Andrew Torgashev

[skatingfan4ever]

Short Program Day for Andrew at IDF!!! His goal is Top 5. I hope he's in the 80s in the SP (90s is probably too much to hope for). That means landing the 4T. (Although, he got 81 with no quad at 4CC). We've had a few clean L'Enfers from him but not with a 4T. I admit, I am SO nervous for Andrew. His last SP was in the low 60s.

We'll know soon because he's first to skate.

 

[el henry]

Andrew! A bronze at GP France.



I could give two rat's patooties about the comp overall. That's sports, sometimes your competitors are "on" and sometimes they're not. But Andrew had two relatively clean skates and looked great and that's all I can say right now.

So happy!

 

[dorispulaski]

I was so thrilled at how well Andrew skated!

 

[reader3]

Congrats to Andrew for the bronze at the GP France.

 

[momrk]

Very, very happy for Andrew, great weekend for him.

 

[Bookseller]

Andrew! A bronze at GP France.



I could give two rat's patooties about the comp overall. That's sports, sometimes your competitors are "on" and sometimes they're not. But Andrew had two relatively clean skates and looked great and that's all I can say right now.

So happy!

Yes, he did. He was a rare bright spot!

 

[el henry]

Not even just the medal (although of course I am happy for him for that)

but just as important, he put together two good skates. It can be done.

 

[skatingfan4ever]

A couple people in the Predictions had Andrew 4th and a couple had him 5th (and he wasn't in most people's top 5 at all), but NO ONE had him 3rd!!!!!!

Good heavens, where do I start? People in the SP thread were saying Boyang had the only clean SP, and I may be biased, but I include Andrew in the clean category also. The random fall wasn't on an element and did not impact the performance for me and the StSeq was fire as usual! HE LANDED TWO 4TS AT THIS COMPETITION!!!

What a Free Skate!!! I approve of the new costume. Turn out of first Axel but otherwise clean! It was fascinating to be able to hear most of his discussion with Brandon in the K&C. The Axel looked fine to me but apparently it wasn't and they were discussing other off jumps and Brandon just said, "You're trained." Mark Hanretty was commentating this week and gave a few thoughts but really let us soak in the music and the K&C. What a relief! I loved hearing Mark gush over Andrew's skating!

Mark mentioned multiple times Andrew's wish to make people feel through his skating! And he complimented his interpretation in the FS from the ChSeq through the last spin and his ending position. He commented on skate nerdy things like blade control and a "really cool back chocktaw." I'll post the programs next week for our enjoyment.

I look forward to watching that FS with US camerawork/replays. It wasn't terrible for Andrew at IDF but it wasn't great either.

Cloud nine, and there's room for improvement!!! Bonus: He gets to do the gala tomorrow!!!

My previous post was before the SP. I didn't want to post again until after I'd watched both programs. What a treat he was this week. This is why they skate for medals on the day. And what a masterclass of how to recover from a fluke fall and skate on as if nothing happened.

 

[noskates]

So happy for Andrew. He looked large and in charge during his free skate. I hope he takes that confidence (and consistency) into Nationals.

 

[Absurda]

I'm really happy ☺

Andrew's done two good skates and deserved this medal.

Do your duty, come what may.

(I guess, it sounds something like that in English )

 

[el henry]

Andrew has been assigned to NHK

Wow that was fast

 

[skatingfan4ever]

Wow. Poor Stephen, but it means that ANDREW GETS A SECOND GP!!! France went unexpectedly well (from my perspective as a fan), so I don't know what to expect at NHK. The quick turnaround is not ideal. But, he did it last year with Nationals and 4CC (granted, no quads attempted at either competition). Will he be able to land his quads and other jumps two weeks in a row? That's the question. GPF is highly unlikely, but you never know. This is an unbelievable set of circumstances. Can he possibly get a higher score than IDF? It needs to be great to do that, but anything is possible.

My favorite part: I will get to watch Andrew's programs with Japanese camerawork and replays. Some choices in France were "interesting," to put it nicely. Japanese camerawork rocks! Oh, and having Jason and Andrew in the same GP will be so cool.

 

[Arriba627]

Great news that Andrew gets another GP. He'll be up against some strong competitors ,a.quick turnaround, and some interesting jet lag, but hey! It will be s good.challenge for him. The men's event is gonna be great. And being there with Jason is very cool!

 

[Absurda]

What great news!

I just hope Andrew will manage to stay focused and do his best

 

[noskates]

Andrew - just skate with your feet and not your head!!! You can do it!

 

[Absurda]

Andrew got his money
I'm so happy about that !!!

Congratulations to him and us !!!

 

[noskates]

Andrew did such a good job. I hope his confidence carries into Nationals. Love to see him so happy with his results.

 

[el henry]

If you had told me at the start of the GP season that Andrew would have two GPs, skate relatively cleanly with all four programs, and finish third and fourth, I would have asked for a share of that world class hopium.

Just wow, just wow, just wow.

And his reaction.

 

[momrk]

Really, really happy for Andrew- may he carry this into Nationals

 

[skatingfan4ever]

I'll start off with a crazy stat that tells us one of two things, or both. Andrew's 4th-place total score at NHK would have been enough to win IDF. In fact, it's exactly the same as what Adam got. This tells us (1) how well Andrew skated at NHK and/or (2) how mistake-ridden IDF was overall.

Short Program Thoughts - No random fall this week, but a mistake on the combo (but he still got full BV for a second-half 3F+3T, then negative GOE, earning 9.47 points for it; BV was 10.45). The fact that he got 84 even with the mistake is so encouraging. The camerawork showed off the program so well, even its small details. I love how the replay showed the slide and his extension and exit on the last spin. I do miss the old placement of the footwork and slide, even though the program is still so good. The timing of the program is different, of necessity, so the choreography has changed and shifted ever so slightly. It hits a little differently with the changes. But that has nothing to do with Andrew's delivery of the choreography (still on point). It's just me being a detail-oriented fan who has watched this program enough times to notice such small changes in choreography in relation to the musical nuances. Should I run and hide in embarrassment, or wear this as a badge of honor?

Free Skate Thoughts - A+ camerawork again. Andrew got URs on the 4T and the first 3A. But the fact that he's landing on his feet so much AND not popping is AWESOME!!! I admit, the backloaded combos always make me nervous for many of the skaters, but Andrew seems to be doing well with them. (I hope he doesn't miss them at Nationals, after I've complimented him like this, haha). I enjoy his Scheherazade a lot and it's good and memorable, but I still think he has more to give to it artistically. Or is it simply that he's working to get the jumps done? It's choreographed nicely, for sure, and he does the choreography well. But I don't sense the same passion as in Roxanne, O Fortuna, L'Enfer, or even Muse. But it could be that his Scheherazade doesn't ask for that kind of passion; it's more contemplative somehow. Nationals crowds tend to bring Andrew's artistry out the most. I look forward to that possibility.

General Thoughts - Andrew's reactions all throughout NHK were so heartwarming. I remember at 2023 Worlds he looked so nervous but this time in Japan he seemed like a different skater. I don't remember his K&Cs ever being so animated. I think having Brandon there instead of Raf or Dad may have contributed as they are peers and longtime friends. I loved hearing Brandon be so genuinely supportive and happy for Andrew. I will never forget Andrew's smile and celebration while staying in his Free Skate ending pose!!! My heart soared to see him react like that. It was the first time since the 2023 Nationals Free Skate that he looked so genuinely, outwardly thrilled with a program. In the 2023 Nationals K&C he saw his score and burst into happy tears. At NHK, he said, "Wow. Woah. Wow," with the biggest grin on his face and Brandon's arm around him. What a moment! He didn't expect to skate here at all but he skated SO well. I can really see his training paying off. I wasn't sure how the quick turnaround would go. Who knew his jumps could look like this?! If he can stay uninjured all season, he might be a frontrunner for Worlds, and after Nebelhorn and scoring 63 in the SP, that was the furthest thing from my mind. We'll see what happens!

Rest well, Andrew! You have earned it! Thank you for sharing your fabulous skating with us!

Complete Side Note: I think the official name of the French GP is now "Grand Prix de France." But the problem with that is that the abbreviation becomes GPF, which has been used among skating forum fans for years as "Grand Prix Final." It was easier when Éric Bompard was the sponsor, making the abbreviation TEB. (And when I became a skating fan as a child, the event was Trophée Lalique). After TEB, for a short time the name was Internationaux de France (IDF), which is the abbreviation I still use to avoid confusion with Grand Prix Final. What about you all?

Thanks for reading my many thoughts. Believe it or not, I have more to bring to this thread, eventually. Real life can be rather inconvenient for my skating fandom. Until next time.