Crystal Skate

Kaitlin Hawayek and Jean-Luc Baker's Tango Romantica The biggest news about the NHK Trophy this season was the withdrawal of superstars Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron, due to his having injured his back. As sad as this left all figure skating fans, the media immediately filled headlines with the opportunities their absence brought for other couples. Boy, were they right! With none of the big names attending, the rhythmic dance left the ice rink wide open for up and coming skaters. Tiffani Zagorski/Jonathan Guerreiro  had the most to gain from the absence of the French, Although I personally think they still have a lot to learn about presenting anxious music, they were super fast throughout the routine and displayed great basic skating skills. They took the lead with 75.49  points, which was a season's best for them. Right after, with 70.71  points, came Kaitlin Hawayek/Jean-Luc Baker . The two had the tinniest trouble when he stumbled during the first ...

Who says you can't wear fake armour on ice? Not Natalia Zabjiako and Alexander Enbert If you ask me what my favourite Grand Prix event is, I will say without a doubt that it's the NHK Trophy. Why? It's easy! The atmosphere in the ice rink is second to none. Japanese fans can appreciate great figure skating louder and more energetically than any other nation. That energy is felt even by far away viewers like me. So although it is always being held nine hours ahead of my timezone, I never fail to catch up on it. Hosted by Hiroshima, this season's NHK Trophy was as exciting as ever, particularly in the ladies and men's events. Despite the fact Elizaveta Tuktamysheva  was the main rival of all their best skaters (and indeed finished first with 76.17 points), the Japanese crowd rained gifts on her as soon as she finished her brilliant performance. She reminded me of Mao Asada, the last skater who got the crowd on their feet because of perfectly executed 3Axels. It...

The men's short programme was without a doubt the most thrilling in Helsinki. Not only did we watch top skaters compete against each other, but we also saw how easy the leader can change at this level. It all culminated of course with Yuzuru Hanyu being first at a very comfortable distance from Michal Brezina, who is on second with also quite a gap between himself and Boyang Jin, who is third. I'm sure the final will provide some equally exciting action. We're not off to a good start, I'm afraid. Philip Harris  doubles out of the 3Toeloop, Flip and Loop, puts a hand down on the second 3Axel and falls on the 3Toeloop. The song he skates to, Coldplay's Fix You , is one we've often seen in figure skating lately. Score: 123.67  -> 182.66 . Valtter Virtanen  is a slight improvement both from the Brit and from his own performance yesterday. He steps out of the 4Toeloop and singles the 3Axel. Choreography-wise, I really like the storytelling approach to La Strad...

The Rhythmic Dance was the only event I knew what to expect of. At the end of it, I got exactly what I expected: Stepanova & Bukin are first, Guignard & Fabbri are second and McNamara & Carpenter are third. The situation is not likely to be changed by the end of the final, but we'll see. Regardless of the standings, we're likely to see some solid performances tonight. Shari Koch/Christian Nuchtern  are the first to go on the ice. I love their costumes, which are really authentic, but they are a bit slow throughout the routine. She also wobbles during the dance sequence. Score: 86.91  -> 143.62 . Katarina Muller/Tim Dieck 's choreography is much more innovative and complex than that of their co-nationals. This is the second time I see this programme and I have to say, it's better this time around. She does fall during a step sequence though. Score: 87.00  -> 143.59 . Betina Popovici/Sergey Mozgov  truly impress me. Their spin is one of the most...

The biggest surprise of the short programme was seeing Kaori Sakamoto end on seventh place. At almost the opposite end of the rankings, Alina Zagitova finished right where everyone put her: first position. How are these two ladies going to fare in the final? The Russian is bound to keep her place, but how high can the Japanese rise? These are the main questions swarming in my head before this final. Rika Honko  goes first, which is a position she must not be used to - we normally see her in the last group of the Grand Prix events. I didn't see her skate yesterday, but I imagine this is miles away from that. The choreography of Child of Nazareth  is intense and energetic, just as we are used to seeing from her. She makes no mistakes. Score: 105.48  -> 156.59 . Viveca Lindfors  comes out wearing a gorgeous costume which you could easily turn into a gown fit for the Oscars, so I am a bit surprised to see the routine is set to Les Miserables . That being said, the...

The winners of the day, Russia's Natalia Zabijako & Alexander Enbert The level of difficulty is not very high in the pairs competition in Helsinki, but like I said yesterday, this is a chance for some of the pairs we usually see around the podium to have a taste of being top contenders. It's going to be a great lesson for all of them, I'm sure. Laura Barquero/Aritz Maestu  start off with an improved performance since yesterday, despite a few mistakes still creeping in: the side-by-side combination is way out of sync and the Axel lasso lift is very shaky. That being said, all the other lifts are breathtaking - they make great use of her unbelievable flexibility. Score: 98.63  -> 149.54 . Miu Suzaki/Ryuichi Kihara  begin with a dodgy 3Twist lift, after which she double-foots the 3Flip and falls on the throw version of the same jump. So, today is not a day for the Flip. I really like the very last part of the choreography, when everything seems faster because...

Japan's Yuzuru Hanyu set a very high standard with his programme The Grand Prix of Helsinki is undoubtedly the most exciting one for a lot of figure skating fans. One of the reasons is the presence of the Olympic champion, Yuzuru Hanyu. Another is the fact we get to see Michal Brezina and Junhwan Cha skate again. They both achieved great results at Skate America, so I hope they manage to keep up the same level here. Philip Harris  is first to go, with a self-choreographed routine set to Bloodstream . He double-foots the landing of the 3Lutz and doubles out of both the 3Flip and the 3Toeloop. His spins are not the most flexible, but the programme is enjoyable. Score: 58.99 . Andrei Lazukin  impresses today with no mistakes and a charming interpretation of I Put a Spell on You . I love the way his step sequence matches the different nuances of the music, slowing down and speeding up with the song. Score: 82.54 . Alexei Krasnozhon  is another newbie to perform wel...