2025 Cranberry Cup International (August 7-10, 2025), Norwood, MA, USA

[Kateri]

We made it thru the first challenger event of the season! Definitely early August performances, but some nice moments and good to ease back. Onto the JGP!

I'm just happy we had a free international stream!

 

[Jammers]

t's sad that the US Men are so mediocre right now that a nearly 30 year old journeyman like Jimmy is even being considered for the Olympic team. No knock on him but he would not even be a thought about making the team in the past but besides Illia and Jason everyone else has just been bad for over 5 years now. I can't remember the last Olympic cycle where no US men emerged as strong competitor's internationally or even domestically over these last four years besides Illia of course and he had already made a name for himself at Nationals in 2022 to make the Olympic team.

 

[Karen-W]

t's sad that the US Men are so mediocre right now that a nearly 30 year old journeyman like Jimmy is even being considered for the Olympic team. No knock on him but he would not even be a thought about making the team in the past but besides Illia and Jason everyone else has just been bad for over 5 years now. I can't remember the last Olympic cycle where no US men emerged as strong competitor's internationally or even domestically over these last four years besides Illia of course and he had already made a name for himself at Nationals in 2022 to make the Olympic team.

Well, Lucas has been injured and Jacob has been slower to develop than Ilia or Lucas, plus Robert Yampolsky, who made the JGPF in 2022-23 along with Lucas pretty much quit skating after that season. Martynov hasn't panned out at all either, but it isn't as though we don't have some promising men - it's the generation ahead of them - Camden, Tomoki, Torgy, Max - who really have not stepped up to the moment.

 

[misskarne]

I'm afraid to ask what Vinokur is skating to with this costume.

I had my hopes up for approximately 5 seconds.

Vinokur on the other hand you can just tell this Formula 1 theme was his own idea and he's into the program. A lot more personality this year but slowwww.

I'm still not sure what this program was about but I'm not a F1 fan so i'm probably not the target audience.

I am the target audience and I've got nothing here, lol

Vinokur is the slowest F-1 in history.

First minute of the program is good, but it really goes nowhere. He should call @misskarne for consultation on skating and racing voids.

I will provide a free consultation on an F1-themed program at this point lol

1. Use Brian Tyler's original F1 anthem, not the covers, they're almost all bad
2. Cut it with other F1-themed music, not Tokyo Drift. The Rush score, even the new F1 score, one of Charles Leclerc's songs, something related.
3. Don't be a coward. I see that 95 on your racesuit costume. If you're going to make Cars references with F1...commit.

I think the chief issue is that the theme is not coherent. He's not even in the same form for motorsport for the entire program.

I appreciate Vinokur's unconventional approach to creating a program intended to appeal to the Milano-Cortina audience. Not sure he or this program will make it to the Oly FS, but yeah, lol.

I have so many jokes about how badly Ferrari are doing this year that I can't even think of which one to make first, lol

Maybe would have been better as an SP? I know nothing about F1 but for a programme about motor racing they had to go for a lot of slow and tinkly cuts to give him the stamina to get through it.

I definitely think they could have done a better SP with this. For a Senior FS, I'd probably cut it: F1 anthem (intro cut) - F1 movie theme - slow part of the F1 anthem/leclerc piano song/Lost but Won from Rush (depending on the ability of the skater) - overture from Carmen.

But you could do a fun SP with the F1 anthem (intro cut)/F1 anthem (slow)/overture from Carmen.

Or you could go totally batshit and go F1 anthem (intro cut)/Life is a Highway/Lost but Won/overture from Carmen.

I feel like I got yoinked into this thread with one of those stage hooks you see in cartoons

 

[PRlady]

I happened on a song from the F1 movie I rather liked — Drive. But in general the only racing theme that’s ever worked was the Finns FD in the ‘90s.

 

[Habs]

I happened on a song from the F1 movie I rather liked — Drive. But in general the only racing theme that’s ever worked was the Finns FD in the ‘90s.

Didn't Punsalan and Swallow have a racing themed FD back in the early 90s?? I have only vague memories of it.
Granted, you also said "racing theme that's ever worked" and I don't remember if theirs did....

 

[Wyliefan]

I happened on a song from the F1 movie I rather liked — Drive. But in general the only racing theme that’s ever worked was the Finns FD in the ‘90s.

I hate to touch on a sore spot, but how about Tkachenko/Kiliakov's racing program?

 

[kwanfan1818]

Punsalan and Swallow’s definitely worked.

 

[Karen-W]

I hate to touch on a sore spot, but how about Tkachenko/Kiliakov's racing program?

They had a decent RD with a racing theme a couple of seasons ago, as did Zehnder/Sieber. I liked ZehnSieb's better, to be honest.

 

[skipaway]

The Original!
Scroll to 2:06

 

[PRlady]

I hate to touch on a sore spot, but how about Tkachenko/Kiliakov's racing program?

Not that memorable, I guess.

 

[Debrah]

I recall Elvis Stojko skating to a racecar/ speedway type theme in 95/96 or thereabouts, though my 70 yr ole brain ain't what it used to be, LOL! Anyone else remember that program, or was it all a Dallas J.R. style dream I had, LOL?

Yes, besides Brian, Kurt, Elvis, Eman, Jeff, Patrick, etc., I also saw Toller skate in person too, which is why I became a huge skating fan, so I really am dating myself here...

I am more hopeful now, from what I have watched at Cranberry and after following some of the other early summer comps so far, as last season was a roller coaster and by Worlds 2025, became a dismal year for Canadian skating, other than the silver brilliance from Piper and Paul, the rest of the Cdn team placed somewhat lower than expected.

From comments here and elsewhere online, some fans were less than thrilled by the American men competing at Cranberry. Perhaps the poor showing is because the USA has 2 of the 3 available Olympic spots pretty much decided, leaving only 1 tba, with only an outside very long shot at a top 12 finish going for the experience, rather than a strong international result. Seems the USA guys showing up early to compete did not want that 1 spot left for Milan, badly enough at this point in the season, to leave the beach to train in a cold rink, LOL, or they believed they would be held up by the judging! Probably shocked that other male competitors from Canada, as well as Li, and Selenko seemingly did go to the rink to train, and were thus more ready to compete, and they kept the USA men off the home turf podium, not sure I can remember that happening in last decade or 2, unless you go way, way way back in time.

I believe that domestic skating rivalries are very necessary. Having more than just 1 skater, or 1 team, capable of winning a title is very good for the sport. Some years, it's not even about who is the best, but who is the least injured. Some years, a skater or a team, being so dominant over many seasons, is a bad thing, because everyone else in the field stops trying to win, fans stop being engaged, since the perception is that the gold, or perhaps even the entire podium, has already been decided, only the order in question. I want to be excited, I want judging to be fair. I want all the competitors to do their best, I want to root for my favorites, and see them smile in the kiss n cry, knowing they did their best, gave it everything they had in the tank. Everyone conveniently stops remembering that ice is indeed slippery, and it is always better to come fully prepared to fight, if only for a PB, and because you love to compete/perform. It has been years since CDN men were the rock stars of skating at the international level. So, for me, I am thrilled that the CDN men put in the work they needed to do well at Cranberry Cup, and hopefully, all will continue to improve and push each other forward onto the world stage!

Hopefully, Roman is now looking over his shoulder to see all the guys domestically suddenly surging up behind him, a healthy Gogo, fingers crossed for Chiu, or some other guy potentially having a breakout season, will only make Roman stronger, a better and fully motivated competitor. Thrilled he won. Fingers crossed he gets his speed back up, and everything is fully rotated, as the season progresses. I scared my husband cuz I was clapping, yelling, and crying so loud in front of my TV, that he came running into the room to see if I was ok, LOL! Stephen also held my attention in his FS, it suited him perfectly. IMO, he turned a corner, he is not just about scoring good TES. Gabby coming back healthy, Dupuis training a 3A, other CDN ladies breaking out of the B pack, will hopefully spur Maddie to new heights as well. By the way, it was great to see pigs flying in Norwood, and yes, CDN bacon is rather fab!

 

[alj5]

I recall Elvis Stojko skating to a racecar/ speedway type theme in 95/96 or thereabouts, though my 70 yr ole brain ain't what it used to be, LOL! Anyone else remember that program, or was it all a Dallas J.R. style dream I had, LOL?

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From Wikipedia:

• Race Car Theme
  • Speedway (Theme from Fastlane)
  • No Good from Start The Dance
    by The Prodigy