2024 Skate Canada Men's Short Program

[4everchan]

It is also pretty expensive to get to domestically at least from the West, with no direct flights and stuff. That's why we didn’t go.

Exactly... not only Halifax is not a major city, but it is remote. I could imagine going from Montreal to Toronto... easy... even would be tempted to go to Vancouver but Halifax is another animal for me.

 

[Mathman]

But math is math, and when you have lower base value, you have to maximize what you present.

I guess that was the point I wanted to make in post #483 above. It takes a whole lot of good skating to overcome the math advantage of quad base values, and when the quadsters are also OK in non-jump elements,and overall quality of skating, that's pretty much the ball game.

Of course technical mistakes negatively affect the score, as does uninspired perfromance. But that holds true across the board.

 

[Weathergal]

It really is mind boggling, and folks really ask why attendance is so lackluster? I also would refuse to buy a ticket to attend an event live in a world where Ilia Malinin outscores Jason Brown, Junhwan Cha, and Sota Yamamoto in PCS.

I appreciate what Ilia brings to skating and think in his own way, he's incredibly talented. I think his PCS is improving - and it's not as awful as some I've seen. But...is he at the level or better than Brown, Cha, and Yamamoto? Certainly not.

 

[TontoK]

Canadian nationals last year were in winter vortex Calgary. I went to both worlds and ACI last year and they were well attended. The later it was today, the more people were at the rink. In general, since COVID, events of all kinds have not been as attended as before. Even the subway, which is finally now running at 90% percent of its capacity in Montreal.... It was so empty a couple years ago after lockdowns and remote work... It seems that some people forget that Halifax is a smaller harbour city. It is not Toronto or Vancouver.

My bad.

I'm sure everything is fine. Nothing to worry about.

 

[4everchan]

My bad.

I'm sure everything is fine. Nothing to worry about.

why the black and white ? Of course not everything is just fine but it's not also completely terrible that the sport is dying.

 

[TontoK]

why the black and white ? Of course not everything is just fine but it's not also completely terrible that the sport is dying.

I get that you're a very optimistic person, and a strong advocate for Candian skating, and I respect you for it. Canada has a long and beautiful history in our sport, as well as current high-level competitors. And that should be celebrated. I'm glad you do that. But a dose of realism is required here. For example:

Your National Championship wasn't televised last year. It's a horrific sign that there wasn't even enough public interest for that. Will it be this year? I hope so. And for the record, as I stated above, skating in America is waning in popularity as well, so I'm not throwing stones.

I don't know how to fix this, but pretending it's not an issue doesn't seem the best way to go.

 

[4everchan]

I get that you're a very optimistic person, and a strong advocate for Candian skating, and I respect you for it. Canada has a long and beautiful history in our sport, as well as current high-level competitors. And that should be celebrated. I'm glad you do that. But a dose of realism is required here. For example:

Your National Championship wasn't televised last year. It's a horrific sign that there wasn't even enough public interest for that. Will it be this year? I hope so. And for the record, as I stated above, skating in America is waning in popularity as well, so I'm not throwing stones.

I don't know how to fix this, but pretending it's not an issue doesn't seem the best way to go.

I watched it on TV so i am pretty sure it was televised. There was live events online and recap shows over the weekend.

 

[4everchan]

PS.. the audience is quite substantial today.

 

[NanaPat]

Your National Championship wasn't televised last year. It's a horrific sign that there wasn't even enough public interest for that. Will it be this year? I hope so. And for the record, as I stated above, skating in America is waning in popularity as well, so I'm not throwing stones.

But the CBC streams the whole competition for free, so TV coverage is less important.
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Skate Canada really benefitted from having Hanyu for many years. In SC Kelowna, a lot of the audience was straight from Japan. This not only boosted the audience, but boosted the local economy of the host city.

Skate America this year seemed to be a more local audience. The Residence Inn, which is an obvious choice for Allen (walking distance from the rink) was not nearly full of skating fans (easily recognizable from their see-through bags). In fact, they were also hosting a wedding (or if not the wedding itself, a large contingent of wedding guests) that same weekend.

Attendance at 4CC in Colorado Springs was very poor, but the comparable hotels seemed to be full of skating fans.

 

[Kris135]

I feel the pain as well.Ilia like it or not is star of US figure skating. I have never seen anything like this. The US and World Champion being hidden like a shameful secret because NBC seems to have taken a personal dislike of the kid. That only explanation why NBC and Skate America decided to to put the Men's free skate on at 11am in the morning local time on Sunday of all times to do this, couldn't Ice Dance but put on first to at least allow to crowded to fill in a bit and get a bit latter in afternoon for the men. When Nathan was skating except maybe Nationals it was on in Prime time at night usually on Saturday, now it is lucky if we even to highlight show during prime hours on NBC. I am getting tired of all of this we are roughly 18 months out from the 2026 and lack of promotion is killing the sport. I watched a large amount of the Paris Olympics and I was stunned that nothing was said about the Winter Olympics that are taking place in 18 months.I remember both in Rio and Tokyo how heavily they promoting the following Winter Olympics, mostly Nathan but other athletes that would be there as well, this year nothing they were solely focusing on LA 2028 and though it is home Olympics you think that next games in 2026 would get at least part of the coverage. No nothing not one peep. I was shocked to say the least you have large amount of America watching and NBC seems afraid to mention his name. What are they afraid of? America falling in love with Ilia and sport he does for a living. Would that be such a bad thing. People who were watching his long program last year were brought to tears. Ilia may not be your typical skater but he does bring something special to the sport and it does move people me included. So what if PCS is not as good or skating skills not a refined as Yuma's it does work and it works for him. Ilia could be that bridge back into the skating world so the American Public could see how wonderful the sport is. I could bring thousands of children back to rink in inject new life into the sport and it dearly needs it. So I really want NBC to start to give Ilia and the sport the respect it deserves.

 

[el henry]

I feel the pain as well.Ilia like it or not is star of US figure skating. I have never seen anything like this. The US and World Champion being hidden like a shameful secret because NBC seems to have taken a personal dislike of the kid. That only explanation why NBC and Skate America decided to to put the Men's free skate on at 11am in the morning local time on Sunday of all times to do this, couldn't Ice Dance but put on first to at least allow to crowded to fill in a bit and get a bit latter in afternoon for the men. ......

Oh please, that is when the competition was held. 11 AM Sunday morning, EDT. Ice Dance was held later. That is Skate Canada's choice

Do you really want no audience for figure skating in the US of A? Televise Sunday afternoon on whatever station will have it. Go ahead, put it up against the NFL. Which is what I have been watching, and am watching, and not ice dance.

USFS has been pushing the everliving daylights out of Ilia. Whether he "catches on" is up to him and the skating audience, and not the broadcasters. And does not reflect any choice except ratings.

 

[Kris135]

Oh please, that is when the competition was held. 11 AM Sunday morning, EDT. Ice Dance was held later. That is Skate Canada's choice

Do you really want no audience for figure skating in the US of A? Televise Sunday afternoon on whatever station will have it. Go ahead, put it up against the NFL. Which is what I have been watching, and am watching, and not ice dance.

USFS has been pushing the everliving daylights out of Ilia. Whether he "catches on" is up to him and the skating audience, and not the broadcasters. And does not reflect any choice except ratings.

I was not talking about Skate Canada.i was talking about Skate America last weekend the one I was talking about. When Nathan was competing NBC made every attempt to put it at better hours usually in the evening if possible. The USFS for years have depended on NBC to do their marketing for them, and since the broadcast rights account for vast majority of USFS yearly budget, they usually go along with what ever NBC wants because they can not afford to tick NBC off. It getting to a point where it hard to miss that someone at NBC hates this kid . It is because he will not do what Nathan did which in many ways was promote what ever NBC show/movie/event that they wanted at the time. This avoidance of Ilia is going hurt more than just skating because this going really affect the ratings for the entire 2026 Winter Olympics because like or not if you an American World Champion you are going to be the headliner of the games and let's face it im Figure Skating is the marquee event and if Ilia is the reigning World Champion in Figure Skating it going to start to look weird if this keeps going on next season because you think with all the money they spent to get the rights for the games you think they would want to earn that back. The ratings coming out of Paris were very good you think NBC would start promoting the 2026 games to start the buzz that would cause advertisers to lay down large amounts for Ads during the highest rated events like the figure skating so treating Ilia like he is radioactive is not helping NBC to make their money back because you need to assure the buyers that their money will be well spent. I have no idea what NBC marketing plan is because I have not seen one ad for 2026 Olympics yet. The end Paris games should have been kickoff of the promotion of the next one and this first time that I remember where the Winter Olympic Games were not even mentioned. I know that Bejing left a bad taste in lot of people:s mouth because of China human rights record and the dopping scandal that took over the game, even I did not watch ladies event live because of the mess, but this event is going to held in Europe and let be honest the atmosphere is going to a whole lot better because Italy is much more pleasant location to have the games in general. The Russians may still be banned,one can hope, so the event will be much more honest at least. So NBC could stop treating Ilia and by extension the entire 2026 Winter Olympics like a radioactive mess that needs to be avoided at all costs and just just promote the 2026 Winter Olympic Games with Ilia as a part of them please.

 

[surimi]

Sharing here with no comments... cause I find myself at a loss for words.

And don't forget a 5-something for Sota's free from dear judge #1. I don't mean that as a dig at Malinin's PCS, but rather at the constant undescoring of Sota's PCS (6's and 7's for a clean program yesterday, and not just one or two of them), and the sheer gall of a judge to give any elite skater a 5 for a program that was not a splatfest. I'm disappointed and disgusted, and dreading Finlandia.

 

[el henry]

I was not talking about Skate Canada.i was talking about Skate America last weekend the one I was talking aboute.

Thank you for clarifying, I am sorry I misunderstood. I still don't think figure skating should be scheduled opposite the NFL games, if possible. (Go Birds )

I do not think you need to worry about the Olympics' coverage on NBC. Truly. It will be Ilia this and Ilia that and Ilia in all things. Just you wait.

 

[rabidline]

Focusing on Ilia's PCS vs. Jun's PCS (and Sota and Jason to a lesser extent) is exactly the distraction some of these judges want, and Ilia makes the perfect scapegoat for the overscoring argument, because he is overscored on PCS and he doesn't need to be to win these. Ilia's also a competent performer who plays to his strengths and is such a natural jumper that he doesn't have to fully focus on jumps the way his competitors do when they have difficult quads, so that adds to the argument as well.

The biggest issue with Junhwan here specifically (at Skate Canada, in the 2024-2025 season) was not Jun vs. Ilia vs. Sato, Yamamoto and Jason- it's Jun vs. Kevin Aymoz and Daniel Grassl in his next 2024 GP assignment- GP Finland. Check the judges with 3-4 lowest PCS scores in both Jun's SP and FS and you'll find the pattern: France, Germany, Azerbaijan and Italy, with France and Italy switching their big bad roles in the SP and FS for the sole judge with egregious underscoring.