavi...]

I don't understand how he was scored and even more confusing are people defending it.

It does seem he's not truly accepted for whatever reason. Like some kind of outsider. Although he is a born and bred American. Maybe if his surname was easier to pronounce, like Brown, the judges would maybe remember him more.

Darling, do you know what Jason’s SP PCS were in his first two international championships?

40.14 - Worlds
40.61 - Olympics

Do you know what Nathan’s was at his first major international?

40.68 - GP Final

Stop whining about bias.

 

[TontoK]

I was asking what could Ilia do better to improve his scores.

This was Shoma's 4F. Maybe Ilia should use more prerotation and the full blade to assist his toe jumps. He's leaving points on the table by not prerotating and by not using the full blade. This is something to work on over the summer I think.

Well, we DO agree on one point.

The GOEs thrown at this jump was shameful. I'm not sure how Morisi's "toe loopish" jump rightfully draws so much ire, but this gets a pass.

And it's not like it's a one-off. This has been a problem for years.

 

[snowflake]

Sheesh, gimme a break.

Jason's skating skills are excellent but his presentation and artistry are far beyond any of the other men, which was reflected in his PCS. With or without a quad, he's in a class by himself. He earned his place in the final group -- fair and square!

That's subjective. I can't see how his presentation and artistry is far better than for example Kevin's or Keegans's or Shoma's(who got the same presentation score as Jason.) Jason has great skating skills and gets high GOE on his elements which bring him to the top.

By the way happy to see Keegan got the same skating skill-score as Jason. Shoma had better.

Sure Jason belongs in the final group. He skated clean and Adam and Kazuki who could have been there messed up.

 

[Olympic]

Looking at the scores heading into the LP, this is a 4 man race for the medals among Cha, Messing, Malinin and Uno. While Uno is closer to the pack then I thought he would be, I still consider him the fave. But it will be a very close run on the Silver among the other 3 skaters. Prior to Worlds, I thought if Malinin skated a clean SP, he'd likely win Silver but Messing is skating otherworldly 2 comps in a row, and Cha is suddenly right there.

 

[readernick]

That's subjective. I can't see how his presentation and artistry is far better than for example Kevin's or Keegans's or Shoma's(who got the same presentation score as Jason.) Jason has great skating skills and gets high GOE on his elements which bring him to the top.

By the way happy to see Keegan got the same skating skill-score as Jason. Shoma had better.

Sure Jason belongs in the final group. He skated clean and Adam and Kazuki who could have been there messed up.

What we like/find beautiful is subjective ( which is why I agree with your basic argument) but many PCS score really aren't that subjective if accurately applied. For instance, Kevin is very artistic/ has amazing dance ability but does not have Jason , Shoma, or Keegan's level of SS. Keegan has great SS and speed, good transitions but almost no upper body control. Shoma and Jason are the two skaters who combine the SS and upper body posture/ control along with their performance. This doesn't mean they are the most "artistic," but it does mean their higher PCS is correct.

 

[moonvine]

I finally finished this. And all I can say is: I love Keegan so dang much. . I love Keegan more than ice cream. Please dear skating gods hear my prayer. Keegan for the podium. I literally care not about anything else. Even if the US gets 3 places. I do not care. Keegan for the podium.