2022–23 Canadian Men: News and Updates

[Sylvia]

Roman's photo with Keegan - both smiling at the first official practice in Oberstdorf: https://www.instagram.com/p/CiwvN7CIg3b/

ETA: Sadovsky just skated a clean SP (4S, 3A, 3Lz+3T) at Nebelhorn and is in the lead! Messing followed him - fell on 4T and landed his other jumps.

 

[screech]

Roman missed his personal best score by just 0.04 points. He scored 89.57 here. Congrats to him. Must be a big relief after last year's Nebelhorn.
Never thought I'd see the day Keegan would fall on his (spectacular) Russian split. Good recovery to get into the combo, but managing just a double toe at the end. And only a level 2 on his final combination spin? That's usually an area where he seriously excels. I also kind of wish his shirt was more purple.

 

[Colonel Green]

That is the first time Roman has ever skated a fully clean short program with a triple Axel and a quad.

 

[Sylvia]

That is the first time Roman has ever skated a fully clean short program with a triple Axel and a quad.

Roman's SP video from the livestream here: https://twitter.com/tegomass/status/1572935381011628035

 

[mtnskater]

Glorious skate by Roman! So nice to see him hit everything so beautifully

 

[haribobo]

SENIOR MEN
Scores thus far in 2022-23 season

Keegan Messing 245 (intl)
Conrad Orzel 225
Roman Sadovsky 222 (intl)
Stephen Gogolev 208 (intl)
Wesley Chiu 206
Matthew Newnham 191
Gabriel Blumenthal 189
Beres Clements 187
Bruce Waddell 186
Aleksa Rakic 182 (intl)
Corey Circelli 182 (intl)
Jack Dushenski 182
Marek Ramilison 181

 

[clairecloutier]

News from Keegan Messing's pre-SC press call today:

https://twitter.com/ClaireCloutier/status/1582800319075209216

 

[screech]

While I'm disappointed it's his last season, it's always nice when a skater gets to go out on their own terms. I am looking forward to seeing the lutz again (IIRC he landed it once, at the 18/19 GPF), and to him just being the showman that he is.

 

[clairecloutier]

An update on Roman Sadovsky:

Roman Sadovsky Prepares for New Season

After an eventful Olympic season–which saw him swing from a 29th-place finish in Beijing all the way up to 12th place at Worlds–Roman Sadovsky is back and ready to start a new four-year cycle of co…

adivinesport.com

In which Romsky tells us why we saw "Chasing Cars" and the pink shirt again at Nebelhorn.

 

[JoannaLouise]

I tried to convince the woman sitting next to me at Skate Canada to join FSU. If you were sitting in section 16 and gave an enthusiastic standing ovation to Stephen Gogolev, hello!

(I figure this would be the most logical thread for her to end up in. We'll see if I'm any good at recruiting. )

 

[aml78]

I missed Keegan announcing this is his last season. When did he say that?

 

[skatingguy]

I missed Keegan announcing this is his last season. When did he say that?

Apparently during media availability this week.

 

[Lil Sarah]

I missed Keegan announcing this is his last season. When did he say that?

In a pre-competition interview this week.

In the Kiss and Cry after the SP he showed ultrasound pictures, and I thought AHA! What a happy reason to retire to be able spend more time with your children.

 

[skategal]

Keegan said Baby #2 is due during Canadian Nationals so that will be interesting to coordinate.

 

[screech]

I've had "Grace Kelly" stuck in my head since Friday. DAMN YOU MIKA!
Great free skate for Keegan. One of the best he's had in a long time. No idea how he stayed on one foot for the triple axel though.

If I didn't know he was skating through the rest of the season, I'd have said this felt like a farewell skate, with how he was acknowledging the crowd during his bows after the free. Maybe it's his farewell skate in Canada, since I won't be surprised if he skips Canadians (and gets a bye to Worlds), if that's when the baby is due.

 

[Skate Talker]

Well all the commentators mentioned this will be his last Skate Canada International and therefore his last international competition in Canada, hence the "final farewell" attitude. He and his wife are expecting his second child in January at the same time as nationals and it was mentioned that will be a challenge for him but no-one was suggesting he is actually planning now to give it a miss.

 

[sus2850]

I missed Keegan announcing this is his last season. When did he say that?

He said it at Nebelhorn. He was also asked about his plans for the future. He mentioned the second child and said that he wants to work as a firefighter after he retires. He said his father and grandfather were firemen and that he wants to keep up the family tradition.

 

[luckiest1]

If he doesn't compete in Oshawa in January, I will completely understand, but I will really miss him. He was the highlight of the competition for me in Mississauga.

 

[greenapple]

Keegan has been saying this is his last season since the summer of 2021. He said he wanted to do one last season so he could go to the World Team Trophy one more time.

 

[Aaron MB Fan]

After the huge ovations and reactions he received in the rink during SC, it made me wish he did one more additional season for a proper goodbye at a home Worlds in Montreal 2024

 

[angi]

You have to wonder what needs to happen for Roman to make a change, he is incapable of handling any kind of competition pressure and today's meltdown was one we all saw coming. It's time for him to make a change.

 

[Yyzskater]

You have to wonder what needs to happen for Roman to make a change, he is incapable of handling any kind of competition pressure and today's meltdown was one we all saw coming. It's time for him to make a change.

I concur. My heart goes out to him for continuing to put it out there and not being able to get things to click when he has all the goods. His current coaching team can't seem to help him get over this mental obstacle.

 

[Lanie]

I love Roman's skating and think he is very special but gosh I wish he'd change coaches or something... I am sure he has a sports psychologist but it's frustrating (I know I know I should be used to it as a Sasha fan ) seeing him have issues again and again. I can't imagine how disheartening it is for him too.

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

The Canadian federation, media and hungry fans, can't help. Looking for the 'next one', particularly when Canadian men have such a strong history on the international scene, must put tremendous expectations on athletes rising through the ranks.

Further to Roman's supposed inability to handle competition pressure, being that tall can't help. Jumps are so much harder to save if they're even slightly off.

A skater's centre of gravity is key to landing the big tricks. That's probably why shorter skaters, particularly from Eastern backgrounds, dominate the men's field and have multiple quads in their reportoire.

I wonder how many skaters, who crumble again and again, were finally able to turn it around. Paul Wylie and Kaitlyn Osmond come to mind.

Too bad Katarina Witt doesn't coach. She was a machine, and always seemed to put it together when it counted.

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

You have to wonder what needs to happen for Roman to make a change, he is incapable of handling any kind of competition pressure and today's meltdown was one we all saw coming. It's time for him to make a change.

I love Roman's skating and think he is very special but gosh I wish he'd change coaches or something... I am sure he has a sports psychologist but it's frustrating (I know I know I should be used to it as a Sasha fan ) seeing him have issues again and again. I can't imagine how disheartening it is for him too.

I concur. My heart goes out to him for continuing to put it out there and not being able to get things to click when he has all the goods. His current coaching team can't seem to help him get over this mental obstacle.

I'm reminded of a brief interview with Jirina Ribbins, who said that while Katarina Witt may not have been the most talented skater of her generation, she was the most competitive, and knew exactly what it took to win.

Carol Burnett in her autobiography, One More Time, was told on the very first day of school at UCLA, that acting was an extremely tough profession. Give yourselves five years to make it after graduation, (and her professor wasn't talking about fame or fortune, but just the ability to make a decent living), or get out and find something else.

I wonder if their comes a point when an athlete has to decide if all the years of training and money chasing their dreams, are really worth it.

That's why there are several coaches I know and love in Australia, who steer their students into training towards auditioning and working for ice shows like Disney or Holiday On Ice, more than the rigors of competition. They recognise that the passion for performance far exceeds anything else.

 

[shutterbug]

Romsky's post FP video:

 

[Seerek]

Coached by Ravi Walia, Matt Newnham wins SC Challenge winning both segments.

Lots of movement after the free below 1st, Wesley Chiu was 2nd, Matt Markell moved up from 8th to 3rd.

 

[Sylvia]

Stephen Gogolev practice clips (posted by the Team Raf Instagram) - 4T+3T & 4S (in SP run through): https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cl5aDUmoDsd/
3A: https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cl5hDAOIOcE/

 

[Sylvia]

23 Questions with Roman Sadovsky (uploaded by Skate Canada on Dec. 27, 2022): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbWmV_MdKyE

Romsky's latest video was published on Dec. 6 - "Q&A and Optimizing jump technique!!!": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvZMzCTlIcI

 

[clairecloutier]

Keegan Messing confirmed today that he'll attend Canadian Nationals--even though his wife is due to have their second baby any day now! He will fly home immediately after the long program.

https://twitter.com/ClaireCloutier/status/1611075730829369352