2025-26 Grand Prix Final Men's Short Program

[LazyFuzai]

Summary after rewatching:

Ilia:Oyoyoyoy.You can't even make 4A+3T? Joking aside really soft legs today my boy.What happened.Its 14 points behind.Anyway it's okay to try high level combination at the Grand Prix final if that's your goal for Olympics,but seems the pressure get here.Can he comeback with 2x 4A tomorrow? Exciting stuff.

Yuma:Finally Yuma shows up.Not gonna comment on this program choice,but it is way way more polished tha it was last two months.Looking like he wants to skate again.Technically just masterpiece.
Great work with music as well.

Sato:There is a light in this dark room and Shun is the only one that shine bright in those dark times for Mens.Excellent work this season,even tho it wasn't his best skate.Fight till the end.

Grassl:Eem nice to see two quads and excellent 3A,but where is choreo part of this program? Is he gonna show it later?

Mikhail:Not much to say.Disaster for him with two fails on Quads.

Adam:You too? Can't do a proper quad? Yesus christ.Its Olympic season....

 

[LazyFuzai]

Not gonna lie it was boring as f**k,but Ilia make it interesting for us.Overall weak competition as predicted.

 

[elbkup]

Summary after rewatching:

Ilia:Oyoyoyoy.You can't even make 4A+3T? Joking aside really soft legs today my boy.What happened.Its 14 points behind.Anyway it's okay to try high level combination at the Grand Prix final if that's your goal for Olympics,but seems the pressure get here.Can he comeback with 2x 4A tomorrow? Exciting stuff.

Yuma:Finally Yuma shows up.Not gonna comment on this program choice,but it is way way more polished tha it was last two months.Looking like he wants to skate again.Technically just masterpiece.
Great work with music as well.

Sato:There is a light in this dark room and Shun is the only one that shine bright in those dark times for Mens.Excellent work this season,even tho it wasn't his best skate.Fight till the end.

Grassl:Eem nice to see two quads and excellent 3A,but where is choreo part of this program? Is he gonna show it later?

Mikhail:Not much to say.Disaster for him with two fails on Quads.

Adam:You too? Can't do a proper quad? Yesus christ.Its Olympic season....

Agree with all except Grassel who impressed me.. love the program

 

[elbkup]

Little while ago i watched some of Ilia’s early programs and am astonished how he has changed physically, I think not really evident unless compared. Still slim but more muscle which makes me wonder if he is changing his technique a bit to accommodate. He is just absolutely phenomenal !

 

[Jammers]

Ilia pulled a Nathan in 2018 at the Olympics and changed his layout for the SP including the 4axel which he hasn't needed all season. If he loses in Milano it will be his ego getting the better of him and taking unnecessary risks. Losing here might be the best thing for him just like Nathan losing at Skate America in 2021 might have been a wakeup call for him. Ilia doesn't even need to win the SP just stay within a few points like his normal SP score this season would have done a 3 point deficit is nothing with his FS layout but bombing like this puts him in a unnecessary hole.

 

[Ruthypegs]

He took a risk but today didn't pay off. Quality of jumps was off. What he does is impressive but for me is too many tricks for a program that is below 3 minutes: 4 axel, backflip, cartwheel and some other acrobatics, rap dancing, it's like pizza with potatoes and nutella - not my thing.

the judges awarded him too much for PCS for this performance - 44+ points is way too much for a programme that wasn't clean

 

[Blades of Passion]

Why is he even trying to do 4A+3T in the SP when he gets more points for putting the 3T after the 4Lz?

 

[4everchan]

btw they were discussing quints earlier, i have something for some of the users on this forum

Stole my pearls

 

[skatingguy]

Why is he even trying to do 4A+3T in the SP when he gets more points for putting the 3T after the 4Lz?

There's a certain amount of ego, and wanting to be the first to do that combination in a short program. Two years ago he did the 4A in the short program for the same reason.

 

[RoundedBackCamel]

There's a certain amount of ego, and wanting to be the first to do that combination in a short program. Two years ago he did the 4A in the short program for the same reason.

Ego? How about driving the sport forward? I can’t believe doing a quad is a “big thing” iver two decades after they became expected. Would you say that about someone who wants to run faster?

 

[skatingguy]

Ego? How about driving the sport forward?

That's just a different way of saying ego.

I can’t believe doing a quad is a “big thing” iver two decades after they became expected.

Quadruple Axel is not an expected element in the short program, and Malinin is the only skater attempting this element in any program.

Would you say that about someone who wants to run faster?

If they're chasing someone who is faster than them that is different than the fastest runner in the world trying to set a world record - that is ego, and that's okay.

 

[cocteautwin]

the judges awarded him too much for PCS for this performance - 44+ points is way too much for a programme that wasn't clean

Absolutely agree. Wild. PCS for bravado.

 

[Mathman]

If they're chasing someone who is faster than them that is different than the fastest runner in the world trying to set a world record - that is ego, and that's okay.

People always want to do their best.

 

[crazydreamer]

This is the first time in a while Ilia actually seemed shaky. Still, I was surprised he wound up back in third place, even though I thought Yuma was terrific. Just goes to show he is beatable if he has an off day and Yuma (or perhaps even Shun) is perfect. I think it's probably best for his own progress that he has a rough competition ahead of the Olympics.

I think the judges will be aching to give Yuma Olympic Gold. Ilia has developed a unique and respectable kind of artistry, but Yuma is still way above him in that regard. The panel can't do much if Ilia is technically on point, but if he gives them room they will take advantage of it.

 

[yfan1]

I think the judges will be aching to give Yuma Olympic Gold. Ilia has developed a unique and respectable kind of artistry, but Yuma is still way above him in that regard. The panel can't do much if Ilia is technically on point, but if he gives them room they will take advantage of it.

I don't at all see how Yuma's "way above" Ilia in "artistry" - but more than that, Malinin's been taking 90+ PCS for his skating for a bit now.

I think Olympics are more likely to live up to their ideal of citius, altius, fortius.

 

[lariko]

In glide and edges, yup, Kagiyama is way, way ahead since he started around the age of 3. But artistry is not glide and edges. Artistry is intrinsic. Does anyone of you know which music makes Kagiyama tick? Name a program that captured his individuality, not his dad's or Kostner's? I didn't see it.

i sure as heck 'know' these things about Malinin, because he told that to me with his skating; I can see him charging up when he likes it. Yes, it is a limitation too, since he would have more troubles with programs that are not Malinin skating as Malinin, but he has been skating as Malinin for a bit now, and it's cool.

The way Malinin swaps elements on the fly during the program is creative, while Kagiyama plows on through the drill despite making errors.

Neither does Kagiyama ever to my memory demonstrated natural musicality and the kind of artistry that helps him become a program chosen for him by others.

I saw at least three skaters that match blade strokes to other skaters' music, any music, playing during practices -- it's uncanny and just happens. It is almost eerie.I never saw Kagiyama do that.

Neither Kagiyama has the kind of charisma when a skater comes on ice, smiles, clicks their fingers, 1-2-3 and the audience is with them.

Basically, Kagiyama to my eyes is the closest to the post AAA Tutberidze's girls, with better choreography drilled in by who knows how many run-throughs.

And, like, he doesn't emote. Like, Miura emotes so big it's just so awesome, it feels the arena, I love it. Kagiyama doesn't.

Even without artistry, dammit if Kagiyama doesn’t have an awesome glide. Why it can't be to music, I dunno. One day?

 

[pesto]

Ilia is maturing physically, which doesn't necessarily favour quads.

He'd better make sure to win Olympics this year, it might be harder when he's 25.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

Ilia:Oyoyoyoy.You can't even make 4A+3T? Joking aside really soft legs today my boy.What happened.Its 14 points behind.Anyway it's okay to try high level combination at the Grand Prix final if that's your goal for Olympics,but seems the pressure get here.Can he comeback with 2x 4A tomorrow? Exciting stuff.

Hmm, could you do what you're laughing at Ilia for not doing? Clearly, Ilia is human. It's not surprising that if Yuma skates his absolute best and gets deservedly great scores, that Ilia might blink in a small field, difficult end of GP season final event, having to skate immediately after Yuma on Yuma's home turf.

Ilia has been saving the quad axel for GPF and the Olympics. Reportedly, Ilia was great in practices and clean, too, on the quad-axel in the sp warm-up. But under pressure, his legs weren't quite underneath him. Ilia has not experienced any tight pressure situations all season long, so this is a good test of his mettle and his resolve. Plus, it just isn't crucial for Ilia to win 2025 GPF.

Good for Yuma for finally skating his short program cleanly. Being far ahead, Yuma may win if he skates with joy and cleanliness in the fp. I still would not count out Ilia for coming back strong in the fp. Ilia is definitely better than Shun Sato.

I feel for Shaidorov. He appears to have lost confidence after the judges have been extremely harsh on him all season.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

This is the first time in a while Ilia actually seemed shaky. Still, I was surprised he wound up back in third place, even though I thought Yuma was terrific. Just goes to show he is beatable if he has an off day and Yuma (or perhaps even Shun) is perfect. I think it's probably best for his own progress that he has a rough competition ahead of the Olympics.

I think the judges will be aching to give Yuma Olympic Gold. Ilia has developed a unique and respectable kind of artistry, but Yuma is still way above him in that regard. The panel can't do much if Ilia is technically on point, but if he gives them room they will take advantage of it.

Possibly. We should not look at the judges as one entity, though. They have different affiliations and bts commitments.

Of course, everyone loves adorable, talented Yuma and are happy to see him skating brilliantly and clean!

Ilia is not a slouch on pcs, no matter how his critics look down on him. And Ilia has done something no one else has ever yet achieved in the sport. It's hard to describe Ilia's incredible accomplishments, performed with such seeming ease.

I agree with you that it's a good thing for Ilia to experience high-stakes competitive pressure, and butterflies in his stomach. Can he perform his hugely difficult technical programs well with a clean Yuma breathing down his neck? We will find out. There's no failure for Ilia if he doesn't win 2025 GPF. And not even failure if Ilia fails to win 2026 Olympic gold. A close battle makes watching more exciting.

 

[discodisco]

Daniel. Nice outfit and program. Great skate.

Without question the best program he's ever done, from my perspective. I've actually never liked a program of his that much, and I absolutely hated the Billy Elliot one and felt it was completely oxymoronic. But this was really good.