3 weeks down - 3 to go - what are your thoughts on the GP Series?

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

We're three weeks in and it has been quite the Grand Prix Series. With three stops to go, many of the athletes assigned an event (or two) have already competed. Some have already wrapped up the series, and are on the cusp of qualification for the final.

Whose programs have you enjoyed the most (or least)?
Which single or team has been the biggest surprise or shock disappointment?
Which new faces to the senior scene interested you the most?
Who has had the biggest comeback story so far?

 

[genevieve]

my biggest question - what's the deal with the proliferation of half-loop combos and why is everyone now referring to it as a euler/eu?

 

[tony]

my biggest question - what's the deal with the proliferation of half-loop combos and why is everyone now referring to it as a euler/eu?

It was always a big thing in order to get another combo in while not having to necessarily do a 3+3 directly (ie with a 3T or 3Lo on the end).

This year, the ISU renamed the half-loop sequence as its own element on the scale of values rather than calling it a 1Lo. That’s why you hear everyone calling it the (official) name

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

my biggest question - what's the deal with the proliferation of half-loop combos and why is everyone now referring to it as a euler/eu?

From memory, many years ago Denise Biellmann did a double axel / half loop / triple salchow at the European championships or another big international. The London Times reporting on that event referred to the half - loop as a 'thoren'.

 

[quartz]

I haven't had a chance to watch everything I want to watch yet, but as of right now, my highlights are:
Tuk
Gilles and Poirier's FD
the new baby Russian pairs, Boikova and Kozlovskii
Michal Brezina getting medals (wut?!?!)
and that FREAKIN' PERKOVA GETS A GP SPOT!!!!

eta......Japanese ladies in general

 

[Vash01]

The positives for me-

Watching Yuzuru Hanyu, after his second OGM, and loving it. No drop off in his talent or desire.

Young Russian pair Boikova-Kozlovski and the return of Tamara Moskvina

Zagorski-Guerrero skating well and winning a medal at SA

Tarasova- Morozov finally having a decent LP choice

The top two Japanese Ladies Satoko and Kaori at SA having great skates.

The success of Brezina this season. He always had the potential, but he kept making mistakes in the past. I hope he continues to skate well.

Fear & Gibson : New discovery for me.

Samudarova's performances at SA

The return of Queen Tuk and her triple axel.

Julian Yee's SP at SA

Yuna Shiraiwa somehow gives me Midori vibes, although she is not landing triple axels (yet).

Some disappointments-

Kolyada continues to bomb.

Medvedeva's programs this season and her struggles

Zagitova still does not impress me artistically (hopefully she will improve)

 

[Vagabond]

Bearing in mind that I haven't watched very many Pairs programs and am a hard man to please when it comes to Ice Dance....

Whose programs have you enjoyed the most (or least)?
Most: Satoko Miyahara (both), Kaori Sakamoto (FS), Kévin Aymoz (both), Piper Gilles & Paul Poirier (FD), Vanessa James & Morgan Ciprès (FS).
Least: Brendan Kerry (FS).

Which single or team has been the biggest surprise or shock disappointment?
Pleasant Surprise: Yuna Shiraiwa.
Shock Disappointment: Loena Hendrickx (when she was not up to scratch at Skate America).

Which new faces to the senior scene interested you the most?
Mako Yamashita.

Who has had the biggest comeback story so far?
Michal Březina, Elizaveta Tuktamysheva.

 

[genevieve]

Highlight - seeing Chen's FS live at SA. It was magical. Interestingly, I came home raving about his artistic growth, and when I watched it again, it was good but looked much more like he was hunting down jumps (my usual issue with him). Makes me wonder if he is one of those skaters who does not translate well artistically on video.

And I agree about Yee's SP at SA

The men's SP at SC

 

[tamms]

Whose programs have you enjoyed the most (or least)?

I love Satoko’s programs this season. Kaori’s FS, I loved it at Skate America and of course her redemptive version at Helsinki. Piper and Paul’s FD is mesmerizing to watch. I also like Shoma’s SP.


Which single or team has been the biggest surprise or shock disappointment?

Boyang Jin. I hope he gets himself together for the next competition.


Which new faces to the senior scene interested you the most?

Mako Yamashita.


Who has had the biggest comeback story so far?

Brezina winning medals at both his GP assignments. Liza is back with her 3A.

 

[oleada]

Whose programs have you enjoyed the most (or least)?

Satoko’s SP; Kaori’s LP, both of Nathan Chen’s programs, Gilles/Poirier FD, Stepanova/Bukin FD

Which single or team has been the biggest surprise or shock disappointment?

Really disappointed in Wilson’s programs down Medvedeva

Which new faces to the senior scene interested you the most?

Boikova/Kozlovski and looking forward to Kihira

Who has had the biggest comeback story so far?

Brezina

 

[Skittl1321]

my biggest question - what's the deal with the proliferation of half-loop combos and why is everyone now referring to it as a euler/eu?

I think roller skating has called them euler's for a long time (and maybe also in non US countries).

Half-loop is kind of a misnomer since it's a full rotation jump, so maybe it was decided to name it to avoid confusion. It's not "half of a loop".

 

[mathil]

I think roller skating has called them euler's for a long time (and maybe also in non US countries).

Half-loop is kind of a misnomer since it's a full rotation jump, so maybe it was decided to name it to avoid confusion. It's not "half of a loop".

I can't speak for other countries but the Italian commentators have always referred to it as 'euler', even in past years ('rittberger' also used to be much more common than 'loop', but they seem to have become more interchangeable now).

 

[screech]

Half-loop is kind of a misnomer since it's a full rotation jump, so maybe it was decided to name it to avoid confusion. It's not "half of a loop".

Though it does kind of leave a mark of half a loop pattern (from figures) on the ice... and jump names can change. Weren't toe loops with a certain entry originally called toe walleys?

Favourite programs: I enjoyed Nathan Chen's SP and Gilles/Poirier's FD

Least favourite programs: I kind of agree with the assessments of Medvedeva, though from test skates to ACI to SC, they seem to be getting better each time. I do not like Starr Andrews' FP. I'm also already annoyed with all the tango RD, so even if I somewhat enjoy a program, I truly hate them all.

Best surprises: Brezina's comeback and qualification for the GPF! Keegan Messing cementing himself (so far) as Canada's number one. And like everyone else is saying, loving Tuk's 3A (though I don't love her programs)

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Enjoying:

FD of Gilles & Poirier
The uprising of lil' sis
Boikova & Kozlovski
Guignard & Fabbri
Kaori (as usual)
All things Nathan Chen

Frustrating:

The Knierims and knowing that we will never get the truth as to what happened.

No longer Enjoying:

Tara and Johnny. Im officailly over them. They now make me long for Peg, Dick and Terry... They were a cohesive unit. Listening to these bozos commentate on Loena (lil sis) I realize they ONLY talk about whats negative.. They also sound like the junior high school lunch table of bitchy girls when they commentate, and Terry is clearly not part of their group. Neither was Tanith during this broadcast. I was a fan of Tara & Johnny now I no longer am. Dick and Peg would almost always commentate on the positive (which I think brings people in and creates fans of skating). The way these 2 yammer on all they seem to talk about is whats wrong with skaters.

Jason's new short haircut. I like the ponytail better. Surprisingly.

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

Tara and Johnny. Im officailly over them. They now make me long for Peg, Dick and Terry... They were a cohesive unit. Listening to these bozos commentate on Loena (lil sis) I realize they ONLY talk about whats negative.. They also sound like the junior high school lunch table of bitchy girls when they commentate, and Terry is clearly not part of their group. Neither was Tanith during this broadcast. I was a fan of Tara & Johnny now I no longer am. Dick and Peg would almost always commentate on the positive (which I think brings people in and creates fans of skating). The way these 2 yammer on all they seem to talk about is whats wrong with skaters.

OMG. I totally see Johnny as Regina George, Tara as Gretchen Wieners, and Terry as Janis Ian.

 

[Wyliefan]

Bearing in mind I still have a lot of Finland viewing to catch up on:

Enjoyed: Satoko's SP, G/F's FD, Liza's LP (between her and Aliona and a friend who's a big fan, I'm starting to get into Caro Emerald's music!)
Disappointed in: Jason's LP. Also verklempt over S/F's performance at Skate Canada, but I'm hoping they can put that behind them and get stronger from there.
New senior faces: Sofia Samodurova. Life ain't easy for a Russian female skater, but she's making a place for herself this year.
Biggest comeback: Maybe not the biggest yet, but I'm impressed by Mariah so far this year and really hoping for a podium finish at Nationals for her!

Commentary award goes to Tanith and Ben, who are consistently enlightening, helpful, and just plain awesome.

 

[Peepsquick]

Whose programs have you enjoyed the most ?

Satoko’s SP
Nathan Chen’s LP (I love his SP but can't stand the music, so I am in a bit of a conundrum!);
Kevin Aymoz' SP and LP
Smart/Diaz' RD
Juulia Turkkila / Matthias Versluis' RD and FD;
James/Cipres' SD and FS

Which single or team has been the biggest surprise?

The Knierim's saga ... I thought they were on to new beginnings ... so a surprise but not a good one unfortunately!

Which new faces to the senior scene interested you the most?

Juulia Turkkila / Matthias Versluis (not sure how new they are but they were not on my radar)
Kevin Aymoz

Who has had the biggest comeback story so far?

Brezina

 

[briancoogaert]

My favorite programs : Nathan Chen's SP and Bradie Tennell's SP !!!

 

[Wyliefan]

Add Turkkila/Versluis's Mozart FD to my "enjoyed" list. What an exquisite program.

 

[muffinplus]

Whose programs have you enjoyed the most (or least)?

Satoko's programs
SinKats FD - their best FD by far. I love their lines.
Hubbell/Donohue FD (I agree that this FD is underrated, the Skate America performance was great...I love the choreo step sequence )
Guignard/Fabbri FD - fun and charismatic
Piper/Paul FD
I do like Stepanova/Bukin FD.. it's high energy and has some cool elements, but "the sex" feels a little forced at times from Stepanova...

 

[nuge]

S/B RD and FD
G/F FD
G/P FD Have never liked them so this is a first

 

[Brenda_Bottems]

I am deeply concerned with the rapid sexualization of our sport in this season's Grand Prix.

Primarily, the return of vulgarity to ice dance from the Russian and European teams. Ice dancing should be pure,not a sexfest. Newsflash: those trashy moves don't compensate for a lack of DANCE ABILITY. I greatly prefer the American dancers.

Second. TUKTAMYSHEVA'S classless stripper "program". The crowd was clearly uncomfortable with the provocative writhering on the ice at the end. And don't get me started on the hairdo. At least when Katarina did sexy routines,she still did her hair!

And,do tell,how did Roman Ponsart not receive a deduction for excessive cleavage? Very distracting.

-BB

 

[StasiyaGalustyanLove]

This season my wife and me were hoping for the return of strong young and white American males such as the Alexei Krashnozone and hope fully at some point Ross will come back to revenge what the judges did to work his body after National's last year. But I tried to watch Alexie K. and his music all the sudden turned into this disco beat, which could of given me flash-backs to a very bad evening on W. 9th street in New York when my Navy group was at a tuff bar and there was a "run in" with a man calling his self The Rectifier. Scary!

In this sport, run as it of course is by corrupt foreign agents from countries that perscribe to socialism and other evil's, countries like Norway and Iranistan and the Spain, it is "popular" to hate USA men and now Vincent is the one being brutally and viscously robed for what they say are not doing his routine to completion. The alleged pre-mature endings are a horrible accusation againt teenage male, some one must be thrown in the slammer sooner then later for this.

Luckily Galustyan has done a tournament and all though she did not win I believe she will be back competing with the best of the best, Hick's and Wang and the many Koreans we have. I am hopefull that my girl Angelina will be top ten by the world championships.

But worse of all is the repeatedly allowing of unlawful copy righted video streams on You Toob and virus and bacteria loaded sights from China and Africa. My laptop is currently infested with more diseases then a hooker who does tricks in the K Mart bathroom in south Albuquerque after my wife took it to watch Keegan who by the way should of one the gold in his event. Now that other Canadian "man" with the hair and the wild costumes, I don't know nor do I want to what is going on there, this is a sport with some true dark sided ness!

 

[DreamSkates]

I am deeply concerned with the rapid sexualization of our sport in this season's Grand Prix.

Primarily, the return of vulgarity to ice dance from the Russian and European teams. Ice dancing should be pure,not a sexfest. Newsflash: those trashy moves don't compensate for a lack of DANCE ABILITY. I greatly prefer the American dancers.

Second. TUKTAMYSHEVA'S classless stripper "program". The crowd was clearly uncomfortable with the provocative writhering on the ice at the end. And don't get me started on the hairdo. At least when Katarina did sexy routines,she still did her hair!

And,do tell,how did Roman Ponsart not receive a deduction for excessive cleavage? Very distracting.

-BB

Perhaps an issue to write to the ISU about. East to do on their main page, "contact". I haven't watched much ice dance but if/when I do and notice what you said above, I will express my opinion to ISU. Dancing can be about passion, but doesn't have to be sexualized. Children are watching - are these the models they should be following?