(13 December 2014)  The Men’s Short Program was a highlight at the Grand Prix Final in Barcelona because the two main stars of the whole competition competed. Spain’s only participant and skating star Javier Fernandez was one of them, Yuzuru Hanyu from Japan, the only Olympic and world champion being present, the other one. Both, by the way are coach by Brian Orser in Toronto.

Hanyu had to skate first after just making the Grand Prix Final and getting the lowest ranking of the six skaters in his two Grand Prix. He took the lead with 94.08 points, more than six points ahead of the rest of the field. He has almost completely recovered from his crash at the Cup of China five weeks ago and seemed in better shape than at the NHK Trophy two weeks ago. The edges were deep and his interpretation of the Ballade No 1 by Frederic Chopin was very convincing. His components had an average level of 8.8, with several 9.25 as highest ones. In practice his quad toe loop  was quite safe and it also worked as his first element in the competition very well. Eight judges awarded him a GOE of +2 for this quad. After two very good spins he performed a perfect triple axel almost without any preparation, which is more difficult. The opinion of the judges: four times +3 and five times +2. Next was his combination: The triple Lutz was a bit wobbly and he fell on the triple toe loop . Therefore his components for performance were only around 8.7. The step sequence and the last spins were excellent again.

Right after his performance he said: “I didn’t skate perfectly but I felt comfortable and I’m happy with it. I feel pretty normal today, definitely better than NHK or Cup of China, and I just need to do some more practice now on the short program and the combination. I don’t feel afraid to skate, tomorrow I’m just going to go out and do it.” Later he added: “Actually when you skate first your body is still warm after the six-minute warm-up, that’s the advantage. When I competed at Novice or Junior level I often drew first to skate so I am quite used to it and I felt comfortable. I am surprised because in the six-minute warm-up people were going so crazy for Javi (Fernandez). I was so surprised, it felt like I was at an away game. I felt happy with the skate because when I did NHK and China I was not focused on my condition and body but today I felt very comfortable and relaxed and I was very focused for this competition. I don’t think I could have skated to this music when I was young at all. When I was given this piano music for the first time I thought it was just beautiful but at first skating to it and feeling the three beat was not easy, especially as I have no experience playing the piano. But today I felt that the music was with me. I love this music and really enjoyed performing to it.”

Hanyu’s countryman Tatsuki Machida sits on second position with 87.82 points. Skating to a classical violin fantasy, he began with a combination of quad toe loop  and triple toe loop , but stepped out of the triple one. His six other elements were at least good. In all his jumps, he goes deep into his knees, but landed safely, the triple axel as well as the Lutz. His spin rotation was quick, his step sequence very dynamic. He commented: “After France I twisted my ankle on the quad so I was not in the best shape coming in to this and I did not have much time in-between. Now I am OK, I am still not in very good condition but I did my best today. This morning my training was a disaster so I was very worried. I think I skated with belief, with the confidence of a 21-year skating career. I love to show my performances to people from all over the world. This is very important to me.”

Maxim Kovtun from Russia is currently third, gaining 87.02 points. He was the only skater to do two different quads. In his opening combination, the quad Salchow was safe, but he stumbled on the triple toe loop . The quad toe loop  was almost clean and his triple axel a bit shaky as well. Spins and steps were good but not outstanding. He used Ravel’s Bolero as musical background and his components were around 8.0. “Actually I am very satisfied”, he said. “For the first time I skated last in the Grand Prix Final and I was nervous. I was well prepared and ready to skate like I do in practice. There were a few small mistakes because I was too emotional. I need to focus more. It is good that I don’t have to skate last tomorrow. It was my first time skating in Spain and I didn’t expect the support I got. It was great to skate here and see how the people here are interested in our sport.”

Kovtun’s countryman and 2014 European silver medalist Sergei Voronov is fourth with 84.48 points. He was the only skater with a really clean program, but his components were lower than those of the top skaters which is correct. He got 14.83 points for his combination of quad toe loop  and triple toe loop , the highest points for any element at this competition. Triple axel and triple loop were as good as the spins (all level 4) and his step sequence (level 2). He explained: “I don’t think that the scores are low. The skater before me was Yuzuru Hanyu and he is the Olympic champion and he was better than me today. I’m very happy to be within the six best male skaters in the world and I’m very pleased to be skating with them.”

Two time European champion Javier Fernandez could not stand the pressure in his home country and is in fifth position with only 79.18 points. Skating to the rock music “Black Betty” by Ram Jam, he fell on his opening quad Salchow. His combination turned into a double Lutz and triple toe loop  instead of triple-triple, which has not happened to him in years. His triple axel was a bit shaky as well, his spins and steps good, but his usual fire was not burning very strong. Later he said: “It’s my first big competition in my country and it’s difficult to know how you will feel and what will happen. It’s a great program and there are a lot of hard things in it. I wish I could have done a better program and my performance did surprise me. I felt great and had a great practice and had a great warm-up and the time from leaving the warm-up ice and starting the program I didn’t feel nervous but the jumps didn’t happen. I was trying to just focus on my skating but I guess when you are afraid to fail it’s the worst thing.”

The third Japanese skater Takahito Mura sits in sixth place, earning 78.35 points. He fell on his opening quad toe loop  and continued with an excellent triple axel, but later stepped out a bit on his triple toe loop  after the triple Lutz. He explained: “In the warm-up I was worrying about not being able to jump, and then when it came to the program it came true and I really couldn’t (on my first jump). My condition and my movements were not matching today.”