Maia Shibutani & Alex Shibutani | Page 30 | Golden Skate

Maia Shibutani & Alex Shibutani

Congratulations to the Shibs!! I kept wishing last year when they knocked out that glorious waltz several times to near perfection, "if only they were recognized and marked higher for their achievements". This weekend they were, justifiably, put on top. The twizzles in the bridge of the FS are far and away the best I've seen since the days of Marlie v. Voir. Cannot wait for the GPF and hopefully they are on the podium where they belong. If they skate in Boston like they did this weekend, it would bring the house down and dare I say it, with the scores they've gotten of late, they could become world champions this year!!
 
I don´t want to be too much optimistic but I really wish they can medal at worlds this season. They deserve it :yes:
 
Add me to the list of people who love all three of their programs this season! I guess it'll be an upset if they place over C/B at Nationals( or any other competition), but I really hope they do.
 
Congratulations to Maia and Alex for their inspiring win. As my grandma used to say, "Success crowns persistent effort." It is so nice to see them really come into their own this season with two lovely programs.
 
I think finally they have found programs that suit them. I hope they will medal (or even win) GPF! :dev2:
 
I think finally they have found programs that suit them. I hope they will medal (or even win) GPF! :dev2:

it will a tight competition...so far all SD scores for all teams participating in GPF are quite equal and all teams have scored strongly in FD. It will be either about who make more mistakes on levels in SD/FD but it will be close...And the most interesting thing to see will be ow judges will score in the same time all these different approaches/styles (especially in PCS). And I can say that if Shibutanis will manage to get higher than Chock/Bates, US National will get even more interesting...
 
So how many times have you all watched their FD? I watched the SC one about 5 times and I've seen the NHK one also about that much. I noticed one difference that Maia now holds her skate during the first lift (like a half Biellmann) and before she didn't? Did that get them more points?

If you haven't watched/listened to the commentary from B. Eurosport - Chris and Nicky were raving about it, saying they didn't want it to end, they could watch it again and again, calling it a piece of art, then pondering if Chris Martin had seen it, lol?

Would be cool to see them skate to the song and have Coldplay performing it live, complete with the piano bridge from "The Scientist" - that mix makes the song better.

ETA: So excited that I will get to see them perform this at Worlds (and cheer during those twizzles)! I will have to miss the SD unfortunately.
 
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I can't believe this FD came out of the hands of Zueva, but I guess I can "blame" Peter Tchernyshev for the lovely lovely choreography. Anyway, loooove the free this year, so I really hope this works for them. I have no clue how Chock/Bates are considered better than the Shibs, but if this skate doesn't put them ahead, I don't know what will.
 
So how many times have you all watched their FD? I watched the SC one about 5 times and I've seen the NHK one also about that much. I noticed one difference that Maia now holds her skate during the first lift (like a half Biellmann) and before she didn't? Did that get them more points?

If you haven't watched/listened to the commentary from B. Eurosport - Chris and Nicky were raving about it, saying they didn't want it to end, they could watch it again and again, calling it a piece of art, then pondering if Chris Martin had seen it, lol?

Would be cool to see them skate to the song and have Coldplay performing it live, complete with the piano bridge from "The Scientist" - that mix makes the song better.

ETA: So excited that I will get to see them perform this at Worlds (and cheer during those twizzles)! I will have to miss the SD unfortunately.

I was wondering about the half-bileman position. I think it was a bit awkward here cause it's a new position (they got an extended lift deduction for it), but I think once they master it, it will actually be pretty cool.

I do wonder if it ups the difficulty.
 
I was wondering about the half-bileman position. I think it was a bit awkward here cause it's a new position (they got an extended lift deduction for it), but I think once they master it, it will actually be pretty cool.

I do wonder if it ups the difficulty.

I don't think it ups the level, since they did get level 4 with the old position? I am not sure if it is more difficult to execute in general, though as a new position it would probably be more difficult for them. I agree I think it will look cool once mastered!
 
I don't think it ups the level, since they did get level 4 with the old position? I am not sure if it is more difficult to execute in general, though as a new position it would probably be more difficult for them. I agree I think it will look cool once mastered!

Yes, I don't think it's a level feature but a +GOE feature?

Here's a head to head GOE comparision between SC and NHK (BV was the same for both)

Curve lift, level 4 (4.5 BV): 1.40 (SC) 1.71 (NHK)
Combination spin, level 4 (5.6 BV): 1.20 (SC) 1.46 (NHK)
Straight-line lift, level 4 (4.5 BV): 1.10 (SC) 1.29 (NHK)
Circular Step Sequence, level 3 (7.10): 1.83 (SC) 2.20 (NHK)
Synchronized Twizzles, level 4 (6.60): 1.50 (SC) 1.63 (NHK)
Rotational Lift, level 4 (4.5): 1.30 (SC), 1.63 (NHK)
Diagonal step sequence, level 3 (7.10): 1.65 (SC) 1.89 (NHK)
Choreographed lift: 1.00 (SC) 1.03 (NHK)

So basically, across the board improvement in +GOE! Yay!
 
I personally prefer the full split position that Maia did at SC over the bielman at NHK. But i get it, it's for points. Never was a fan of the bielman. It may be hard to put your foot over your head but that doesn't make it aesthetically pleasing.
 
ahhhh i am just so happy for them, during their interview, its obvious how much this win meant to them after all the hardships, both of them seemed trying to hold back their tears, i wish many more gold medals are on the way!!!
i also want to mention some of my favourite moments apart from those twizzlez :love: and ex spiral- now biellman lift;
1) their spin is really fast and well centered and i love 2nd aprd of it and transitions between them
2) right after 1st stsq? and before twizzles where she leans on him while he is on spread
3) their entrance to final lift where she jumps , almost floats into his arms :love:
i am sure there are many moments but i cant remember, too bad i will have to watch it again :biggrin:
 
Yes, I don't think it's a level feature but a +GOE feature?

As was noticed in this thread they have changed Maia's difficult position from 'Full split', in which the angle between lifted partner tights should be around 180 degrees (sustained for no less than 3 sec) to 'Full 'Biellmann', in which the heel of the boot pulled by the hand behind and above the level of the head (sustained for no less than 3 sec). Both positions are considered as difficult, with correct execution GOE bonus for both of them should be the same.
However, the first position ('Full split') has its subjective side: the angle between tights. There's no question, that some technical panels are stricter and more subjective towards certain skaters, when it comes to 'leveling' an element. Some technical controller could say, for example, 'Oh, look! The angles between lifted partner tights is only 176 degrees', or 'From three seconds lifted partner sustained difficult position only two seconds the angle between the thights was about 180 degrees, and one second it was less than that', etc. This would mean the level for the lift will be reduced by one. Who needs such thing to happen to them, even in theory? Right. NO ONE.
Perhaps, that's why they decided to change difficult position, or more accurate definition will be - 'to improve' it, to a 'Full 'Biellmann'. The rules say: 'full “Biellmann”: body in any position (eg. upright, horizontal etc.) in relation to the vertical line to the body with the heel of the boot pulled by the hand behind and above the level of the head. There is no subjective criteria here, such as 'an angle between tights of lifted partner should be about 180 degrees', so as long as Maia's skate will be above her head for 3 seconds, the position will be counted as difficult. I would say, it's more objective and visible feature. I don't see any other reason for them to change easily executed difficult position, to more difficult difficult position.

This change doesn't affect the stability of the lift, entry/exit, or ascent/descent, so it has no relation to GOE for an element.
 
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As was noticed in this thread they have changed Maia's difficult position from 'Full split', in which the angle between lifted partner tights should be around 180 degrees (sustained for no less than 3 sec) to 'Full 'Biellmann', in which the heel of the boot pulled by the hand behind and above the level of the head (sustained for no less than 3 sec). Both positions are considered as difficult, with correct execution GOE bonus for both of them should be the same.
However, the first position ('Full split') has its subjective side: the angle between tights. There's no question, that some technical panels are stricter and more subjective towards certain skaters, when it comes to 'leveling' an element. Some technical controller could say, for example, 'Oh, look! The angles between lifted partner tights is only 176 degrees', or 'From three seconds lifted partner sustained difficult position only two seconds the angle between the thights was about 180 degrees, and one second it was less than that', etc. This would mean the level for the lift will be reduced by one. Who needs such thing to happen to them, even in theory? Right. NO ONE.
Perhaps, that's why they decided to change difficult position, or more accurate definition will be - 'to improve' it, to a 'Full 'Biellmann'. The rules say: 'full “Biellmann”: body in any position (eg. upright, horizontal etc.) in relation to the vertical line to the body with the heel of the boot pulled by the hand behind and above the level of the head. There is no subjective criteria here, such as 'an angle between tights of lifted partner should be about 180 degrees', so as long as Maia's skate will be above her head for 3 seconds, the position will be counted as difficult. I would say, it's more objective and visible feature. I don't see any other reason for them to change easily executed difficult position, to more difficult difficult position.

This change doesn't affect the stability of the lift, entry/exit, or ascent/descent, so it has no relation to GOE for an element.

This is more credible to me than the idea that they are trying to just get higher GOE... to be honest I'd have given higher GOE for the split at this point because it just looked smoother and better, though it's to be expected that the bielman will improve.
 
This is more credible to me than the idea that they are trying to just get higher GOE... to be honest I'd have given higher GOE for the split at this point because it just looked smoother and better, though it's to be expected that the bielman will improve.

Yes, their lift at Skate Canada should have been scored higher.
 
ahhhh i am just so happy for them, during their interview, its obvious how much this win meant to them after all the hardships, both of them seemed trying to hold back their tears, i wish many more gold medals are on the way!!!
i also want to mention some of my favourite moments apart from those twizzlez :love: and ex spiral- now biellman lift;
1) their spin is really fast and well centered and i love 2nd aprd of it and transitions between them
2) right after 1st stsq? and before twizzles where she leans on him while he is on spread
3) their entrance to final lift where she jumps , almost floats into his arms :love:
i am sure there are many moments but i cant remember, too bad i will have to watch it again :biggrin:
I want to see that interview. Link please! Congrats to the Shibs for winning NHK!!! I can't wait to see their programs again at the GPF!!! I hope they can make it to the podium, if not win. :yes:
 
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