The Ladies of the Grand Prix season were fascinating to watch, but the Men brought just as much juice to the whole meal, if not more!
What an interesting climate in Men’s Figure Skating at the moment.
Nathan Chen of America has dominated this season. He’s really something to see!
A living, breathing “Quad Machine”, to quote Tara Lipinski.
Nathan took Gold at Rostelecom Cup in Russia this season and another Gold at Skate America in Lake Placid, NY. Amazing! He lead the pack heading into the Grand Prix Final.
And it’s not like he’s a big fish in a small pond either! The Men’s field is rammed with contenders this season.
Everyone’s favorite Ice God Yuzuru Hanyu from Japan is back for the 2017/2018 season! He took Silver at Rostelecom Cup after a tremendously exciting (and difficult) Long Program performance.
It’s remarkable how beloved Yuzuru is to Figure Skating fans. He makes the audience in Russia seem like a hometown crowd, as Kurt Browning pointed out.
Watch that Free Skate here:
How Hanyu saved that opening Quad is beyond me!!? The guy’s an animal, a tank and a revolutionary!
This Free Skate is a piece Hanyu is recycling from seasons past. It’s such a good program that I don’t mind seeing it again. How about you?
Unfortunately, Yuzuru sustained a serious ankle injury while training his Quad Lutz at NHK Trophy in Japan, and was unable to finish the Grand Prix series.
The news of this incident was upsetting to all Figure Skating fans. The Grand Prix Final was not the same without him.
GET WELL SOON YUZURU HANYU!
On a more positive note, another fan favorite from Japan is the amazing Shoma Uno, who was kicking butt all over the Grand Prix circuit this year!
This athletic showman took Gold at Skate Canada and Silver at Internationaux de France and made the Final in his usual authoritative fashion. Could you believe that bizarre fall on the Triple Axle at the end of his Short Program!? It really seemed like he had that one!!! *sigh* It’s still ice right? Poor Shoma!
Even with all that talent we just discussed, there’s still more amazing competitors on the scene though!
Mikhail Kolyada of Russia created some waves this year…Hello to another great Quad Lutz!!
Mikhail won Bronze at Rostelecom Cup in Russia and took the Gold in Cup of China, also making the Final Group.
Mikhail is a typical Cheese Ball-Russian-Jump Machine, but there’s something about him I like. The drama he brings is palpable, in spite of his general sloppiness.
But not everyone is dark and dangerous.
Adam Rippon of the USA is up-beat and playful! He won two Silver medals this season, one at NHK Trophy in Japan and the other at Skate America in NY.
Adam was out last season with a broken foot, so it’s particularly heart warming to see this artistic and entertaining athlete back in action.
He represented the USA at the Grand Prix Final as a result of his wins this season. Go Adam!
Check out his fun Short Program from the Final here:
Call me crazy…but it’s nice to hear some variety in the music at these competitions! Watching someone have fun while they skate is a surprisingly rare commodity too! Sadly, Adam doesn’t stand a chance in terms of the jumps in his field of competitors, and took a real nasty spill on a Lutz in the Free Skate, but still, I loved watching him. This Short Program particularly. GO ADAM!!!!!
Shout out to Adam’s Long Program look at this event as well! Fierce. We love you Adam!
Javier Fernández of Spain was a face (and butt) I majorly missed at the Final this year.
Javi won Gold at Internationaux de France, but struggled at Cup of China placing 6th over all and missing out on a spot at the Final. Such a shame.
Here’s hoping we see Javier skate better in the future!
Jin Boyang of China isn’t the only guy doing a Quad Lutz anymore, and that fact has hurt his status on the Grand Prix scene, it would appear. He managed to win a Silver at Cup of China, but faltered at Skate America, ending up fourth there.
Jin qualified for the Final but ultimately withdrew due to ankle injuries. I can’t say I missed seeing him there, sorry!!!! Even though his skating has improved since last season, Boyang still needs a tremendous amount of work on his presentation, skills and spins. Wishing him a speedy recovery though, of course. GET WELL SOON JIN BOYANG!!
The absence of Jin however, opened the door for Jason Brown of the USA to compete in the Final…
Now this is a skater I was happy to see represented in that group!
Jason is passionate and expressive with pretty lines, beautiful spins and admirable skating skills. He’s not the best jumper in the world, but I’m of the opinion that there’s more to Figure Skating than jumps! Brown brings a multitude of wonderful components with every performance.
But what do you think? Is Jason Brown worthy, even without an arsenal of Quadruple jumps?
In the end it would seem the Quad jumps DO matter though, because Brown ended up dead last in the Grand Prix Final, with USA team mate Adam Rippon ahead of him by one point in fifth position and Sergei Voronov of Russia taking the fourth place spot.
The medalist were as follows :
GOLD:Nathan Chen-USA
SILVER: Shoma Uno-Japan
BRONZE: Mikhail Kolyada-Russia
Nathan Chen of America earned that top spot!
Check it out:
From the Quad Lutz/Triple Toe combo off the top, to the wild but landed Quad Flip…it was all very ambitious!
Even with a few mistakes, like a planned Quad Salchow turned double or fumbles on his second Quadruple Lutz, Nathan still gives everyone in the field a reason to sweat. He left the door open for Shoma Uno at this event, but lucky for him, Uno had a few issues and so Chen hung onto first.
Congrats Nathan!!!! You did America proud.
To wrap it up I’d like to leave you with the Long Program of Shoma Uno from Japan:
It may have won Silver this time, but Uno is the ideal male skater to me.
Why? Well…he’s got a variety of Quadruple jumps, a rock solid Triple Axle, strong skating skills, exceptional Spins and a flair for performance. What more does a person need!?
How about the fight he put up on the Quad Flip in the second half of this Free Skate huh? Pretty awesome.
Shoma may have left a point or two on the table in this showing, but there’s just something about him isn’t there? He’s definitely one to watch.
We love you Shoma! Congrats on your Grand Prix Final medal. A big hand to all the winners from this years show down.
THAT is the Grand Prix Final, for the Men, for another year!!!!
What were your impressions? Who did you love? Who did you hate?
All thoughts are valued in the comments section of this blog. Don’t be shy! Pipe in.
Until the next time my arena dwelling friends: bend your knee’s and keep your back straight!
Me? I’m still high from what I saw, from the impact of all that happened….and of course from the drugs still in my system. In my world, an international skating event is a great reason to party, and it was a whooooole weekend people.
In short, I’m feeling good.
This years World Figure Skating Championship was full of shocking failures, not-so-shocking failures, triumph, redemption and of course drama. Oooooh we got some juice didn’t we? From Gracie Gold of the USA’s raw interview after her disappointing Long Program……..
to the rumours of Canadian Patrick Chan’s frustrated sobs echoing melodramatically through The Boston Garden at the conclusion of the Men’s event…
…this World Championship was exciting, ridiculous and outrageous. Everything a Figure Skating competition should be. And how bout that attendance huh? To quote Christine Brennan..“that was a 1990’s crowd..” It was great to see that kind of interest in the sport here in North America!
The Kiss and Cry alone was a vivid gallery of raw human emotion.
Figure Skating, as we all know, is the original reality TV and the ‘Kiss and Cry’ is legendary for its authentic drama. This years footage was not disappointing.
Did you catch Shoma Una of Japan’s reaction to his LP scores?
Poor little dude….
Anyway, before we really get into it I want to add this disclaimer for any new readers:
I have little interest in the Pairs and Ice Dance event. It wasn’t always so, and it may change in the future, but if you’re looking for extensive coverage on those events you are in the wrong place.
Can we talk about the Ladies first? What a final flight! Everyone came tearing out of the gate focused and skating to win.It’s exciting to watch an event like that! And so wonderful to see that many clean performances in one competition.
Let’s just get to the elephant in the room and get it out of the way…
Poor Gracie. Poor, poor Gracie Gold. That was tough to watch. On home ice, in 1st place after a great Short Program!! Wilting under the spotlight and end up 4th. Tragic!!! And she has the goods too! Gracie earned the placement she had going into the Free Skate. Gracie should be a legitimate threat to anyone in the field right now. But she lost control of her head game and in Figure Skating your head game matters more than almost anything else.
I wish her the best of luck in overcoming her psychological challenges in competition, and to leave it on a positive note here are some images from her fantastic Short Program at this event.
The choreography, the dress and the smooth execution of it all was athletic, sexy and a highlight of the competition. We love you Gracie!!!
Moving on to the new Ladies Champion of the World… Evgenia Medvedeva from Russia!
This victory was a surprise to no one. Evgenia did here what she’s been doing all season. She dominated.
There’s nothing to say about her that hasn’t already been said. Her jump technique is flawless. She spins fast and skates faster. She’s a rock solid competitor. A charismatic performer. Evgenia’s got it all. My only other thought is…..I wonder what new Russian girl will be on the scene next year? Will she be over shadowed like the last 3 were? Or will she endure? Only time will tell…
But for today….congratulations Evgenia!!!! You are a true champion.
And before we move on….I think it’s worth mentioning that I was especially blown away by Evgenia in the Short Program. How about you? To add that Triple Toe to the Triple Loop on the fly…and with such ease and grace too…..well that says it all doesn’t it? She’s got mad skills.
Speaking of madness….
We can’t forget our Silver medalist this year can we? She would never let us.
Oh Ashley Wagner from the USA, how complicated my feelings are toward thee…
Her Short Program was fantastic. Really it was. Canadian Choreographer Shae-Lynn Bourne made something special there, and Ashley skated the shit out of it.
You have to hand it to Wagner for being an aggressive competitor. She’s hungry and she doesn’t try to hide it. I loved watching her shimmy and shake in that Short Program, she was really strong.
And there was her gutsy skate in the Long Program. Gracie left the door open and Ashley sailed on through. She was obviously….very happy. Good for her.
The Moulin Rouge program suits her strengths beautifully, and she put out a strong performance. That dress is fantastic too. Woot!
For the sake of the audience I was glad Ashley did what she did out there. It must have been so fun to witness an American woman throw down on home ice, skate aggressively and end the medal drought for their country. Ashley is not my favourite skater, but I respect what she was able accomplish. Way to go Ashley!! Second in the whole, wide world! Bravo.
And what about Satoko Miyahara of Japan? 5th place!?! What an insult. That is not representative of what she did in my mind.
Is Satoko too harshly penalized for her low jumps? Why is it such a big deal? She gets them done. Plus she’s graceful and consistent with exceptional spins, skating skills and showmanship. That’s not enough!? I don’t know what the judges were watching, but I loved both her programs and felt she should have been on the podium.
Bronze medalist Anna Pogorilaya from Russia had the skate of her life. I can’t be calling her “Torture Porn Russian” on this blog anymore! Instead of a series of brutal wipe outs Anna landed all her jumps with authority and fought for every moment of her programs.
Congratulations on a fantastic showing Anna!
Next year I hope to see more original programs and simpler, more elegant costumes for this talented skater. I also want to see Anna get going on her modelling career. Seriously, though. She could be making a lot of extra money, she has it! Look at her:
I don’t know what she’s waiting for!
Who else rounded out the top 10? Well, legendary Mao Asada of Japan was 7th. Kind of shocking for a 3 time World Champion, but she’s had a tough season and this event was no picnic either.
Even when she’s struggling you still notice how incredible a skater Mao is though. I love the footwork sequence in the Short Program, and there were some impressive jumping passes in the Long as well…..I wonder if she will bother coming back next year? She says she loves to compete so who knows!
Elena Radionova of Russia ended up 6th. All I can say is thank God the season is over so I don’t ever have to watch those horrific programs again. The voice over in her Titanic LP….ugh….Leonardo DiCaprio drowning and freezing to death while Elena grins with joy, heart open and arms reaching to the heavens….that shit ain’t right.
I wonder what she’ll come up with next season? It couldn’t possibly be worse. In closing, I’d like to say that she needs to fire her costume person. Her dresses continue to not cover her butt properly…it’s really distracting. That is under age Russian girl booty right there! Jesus. But hey, let’s get real, it’s probably good for ratings so…..maybe she should keep it? Ha! I’m kiiiiiiiding. Those dresses are terrible.
And that was the ladies event, more or less.
So now it’s time to discuss the Men. And what a discussion it is!!! This was another great competition with many memorable performances.
Lets just start with the cream of the crop. The luscious, the delicious, the incredible Javier Fernandez of Spain! Taking the Gold for another year in a row.
Javi struggled a bit in the Short program and went down on the Quad Salchow, but he didn’t let that mess with his head and skated really strong otherwise. His Long Program on the other hand….it was masterful to say the least. Athletic, sexy, smooth and clean, clean, clean. He really blew the roof off the place and skated like a true Champion. Go Javi!
Yuzuru Hanyu of Japan came second, and that was a bit of a shocker. This Olympic Champion and legend-in-the-making has been winning events and breaking world records all season. Everyone expected him to take the Gold here.
His breath taking Short Program to Chopin’s Ballade No. 1 in G Minor was one of my favourite skates in the whole competition. Yuzu is a rockstar. He makes me cry, gives me goosebumps and amps me up all at the same time. I absolutely love this program and he skated it beautifully here.
I especially enjoyed his intense, celebratory yell at the end. Very athletic and very fierce.
His Long Program on the other hand was a struggle, and it seemed to just get worse as it went along.
He never stopped fighting for it though and he’s a pleasure to watch, even when a program gets away from him. I can’t wait to see what this truly amazing athlete and performer has in store for us next season! I’m not sure how he will be able to top the quality of this seasons programs, but it’s going to be fun to watch him try.
OK…..can we talk about Patrick Chan from Canada? Have you calmed down yet? That was some frustrating shit to watch huh? What the hell? Pchiddy (that’s his Twitter handle) hasnever been much of a competitor, which is sad because he’s one of the all time great skaters, but I honestly don’t understand what the issue is. It was really hard to watch him bomb so badly here….especially in the Long Program….5th place….yikes!
I can only imagine how frustrating this whole season has been for Pchiddy. Do you think he’ll come back next year? Goodness knows he’s got the skills, but will he ever have the head game? I guess we’ll see…. Good luck Patrick, hope to see you again next year! You are always exquisite.
Boyang Jin from China got 3rd place here.
I didn’t much like his programs and he still has a lot of work to do on his skating skills….but DAMN can he jump! So much air, it’s amazing.
I just can’t believe we live in a world where Boyang Jinbeat Patrick Chan…
Pchiddy can’t believe it either.
Rounding out the top 10 we also have the charismatic and exciting Shoma Uno of Japan. He had a few more troubles than he’s been used to lately, with a particularly vicious fall in the Long Program, and ended up 7th. He really showed how tough a competitor he is though, and in spite of his obvious devastation over his performance in the Kiss and Cry, I loved watching him and thought he was great.
Shoma is one to watch. He’s a well rounded skater with a reputation that’s growing fast. Definitely a crowd favourite too. Love you Shoma.
The US men came out to play right? It was inspiring to see.
Super good-looking gay rockstar type Adam Rippon of the USA placed 6th, busting out some Queen for the Short Program and The Beatles in the Free Skate. Adam performed both with a ton of athleticism and style. He represented his country very well and should be proud. Go Adam!!!
His sensitive, yet sexy American team mate Max Aaron placed 8th. Fun fact, Aaron used to be a hockey player and played U16 AAA hockey in his teens!
You can definitely see that competitive nature in Max’s style. It’s cool. He’s really athletic overall. His Short Program was nicely done and presented with classy confidence. I especially appreciated how he sorted out that botched combination last minute too.
His Free Skate was even better! Gutsy and fun to watch. I’ve heard a few bitchy queens criticizing Max for his “lack of costume”, but I completely disagree. The simplicity of the costume suits his style. He’s not a fussy skater! Why should his costume be? It totally went with the dark, dramatic sections of Swan Lake he chose too. Max skated like a pro and did the USA proud. It was a pleasure to watch him.
And what about that cocky Russian jumping machine Mikhail Kolyada!?!? He placed 4th here, at his first Senior Worlds, and really left an impression.
He was so classically Russian too, am I right? Good looking, cocky swagger, tough-as-nails competitor, bad leotard and gigantic jumps. And don’t get me wrong, I loved it! He had me at The Nightmare Before Christmas Long Program. This kid looks like Ilia Kulik and jumps like Evgeny Plushanko….watch out! With some better choreography and costumes who knows what he could do. Great skate here, anyway. Congratulations Mikhail! Looking forward to seeing you next season.
And that was more or less the Men’s event!
What a World Championship it was. I haven’t had that much fun since 1997.
Was it as good for you as it was for me?
Until next time my ice lovelies…. remember to sell your program and go for every single thing you do with every little thing you’ve got! That is what makes a champion.
The second greatest achievement in the competitive Figure Skating universe is becoming World Champion. The greatest achievement is becoming Olympic Champion, obviously, but World Champion is a huge credit too. It totally is! It’s big time guys, and the 2016 World Championships is almost here! Eeeeeeeee! Who will be crowned? You think that you know, but you don’t know!! It’s Figure Skating, anything could happen.
Are you old like me? Do you actually remember Katarina Witt? If you’re young and ignorant you should make some time to look into Katarina because she was a great champion. Really.
This 1987 Long Program is a nice place to start. It won her the gold. And she was dressed for it too, am I right? So feminine and sexy. Damn. Katarina holds up! Love the sleeves.
Next up in the World Figure Skating memory banks is this classic Free Dance from 1998 by Shae-Lynn Bourne and Viktor Kraatz of Canada.
River dance! It’s a memorable program. Shae and Vik were ahead of their time in terms of athleticism and style and have been copied by anyone who is everyone since.
They were robbed of this 1998 World title, by the way. Bronze!?! What an insult. But that’s Figure Skating. It’s often rigged at these events and that’s part of the game.
I loved the Bourne and Kratz energy as a pair. So consistent and they never feel forced. The edges they get too, wow…luscious. They make skating look so cool.
Speaking of ahead of the times…… how about the great Tara Lipinski at the 1997 Worlds! Tara was the champion at age 14 with a program that would be competitive today. (skip the fluff piece and get right to the skating at the 4:00 min mark 🙂
Tara was unreal. I feel sorry for skaters who had to compete against her…she was a monster. You gotta love it.
World Figure Skating nostalgia continues with Kurt Browning of Canada in 1993. His Casablanca Long Program is the signature piece of his competitive career, and my holy grail in terms of choreography in this silly sport.
Enjoy!
That was a different time. The game has changed, and not necessarily for the better either. Very few athletes are able to make what is expected of them look halfway decent aesthetically.
Yuzuru Hanyu of Japan is of that few. By any standard he is mind-blowing and THIS Long Program is what we have to look forward to at Worlds this year:
This program inspired me to buy a plane ticket to Boston and watch him skate it live. This is the most memorable piece from a skater in many years.
Guys like Yuzuru keep me interested.
What do you think is going to happen at Worlds? Does Patrick really have any shot at all?
The Grand Prix series is completed for another year and I’m still coming down from the high of having a skating event to watch every single weekend for almost 2 months! As I recall the whole series all I’m really left with is a vague, monotonous parade of programs, all more or less the same, with only a few stand out impressions. It’s those stand out memories that really mean something to me in this sport. They are why we all keep watching.
Be honest. If you’re a figure skating nerd and you watched most of the Grand Prix series, what do you actually remember? Now that it’s all over can you even recall what went down?
Well I’m here to help with this little re-cap.
WARNING: if you follow this blog you know I couldn’t care less for Pairs or Ice Dance right now. In the 1990’s I kept up, but anything beyond 2002 I’m more or less out….go to The Blade Boys, The Skating Lesson or The Rinkside Cafe if you want quality musings on those events 🙂
So lets do it! First up…
Skate America
Well, obviously Evgenia Medvedeva of Russiastood out big time.
What can you say? Another incredible Russian girl. Breath taking jumps…the flow through them, the confidence going in, the arm over head, all so lovely. Great dresses too. The way Russia cranks out ladies contenders these days however, it’s hard to say where she’ll be next season, but that’s beside the point. It’s worth mentioning that some of the choreography in her Long Program was straight up laughable.
Anyhow, the reality is that Evgenia Medvedeva has the potential to be devastating in any competition points-wise and seems to have excellent focus to boot. I predict she will be a contender at Worlds 2016.
Gracie Gold
The USA’s most promising lady came out of the gate swinging this season. Her short program is stand out, I love it. She still can’t do a Triple Flip, but everything else was spot on elements wise. Loved the elegant, sexy dress she wore for it too. It looks great on her.
But I just cannot deal with her Long Program this year. Is it me?? I hate it!
I hate the try-hard “artistic” choreo:
I hate the gloves…
Oh, and I think I hate “Firebird” by Stravinsky. It’s stressful music isn’t it? And you hear it so frequently at skating competitions too. Boring.
Gracie should just stick to being an ice princess. She kills that style and it showcases her best.
Yulia Lipnitskaya
My poor little sweetie. What an awkward phase of her career….it was tough to watch her at Skate America. It was the worst I’ve seen her skate in many respects, and that’s bad because last season was a nightmare.
That Short Program dress was one of the most epic fails I’ve ever seen on the ice EVER. And such a shock coming from Yulia, who has been impeccably costumed historically! Ugh…
The poor girl has a women’s body now and her unreliable (see also: terrible) jumping technique is now completely failing her. Talk about an ego crushing start to her season…not the come-back we Yuliacs…(copyright “Yuliacs”) were hoping for.
The Long Program has potential and the dress is cool conceptually, but it needs a sharper design…she has to get her shit together.
All you could really say at the end of Skate America in regards to her was….. poor Yulia….poor, poor Yulia….
Should we count her out for good though? Absolutely not. This girl is a fighter, she has tremendous potential and a brand new coach now….Im very curious to see how she fairs at the ultra competitive Russian Nationals over Christmas. I predict a pleasant surprise…but I’m, like, insanely biased. I love her.
Shoma Uno of Japan.
Wow.
All i can say is wow, this kid is compelling. His showmanship, the skating skills, his original style. Shoma left me impressed and wanting more. Fantastic addition to the Senior Men’s field and the most exciting take away from Skate America for me.
SKATE CANADA
My most vivid impression of this event was poor Kaitlyn Osmond of Canada’s vicious fall in the Short Program. It was awful to see and I hope she wasn’t too badly hurt. It shook her up badly and she bombed the rest of the competition. Such a pity because she really does have potential.
Ashley Wagner managed to win this thing.
It was annoying to me as i find her skating underwhelming technically and I’m pretty tired of that Long Program by now….the Short Program on the other hand I absolutely love, and my hat tips to her teamforthe choreography. Both her dresses were fabulous as well.
Elizaveta Tuktamysheva bombed her Short Program, surprising everyone, and then came back hard in the Long Program to win and pulled up to 2nd place over all.
She busted out the kind of jumps in the LP we expect from this reigning World Champion and it was cool to see her fight back. Her programs are beyond terrible though and she has horrendous spins, no transitions either…I like her, I’m not sure why, but it has to be said…she is not a complete skater.
Patrick Chan.
Another surprising Short Program bomb at this event from our boy PChan. He came back strong in the Long Program though, reminding us why he’s capable of being one of the most complete skaters in history, and managed to pull up to first place over all. I was proud of him…but I’m also worried about his head game….when Yuzuru Hanyu is your main competition you can’t afford to give ANY points away.
Speaking of the great Yuzuru Hanyu of Japan…
Tough Short Program for him here too. He had some problems at this event in general and only managed to hang on to 2nd place. Yuzuru leaves a lasting impression anyway though with the quality of his routines. Last years Short Program to Chopin is so beautiful, I’m happy to see it again! And the Long….ugh….he kills me, I love it. The exciting music that steadily builds to a finale, the way he gives the judges sass, his commitment to the choreography….first rate.
He’s going to win Worlds in 2016…obviously.
Cup of China
Mao Asada of Japan is clearly struggling to get her competitive head screwed on after being away.
I was expecting her to really throw down here but she struggled the whole event. The surprise of that, and then watching how she handled it, is what made her stand out to me over all. She took Gold, but it wasn’t her best.
The programs are OK, maybe not my favourite from her…but i am curious to see where she goes with them theatrically later in the season.
Bronze medalist Elena Radionova of Russia has terrible shoulders, flailing arms and favours embarrassing theatrics.
I cannot express how awful i think her programs are this season either. I hate them. This fierce dislike of her skating keeps her fresh in my mind though, even after the event is long past! They better send her to Ballet class soon because I can’t stand to look at those shoulders anymore!
Speaking of car crash Russians…Anna Pogorilaya was a stand out at Cup of China due to her usual series of brutal falls.
I’m convinced she’s trying to take herself out in these programs and I affectionately call her “Torture Porn Russian”….
But you can’t mention her without also mentioning how beautiful she is….
The girl could be a model. Just stunning….I can’t imagine the season is going to get better for her….but i guess you never can tell in this sport.
Javier Fernandez from Spain, the Gold medalist here, was skating like the World Champion he is and I was proud to see him deliver two strong programs. Go Javi!!!! Great start to the season.
Boyang Jin from Chinatook the Silver and hestands out in my mind only because he can do a Quad Lutz.
It’s an amazingly difficult element and he crushes it. Props. The rest of his skating needs MAJOR work though. Like, major.
Trophée Éric Bompard
The main take way from this competition was of course the horrifying tragedy in France. So scary and so sad…God rest the souls of all those affected by those truly awful terrorist attacks.
The final placement at this event was based on the Short Program standings only, as it was cancelled immediately after that component due to the crisis and no one skated their Long.
So Miss Gracie Gold…she dominated in the Short and even got the Flip done! One can only assume she would have been pretty unbeatable in the Long in this field. A 1st place finish for her sits OK with me.
Yulia Lipnitskaya
My baby girl was looking MUCH better here than at Skate America, that’s for sure, and I love her so she gets another shout out.
Yulia changed up her Short Program dress (and threw that rainbow debacle in the incinerator I hope)
She actually looked happy too.
Yulia skated a basically solid Short Program ending up 2nd. Would she have been able to hang onto that spot? Ehhh, probably not, but whatever. I was happy to see her end the Grand Prix on a positive note and head off to her new coach Alexi Urmanov in Sochi, inspired to get to work. Good luck Yulia!
On a side note, everyone needs to stop shitting on her Short Program musical choice. I applaud her for trying something outside her comfort zone! That’s how you get better people.
ANY-way…
So, like it happened at Skate Canada Elizaveta Tuktamysheva had a really rough Short Program here and ended up 7th.
I’m sure she would have pulled up in the Long…..but I’m not positive..y’know? It seems the pressure of last seasons success is getting to her. I’m very curious to see what she pulls out at Russian Nationals in a few days though! Don’t get too obsessed with the Triple Axle Liza….it’s not everything!!
Shoma Uno of Japan.
This kid is one to watch, no doubt, and I bring him up again for this reason.
Shoma ended up 1st after the short and I’m fine with him having that title. His skating is very exciting to me and I hope to see him on the World team in 2016.
Patrick Chan
Oh Patrick…..what is the fucking problem here!?! Why can’t you get a Short Program done???? Much like at Skate Canada PChan also struggled in the Short at Trophee Eric Bombard, but without the chance to make it up in the Long, he ended up 5th.
There was a time when I thought of Patrick as a threat to any Men’s podium, but after this Grand Prix season…..I just don’t know. Not with the likes of Javier Fernandez, Yuzuru Hanyu and Shoma Uno on the scene. He needs a sports psychologist, and at this point he’s not too good for a jump coach either.
Rostelecom Cup
Elena Radionova won this thing by being gross.
Elena skates with a similar “passion”to every piece of music, no matter the theme, and that dated Titanic LP is no different. It seems like she doesn’t fully understand it, like she doesn’t know what the movie was about. And the voice over of Leonardo DiCaprio drowning during the finale spin!?!?! The fuck?! Tough to watch.
And of course we had super hottie Adelina Sotnikova at this event too.
The controversial Olympic Ladies Champion from Sochi 2014 was nowhere near her best at this event, and she sobbed at the end of her Long Program like she…I don’t know what….like she managed to escape execution??? Something like that. Anyway, her dress was pretty and she has interesting spins, great speed/ice coverage…but unfortunately those jumps were just not around….not at all. But Rostelecom Cup is in Russia and…well….they took care of it and she ended up with the Bronze here. Good for her I guess?
Adian Pitkeev of Russiatook Gold in the Men’s event.
This handsome young man has come so far from last season.
He’s sleek and quick with a beautiful body line and I enjoy watching him more and more as he goes along in the sport. His landings on the jumps remind me a little of Russian Olympic Champion Ilia Kulik and in general he stood out to me here because he has developed so much in just one season. Nice job Adian!
NHK Trophy
Satoko Miyrahara of Japanwas the winner here and you have to stand up and applaud her consistency. She’s un-real that way.
This girl really knows how to focus and do her job. I love her spins (especially the Layback) and I love her confident, authentic showmanship too. And OK sure, there is no height what-so-ever on those jumps, and if she gains even 1 pound she’ll never rotate them again, but who cares right? She’s getting the job done now and I always enjoy her programs. Total little cutie!
Mao Asada…
I’m bringing her up again because I was slightly shocked to see how much trouble she was continuing to have on the Grand Prix circuit this year. It just goes to show you, even the most talented and capable skaters can be plagued in competition if they lose their head game. I hope to see her rise above these problems and do what she is capable at Worlds 2016….I guess we’ll see.
Anna Pogorilaya aka “Torture Porn Russian”
Wow! The falls at this event were truly spectacular. Note worthy. Anna was literally writhing in pain on the ice like a stab wound victim around fall number 3 in the Long Program….
I wouldn’t have believed it unless I saw it with my own eyes. Jesus…..hope Anna is OK. That was rough as HELL. And she’s just so pretty too!
The Grand Prix Final 2015
So after all that here’s how it shook out in the Grand Prix Final this year!
Men:
Yuzuru Hanyu
Javier Fernandez
Shoma Uno
Ladies:
Evgenia Medvedeva
Satoko Miyrahara
Elena Radionova
Closing thoughts:
If you weren’t a die hard Yuzuru Hanyu fan before, I don’t see how you couldn’t be now. It brought a tear to my eye to watch Yuzu skate with such technical mastery and authority. I love that Long Program artistically as well, and he deserves every World record in the book.
Re-live that feat here:
Evgenia Medvedeva is a very exciting jumper. I really stand in awe of the flow and elegance she achieves. She has a lot of other good qualities too. Her Sasha Cohen skid is really dope, love that.
Check out her super clean LP here:
Russian Nationals is going to be absolutely stacked in the Ladies event this year! I’m looking forward to the showdown!
And finally, just to stir the pot a bit, I’d like to mention that at the Grand Prix Final this year I was once again reminded of Ashley Wagner and her uncanny ability to throw down and show us what she’s made of……..once she’s in last place, the pressure is off and there’s nothing to lose.
Ashley sure is proud of herself huh? God love her for that drama (and the dresses) But seriously, I’d like to see her get her head game together already and deliver the SP under pressure.
US Nationals will be very interesting in the Ladies event this year as well.
And there we have it! The 2015 Grand Prix Experience.
“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”
Wayne Gretzky
Have you read “Outliers” by Malcolm Gladwell? This great book beautifully articulates the idea that, in general, most successful people have had a series of advantages that gave them an opportunity to work harder then everyone else, and there for become better than everyone else. These types of unusually successful people are referred to in the book as “Outliers”.
After I read this book Rudy Galindo popped into my head.
In some ways it seems like Rudy wasn’t a typical athletic Outlier. For one thing, Rudy came from a family with financial difficulties. He wasn’t just working class growing up either, he was poor. Certainly that fact could be seen as a disadvantage in the expensive sport of figure skating. But where that disadvantage appears to be balanced out is in his relationship with his family. Rudy’s whole family were exceptionally supportive. His parents and siblings all sacrificed things personally in order to give Rudy a chance to keep skating.
But it wasn’t just his great support system and obvious natural talent for skating that contributed to his eventual success. Like all champions, Rudy had more advantages than meets the eye.
When Rudy was coming up as a skater he competed in both the singles and the pairs event. Talk about doubling up on your practice hours huh? His formative years as a skater were spent training along side future Olympic champion Kristi Yamaguchi, while simultaneously competing in the singles competition. He and Kristi were a fairly successful team too, which garnered Rudy a lot of experience as a competitor. They won the 1986 Junior National title and the 1988 Junior World title. They were Senior US champions in 1989 and 1990, and at their peak ranked 5th in the world.
Nice Spirals but why is Rudy dressed as a Mud Puddle? Anyway….that’s beside the point.
What matters here is that from the beginning Rudy had advantages that helped him master the art of figure skating.
However, in 1990 his career took an abrupt turn for what seemed to be the worse, when Kristi Yamaguchi left Rudy to focus on her singles career. Rudy has said that he was angry at the time because…“I would never find another partner as good as Kristi..” and he watched from the side lines as she went on to become the 1991 and 1992 World Champion and the 1992 Olympic Champion. Rudy was left struggling to break through in the Men’s event. He was also dealing with an emotionally devastating series of events in his personal life. In 1993 Rudy’s father died of a heart attack and then in 1994 his brother George died from AIDS. His coach Rick Inglesi also died of AIDS in 1995.
After the 1995 US Nationals, where he had placed a disappointing 8th, Rudy took 8 months off and was all but forgotten in the skating world. He was considered one of many Senior competitors who had their time and then washed out of the system. Rudy was said to have expressed frustration during this period because of the lack of support he felt he received from the skating federation. He was unmotivated and ready to retire.
But then…..another much needed advantage came his way.
The 1996 US National Championships were to be held in his home town of San Jose, California! Inspired at the thought of competing in his own backyard with his mother in attendance (she was unable to travel very far at that point) Rudy decided to give it one last try. The emotional trauma and loss he suffered over the last few years became something that he badly wanted to rise above. Rudy began training in September 1995 with his sister Laura acting as his coach.
What happened next is legendary.
In January 1996, at 26 years old, Rudy Galindo skated two perfect programs and won the US National title. In a sport dominated by teenagers he was the oldest man to do so in 70 years! As Dick Button said…“What a triumph!”
Take a look at the video of the Long Program, set to Swan Lake because…Swan Lake.
Dick’s reaction to Rudy’s Triple/Triple combination at the 1:03 mark is so classic Dick it kills me every time.
I believe this performance is legendary for more than just clean elements. Rudy has a sincerity that you just don’t see every day. He’s so earnest and heart felt, it’s impossible not to love him. But he’s also a reliable athlete. Rudy was an experienced competitor but the time he skated this program and he executed it with ease.
So Rudy wins Nationals and makes the 1996 World team. He skates another two perfect programs at the World championships (at a very well skated event in general) and takes the bronze. By far the hottest year of his skating life, and it was just supposed to be a throw away for old times sake. Rudy rose to the occasion so masterfully and with such inspiration though, that it changed his life and brought his career to another level. Rudy turned professional after the 1996 Worlds and has made a handsome living touring ice shows, doing commercial/TV work and coaching ever since. He even wrote a book about his life and career called “Icebreaker-The Autobiography of Rudy Galindo” in 1997.
Rudy is a fascinating competitor in the history of mens figure skating and proof that a persons obstacles can sometimes inspire action, deepen ambition and contribute to their greatness.
It’s a nice thing to think about.
What competitors have inspired you over the years?
Until we meet again my icey friends…remember, whatever you do don’t quit!
Something I’ve always loved about figure skating is its unspoken pageant component. The ISU can go on about athletics till the cows come home, but the fact remains that skaters are judged with the same level of scrutiny on how they look when they step on the ice, as what they can actually do on it. It’s catty, it’s shallow, it shouldn’t matter….BUT IT DOES. And let’s face it, a lot of people tune in for this very reason. As Dick Button says, figure skating is theatre. A competitive program is a performance as much as it is a display of athletic ability. If a skater isn’t dressed right, it hurts their component score, if a skater is dressed beautifully, it helps them.
Remember Nancy Kerrigan in her $5000.00 Vera Wang originals? Who doesn’t. She was always impeccably dressed. To this day, the average Joe Blow out there remembers Nancy more for her dresses than for her Spiral or her Triple Toe/Triple Toe combination.
The new Nancy Kerrigan, in terms of fashion, is Gracie Gold. It’s that ice princess thing the USA does so well. Don’t you just want to hang her on your Christmas Tree?
This particular style is at its best on Gracie Gold. She sells it beautifully.
Then of course there was World and Olympic champion Oksana Baiul of the Ukraine. So beautifully costumed in her 1994 Olympic Short Program as a Black Swan, (and since we’re on the subject, let’s be real, she was also the only skater who has ever performed to this music with any authentic balletic style…but that’s another post)
Oh, and the White Swan from the Gala too..classic!
Of course she famously blew it, in terms of fashion, in the Long Program of that same event. Figure skating Godfather Toller Cranston , God rest his soul, even remarked that she resembled ..”an electrified poodle…”
You can’t see the scrunchie in that shot, but it matched the shoulder trim, and it was awful. Fortunately for Oksana, I think that this silly costume endeared her even further to the judges and, whether you agree with what happened or not, she snuck in there and took the Gold.
A beautiful costume can’t save you if you’re going down though. That’s the twisted beauty of figure skating! It matters, but it doesn’t matter. It’s a popularity contest, it’s a fashion show and it’s an athletic competition rolled into one. You can bag those extra points (and the judges good graces) by looking spiffy no doubt, but if you fail to execute your program…..it’s over.
As a Canadian skating fanatic, it pains me to bring up Kurt Browning when it comes to the Olympics. Especially 1994 Lilihammer, his last chance. But since this article is focused on fashion, I have no choice. His Long Program was set to Casablanca and the costume was perfection. Absolutely timeless and oh-so-classy.
This four time World Champion and legend in the sport was the favourite for Gold heading into both of his Olympic runs. He was dressed for success too, especially in Lilihammer, and the judges couldn’t have wanted to give it to him more….but alas, he crumbled under the pressure and even his incredible threads couldn’t save him.
Speaking of Canadians…Ice Dance Olympic and World Champions Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir are always impeccably dressed. In a sector of the sport that is famous for being particularly garish and over the top, this team always keeps it elegant and glamourous.
Ekaterina Gordeeva and Sergei Grinkov of Russia, the undisputed all-time-greatest Pairs team in history, brought that sexy severity we love about Russian athletes out to play in their 1994 Olympic Free Skate don’t you think? That was the second time they took the Gold.
I know some of you are like…”…I’m seeing Star Trek here…” But I love it, so fuck you. They look like sexy priests!
G&G was a team so unbelievably good that it really didn’t matter what they wore. This is not something that can be said about very many.
Olympic and World Champion Pairs team Jamie Sale and David Pelletier of Canada were another well styled couple who consistently rocked an understated look.
As much as I loved this clean, preppy style on them it WAS distracting how much the fabric of her shirt showed sweat marks. Do you guys remember? Whoever thought that was a smart material to make an athlete’s competition shirt out of I can only hope was fired.
Then there is the famous, the infamous, the one and only Katarina Witt of East Germany. A two time Olympic Gold medalist and World Champion. This is the woman responsible for the Carmen pandemic we are experiencing in the sport today, 30 years later. Katarina understood the theatrical element of figure skater perhaps better than anyone in its history.
And whether she was doing a Showgirl thing…
Her legendary Carmen routine..
Or something more playful…
Katarina Witt was an icon of style in the sport and continues to inspire the trends to this day.
The modern answer to Katarina Witt, in my humble opinion, is Russia’s Yulia Lipnitskaya. This girl is a force to be reckoned with in terms of her mesmerizing spins, unparalleled flexibility and style. Yulia is unique, modern and eye catching.
Yulia is a young, stylish girl in one program…
A sleek, exotic bird in the next piece…
And an ice princess too.
And of course, most famously so far….a tragic child.
I could post pictures of her costumes all day. SO good.
Who do you like?
What figure skating costumes did it for you over your own history with the sport?
Until the next time we chat ice lovers…..sell your program and dress to IMPRESS!
Super-Hunk and Super-Athlete Javier Fernandez is the 2015 Men’s World Figure Skating Champion! Congratulations Javier! Can we just acknowledge his butt for a second though, before we discuss this any further?
It has to be said. This kid’s ass is as phenomenal as his jump technique. He’s the best looking Men’s champion of all time, no question, and a damn fine skater to boot, but more on that in a second.
This competition was very interesting wasn’t it? Some epic fails, and some exciting comebacks too, often wrapped into a single performance. There are definitely more male skaters on my radar after watching this event, how about you? We seem to have some new stars on the rise.
Ok, so first things first. Remember what I said about Phantom of the Opera? I am automatically a little harder on any skater who uses this music (or Carmen) because as all skating fans know, it has been used TO DEATH.
But every rule has an exception, and I want to come right out of the gate saying that I loved Yuzuru Hanyu’s Phantom themed Long Program this season. L-O-V-E-D it.
I probably have Brian Orser to thank for that partially, right? Brian Orser is a two-time Olympic medalist and Canadian coaching giant. He’s Yuzuru’s right hand man. I’m guessing he chose those sections of the score for his student? WHOEVER selected and edited that music was right on the money anyway. It was absolutely perfect for Yuzu. When he skated it so passionately and won the Grand Prix Final earlier this season….I was in love with him all over again. (I know, I know…that fuck up on the Lutz was a shame, but forgivable considering the rest of the content…c’mon) I was on team Yuzuru-for-Gold leading up to this World Championships, believe me.
So here we are at Worlds then. He’s reigning Champ, he’s Olympic Champ. He’s had a TOUGH season but proven to be a steely competitor no matter what.
It was hard to watch him loose his focus and leave the door open for Javier Fernandez, wasn’t it? I was kind of shocked when he popped that Salchow first thing in the Free Skate. When he crashed down on the second jumping pass, right in time with the most iconic notes in the whole Phantom score, I knew it was over. It was cringe worthy. He knew it too I’m sure, and that makes his recovery all the more impressive. He really knows how to take one element at a time doesn’t he? And have you ever seen a crowd more supportive of a skater? Holy Hell! He truly is a rock star in the sport and I enjoyed this flawed performance just as much as any other of his. Yuzuru is an undeniably beautiful skater. A World Silver medal at the end of a rough and tumble season…..it’s not the worst thing. He’s going to continue to be a major player moving forward no doubt.
So Denis Ten got in there. Good for him. He certainly fought for every second of his programs, which is always great to see.
What did you think of his Programs by the way? I liked the Short a lot more than the Long, even with the flawed jumping passes.
Certainly both programs were sophisticated. He had a few small jumping errors in the Long program as well, but more or less rose to the occasion. I thought his Spins were weak in the Long though, especially toward the end. That second to last combination spin? The one that ended in that retched tuck position? He lost all his speed on it! I’m nit-picking, I know, but i guess it’s because i don’t see the fascination with this kid. He’s got an incredible team working for him, Frank Carroll and Lori Nichol namely, so I feel like I should be more excited about him…. but I never am. He’s really good, but I just don’t care you know? What about you guys? Do you like him?
Can we talk about the Babelicious Javier Fernandez now!!!? He did it. Kind of….
I’m sorry! I don’t mean to be mean, but he wasn’t completely satisfied with that Long Program himself, you could tell. Such a shame about the second Quad…the Salchow….it looked great in the air, am i right? He just got too far back on his heel to hang on to the landing, unfortunately.
Having said that, I REALLY like this kid. It’s hard not to. He’s charming, handsome and a powerful athlete. He absolutely deserves to be recognized as a World Champion. I just have one complaint……Is it me or does he have to get in his head a bit to complete elements in a competitive setting? I have been noticing it all season. His programs are great, don’t get me wrong, and he skates them beautifully, but i can’t help but notice that glazed look in his eyes when he competes. He seems to be going through the motions of the choreography a little bit to focus on the athletics. Is it me? Am I reading it wrong? I don’t know…again, I’m nit-picking.
Javier is one of the most well-rounded male competitors on the scene right now and I loved watching him execute those routines so strongly at this important event. Did you see how fucking wacked that Triple Axle was in the Short program? I don’t know how he saved it. Amazeballs.
Javier, and his sexy rump roast, are sure to be very popular moving forward. I know I’M looking forward to next season.
So the Americans…….not so strong in the Mens event right now are they? Certainly we have seen tremendous potential in recent years in the likes of say, Jeramy Abbott (who didn’t qualify for Worlds this season), but unfortunately that potential was never realized. So who’ve we got right now? Well, we’ve got the adorable Jason Brown, who put together two strong skates to finish a respectable 4th.
Pretty damn good considering he doesn’t have a Quad AND he two-footed both his Triple Axles in the Long Program! (watch the replay on that first Axle if you doubt me. It was very minor, but it WAS two-footed) Anyway, it just goes to show you how far you can get on quality skating skills, beautiful spins, fierce presentation and consistency with the jumps you CAN do. Figure Skating is a real underdogs game if you play up your strengths properly, and that definitely seems to be Jason Browns approach. I like it. When he’s at his best he’s delightful and i was proud to see him skate so well in both events.
Just throwing out there that I absolutely hated his Short Program though. Sorry, but it was so cheesy and repetitive. He did the slick-ma-hair-back move, like, 5 times. Oy. He skated it well, but he’s better than those silly shenanigans, am i right?
The Long Program is another story though.
He skated the shit out of it. I thought it was great. Did you see him fighting for those Triple/Triple combinations too? Good boy!!! A little tight on the second one but he got it done. Over all a great showing for a lovely, passionate skater. Congratulations Jason, you did your country proud!!!
Now last but not least….. Canadian SUPER cutie Nam Nguyen! He skated two clean programs to finish up in 5th place.
I can’t say enough good things about this consistent little showman. Early on in the season I watched him skate live at Hilton Honors Skate America in Chicago and he impressed me there too. Ok yeah, it’s pretty glaring that he skates much slower than he rest of the field, he needs to pick up the pace, but his elements are strong otherwise. This kid has a solid jump technique and he’s REALLY reliable. I haven’t seen him miss much all season. He loves to put on a show too. Once he gets a little bigger and stronger he’s going to be a real contender, mark my words! He shares his big wig coach Brian Orser with the likes of Yuzuru Hanyu and Javier Fernandez. This kid is only going to get better, and he’s already really good. LOVE little Nam Nam.
Looking forward to seeing what these boys will be doing next season.
Tell me what you thought of the event? Who stood out to you?
Until the next time…bend your knees and keep your back straight!
Edgy 
