2025 Four Continents Men's Short Program

[Jontor]

It always bugs me a bit that this competition hasn't the best of the best competitors. A lot of the big names (you know who you are!...) skip this one and focuses on Worlds. That doesn't happen at Europeans.

 

[cailuj365]

I started the men's SP replay while I work from home this morning.

Backstreet Boys woke me up. Amazing song choice. Amazing hair. HOWEVER, 1 point deduction for the costume. Such a formal vest combo when he's skating to that?!?! He could have gone bare midriff, mummy, vampire - just check out the original music video! Or at least style oneself like a pop star and not like he's going to wait tables! Please, sir!

 

[Ruthypegs]

Such a sweet, understated and genuine gesture from him and his coach.

I love Jimmy - he's got such a heart, such a genuine guy. And his heart shines through his skating, too.

 

[Violet Sky]

Jimmy!

A big shout out to Jimmy Ma - it was truly and emotional skate - and in the K&C holding up the photos lives the figure skaters loss in that tragic plane crash, just brought tears - those were your guardian angels Jimmy - you did them proud!

 

[Violet Sky]

IMO, not a good call of USFS to send Tomoki and Camden to 4 Continents who both “bombed” in the SP today. It’s too bad Andrew decided not to come so he can train for Worlds, he would have done well here alongside Jimmy.

 

[Ruthypegs]

Camden is the president of the United States of Cacti

It's sometimes hard being a Camden fan, but his skating is among the most beautiful, artistic and expressive in the world, IMHO. Even when the jumps don't work, there's still loads to enjoy in his programmes, and he never lets the performance go.

I wish he could give up working full time and concentrate on the skating.....

 

[Skating Bobr]

It always bugs me a bit that this competition hasn't the best of the best competitors. A lot of the big names (you know who you are!...) skip this one and focuses on Worlds. That doesn't happen at Europeans.

There's a bigger gap between Europeans and Worlds. Skaters like to have a bit of a breather to gather their strength before the most important competition of the year, I can't blame them. I honestly don't know why some are doing AWG and this, there's a high chance of burning out

 

[thatdarncat]

Not able to watch the competition unfortunately, but very pleased to see Jimmy Ma in second place , he was an absolute sweetheart at the Grand Prix in Sheffield. Wishing him good luck in the free program

 

[moonvine]

Sadly he’s had a lot of practice with the press lately. It might feel nice to have something happy to say for a change.

Oh I had not thought of that. Perhaps. We will see.

 

[moonvine]

It's sometimes hard being a Camden fan, but his skating is among the most beautiful, artistic and expressive in the world, IMHO. Even when the jumps don't work, there's still loads to enjoy in his programmes, and he never lets the performance go.

I wish he could give up working full time and concentrate on the skating.....

So do I. If I were he I’d do one….or the other. But I am not. He gives USFS zero reason to trust him though.

 

[Jontor]

There's a bigger gap between Europeans and Worlds. Skaters like to have a bit of a breather to gather their strength before the most important competition of the year, I can't blame them. I honestly don't know why some are doing AWG and this, there's a high chance of burning out

But still there are skaters that buckle up. Like Mone Chiba and Alysa Liu. They are doing both 4CC and Worlds.

 

[TallyT]

There's a bigger gap between Europeans and Worlds. Skaters like to have a bit of a breather to gather their strength before the most important competition of the year, I can't blame them. I honestly don't know why some are doing AWG and this, there's a high chance of burning out

To be fair to Jun, I think he needed to - winning AWG gave him that exemption (and okay, most people possibly including himself thought he wouldn't win against Yuma! - but he had to try and he did it so no regrets there) and 4CC was too close but being in Korea where he's the biggest skating star after Yuna Kim (and way more popular there than any other male skater is are in their own countries which brings its own pressure we don't always think about), he pretty much had to do it. I hope he does well in the free and then can rest up for Worlds.

As for the rest we don't know their circumstances, their fed's requirements and what they might or might not need to keep going.

 

[TallyT]

So do I. If I were he I’d do one….or the other.

That's easy to say, and not at all easy to do in Western countries unless someone is from a well off family (Jason), is a high level champion (Chen) or is attractive to good sponsors (ummm..........) Again, we don't know each skater's private circumstances and a skating career is short, the chances of good money limited and very few get to move into related fields (coaching, commentating). Most of 'em will have what, sixty years? after skating and they may need to start earning a living before they stop skating.

And USFS don't have a hell of a lot of choices in the men, after all. They have one star (Chen, who won his OGM and scarpered, and now Malinin) who wins everything but the public, one artistic wonder people simply don't value (Jason), a couple of theymightbreakouttheymightnot (I like Andrew and little Jacob be realistic folks), and a very shallow talent pool. And no one who is really inspiring young boys to take it up, like the Japanese superstars do.

After all... is Kevin Aymoz any more trustworthy to his fed? Again comes down to choices, theirs and their fed's options.

(You can tell I like Camden, okay )

 

[Jontor]

To be fair to Jun, I think he needed to - winning AWG gave him that exemption (and okay, most people possibly including himself thought he wouldn't win against Yuma! - but he had to try and he did it so no regrets there) and 4CC was too close but being in Korea where he's the biggest skating star after Yuna Kim (and way more popular there than any other male skater is are in their own countries which brings its own pressure we don't always think about), he pretty much had to do it. I hope he does well in the free and then can rest up for Worlds.

As for the rest we don't know their circumstances, their fed's requirements and what they might or might not need to keep going.

I still think that 'big' competitions is the best way of training. Those high stakes that you get at big competitions can't be learned at home. So personally I don't really understand the mindset of those skaters who skip this competition and prepare for Worlds. There is a month(!!!) between 4CC and Worlds so re-charging shouldn't be a problem.

Some skaters might argue that they don't want to have a bad competition right before Worlds. Well, if that is the case and you do have a bad competition, then you have the chance and a month to fix it. If you don't compete here you would probably just have a bad competition at Worlds instead.

 

[rabidline]

The last 3 male singles World Champions (6 World titles combined) and the current reigning 3-time female singles World Champion are all from 4CC countries and all skipped 4CC in the seasons they won Worlds. Maybe they all know about the 4CC curse and don't bother competing here if there are skaters who understand high stakes it would be the World champs right?

Japan at least tries to use 4CC as opportunities for those who missed making the Worlds team to gain experience and WS points. Their National Champions have been withdrawing their names out of 4CC selection pool so it opens up a spot for a skater who also did well at Nationals. One of the things I appreciate this season is that they got the skaters who need more experience and judges recognition doing both 4CC and Worlds like Tatsuya, Wakaba and to some extent Mone. I think it was dumb for them to send a completely different team to 4CC and Worlds especially when the Worlds team has newbies (Sota was really thrown to the wolves that one year). But for skaters like Kaori and Yuma it's really in their hands what competitions they want and well, they don't want to go to 4CC.

I give a pass to Korea because it's not like their skaters don't want to do Worlds and 4CC, but their selection makes it so that 1 competition decides 4CC Team and 1 other competition decides Worlds team, so there is possibility different skaters did well at each competition. Except Jun and Chaeyeon but that's why they're the country's top skaters.

 

[lariko]

Wow, this was so low key and inambitious in technical department... obviously, I am afraid to jinx, but Shaidorov richly deserves to win this for his focus. Hopefully, he doesn’t wipe in the free.

 

[synchro66]

There's a bigger gap between Europeans and Worlds. Skaters like to have a bit of a breather to gather their strength before the most important competition of the year, I can't blame them. I honestly don't know why some are doing AWG and this, there's a high chance of burning out

And less travel over so many time zones

 

[synchro66]

But still there are skaters that buckle up. Like Mone Chiba and Alysa Liu. They are doing both 4CC and Worlds.

Alysa needs the competition mileage under her belt

 

[Jontor]

The last 3 male singles World Champions (6 World titles combined) and the current reigning 3-time female singles World Champion are all from 4CC countries and all skipped 4CC in the seasons they won Worlds. Maybe they all know about the 4CC curse and don't bother competing here if there are skaters who understand high stakes it would be the World champs right?

Japan at least tries to use 4CC as opportunities for those who missed making the Worlds team to gain experience and WS points. Their National Champions have been withdrawing their names out of 4CC selection pool so it opens up a spot for a skater who also did well at Nationals. One of the things I appreciate this season is that they got the skaters who need more experience and judges recognition doing both 4CC and Worlds like Tatsuya, Wakaba and to some extent Mone. I think it was dumb for them to send a completely different team to 4CC and Worlds especially when the Worlds team has newbies (Sota was really thrown to the wolves that one year). But for skaters like Kaori and Yuma it's really in their hands what competitions they want and well, they don't want to go to 4CC.

I give a pass to Korea because it's not like their skaters don't want to do Worlds and 4CC, but their selection makes it so that 1 competition decides 4CC Team and 1 other competition decides Worlds team, so there is possibility different skaters did well at each competition. Except Jun and Chaeyeon but that's why they're the country's top skaters.

I get your reasoning but I disagree. I would say that the last 3 World Champs in both women/men are cuddled by their federations.
Kaori has been a bit shaky this season and she had a bad GPF, but she still managed to win nationals. What is there to lose? NOT sending Kaori to 4CC is just a condescending move to the whole competition imo. Same goes for Yuma.

And I don't understand at all what the Americans are thinking. This B team in men here at 4CC is just sad. I get why Maxim didn't come, but Ilia and Andrew has no excuse. And why didn't Amber come? She's had a great season, why not go for it? Again, a condescending move to the whole competition.
And how can they choose Isabeau and Jason for Worlds? When they have proved nothing this season. And they didn't even compete at nationals!! That's cuddling big time. And I suspect that is not about sending the best skater, it is more about the money these cuddled skaters can bring in.

This mess is NOT helping the figure skating sport at all.

This diva behaviour can also be found in Russia where it has occured that some skaters (hmmm...Medvedeva etc) has skipped nationals because of 'reasons', and then later on competed at Europeans/Worlds. But the Russian diva behaviour is of a completely different nature, they are just super scared of being beaten at nationals! But they would throw themselves at any international competition if they have the chance.

 

[moonvine]

That's easy to say, and not at all easy to do in Western countries unless someone is from a well off family (Jason), is a high level champion (Chen) or is attractive to good sponsors (ummm..........) Again, we don't know each skater's private circumstances and a skating career is short, the chances of good money limited and very few get to move into related fields (coaching, commentating). Most of 'em will have what, sixty years? after skating and they may need to start earning a living before they stop skating.

And USFS don't have a hell of a lot of choices in the men, after all. They have one star (Chen, who won his OGM and scarpered, and now Malinin) who wins everything but the public, one artistic wonder people simply don't value (Jason), a couple of theymightbreakouttheymightnot (I like Andrew and little Jacob be realistic folks), and a very shallow talent pool. And no one who is really inspiring young boys to take it up, like the Japanese superstars do.

After all... is Kevin Aymoz any more trustworthy to his fed? Again comes down to choices, theirs and their fed's options.

(You can tell I like Camden, okay )

Most skaters in the US who need money to train don’t work full time at a “real” job. They coach, they choreograph, Nica Digerness raises and sells fish. They have fundíng links. Training time is precious and skating careers are short. I just think he is doing himself a disservice.

Andrew has been far more consistent this season than Camden.

Also, Jason has a ton of fans.

I think US fed has many more choices than the French fed do.