USFS ISP Points Challenge- Sep and Oct 2020

[orbitz]

Malinin's quads are looking great, but his mom really needs to work on his spins and body lines - those have not improved from last season.

Dinh seems like a nice kid, but man, those camel positions are just ... Yikes. If he started skating as a kid then I wonder why the coaches weren't able to improve some of his positions through stretching, etc.

I don't care for Cain & Ludec LP. I don't think their skating is good enough to do justice to that music, and they always seem to be trying to be something on the ice that they're not. Besides, it's hard to forget the brilliant performance to Rach from Artur & Natalia at the 94 Olympic.

I was disappointed with Bell's ABBA program. I was expecting a feeling of fun and abandonment during the fast music sections, but they weren't there. There was nothing memorable about the choreography - Shae-Lynn came up with that ? The music transition into WTIA and TYFTM was very abrupt. The long setup into her triples were disruptive during the fast sections of the program.

 

[sk8nlizard]

I like Tarah and Danny’s long, has some cool moves. They seemed much slower than the top 3, hopefully with more run through that will improve.

 

[Frau Muller]

Not everyone can get private ice. Gotta make due.

My thought about the people skating by the boards during some of today’s routines:

Hey, at least a zamboni didn’t appear on the ice in the middle of a program, as happened at the Peggy Fleming Trophy!

 

[tutuchat]

Oh good, it wasn't just me...unless it was both of us.

I saw it too, anyone know who they were?

 

[haribobo]

The extra pair in the SP was Finster/Nagy.

Ladies start order - Audrey Shin, Julia Biechler, Paige Rydberg, Gracie Gold, Rena Ikenishi, Pooja Kalyan, Lindsay Thorngren, Maxine Bautista, Sierra Venetta, Courtney Hicks, Starr Andrews, Mariah Bell, Bradie Tennell

 

[kre56]

Loved Audrey Shin! Just wow! A lot of improvement!

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Thank you to @Jeschke For chiming in and telling me that figure skating is still existing right now. I’ve been buried in work for about two weeks it’s been now. So do these links work if I go back and try to watch these tomorrow?

Can someone give me the 411 on Bradie why would she switch coaches only to earn those scores? I know gelling with a new coach takes times but she can achieve those scores in her sleep!

Buried in work. So I hope I can spend some more time with figure skating soon!!

 

[MR-FAN]

The editing of the first half of Nathen Chen’s SP is a crime against humanity Whyyyyy????

 

[Frau Muller]

The Fan Zone Page with the lists of events and links to “WATCH” (https://usfigureskatingfanzone.com/sports/2020/9/8/isp-points-challenge-competition-central.aspx) now has asterisks next to the listings of today’s Ladies SPs and LPs, as well as Pairs SPs. As per the asterisks, “due to post-production error, these are in the process of being reuploaded.”

So there you have it. However, there are no asterisks explaining why the Event Results and Starting Order PDFs can no longer be accessed.

 

[haribobo]

Currently, the 4 men who would get the nationals spots are Jimmy, Alexei, Ilia and Maxim. The 4 ladies are Starr, Paige, Pooja, and Audrey. Of course this can still change in a couple weeks...

 

[Wyliefan]

Oh my gosh, Green/Parsons's SD is about 10,000 percent better than last year's! I love that they start with "I Turned the Corner" -- it's such a beautiful song.

 

[meggonzo]

Do the skaters just submit videos, or is everyone actually skating live?

 

[Frau Muller]

Just got through the Men’s LPs and saw Jason’s Slaughter on 10th Ave program...OH-MY-GOODNESS! Pure poetry on ice. I started crying at the Ina Bauer transition into the slow tune. Absolute masterpiece.

I already was bowled over earlier with Nathan’s exquisite Philip Glass program, seen separately through the Chinese link.

I wonder what Vincent is cooking up for us?

 

[bladesofgorey]

Do the skaters just submit videos, or is everyone actually skating live?

I wondered this too, it says in the release "proctored" so the skater and team must have to either have an official at the rink or check in in some other way to verify they are only doing one take. Also this makes sense to me suddenly since I saw someone who was a WD practicing being taped in one take at a rink a couple weekends ago. (Don't think it was the actual competition since we didn't clear the ice completely for her).

 

[seabm7]

Do the skaters just submit videos, or is everyone actually skating live?

They submitted videos.

 

[jenny12]

Wow! I just adore Jason’s program! I’m so thankful to have a skater like him around!

 

[alchemy void]

Some of the video quality is worse than my flip phone from 2003. I don't understand how can be the case, particularly considering this isn't a live event. The skaters' names would be nice, too.

Sorry to be so negative, I've gone back to my default avatar to force some positivity.

Jason's LP is stunning. Wow. Probably the first time that music has really been done justice.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

The Fan Zone Page with the lists of events and links to “WATCH” (https://usfigureskatingfanzone.com/sports/2020/9/8/isp-points-challenge-competition-central.aspx) now has asterisks next to the listings of today’s Ladies SPs and LPs, as well as Pairs SPs. As per the asterisks, “due to post-production error, these are in the process of being reuploaded.”

So there you have it. However, there are no asterisks explaining why the Event Results and Starting Order PDFs can no longer be accessed.

Thanks for posting the links. After work I was able to watch the Paris free skate. It’s going to get some time to get used to seeing Brendan and Alexa together. But lots of potential there. They have gelled quickly.

I couldn’t recognize half these teams. Who skated before and after them? Both men either had a man bun or a ponytail. I don’t recognize anyone

Boy Brian and Jessica look world class. That was fantastic.

It was nice to see Ashley not in a cat suit. Although for a warhorse of this magnitude it would take very unique choreography to get me interested in watching this. As much as I love them not too much stood out. I wish I saw more use of their matching lines in the program.

 

[seabm7]

They removed Gold's SP and FS from

International Selection Pool (ISP) Points Challenge Competition Central

International Selection Pool (ISP) Points Challenge Competition Central

usfigureskatingfanzone.com

The other site, https://www.collegesportslive.com/figure-skating/, still have these programs.

 

[Jeschke]

They removed Gold's SP and FS from

Why that?

 

[seabm7]

Why that?

The condition of her SP video was bad, pretty blurry. I guess there was some kind of technical problem.

 

[misskarne]

This seems like it should have been the easiest competition stream possible. Pre-recorded programs, pre-judged scores, assemble them together with a few simple graphics for name and music and then scores after each skater, hype it up on social media and hit the go button! Specify a time and date and have a huge watch party, and upload the videos for re-watching later! Instead it turned into an absolute cluster-flip. Videos going up and down, nobody quite sure when the videos were going up or who was competing, no names attached to the videos so that unless you were a die-hard you didn't know who you were watching except the big names, choppy presentation...

Of course, trust USFS to make a meal of it. They had a captive audience of starving skating fans, knew that two of the biggest names in world skating in Nathan and Jason were debuting brand new programs, and they blew it. How on earth did they blow it?

I am definitely pleased with both of Jason's new programs. That SP is going to be out-of-this-world when it's got some mileage! It's incredibly fast and intense without being frantic or overwhelming and really shows off his power and speed. It didn't instantly grab me as being totally besotted with it like his last two - but it's definitely one I like. Here's hoping the costume won't be OTT!

Slaughter is spectacular. It's such a different genre from Schindler's List but of course, that's no problem for Jason. It really combines the best of his gorgeous lines and movement with his expansive presentation ability. It's a little more simplistic than Schindler's was at this point but I'm sure we'll see improvements through the year.

His jumps look good and secure and he looks strong and confident. God, I hope we get to see this in full flight at some point.

 

[Frau Muller]

The links to watch Ladies SPs/LPs and Pairs SPs are back up, as are links to the PDFs for Ladies StartOrder and Results. Gracie is not on those lists...so only 12 entries. Gracie’s participation was a figment of our imagination...as was a mystery pair that some recall seeing.

 

[maureenfarone]

Thanks for posting the links. After work I was able to watch the Paris free skate. It’s going to get some time to get used to seeing Brendan and Alexa together. But lots of potential there. They have gelled quickly.

I couldn’t recognize half these teams. Who skated before and after them? Both men either had a man bun or a ponytail. I don’t recognize anyone

Boy Brian and Jessica look world class. That was fantastic.

It was nice to see Ashley not in a cat suit. Although for a warhorse of this magnitude it would take very unique choreography to get me interested in watching this. As much as I love them not too much stood out. I wish I saw more use of their matching lines in the program.

Pairs SP order: Chan/Howe, Knierim/Frazier, Serafini/Tran, Lu/Mitrofanov, Calalang/Johnson, Cain-Gribble/LeDuc, Kayne/O'Shea. Man bun was Spencer Howe and ponytail was Mervin Tran.

 

[Dave of the North]

Jason must be turning Canadian. Slaughter on 10th Avenue is a Canadian skating warhorse used a lot in the late 80's and 90's. Can Sing, Sing, Sing be far behind? It is great music for skating though.

 

[LeafOnTheWind]

Maybe it's just the crappy video but I can't really get into Jason's long program at all. I really dislike the music so that probably doesn't help. Why are they giving Jason old outdated music anyway? I don't feel like David Wilson knows how to pick good music for Jason. Someone else needs to be picking the music. I just don't like the David Wilson/Jason combination. I wish they would try someone else if they want something different from Rohene.

I like the concept of the short but, again, I'm probably having video issues over it. I'll probably love it when I can actually get a good view of it.

And how hard is it to throw in a screen shot simply showing who the skater is and possibly their music?

 

[barbarafan]

apparently Tracey skated to it with Rob McCall at some point. Maybe it was her suggestion. I loved both of his programs.

 

[Bookseller]

Jason's version of Slaughter is definitely a work in progress. He hasn't gotten into the character yet and he's still working on the choreo. It will be different by the end of the season. Given the situation, it was in pretty great shape! I'm not sure I love the music cuts, though. They could improve those. Sinnerman has great potential.

 

[Frau Muller]

I just watched all of the ladies’ short & long programs. In general a lot of good stuff for so early in the season. Also in general: As expected, too many modern jazzy female songs...ugh!

Bell - two excellent programs despite the near-fall in the Sp. Loved the ABBA! I can imagine crowds roaring at Nationals and Worlds by the time that the last “Thank you for the Music” cut blares out!!!

Tennell - Like both programs. Jumps seemed ok. She should sell her long gorgeous lines more...it’s what really sets her apart from the rest.

Shin - two very sweet, similar programs

Andrews - she’s really powered up!

Kalyan - lovely flow, just lovely all around - easy on the eye

Among the rest, I thought that Thorngren had the best overall packaging and programs.

 

[Impromptu]

I actually really liked Slaughter (and have always liked it as program music, so...). And yes, it's definitely an extremely Canadian program... there were moments that reminded me a lot of Kurt Browning (which is a good thing, I love Kurt, he's one of my all time favorite's). In fact, if they could, they should bring Kurt in to do a little tweaking of it - I think it would only help.