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]

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!