2024 World Championships Men's Free Skate

[Kris135]

I am going to say he is right about 5ft9 in right now. Last year he grew by about 3 inches, which created chaos in just about all aspects of skating from his jumps to his clothes, it seemed like few weeks he was getting new clothes and by worlds he was wearing yet another set of clothing and at world team trophy his original long program costume was clearly alterated so it would fit him. This year his height was basically static through out the season. I would not be shocked he gained a half inch between GPF and worlds and his boot problems could be because he grew out of them and he has had a very time breaking them in . This time his feet starting growing first and the rest of him will follow. If his his final growth spurt follows last years pattern he going hit 6ft at the end of it. Thankfully this final height boost is going to take place at the best time which the off season this year. Though I hope it just happens and then he done, so he can just have body be stable enough to gain that refinement on his skating skills that he he needs to be that complete skater everyone wants him to be.

 

[icewhite]

Feet and inches always confuse me, but looking at the pictures I don't really get all the growth talk. I think he's about 1,73/74 (5ft7) now, which is roughly about the same height as last season, no? Maybe he grew about an inch, but he's nowhere near 5ft9 if I see him next to Adam, Brown or Kagiyama.

 

[Jumping_Bean]

Feet and inches always confuse me, but looking at the pictures I don't really get all the growth talk. I think he's about 1,73/74 (5ft7) now, which is roughly about the same height as last season, no? Maybe he grew about an inch, but he's nowhere near 5ft9 if I see him next to Adam, Brown or Kagiyama.

174 cm is the height he claims to be in his bio (updated in early December), which is 5'8 1/2''.

His official height in his ISU bio was 168 cm (5'6'') from the end of August 2021 to early December 2023, so if that is believable, his growth rate seems to be nowhere near fast enough to expect him to grow 3 1/2 more inches (around 9 cm) to put him at 6' (almost 183 cm).
At his age, most young men aren't expected to grow much taller, and even with possibly delayed puberty due to doing elite sports, I would be surprised to see him add more than 6 cm to his height, which would put him at 180 cm (almost 5'11''). His parents also aren't particularly tall

But who knows, maybe I'm wrong and he'll have a huge growth spurt over the next few years.

his boot problems could be because he grew out of them and he has had a very time breaking them in.

I don't know if there's actually any indication that he grew out of his old boots, considering the fact that he went back to them for Nationals. Boot issues are not uncommon even for skaters who are definitely not growing anymore.

 

[YuBluByMe]

I think Kagiyama just didn't find himself--or he is too focused on delivering what federation wants from him. Malinin is definitely ahead of him in this respect because he is filling his programs with his flamboyant teen spirit this year and you can't miss it. Maybe once Kagiyama is a bit more established, he can do more. But for now, from the next generation Japanese, it's Miura who delivers the personality and passion in spades.

Agreed, although I apparently like Kagiyama a lot more than you do. There’s something vital missing in his skating that the other two skaters on the podium have. Other skaters have it too (i.e, Selevko, Sadovsky, Jin). I don’t want to say it’s “X-factor” because I don’t find him bland. I find him memorable.

I watched his gala exhibition and I immediately noted that it should be a competitive program. It was a beauty; however, it says a lot that his gala wasn’t any different than what he already puts out on competitive ice. Galas are a chance for skaters to really put themselves out there and do something different and it’s interesting that Kagiyama was the only skater not to do this.

 

[reader3]

Wiki puts Ilia at 5'8 and 1/2- I know that's been changed and updated because it used to be a lower number.

Ilia Malinin - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[lariko]

I'd rewatch Yuma 100 Times before I'd rewatch Misha. We have different tastes obviously

So far we've been rewatching Malinin only

 

[lariko]

Agreed, although I apparently like Kagiyama a lot more than you do. There’s something vital missing in his skating that the other two skaters on the podium have. Other skaters have it too (i.e, Selevko, Sadovsky, Jin). I don’t want to say it’s “X-factor” because I don’t find him bland. I find him memorable.

I watched his gala exhibition and I immediately noted that it should be a competitive program. It was a beauty; however, it says a lot that his gala wasn’t any different than what he already puts out on competitive ice. Galas are a chance for skaters to really put themselves out there and do something different and it’s interesting that Kagiyama was the only skater not to do this.

I mean, I honestly found more moments of expressed individuality in Samsonov's skates who was also a bit like Kagiyama. Maybe that's the word for it. He is repressing his individuality to skate technically clean? I would say that resembles the essentially problem of most Japanese women singles. They all skate beautifully, but they are non distinct. While for women it's not so bad, because most of them aim for it, Kagiyama was next to Malinin, Fa and Uno, who ooze personality on ice. Even Memola manages to put his own stamp on his outings, using his insane height.

We'll see what Kagiyama does next season, but I hope it will go toward telling us what he wants to tell the world with his skating. Unlike some skaters who simply do not have the skill to channel it into theme and message and personality or they mute it by focusing on technical content beyond their natural ability, Kagiyama has plenty of skill. I hope he uses it the way Malinin did this time and in the gala.

Also I understand that Malinin might have just shown the skate of his career--the same way Fa did in France--and that counts.

I hope we will see Kagiyama's career skate. It well might happen at the Olympics too.

Who knows...

But one thing for sure. Malinin took this competition by storm beyond all doubts. He was on fire and he was the super-nova.

 

[4everchan]

So far we've been rewatching Malinin only

so far, i have rewatched only Shoma's SP and Adam's LP. I am not saying I won't rewatch others but I have rewatched a lot of dance and pairs... but not much with the singles.

 

[icewhite]

I mean, I honestly found more moments of expressed individuality in Samsonov's skates who was also a bit like Kagiyama. Maybe that's the word for it. He is repressing his individuality to skate technically clean? I would say that resembles the essentially problem of most Japanese women singles. They all skate beautifully, but they are non distinct. While for women it's not so bad, because most of them aim for it, Kagiyama was next to Malinin, Fa and Uno, who ooze personality on ice. Even Memola manages to put his own stamp on his outings, using his insane height. We'll see what he does next season, but I hope it will go toward telling us what he wants to tell the world with his skating. Unlike some skaters who simply do not have the skill to channel it into theme and message and personality or they mute it by focusing on technical content beyond their natural ability, Kagiyama has plenty of skill. I hope he uses it the way Malinin did this time and in the gala.

Also I understand that Malinin might have just shown the skate of his career--the same way Fa did in France--and that counts.

I hope we will see Kagiyama's career skate. It well might happen at the Olympics too.

Who knows...

But one thing for sure. Malinin took this competition by storm beyond all doubts. He was on fire and he was the super-nova.

But maybe this is Kagiyama's personality. I don't know much about him, but I think he's striving to be the best, to be perfect, to win, and to be polite, friendly, positive and moderate at the same time. This might not be what you call "personality" and I also have a certain preference for programs that are different, original, obviously individual, a bit crazy, maybe even brave - but maybe that is just not Kagiyama. And while I think it's good that we all have our personal preferences and I'm also someone to very much express these preferences with "I like/I hate/I love/it bores me" the judging should be a different thing. For scoring this should not play any role.

I would like different music for him, but maybe that is just not what he wants himself. I don't know, I don't know if interviewers have talked about music to him.

If only Cizeron could make a program for him... I would love to see that because I found Cizeron's works as a choreographer this season very convincing and I think he's also very good in finding something special in classical music choices. I think there is something to be done with the choreography even if he does not want to change his style of music, to make the programs more powerful in terms of emotions.

 

[4everchan]

I don't think Yuma needs to change much really. His musicality is deeply expressed. It's just done differently. Not everyone expresses themselves the same way. He does it with full blade/body connection to the ice. He is also impeccable with musical timing. I know my perception on this may be different than others, but to me, Yuma is extremely musical. I actually find that the exciting armography/giving face some skaters do to be quite on the shallow spectrum of musical expression.

 

[lariko]

I would like different music for him, but maybe that is just not what he wants himself. I don't know, I don't know if interviewers have talked about music to him.

See, that's to me is the indicator of the problem. I don't think any of us knows what Kagiyama wants to skate to. We can never tell if he enjoys his music or not. If he picked it and fought to use it. He never made any score his. Say, Kolyada is also quiet, polite type, but you could see him enjoy his choices or not. There was someone who called Mozalev accountant on ice, but he always had the desire to self-express and you could feel it. Kagiyama comes across as just as studious as Mozalev did at 16 except with way better speed and landed jumps. He even finished before the music because he was done checking off all the marks, and didn't even listen to the score. I don't think just wanting to go clean and do everything correctly is enough--for his huge level of technical skill. I think he shouldn't be getting Presentation component as high as he does, tbh. Because he just skates through it, not presents.

 

[icewhite]

I don't think Yuma needs to change much really. His musicality is deeply expressed. It's just done differently. Not everyone expresses themselves the same way. He does it with full blade/body connection to the ice. He is also impeccable with musical timing. I know my perception on this may be different than others, but to me, Yuma is extremely musical. I actually find that the exciting armography/giving face some skaters do to be quite on the shallow spectrum of musical expression.

I also don't think there's any problem with his musicality. It's just that maybe he can have programs that wow the viewers more on an emotional level - I don't think it matters for the scores he should get, but apparently many people are just not very moved by him, which is such a pity. As a fan of his I would love him to blow people away. He deserves more passionate fans than I see.

 

[4everchan]

I also don't think there's any problem with his musicality. It's just that maybe he can have programs that wow the viewers more on an emotional level - I don't think it matters for the scores he should get, but apparently many people are just not very moved by him, which is such a pity. As a fan of his I would love him to blow people away. He deserves more passionate fans than I see.

well... you know me a bit by now... I am a passionate fan of some skaters count me in. His gala program is the one that gave me the biggest feelings.... and MY CHIDDY was skating that day... so that says it all.

 

[lariko]

I don't think Yuma needs to change much really. His musicality is deeply expressed. It's just done differently. Not everyone expresses themselves the same way. He does it with full blade/body connection to the ice. He is also impeccable with musical timing. I know my perception on this may be different than others, but to me, Yuma is extremely musical. I actually find that the exciting armography/giving face some skaters do to be quite on the shallow spectrum of musical expression.

I am sure some people enjoy a piece of white paper instead of a painting on a wall. It's perfect and very calming.

 

[4everchan]

I am sure some people enjoy a piece of white paper instead of a painting on a wall. It's perfect and very calming.

oh lord... there was nothing calming or white paperish in Yuma's gala program. It was so intense it almost unsettled me.
If you want to bring in metaphors, I would say that some people need to see fireworks to be impressed when the most beautiful starry night sky is right there.

 

[lariko]

I also don't think there's any problem with his musicality. It's just that maybe he can have programs that wow the viewers more on an emotional level - I don't think it matters for the scores he should get, but apparently many people are just not very moved by him, which is such a pity. As a fan of his I would love him to blow people away. He deserves more passionate fans than I see.

I hope he will, because next gen is shaping up as a really exciting group of top men

 

[lariko]

oh lord... there was nothing calming or white paperish in Yuma's gala program. It was so intense it almost unsettled me.
If you want to bring in metaphors, I would say that some people need to see fireworks to be impressed when the most beautiful starry night sky is right there.

I don't see starry sky. Just white noise. I didn't see his gala live though. He does look better live than on TV in competition.

 

[4everchan]

I don't see starry sky. Just white noise. I didn't see his gala live though. He does look better live than on TV in competition.

yes... he is a skater who needs to be seen live. this kind of skating is all about the flow of the skating on the ice connecting with the musical phrase. Yuma can express any nuance of the music with the appropriate intensity of his skating. He just knows how to adjust his flow to match the musical line. VERY few skaters can do that.

 

[lariko]

yes... he is a skater who needs to be seen live. this kind of skating is all about the flow of the skating on the ice connecting with the musical phrase. Yuma can express any nuance of the music with the appropriate intensity of his skating. He just knows how to adjust his flow to match the musical line. VERY few skaters can do that.

To me that describes Uno or Cha, but I would love for Kagiyama to get there.

 

[apgold]

I am going to say he is right about 5ft9 in right now. Last year he grew by about 3 inches, which created chaos in just about all aspects of skating from his jumps to his clothes, it seemed like few weeks he was getting new clothes and by worlds he was wearing yet another set of clothing and at world team trophy his original long program costume was clearly alterated so it would fit him. This year his height was basically static through out the season. I would not be shocked he gained a half inch between GPF and worlds and his boot problems could be because he grew out of them and he has had a very time breaking them in . This time his feet starting growing first and the rest of him will follow. If his his final growth spurt follows last years pattern he going hit 6ft at the end of it. Thankfully this final height boost is going to take place at the best time which the off season this year. Though I hope it just happens and then he done, so he can just have body be stable enough to gain that refinement on his skating skills that he he needs to be that complete skater everyone wants him to be.

I would say that 5'9 is about right. I am 5'4 and passed by him in the second tier hallway before the SP on Thursday.