Replay Lounge 2025-26 Grand Prix Final

[Blades of Passion]

Alyssa Liu's SP. The magic never fades: It transports me to another place. To have that in skating is a treasure. I wish we had more of it.

Performances like her SP are the reason to watch skating: people moving to the music and relaying the feeling it creates. And it could be even better if she didn't feel the need to include meaningless things like a half-illusion turn before her layback and so many random turns during the footwork sequence.

There's a very direct comparison I want to make that shows HOW she is interpreting the music - the usage of the arms and hands before and after 2Axel, how gently and fluidly and purposefully they are moving, each motion given a full breath to complete, her face engaged outward, and that moment of brief stillness she finds after the jump where her hand is wafting around her head and face, and then the body has a willowy moment of release before moving to the next glide. In another active thread I criticized how emptily Nathan Chen performs a similar piece of choreo, trying to move his hand around his and head and stroke it beside his face - this right here shows the difference. Alysa is visibly doing it with heart and intent and creating pleasing lines, while Nathan's movement fails to create any moment or transfer a feeling, because emotion isn't being put into it and he doesn't extend and finish each motion and transfer between the movements with rhythm.

 

[Miya88]

Alyssa Liu's SP. is just meh, She is so heavy on the ice doing that basic choreo or whatever she is doing there, She is an awful skater

 

[TontoK]

Alyssa Liu's SP. is just meh, She is so heavy on the ice doing that basic choreo or whatever she is doing there, She is an awful skater

You've been a charming addition to our little Golden Skate family, but I'm going to have to put you on mute.

Your incessantly negative, complaining, know-it-all commentary has become tiresome for me.

It's common courtesy to let you know I'm using the ignore function so that you can ignore me in return. That way you're not shouting into the void if you want to respond to anything I've written. Best wishes.

 

[4everchan]

To honor his mom, Olympic gold medalists come and go. Your mother is a forever friend...

maybe he should honour his mom and finish 8th at the olympics

 

[noskates]

Tonto - you can't see me but I'm giving you a standing ovation.

 

[TontoK]

Tonto - you can't see me but I'm giving you a standing ovation.

Honestly, I'm fine with people having opinions that differ from my own - I disagree with many of my favorite contributors on the regular. I'm fine with people having a bad day and spouting off. But I'm not fine with a steady diet of poison on the forum I visit for spirited conversation and lively debate among knowledgeable and serious fans of the sport.

 

[GGFan]

Finally watched the pairs. What a fascinating competition. All of these teams have their strength and flaws. With Sui/Han thrown in the Olympics should be awesome.

I never thought I would say this but Conti/Macii were the most impressive to me. They had the moment of both segments. I have always had mixed feelings about them but they skated with their hearts and it stood out to me.

Great to see the Germans come back like they did. I think they're the most refined in several ways but they also do the easiest programs.

Miura/Kihara had tons of speed and flow as always. Their lifts cover more ground. However, they are not always refined in terms of extension/lines, etc and they made mistakes. I think that should have been enough to keep them from winning but it's a subjective sport.

I hope to see Deanna and Max peak at the Olympics. The Hungarians have beautiful skating skills but I don't like their music or choreo in either program. The Georgians I have mixed feelings about. I love their twist, jumps, and throws but their lifts and that death spiral are ugly. They need to do some work on refining him. Because of this if everyone goes clean I'm always going to put the others before the Georgians.

 

[TontoK]

Finally watched the pairs. What a fascinating competition. All of these teams have their strength and flaws. With Sui/Han thrown in the Olympics should be awesome.

I never thought I would say this but Conti/Macii were the most impressive to me. They had the moment of both segments. I have always had mixed feelings about them but they skated with their hearts and it stood out to me.

Great to see the Germans come back like they did. I think they're the most refined in several ways but they also do the easiest programs.

Miura/Kihara had tons of speed and flow as always. Their lifts cover more ground. However, they are not always refined in terms of extension/lines, etc and they made mistakes. I think that should have been enough to keep them from winning but it's a subjective sport.

I hope to see Deanna and Max peak at the Olympics. The Hungarians have beautiful skating skills but I don't like their music or choreo in either program. The Georgians I have mixed feelings about. I love their twist, jumps, and throws but their lifts and that death spiral are ugly. They need to do some work on refining him. Because of this if everyone goes clean I'm always going to put the others before the Georgians.

It's like you peered into my mind to write this.

I think the Italians should have won here. The Germans are the most beautiful team.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

Ladies: Whoa, nerves getting to top favorites. Not letting nerves control her is Alysa Liu's strong suit. Kaori looks so pretty, calm, and at peace. It was sad seeing her cry after the mistake in her sp. Mone Chiba clearly had nerves, but this talented young lady is absolutely 'a star.' Ted Barton said it and felt it, too. Chiba's training, self-belief and gutsiness saw her through in a situation where she could have faltered from the intense emotions in the arena. Amber lost timing on her 3-axel after aceing it in practices and warm-up. Sigh...

Pairs: What an absolute joke. Blatant politics on full display. No question that Conti/ Macii skated the best I've ever seen them in the sp, and they were also clean and confident in the fp. I think their breakthrough in beating Miura/ Kihara at their second GP event solidified their confidence. Plus, they seem absolutely giddy and determined to be their best at the looming Milano Olympics. I have definitely not been a fan of C/M, but I totally respect how much they have improved their weaknesses and went to I.AM to get better programs. This was the fastest I've seen them skate. I was won over by their infectious personalities when I heard them speak for the first time at their recent, unexpected GP win. Sara has always been bubbly and positive. The thing is they are solidly backed by Italian fed and they have put in the work. Sara & Nic are still not my favorite team, but I now like them better than Metel/ Beru and Miura/ Kihara. Sara/ Nic definitely wuzrobbed at 2025 GPF.

As far as the pairs Olympic podium: remains to be seen, but Japanese & Italian politics set the stage at 2025 Worlds. Savin is politically savvy, but German fed is not. Still Hase/ Volodin absolutely are still in the running for top of the podium if they skate the way they can. They are a classic duo, gorgeous to watch. Honestly, M/K have no musicality to speak of; they are just a coddled, over-praised team. Japanese political leverage, reminds me of the respect given to Chinese fed, when Sui/Han clearly executed the wrong lift at 2025 Cup of China GP, but were not marked down, and nothing was rectified after-the-fact.

I felt earlier this season that M/K would have an excellent opportunity to win Olympic gold because Marie-France has given them a superb fp with music that is carefully cut and that builds with the choreo. Knowing M/K are not musical, M-F set about camoflaging that fact with music and choreo that makes them look good without being overdone, heavy, or trite.

 

[noskates]

The Italians were wonderful. They've shown so much improvement since last year when they skated to Nic's grandparent's wedding song or something like that. Memory escapes me but I remember it was a song special to them. Have never been a fan of the Japanese team and really thought the Italians were better. Not sure what it is about the Japanese team but they just don't bring any emotion out in me. I am looking forward to Sui and Han. Each time they take the ice they look better and better. Not making it to the Grand Prix final has given them more time to train and I expect by the time the Olympics role around - assuming they make it - there will be some of their old lustre.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

The Italians were wonderful. They've shown so much improvement since last year when they skated to Nic's grandparent's wedding song or something like that. Memory escapes me but I remember it was a song special to them. Have never been a fan of the Japanese team and really thought the Italians were better. Not sure what it is about the Japanese team but they just don't bring any emotion out in me. I am looking forward to Sui and Han. Each time they take the ice they look better and better. Not making it to the Grand Prix final has given them more time to train and I expect by the time the Olympics role around - assuming they make it - there will be some of their old lustre.

Agree with your initial opinions. You lost me with Sui/ Han. I respected S/H's talent and Sui's fierce will and desire. At their best, after they gained some aesthetics taught by Shen/ Zhao, S/H were superb, confident, and exciting to watch. But convincing Han to come out of retirement just to continue lusting after Olympic glory, to me is all kinds of yuk! S/H won gold in Beijing by the skin of their teeth. They are highly unlikely to win gold in Milano, and I personally will barf if I see S/H on the 2026 Olympic podium. Unlike Laurence/ Guillaume, who have high-level skills that are still on full display, S/H have lost some of their stardust. Talent is still evident, for sure, but they are also being helped by judges' respect for their past stature. Let the younger Chinese team (who secured the spot in Beijing) get the Olympics experience. Sui/ Han were already getting shaky when they patched together the last quad leading up to Beijing, getting some overdone favoritism scores in the process, similar to M/K, in my opinion.

 

[Sjs5572]

Performances like her SP are the reason to watch skating: people moving to the music and relaying the feeling it creates. And it could be even better if she didn't feel the need to include meaningless things like a half-illusion turn before her layback and so many random turns during the footwork sequence.

There's a very direct comparison I want to make that shows HOW she is interpreting the music - the usage of the arms and hands before and after 2Axel, how gently and fluidly and purposefully they are moving, each motion given a full breath to complete, her face engaged outward, and that moment of brief stillness she finds after the jump where her hand is wafting around her head and face, and then the body has a willowy moment of release before moving to the next glide. In another active thread I criticized how emptily Nathan Chen performs a similar piece of choreo, trying to move his hand around his and head and stroke it beside his face - this right here shows the difference. Alysa is visibly doing it with heart and intent and creating pleasing lines, while Nathan's movement fails to create any moment or transfer a feeling, because emotion isn't being put into it and he doesn't extend and finish each motion and transfer between the movements with rhythm.

Source: YouTube https://share.google/4JYiHQwwtpGRlT2El

Tonya Harding's 1991 Nationals StSq to Uncle Buck theme is one of my all time favorites; however in IJS it would be level 1. Alysa is creating a moment, while complying with level 4 requirements....not an easy feat.

 

[yfan1]

That extra 30 seconds gave a program a chance to "breathe." But that's only one man's opinion, so you're right, it IS open for debate.

Well three and counting

 

[ladyjane]

I've been watching the ID's and it just got better and better. The only thing I have a problem with is Piper & Paul not getting a medal. Emilea and Vadym are on the rise, and I sincerely hope they will continue to grow. Excellent outing for them. Allison and Saulius were just great. Fantastic Dance. I would have let them score a little higher, so they would also pass 200 points. I like Lilah and Lewis their FD but definitely did not find it better than Piper and Paul's. I know, the difference is small in points, but I don't understand why Piper and Paul were loosing points. Laurence and Guillaume were beautiful as always...but that fall was costly (and rightly so, it should be costly, bleeding knee or not). So, Madison and Evan definitely were the rightful winners. We'll never know what the outcome would have been if there had been no fall. Still, it was very enjoyable overall.

 

[4everchan]

The irony is that Piper and Paul outscored all the teams but FBC with the Tech Panel getting the 2nd highest score for their levels...

However, the judges this time gave them very low GOE for what was their best performance of the season.

PCS wise I guess I do not live on the same planet as the judges who scored Lilah and Lewis fun but shallow program exactly the same as Piper and Paul's deep and mesmerizing performance

The tech panel here is the same that will be at the Olympics.. hopefully, the judges will not be the same.

 

[Ivana]

I just found out today that I don't care about ice dance anymore, and that comes from someone who started following figure skating thanks to ice dance (and pairs) some 25+ years ago, I turned the free dance off after Piper and Paul, did not feel like watching the rest of the mess. The rhythm dances are a tragedy this year and the politicking, albeit it was always there, is getting really disgusting. I'm ready to move on to men and women, hopefully they will be all on fire today and bring on a great competition.

 

[4everchan]

I just found out today that I don't care about ice dance anymore, and that comes from someone who started following figure skating thanks to ice dance (and pairs) some 25+ years ago, I turned the free dance off after Piper and Paul, did not feel like watching the rest of the mess. The rhythm dances are a tragedy this year and the politicking, albeit it was always there, is getting really disgusting. I'm ready to move on to men and women, hopefully they will be all on fire today and bring on a great competition.

I am also at the point that I cannot be invested in ice dance results anymore... I do like some of the athletes and will keep watching but I won't stay up until 5am ever again for an ice dance competition. There are better things in life than missing sleep over rigged judging... and well... I feel terrible as if I have lost a few hours of sleep, the athletes are losing years and years of training in the hands of these judges

 

[TallyT]

I just found out today that I don't care about ice dance anymore, and that comes from someone who started following figure skating thanks to ice dance (and pairs) some 25+ years ago, I turned the free dance off after Piper and Paul, did not feel like watching the rest of the mess. The rhythm dances are a tragedy this year and the politicking, albeit it was always there, is getting really disgusting. I'm ready to move on to men and women, hopefully they will be all on fire today and bring on a great competition.

The singles scoring is just as political.

 

[Ivana]

The singles scoring is just as political.

Nope. Let's be real scoring in figure skating is political by default and the starting line is not equal for skaters from all feds or training groups then there's of course reputation judging, and no scoring system is going to change that, but what is happening in ice dance this season tops every other category.

 

[lariko]

maybe he should honour his mom and finish 8th at the olympics

Wow, that's effing mean. I believe in karma. When you wish a skater to fail, the bad vibe transfers to your fave.