Grand Prix Figure Skating Finals 2007

[logisticslad]

I didn't work today and spent the day in traditional Jewish fashion by watching videos and eating Chinese food. One of the things I watched was the Grand Prix Figure Skating Finals. It was an exciting competition, held in Torino, Italy where the 2006 Olympics had just been. Overall, the technical skating was much improved, with a number of contestants earning their personal bests. Everyone had clearly worked on their sit spins (which had been being cheated in recent years) and a number of skaters were appropriately called on poor edge entries to their flips and lutzes. Also, the costumes were mostly good to great (as opposed to some of the fashion atrocities in past years - Stephane Lambiel's zebra stripe print shirt comes to mind).

In the Men's event, Swiss cutie Stephane Lambiel pulled out a victory over Daisuke Takahashi. He earned it, with slightly better jumps and amazingly better spins. Evan Lysacek came in third over Johnny Weir, who had several mistakes. I think that Johnny is a far better skater than Lysacek, but he's more of an artist, while Lysacek is more of an athlete. Lysacek increased his energy and musicality, but still suffers from lack of flow.

In Ice Dancing, Russian team Domnina and Shambalin edged out Belbin and Agosto in what I think came down to a matter of taste. Both were excellent. French team Delobel and Schoenfelder finally won a medal and have definitely upped their game.

ESPN barely showed the Pairs competition since the American team withdrew due to injury. The excellent German team won followed by the equally exciting two Chinese teams that are looking to replace the amazing Chinese team that retired last year.

Finally in the Ladies' event, Yu-na Kim of South Korea blew everyone away again, although Japan's Mao Osada gave her a run for her money. Italian favortie Carolina Kostner came in third and finally delivered a consistent short and long program. American Junior World Champion Caroline Zhang made a huge entry onto the senior cicuit by coming in fourth at age 14. Kimme Meissner had three falls and a disappointing finish in fifth place.

Some other tidbits - It was annoucned that American teens swept the Junior Worlds events so there should be a number of exciting new skaters rising through the ranks. Brian Joubert was injured and did not compete, but he could be a major force in the upcoming events of the season. Americans still don't have a Pairs team that can compete with the top teams. I'm looking forward to Nationals and Worlds coming up soon.

Tomorrow I'm going to my brother's for a nice family day with the nephews and niece.

Comments

[jawnbc]

Saw several of the Grand Prix events, but not the final.

Joubert is like the new Elvis Stoyko: "I'm a figure skater but I'm butch, see?" Talented, but lame IMO. Lambiel has it all but his skating has been inconsistent all season: I wonder if there's a groin pull in play. Johnny Weir is a slightly less nutty Emmanuel Sandhu: either of them would take the Worlds in a walk if they could find focus. Lycasek is like Jeff Buttle: not the best, but the hardest working--and the one who know how to rack up points in this new system.

:)

[logisticslad.livejournal.com]

I missed the individual events, but was glad to catch the final. I hope I didn't spoil it for you.

I basically agree with your take on the male skaters. Joubert dates supermodels and lives with his parents, but has become a celebrity because he's an "athlete" not a "figure skater." Stoyko had much greater fluidity in his skating because of his martial arts background (and he wasn't afraid to wear leather for his costumes :-) Lambiel needs to spend more time training and less time posing for the cameras. His spins really are amazing, though. Sandhu and Weir (and Buttle, too) are all natural skaters. I rather like Buttle's skating, but he needs to be more consistent in his jumps. However, Sandhu is such a diva and hates to practice, whereas Weir has realized that he has to combine training with talent in order to stay on top. Lycasek works hard, but lacks natural flair. Takahashi is overemotional in his skating, but is a jumping machine. I'm so glad Pleshenko retired - he skated brilliantly, but soulesslessly and I never liked his arrogant personality.

Lambiel and Buttle are my crush boy skaters. Weir is my favorite talent. How about you?

[jawnbc]

You didn't ruin anything for me. They run live scoreboards at isu.org (click on the event links on the right panel, Results rather than Official Site, then Detailed classification). Only the scores, but it's the closest I get to live unless it's Skate Canada.

My male favourite remains Buttle. If the Quad≠Everything he'd have been world champ 2 years ago I think: artist, athlete, performer, all naturally. And not just 'cause he's a Canuck. ;D

Female: since Slutskaya retired no one's filled the gaping hole in me heart. I think if Rochette could EVAR skate a strong short she'd be on the podium every time. I find Cohen loathsomely disingenuous. Emily Hughes rawqs da house with spirit, but she's no champeen.

Pairs: Dube Davison remind me so much of Salé Pelletier--in all the right ways--and are even younger. Sawchenko and wassisname are my tops right now though.

Dance: Dubreil and Lauzon and Denkova and Staviski I miss so much. I find Belbin very Cohen-like.

Not like I think about this very much. ;)

[logisticslad.livejournal.com]

The Japanese ladies definitely rule the roost nowadays. Although Yu-na Kim from South Korea has captured my heart. I never fell in love with Cohen, given her inconsistency under pressure. I liked Slutskaya, but I was always rooting for Kwan. Rochette is lovely, but disappointing under pressure. Hughes is so not her sister - she actually reminds me most of Tonya Harding.


I used to know Lorrie Kim, who maintained a website about gay skaters called Rainbow Ice. I think it's gone now, but have you ever found this link?

http://www.igfsu.org/

[jawnbc]

Emily is rather bovine, eh? I like her spirit though--almost always smiling.

I used to follow Rainbow ice too! Hadn't seen this one though! BTW querrelle and I skate regularly...though no jumps. And with hockey skates. Cause, you know, we're so boootche!

[cyan-blue.livejournal.com]

Wanna play Scrabulous now that it's back? geriweitzman at gmail dot com

[logisticslad.livejournal.com]

Sure. Although, I've recently joined Facebook, which has a Scrabulous program that seems to be more stable than the email version. Might I convince you to join to facilitate play?