This season, I was unable to post my reviews for each GPS event because of many other things I needed to do even though I watched all the GPS events for singles except for Skate America and wanted to post about it.
Figure skating Grand Prix Final competitions was held in December 3 to 6, 09.
The qualified skaters for singles were below,
Men
Nobunari Oda (JPN)
Evan Lysacek (USA)
Brian Joubert (FRA) ( withdrew for injury )
Jeremy Abbott (USA)
Daisuke Takahashi (JPN)
Johnny Weir (USA)
Tomas Verner (CZE)( was replaced for Joubert )
Before the event, I was guessing this competition will be really heat up especially between Takahashi vs.Oda in Team Japan, and Lysacek, Weir and Abbott in the team USA.
Felt sorry to hear about Brian Joubert’s injury during the practice. Sounded extremely pain when he got the injury.
He also had to withdraw from GPF last season after SP , because he got injury during practice before LP.
Hope he will get better soon and will get full recovery until European Championship.
I’ve heard Plushenko also had an injury with unclear details from today’s skating news.
Every time hearing this kind of accident, it reminds me how brave all the skaters are.
The blade is like a knife, and it can be really really dangerous.
Tomas Verner replaced Brian Joubert for the GPF. But NBC didn't show Tomas Verner.
I didn’t make a prediction for it but what I was guessing was the skater who has the highest “ reputation” in these line ups is Evan Lysacek.
So he will of course get high PCS, GOE since he won Worlds last season and his world ranking increased.
Jeremy Abbott who won last GPF also has reputation.
Second, hometown favors, for Daisuke Takahashi, Nobunari Oda who have high reputations in the past.
Tomas Verner.. I was not sure.
For Johnny Weir, I didn't think he will get favorable treatment, at least, not more than those skaters above can get.
Seeing this season’s Johnny’s results for each event, and when I saw the protocols, first thing I noticed was his PCS. Lower than ever for his FP from the past.
My impression for this judging system they are getting more and more to like just speed, power, stamina contest rather than figure skating.
Impact is everything including music choice.
And speedy, powerful performances always get bigger impact than quiet, elegant, smooth, beautiful skating.
People seem to care about transition and choreography to increase PCS, but I think it’s more about big impact, speed and power besides skater‘s reputation & etc.. something behind the scene we can not know.
As entertainment, watching Johnny Weir’s beautiful lines and movements on ice itself is already art to me.
And sometimes I feel the judging system only wants to see busy choreography and transitions, but IMO we can always see Johnny’s natural beautiful flawless movements, whether the program includes busy choreography and a lot of transitions, or not.
I personally don’t think he needs busy choreography because his every line of detailed movements are already art and pleasure to see.
But my impression of the COP is made up with all calculation.
If skaters are doing many choreography constantly whether the movements are unbalanced or not, whether it’s musical or not, they give high scores to skaters who have high reputation.
And since they didn’t send Johnny Weir to World’s last season ( which was a mistake IMO ), he now has less points and has to build up his points and reputation again.
Here is my reviews for the events.
The result was
1. Evan Lysacek
2. Nobunari Oda
3. Johnny Weir
4. Jeremy Abbott
5. Daisuke Takahashi
6. Tomas Verner
The most impressive performances to me were Johnny Weir and Daisuke Takahashi.
Scores were inflated compared with other events.
In the SP, Takahashi, Lysacek, Oda, Weir skated clean programs. And in the FP, Weir skated clean. (even though it was not perfect )
Evan Lysacek
He skated clean in his SP and received same PCS as Daisuke Takahashi’s . And in FP, one of his 3A became 1A.
And in my view, his other 3A looked wobbly landing and his 3Lo looked UR but no deduction.
Scott Hamilton commented as perfect clean. But depending on the judge and the event, it could have gotten deduction for them.
For artistry, I thought his movements and musicality are getting worse, he actually had more care for the movements when he was doing his old programs, “ Sing sing sing”, “Carmen”, and also his Zorro.
Even though there were some parts which were unbalanced especially in the straight line step sequence, but some parts in those programs were much better.
Since last season, I found he is not connected to music in any way anymore, because both of his last season’s programs, the music and the choreography didn’t fit with the theme of the music and also his movements were not well-balanced.
It was just doing the choreography with empty emotion.
Scott Hamilton commented he is a great athlete and a great artist at the end of this event to try and convince the public after seeing his PCS , but I have to disagree with it and I think it‘s not about the taste, I think there are basic movements which make good artistry, and depending on the style.
Nowadays, you can earn points by doing many arm movements wildly whether it’s artistic or not , as long as there is power and speed plus high reputation.
Hopefully he will work harder to make good artistry which fits with the score 84.
These Evan’s performances, I’m not not really wanting to watch over and over. Sorry.
Jeremy Abbott
For technically, I think he did great job with all the elements except for his quad in his FP.
Also his jumps plan in it looked strong,
4T, 3F, 3A+3T, 2A, 3Lz, 3Lz+3T+2Lo, 3Lo, 3S+2T
And he earned 82.13 with one fall on quad.
If he will be able to skate clean for this can get the highest TES. His spins are well centered , speedy, not so artistically beautiful to watch (IMO) but overall good.
For artistry,
His movements looked like gracefully artistic, however I found when he uses his arms and hands, the source of the movements don’t come from the center of the body, which influences his shoulder moves and he only uses his arms and hands.
So his upper parts of body look stiff, don’t look flexible.
That’s why I feel his movements and lines don’t look polished. Emotional level looked neutral, not so deep, not too shallow.
But this music (FP) is very powerful, so I wish there were some sharp movements with passionate emotion, not only all soft and graceful moves, it would be more balancing program. IMO.
And it shows his emotion didn’t look real.
So it didn’t reach to my soul.
When we talk about art, I found that flower arrangements and dance have similar parts.
Both always have a root to make good artistry.
Movements need to emanate from the center of the body, and then outwards to the arms, hands and fingertips. Otherwise it looks unbalanced.
There needs to be a centered source or root of the movements.
So if the source of the movements don’t come from the root, it becomes unbalanced.
Ray says that from watching Jeremy’s skating, it looks like he wants to be an artist but appears to be still in training, when it comes to artistry.
There is always a level whether it’s dancers or florists.
After mastering the basics, one can make creativity which becomes their own originality.
My hope for him is keep learning the basic of movements, lines and then creativity to make his own style. In his present situation, I didn’t see it.
That’s why I was not so impressed with his skating much, artistically.
But Jeremy’s moves are better than Patrick Chan‘s movements which are more clearly un-balanced, robotic, casual for his hands, fingertips.
While Patrick's skating has more impact because of his skating skill.
Daisuke Takahashi
In his SP,
It was an amazing performance like a tornado. Very speedy, powerful, and dynamic.
His first combo jump 3F+3T was fantastic , flawless, effortless, high jumps.
His 3A was okay. And his 3Lz was powerful.
His spins in it was good except one of them which was not well-centered.
I’m not so crazy for the music, but artistically, he was very musical, truly feeling with music, his movements were also great even though a little casual.
Only his body position for doing the tango was not polished.
I personally prefer his FP more than his SP even though he made a lot of mistakes in it.
Because it’s more story-telling program and he was just amazing artistically. His acting, expression, emotion, out going connection to the audience, musicality, movements, and besides the complicated, speedy footwork, everything amazed me.
Except only one part of his arms balance was off, but it only lasted a second, everything was excellent.
Technically, I was wondering for his spins. He has been struggling with his spins in FP this season, besides jumps.
I was guessing that it might be caused from his knee injury and he is not full recovered from it, or is it just his stamina issue ?
I really enjoyed repeatedly watching this performance even with many mistakes for his spins and jumps.
Great artistry never makes me bored.
Nobunari Oda
Actually I thought his FP and Daisuke’s FP were similar type of fun story telling programs and it can be compared with the acting, musicality.
And I think good point of his skating is his jumps. Soft smooth landings.
He received many 2.00 bonus for his jumps for both programs.
But I’m still not sure why it’s judged so high when compared with other skaters who are also landing smooth and beautiful.
Artistically,
I think Oda was nervous for this event. From his movements and expression, I thought for this one he has no connection to the music both his mind and his body.
I liked his performances and programs during 2006-2007 season which were choreographed by David Wilson.
And his movements at that time looked better.
Since this is his hometown, he might be in pressure and got nervous, so it might be the cause for it. I thought he performed better at TEB.
This looked like he was just doing choreography.
Johnny Weir
For his SP,
From the beginning, his emotional, very detailed movements, lines were like seeing natural quality art, so beautiful.
It’s so hard to copy his movements.
All his every movements have a source which are all connected to next movements, they emanate from the center of his body, and then outwards.
He uses all his body for his body expression, he knows how to use each part, I also found he has amazing wrist flexibility, besides his fingers.
Hands and fingers are very difficult to make natural art, besides arms and shoulders, from my experience.
I also loved his facial expression to the audience right before the straight line step sequence. It was charming (IMO). At NHK, it was more funny and passionate.
All his jumps in it looked great and beautiful. Even though his 3F got edge call and got deduction, the landing looked smooth and beautiful.
His 3A was fantastic. Air position looked balanced, and powerful, smooth beautiful landing. His 3Lz+3T looked effortless. His spins looked quality, well-center balanced and beautiful.
The music is slow, and not so inspired. so it may influence judges impression. But I really think his form and every movement and lines are true beauty.
For his FP,
Technically,
He skated clean. Just both of his 3A in it were not perfect landing. And one more combination jump was missing.
Scott Hamilton said Johnny needs more quality elements to win.
But compared with Evan Lysacek, both of them were actually tie for the
elements for jumps, spins in it. IMO.
Lysacek has more speedy, powerful footwork, and Johnny has more complicated , quality footwork, in my view.
I did notice that Johnny skates very quiet, looked light and effortless on ice,
and each movement is delicate and sensitive and has emotion in every detail.
I think it’s very difficult skate quietly like that, and I have found that no other skaters skate like him.
And this is really high skating skill.
And for combo jumps, Lysacek also did only two combo ( even though both of them were 3+3 ) and could not do three combo in it . He also needs to maximize the content same as Johnny.
So I thought his comments were not fair.
As for commentator, I much prefer Paul Wylie who is more fairly commenting for each skater.
Artistically, this story telling program with his quality beautiful movements is very touching for me. It’s deep, not out going to audience like Daisuke’s performances but it’s touching.
Each country sounds like commenting differently after reading about what Russian commentator said, and also Japanese commentator.
In the USA, Scott Hamilton seems really loving Evan Lysacek’s skating.
Calling him as a great athlete and an artist.
In Russia, seems like it was commented as Johnny Weir was the best skate in this event.
And I agreed with the Russian commentator.