NHK Trophy 2014 - Men's Final
The results of the men's short programme were quite surprising. Not only did half the world gasp in surprise at Yuzuru Hanyu's score, but they were also amazed by Daisuke Murakami's astonishing debuting performance. Still, all hope is not lost for any of the skaters trying to get to the final as Murakami cannot qualify. Who will most certainly qualify though is Takahito Mura. Let's see who joins him.
It's hard to watch Joshua Farris's free skate. He entirely loses his focus after the fall on the quad Toeloop, so the only good jump is the triple Axel from the very beginning. This is one of those moments when the feel of the music (Schindler's List) matches the skater's own state of mind for all the wrong reasons. His score: 111.53. Overall: 169.88.
Ross Miner fares better despite not being able to jump a quad either. His song is Romanza by Andrea Boccelli, which gives him plenty of space for interpretation. Again, the lyrics help him with putting the story across. He gets 142.00 points. Overall: 205.36.
The soundtrack of Legends of the Fall is sublime, but the story itself is more moving. By approaching this as a classical piece, Jin Seo Kim fails to tell it. However, he is so good at interpreting the music, I'm not sure it really matters. His score: 131.51. Overall: 197.20.
Jeremy Ten is taken aback by his own fall on the first triple Toeloop. He doesn't get back on track for the triple Loop, which he steps out of. Fabulous interpretation of Haellelujah. He gets 137.46 points. Overall: 203.27.
This is what I'm talking about! If you have a dance rhythm, incorporate the steps into the choreography. Elladj Balde obviously has, which makes his flamenco more authentic. He has no errors. His score: 145.00. Overall: 212.50.
Ivan Righini is a natural showman, and he seems to act upon it as his choice of music is again a medley you can't help but dance to. Unluckily, he falls on the quad Toeloop, triple Axel and triple Loop. He gets 125.95 points. Overall: 196.22.
Why did Yuzuru Hanyu change his costume? Not that this one isn't as gorgeous, but the old one matched the theme perfectly. Anyway, his trip to Spain looks uncertain as he falls on the second quad and pops out of the second. He does have problems caused by the incident in Shanghai, so perhaps it's best for his health that he doesn't go through to the Final. His score: 151.79. Overall: 229.80.
I don't get Sergei Voronov's choices of outfit for his free skate. None of the songs in his medley have a post-apocalyptic, rock, dark vibe, which is what both his old fringed costume and his new leather one makes me think of. In any case, there seems to be no question in hid mind about what he can do here. It's a clean, sharp programme for the Russian. He gets 157.72 points. Overall: 236.65.
If Daisuke Murakami had participated at another Grand Prix Event, there is no way he would have missed the Final. Pressure seems an alien word to him as he delivers flawlessly both on a technical and on an artistic level in front of his home crowd at his first important senior competition. His score: 166.39. Overall: 246.07.
Jeremy Abbott has the impressive ability of taking a rather dull, although beautiful piece of music and transform it into a superb routine. The technical, although clean, will hurt him here because he has no quad. He gets 148.14 points. Overall: 229.65. That seems a bit too harsh.
Takahito Mura lets the nerves get to him as he steps out of the first quad, singles the first triple Axel and double-foots the triple Flip. Either way, he's still game for Barcelona. His score: 148.16. Overall: 234.44.
Well, isn't this most unexpected? I can't congratulate Daisuke Murakami enough for his victory. Sergei Voronov manages to exceed expectations and get himself a silver, while Takahito Mura has to settle for the bronze. Still, I believe they're both going to the Final. Congratulations.
It's hard to watch Joshua Farris's free skate. He entirely loses his focus after the fall on the quad Toeloop, so the only good jump is the triple Axel from the very beginning. This is one of those moments when the feel of the music (Schindler's List) matches the skater's own state of mind for all the wrong reasons. His score: 111.53. Overall: 169.88.
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| Ross Miner from the USA Photograph: Atsushi Tomura/Getty Images Asia |
The soundtrack of Legends of the Fall is sublime, but the story itself is more moving. By approaching this as a classical piece, Jin Seo Kim fails to tell it. However, he is so good at interpreting the music, I'm not sure it really matters. His score: 131.51. Overall: 197.20.
Jeremy Ten is taken aback by his own fall on the first triple Toeloop. He doesn't get back on track for the triple Loop, which he steps out of. Fabulous interpretation of Haellelujah. He gets 137.46 points. Overall: 203.27.
This is what I'm talking about! If you have a dance rhythm, incorporate the steps into the choreography. Elladj Balde obviously has, which makes his flamenco more authentic. He has no errors. His score: 145.00. Overall: 212.50.
Ivan Righini is a natural showman, and he seems to act upon it as his choice of music is again a medley you can't help but dance to. Unluckily, he falls on the quad Toeloop, triple Axel and triple Loop. He gets 125.95 points. Overall: 196.22.
Why did Yuzuru Hanyu change his costume? Not that this one isn't as gorgeous, but the old one matched the theme perfectly. Anyway, his trip to Spain looks uncertain as he falls on the second quad and pops out of the second. He does have problems caused by the incident in Shanghai, so perhaps it's best for his health that he doesn't go through to the Final. His score: 151.79. Overall: 229.80.
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| Sergei Voronov makes up for the poor results in the short Photograph: Atsushi Tomura/Getty Images Asia |
If Daisuke Murakami had participated at another Grand Prix Event, there is no way he would have missed the Final. Pressure seems an alien word to him as he delivers flawlessly both on a technical and on an artistic level in front of his home crowd at his first important senior competition. His score: 166.39. Overall: 246.07.
Jeremy Abbott has the impressive ability of taking a rather dull, although beautiful piece of music and transform it into a superb routine. The technical, although clean, will hurt him here because he has no quad. He gets 148.14 points. Overall: 229.65. That seems a bit too harsh.
Takahito Mura lets the nerves get to him as he steps out of the first quad, singles the first triple Axel and double-foots the triple Flip. Either way, he's still game for Barcelona. His score: 148.16. Overall: 234.44.
Well, isn't this most unexpected? I can't congratulate Daisuke Murakami enough for his victory. Sergei Voronov manages to exceed expectations and get himself a silver, while Takahito Mura has to settle for the bronze. Still, I believe they're both going to the Final. Congratulations.
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