U.S. Men in 2018 - articles & latest news

[just tuned in]

Here's the debut of Sean Rabbitt's FS to West Side Story (orchestral medley from the original film soundtrack) at Glacier Falls on Saturday night (fan cam): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thL3i9P6gBI
He won GF with a total score of 223.83, 146.47 in FS (70.45 TES/76.02 PCS).

Thank you for posting this. This is a great piece of music for competition and he looks good skating to it.

 

[rinettoii]

Is the minimum ISP score (for both seniors and juniors) written somewhere?

 

[crzesk8dad]

Here are Sean's programs at 2018 Glacier Falls Summer Classic, from the judge's vantage point:

SP: https://youtu.be/NpCkZPmtr4o
FS: https://youtu.be/P-ZTECNpZgw

 

[aftershocks]

Here are Sean's programs at 2018 Glacier Falls Summer Classic, from the judge's vantage point:

SP: https://youtu.be/NpCkZPmtr4o
FS: https://youtu.be/P-ZTECNpZgw

Very cool. Sean looks in great shape for this point in the offseason. I see Derrick Delmore at the boards. Has Sean switched coaches, since Tammy Gambill's move to Colorado?

 

[insideedgeua]

Here are Sean's programs at 2018 Glacier Falls Summer Classic, from the judge's vantage point:

SP: https://youtu.be/NpCkZPmtr4o
FS: https://youtu.be/P-ZTECNpZgw

I’m so happy for Sean! Just another reminder to never give up and never take your eyes off the ‘old’ guys. They’ve still got lots to give and their passion draws you in.

 

[crzesk8dad]

Very cool. Sean looks in great shape for this point in the offseason. I see Derrick Delmore at the boards. Has Sean switched coaches, since Tammy Gambill's move to Colorado?

Tammy is still his head coach, overseeing by text and phone. Sean trains himself, as well as does his own choreography. He does use, upon occasion, Derrick, Miss Li and Richard Dornbush, for tips and brush ups.

 

[skatesindreams]

I'm glad to hear this.
My very best to Sean; and to your family.

 

[Jayar]

Sean has gotten to travel internationally for competition exactly twice-- once to Canada (where he won bronze) and once to Croatia. It would be great to see him get an international that required him to go back to Europe or to Asia. He's eligible for the Skate America spot. Perhaps he will get an invite there-- it would be like an Olympics berth for him.

 

[Skittl1321]

I would love to see Sean at Skate America.

 

[aftershocks]

Tammy is still his head coach, overseeing by text and phone.

Thanks for the info! I love Sean and his skating. He's so happy on the ice and it always makes me happy watching him too! Please let Sean know how much he's loved, although I'm sure he knows already!

It's cool that Tammy is still working with Sean. So now Sean and Nathan will serve as examples of how coaching via text, phone and perhaps Skype can really work.

 

[Yazmeen]

Beautiful program from Sean. I had the privilege to talk to him at a Liberty competition several years back, delightful young man!

 

[Lanie]

Sean's been working his butt off in the off season. You go! He is one of the kindest people I've ever met so of course I cheer for him.

 

[aftershocks]

In new Programs Thread
cgirl8 said:
Confirmation and full HD videos of Nathan Chen's new programs from the Sun Valley show yesterday
SP: Caravan by Fanfare Ciocărlia https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfIC44dsRkI
FS: Land of All by Woodkid https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eh0hpFeuVuI

In Nathan's fan thread

Re-posting from the Programs/Choreographers thread:

Shae-Lynne Bourne choreographed his SP: https://www.instagram.com/p/BknbUifgOk0/
It appears Sam Chouinard & Marie-France Dubreuil choreogrpahed his FS: https://www.instagram.com/p/BkJHw94Fmn0/
Off-ice choreo clip (posted back on July 5): https://www.instagram.com/p/Bk3XqTrg4sb/?taken-by=samchouinard15
On-ice clip (posted back on June 30): https://www.instagram.com/p/BkqRtYDFh9d/?taken-by=samchouinard15

TSL's discussion of Nathan's new programs, Glacier Falls, plus an interview with Igor Shpilband:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sehESel9Z-A

 

[Jammers]

JGP assignments are not yet posted on USFS' International Assignments page but the 2 men listed for the first JGP in Bratislava SVK are Ryan DUNK and Andrew TORGASHEV (great to see U.S. picking up an extra spot! ). 12 others are listed as substitutes on the ISU entries page:
Goku ENDO
Tomoki HIWATASHI
Nicholas HSIEH
Joseph KANG
Max LAKE
Maxim NAUMOV
Camden PULKINEN
Eric SJOBERG
Dinh TRAN
Alex WELLMAN
Jonathan YANG
Paul YEUNG

I really don't know why Camden didn't move up this season. With all the retirements of US men he had a chance to make a move pretty quickly in this new Olympic cycle.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

In new Programs Thread
cgirl8 said:
Confirmation and full HD videos of Nathan Chen's new programs from the Sun Valley show yesterday
SP: Caravan by Fanfare Ciocărlia https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfIC44dsRkI
FS: Land of All by Woodkid https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eh0hpFeuVuI

LOVINGGGGGGGG!!

And on top of that he is like my new Michelle Kwan.... coming out with interesting music and showing me selections and pieces I havent seen before or heard of.... It makes me want to watch it over and over. No West Side Story or POTO for him. This is what I appreciate so much about the sport.... also why I think skaters like Michelle and him go far!!



Just rewatched the programs again. I LOVE!!! Easily could be my favorite SP and Free for this coming season. Just need to see what Carolina is gonna serve me.

I also LOVE how he is dressed as a figure skater. Is exactly how I would dress. Not over the top, not boring.... Again, kinda like Michelle.... sophisticated, streamlined, clean, well fitting. I love his costumes every single year. For me is perfect!

OK, so I now just rewatched his free skate for a third time. tee-hee. Im seeing that his artistry is easily coming along as strong as Patrick's. Does anyone else see it too?

 

[A.H.Black]

In new Programs Thread
cgirl8 said:
Confirmation and full HD videos of Nathan Chen's new programs from the Sun Valley show yesterday
SP: Caravan by Fanfare Ciocărlia https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfIC44dsRkI
FS: Land of All by Woodkid https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eh0hpFeuVuI

In Nathan's fan thread


TSL's discussion of Nathan's new programs, Glacier Falls, plus an interview with Igor Shpilband:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sehESel9Z-A

I'm sure someone else has already noticed but this can't be the full version of Nathan's free. The video is 4.09 minutes. Nathan starts the program 25 seconds in and ends about 15 seconds before the end. That's not a 4 minute program. Am I missing something?

 

[aftershocks]

There could be something wrong with the timing, since we are seeing the video likely from a fancam? It surely has to fit within the new four-minute rule by the time it's competition ready.

 

[Willin]

Are all the elements in there? It's entirely possible that this is just the first 3 or 3:30 of the program. Maybe the program wasn't entirely finished at the time of the show.

 

[CoolGuy]

I don't think it's a timing issue due to it being a fan cam; it's probably a cut down version of the long program... there's only two spins in it IIRC.

 

[Sylvia]

Catching up on international results/assignment news...

Junior Men: Nicholas Hsieh [N3]
Advanced Novice Boys: Ilia Malinin [Int1 at 2017 Nationals; won North America Series comp. #1 in Milwaukee this past week]

Nicholas HSIEH won the Junior bronze medal at the Asian Open Trophy in Bangkok - 138.73 total (44.47 SP 3rd, 94.26 FS 3rd).
Ilia MALININ won the Adv. Novice Boys' gold medal in Bangkok with a total score of 116.71 (41.11 SP, 75.60 FS). He is the son of Tatiana Malinina and Roman Skorniakov and (ETA) he was born in late December 2004 according to someone who knows him.

5 U.S. men are scheduled to compete in the SP at the Philadelphia Summer International Competition tomorrow:
Timothy Dolensky
Patrick Frohling - his Team USA debut (10th in Junior at Nationals)
Jimmy Ma - his senior international debut
Camden Pulkinen - Philly was his senior international debut last year
Andrew Torgashev

 

[aftershocks]

I don't think it's a timing issue due to it being a fan cam; it's probably a cut down version of the long program... there's only two spins in it IIRC.

Right, I thought @A.H.Black meant it seemed to go over rather than under. I completely wasn't paying attention to the length nor to all of the elements as it was hard enough trying to assess the program visually under the exhibition lighting. And I found the gratuitous fan screams distracting. But I could tell all the jumps weren't there, so it must be a scaled-down version. And as you say, the program could still be in the process of fully fleshing out choreographically, with this just an initial test drive.

 

[StitchMonkey]

So Sean still has the two highest scores this summer.

Can we please just give him SA already?

 

[wickedwitch]

So Sean still has the two highest scores this summer.

Can we please just give him SA already?

It's hard to compare domestic scores with international ones. Usually there's about a 10% inflation.

I'd be happy if Sean gets the spot, but the international scores should be ranked with context.

 

[Sylvia]

Based on his 216.82 total score, Tomoki Hiwatashi must have skated pretty well at DuPage Open (I believe he's returning to the JGP since he's being included on the ISU alternates lists).

I liked what I saw from Andrew Torgashev (gold) and Jimmy Ma (silver in his senior international debut ) at the Philadelphia Summer International comp. this past weekend... both improved on their previous summer competition performances at the Broadmoor Open in June. In Philly, Torgashev landed 4T (hand down) & 3A in his free skate and Ma's spread eagle to 3A was well-executed in both programs (3A+3T in his FS).

ETA: Dolensky finished 3rd and Pulkinen 4th overall in Philly.

 

[StitchMonkey]

It's hard to compare domestic scores with international ones. Usually there's about a 10% inflation.

I'd be happy if Sean gets the spot, but the international scores should be ranked with context.

Jimmy Ma got a 198.88 this weekend, give him a 10% boost and that is 218.77. So Sean is still the highest. Yes that bumps Sean's second score down, but Jimmy competed earlier as well and was much lower... I think like 168 or something.

So overall I still would say give it to Sean. I would give Jimmy more opportunities, but he might be a better fit for two Challenger assignments than SA at this point. Sean has done better this summer, give Sean the SA spot and give Jimmy a chance to develop.

 

[Dobre]

Based on his 216.82 total score, Tomoki Hiwatashi must have skated pretty well at DuPage Open.

Happy for him. Are the scores posted somewhere? I am curious what Courtney earned.

Edit: Nevermind. I found her score on your top ten list.

 

[Stephanie]

Who is Tomoki's coach atm?

 

[Sylvia]

Who is Tomoki's coach atm?

Christy Krall and Damon Allen.

Krall was with Torgashev in Philadelphia so I assume Allen may have been with Hiwatashi at DuPage?

 

[crzesk8dad]

It's hard to compare domestic scores with international ones. Usually there's about a 10% inflation.

I'd be happy if Sean gets the spot, but the international scores should be ranked with context.

Wicked,

With due respect as well as full disclosure (Sean is my son), I can tell everyone that at GF Summer Classic, the Senior Men (as well Junior Ladies, Junior Men and Senior Ladies) were judged by a panel consisting of ISU judges (from the US) as well as National judges and the Technical panels were made of similarly. I am on the LOC and Board of Glacier Falls.

Yes, Philly was an "international" but I'm taking a risk saying that I'm not sure that their panels were any better or worse than GF Summer Classic. I'm just not sure.

So, while I agree with your position that there may be an "inflation factor" club comps vs. international, I'm not sure that totally holds true in this case.

Of course, I would LOVE that Sean be the TBD at SA, however I am certain those making the decision will be chose the best candidate for all of the TBDs.

All the best to all at FSU!
Crzesk8dad

 

[Sylvia]

Listed today on the ISU website for JGP #3 in Kaunas LTU:
Andrew TORGASHEV (currently listed for #1 SVK)
Joseph KANG - this would be his JGP debut (he was the 2017 Novice silver medalist but was unable to compete at Sectionals, presumably due to injury, after winning Regionals in Junior in Oct. 2017); he attempted 3A in both of his Jr. programs in Philadelphia & landed one of 2 in his FS

Subs for LTU:
Ryan DUNK (currently listed for #1 SVK)
Goku ENDO
Tomoki HIWATASHI
Nicholas HSIEH (won Jr. bronze at Asian Open Trophy last week)
Joonsoo KIM
Max LAKE
Peter LIU (added to the ISP after Philadelphia; he landed 3A in both his Jr. programs, won SP & was 2nd to Kang in FS)
Maxim NAUMOV
Camden PULKINEN (currently listed for #2 AUT)
Eric SJOBERG
Dinh TRAN (currently listed for #2 AUT)
Alex WELLMAN
Jonathan YANG
Paul YEUNG

ETA: USFS has published the assignments for the first two JGPs on their website (the men as listed above are confirmed now).