2026 US Nationals Men's SP "Je Suis Malanin"

[floridaice]

Toothless has always reminded me of my beloved kitty that is my pic here. She's been gone 10 years now. I'd love an avalanche of Toothless

Toothless reminds me of our black cat too. I loved that cat.

And my sweet Josie, miss her so much.

 

[jlai]

If I were an isu judge l I think second to fifth would have very similar scores. Torgy has the best combo of technique and flow, but lower tes, Brown with even lower tes but great pcs, Tomoki with higher tes but his skating looked smallest and Naumov's quad sal looked short.

 

[once_upon]

they have professional volleyball? and for women too?

Yep. The US has 2 different leagues at least. Then there's several international ones

 

[Cachoo]

And my sweet Josie, miss her so much.

And little Boo who died in June. Gone too soon. Toothless is an awesome character. I don't know if Ilia is going to get pelted with Toothless from now on.

 

[NinjaTurtles]

Ilia has been receiving Toothless stuffies and gifts for years from fans, just not quite in such a big all-at-once nature. Although it was a fairly large bomb of them at 2025 Worlds. He’s pretty consistent about wearing the toothless hats and shirts fans throw to him.

He’s a fan of the HTTYD books and movies.

 

[AnnM]

I would have asked. "Can I have one, please?

Tbh the hospitality, such as it is, has been a really mixed bag between both USFS and the event center staff. They probably would've scolded me.

I'm just going to tell myself they're all going to a local children's hospitaland won't be reappearing at the Build-a-Bear booth tomorrow.

 

[overedge]

I dunno.

There's ads all over the boards and the ice, and on the broadcasts, and there's sponsored things during the broadcasts like the Metamucil Slo-Mo Moment or whatever the hell it's called.

But throwing stuffies, flowers, etc is a long tradition in skating, and it's a chance for the fans to show their appreciation directly to the athletes. It feels wrong to me to have that hijacked for yet another commercial promotion.

 

[misskarne]

More thoughts:

I've been a little concerned about the placement of the combo all season for Jason, since the program's first outing. It's too rushed. They rush it into a corner and then he goes straight into the steps. I think they need to give him room and time. Even if it means he loses the second-half bonus, it would be worth if for cleanliness - or switch out to start with the lutz-toe and put the 3F there which he always hits.

Otherwise he looked good and the program looks good. The 3A looked better than it did on the GP (even with the q). He of course got lucky on the combo call. But I really don't think you can argue too much with placements. Being behind Tomoki is of course correct. Maxim had errors of his own. I think they're in the right order.

I know I said it in the live part but man, I really got to hand it to Tomoki and his team. He has really put together an amazing season and if he can pull it off in the free he will have thoroughly deserved it.

 

[Smiley0884]

And my sweet Josie, miss her so much.

We just got a black kitten and I thought the same about Toothless as well. The cat in your avatar looks just like my boy Lucky

 

[her grace]

Jr Worlds watch:

Sanchez 7th and Kazanecki 10th were the highest-placed skaters in the SP who are young enough to go. I’m hoping the team is Kazanecki [JGPF3] and junior national champ Blackwell since they both compete quads. So either Sanchez needs to move up in the LP or USFS needs to choose him for 4CC anyway. I do think if he stays in 7th that Sanchez’s BOW would trump Martynov’s for a 4CC assignment. Stay tuned.

 

[Carolla5501]

Well, that's a shame to hear, even if it was really fun to watch as it happened.

I dunno.

There's ads all over the boards and the ice, and on the broadcasts, and there's sponsored things during the broadcasts like the Metamucil Slo-Mo Moment or whatever the hell it's called.

But throwing stuffies, flowers, etc is a long tradition in skating, and it's a chance for the fans to show their appreciation directly to the athletes. It feels wrong to me to have that hijacked for yet another commercial promotion.

Obviously, I’ve been around longer than some of you. Smuckers strawberries? Chevy logos? Anyone remember the times when Michelle would skate and the entire ice after was covered with these things. At least this has some relationship to the skater.

 

[Stephanie]

Jr Worlds watch:

Sanchez 7th and Kazanecki 10th were the highest-placed skaters in the SP who are young enough to go. I’m hoping the team is Kazanecki [JGPF3] and junior national champ Blackwell since they both compete quads. So either Sanchez needs to move up in the LP or USFS needs to choose him for 4CC anyway. I do think if he stays in 7th that Sanchez’s BOW would trump Martynov’s for a 4CC assignment. Stay tuned.

USFS has always been a big Martynov fan, so we’ll see. That being said, I expect a lot of movement in the free and who knows how much body or work will count for 4CCs.

 

[Private Citizen]

Glad I didn't stay up to watch this. The fix is in to produce the desired results, skating be damned.

Agree that Malinin will need to do both segments of the team event.

 

[miffy]

I’ve rooted for Tomoki since he was in novice/junior, and I can’t believe he’s in second but the scores are so close, really just one mistake and the lead is gone. And now I’m feeling so torn for purely sentimental reasons, I want to root for Jason and Maxim too! I guess whatever happens I’ll be happy and sad one way or another.

 

[jlai]

USFS has always been a big Martynov fan, so we’ll see. That being said, I expect a lot of movement in the free and who knows how much body or work will count for 4CCs.

They are? How would we know? I don’t remember him getting major assignments

 

[PRlady]

Glad I didn't stay up to watch this. The fix is in to produce the desired results, skating be damned.

Agree that Malinin will need to do both segments of the team event.

On whose behalf do you think it’s fixed? Tomoki is in second and I don’t think he has any politiks behind him.

 

[Carolla5501]

On whose behalf do you think it’s fixed? Tomoki is in second and I don’t think he has any politiks behind him.

This kind of statement generally just means a skater the poster likes didn’t score what they wanted.

 

[peibeck]

Given that USFS had the banner with the logo of the movie ready, I think it was a PR stunt. But Ilyia seemed to like it.

It was definitely a PR stunt. They announced and distributed the dragons during the ice break before the final group of guys.

 

[Reuven]

I just finished it all, was a good competition, but I couldn’t concentrate. There was some dude with brown hair that stood right there by the kiss and cry that I just kept saying who the heck is the strapping man that’s just standing there the whole time. I don’t think he’s a coach …. he must be part of production or something… Oh, my goodness.

Well, he was standing by the K&C, you could have taken the suggestion.

 

[Private Citizen]

On whose behalf do you think it’s fixed? Tomoki is in second and I don’t think he has any politiks behind him.

Jason Brown received some very generous calls. I don't see how his jumps weren't called 3A< and 3T<, and I also don't see how 3A< (-2) and 3Lz!+3T< (-5) isn't worse than a fall on a fully rotated quad toe.

It seems to me that Torgashev isn't woke enough for USFS and/or is being punished for his comments about Brown's novice lady content (my words, not his).

Name Jason Brown to the team on Body of Work if that's what the committee feels is warranted - fine. Mark the skating as it is, not as you want the result to be. I'm sure the q for Tomoki was to keep him behind Brown; they didn't count on Brown making two mistakes v. one. I'm sure it will be a < in the free skate.

Brown belongs in fifth in a fair world, and there should be a larger gap v. Tomoki.

 

[PRlady]

I accept all that as an opinion but really, woke has nothing to do with slagging a competitor publicly. Thats just bad sportsmanship (and stupid, when the target is as loved as Jason.)

 

[Garden Kitty]

Obviously, I’ve been around longer than some of you. Smuckers strawberries? Chevy logos? Anyone remember the times when Michelle would skate and the entire ice after was covered with these things. At least this has some relationship to the skater.

I still have a State Farm good neigh-bear somewhere

 

[Private Citizen]

He slagged a competitor AND he apparently made anti-woke or pro-Trump comments that ended up on a fan-created "problematic skater" list. Then he (stupidly) further engaged with said person. I'm suspicious that the tide has turned against him immediately following that.

Mark the skating. In what universe does Torgashev's PCS deserve to be below Tomoki and on par with Naumov? Why is it so far below Jason Brown's? Something smells fishy to me.

I'm not a fan of any of the guys. I accepted that Brown will be named to the team, and I'd like Naumov to get the final spot for sentimental reasons. But I have no desire to watch a competition with pre-determined outcomes.

 

[kwanfan1818]

Especially when that skater has had less than stellar results at championships, not even cracking top 20 at either Worlds, has one career GP medal, and whose highest result at his one 4C’s was what Brown placed at 2025 Worlds.

 

[barbk]

He slagged a competitor AND he apparently made anti-woke or pro-Trump comments that ended up on a fan-created "problematic skater" list. Then he (stupidly) further engaged with said person. I'm suspicious that the tide has turned against him immediately following that.

Mark the skating. In what universe does Torgashev's PCS deserve to be below Tomoki and on par with Naumov? Why is it so far below Jason Brown's? Something smells fishy to me.

I'm not a fan of any of the guys. I accepted that Brown will be named to the team, and I'd like Naumov to get the final spot for sentimental reasons. But I have no desire to watch a competition with pre-determined outcomes.

I'd like a caller for Nationals that is most like whoever will be the caller at the Olympics. That would be the most helpful tactic for USFS. I do hope that before too long, technology takes over the calling as it is by far the most erratic aspect of judging and has the largest impact on results.

 

[Private Citizen]

I'd like a caller for Nationals that is most like whoever will be the caller at the Olympics. That would be the most helpful tactic for USFS. I do hope that before too long, technology takes over the calling as it is by far the most erratic aspect of judging and has the largest impact on results.

Until the technology is ready, maybe they can pull @tony from the audience or hire Shin Amano.

 

[BittyBug]

@Private Citizen you're overlooking the most likely reason that Torgashev was not given the benefit of the doubt while Brown was - Brown has repeatedly and reliably delivered top notch performances when it counted the most, while Torgashev has repeatedly and reliably bombed in international competitions. And when Torgy opens his nationals with a splat, it's easier to dismiss him because we've seen this movie before.

 

[jlai]

He slagged a competitor AND he apparently made anti-woke or pro-Trump comments that ended up on a fan-created "problematic skater" list. Then he (stupidly) further engaged with said person. I'm suspicious that the tide has turned against him immediately following that.

Mark the skating. In what universe does Torgashev's PCS deserve to be below Tomoki and on par with Naumov? Why is it so far below Jason Brown's? Something smells fishy to me.

I'm not a fan of any of the guys. I accepted that Brown will be named to the team, and I'd like Naumov to get the final spot for sentimental reasons. But I have no desire to watch a competition with pre-determined outcomes.

You read too much politics into

@Private Citizen you're overlooking the most likely reason that Torgashev was not given the benefit of the doubt while Brown was - Brown has repeatedly and reliably delivered top notch performances when it counted the most, while Torgashev has repeatedly and reliably bombed in international competitions. And when Torgy opens his nationals with a splat, it's easier to dismiss him because we've seen this movie before.

Exactly. Brown is over scored but he is also the one whom I trust to deliver 80+ score in a short program internationally. The other performances may end up around 79 from an Isu judge.

Objectively I would place Torgy second but you know about reputation in the sport

 

[jlai]

I'd like a caller for Nationals that is most like whoever will be the caller at the Olympics. That would be the most helpful tactic for USFS. I do hope that before too long, technology takes over the calling as it is by far the most erratic aspect of judging and has the largest impact on results.

Tomika got a boost because of his improved international results imho. Normally he is around 87 when clean internationally but yesterday his quad was short

 

[barbk]

@Private Citizen you're overlooking the most likely reason that Torgashev was not given the benefit of the doubt while Brown was - Brown has repeatedly and reliably delivered top notch performances when it counted the most, while Torgashev has repeatedly and reliably bombed in international competitions. And when Torgy opens his nationals with a splat, it's easier to dismiss him because we've seen this movie before.

I'd see that as a reason to not name him to various teams, not as a reason to lower his score in the SP.

OTOH, I didn't see Torgashev's PCS scores as being ridiculously low--it was significantly higher than he achieved on the GP this fall or at Worlds last year in the SP. His PCS last night in the SP was 44.51. His PCS at GP France was 39.25; at NHK it was 39.36. At last year's Worlds, it was 41.15.