U.S. Men 2022-23 news & updates

[kirkyo]

Here's a short interview I did with Alex Johnson about his new role as Camden Pulkinen's coach:

Coach Spotlight: Alex Johnson - A divine sport

When Alex Johnson stepped away from competitive skating in spring 2019, his goal was to pursue a career in business, while staying involved with figure skating. Two years later, Johnson is thriving professionally, having recently started a new job as a financial analyst with Amazon. He’s also...

adivinesport.com

 

[kirkyo]

Nice interview thank you, and I am happy to see him doing well. I followed him since juniors and had some email correspondence after I donated to his training once.

Presumably, he’s not advising Camden on his 3A. Alex gave fans many heart attacks setting up for his. ? I think I joked with him about this.

 

[Sylvia]

After the Junior Men's SP in Egna:
1 Lucas BROUSSARD USA 74.79 39.06 35.73 7.07 7.25 7.07 0.00 #28 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSKudRfgom4 (kept his Tango expression going all the way through his performance)
3 Daniel MARTYNOV USA 72.35 38.76 33.59 6.68 6.61 6.82 0.00 #30 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4BDgYqsn94 (opened with the highest scoring 3A of the event)

Like Lucas, Daniel didn't enter the U.S. Junior Team Cup in Milwaukee back in July, presumably due to injury, and his first competition was in September (competed at the Senior level) which is likely why he ended up with only one JGP, the final one.

Re-posting from the JGP Egna Men's thread in Kiss & Cry and replying here:

There's some real depth to the US men, but a lot of them have been hampered by injury this summer and it's made it tough on the USFS with regard to the JGP selections. What I'm liking is that all of them are more than young enough to have another season on the JGP if they don't manage to finish high enough in this year's SB Top 75 to warrant two GP assignments next year.

Yes, the U.S, currently has a LOT of depth among the ISU Junior age-eligible men.

Jacob Sanchez put up the 4th highest NQS Junior Men's total score (199.78) at one of the last competitions in September and was worthy of being assigned, IMO, despite not yet having landed a 3A cleanly in competition (he's getting closer though!).
The two other listed JGP men's alternates were Taira Shinohara at #7 (silver at Challenge Skate in Norwood, MA in September that didn't count for NQS) and Jonathan Hildebrandt at #8 (gold at Challenge Skate) in the NQS rankings.

 

[mtnskater]

Yes Sylvia, I really miss seeing Jacob Sanchez this year and am puzzled that USFS left him out of JGP assignments.

 

[Karen-W]

Yes Sylvia, I really miss seeing Jacob Sanchez this year and am puzzled that USFS left him out of JGP assignments.

He was pretty low in the NQS standings until his final competition. By that point, all of the JGP assignments had been given to men who had scored higher.

 

[Sylvia]

Yes Sylvia, I really miss seeing Jacob Sanchez this year and am puzzled that USFS left him out of JGP assignments.

Competing at the U.S. Junior Team Cup in Milwaukee in July was where the initial JGP selection took place (the top 8 men eventually were all assigned, with the top 2 getting 2 JGPs each): https://ijs.usfigureskating.org/leaderboard/results/2022/30810/CAT029SEG004.html

Beck Strommer placed 1st ahead of Jacob's 2nd at Cranberry Cup International in mid-August and I believe that's how Beck got his lone JGP assignment: https://ijs.usfigureskating.org/leaderboard/results/2022/30893/CAT003RS.htm
(JGP entries were published on Aug. 23 for Yerevan, Armenia where Beck was originally assigned before he was moved to Gdansk2.)

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

After the Junior Men's SP in Egna:
1 Lucas BROUSSARD USA 74.79 39.06 35.73 7.07 7.25 7.07 0.00 #28 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSKudRfgom4 (kept his Tango expression going all the way through his performance)
3 Daniel MARTYNOV USA 72.35 38.76 33.59 6.68 6.61 6.82 0.00 #30 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4BDgYqsn94 (opened with the highest scoring 3A of the event)

Like Lucas, Daniel didn't enter the U.S. Junior Team Cup in Milwaukee back in July, presumably due to injury, and his first competition was in September (competed at the Senior level) which is likely why he ended up with only one JGP, the final one.

Re-posting from the JGP Egna Men's thread in Kiss & Cry and replying here:

Yes, the U.S, currently has a LOT of depth among the ISU Junior age-eligible men.

Jacob Sanchez put up the 4th highest NQS Junior Men's total score (199.78) at one of the last competitions in September and was worthy of being assigned, IMO, despite not yet having landed a 3A cleanly in competition (he's getting closer though!).
The two other listed JGP men's alternates were Taira Shinohara at #7 (silver at Challenge Skate in Norwood, MA in September that didn't count for NQS) and Jonathan Hildebrandt at #8 (gold at Challenge Skate) in the NQS rankings.

Was this Daniel’s only junior Grand Prix assignment?

 

[Sylvia]

Was this Daniel’s only junior Grand Prix assignment?

The answer is in my reply that you quoted!

10 different men have competed on the JGP this season, with Martynov being the 11th, and their current rankings on the ISU Season Best total scores list are as follows:

14 Robert YAMPOLSKY USA ISU JGP Baltic Cup 2022 08/10/2022 223.06 (silver in Gdansk2); 196.67 (4th in Riga)
28 Lucas BROUSSARD USA ISU JGP Solidarity Cup 2022 01/10/2022 209.39 (gold in Gdansk1)
46 Michael XIE USA ISU JGP Solidarity Cup 2022 01/10/2022 193.48 (7th in Gdansk1); 180.95 (5th in Courchevel)
46 Maxim ZHARKOV USA ISU JGP Czech Skate 2022 02/09/2022 193.48 (5th in Ostrava; CS debut in Budapest this week)
50 Kai KOVAR USA ISU JGP Czech Skate 2022 02/09/2022 191.65 (6th in Ostrava)
56 Joseph KLEIN USA ISU JGP Solidarity Cup 2022 01/10/2022 187.50 (9th in Gdansk1)
65 Beck STROMMER USA ISU JGP Baltic Cup 2022 08/10/2022 181.92 (7th in Gdansk2)
67 William ANNIS USA ISU JGP Baltic Cup 2022 08/10/2022 180.23 (8th in Gdansk2)
83 Lucius KAZANECKI USA ISU JGP Courchevel 2022 27/08/2022 167.85 (8th in Courchevel)
107 Kirk HAUGETO USA ISU JGP Riga Cup 2022 10/09/2022 142.17 (17th in Riga)

(Broussard's 2nd JGP total score and Daniel Martynov's first TBD)

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

The answer is in my reply that you quoted!

10 different men have competed on the JGP this season, with Martynov being the 11th, and their current rankings on the ISU Season Best total scores list are as follows:

14 Robert YAMPOLSKY USA ISU JGP Baltic Cup 2022 08/10/2022 223.06 (silver in Gdansk2); 196.67 (4th in Riga)
28 Lucas BROUSSARD USA ISU JGP Solidarity Cup 2022 01/10/2022 209.39 (gold in Gdansk1)
46 Michael XIE USA ISU JGP Solidarity Cup 2022 01/10/2022 193.48 (7th in Gdansk1); 180.95 (5th in Courchevel)
46 Maxim ZHARKOV USA ISU JGP Czech Skate 2022 02/09/2022 193.48 (5th in Ostrava; CS debut in Budapest this week)
50 Kai KOVAR USA ISU JGP Czech Skate 2022 02/09/2022 191.65 (6th in Ostrava)
56 Joseph KLEIN USA ISU JGP Solidarity Cup 2022 01/10/2022 187.50 (9th in Gdansk1)
65 Beck STROMMER USA ISU JGP Baltic Cup 2022 08/10/2022 181.92 (7th in Gdansk2)
67 William ANNIS USA ISU JGP Baltic Cup 2022 08/10/2022 180.23 (8th in Gdansk2)
83 Lucius KAZANECKI USA ISU JGP Courchevel 2022 27/08/2022 167.85 (8th in Courchevel)
107 Kirk HAUGETO USA ISU JGP Riga Cup 2022 10/09/2022 142.17 (17th in Riga)

(Broussard's 2nd JGP total score and Daniel Martynov's first TBD)

I quite like Daniel skating as well. Both Lucas and him did so well. What a shame he couldn’t have a second opportunity in the series this year.

 

[Sylvia]

Yampolsky didn't hold back in winning the SILVER (his first JGP medal ) at Baltic Cup in Gdansk, cleanly landing all three of his triple Axels with positive GOEs, including 3A+3T to open his FS today.
SP (77.39): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6QFmWFfh8Q
FS (145.67): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZg3s0i-f44

Congratulations to the TWO U.S. junior men who have qualified for the JGP Final in Torino, Dec. 8-11, 2022 (and have earned byes to 2023 Nationals at the junior level):

1 Lucas BROUSSARD USA 15 (209.39) + 15 (211.14) = 30 (420.53) - 4th highest total combined score of the 6 men

6 Robert YAMPOLSKY USA 9 (196.67) + 13 (223.06) = 22 (419.73) - 5th highest

After the Junior Men's SP in Egna:
1 Lucas BROUSSARD USA 74.79 39.06 35.73 7.07 7.25 7.07 0.00 #28 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSKudRfgom4 (kept his Tango expression going all the way through his performance)
3 Daniel MARTYNOV USA 72.35 38.76 33.59 6.68 6.61 6.82 0.00 #30 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4BDgYqsn94 (opened with the highest scoring 3A of the event)

Broussard was 2nd in the FS with a fall on 3F then landed both of his triple-triples in the second half (did not attempt 3A today; highest PCS by almost 3 points). He won the gold by less than 0.2 points - his SP was the key this time.

Martynov landed his opening 3A (-0.91 GOE) but had multiple jump issues later and finished 8th overall (187.91) - I presume the late start to his competition season may have affected his performance today?

Their FS scores:
2 Lucas BROUSSARD USA 136.35 63.63 73.72 7.43 7.46 7.25 1.00 #31
10 Daniel MARTYNOV USA 115.56 50.19 66.37 6.68 6.50 6.75 1.00 #29

 

[clairecloutier]

Ilia Malinin had a press call this morning to talk about his preparations for Skate America & his season so far.

Ilia Malinin: Ready for Skate America - A divine sport

On a press call today, Ilia Malinin said that he is happy, but also nervous, to compete in front of a sold-out audience at Skate America later this week. “It will be pretty packed. It gets me really excited, but is also kind of nerve-wracking, to see that I’ll be performing in front of a …...

adivinesport.com

 

[Debbie S]

Sounds like Ilia won't attempt the quad axel at SA. Probably smart, but I'm a bit bummed b/c I wanted to see it live.

 

[skatfan]

The article says Shae-Lynn is in California now? Doe we know where she is?

 

[sheetz]

The article says Shae-Lynn is in California now? Doe we know where she is?

She's been at Great Park Ice for several years now.

 

[skatfan]

She's been at Great Park Ice for several years now.

Oh gosh I am very out of the loop on that. Makes sense of course!

 

[sheetz]

Oh gosh I am very out of the loop on that. Makes sense of course!

Yeah there's an old thread about it.

IFS article on Shae-Lynn Bourne and her move to Southern California

This article by Rob Brodie originally was published in the IFS August 2020 issue: https://www.ifsmagazine.com/shae-lynn-bourne-creating-magic-in-a-new-world/ Excerpt: But as happy as they were in Charleston, there was always the pull of California in the back of their minds. It would mean more...

www.fsuniverse.net

 

[Spikefan]

Sounds like Ilia won't attempt the quad axel at SA. Probably smart, but I'm a bit bummed b/c I wanted to see it live.

He might do some in practice so you may still get a chance.

 

[DreamSkates]

I did the math.

97.42 TES base value just on the jumps.

I believe by playing around with the elements just slightly, the max would be 99.52 if we assume the (one) quad Axel has to go in the non-bonus. Otherwise, a two-4A program with a second one occurring in combination in the second half is 100.62 base.

Yeah, he's basically at the max.

If that’s the max just on the jumps what would the total possible max be with all elements combined (spins, footwork, etc.)

 

[tony]

If that’s the max just on the jumps what would the total possible max be with all elements combined (spins, footwork, etc.)

Looks like it's 118.52, or somewhere around there. That would include two 4A in the bonus as well as a 4Lz, all three combos/sequences being in the bonus with Eu+3F, 3Lo, and 3A(Seq) on the end on those jumps, and level 4 everything else.

Here's what I plugged in for elements to get to that:
4T | 4S | 4Lo | 4F
4A+1Eu+3F | 4A+3A+SEQ | 4Lz+3Lo
CCoSp4 | FCCoSp4 | CCSp4
StSq4 | ChSq1

Of course, two quad Axels in the bonus, both in combination, isn't really likely. But I believe that's the max as of now. I guess you could take it further and add minimal points for the idea that someone does a 3Lz as the second jump (a la Dmitriev).

ETA- another change could be made in place of the 4A+1Eu+3F to a true three-jump combination such as 4A+3T+3Lo, which would still be within the rules. That bumps it to 122.15.

 

[tony]

Totally random and just something I noticed during this exercise:

Since there are only 3 PCS now and they cannot be divided perfectly out of 10, the highest PCS possible for the men is now, I believe, 99.90 in the LP and 80.10 for the women.

 

[On My Own]

Since there are only 3 PCS now and they cannot be divided perfectly out of 10, the highest PCS possible for the men is now, I believe, 99.90 in the LP and 80.10 for the women.

Could you show how you got this?

 

[tony]

Could you show how you got this?

Factor is 3.33 for each of the three, in the men's competition.

10.00 x 3.33 = 33.3
10.00 x 3.33 = 33.3
10.00 x 3.33 = 33.3
Total: 99.9

For women, 2.67
10.00 x 2.67 = 26.7
10.00 x 2.67 = 26.7
10.00 x 2.67 = 26.7
Total: 80.1

 

[On My Own]

Factor is 3.33 for each of the three, in the men's competition.

10.00 x 3.33 = 33.3
10.00 x 3.33 = 33.3
10.00 x 3.33 = 33.3
Total: 99.9

Oh are they using 3.33 instead of just 10/3? Well, lol. Women's must be "2.67" then

 

[tony]

Oh are they using 3.33 instead of just 10/3? Well, lol. Women's must be "2.67" then

Based on the protocols, yes.

 

[Vagabond]

As if TES needed to be boosted vis-à-vis PCS.

 

[shutterbug]

Oct. 13/22 Figure Skaters Online interview with Liam Kapeikis: Liam Kapeikis’ Grand Prix dreams to come true at Skate America

Since returning home from Germany, Kapeikis said he’s been working on running clean programs and getting his quadruple Salchow consistently for Skate America.

“At Skate America, I hope to introduce myself to the Grand Prix stage and show that I have the ability to be competitive in this group,” he said. “I’m looking forward to the opportunity to skate against amazing skaters and be able to build experience at such a prestigious event.”

Also:

Kapeikis calls himself a “tri-citizen” as he holds citizenship for three countries – the U.S., Canada and Great Britain. His mother was born in Great Britain and obtained Canadian citizenship upon moving to Canada. Despite this fact, Kapeikis has no intentions of skating for another federation.

“I started my skating career with U.S. Figure Skating and have had many great experiences with U.S. Figure Skating and Team USA,” he remarked. “I have no plans to ever switch my competitive skating to represent any other federation.”

He's young, there's still time for him to change his mind and follow Keegan Messing's path.

 

[Karen-W]

Oct. 13/22 Figure Skaters Online interview with Liam Kapeikis: Liam Kapeikis’ Grand Prix dreams to come true at Skate America

Also:

He's young, there's still time for him to change his mind and follow Keegan Messing's path.

Uhm, no, we like him! We want to keep him!

 

[mtnskater]

Had to rewatch Lucas Broussard’s JGP programs more than a few times because I can’t get enough of his skating. I kept thinking he looks like he has grown a lot since last year. He was towering over the Japanese men on the podium. I watched some of his JGP skates from last year and sure enough it looks like he had a really significant growth spurt. He was landing the triple axel last year, so I’m sure it’s a matter of adjusting to the growth. Plus he said he was off the ice for about 4 months from injury and apparently had a bad bout with Covid too. Amazing with all of those obstacles he was able to pull off two gold medals on the JGP!

 

[4rkidz]

Had to rewatch Lucas Broussard’s JGP programs more than a few times because I can’t get enough of his skating. I kept thinking he looks like he has grown a lot since last year. He was towering over the Japanese men on the podium. I watched some of his JGP skates from last year and sure enough it looks like he had a really significant growth spurt. He was landing the triple axel last year, so I’m sure it’s a matter of adjusting to the growth. Plus he said he was off the ice for about 4 months from injury and apparently had a bad bout with Covid too. Amazing with all of those obstacles he was able to pull of two gold medals on the JGP!

He is one of those rare skaters who is so watchable even without a triple axel or quad.

 

[Sylvia]

He's young, there's still time for him to change his mind and follow Keegan Messing's path.

I was planning to wait until this busy competition weekend ended before posting the link to @Gina_FigureSkatersOnline's informative article on Liam Kapeikis - thanks @shutterbug! BTW, people should be aware that you were the first Canadian to "discover Liam" because I remember that you posted about him in the Kiss & Cry section back on May 18, 2019 (and have been trying to "claim him for Canada" ever since? ):

A few random comments about the Victoria Day [BC] competition events I was able to catch yesterday - ... In the junior men, Liam Kapeikis caught my eye. Where has this young man been hiding? Nice musicality, and a big, strong 2A that looks like it could progress easily to a 3A.

My reply to you:

In Washington state (Wenatchee FSC). He placed fifth in Novice Men at 2019 U.S. Nationals and is listed in USFS' current ISP.