- Joined
- Feb 14, 2018
Aww, this made my month! Thank you so much! I’m always afraid I’m boring everyone with my tl;dr. <3Can I just take a moment to appreciate how long and full of detail your posts always are, Metis? If we need someone with reason, logical analysis of situations and/or spins (especially spins!) we can always count on you! So, thank you.
I don’t think you can go wrong! If you’re also an avid follower of the men, I’d go with the GPF, though, if only because non-Euros eligible men are likely to make up the majority of the GPF. (I’m assuming Voronov is going to need time to recover from his injury if he opts to continue skating, and then as much as I love Kolyada and Aliev... they’re total wildcards in terms of making the final. Kovtun might, though, if he keeps skating like he did at Russian nationals.) Ice dance is too politic to even hazard a guess and the French are a lock either way, but for pairs... if Sui and Han do the GP circuit next season, how awesome would it be to see them? Ah! I’m really excited for you! Write long posts of your thoughts about everyone regardless of the event you choose!
I believe so, but don’t quote me. Though we can narrow the list just through educated guessing: it’s unlikely she’ll be at Skate America (I doubt the USFSA will want to have Bradie compete against her), and I assume NHK is less likely than some other events as well. Zagitova seems likely to keep Rostelecom, and assuming she has a podium finish at Worlds... not sure what her second event would be, especially since that’ll depend on how the Japanese ladies do at Worlds, as if any of them podium, NHK becomes even more exhausting to try to predict. My guess for most likely GP events is some combination of Skate Canada, Cup of China, and IdF, which means she’ll be at NHK and Skate America. [emoji23] Magic 8 Ball says: Try again later.
Hey, at least the events are on your continent! (Probably. Unless you’re based in Eurasia and therefore both Europe and Asia are your continents.Also, good point from you, Fluture! I forgot about the 18-month-thing so it could very well be that she'll be ready rather at Nationals/Euros than at the GP's. Maybe I'll magically be able to save up money for both competitions. (Why do I have to live in the middle of nowhere, travelling is soo expensive.). I'd love a fanfest-meet-up! I don't have anyone who'd accompany me so it would be great not to be alone the whole time.
) The crazy thing about 4CC being in North America is that it’s in no way cheap — I looked at going but am on the other side of the US, and since the US doesn’t exactly have a robust train network.... That’s actually what I miss most about living in Europe. Orser has always said that it takes 1.5 to 2 years for the results of a coaching change to TCC to be truly visible. Which is also what Raf has said, and pretty much every other coach. But one of TCC’s hallmarks is reworking basic skating technique — some of that work is already visible — and that kind of attention to detail and rebuilding of fundamentals is always going to take time. I recall Orser saying in an interview that he could already see Med incorporating the TCC philosophy unconsciously, going into a Salchow with great speed but without thinking about her speed. (And Yuzu had the opposite problem — GOTTA GO FAST, and in Orser’s telling, “He’d wind up on his back.”) TCC also takes a different approach to programmes — ACI is pretty much a test, then the first GP, etc. Choreo and transitions are often enhanced throughout the season, rather than the goal being to skate a programme to its maximum from the first Senior B. The goal is always to do well at the halfway point of the season (GPF, nationals) but to peak at Worlds.
It’s been quite a year for Med. There’s every chance she starts the next season strong — she’ll have had more time to adjust to her schedule and life in Canada, more familiarity with how TCC works (in terms of coaching philosophy), and, hopefully, more time since incurring injuries (and therefore further along the road to wellness). And Russian nationals did seem to be a real turning point, mentally, so maybe the burdens she’s been carrying this season have eased and she’ll be able to skate freer at the start of next season. But having the love of the crowd can be a major source of pressure and she may feel increasing worry about letting fans down. We really don’t know how she’s doing physically. Who knows? I think she honestly just needs time. She could win two GP events or finish off the podium at due to who else is competing at them, not because of what she does.
Here’s how I see it: I have no idea what Med’s future will entail. But I felt the same way with Yuzuru — I didn’t love his programmes in his first two seasons with Orser, but then came Seimei. And that’s kind of where I think Med is at at the moment. I don’t know what her Seimei is, but I have confidence that whatever she wants to do artistically, she’ll be able to pursue to the utmost of her ability. It just isn’t going to happen overnight. (But, please, no POTO while pushing creative limits.) Med seemed the happiest I’ve ever seen her after her free skate at Russian nationals, which is really all I want. Yes, yes, results, but I just want to see skaters happy with what they’ve done.
I love when Jason's fans crossover and give positive feedback.
So I really can't go wrong actually.
Not sure it's really her.
