U.S. Men 2019-20 season - news & updates

[kwanfan1818]

Not that Torgashev -- one of my favorites -- is a consistent skater, but I always watch nervously when an age-eligible skater who did well enough at Senior Nationals to qualify for a spot at Worlds gets sent back to juniors. Same with Kayigama and Kawabata. I get that they aren't automatically entitled to spots, and they're supposed to step up no matter what, but there must be extra pressure to prove the decision wrong mixed with disappointment plus maybe an underlying fear that the decision was right.

 

[Debbie S]

Not that Torgashev -- one of my favorites -- is a consistent skater, but I always watch nervously when an age-eligible skater who did well enough at Senior Nationals to qualify for a spot at Worlds gets sent back to juniors. Same with Kayigama and Kawabata. I get that they aren't automatically entitled to spots, and they're supposed to step up no matter what, but there must be extra pressure to prove the decision wrong mixed with disappointment plus maybe an underlying fear that the decision was right.

Torgashev was 5th at Nats, so he really didn't do well enough to qualify for a spot at Worlds. And he'd competed on the JGP (with one Challenger) so he really wasn't being 'sent back' to Juniors. I imagine he and his coaching team were fully expecting he'd go to JW, none were likely surprised. I'm a fan of his so I'm disappointed for him that he couldn't hang on for a medal and hope he can regain the consistency he had before his injury.

Plenty of U.S. skaters in recent years competed at JW after Senior Nats and medaled at JW (Alysa, Ting, Tomoki...). I assume that a skater is going to approach any comp the same way (i.e. wanting to win) regardless of level.

 

[kwanfan1818]

I apologize, once again I've conflated two of my favorite skaters, Torgashev and Canadian Champion Roman Sadovsky (who didn't compete at Jr. Worlds)

 

[Vagabond]

@kwanfan1818

 

[Marco]

apparently he did three 3-lutzes!

Looks like he was modifying his plan on the go after popping his second 3axel. He really should have combined the 3flip with either the -3sal or 3toe but it must have been difficult to think on the fly.

Honestly quite disappointed by the men at Jr Worlds.

 

[greenapple]

Agree @Marco. It was like someone stuck a pin a balloon and almost everyone deflated.

 

[toddlj]

The one bright moment was a breakout skate from Naumov.

 

[misskarne]

A little fun moment - Plushenko uses video of Jason to teach proper flip technique at his Academy! Now that is some high praise from the King!

Let us hope we see that beautiful flip in action next week!

 

[Vagabond]

High praise from the King, but, let's face it, he couldn't have used videos of his own flips for that purpose.

 

[PRlady]

A little fun moment - Plushenko uses video of Jason to teach proper flip technique at his Academy! Now that is some high praise from the King!

Let us hope we see that beautiful flip in action next week!

For the first time ever I’m preferring Plush to Yags based solely on their attitude towards Jason.

 

[Ka3sha]

Interview with Maxim and Vadim Naumov for Rsport (in Russian)

Американский фигурист: российские девчонки совершили революцию

Чемпион США среди юниоров Максим Наумов и его отец, чемпион России начала 90-х годов, Вадим Наумов рассказали Анатолию Самохвалову, как скандалы убили... РИА Новости Спорт, 11.03.2020

rsport.ria.ru

 

[mtnskater]

Triple drats about Worlds having to be canceled. But I completely understand and agree why it was. Whoever would have anticipated a global pandemic to occur this spring!?!

I'm personally bummed not to get to see Nathan's Rocket Man live, as I was so anticpating. And also not getting to see him win his 3rd World Title in person

I wonder if Vincent is now wishing he had stayed in college anyway. But OTOH he can get extra time to work with his new coach and to get back up to speed for next season.

Jason had a great shot at a World medal too...who knows what next year will bring. Hopefully, he'll still able to be right up there.

 

[DreamSkates]

A little fun moment - Plushenko uses video of Jason to teach proper flip technique at his Academy! Now that is some high praise from the King!

Let us hope we see that beautiful flip in action next week!

That's quite a complement. I hope Jason knows.

 

[Bellanca]

That's quite a complement. I hope Jason knows.

I’ll bet he knows by now. If not from FSU (skaters can’t help themselves ) then from someone or someplace else.

It is a very nice tip of the hat. Of course, I am a bit biased, as I am a fan of both.

 

[misskarne]

Excellent interview with Jason by Phil Hersh. Obviously done and written up prior to the Worlds cancellation. Some superb insights - probably one of the best Hersh interviews.

Jason Brown on finding his self-worth, skating to "Schindler's List" and his transformed technique

And if your heart doesn't hurt a little at this, do you have one?:

When you have a sport, anything is possible. I think I have allowed people throughout my career to tell me what was possible for me to achieve or not achieve, and I kind of let them define those things for me. By the time they realized what I was capable of, it was often too late for me to realize it.

It had gotten in my head that I wasn’t good enough or I didn’t have the technical ability or I wasn’t going to be rewarded for what I did because of what I did or did not have. I have built a better sense of my self-worth when it comes to competing, so I’m not fazed by what could or could not happen. We’re in a competition, and I do believe I can be on that podium if I skate the way I can.

 

[DreamSkates]

Excellent interview with Jason by Phil Hersh. Obviously done and written up prior to the Worlds cancellation. Some superb insights - probably one of the best Hersh interviews.

Jason Brown on finding his self-worth, skating to "Schindler's List" and his transformed technique

And if your heart doesn't hurt a little at this, do you have one?:

To Jason: We believe in you! (I do believe his team will get him to the place where he can land a full quad in a competition).

 

[skatingguy]

So how do you feel about Vincent Zhou practicing triple axels on a small sheet of ice that appears to have been set up by his coach Tom Z? I'm surprised more elite athletes are not allowed to practice at rinks in private sessions.

When did Vincent go back to Tom Z? Maybe I missed an announcement but he had been with Lee Barkell at US Nationals.

 

[olympic]

When did Vincent go back to Tom Z? Maybe I missed an announcement but he had been with Lee Barkell at US Nationals.

Please no! Please tell me Vincent stayed with Lee Barkell. If he is maybe it is a temporary Corona-related thing

 

[greenapple]

Tom Z is not Vincent Zhou's coach - and has not been for a long time. Zhou is now coached exclusively by Lee Barkell and Mie Hamada.

There is an article on him in the latest issue of International Figure Skating magazine:

When he was looking for a new training base Hamada suggested Lee Barkell at the Granite Club in Toronto might be a good fit. “She told me about Lee’s coaching technique and recommended that I think about him as an option,” said Zhou. “During my time at college I knew it was time for a change. I needed something new, something different."

 

[soogar]

Please no! Please tell me Vincent stayed with Lee Barkell. If he is maybe it is a temporary *********-related thing

Tom Z is not Vincent Zhou's coach - and has not been for a long time. Zhou is now coached exclusively by Lee Barkell and Mie Hamada.

There is an article on him in the latest issue of International Figure Skating magazine:

When he was looking for a new training base Hamada suggested Lee Barkell at the Granite Club in Toronto might be a good fit. “She told me about Lee’s coaching technique and recommended that I think about him as an option,” said Zhou. “During my time at college I knew it was time for a change. I needed something new, something different."

I follow Tom Z on instagram and on either his story or one of his postings, he had footage of Vincent practicing triple axels on a small sheet of private ice. I don't know if he was working with Tom or his former coach Tammy, but it was on Tom Z's instagram fairly recently.

 

[livetoskate]

Vincent mentioned on his Zoom mtg that Lee Barkell was his coach. The small rink he had practiced on is also closed down. He said he's thinking of getting roller skates.

 

[misskarne]

Vincent mentioned on his Zoom mtg that Lee Barkell was his coach. The small rink he had practiced on is also closed down. He said he's thinking of getting roller skates.

I hope he can get them, but he'll have a difficult time of it - it's really hard to get Pic/Snow Whites at the moment because pretty much every skater had the same idea at the same time and Pic/Snow White manufacturers can't get the bits because of shut downs.

 

[starrynight]

Enjoyed this interview with Nathan Chen.

At Home, Nathan Chen is Exploring – and Loving – Skating in New Ways: ‘I’ve Been Missing It A Lot’ - U.S. Figure Skating Fan Zone

Just when you think we've learned all there is to know about Nathan Chen, the Olympic team medalist, two-time World and four-time U.S. champion discovers something

usfigureskatingfanzone.com

He says that getting out of the slog of training and school has made him appreciate that he misses skating. Before now, it's just been something that he's done since he was 3.

He's also very philosophical on the time off saying:

"Four years ago, I was off for five months and I was still able to come back and add new jumps to my repertoire," he said. "I'm not super concerned with time off of the ice (presently) as long as I'm productive in other ways. That was two years away from the Olympics, too."​

​

I agree with him totally. There's so many examples of skaters who badly injure themselves, spend huge amounts of time off ice and then get straight back into it off muscle memory.

I also expect that rinks will re-open locally long before free international travel for skating competitions will restart, so all skaters will have plenty of time to regain form before competitions.

 

[Tinami Amori]

"As soon as Worlds was canceled I was like, 'I'm going to sign up and be a coach,'" Chen shared. "There are some kids at the rink I train at in the Connecticut, so I have been working with some of them. I'm certified now, so I can coach. After this blows over, I will try to coach a little bit more, too. I find it pretty interesting. I want to do it more the next couple of seasons. It allows me to be more mentally engaged. I think about skating more as a coach than I do as a skater."

That above is my fav part of this interview! A ballet dancer as child, honor student in school, winner of science contests in high-school, World Champion, with all these quads, while at Yale, and now is a official coach (in case of a rainy day.. ).
This reminds me of an old russian joke about jews.

God runs into a poor russian farmer and ask "if i made you a Tzar, how would you manage in your position?"

Russian farmer replies "if i become a Tzar that means i would have all the keys to all door, including the Royal Kitchen and Treasury. I would open the doors, steal 10 bottles of Vodka from the Kitchen, then take 1000 rubles from the Treasury, and run away to and hide in Siberia."

God runs into a poor jewish tailor and ask "if i made you a Tzar, how would you manage in your position?"
Jewish tailor replies "if i become a Tzar that means that in the daytime i will manage and rule the country, and at night i will saw up the wholes and fix buttons on my clients' clothes".

 

[Bellanca]

Vincent mentioned on his Zoom mtg that Lee Barkell was his coach. The small rink he had practiced on is also closed down. He said he's thinking of getting roller skates.

That’s a good idea. Whatever it takes.

Eta: surprised Vincent doesn’t already have some roller skates. Of course, it is not a given or should it be (automatically) assumed that an ice skater would have them... ⛸ but it is a great way to keep (and stay) in shape, nonetheless.

 

[TanithandBenFan]

Jimmy Ma was shown in a post today from Alexsey Letov. I wonder if he left the Cains.

Login • Instagram

Welcome back to Instagram. Sign in to check out what your friends, family & interests have been capturing & sharing around the world.

www.instagram.com

 

[Jayar]

My piece on Vincent Zhou.

Vincent Zhou Rises Above the Challenges – International Figure Skating

Vincent Zhou surprised everyone when he took a gap year from Brown University and moved north of the border to train with Lee Barkell in Toronto.

www.ifsmagazine.com

 

[Sylvia]

Pj Kwong spoke with Vincent back on May 12:

Vincent Zhou talks to @SkatingPj

World bronze medallist Vincent Zhou and @SkatingPj chat about life at the rink and away from the rink too! Come join us on Facebook Live and on Pj's YouTube ...

www.youtube.com

Jimmy Ma was shown in a post today from Alexsey Letov.

Here's a recent clip of Jimmy and Alex K. doing 3A together, shared by the same account: https://www.instagram.com/p/CBgglR6jHev/
In the comments someone asked "Jimmy Ma is part of your team now?"
Reply was: "No just friends"

 

[aftershocks]

Netflix is doing a film about Nathan, apparently. I just came across this trailer, but I can't find any additional information about this project:

QUAD KING - NATHAN CHEN | Trailer | Netflix

다큐내놔

www.youtube.com

Meanwhile, it's not easy trying to keep up with all the Zoom video interviews with skaters. But I'm in heaven watching them!

 

[Sylvia]

Netflix is doing a film about Nathan, apparently. I just came across this trailer, but I can't find any additional information about this project

That's because it's a fake trailer.