NHK Trophy 2015 - How to Get Way Ahead in Figure Skating (Men's SP)
The second short programme from Nagano, that of the boys, is bound to bring the home crowd on their feet because it features figure skating's golden boy, Japan's very own Yuzuru Hanyu. The Olympic champion hasn't had the best of seasons, finishing sixth after the short programme at Skate Canada. Still, he is undeniably the favourite here, competing against Maxim Kovtun, Takahito Mura and China's new star, Boyang Jin.
There's a softness to Grant Hochstein's routine that not many boys can interpet. The music, Due Tramonti by Ludovico Einaudi, is absolutely beautiful. His use of arms is quite balletic, but he doubles out of the triple Toeloop. His score: 74.30.
Elladj Balde has a lot of swagger, but double-foots the quad Toeloop. He skates to Duke Ellington's Echoes of Harlem, which would fall flat in the hands of other skaters. He gets 69.47 points.
Keiji Tanaka is the first Japanese of the day. The choreography is full of accurate tango moves, which shows a commitment to the genre other skaters don't pay attention to. He doubles out of the triple Flip and double-foots the triple Toeloop. His score: 73.74.
I thought I'd miss Chafik Besseghier's break-dance routine from last season, but I never got a chance. Although half of this new programme shows a more serious side of him (Una Mattina by Ludovico Einaudi), the second half is pure alternative, French style, similar to last season's. The second song is Black Mozart Intro by Ryan Leslie. He doubles out of the triple Toeloop. He gets 72.51 points.
Boyang Jin is very technical - his jumps are sharp (hello, quad Lutz!) and his spins have excellent positions. Not bad on the presentation either; he's definitely got the poise necessary for Tango Amore. His score: 95.64.
Richard Dornbush should pair up with Ashley Wagner for a Moulin Rouge special exhibition programme. Seriously, they're both incredible at interpreting songs from the musical. What's not so incredible is the technical part - hand down on both the quad Toeloop and triple Axel. He gets 78.20 points.
Konstantin Menshov has a unique style, especially among his Russian countrymen. His programmes are whimsical bordering eerie. This time the music is Rotting Romance by Marc Terenzi. He triples out of the first quad, but lands the second. His score: 79.79.
I knew Takahito Mura had it in him to come back from the fiasco in Milwaukee (10th place). Love the music: Dark Eyes. Very good elements too, especially the super-sharp triple Axel. He gets 88.29 points.
I'm always looking forward to what Michal Brezina is going to do on ice. He's one of the most versatile skaters out there, and this charming short programme proves it. The music is The Way You Look Tonight by Jerome Kern. If I may say so, he looks mighty fine tonight. Unfortunately, he steps out of the quad Salchow and doubles out of the triple Toeloop. His score: 81.64.
The level of style drops dramatically as Maxim Kovtun steps on the ice and busts some moves to Genesis' I Can't Dance. He's the first one to fall today, I'm afraid, and it's on the triple Axel. He also steps out of the quad Toeloop. He gets 82.27 points.
Nothing compares to Yuzuru Hanyu's performance today. His moment on the ice is a mixture of silent awe from the crowd, Chopin's piano and then an explosion of cheers from his greatest fans, his own people. The programme is soft in the beginning, following the delicate melody, then frantic as the music gets angrier. He keeps both paces perfectly. Flawless elements too. His score: 106.33.
Well, Yuzuru Hanyu finishes the short programme first, way ahead of everyone else, just as I expected. He is followed by Boyang Jin, who also has quite the advantage on Takahito Mura. Do these men have enough points to keep their places tomorrow? We'll have to wait and see.
There's a softness to Grant Hochstein's routine that not many boys can interpet. The music, Due Tramonti by Ludovico Einaudi, is absolutely beautiful. His use of arms is quite balletic, but he doubles out of the triple Toeloop. His score: 74.30.
Elladj Balde has a lot of swagger, but double-foots the quad Toeloop. He skates to Duke Ellington's Echoes of Harlem, which would fall flat in the hands of other skaters. He gets 69.47 points.
Keiji Tanaka is the first Japanese of the day. The choreography is full of accurate tango moves, which shows a commitment to the genre other skaters don't pay attention to. He doubles out of the triple Flip and double-foots the triple Toeloop. His score: 73.74.
I thought I'd miss Chafik Besseghier's break-dance routine from last season, but I never got a chance. Although half of this new programme shows a more serious side of him (Una Mattina by Ludovico Einaudi), the second half is pure alternative, French style, similar to last season's. The second song is Black Mozart Intro by Ryan Leslie. He doubles out of the triple Toeloop. He gets 72.51 points.
Boyang Jin is very technical - his jumps are sharp (hello, quad Lutz!) and his spins have excellent positions. Not bad on the presentation either; he's definitely got the poise necessary for Tango Amore. His score: 95.64.
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| Yuzuru Hanyu receives a standing ovation in Nagano after a brilliant skate Photograph: www.japantimes.co.jp |
Richard Dornbush should pair up with Ashley Wagner for a Moulin Rouge special exhibition programme. Seriously, they're both incredible at interpreting songs from the musical. What's not so incredible is the technical part - hand down on both the quad Toeloop and triple Axel. He gets 78.20 points.
Konstantin Menshov has a unique style, especially among his Russian countrymen. His programmes are whimsical bordering eerie. This time the music is Rotting Romance by Marc Terenzi. He triples out of the first quad, but lands the second. His score: 79.79.
I knew Takahito Mura had it in him to come back from the fiasco in Milwaukee (10th place). Love the music: Dark Eyes. Very good elements too, especially the super-sharp triple Axel. He gets 88.29 points.
I'm always looking forward to what Michal Brezina is going to do on ice. He's one of the most versatile skaters out there, and this charming short programme proves it. The music is The Way You Look Tonight by Jerome Kern. If I may say so, he looks mighty fine tonight. Unfortunately, he steps out of the quad Salchow and doubles out of the triple Toeloop. His score: 81.64.
The level of style drops dramatically as Maxim Kovtun steps on the ice and busts some moves to Genesis' I Can't Dance. He's the first one to fall today, I'm afraid, and it's on the triple Axel. He also steps out of the quad Toeloop. He gets 82.27 points.
Nothing compares to Yuzuru Hanyu's performance today. His moment on the ice is a mixture of silent awe from the crowd, Chopin's piano and then an explosion of cheers from his greatest fans, his own people. The programme is soft in the beginning, following the delicate melody, then frantic as the music gets angrier. He keeps both paces perfectly. Flawless elements too. His score: 106.33.
Well, Yuzuru Hanyu finishes the short programme first, way ahead of everyone else, just as I expected. He is followed by Boyang Jin, who also has quite the advantage on Takahito Mura. Do these men have enough points to keep their places tomorrow? We'll have to wait and see.
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