Post Nice Reflections

I've had time to digest all of what I saw in Nice at the World Figure Skating Championships... re-watched lots of the skates...re-read what I wrote in blog posts and not to toot my own horn...I think I called square.

Right after the competition was over, Paul from Jumping Clapping Man sent me some questions and thoughts via Facebook that I promised a blog post on. I'll do my best to give my take:

"Virtue/Moir were given that SD result. Meryl/Charlie beat that at least in the SD." - I'm assuming, like many, that Paul thought Meryl and Charlie were better in the Short Dance. For me, I'm actually okay with Tessa and Scott winning the Short Dance. I think the difference that gives the Canadians a slight advantage in Latin dances is Scott's Latin abilities. He moves precisely like a Latin dancer and I think the judges respect the purity of his movements.

"What happened to the House of Sato/Dunjen? Are they just exhausted from a too long season? Or, is there something going on behind the scenes that knocked their confidence?" - I think it was different for each skater. Alissa and Jeremy both competed in Europe a couple of weeks prior to Worlds so burnout may have been a factor. Jeremy, Alissa, and Adam all have been known to be slight headcases at times. Alissa, more than any of them, seemed just exhausted and unprepared. There was also some chatter that Yuka and Jason had asked Alissa to add a few pounds and that may have messed with her jumping technique. All three need to find "killer" instincts so they can get the job done.

"Were Kavaguti/Smirnov decked for their public commentary on the ice? I actually think they deserved a higher FS score (at least 130s). They only made one mistake, as I remember." - That one mistake led to others. After Yuko missed the second double axel in sequence, they had to bail on a lift which left lots of points on the table. Those little mishaps seem to always happen to them...they need to figure out how to skate perfect because when they do, they'll be tough to beat.

"WHY, oh WHY is Chan always scored above Takahashi? Am I missing something? Takahashi is one of the finest dancers/footwork specialists of all time, so when he lands his jumps, shouldn't he prevail, when Chan falls?" - When you find the answer, let me know.

"I was thrilled to see Kostner have her moment. For years I watched as she was overscored, and now that she remade herself and her look, she earned/deserved it. Beautiful! I hope this gave Ashley some momentum for next season...way to go girl!" - Yes, the field of ladies made it so simple for Carolina that we can't even be mad about her watered down content as it was still some of the most difficult content performed (I joke but not really...she could have seriously phoned it in!). I do pray she never wears a body outfit like that ever again though. And Ashley took my breath away. She has that "killer" instinct that some other Team USA members desperately need.

"Did Weaver/Poje deserve the bronze? Their FD was so beautiful. Perhaps I'm just biased against The Mummy." - So Weaver and Poje's Free Dance is brilliant and if Pechalat and Bourzat had skated as they had all season up to this competition I would say yes, Weaver and Poje would deserve the bronze. But Pechalat and Bourzat (as was Joubert) were energized I think by the amazing swell of crowd support they were getting and it elevated their performance level. In the arena, that Mummy program was rockin' out and they had everyone in the palm of their hand. I say at this competition, the judges were fair in awarding the Bronze to Nathalie and Fabian.

Free Dance Final...Houston, We Have a Problem

So our first final concluded tonight with the Ice Dancers putting on a magnificent show. Really all of them where great but things got really good in the second half.

But if you will let me harp on the first half for just a moment...I want to say how special Kharis Ralph and Asher Hill are and I'm beyond pissed that the judges don't give them the scores they are worth. They are so organic and natural, it's amazing. I think they should have been about 5 or 6 placements higher and if I were Skate Canada, I'd launch an inquiry and call for the judges' heads!

Back to the second half. Maia and Alex had a rough go. Alex totally missed his twizzles and it was hard to get the energy back after that. After winning the bronze last season they finish down in 8th. They have the skills to be on the podium, I just think this season was particular tough for them...but they fought all the way to the end which was commendable. I was really surprised and in love with Cappellini and Lanotte's 'La Strada' Free Dance. I thought it was gorgeous and I'm not sure why they didn't beat out Ilinykh and Katsalapov for 5th place?!?!

The top four where all amazing! Davis and White opened up with their best performance this season (I'll get back to this in a moment) and skated lights out and brought the crowd roaringly to their feet. Next up was Weaver and Poje and they had the crowd eating out of the plam of their hand with their 'Je suis malade' program. Another stirring ovation as they slip behind Meryl and Charlie. There was no quieting the crowd as Pechalat and Bourzat took the ice...the whole building was shaking from thunderous applause and I say the crowd support elevated their performance. The crowd cheered amazingly and seemed to appreciate the fact they placed a strong 2nd just behind Meryl and Charlie. Finally, Virtue and Moir, solid as ever...just a wee little slip mid dance from Tessa, nothing very major. When they finished they got a good ovation, but nothing near what Pechalat and Bourzat and Davis and White got...the scores go up...half politely applaud their win while the other half boo's...Houston, we have a problem.



On Twitter this already quite a little controversy over this brewing. I'm not going to try to break down the scores...I'm kind of with Phil Hersh...at this level it's preference less than actually difference...but from sitting in the audience in person and watching both programs, Meryl and Charlie certainly had the best skate. I felt that was easily Davis and White's best skate all season, the judges didn't give them a season's best however. And then you have the unfortunate situation where the technical specialists is from Canada...it could get a little tricky. I'll let bygones be bygones and let this one go...but I think the judges missed this one just a bit.

I think we are done with "Mas Que Nada"

I think we are done with "Mas Que Nada;" that is until they decide to do Samba again. Yeeesh!

But the event that started strange this afternoon with Pairs continued strange with Ice Dance. I had the sneaky suspicion that the Canadian's would easily retake their throne here (you could see the the momentum shift literally before your eyes at 4CC). I did think it would be a 'bit' closer though (look at me not consider a little over a point and a half not close enough!). I don't know what happened between the Grand Prix Final (their season's best) and this event, but Meryl and Charlie's scores have been slowly trending downward. I don't see where they are getting worse so I somewhat perplexed. Anywho...it will be a good fight to the finish. But I suspect if both teams skate well...the Canadians have it in the bag.



It was so much fun to see Pechalat and Bourzat skate on home ice...broken nose and all. The crowd was amazing in their support and you got the sense that there performance was elevated because of it. They are uncomfortably close to Meryl and Charlie.

As for those who didn't have things go as planned...well Maia and Alex were kind of handicapped right from the start. Rhumba/Samba SD, Tessa and Scott back at full strength, Worlds in Nice right at home for Pechalat/Bourzat, surging Canadian team (Weaver/Poje)...the deck was stacked and I think they just need to have a good skate tomorrow and begin focusing on next season. And Bobrova and Soloviev...I'll file that under 'wamp wamp.'

Honorable mention to Madison Hubbell and Zach Donohue...worlds debut, way to get after it.!

Better Late Than Never

So I said I would post my comments about the Free Dance on Tuesday...yeah that was over two weeks ago. Upon returning to work, I was deluged with tasks and the blog had to take a back seat. I have to get these things cleared away before heading off to Nice!

But finally...I'm back with my thoughts...and I've had a change of heart. I had tweeted I disagree with the fact that Meryl and charlie had lost...I watched both programs back a couple of times.





After careful thought, I came to the decision that I agree with the judges and believe Tessa and Scott deserved the win. It looks a bit different on tv vs in the arena and up close you can see the minute details of Tessa and Scott's FD. The real clincher for me was Scott and Charlie. I suspect the altitude played a part but at times Charlie looked less engaged musically while Scott was fully committed through the whole performance...something I couldn't necessarily tell from up in the arena. As far as the levels not being there for Meryl and Charlie...well I'll leave that to the technical panel.

2012 Canadian Nationals

This past week, Canada's best took to the ice in Moncton, New Brunswick to declare National Champions. From my point of view, it just about went by the expected script.

Amelie Lacoste slipped in for her first Canadian Title, finishing second in both the short and free. In this case consistency paid off. She wasn't perfect, singling both a lutz and flip in her free but it was good enough on a night when it didn't take much to win. Cynthia Phaneuf, just fourth after the short, won the free skate (not by much) and pulled up to second. Surprise leader after the short, Kaetlyn Osmond (no idea who she is), in the end could only muster third. Without Joannie Rochette I don't think anyone expected this to be much of a "firework" event...

In Dance, Virtue and Moir won of course. I think the bigger story is that they only beat Weaver and Poje by a little over 6 points. It speaks volumes to the leaps and bounds Kaitlyn and Andrew have made. At the Grand Prix Final I was in tears watching them. It didn't help that I was sitting with Alexandria Aldridge's mom (who along with Daniel Eaton competes for the U.S. in Ice Dance and competed in the Junior Grand Prix Final); Alexandria trains with Kaitlyn and Andrew and her mom knew every step of their free dance and was sobbing the whole way through...which of course made me sob all the way through! I think Virtue and Moir will need to find a few extra points to defeat Americans Davis and White (I'm getting excited for 4CC!). Speaking of Americans, the bronze went to Gilles and Poirier. Piper Gilles, of course, is an American now skating with Paul Poirier (who used to skate with Vanessa Crone). Who new her first senior Ice Dance medal would come from Canada?

In Pairs, Duhamel and Radford skated away with a win. Not sure if sbs triple lutzes are the smartest thing to try, but I guess if your trying to set yourself apart... Dube and Wolfe slipped in for the silver and youngn's Lawrence and Sweigers the bronze. Moore-Towers and Moscovitch finished a disappointing 4th. Pairs skating in Canada right now is reminding me a lot of Pairs skating in the U.S. Some potential is there but nothing seems to be happening in a major way.

The big story was the men where Patrick put on quite the performance. Two clean skates, and a score of 302.14 (yes...he cracked the 300 mark!) gave him a more than 60 point buffer win over Kevin Reynolds. Being a National event, scores are always higher than international competition, so it's unclear if Patrick would have hit that number outside of Canada but what is clear it was an amazing performance (below). He's had some rough skates this season (although his scores haven't really reflected this) but he really had it together here. If Patrick skates like this the rest of the season I'll go ahead and give him the unbeatable stamp. Jeremy Ten made a bit of a comeback taking the bronze.



You can see the full results here. This week gives us U.S. Nationals and Europeans.

Grand Prix Musings

She's Not a Fem-bot

So we learned today that Elizaveta Tuktamisheva is not a fem-bot. Until today I had never seen her skate live and I thought she was a programmed robot with the instructions...[In Russian Robot Voice] "Skate Perfect." But seeing her live, despite the botched jumps in her short program, I found a couple flaws: She's kind of slow and she doesn't cover the ice super well. I now believe she is in fact human...but the jury is still out on Julia Lipnitskaia (pictured)...she seemed kind of fem-botish today with a perfect skate (somewhere I know someone is praying she never grow boobs or hips). Carolina leads the field after a solid skate...no one really challenged her. Mao Asada was missed in the event. What sad sad news about her mother.

Bounce-Back

So Scott Moir had the fastest fall and bounce back up ever this afternoon. That's right...fall! He was doing some footwork and tripped (or got clotheslined by Tessa...couldn't tell which) and went down. But as fast as he was down he was right back up and never missed a beat. I actually think he gained points by that move it was so impressive. Nevertheless, the fall cost them precious points against Meryl and Charlie who steamrolled right through on their way to winning the SD.

Get on the Trankov Train

Last year Volosozhar and Trankov wooed me in and they have quickly become my favorite Pairs Team. I was somewhat concerned when on the warm-up Maxim kept favoring his left hip. No worries though as they went out and killed the short program to take the leave. "Get on the Trankov Train" somewhere near me yelled after their skate...I like it!

Patrick Chan...Unappreciated?

He's so unappreciated that he got a standing ovation and the lead after another...another I say...botched short program. Hand down on triple axel and banging into the boards just before sitting down on combination = amazing score. Patrick should not exert so much effort...he should go stand on the ice for his programs...that should earn him enough points to win. The judges had no problem slapping Daisuke Takahashi, Savchenko and Szolkowy, and Virtue and Moir for making mistakes...why is Patrick immune? I have a video of him being unappreciated (re: Thunderous Applause) that I'll upload as soon as I can figure out how,

4th Annual Loop Axel Awards

How I look forward every year to take a look back at the season and point out the highlights! Get out your best Tux and Gown...it's the 4th Annual Loop Axel Awards!

[Queue Oscar-like overture]

This 4th installment of this annual tradition comes complete with several new categories, many suggested by readers. Official stuff today...a little fun to come afterwards. Enough of my prattling...Today's categories are:

• Best Ladies Free Skate
  
• Best Pairs Free Skate
  
• Best Free Dance
  
• Best Men's Free Skate
  
• Short Program of the Year
  
• Best Forgotten Program
  
• Worst Performance of the Year
  
• Best Exhibition Piece (NEW)
  
• Best Music Selection (NEW)
  
• Best Choreography (NEW)
  
• Competition of the Year (NEW)
  
• Skater of the Year
  

The Nominations for Best Ladies Free Skate please...

• Miki Ando - 2011 World Figure Skating Championships
  
• Mao Asada - 2011 Japanese National Figure Skating Championships
  
• Alissa Czisny - 2010 Grand Prix Final
  
• Alena Leonova - 2011 World Figure Skating Championships
  
• Sarah Meier - 2011 European Championships

And the winner is...I'm giving this one to Alissa Czinsy for her 2010 Grand Prix Final performance. It was like the program we all were holding our breath for. It didn't have complex movement but it's beauty was in its simplicity. There really is something to the saying "less is more." It was like a quiet whisper...soft and sweet.

The Nominations for Best Pairs Free Skate please...

• Kirsten Moore-Towers and Dylan Moscovitch - 2010 Skate Canada
  
• Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy - 2011 World Figure Skating Championships
  
• Tatiana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov - 2011 World Figure Skating Championships
  
• Caitlin Yankowskas and John Coughlin - 2011 U.S. National Figure Skating Championships

And the winner is...Volosozahr and Trankov at this years World's. I fell in love with them at Russian Nationals and feel even deeper in love with them at World's. I find their skating to be exciting and I love that they bring me to the edge of my seat. Your eyes stay glued on Tatiana at every moment. Gush! I know they aren't as technically proficient as Savchenko and Szolkowy but I still love what they are cooking!

The Nominations for Best Free Dance please...

• Vanessa Crone and Paul Poirier - 2010 Skate Canada International
  
• Meryl Davis and Charlie White - 2011 World Figure Skating Championships
  
• Nathalie Péchalat and Fabian Bourzat - 2011 European Championships
  
• Maia Shibutani and Alex Shibutani - 2011 U.S. National Championships
  
• Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir - 2011 World Figure Skating Championships

And the winner is...No contest really, but obviously Meryl and Charlie's Free Dance from Worlds. They took that Tango to a different place, both technically and emotionally. Solid work from the American World Champs (how nice to finally be able to say that!).

The Nominations for Best Men's Free Skate please...

• Patrick Chan - 2011 Canadian National Championships
  
• Richard Dornbush - 2011 U.S. National Championships
  
• Artur Gachinksi - 2011 World Figure Skating Championships
  
• Takahiko Kozuka - 2011 World Figure Skating Championships
  
• Adam Rippon - 2010 Japan Open

The winner is...Patrick Chan for going lights-out at the 2011 Canadian National Championships. Wow! I'm pretty sure I called that performance one of the greatest things put to ice. That was the first time we all kind of leaned back and said, "yep...he's got a good handle on those quads." Sometimes it all just clicks...and that skate...it clicked! Was very tempted to give this award to Takahiko for his World's free which I thought was endearing especially given the situation in Japan...but I couldn't ignore the two quads from Patrick.

The Nominations for Short Program of the Year please...

• Florent Amodio - 2011 European Championships
  
• Ryan Bradley - 2011 U.S. National Championships
  
• Patrick Chan - 2011 World Figure Skating Championships
  
• Nobunari Oda - 2010 Grand Prix Final
  
• Qing Pang and Jian Tong - 2011 Four Continents Cup
  
• Daisuke Takahashi - 2011 Four Continents Cup

And the winner is...I almost want to give it to Pang and Tong for being the only skaters other than Men's singles to make the nominee list. I feel almost obligated to give it to Patrick Chan for that whopper of a score he got at Worlds...but I'll give it to Ryan Bradley because, more than anyone on the list, you can tell he genuinely had the most fun. Also, that Short Program, helped win him his first National Title. Hat's off to you Ryan!

The Nominations for Best Forgotten Program please...

• Miki Ando - 2010 Grand Prix Final [Free Skate]
  
• Brian Joubert - 2011 European Championships [Free Skate]
  
• Armin Mahbanoozadeh - 2010 Skate America [Free Skate]
  
• Brandon Mroz - 2010 Cup of China [Free Skate]
  
• Adam Rippon - 2010 Skate Canada International [Free Skate]

And the winner is...I'm going with Armin on this one. I thought he was pretty spectacular at Skate America in a field that kind of fizzled. It was one of the few times this year that the beautiful music of Avatar was really put to good use.

The Nominations for Worst Performance of the Year please...

• Mao Asada - 2010 Japan Open [Free Skate]
  
• Mao Asada - 2010 Trophy Eric Bompard [Short Program]
  
• Joshua Farris - 2011 U.S. National Figure Skating Championships [Free Skate]
  
• Rachael Flatt - 2011 World Figure Skating Championships [Free Skate]
  
• Denis Ten - 2010 Skate America [Free Skate]

And the winner is...Joshua Farris at Nationals. This kid is going to do great things in the very near future but his Free Skate that night was not to be. You can tell Joshua expects a lot from himself and after that disaster of a performance he literally just cried, perhaps from the pain from having a bum ankle or perhaps because he just expects more from himself. It was so sad. I think everyone in the arena just wanted to give him a big hug and let him know that there will be a better day.

The Nominations for Best Exhibition Piece please...

• Jeremy Abbott - "Rhythm of Love" by Plain White T's
  
• Alissa Czisny - "You'll Never Walk Alone" by Barbara Streisand
  
• Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy - "Barbie Girl" by Aqua
  
• Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir - "I Want To Hold Your Hand" from Across the Universe Soundtrack
  
• Tatiana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov - "Super Mario Bros." from Nintendo Super Mario Bros.

And the winner is...This is tough call...but I'm going with Virtue and Moir because they bring the music to life so beautifully. I could have gone on and one endlessly with various exhibition pieces but these are my faves from the seaason.

The Nominations for Best Music Selection please...

• Jeremy Abbott - "Life is Beautiful" from the Life is Beautiful Soundtrack
  
• Alissa Czisny - "Selections from Winter into Spring" by George Winston
  
• Yuko Kavaguti and Alexander Smirnov - "Also sprach Zarathustra" by Richard Strauss
  
• Kim Yu-na - "Giselle" by Adolphe Adam
  
• Daisuke Takahashi - "Historia de un Amor" and "Que Rico El Mambo" by Perez Prado
  
• Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir - "Hip Hip Chindchin" by Club Des Belugas, "Temptation" by Diana Krall, and "Mujer Latina" by Thalia

And the winner is...Probably the best program this year that never got its due, Jeremy's Life is Beautiful program. What a gorgeous piece of music that just begged to be great. If there was any one program I wouldn't mind a skater reusing for a second year it would be this one...it never got its due.

The nominations for Best Choreography of the Year Please...

• Patrick Chan - "Take Five" by Paul Desmond/Lori Nichol Choreographer
  
• Vanessa Crone and Paul Poirier - "Eleanor Rigby" by Paul McCartney and John Lennon/Christopher Dean Choreographer
  
• Meryl Davis and Charlie White - "Il Postino" by Luis Bacalov and "Forever Tango" by Lisandro Adrover/Igor Shpilband and Marina Zoueva Choreographers
  
• Yuko Kavaguti and Alexander Smirnov - "Clair de Lune" by Claude Debussy/Peter Tchernyshev Choreographer
  
• Qing Pang and Jian Tong - "Nocturne in C Sharp minor" by Frédéric Chopin/Lori Nichol Choreographer
  
• Shawn Sawyer - "Alice in Wonderland" from the Alice in Wonderland Soundtrack/Marie-France Dubreuil Choreographer

And the winner is...Oh so hard a choice! The choreography represented here is truly the cream of the crop. Six way tie? Not gonna let me off that easy? Ok ok...I'm going with Kavaguti and Smirnov. It was subtly beautiful while still exciting. Peter Tchernyshev really outdid himself here and Tamara Moskvina always knows where to add a little extra flourish. There are moments in this program where you can here a pin drop and the audience is breathless. They use every bit of the music to express the character of the piece. And the choreography seems simple while it's actually quite complex...not an easy feat to accomplish.

The nominations for Competition of the Year please...

• 2010 Grand Prix Final
  
• 2010 Japan Open
  
• 2010 Skate Canada
  
• 2010 Skate America
  
• 2011 World Figure Skating Championships

And the winner is...almost by default after an extraordinary season and massive change of event and venue, the 2011 World Figure Skating Championships. It was an event chock full of surprises, with an outpouring of love for those suffering in Japan, and a few amazing performances, and an historic event given the unusual timing. There were many great competitions this season but for reasons not needing explanation, this will be the most memorable.

The nominations for Skater(s) of the Year please...

• Miki Ando
  
• Patrick Chan
  
• Alissa Czinsy
  
• Meryl Davis and Charlie White
  
• Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy

And the winner is...not be confused with the Reader's Choice Award, this is my choice for whom I think is most deserving of the award. Decisions decisions. Do I give it to a skater that has made vast improvements? Do I give it to a team that has gone undefeated? Do I give the award to a record breaker? Do I give the award to a skater that brought hope to a nation that things might be better soon? This is my struggle for this award this year. In the end...I've decided to award the Skater of the Year award to Patrick Chan. Aside from setting records this season (I know, I know...Chanflation), he did something I really respect. I've long been a member of the camp that I'll take a well skated program sans quad to a badly skated one with a quad. Patrick Chan has long defended the well rounded skate even as other "quad veterans" hounded him about it (he did do a little "rebel rousing" himself from time to time). Well this season he just went ahead and shut everyone up by adding two quads (perfect ones at that) to his already well rounded skate. It made him a near unbeatable force combining the absolute best of both worlds. It shut up all the "non-quad" nay-sayers and for that alone I think he's most deserving of the award.

Thus concludes part one of the 4th Annual Loop Axel Awards. What surprises and twists and turns will happen in part two? Stay tuned...

Best of the 2011 Worlds

Just decided to throw up my fave performances from last week.

What were your faves?

News Round-Up

Surgery, new Skating shows, old commentators making comebacks...I have to dedicate myself to work for a week and the skating news cycle blows up!

Michal Brezina is out of Cup of China....wamp wamp. Universal Sports Tweeted that "he had surgery yesterday on a varicose vein in his stomach yesterday." Sounds kind of gross...but not too serious. The doctor has ordered two weeks rest, so the Czech Champ will miss stop #3 on the Grand Prix Final and will thus not be able to make the Grand Prix Final...darn. And while on the topic of Surgery, Tessa Virtue also had surgery associated with her CECS (Chronic Exertional Compartment Syndrome) condition. "Apparently the surgery went really well and I am confident that I have the most competent support team to help me with my recovery. I am excited to get back on the ice as soon as I can and look forward to training and competing pain-free" Tessa told Skate Canada. The Olympic Champ hopes that she and partner Scott Moir can be back on the ice and be ready to compete later this season.

Move aside Jennifer Gray (did I just put in an early DWTS winner prediction; yup!)...at the conclusion of this season of DWTS, Skating with the Stars will hit the ABC airwaves. From the Press Release:

You’ve seen what happens when celebrities take on the ballroom, now see what happens when they hit the ice on blades of steel, in “Skating with the Stars.” The new series from BBC Worldwide Productions pairs a celebrity with a world class ice skater as they prepare to compete in front of a live audience in a televised ice skating competition. The skating pairs will be critiqued by a panel of expert judges and will receive a set of scores based on artistry and technique and by viewers at home, with one couple being eliminated each week. “Skating with the Stars” will kick off its six-episode run with a live premiere episode on MONDAY, NOVEMBER 22 (9:00-11:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

Trainwreck or Triumph...we shall see.

Ah the Glory days of figure skating coverage...aka the Michelle Kwan years. You know, before NBC took over and ABC ruled the skating roost? Well NBC has made one it's best moves yet, by grabbing a little old and making it new. Terry Gannon will join the likes of Scott Hamilton, Tara Lipinski, and Michael Weiss to cover this season's Grand Prix. I'm not even got to beat around the bush and tell you I am not a fan of Tom Hammond and his broadcast "style." If he never returned I'd be happy. Terry covered these skaters for a long time and really 'knew' them and it will be nice to have an actual broadcast voice of knowledge on the Grand Prix. I pray NBC keeps him for Nationals and Worlds!

Last, a little spying on skaters in training for the upcoming season. Take a peek at this spiffy Quad Toe-Triple Toe-Triple Loop from Nobunari Oda. Isn't he about to be (already is?) a dad? Update: Yup! A dad!

Playlist Shuffle

I'm always at the gym, working out, with the iPod Touch going, and constantly thinking to myself..."Oh, so and so should skate an exhibition to this." I think I'm a good judge of what music would fit certain skaters. I often want to see them do something I think they normally wouldn't. I don't know? Here are some of my thoughts. Agree or disagree?

Rachael Flatt - "Not Myself Tonight" by Christina Aguilera. I think I eluded to this is an earlier post about skating perhaps being to PC at times. I would love to see Rachael totally abandon her 'good girl' image and skate to something downright naughty! I think it would do wonders for her career to get her out of this 'goody goody two-shoes' typecast.

Kimmie Meissner - "Send in the Clowns" by Judy Collins. I love the simplicity of this music and I think I miss that most in Kimmie Meissner's skating. I would love to see Kimmie hit the ice with a gentle piece of music, soft understated choreography, and basic command of skating that shows off the very best of what she has to offer.

Virtue and Moir - "Saturday" by Basshunter. This is basically a oddball thought but I would love to see these two kill an Ice Dance number to a hard hitting club hit. They have the youthfulness and audience connection I think to pull this off.

Akiko Suzuki - "Waka Waka (Time For Africa)" by Shakira. Akiko was one of my breakout favorites last season and I love that she doesn't mind letting loose on the ice. This song is all about freedom of movement and fun and I think she could really have a lot of fun with it on the ice.

Ryan Bradley - "Like We Used To" by A Rocket To The Moon. It's a charming piece of music and I think Ryan Bradley has the sensibility to pull it off. It's not a comedy piece but rather a story of a young man's heart. Somehow seems perfect for him...at least to me.

Jeremy Abbott - "Cry Me a River" by Michael Buble. I know, I know...JerBear has done Buble before...but he's so good at it! This song has a different more sophisticated feel than his "Save the Last Dance For Me" number he did a few years ago. Abbott and Buble go together like bread and butter.

Evora and Ladwig - "Can't Help Falling in Love" by Andrea Bocelli and Katharine McPhee. Despite the fact these two aren't romantically involved they still have a great connection on the ice. I think a slow romantic piece that they could accent with their amazing lifts would be amazing.

Kim Yu-Na - "Louboutins" by Jennifer Lopez. I would start off the program with this fierce walk right down center ice and then she just kills it from that point on (oh boy, now I'm choreographing...watch out!). I think her Bond Short from last season showed us she could do sexy...this would just take it to the next level.

Johnny Weir - "I Will Not Bow" by Breaking Benjamin. Something about the tension and slight angst in this song I feel Johnny would kill at a rock program. It's such a departure from what you might expect from him but I think he'd surprise himself.

Did I hit the mark or am I way off base?

The Op-Ed: Attitude

In figure skating, attitude makes such a big difference in how effective you are as a competitor. I'm not talking "attitude" like if your sassy or if you are quiet. I'm talking "attitude," where your head is.

I was pleased as punch when I read this week that Virtue and Moir will be competing next season. These two represent the perfect example of a great attitude in their approach to skating. You can have all the skills and talent in the world, but if your attitude isn't right, you'll never be as successful as hope to be.

"When I look back on my life, at my skating career, and I won the Olympics and I was fourth at the next one, it’s not going bug me," said Scott Moir. That's a telling statement. For many...if not most...that WOULD bug them. This entire season you could look at Tanith Belbin and see the frustration in her eyes. Olympic Silver Medalist in Torino, she and Ben were supposed to be the Gold Medalists this time...right? Tanith and Ben handled their defeat well this season, always gracious, but you could tell it bugged them.

If I was an Olympic Medalist and continued competing for four more years to finish off the podium...I would be bugged!

Virtue and Moir's expectationless mindset, however, is perfect moving forward. To be a champion, that is in fact the only attitude one should have after a great achievement. It frees you up from personal expectation and allows you to grow. If the only goal is win, win, win...you haven't given yourself much breathing room have you? That mindset caused many Olympians in Vancouver to walk away from great achievements feeling like failures...and that's unfortunate. To learn, sometimes we have to fail.

I'll get off my soapbox and stop expounding upon my like of Virtue and Moir's attitude but one final point. Their attitude shows they are doing what they are doing for the best reason: because they love skating. That's the best attitude of all.

3rd Annual Loop Axel Awards

Ah yes, it's that time of year when we get to bask in the after glow of the season and hand out some much deserved awards. This season is especially interesting as it was an Olympic year.

Sit back...relax...and let the awards begin!

Much like last year, this will be a two day affair. We'll get the official stuff out of the way today and have a little more fun tomorrow!

The categories are:

*Best Ladies Free Program
*Best Men's Free Program
*Best Free Dance
*Best Pairs Free Program
*Best Comeback
*Best Olympic Performance (NEW)
*Short Program/Original Dance of the Year
*Best Forgotten Performance of the Season
*Worst Performance of the Season
*Skater of the Year

*Best Ladies Free Program...the nominees are:

+Mao Asada - 2010 World Figure Skating Championships
+Joannie Rochette - 2010 Canadian Nationals
+Akiko Suzuki - 2009 Samsung Anycall Cup of China
+Kim Yu-Na - 2010 Olympic Winter Games

And the winner is...Kim Yu-Na - Gershwin's Concerto in F - 2010 Olympic Winter Games. I don't think there was a lot of competition here. That was not only the greatest ladies free this season but perhaps this decade (ever?). It was sophisticated, elegant, reserved, thoughtful, and really just brilliant.

*Best Men's Free Program...the nominees are:

+Nobunari Oda - 2009 Trophy Eric Bompard
+Jeremy Abbott - 2010 U.S. Figure Skating Championships
+Daisuke Takahashi - 2010 World Figure Skating Championships
+Evgeny Plushenko - 2009 Rostelecom Cup
+Evan Lysacek - 2010 Olympic Winter Games

The winner is...Jeremy Abbott - Saint-Saens' Symphony No. 3 - 2010 U.S. National Figure Skating Championships. That was hard because almost equally as impressive was Daisuke Takahashi's World's Free. I went with Abbott because it was delivered with effortless perfection while Takahashi had to work it a little (little two foot on the quad flip, muscled triple flip/triple toe combo). Both were masterpieces though.

*Best Free Dance...the nominees are:

+Davis and White - 2010 U.S. National Figure Skating Championships
+Weaver and Poje - 2009 HomeSense Skate Canada
+Virtue and Moir - 2010 Olympic Winter Games
+Faiella and Scali - 2010 European Championships
+Belbin and Agosto - 2009 Cancer.Net Skate America

The winner is...Meryl Davis and Charlie White - Webber's Phantom of the Opera - 2010 U.S. National Figure Skating Championships. It was such an impressive skate because Belbin and Agosto had thrown down the gauntlet with an amazing performance of their own but Meryl and Charlie just killed it in return...it was incredible.

*Best Pairs Free Program...the nominees are:

+Shen and Zhao - 2009 ISU Grand Prix Final
+Denney and Barrett - 2010 U.S. National Figure Skating Championships
+Savchenko and Szolkowy - 2009 HomeSense Skate Canada
+Pang and Tong - 2010 Olympic Winter Games
+Sui and Han - 2009 Junior Grand Prix: Belarus

The winner is...Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy - Out of Africa Soundtrack - 2009 HomeSense Skate Canada. This was another tough call. The other performance I considered for top honors was Shen and Zhao's Grand Prix Final performance but in my gut I just thought Savchenko and Szolkowy had a little tiny spark that made their performance extra special.

*Best Comeback...the nominees are:

+Evgeny Plushenko
+Sasha Cohen
+Stéphane Lambiel
+Shen and Zhao

The winner is...Xue Shen and Hongbo Zhao. In this award which seems very fitting in Olympic years, the candidates were the four who made competitive comebacks this season, and out of all of them, Shen and Zhao certainly took the cake for coming out ahead, nailing an Olympic Gold in the process.

*Best Olympic Performance...the nominees are:

+Joannie Rochette
+Davis and White
+Virtue and Moir
+Johnny Weir
+Kim Yu-Na

The winner is...Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir - Mahler's Symphony No. 5. There were several sensational Olympic performances I considered for this new award, again applicable only in Olympic years, but their performance seemed most fitting, largely due to the fact that they did it at home against several teams all skating their very best. Joannie Rochette's inspiring demonstration of courage was given great consideration. I was there...there were very few dry eyes after both of her performances.

*Short Program/Original Dance of the Year...the nominees are:

+Kim Yu-Na - 2010 Olympic Winter Games
+Mao Asada - 2010 Olympic Winter Games
+Sasha Cohen - 2010 U.S. National Figure Skating Championships
+Denis Ten - 2009 HomeSense Skate Canada
+Davis and White - 2010 World Figure Skating Championships

The winner is...Meryl Davis and Charlie White - Indian Folk Dance - 2010 World Figure Skating Championships. This seemed an easy choice as it was one of the most original things put to ice. Any performance of this OD this entire season is worthy of the award.

*Best Forgotten Performance of the Season...the nominees are:

+Shawn Sawyer - 2009 Cancer.Net Skate America (Free)
+Tomas Verner - 2009 Eric Bompard Trophy (Short)
+Sergei Voronov - 2010 Russian National Figure Skating Championships (Short)
+McLaughlin and Brubaker - 2009 Rostelecom Cup (Short)
+Navarro and Bommentre - 2010 U.S. National Figure Skating Championships (Free)

The winner is...Shawn Sawyer - Amadeus Soundtrack - 2009 Cancer.Net Skate America. It was the most unlikely silver medal of the entire Grand Prix series but it was well earned when a good deal of the men's field at that event commenced in a splat fest.

*Worst Performance of the Season...the nominees are:

+Nobunari Oda - 2010 World Figure Skating Championships (Short)
+Brian Joubert - 2010 Olympic Winter Games
+Jeremy Abbott - 2010 Olympic Winter Games (Short)
+Sasha Cohen - 2010 U.S. National Figure Skating Championships (Free)
+Jeremy Abbott - 2009 NHK Trophy (Free)

And the winner is...Nobunari Oda - Mrvica's Totentanz - 2010 World Figure Skating Championships. Poor thing...not only did he pop every single jump in that short program, but for the first time failed to even qualify for the free skate. Ouch!

*Skater of the Year...and the nominees are:

+Davis and White
+Kim Yu-Na
+Shen and Zhao
+Virtue and Moir
+Evan Lysacek

And the winner is...Xue Shen and Hongbo Zhao. What they accomplished was nothing short of extraordinary. And I love that they didn't just comeback to just do the Olympics...they did the whole season and went undefeated in the process. Four Olympics, three Olympic Medals...impressive!

Check back tomorrow for the second half of the 3rd Annual Loop Axel Awards

The Reader's Choice Final Five

All last week readers posted, tweeted, and facebooked their choice for skater of the year. It was very close but five emerged as the top vote getters. The five skaters you've decided to nominate for Reader's Choice Award for Skater of the Year are (in no particular order):

Meryl Davis and Charlie White

Kim Yu-Na

Xue Shen and Hongbo Zhao

Daisuke Takahashi

Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir

The poll is up over on the sidebar.

Bummed your choice didn't make the list? It was a really close vote. All of these skaters had votes...just not enough: Mao Asada, Evgeny Plushenko, Michal Brezina, Adam Rippon, Evan Lysacek, Ryan Bradley, Mirai Nagasu, Johnny Weir, Pang and Tong, and Joannie Rochette.

Happy voting!

World's Rewind

It was quite a roller coaster ride all the way around.

The Pairs were first and had the most predictable set of results with Pang and Tong taking their second World Title, Savchenko and Szolkowy pulling in for the Silver, and Kavaguti and Smirnov working out the bronze. I thought the Germans were best on the night but the judges went with the Chinese. Ho hum. Now we get to wait and see who decides to retire...who decides to continue. I'm betting Pang and Tong will call it a day. As far as World berths next season, China and Russia get three, Canada and the U.S. get two, everyone else gets one.

The Men were next and provided the most fireworks. Daisuke Takahashi took this Championships by storm, killing it in both portions of the competition and surprising everyone when he almost completed a Quad Flip! Crazy! Patrick Chan took the Silver with an underwhelming performance, he's very fortunate to have such solid components because that is what kept him afloat. Brian Joubert muscled out a Bronze, having some technical struggles of his own. The surprise of the competition was Michal Brezina who I've called a "Breath of Fresh Air" just skated his heart out to finish fourth. I actually thought he should have been on the podium but I guess it wasn't to be. Jeremy Abbott and Adam Rippon skated fairly well (especially Adam) and earned the U.S. three spots next year. Speaking of those spots, Japan also earned three and Canada eeked out three. France, Italy, and Belgium nabbed two. Everyone else just gets one.

The Ice Dance competition was the closest. As expected, Virtue and Moir and Davis and White did battle...again. This time, Davis and White won the Free Dance but Virtue and Moir had enough lead to hang on to the win and complete a medal set. It's crazy how close these two teams are and how it comes down to the wire every time. Faiella and Scali earned their first World Medal on home ice taking the Bronze in a "feel good" moment. Like Pairs, now we get to wait and see who will and won't retire. As far as berths for next season, U.S. and Canada are in for three with Italy, Israel, Great Britain, France, and Hungary nabbing two.

The ladies competition was blown wide open when Kim Yu-Na finished 7th in the short. It was blown even more open when she made errors in her free skate. The only skater to take advantage was Mao Asada who recaptured the World Title after losing it to Kim last season. Mao did get a downgrade on her second triple axel but she looked far more put together in Torino and skated an amazing free. Despite the problems, Kim Yu-Na still managed to get the silver (actually won the free) and Laura Lepisto took the Bronze with, I'm sorry, a terrible performance. In fact, the ladies event past Asada, had little to hang your hat on. Canada's Cynthia Phaneuf probably had no idea she'd finish 5th! Both American's came undone to finish 7th and 9th...disappointing since Nagasu was the leader after the short program. Berths for next season, only Japan gets three. A smattering of countries including Korea, Finalnd, Canada, Italy, U.S., Russia, and Sweden all get two.

World's kind of ended on an unimpressive note. For me, the real standout star was by far Daisuke Takahashi who was incredible. Still scratching my head about Nobunari Oda's complete implosion and failure to make the free. Sad that the U.S. completely let a great opportunity to earn three women's spots slip away. And so very very thankful for Meryl and Charlie who saved face for the U.S. and kept us from having a medal shut-out.

Lots to digest in the off season. But, 3rd Annual Loop Axels are coming!

With Glowing Hearts

All over Vancouver you see one phrase, 'With Glowing Hearts' and I saw no hearts glowing any brighter last night than those of Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir.

Last night was one of those brilliant moments in sport when so many gave their very best. The top six teams all gave everything. Delobel and Schoenfelder who closed out their career with a heartwarming skate to the 'Impossible Dream.' Faiella and Scali, the master story tellers who enthralled us with their 'The Immigrants' program. Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto, who just a year ago many though would be Gold Medal favorites here, happily accepted 4th place with a brilliant skate to 'Ave Maria.'

And as good as they were the medalists were even better. I was stunned when I saw how much Domnina and Shabalin had improved since Europeans and even they gave it everything they had in winning the Bronze.

And the only word I have for Davis and White and Virtue and Moir's showdown is epic. Two teams, pushed it to the limit and gave everything they had and them some and entertained audiences with the best free dance I can ever remember!

All season long I thought Tessa and Scott's Free Dance was a little too bland with their music choice but here, somehow, the music came to life and their skating was transcendent. As they finished their program I had tears in my eyes because it was so perfect. I was mesmerized and as big of a fan for Team USA I am, I knew Tessa and Scott had just skated their way to a deserved Gold Medal. As far as Free Dance greats...I think this dance is right up their with the likes of Torvil and Dean in 1984. Brilliant!

This morning Tessa and Scott was plastered on the cover of the Vancouver Sun and I couldn't be more happy for them. GO CANADA GO!

XXI Olympic Winter Games Figure Skating Dance Preview

The fact that we've finally come to the Olympics is unbelievable! It's what so many athletes have worked so hard far! Over the next four days I'm going to break down who to watch in Vancouver beginning today with Ice Dance.

The Ice Dance competition will be the first time we get to see all the World's best in one competition this season. Odd viral infections, bum knees, newborn babies, and even teeth have kept the best from going head-to-head this season but it all changes in Vancouver. Who are the six teams I think we need to watch?

Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto (USA) - The 2006 Olympic Silver Medalists had a great Grand Prix season with two wins at Samsung Anycall Cup of China and Cancer.Net Skate America but hit a road bump when they had to withdraw from the Grand Prix Final due to a tooth infection from Tanith. The team hit another hurdle when they were unable to win back their U.S. Title in Spokane, settling for Silver. Even still, they have tons of experience to bank on including the fact they've managed Olympic Pressure before. Despite the loss at Nationals it was an extremely close race and I suspect they'll be right in the thick of it in Vancouver.

Meryl Davis and Charlie White (USA) - They enter these Olympics as the team to beat. Two wins on the Grand Prix at Rostelecom Cup and NHK Trophy, a win at the Grand Prix Final (becoming the first American team to win that event), and a win at Nationals has put the target squarely on their backs. With success comes expectations and pressure and this team doesn't have the base of experience to fall back on that many of the others have but they seem to be in a groove. At U.S. Nationals they skated one of the best Free Dances I've ever seen and had the audience out of their seats instantly. If they can hold up under pressure they may find themselves with some hardware around their neck...the bling bling kind.

Isabelle Delobel and Olivier Schoenfelder (FRA) - The 2008 World Champs have been out of competition for over a year now due in large part to Isabelle's pregnancy. They enter the Olympics as the complete wildcard...nobody knows how they will perform, if they are prepared, how their programs will stack? They stated they were ready to compete at the European Championships but the French Skating Federation opted to not send them to Tallinn wanting to keep their programs a "secret." It will be interesting to see how this team re-enters the mix. I'm still convinced they are a Gold Medal threat...they have so much experience that cannot be ignored. They have been skating together the longest of anyone in the competition...20 years! 16th in Salt Lake City, 4th in Torino, Gold in Vancouver?

Oksana Domnina and Maxim Shabalin (RUS) - The Olympics haven't yet begun and already there is controversy. Domnina and Shabalin have been all over the skating headlines due to their controversial Original Dance they are set to compete in Vancouver. People are already speculating as to what the fall out would be should the reigning World Champs win Gold in Vancouver with what many are calling a highly offensive dance. Everyone will be watching to see if they've made the modifications that Aboriginal Leaders have asked them to make. Many in the skating world fear this controversy will be the black cloud that hangs over the figure skating event in Vancouver. To be sure, it will be an interesting game of 'Public Relations Chess' to watch. Having won at Europeans, they enter this competition as the top seeded Europeans.

Federica Faiella and Massimo Scali (ITA) - I thought this team was toast after a disappointing finish at World's last season. Despite a bumpy beginning to this season which included some illness and minor injuries, this team is surging at just the right time. While only second overall at Europeans, they did manage to beat Domnina and Shabalin in both the Original Dance and Free Dance at the competition. This team has an amazing ability to tell stories, something they do brilliantly in their programs this season. This veteran team which, like Delobel and Schoenfelder, are entering their 3rd Olympics and are looking to land on the podium this time.

Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir (CAN) - They'll have the crowd behind them and they have looked great this season. They traded season best scores back and forth on the Grand Prix with Davis and White and came desperately close to winning the Grand Prix Final, less than two points behind Davis and White. They recently gave a performance at Canadian Nationals that was equally impressive to Davis and White's U.S. Nationals performance. I'm not certain if having the crowd on their side will be helpful or put un-nerving pressure on them. I suspect this team will do very well here in Vancouver and I wouldn't be surprised in the least bit if they managed to nab the Gold right at home.

I promise you, Ice Dance will be one of the (if not the most) closest competitions in Figure Skating at the Olympics. It promises to be exciting. There is quite a cast of second string players that may factor in if teams at the top make critical errors. Don't forget to keep an eye on: Pechalat and Bourzat, Khoklova and Novitski, Cappellinni and Lanotte, Zaretski and Zaretski, Kerr and Kerr, and Crone and Poirier.