Saturday, December 11, 2010

2010 ISU Grand Prix Final: Mens Free Skate

1) Florent Amodio (France)
   Music: Broken/Apologize/Imma Be/Don't Stop Til You Get Enough
  • That opening triple axel was huge and just so strong
  • He looks solid and calm today, I think Florent came to compete....or maybe not
  • In a competition of this level he just cannot pop jumps like that
  • He looks great doing this choreography, but the question all season has been if he stands at center ice and dances too much rather than skating
  • Why isn't he able to land most of his jumps cleanly today? Nerves?
  • This program certainly hasn't been terrible, but I was really hoping to see a clean skate here because this program is just such a joy to watch when he is "on"
  • His spins and footwork are still phenomenal
  • With all this time the judges are taking, I'm assuming they are looking at possible under-rotations and edge calls
  • FS Score: 70.40 (TES) + 69.86 (PCS) = 140.26
  • 61.64 (SP) + 140.26 (FS) = 201.90
2) Tomas Verner (Czech Republic)
   Music: Michael Jackson Medley
  • Here comes another Michael Jackson program
  • He gets some pretty great height on his triple axel
  • I think this program is choreographed and composed better than Florent's because it is more understated and travels more across the ice
  • This audience cannot clap in time with the music and it is driving me nuts
  • The "Smile" section in the middle is gorgeous, just so lyrical, and he doesn't overdo it
  • His jumps are not perfect and a few of them won't get great GOEs, but they are all landed nonetheless
  • He won't win with this program, but it is great to see him here giving a nice performance 
  • FS Score: 74.35 (TES) + 73.92 (PCS) = 148.27
  • 65.37 (SP) + 148.27 (FS) = 213.64
3) Takahiko Kozuka (Japan)
   Music: Piano Concert No. 1 by Liszt
  • Alright here comes the youngster from Japan who had the highest scores of the season
  • There was no flow out of that opening quad, but he landed it
  • Triple Axel was a little better, but landed low to the ice
  • He is showing nerves here that we didn't see earlier this season
  • I can tell that he is really concentrating on his interpretation of his music and he is getting much better at it
  • He looks a little unsure of himself on his jump landings so I would love to see him just have more confidence in himself
  • He seems to be squeaking by on a lot of his landings, which is nothing like what we saw him do at his Grand Prix Events where his technical elements were textbook
  • I like his serpentine step sequence and he seems to be really leaving his heart out there on the ice
  • He should be very proud that he did so well this season by winning to events and putting up two respectable programs here
  • FS Score: 82.25 (TES) + 77.64 (PCS) = 159.89
  • 77.90 (SP) + 159.89 (FS) = 237.79

4) Daisuke Takahashi (Japan)
   Music: Invierno Portento by Piazzolla
  • Dais is all about the costume changes this season and I really like this one
  • He looks in the zone, but we'll see right now
  • That looked like a two-footed triple to me instead of a quad
  • Beautiful triple axel to follow
  • This circular step sequence is just mesmerizing and I love that moment where he holds for just a second in front of the judges
  • He is unmatched by any other man in terms of artistic expression and musical interpretation
  • Wow Dais took a very hard fall there and landed almost on his stomach
  • I love his version of a layback spin
  • Dais is really struggling to put to together good technical content this season 
  • Wow he just took another fall-he had the landing, but simply slipped off the edge
  • I'm not sure what is happening this year, but he does not look like our current World Champion
  • That headless scratch spin to end the program is gorgeous
  • He looks shaken, and I really hope he is not hurt because those falls were hard
  • I just caught the video were Taka basically landed on Dai doing a jump in practice, what a fall
  • FS Score: 58.20 (TES) + 81.00 (PCS) -2.00 (DED) = 137.20
  • 82.57 (SP) + 137.20 (FS) = 219.77

5) Patrick Chan (Canada)
   Music: Phantasia by Andrew Lloyd Webber
  • Yes Patrick, starting off with a clean quad
  • Follow that with a clean triple axel
  • This choreography is simply amazing and he certainly performs it exquisitely
  • As a dancer, this kind of program is my bread and butter because it utilizes every single nuance of the music
  • A step out and hand down on the second triple axel, but not a fall, not a fall
  • Okay Patrick, you are giving away valuable points here by stumbling on your landings
  • I am getting really emotional during those swells in the music because he is doing so well
  • That kick as the music transitions into the Masquerade theme is my favorite moment
  • Congratulations Patrick! Two programs with zero falls!! 
  • FS Score: 86.94 (TES) + 87.22 (PCS) = 174.16
  • 85.59 (SP) + 174.16 (FS) = 259.75

6) Nobunari Oda (Japan)

   Music: Piano Concerto No.1/Piano Concerto No.2 by Grieg
  • Fall on opening quad attempt, not sure if it was rotated or not
  • With that one point deduction, he erases his short program lead over Chan and now must beat him in the Free Skate
  • Perhaps Chan's amazing program has Nobu a little shaken?
  • I really don't think this program suits him at all, doesn't show his strenghts
  • I wish Nobu would do a long program that was more like his short program, which shows what he does well 
  • His jumps are textbook, but his spins are nothing special and his footwork is uninteresting
  • He did something similar to Dai, landed a double axel, but slid off his edge and took a fall
  • A bit if a meltdown for the top Japanese men here
  • FS Score: 79.64 (TES) + 78.64 (PCS) -2.00 (DED) = 156.22
  • 86.59 (SP) + 156.22 (FS) = 242.81
Final Results:


1) Patrick Chan                            259.75
2) Nobunari Oda                          242.81
3) Takahiko Kozuka                     237.79
4) Daisuke Takahashi                  219.77
5) Tomas Verner                          213.64
6) Florent Amodio                        201.90

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