#2TPOP

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2019 GPF Men’s FS

So I did actually type most of this up while watching a live stream, but got sidetracked with conversations for a solid two hours after the FS ended, and fell asleep before finishing up. I had to shorten what I wrote for Yuzuru because it got so long and reminiscing. Maybe I’ll post a longer thing later this week when I have time to properly edit a long post. This post is kind of redundant now that everything is over, but I figured I may as well put this up so it doesn’t lay rotting in my drafts. Boyang Jin FS: 160.77 Total Score: 241.44 4Lzfall, 4T2T good, 4T awkward fall, 3AEu3S, ChSq, FCSp4, 3A, 3Lz3T, 3F so light, StSq3, ChSSp4, ChCoSp4 The first few jumps he looked a bit stiff, but as soon as the second half started he really got into it. He was so expressive in the step sequence and the audience was really supportive. It may have only gotten a level 3, but I really liked it. Some of my other favorite moments were: the FCSp4 done to the music transition with the record spin/scratch and strings, and the spin to the ending piano notes which I thought was particularly gorgeously timed. The commentator (Chris) saying about the audience: “they’ve been so supportive of all of the athletes” Dmitri Aliev FS: 131.26 Total Score: 220.04 4Lz, 4T fall, 2Tpop, 3F fall, FCSp2, ChSq1, 3A hand down, 3Lz3T was great on the music, 3LoEu3S, StSq4 beautiful, ChSSp2, ChCoSp fall part-way through. Oh this was so hard to watch. He held on until the end, but my heart hurts. The entry on the 4T was strange and he fell over the back of his heel when he landed. On the 3F fall, he took a long time to get up again and the crowd cheered for him in support - that was wonderful to hear. I wonder if he got injured there? His following flying camel spin kind of just ended like he couldn’t hold it for long. He started to rally back, but then with the final spin he kind of fell part-way through and no base points were given. His face just fell and he looked so resigned.  Alexander Samarin FS: 167.51 Total Score: 248.83 4Lz3T, 4F hand down - the axis was so strange in the air, 2Tpop, FCSp4, 3A2T, ChSq1, 3A2T, 3LzRippon, 3Lo, ChSSp4, StSq4, ChCoSp4. The smile on his face was nice during the Step Sequence. I’m still not sure how I feel about this program. It feels like it needs more... something. Not the best skate, but he got through it. The 3Lz was particularly nice. Kevin Aymoz FS: 178.92 Total Score: 275.63 4T3T, 4T had a good landing but then he slipped on the running edge, 3A2T, 3Lo out of turns, ChCSp4, 3A, 3LzEu3S, 3F, ChSq1, FSSp4, ChCoSp3, StSq4 I love how the music starts so tranquil and his skating reflects that, and then it starts to build up into a triumphant sound by the end. Right after the 3Lz combo the music starts to change leading into the 3F, and afterward, he does this great spread eagle and his signature slide across the ice in his ChSq. I loved seeing his large smile along with the music swelling triumphantly. Oh man, his scream when he saw his FS score nearly gave me a heart attack. I looked away during the slow-mo recap to type some of this up, and here I am listening to the announcer calling for the scores when suddenly I hear a scream. They had to turn the mic down in the Kiss&Cry because he and his coach were so exuberant. That was great to see.   Yuzuru Hanyu FS: 194.00 Total Score: 291.43 4Lo beautiful, 4Lz gorgeous, FChCoSp4, StSq3, 4S, 3Lz, 4TEu3F<(step-out), 4T2T, 1A(pop), FChSSp4, ChCoSp4 Oh my god that was such a momentous skate to watch. The intensity of it was something else. I’m so proud of him for landing that 4Lz after not being able to put it in for two seasons, and overcoming that mental block.  The opening 4Lo was beautiful without the slightest wobble on the landing, the 4S as the third jumping pass had a bit of a lean but he landed it anyway, then came his 3Lz which was interesting to see because it felt like you could see his natural delayed rotation more clearly this time around compared to usual. I wonder if that was a result of having the 4Lz as well? Then the 4TEu3F looked so nice in the air but he had to step out at the end a bit - the tech panel ended up calling the 3F underrotated, too (it didn’t look under in the slow-mo at all....). He did a 4T2T next - he had planned a 4T3T but I think he didn’t have enough energy or he didn’t feel secure enough in the flow to do a 3T - and he popped his last jumping pass from the planned 3A3A sequence into a 1A. But more than the jumps, the entire program felt like he was on an epic, challenging walls and scaling them with grace. I never get tired of the choreographic moments he has everywhere. I was praying so hard at the end that his legs would hold out long enough for the hydroblade, the travelling stars into the camel spin, and for the spins themselves. I’ve seen enough skaters sit or lose balance on a spin to never take them for granted as an easy “he’ll finish with no problems” last element. Heck, there was an example of that earlier in this very event. I couldn’t help laughing with him when he went into his ending pose and couldn’t hold it longer than a split second. He lost balance a beat after the music finished, while the note was still ringing, and ending up partially leaning over before completely bending himself in half to just sit there on the ice. It reminded me so much of 2012 Worlds when he skated so hard his lips turned blue, and 2012 Finlandia and 2013 Worlds when he ended gasping and collapsing on the ice much like today. His first 5-quad program, and he gets through it with quite the fighting spirit. I can’t help remembering how the season after 2014 Sochi Olympics when he wanted to put in 3 quads in the Free, some people thought that that was crazy and lots of people doubted he had the stamina to pull something like that off. Now look at him doing a program packed with content, on top of 5 quads: one being the quad he pioneered (4Lo), one being a jump some people thought he might never bring back (4Lz), one being a quad that people said he should give up on because it just wasn’t going to be his jump (4S), and two quads (4T) in combination. I’m kind of confused about the score, but hmm. I guess he did pop his last 3A-3Asequence jumping pass and that would have given him like 15 points (18 or so if they gave him good GOE?). But even so... Hmmmm. Nathan Chen FS: 224.92 Total Score: 335.30 4F3T, 4Lz, 4TEu3S, ChCSp4, 3A, StSq3, 4S, 4T, 3Lz3T, ChCoSp4, ChSq, FChCoSp4 The jumps felt solid. There was just the slightest wobble on the 3Lz3T, but the rest were clean and solid. After they’re all done, in the last part of the program with the spins and choreo sequence, at least it looks like he’s having some fun. Did he almost trip in the beginning of his choreo sequence? I’ll have to go back and see that again later. Mmmm, I feel like some of the movements in the hip-hop(?) section could be sharper, but the season is only half over. That’s something he can work on going forward. Final Standings: 1st - Nathan Chen 2nd - Yuzuru Hanyu 3rd - Kevin Aymoz

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2019 NHK Men’s FS Group 2

Liveblogging some impressions while watching a stream (and eating dinner). Koshiro Shimada FS: 137.67 Total Score: 213.65 4Tfall, 3A2T (woah that 3A did not have a good landing but he managed the 2T), 3Lo, 3F, FCSp3, StSq3, 3Lz3T, 3A hand down&step-out, 3LzEu2S, ChSq, FChCoSp4, ChCoSp3V (oof) I love how he smiles throughout the program. I can’t help but want to smile along with him. He feels the music and seems to be having a lot of fun. (Unrelated to the skating, but: I love his costume. It’s pink! And sparkly! And the cut works well with the music. It’s so rare to see elegant nice costumes in the men.) Roman Sadovsky FS:168.99 Total Score: 247.50 4S, 3F, 3A2T (nicely on the note), 3Lo, Stsq4, 4SEu3S (wow that almost looked like he would fall on the 4S but he managed the combo), 3A, 3Lz step out (hand down?), FChCoSp4, ChCSp4, ChSq1. Hmmmm, having three Schindler’s List  Free Skates in one competition. Roman’s program, even though the music didn’t change much, actually wasn’t that bad choreo-wise. He skates softly and it suited the mood of the music. Makar Ignatov FS: 143.98 Total Score: 222.45 4S step-out, 4T(not the best running edge), 3A, 3F3T, FCSp3, 3Lz3T, 3Lz double-footed (looked like he was trying for a combo), 3LoEu2S, StSq3, ChSq, ChSSp2(fall - he lost his balance on the sit position and sat down), ChCoSp2. Not bad overall. It could use some work, but it’s a good showing for his first season. Yuzuru Hanyu FS:195.71 Total Score: 305.05 4Lo (he held it!), 4S (huge!), FChCSp4, StSq4, 3Lz (so easy), 4T, 2Tpop, 4T3T, 3A(huge!)Eu3S, ChSq1, FChSSp4, ChCoSp4. He added some choreo before his hydro and polished some movements during his StSq. It’s such a difference watching him skate after the rest of the field - he has so much speed and just flows from movement to movement. There was a moment where he skates the short side of the rink and reaches the judges’ side in half a moment. That 4S was really something. He went into it with so much speed that I almost thought he would fall, but he lands it and carries on like nothing. After the pop, he redid his entire planned jump content to maximize points. That 3A combo was his last jumping pass. Unreal.  Despite the pop, it was a great performance. Brian: “You made it-- two grand prixs!” Kevin Aymoz FS: 158.55 Total Score: 250.02 4T turn out, 3T footdown (I think he was going for a 4T?), 3A, 3Lo (out of some nice transition turns), ChCSp4, 3A3T, 3LzEu2S, 3F, ChSq1, FSSp4, ChCoSp4, StSq4 I love how this program builds. It starts off quiet and thoughtful and builds into a moving theme. The best part, is that he actually skates to the music instead of just skating something and having the music carry the program. He changes his movements in the second half to highlight the crescendo and tempo change. Sergei Voronov FS:150.42 Total Score: 239.05 4T3T (lots of height on the 4T), 1A pop, 3A2T, FCSp4, 3Lo, StSq3, 3Lz, 2Lz, 3S2T, ChCoSp4, ChSq1, ChSSp3. This program works for him. I’m glad that he was able to put together two good programs in this competition. 4th place!

1st Yuzuru Hanyu (beating Kevin by 55.03 points....) 2nd Kevin Aymoz 3rd Roman Sadovsky