2024 Championnats Québécois d'été | Aug 8-11 | Page 17 | Golden Skate

2024 Championnats Québécois d'été | Aug 8-11

You are not pointing out anything Canadian fans aren't already aware of.

I have been following Edrian since Junior years. He represented Canada then. I liked him because of his skating skills and his performance flair. When he moved to represent The PH, I still rooted for him. So, nope, I don't care about feds, I like skaters. Do I know more about Canadian skaters ? Yes I do. I go to small summer events in Canada. I attend Nationals. Etc. I watch the live streaming as well... and of course, I celebrate their successes and cheer for them in the hard times. You are the one who said that you were cheering for "small feds" skaters. So maybe, you don't like Edrian anymore because he is back to representing a big fed. Up to you. I don't like a skater just because they come from a small fed myself. I like skaters when they impress me one way or another.
I know that fluff piece of yours that you've mentioned it to me a couple of times ago. Edrian did get his chance to represent PH (I remember that what you've said that the reason why Edrian switch feds because he wanted to participate at the Montreal Worlds) with the risk of no technical content that needs to be competitive or at least to meet the minimum TES requirements for Worlds but he failed plus the PH fed had no financial capacity to assist him (Look what the previous PH fed president did to MCM) whatsoever although the 1/2 reimbursement from comps are merciful since there are other small feds barely give at all.
 
The only technical content for Edrian that matters at the moment are the TES requirements to attend Skate Canada Challenge. He made those requirements, and I hope he enjoys Nationals this season.
 
Edrian is unlikely to make it to Worlds regardless of which Fed he represents or who his coach is. All skaters have limits to what it is technically possible for them to achieve; it's just some have a higher ceiling than others. No amount of coaching would give him the technical skills of skaters like Shoma Uno or Ilia Malinin. What matters is that Edrian achieves what he as an individual is capable of and can take satisfaction from doing so. Having a technical ceiling which is below that needed for the World TES does not make him a failure. If the benchmark for success is being in the top 30-35 in the world at something, almost all people are failures at what they do.
That's the thing about Edrian, the timing on switch coaches while he was young to address the issues and as I backtrack his previous performances which I noticed that he has already hit the ceiling with Beland and sticking with him for so long can have setbacks. But don't worry, just like Anna Shcherbakova which she was used as an example of not to follow her technique that Edrian will be used as an example if skaters don't change coaches when need as it hits the ceiling.
 
That's the thing about Edrian, the timing on switch coaches while he was young to address the issues and as I backtrack his previous performances which I noticed that he has already hit the ceiling with Beland and sticking with him for so long can have setbacks. But don't worry, just like Anna Shcherbakova which she was used as an example of not to follow her technique that Edrian will be used as an example if skaters don't change coaches when need as it hits the ceiling.
Edrian will be remembered for his skating style. In retrospect, if Edrian made a mistake it is to switch for the PH right before Covid. With the very lengthy lockdowns in Quebec, he was simply not able to train. But who could have seen that coming ? And of course, we know why he wanted to do that... Only very few elite nationally were able to get very limited ice time when things started slowly again. As a PH skater, Edrian didn't belong to that group. So if you want to find an explanation for his "ceiling" you have it there.

I personally don't think he was ever going to be Nathan Chen and I have always enjoyed his skating no matter what. it's not always about the results... If it were, the entire crew of Canadian men could just retire right now because none of them will win a world medal... as a matter of fact, only one of them will go to Worlds. So are you saying that Roman, Gogo, Aleksa, Wesley and others should quit because they cannot compete with the top skaters ?

One last time, for Canadian skaters, there is an immense pride in competing for Nationals. Maybe that's something that is more remote to your perspective since you root for small feds skaters. I am pretty sure that Edrian is motivated by skating at home, in front of his family and friends, but that's just my opinion... Yes, I have explained it before : Worlds were going to be in 2020, and Edrian was training hard to improve his content in what you called the fluff piece... It's not a fluff piece, it's an actual competition. Not only worlds in Montreal were canceled but he lost his jumps during lockdown. Many skaters never came back to the same level... not just him.

I admire his courage to keep going and recuperating most of his content, 4 years after the initial objective... and I am pretty sure that this is his last season, with the objective of simply competing at Nationals.

Seriously, at this point, I think it's best to just wait and see... unless you really have a crystal ball. I certainly don't have one.
 
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