2026 Europeans - Men Free Skate - “To Be Or Not To Appleby - That Is The Quadstion?”

[delayedaxel]

Lewton Brain's music is boring as hell.

 

[Hedwig]

Davide Brain
2axel nice
2z3toe
3flip gorgeous
3l
3z forward on the landing
3sal 2toe, not the best of landings either
2a3t

he is a skater that I appreciate more and more every year. Now watch him retire just as I started looking forward to his skates

 

[MsZem]

Lewton Brain's music is boring as hell.

Imagine if he'd done something more exciting, like, say, a Ricky Martin medley

 

[Sally1214]

The stream went black for a few seconds during the replay
My temporary title didn't last - got the message

Mine did too. I do not need that kind of momentary panic this early in the day!

 

[BittyBug]

I quite enjoyed David Newton Brain’s program.

 

[Private Citizen]

Wasn't he born France so it would be the French pronunciation?

The French spelling is normally David, though? I thought only Italians spelled the name Davide. I’m confused by the spelling - pronunciation mismatch.

 

[Hanna]

I always feel very sympathetic towards Lewton Brain, glad he had a relatively good skate here. He doesn't really have any big weaknesses but is a very nice all-around type of skater with pleasant skating skills.

 

[tony]

Kevin has done amazing work with David. The style quite fits him. His flow is really great. Wish he’d be more assertive with the 3A though

 

[Sally1214]

The French spelling is normally David, though? I thought only Italians spelled the name Davide. I’m confused by the spelling - pronunciation mismatch.

Not to worry. I only found yesterday that I've been pronouncing Loena's name wrong forever. I thought it was "Low-na" and just learned it is actually "Loo-na." As the saying goes, something new learned every day.

 

[Former Lurve Goddess]

The French spelling is normally David, though? I thought only Italians spelled the name Davide. I’m confused by the spelling - pronunciation mismatch.

It's usually "Daveed" or at least it is in French Canada - I'm not totally sure about how the Rude Euros say it.

 

[ilovesalchows]

He reminds me of Scott Hamilton.

 

[Private Citizen]

Kessler’s popped double flip has a future as a cool choreographic move.

He has nice skating quality.

 

[tony]

Kessler has absolutely glorious transitions between elements and such a sensitivity to the music. I mentioned in the SP that he’s been over 80 on PCS in a few competitions and I think it’s a rare case where the judges can actually separate the TES (with his crazy dodgy jump technique) from the PCS. Who knew.

 

[Hedwig]

Jari Kessler

I like his skating so much that he is the only person ever I forgive for cracking nis neck before he skates. I HATE that.
Do you hear me Adam or Tomoki? Grrrr

3z2t like buttahhh
2a3t right into a back twizzle
2f
3l
3toe
2sal2a2t
3sal

I think his short has more of an impact but he still is a beautiful skater

 

[Former Lurve Goddess]

Chris is killing me with his "you can almost hear the birds floating across the ice"

 

[Sally1214]

Jari Kessler

he is the only person ever I forgive for cracking nis neck before he skates. I HATE that.

How do you feel about people cracking their knuckles?

 

[Kateri]

Kessler’s popped double flip has a future as a cool choreographic move.

He has nice skating quality.

I've never seen such a pretty mistake!

 

[tony]

Chris is killing me with his "you can almost hear the birds floating across the ice"

Not with all his yapping

 

[Former Lurve Goddess]

Yay, for good use of PCS!

 

[beckab81]

Brain and Kessler back to back is a great palate cleanser after opening with Gartung. Glad to see skating skills and artistry being rewarded!

 

[Sally1214]

WOW ..... nice PCS for Kessler. Judges aren't always wrong.

 

[Private Citizen]

yay, happy to see the judges reward PCS.

Announcer seems to have put an Italian e at the end of Zandron’s name. (He is Italian, but his name is not Zandrone.)

 

[tony]

Zandron has had this free skate for the entire Olympic cycle All four years.

C’mon Evan Lysacek Espana Cani

 

[delayedaxel]

I've never seen such a pretty mistake!

It looked like intentionally delayed, which is a thing I admire!

 

[Vagabond]

Davide Lewton-Brain was born in Nice, which is right next door to Monaco. Monegasque is a dialect of Italian. Although Lewton-Brainn is a very English surname, Davide is an Italian (or Monegasque) first name. And it's pronounced "DAH-vee-dey."

 

[Private Citizen]

Slow workmanlike skating from Zandron but getting it done.

 

[Sally1214]

yay, happy to see the judges reward PCS.

Announcer seems to have put an Italian e at the end of Zandron’s name. (He is Italian, but his name is not Zandrone.)

The announcer's mind has already travelled to Milano where you can put an "e" on the end of almost everything.

eta: Example: I always thought it was just Milan. But .... it's MilanO, now?

 

[beckab81]

So many choreo sequences with negative GOE at this competition (Zandron was wobbling over his edges, so valid), not something we see that often.

 

[Hedwig]

Zandron

so the fourth Italian man in this competition
3a euler 3sal from a near stand-still
3l 2a , again nearly stand still after the loop
3flip best jump so far
2a
3z3t bit wobbly
3z nice
3l
from basic skating point of view I would have him last in this group, but better in the TES than others and happy with his skate

 

[Hedwig]

How do you feel about people cracking their knuckles?

hate it with the fire of a milion nuns!