by Alexandra Stevenson
Chan Wins Despite Mistakes
Japanese Fans
Go Wild - First Time That Two Japanese Men Have Stood on the World
Podium
Jeremy
Abbott, 8th, and Adam Rippon, 13th, qualify the US for two spots at
Worlds in London Ontario next year.
1. Overall 266.11
Patrick Chan, Canada, 1.FS 176.70 (88.56+90.14 -2)
1.SP
The defending champion Patrick Chan won by a
significant 6.45 points over the 2010 world champion Daisuke
Takahashi, 26, who was beaten in the Free Skate, by a sliver, 0.05
of a point, by the newcomer, his 17-year-old team mate, Yazuru Hanyu.
Hanyu, who advanced from seventh after the Short Program to claim
bronze, was practicing in his home rink in Sendai when last year’s
earthquake struck. Terrified, he immediately ran outside, ruining
his skating blades. He subsequently spent the following week in a
shelter. Since the rink was damaged, he had to move south to another
city.
At that time Chan was getting ready to fly to
Tokyo where the world championships were scheduled to take place the
following week. The event was moved to Moscow, and, there, Chan
gained a record breaking score in both sections of the event to
dethrone Takahashi. Chan, who turned 21 on New Year’s Eve, opened
Saturday’s four minute forty second routine, set to the Adagio from
Concierto de Aranjuez, with a magnificent quad toe which sent five
of the nine judges into ecstasy and they punched in their maximum
Grade of Execution, +3. The judges were supervised by the American
referee, Gale Tanger.
Chan followed that with an even more difficult
quad toe combined with a triple toe which received “only” three +3s
and a total point score of 16.69! As his left foot swung out on
landing the second jump, it came very close to the barrier. In
Chan’s last competition, in his training city of Colorado Springs,
he actually hit the barrier and was sent sprawling. That indignity
was very controversially not penalized as a fall. Chan’s third move
was a triple Axel which earned “only” one +3. His circular steps
received the maximum Level 4 from the Technical Panel, Ravi Walia
and Sarkis Tewanian who were supervised by Raffaella Locatelli and
three +3s.
But then things began to get shaky. His first
spin, the flying change foot combination, was deemed only the very
basic Level 1 with NO +3s. Even worse, he landed a triple Lutz very
shakily and nearly fell although he managed to do what we used to
call a “half loop” which is now deemed a full loop and that WAS
GIVEN AN ARROW for slight under-rotation. Nevertheless, Chan
recovered quickly enough to get airborne for a double Salchow and,
although the judges took -1.40 off 8.47, the base value of this
move, he still banked 7.07. He then got back on form, executing
three good jumps, triple loop, triple flip and triple Lutz, along
with a Level 4 change foot sit spin which was rewarded with one +3.
A sign that things were not that perfect in Chan’s form was that the
flip was meant to be combined with a double toe loop. In today’s
skating a left-out jump, even if it does not have a high level, can
make a placement difference.
What happened next WAS
interesting. He planned to do a double Axel, which is nothing for a
guy who throws off triple Axels. However, he aborted the take off
and got no score for the move which has a base value of 3.63 if
executed in the second half of the routine. Chan then executed his
choreographed steps, which earned seven out of a possible nine +3s,
and finished with a very good Level 4, +1.07 change foot combination
spin. When his music stopped he was still getting into his final
pose, and so received a one point timing deduction.
“I was nervous beforehand,”
Chan admitted. “They say it’s harder to defend a title than earn it
in the first place. I drew to skate last (24th of the 24 who
qualified for the Free) and that meant I had a long time to wait
from the warm-up until I skated. Five others had to skate and get
their marks. As I was getting nervous, my mind began to roam. But
then I remembered today was Osborne Colson’s birthday. He would have
been 96. He taught me until I went to Don Laws, from when I was
tiny. He was with me at the world junior 2007 when I won silver. Mr.
Colson had been Canadian champion in 1936 and 1937 and he was very
strict. I always wanted to jump, but every session I had to do half
an hour of stroking before I was allowed to start jumping and people
say that’s why my basic flow over the ice is praised.” (Colson died
in Toronto on July 14, 2006, from pneumonia and other complications
from a car accident earlier in the year.)
“Skating last at Worlds was
a new experience for me. But I've been in this position in other
events. It’s another thing I’ve learned in my goal to be as ready as
possible for Sochi (in Russia where the next Winter Olympic Games
will be held in 2014.)
“About his aborting and falling on the double
Axel, he said, “I guess it's kind of normal for me to have a weird
falI. lt definitely spices things up. I was actually late in my
timing with the music so I tried to catch up going into the double
Axel. I didn't skate lights-out like Yuzuru but I skated smart this
whole week and ended up still on top. I have never felt so much
energy from the audience during warm-up, although it was mostly for
Brian and Florent. Nice is not necessarily the place where they have
lots of figure skating happening so it must have been mostly people
who are just fans of the French, and they are very loyal. The crowd
really got into it, which is what I want to see in skating more.
Worlds next year in London, Ontario will be even crazier, or Sochi
then for the Russians.
“When I saw the marks, I was so happy and
relieved, I didn't really notice the crowd. I didn't know if it was
cheering or booing. Whatever, it shows that they care. That’s a good
thing. I was very happy having Daisuke next to me on the podium.
We've competed much during the last years. I always care about how
he skates.
“Yuzuru
is a new addition, although I am familiar with my flag between two
Japanese ones. I know Yuzuru got the crowd going more than any of us
have, comparable to Brian. What I take home from Nice is this
laisser-vivre feeling. I learned to take my time for every moment
and movement, be patient even if you're running behind the music.
I'm kind of disappointed because of the double Axel, I think it
would have been a memorable program.
“It was textbook all the
way. After the six minute warm up, waiting all that time was a
challenge. When I drew that number yesterday after the short program
I was a bit disappointed. Last year I was first one out and it's
good to get it over. I actually laid down, took my skates off and
had a rest, then put my skates back on. That's why there was such a
strong opening. I was happy that I finally was able to go out there.
I felt ready to go, ready to do the quad. I don't know, what
happened when I went in the double Axel. It’s like it isn't me if I
don't make at least one freaky mistake. It was a little touch of
Patrick at the end. I learned a lot this season. I hope I keep doing
it. I think it will be good in the future. I was very nervous,
because the two Japanese skaters skated really well.”
2. Overall 259.66
Daisuke Takahashi, Japan 3.FS 251.06 (88.16+85.78)
3.SP
Daisuke Takahashi performed 22nd to Blues for
Klook by Eddy Louis. Like Chan, he also began with a quad toe but it
received only +0.14 over the base value of 10.30. However, the
triple Axel which followed, was a superior +1.86 GoE. His third move
was a +0.70 triple Salchow. Then came three Level 4 moves: a change
foot camel spin, the circular steps, and the flying change foot
combination spin. Following that, at the point where the bonus marks
for jumping in the second half click in, he executed five jumping
passes in a row, a second triple Axel to triple toe loop, a triple
flip to double toe loop, a triple loop, a triple Lutz to double toe
to double loop and a triple flip which received an arrow for slight
under-rotation. The loop got a small deduction, 0.20, taken off its
base value and flip got a higher penalty, -0.80. He closed with the
choreographed steps and an applause generating, very good change
foot combination spin.
He said, “I was nervous but I still had a good
time. The audience helped me a lot. It actually is the first time
this season that I landed the quad (cleanly) in competition.” He has
been injured. About that, he said, “After my surgery before this
season, I went to France and was taking ballet lessons and working a
lot on my basic skating skills. This made me improve my spins and
triple jumps, so that I could focus more on training the quad
instead of losing time training the other triples. The flip is
actually my second quad, I focused on the toe this season. I feel
more confident about the toe, so next season I will practice the
flip and maybe other quads, too. After my surgery I didn't expect to
win the silver medal here. The long-time goal is Sochi, but I have
improved so much. I could prove to myself that I can still improve.
“Before my performance I was listening to music, not wanting to hear
anything from the ongoing competition. But in between two pieces I
heard the crowd and knew that Yuzuru (who skated 17th, in the third
of the four warm-up groups) must have done a great job. I thought I
have to skate really well as I didn't want him to defeat me. Well,
he scored higher in the free program, which frustrated me a bit. I
can see that he will be a strong rival in the
years to come. Looking at Sochi, I will have to see what I have to
improve on and work on that. It's the first time for two Japanese
men to be on the podium and also, Yuzuru is still a very young
skater. When I was competing at my first Worlds, I never expected to
be on the podium, Yuzuru did an amazing job today.
“I'm very happy because this
is the best performance of this season and especially because I was
able to do the quad toe cleanly. Since there was one downgraded
jump, I can't say it is perfect, but it is pretty close to a perfect
program. During my performance, I could feel that the audience were
so excited and gave me lots of energy. I was able to use their
support to push me to a higher level and I could enjoy skating all
the way through my program.”
The only +3s Takahashi was
handed was one for his triple Axel and six for his choreographed
steps.
3. Overall 251.06 Yuzuru Hanya,
Japan, 2.FS 173.99 (91.99+83.00 -1); 7.SP.
Yazuru Hanyu performed to
the soundtrack of Romeo and Juliet. He began with a quad toe, which
earned four +3s. He was so excited with that success, he fell on
nothing. He also got two +3s for the following triple Axel and a
single +3 for his triple flip. His other jumps were triple Lutz to
double toe loop and then, when the bonus marks clicked in, a second
triple Axel to triple toe and a triple Lutz to two double toes. A
triple loop and a triple Salchow followed. His first two spins were
Level 4 but the final flying change foot combination was only Level
2. His circuIar steps were Level 3.
He said, “I was very nervous, I felt the
pressure of the World Championships before I skated today. It's my
first Worlds, and I made a mistake in my Short Program, I was really
disappointed. But I skated much better today so I am happy. I didn't
expect to medal here at all at my first Worlds so I am very
surprised.
“Last season was very tough for me with the
natural disaster hitting Japan. Now I feel I have overcome that
rough season. It's great to be here, to win a medal. My goal here
was to be in the top 5. I wanted to be in the exhibition and show my
Swan Lake program I have started this season with. So when I knew I
was top 5, I was already happy. Then when I knew I had won the
medal, I didn't really know how to react to it. I did a clean
program today, at Worlds, this is something really big. Also, I saw
so many people from Japan who came all this way. I was feeling the
power I received from them.”
4. Overall 244.58
Brian Joubert, France, 5.FS 161.11 (79.17+81.94);
4.SP
Brian Joubert, 27, the 2007 world champion, was
coming off a bad showing in the European championships in which he
finished eighth. He had taken medals in the previous ten consecutive
Europeans so that must have been devastating. He skated well in
Nice, returning to his past Matrix routine. He opened with a +1.71
quad toe. He tripled his next jump meant as a quad Salchow but then
did a splendid triple Axel to triple toe which earned +1.29 over its
base value of 12.60. A second triple Axel was followed by a Level 3
change foot sit spin and Level 3 circular steps. As the bonus marks
clicked in, he executed a triple Salchow to double toe. The
following triple loop got an arrow for slight under-rotation. Then,
after a triple Lutz, he executed a Level 2 flying upright spin, the
choreographed steps and a triple flip (marred by an “e” call) to
double Axel sequence. He finished on a lower note, a Level 1 change
foot combination spin. It was a far better effort than in Sheffield
but not good enough to medal. He was behind Hanyu by 6.48 marks.
“I am very happy with this
free skate. It was such a difficult competition. That's just
amazing. This season, after ten years of competitive skating, I felt
I started from zero again. I had a big back injury at the beginning
of the season, which made me skip the Grand Prix series. But I
always believed in myself and now I showed that I still can hold it
together. You have to go step by step to achieve such a good
performance. It's great that it happened at the end of the season. I
want to thank all the people who supported me all over this season.”
5. Overall 243.03
Florent Amodio, France, 4.FS 163.07 (81.41+81.66);
6.SP
The 21-year-old Florent Amodio, who lost the
European title he held in 2011 to Evgeni Plushenko, skated to
Memories of Sobral, music from his birth city in Brazil. (He was
adopted and brought to France.) His opening jump was a quad Salchow
followed by a triple Axel to double toe. Later he did another triple
Axel, a triple Lutz to two double toes and a triple Salchow to
triple toe loop. However, his second triple Lutz attempt became a
double and he was saddled with an “e” for wrong edge take-off on his
triple flip. His last jump was a double Axel. Two of his spins and
his circular steps were Level 3 but the third spin was Level 2.
He
said, “It was a wonderful competition. I am a fighter and I did my
job today. For the first time in this season, I could do such a good
skate, I am very happy. All this is amazing, or even magic. I was
7th last year, but the level is incredibly high this year. I have
worked a lot with Nikolai Morozov to include the quadruple Salchow.
I feel we're moving on. The first thing Nikolai told me when I came
off the ice was that I have not reached the end of the path yet. We
are a very good French team with Brian, I am happy for him.”
6. Overall 239.55
Michal Brezina, Czech Republic, 7.FS 151.88
(75.86+77.02 -1); 2.SP;
Michal Brezina, who turned
22 the day before he skated his Free, performed to the theme from
the Untouchables after Takahashi and just before Chan. He began with
a good triple Axel but he fell on his quad toe which was given an
arrow for under-rotation and he also messed up the following quad
Salchow although he got credit for the full rotation. His Levels
were good, two 4s and two 3s but his triple toe attached to his
second triple Axel was given an arrow.
He said, “I was second in
the short but you don't want to change anything once the competition
has started so I did the program with the two quads. I made too many
mistakes today, but at least I am not fourth again. It's not really
what I aimed for, but it's a sport. I'll try to make it better next
season.”
7. Overall 229.70 Denis Ten,
Kazahkstan, 6.FS 153.70 (78.78+74.92) 8.SP
Denis Ten, 18, who trains
with Frank Carroll in California, skated to Astor Piazzolla’s Adios
Nonina. He scored a Personal Best with a good quad toe but one of
his two triple Axels was flawed. He said he expected to get a
personal best because his previous mark had been set a long time
ago. “My jumps became better. Now I am thinking that I need to
improve my skating. You realize it very well here, having so strong
competitors around. I hope, one day I will compete with them on the
same level and make it to the podium. I think maybe next season I
will also begin competing early. I think the more I compete, the
better I perform. The beginning and the end of the season are like
sky and earth.
8. Overall 226.19 Jeremy Abbott,
USA, 8.FS 151.34 (69.78+81.56); 9.SP 74.85
Skating 16th of the 24
allowed into the Free Skate, Abbott, 26, used unusual music,
Exogenesis: Symphony, Part 3 by Muse. His initial quad toe wasn’t
perfect and he lost -0.29 from the base value of 10.30. He earned
exactly the base value for the following triple Axel to double toe.
He messed up his second triple Axel but a triple flip, and a triple
Lutz to triple toe Axel were good. His steps were Level 3 and his
final spin Level 4.
“Today was anything but easy, and I had to
fight for everything, but I fought my way through that program and
for every point out there. My placement isn't what I wanted but this
(disappointing) result makes me even hungrier than I thought
possible for next season. I was clawing and scratching for
everything because I was not going to lie down and take it. I came
into this championships more prepared than ever. I felt confidence
and I believed deep within myself that it was going to happen for
me. Yesterday, (the Short Program) it didn’t. Today, I forgot about
yesterday. This is for me. Forget the expectations, forget the
placement, every other competitor, the media. This was for me and I
fought my way through that program.
“My placement isn ’t going
to be good, but I’m walking away from this championships with my
head held very high because I didn’t let go. I’m proud of my effort.
This is the first season that I really believed the expectation. I
believed I could be on the World podium. I still believe it.
Yesterday was bad. You can’t have great days every day. You can’t
have great competitions every time. Yesterday was the worse of the
worst for me. I forgot about placement and said, ‘For me, I’m going
to fight.’
“I will move on to next season and continue to
build confidence, difficulty in the program, push my artistic
boundary and come back next year more confident and more prepared,
more ready to take the place I know I deserve.”
9.
Overall 225.87 Javier Fernandez, Spain 14.FS 144.00
(69.34+75.66 -1); 5.SP
He said, “When I stepped on the ice I was
pretty calm. I did a clean quad, but I kept thinking about my triple
Axels, because I couldn't do them in the European Championships. I
was afraid to have problems with them, I was afraid to fall on them.
So I think I brought myself in this situation. (on skating after
French skaters who did great performances) Maybe it bothered me a
little, but as I said, when I stepped on the ice I was calm. This
season I had good competitions and I had bad competitions. Now I
just work on good things and keep going.
10. Overall 224.89
Samuel Contesti, Italy 9.FS 151.34 (75.84+75.50)
Contesti said, “I am very
happy with my performance today, the program worked really well. It
was a tough season and and I am satisfied with the way it ended. I
appreciated skating here and I love keeping the contact to the
audience. We worked really hard on my technique with my wife in
order to raise my level. We'll keep it up for the next season and
try to skate clean programs in competition, this is what matters.
12 Overall
217.20. Kevin Reynolds, Canadian silver medalist, 13.FS 144.25
(73.45+70.80)
Reynolds, 21, said, “I am happy I did the two
quads, but it was not an easy program. After I tripled the (first)
toe, I had to think about my combinations, if I could do them or
not. I am pleased to come back from last year. I am top 12, so
that's a goal achieved.”
13. Overall 216.63
Adam Rippon, USA, 16.FS.143.08 (70.24+73.84 -1);
10.SP
Adam Rippon, who fell on his first element, the
quad toe, which was downgraded, said of his FS, set to music by
Bach, which he performed 13th, “It wasn’t my best, but I felt like I
fought through the entire program. I felt really strong especially
at the end. I put out a strong performance and can be nothing but
proud of what I did today. I’m satisfied. I’m upset with how the
jumps went today. I feel like I’ve made a lot of changes this season
and I’m really looking forward to summer training to let them all
soak in. That being said, I’m proud of what I’ve put out. Although
it wasn’t perfect, I know I can do so much better, I’m thankful for
this experience.
“I think I need more experience. Every
competition, I went for the quad. Heading into summer training
that’s going to bode well that I’ve tried it before and have the
guts to go for it. I’m excited for next year and I thought this year
was really important. I’m so pleased with the season I’ve had this
year so I can’t be upset. I need to make the quad more consistent.
My plan for next year is to have two quads in the long and one in
the short.
“I love working with Yuka Sato and Jason
Dungjen. The school they have in Detroit is exactly what I was
looking for in a training facility. They’re excellent coaches. I’m
so blessed to be with them and I’m looking forward to working with
them more in the future.”