Worlds 2012: Friday/Saturday in Review (The Men)

Wow… from a skating perspective, Friday seems like SO LONG ago as I sit here on Sunday night. And yet I still need to post my notes from both Friday and Saturday! Let’s get started and I'll add them in as I get them edited a bit:

MEN’s SP/FS (Please note that I missed Group 1 in the SP and a few in the FS too)

Voronov… FS only, to I Pagliacci… 4t I think but feed is freezing up… 3ax good… 3ax double 3’s into 2Lo… 3F… 2ax/3t/2t… 3Lo/2t… 3Lo…3sal (2’d??)… 143.23/210.04 (17th overall)

Liebers FS only, to Resistance, Hurt/Muse… 3F good… 3ax/2t… 3lz good…3ax looked almost OR… 3sal/3t fell out of 2nd… 3Lo good… 2ax… 3T… music doesn’t sound like best Muse choice, but he still seems an innovative sort. 125.92 new SB/184.13, also new SB. (20th overall)

Raya (#2 skater from Spain) FS only, to Cinema Paradiso… 2ax… 3F/2t… 3F fall out… I may have missed stuff here? Was Tweeting… 2ax/2t/2t… 3T had to step out; slipped off toe at start… 3sal I think?... seems like a good outing for him. Still love the Spanish crowd dressed as the flag. 110.26/167.48… OK his content is below the rest, but still good work. (24th overall)

Reynolds SP: 4sal/3T looked good… 3ax good… nice positions on back cross-foot spin… steps to 3lz good… seems to have jazzed up his spins. This looks as good as any SP I’ve seen from him this year, but he always gets lower marks than I expect. Low 70s here?? Yes… 72.95 new SB
FS: ChronoTrigger… 4sal (sorry Adam Rippon, but that’s how ya do it)… popped 4T to 2?... 3ax 2ft… 3Lo good… 4T/2T (wow, is he at the ½ way mark yet?) … 2ax/3T… 3lz… 3sal/3Lo/2Lo… more solid effort than I’ve seen from him in general on a FS. Maybe a 3rd spot for CAN next year? (turns out yes) 144.25, new SB/217.20… and he bumps Rippon back a spot. (12th overall)

Ten SP: 3ax pretty… 3F/3T 2nd one tipped way forward, had to hop it a little… 3lz good. He seems to have made a breakthrough this year on his consistency. 76.00
FS: Adios Nonino… 4T good!...3ax fall out (looked good in air)… 3ax/2T… 3Lo … 3lz/ 1/2 lo/3sal just like Rippon… 3Lo/2T… 3F 2’d… 2ax. 153.70 and even Frank Caroll looks shocked. 229.70 is a new SB for him. (7th overall)

Lucine (Monaco) SP: 2ax, 3F/3T double-3 in between… nice 3lz
FS: Jungle Book… 3F/2T… 3Lo good… 3lz good…3Sal… 3lz/2t… 3F/2t (all these are just fine)… 2ax… very cool hydroblade move right at end, almost directly into 2ax. Glad I read about this program on IceNetwork… truly entertaining and unique. 121.44/181.37 (23rd overall)

Caluza (Phillipines, formerly of US) SP: 2ax (planned), 3lz/3T, 3Lo. 61.87 new SB
FS: Piano Concerto in E Minor/Grieg… 3Lo good… 3lz/3t good… 3F good… 2ax… nice arms on him; he seems quite musical… 3lo/2t/2Lo w/arm variation (barely got off ground tho)… 2ax… walley into 3lz/2t (another arm variation?)… got a little carried away on SLFW and had a small stumble… 2ax hand down… so fun to watch him so happy with his work… he stomps around and nearly loses his balance out there. 122.23 new SB/184.10 (21st overall)

Ge (UZB) SP: The Swan… 3ax looked 2-ft… 3F/3T good… 3lz good. Good work; I heard he has a back injury and is on pain meds…but he’s still a ham in K/C.65.29 new SB
FS: War and Love… 3ax very squirrely, may be 2ft… 3F/3T… 3lz…another 3lz FALL…3F… 3Lo… 3sal/2t/2Lo… 2ax. Pumps the drama in this program just as he did at 4CC… it would be nice to see him on the GP circuit next year at least once. 121.12 /186.41 (19th overall)

Song SP: 4T/3T good!.. 3ax pitch forward… 3lz FALL… 69.58
FS: Hungarian Rhap #2 Liszt… 4T/3T LOVELY… 4T FALL… 3ax good… 3ax/2t very good; his 3ax technique is great… 3F… 3F? 2’d..3sal OK… 2ax/2t/2t…good effort from him/great year overall. 146.75/216.33 (well off SB but who cares) (14th overall)

Pfiefer SP: 3lz w/arm up… nice 3sal/3T… 2ax kinda saved it… bootstrap came loose on one leg, spontaneously he pushed up the pants leg on his costume during final 30 seconds of performance? Then pushes other one up during the bows. Too funny. And nice legs, I might add… 60.61, easily SB.
FS: Elephant Man… Tano3lz nice… 3Lo good… 2’d his 3F… 3lz/2t nice… 2ax from front edge, rare… 3sal/3T nice too…3T/2t/2t… 2ax… nice leg positions on his camel change camel… 121.93 new SB/182.54 (22nd overall)

Cieplucha (POL): 2ax, 3lz/2t… 3Lo, all nice. Oh but bleeding on hand? Already had one bandage on finger… he’s the Les Nessman of skating (WKRP reference; sorry, my age is showing)… 57.18 new SB, but missed the cut for the final by .04 (!). Looks like Scott Davis (former US champ) is a coach?

Joubert SP: 4T/3T no speed coming out but good… 3ax snowy w/lurch forward but OK… 3F good. Nice to see him light up here instead of crumble under expectations. 83.47 and he’s officially in the mix. Good for him.
FS: Matrix... 4T good… 3sal… 3ax/3T very good… 3ax good… 3sal/2t… 2ax?... 3lz… 3F yes into 2ax. Jump like there’s no tomorrow man. Oh, good for you!!!! Kissed ice. Au revoir and I’m very happy for him right now. That’s the way to close it, medals be damned.
161.11, shatters his SB/244.58…but he’s still behind Yanru. (4th overall)

Marjorov (SWE) SP: 3ax good…3lz FALL messy (on belly)… 3F another weird fall/slam into boards!... 56.57 Not sure he’ll make the cut… (and he didn’t).

Rippon SP: 3F/3T good but too close to boards for my taste… 3ax fell out, off axis in air (old habits…)…. Rippon lutz fall out too. BLAH! Damn. 73.55; not as bad as I thought it would be…
FS: 4sal FALL, still UR… 3ax double-3 out/2t… 3Lo good… 3ax drags back foot and stops a fall… 3F/3T good… 3lz/1/2 loop/3sal good… great Rippon lutz… 2ax… not sure he came out of last spin as planned, but it’s a program that got better as it progressed. Too bad he missed the big jumps though. Will he stay w/Sato/Dunjgen? 143.08 (3+ off SB)/216.63 (13th overall)

Chan SP: 4T OK but strange landing, no combo… 3ax good… 3lz/3T fine. Nearly lost it in the FW part. 89.41. There’s some room there…
FS: 4T nice… 4T/3T good… 3ax good… 3lz/1/2 Lo/3sal very wonky… 3Lo good… 3F… 3lz… total waxel moment; what the hell was that supposed to be (2ax I think)… of course regains self for FW… Hmm. Probably got it, but if it’s by a lot I’ll be pretty cranky. Nice fedora in K/C. 176.70/266.11 (1st overall)

Contesti SP: 3lz/3T looks awkward in air but it’s OK… 3ax hand down… 3F good.73.55 tied w/Rippon…
FS: Another La Vie en Rose? 3ax good… 3F good… 3lz good…let’s see if he can keep the energy going… 3ax/2t/2t good for this late in program… 3Lo good… 2ax… 3sal/3T fell out of last… 3T?... 2ax good. But really, much better than usual. His technique and/or stamina seems improved. How strange it must be… a Frenchman, skating for Italy, IN France. But he’s quite happy. 151.34 new SB…224.89 (10th overall)

Brezina SP: 3ax good… 3F/3T… 4sal (just when I was thinking he was gonna play it safe…) 87.67 new SB
FS: up close his costume looks weird, seemed to see his chest & a tank top showing? 3ax great… 4T FALL… 4sal hands down fall out… 3ax/3T very wonky but got both… 3F/2T saved flip… 3Lo double 3’s out… he’s losing bronze to Hanyu w/this isn’t he… 3lz good… 3sal/2t… Awww, I dunno. I’m afraid he didn’t earn it, but if he gets bronze, it’s all about the SP. 151.88 off SB by a couple/239.55 and he’s nowhere near the medals. (6th overall)

Dice-K SP: 4T/3T good on 1st; hand down/twisted up on 2nd… 3ax good… 3lz nice. That mistake on the 3T was what I was talking about in my predictions. Judges want an excuse to put him behind Chan (and Brezina in this case), they got it. 85.72
FS: 4T NICE… 3ax great… 3sal good… 3ax/3T… 3F/2T… 3Lo… 3lz/2t/2Lo… 3F… aw, that is a thing of beauty. 8 triples + quad. RU kidding me?!? Make Chan earn this damn gold! YES. I better see some SICK numbers here… 173.94/259.66, but is that sick enough?! Don’t know. (It wasn’t. 2nd overall)

Abbott SP: Oh god he’s hamming out there pre-starting pose. In character. I hope this doesn’t backfire. 3F/3T FALL on 2nd. Dammit. Probably should’ve gone for double toe on combo. Good on 3ax. 2’d the 3lz and double-3s out. Frack. Really?! FRACK. Mid 70s? 74.85, yep. Hangs his head. Ohhhhh…
FS: 4T little wide but got it… 3ax/2t little low on 1st… 3F good… 3ax fall out… 3lz/3T good… 3Lo popped… 3lz low landing, saved it… little stumble on last part, don’t think it was official FW… saved 3sal. Lots of saves, but I think he’ll take it. Fought fought fought. 151.34 (off SB by 5)/226.19 (finishes 8th)

Van der Perren SP: 3F/3T… 2ax? Oh come on now… 3lz… slowest. Last. Spin. Ever. 66.38… and he’s miserable.
FS Man in Iron Mask… 4T good (not 2ft??)… 3ax good… 3lz… 3F… I missed some stuff, tweeting… but he’s smiling so I’m glad he’s doing what he wants to out there… 3Lo/2t… 2ax… another traditionally slow spin to end, but yeay for him. Bonne chance VDP! 147.66 easy SB/214.04. Good for him! (15th overall)

Gachinski SP: 2T/2T (bad lean on 4T attempt)… 3ax good… 3Lo good. 68.50
FS: Interview w/Vampire… 4T FALL… 4T FALL again, looked like a similar problem… 3ax/2t/2Lo better… another 3ax good… 2’d something… 3sal… 3Lo good… 2ax to 2ax seq… 136.56/205.06. (18th place, and BTW... Russia will only get 1 spot for 2013 Worlds due to his and Voronov’s performances.)

Amodio SP: 4sal FALL… 3lz/3T good… 3ax OK, low landing… 79.96
FS: 4sal low, hand down?... 3ax/2t w/arm variation good… and, let the FW/posing begin… 3ax nice… 3lz/2t/2t… 3sal/3T late in program, cool… 2’d last 3lz… 3F good. 2ax then—SLFW bam bam bam samba samba etc. 163.07 new SB/243.03 (5th overall)

Hanyu: 4T/3T… 3Ax, I think landing OK but maybe dragged foot?... popped Flip oh dear… 77.07
FS: 4T good… 3ax nice… ? good… 3F good… complete splat during FW… then 3ax/3T… then 3lz/2t… 3sal good… well done little Weirette. 173.99 new SB/251.06 (sigh… this could’ve been Jeremy.) (Finishes 3rd)

Kozuka SP: 4T crossfoot FALL… 3ax had it, then FALL… jeez louise. 3lz/3T. 71.78
FS: 4Tpopped into 2T… 4T/2t very wobbly but got it… 3ax hand down/small step out… 3ax/2t/2Lo have no idea how he landed that… 3F 2’d… 3Lo good… 3sal good… 3lz/3T good… great combo spin at end. Hope he can move up a little w/that? Not sure. 146.85 about 9 off SB/218.63. (Finished 11th)

Fernandez SP: nice shot of Olympic tattoo on leg! HOT!... 4T low landing but good… 3lz/3T good… 3ax double 3 out, but could be enough here… 81.87
FS: great 4T… 4sal double-3 out… 3ax FALL… 3ax/3T short landing but OK… 3lz was doubled, combo dropped?.. 3sal/another wonky messed combo, he’s getting sloppy… 2F/2T/2Lo… 2Lo… ooh, looking pretty tired on this FW… yep, he’s unhappy w/that. I’d contend that unlike Abbott & wonky landings, he didn’t really fight as much and let program get out of his control. (No, don’t slap yourself in the face Javier. You’ve had an awesome year.) 144.00/225.87… did he fall behind Abbott? Yes he did. (Finished 9th)

Verner SP: 4T 2’d… 3ax good… OK, this is the Carmina Burana hip-hop we heard of a long way back… 3lz/3T had to hop on that last one… 70.38.
FS: Sing Sing Sing; La Vie En Rose… has suspenders AND ascot… 4T was 3t’d… 3F… 3ax good… uh-oh, one sleeve became uncuffed during circ FW…ah but he fixed it at start of La Vie part…3ax OR stepped out… 3Lo good… 3F/2T… 3F? nice… 3sal little low… looking little tired here at SLFW… 140.28 (4 off SB) 210.66... (Finished 16th)