# This Week in Skating / 2025 Cup of China Recap with Lynn Rutherford

An episode of [This Week in Skating Podcast](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1621874792), 28 Oct 2025, 1 h 06 min.

Audio: https://audio2.redcircle.com/episodes/5735cc98-ead2-4365-b36a-5daaa3209ce4/stream.mp3

In this episode, Daphne and Gina chat about Cup of China with longtime figure skating journalist Lynn Rutherford. Lynn has covered figure skating for Team USA, U.S. Figure Skating and many other outlets. Cup of China results: https://www.isuresults.com/results/season2526/gpchn2025/index.htm This Week in Skating is hosted by Gina Capellazzi, Daphne Backman and Matteo Morelli is a cooperative project between Figure Skaters Online and Ice-dance.com. New episodes are available every Tuesday. Website: https://www.thisweekinskating.com Email: thisweekinskating@gmail.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thisweekinskating Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/thiswkinskating Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinskating Thread: https://www.threads.net/@thisweekinskating Patreon: patreon.com/ThisWeekinSkating Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

## Transcript

[0:00] \[SPEAKER_00\]: Hi everyone, I'm Vincent Joe.
[0:01] \[SPEAKER_02\]: Hi, I'm Kathy Reed.
[0:03] \[SPEAKER_02\]: And I'm Allison Reed.
[0:05] \[SPEAKER_02\]: Hi, I'm Ashley.
[0:06] \[SPEAKER_02\]: Hi, I'm Grace.
[0:07] \[SPEAKER_03\]: We're from the Hidden X.
[0:25] \[SPEAKER_01\]: Welcome to this week in Skating, the weekly podcast bringing you the latest news from the world of figure skating.
[0:31] \[SPEAKER_01\]: Here are your hosts, Daphne, Gina, and Matteo.
[0:35] \[SPEAKER_02\]: And we're back, cup of China wrapped up this weekend.
[0:39] \[SPEAKER_02\]: And here to help us break it down is our friend and fellow journalist, Lynn, Rutherford.
[0:47] \[SPEAKER_02\]: Welcome back to this weekend skating lid.
[0:49] \[SPEAKER_02\]: Hi, Lynn.
[0:51] \[SPEAKER_02\]: Hey, thanks for having me back.
[0:53] \[SPEAKER_03\]: Now you weren't in China, but you did watch the event from home and you said you watched it twice, right?
[1:00] \[SPEAKER_04\]: I did.
[1:01] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Cup of existential acts, as I call it.
[1:04] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Yes, I did watch it.
[1:07] \[SPEAKER_04\]: So got a lot of thoughts and I'm ready to share them.
[1:12] \[SPEAKER_02\]: Excellent.
[1:13] \[SPEAKER_02\]: So, all right, Gina want to lead us into the women.
[1:17] \[SPEAKER_03\]: Yeah, we'll start with the women, Lynn.
[1:20] \[SPEAKER_03\]: You know, what were some of your thoughts?
[1:22] \[SPEAKER_03\]: We know it was close after the short program with Alyssa Lou being the leader, but it was Amber Glenn that took home the gold than Alyssa took silver and Rinka Watson Abbie took the bronze.
[1:35] \[SPEAKER_03\]: So, what were your thoughts on the event?
[1:38] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Well, you know, the overwhelming thought that I have
[1:42] \[SPEAKER_04\]: looks really ready for the season and very fit as she has been the last few seasons, very prepared programs are working on almost all cylinders and you know just really made it
[2:10] \[SPEAKER_04\]: that she was even a little undermarked.
[2:14] \[SPEAKER_04\]: And so here I am, and I always discourage this, but playing kind of easy chair, collar, or easy chair judge.
[2:29] \[SPEAKER_04\]: I'm sitting here watching a stream on peacock, and I've got all these thoughts.
[2:36] \[SPEAKER_04\]: But her triple axle,
[2:39] \[SPEAKER_04\]: For example, in the free I thought was superb and I really think that the judges are really a little conservative when it when it comes to handing out the GOEs for triple axles and I think with Amber, you know, I think she got a 1.83 GOE
[3:04] \[SPEAKER_04\]: I think it could have been more.
[3:05] \[SPEAKER_04\]: I think she could have had three and fours on that article.
[3:09] \[SPEAKER_03\]: Yeah, I agree with you on that too, Lynn.
[3:12] \[SPEAKER_04\]: The other thing is I think with Amber occasionally, you know, her PCS is a little undervalued.
[3:20] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Not all the time, but occasionally, and I thought perhaps she could have been a little stronger there as well.
[3:28] \[SPEAKER_04\]: So that's kind of my
[3:33] \[SPEAKER_04\]: take on it.
[3:34] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Because the scores for Amber, for example, were a bit under the scores for the Japanese women, certainly the winner last weekend in France.
[3:53] \[SPEAKER_03\]: Yet I thought Amber was very
[4:03] \[SPEAKER_03\]: it really is entertaining and I think it suits her very well and then our her free skate is from last year and she's got a new dress this year it's a blue dress but I think she is looking the best you know she had some issues a little bit with the triple triple combination in both but I still think she's looking really good right now
[4:33] \[SPEAKER_04\]: You know, quite a gap between the young Japanese, and I may be mispronouncing your name, Aoki from France.
[4:42] \[SPEAKER_04\]: And, you know, while I understand some, that's somewhat, I mean, Amber, I believe, missed a spin level in her free skate as well, which she can't afford to do.
[4:54] \[SPEAKER_04\]: I thought they could have been a little bit closer and her marks.
[4:57] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Her PCS were running about 66 and a half.
[5:01] \[SPEAKER_04\]: I thought she could, she could have been a little higher.
[5:04] \[SPEAKER_04\]: So that's my educated critique, yet, you know, very, very much a armchair caller here.
[5:15] \[SPEAKER_03\]: And I think we're all armchair callers.
[5:18] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Right, you know, Amber seems to have things well in hand.
[5:22] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Now moving on to Alyssa, Alyssa, you, I was very happy with her programs as well.
[5:30] \[SPEAKER_04\]: It's interesting that, of course, she's going back to both of her free skates from last season after coming out with new part of me, both of her programs from last season, a free skate and a short after you know, showing a new free skate to Lady Gaga and I think going back to the short from last season is it is a,
[6:00] \[SPEAKER_04\]: a good move and a move that's not going to hurt her in the least, because that's the Laufie program I believe that the singer from Iceland, that program is kind of a magic program for her, everyone loved it, and her new short program was really in the same vein, and I don't think it hurts at all to go back to last season's short program,
[6:29] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Now, I think it's a bit different story with the free, you know, she used MacArthur Park for this event.
[6:39] \[SPEAKER_04\]: I guess her team wants to sort of rework the Lady Gaga.
[6:46] \[SPEAKER_04\]: And I think that's smart as long as they do bring the Lady Gaga back.
[6:52] \[SPEAKER_04\]: I think that, you know, MacArthur Park had its moment in Boston.
[6:57] \[SPEAKER_04\]: And I think for the Olympics, she needs something new.
[7:02] \[SPEAKER_04\]: So I'm anxious to see the reday view of the Lady Gaga program.
[7:10] \[SPEAKER_03\]: Yeah, I agree.
[7:12] \[SPEAKER_03\]: It's a hard to recreate a moment with a program like she had in Boston.
[7:18] \[SPEAKER_03\]: And so I'm hoping we see this lady Gaga program.
[7:23] \[SPEAKER_03\]: I'm wondering if we'll see it by skate America or if we're not going to see it until maybe the final or nationals.
[7:31] \[SPEAKER_03\]: But yeah, I think she needs to bring it back.
[7:34] \[SPEAKER_03\]: I don't think she can go doing two programs from last season.
[7:41] \[SPEAKER_04\]: I agree, you know, the other thing with Alyssa and I discovered this during an interview I had with her during the off season.
[7:52] \[SPEAKER_04\]: She really does things her own way and I think that she took, you know, a number of weeks off during the off season, you know, much of June, much of July and ramped up her training
[8:10] \[SPEAKER_04\]: She really said, you know, I need my time off.
[8:14] \[SPEAKER_04\]: I know what I need.
[8:16] \[SPEAKER_04\]: And with a skater like that, her programs are only gonna get stronger.
[8:22] \[SPEAKER_04\]: I believe, you know, as the season goes on.
[8:27] \[SPEAKER_04\]: And you can't really criticize that because that's a list's way.
[8:31] \[SPEAKER_04\]: And, you know, it worked last season.
[8:41] \[SPEAKER_04\]: know as the Olympics approach.
[8:44] \[SPEAKER_02\]: I'd agree with that.
[8:46] \[SPEAKER_02\]: I think it's easy to have expectations that everyone's going to come out like gangbusters at the beginning of the season, especially by the time of the Grand Prix, but every skater they're on a different
[9:00] \[SPEAKER_02\]: road or trajectory and what works for one might not work for another.
[9:04] \[SPEAKER_02\]: And I think Alyssa has determined this is what works for her.
[9:09] \[SPEAKER_02\]: She knows as you said, Lynn, she knows what she needs.
[9:13] \[SPEAKER_02\]: And she's following it.
[9:15] \[SPEAKER_04\]: You know, I consider the US women and I'm going to throw
[9:28] \[SPEAKER_04\]: very credible starts to the season and I think Amber's probably in tip top shape and the other two are kind of still nibbing at her heels, but they're certainly time to make adjustments to get mileage and to build stamina.
[9:51] \[SPEAKER_04\]: So I would say they're in very good shape.
[9:57] \[SPEAKER_04\]: another point that came up I think watching a cup of China is this real, you know, group of Japanese women that are going to be fighting for three spots at the Olympics.
[10:14] \[SPEAKER_04\]: And I'm thinking there's about seven of them that could reasonably compete for three spots.
[10:22] \[SPEAKER_04\]: I mean some of them
[10:24] \[SPEAKER_04\]: uh, have a better chance than others.
[10:27] \[SPEAKER_04\]: But I think, you know, we just see that kind of every weekend with these events that, you know, there's just a embarrassment of riches in the Japanese women's lineup.
[10:41] \[SPEAKER_03\]: Yeah, definitely.
[10:44] \[SPEAKER_02\]: Yeah, I totally agree.
[10:45] \[SPEAKER_02\]: And I think it is likely like you said,
[10:54] \[SPEAKER_02\]: But it's gonna be really intensely competitive.
[11:01] \[SPEAKER_02\]: I think will they go by just what happens at Japanese nationals or will they look at this entire season?
[11:09] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Because, well, my understanding and we can certainly get some corrections if I'm wrong, is that the winner of the Japanese nationals will get
[11:24] \[SPEAKER_04\]: uh, spot the winner.
[11:28] \[SPEAKER_04\]: But other than that, they can consider any number of factors.
[11:34] \[SPEAKER_04\]: So, I mean, just off the off, you know, the beginning of the season off the top of my head, what I've seen so far, what happened last season, I would say Sakamoto and Monashiba are really, uh, good, good bets.
[11:54] \[SPEAKER_04\]: women, including this up-and-coming AO key, who really are going to make strong bids.
[12:01] \[SPEAKER_04\]: So, you know, I've even talked to some people that don't think Sacramento is a lock.
[12:09] \[SPEAKER_04\]: I kind of think she is, but, you know, you know, it's just a real kind of a good problem to have, but a problem never the less.
[12:24] \[SPEAKER_04\]: And again, with Rinta at the event in China, I think she had a few mistakes there in the free skate that as a Japanese woman, she's not going to be able to afford at nationals, even though she won the bronze here.
[12:47] \[SPEAKER_03\]: Yeah, because actually I was sort of surprised to see her in the mix, you know, um, for a metal, because you know, there was Hanai Yoshida also competing who did not do well at all, um, but yeah, she's got it.
[13:04] \[SPEAKER_03\]: with that field of Japanese women she has to skate better even though she meddled here if she wants an Olympic spot but she she surprised me this weekend because I don't think I had her in the mix for a medal.
[13:21] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Right well now that you've mentioned the Korean women well I was
[13:34] \[SPEAKER_04\]: that short program that they had done earlier in the season to probably the worst rendition of my way that I've ever heard.
[13:45] \[SPEAKER_04\]: I believe it was a kind of a reality show version of my way.
[13:50] \[SPEAKER_04\]: The Paulenka penned hit for Frank Sinatra and it just screeching and really nerve-shattering.
[14:02] \[SPEAKER_04\]: So I'm glad that they dumped that program, it it it appears and went with this new program sirens.
[14:10] \[SPEAKER_04\]: She also evidently ditched her Carmen program and is now doing Notre Dame de Paris.
[14:18] \[SPEAKER_04\]: So she's been real busy.
[14:22] \[SPEAKER_04\]: So there there are a lot of, I don't know, changes of foot
[14:30] \[SPEAKER_04\]: And you know, the Korean ladies, they really haven't set the world on fire yet this season.
[14:35] \[SPEAKER_04\]: They'd kind of had a rough start to the season, but Gia Shin, I believe, has been the leader thus far.
[14:43] \[SPEAKER_04\]: And you know, it was making a case for one of the two spots at the Olympics so far.
[14:52] \[SPEAKER_04\]: But that remains to be seen.
[14:55] \[SPEAKER_03\]: I mean, she did back to background, pre-s, and she was better in China, and then she was in France.
[15:03] \[SPEAKER_04\]: She was.
[15:04] \[SPEAKER_04\]: She was.
[15:06] \[SPEAKER_04\]: But you got to compare her to the other Korean women.
[15:10] \[SPEAKER_04\]: And thus far, I would say she's been the most consistent of the group.
[15:20] \[SPEAKER_04\]: But overall, they've been a little disappointing.
[15:24] \[SPEAKER_04\]: And in a really, those are the highlights of the women's competition, you know, as I see it.
[15:31] \[SPEAKER_03\]: Yeah, you had pretty much everything that I had written down here for the women's event.
[15:36] \[SPEAKER_03\]: Um, yeah, you had everything that I said and that, uh, had for highlights too, so So, um, you know, that was, that was my take on it.
[15:46] \[SPEAKER_04\]: And, you know, Kudos to Amber because I think she's uh, you know, she's she's really
[15:53] \[SPEAKER_04\]: it in good shape for this Olympic season.
[15:57] \[SPEAKER_03\]: All right, then we want to move on to the men.
[16:01] \[SPEAKER_03\]: So for the men just a quick recap, gold was won by Shun Sato of Japan.
[16:07] \[SPEAKER_03\]: Silver was Daniel Grossal of Italy.
[16:10] \[SPEAKER_03\]: Bronze was Mikhail Shutteroff of Kazakhstan.
[16:14] \[SPEAKER_03\]: So, Lynn, what are your thoughts on this men's event?
[16:19] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Oh, I got a lot of thoughts on the men's event.
[16:22] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Let me talk about the American men first.
[16:27] \[SPEAKER_04\]: I have been watching Tamoki Haotashi as everyone has for many years.
[16:33] \[SPEAKER_04\]: I have never seen him escape this well, never.
[16:40] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Agreed.
[16:41] \[SPEAKER_02\]: Agreed.
[16:43] \[SPEAKER_04\]: I just think that he really,
[16:51] \[SPEAKER_04\]: improved every aspect of his skating spins might need a little work, but okay.
[16:59] \[SPEAKER_04\]: And, you know, he landed two quad toes, one in one, of course, in combination with a triple toe.
[17:06] \[SPEAKER_04\]: His triple axles were were just fine.
[17:09] \[SPEAKER_04\]: And he just looked very comfortable.
[17:13] \[SPEAKER_04\]: I was incredibly impressed
[17:22] \[SPEAKER_04\]: But a friend had kind of texted me, you know, do you think he's kind of putting himself in the conversation for an Olympic spot?
[17:33] \[SPEAKER_04\]: And I've at first, I thought, oh, I don't know.
[17:36] \[SPEAKER_04\]: But now I'm thinking if he can keep this up.
[17:39] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Yeah, maybe.
[17:40] \[SPEAKER_03\]: That's what I was thinking this weekend.
[17:43] \[SPEAKER_04\]: You know, I've never seen him skate like this.
[17:46] \[SPEAKER_04\]: And maybe it, you know, the move to Japan
[17:51] \[SPEAKER_04\]: bearing fruit, now the training in Japan.
[17:55] \[SPEAKER_04\]: I believe maybe that's just bearing fruit now, but that was wonderful to see.
[18:03] \[SPEAKER_03\]: Yeah, definitely.
[18:04] \[SPEAKER_03\]: And he competes this week at Skate Canada.
[18:07] \[SPEAKER_03\]: So we'll see how he does here.
[18:09] \[SPEAKER_04\]: That's tough.
[18:11] \[SPEAKER_04\]: He's got the back to back.
[18:13] \[SPEAKER_04\]: So those are kind of my thoughts on the US men.
[18:22] \[SPEAKER_04\]: In terms of the, the medalists, I thought it was a very interesting competition.
[18:30] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Again, I, I thought Shen Sato skated as well as he's ever skated.
[18:35] \[SPEAKER_04\]: And I talked to some Japanese journalists and they feel like he's a guy that's sort of overlooked sometimes in Japan.
[18:49] \[SPEAKER_04\]: You know, people have a sense that he's dull or not as exciting as some of the other Japanese men, but I thought he was just smooth a silky or excellent jumps.
[19:05] \[SPEAKER_04\]: I don't know if they, I don't know if the technical panel bothered to review any of his jumps.
[19:18] \[SPEAKER_04\]: really, really off, you know, his quads and dribble axles, like they were nothing.
[19:24] \[SPEAKER_04\]: And I think he made a strong case for himself.
[19:29] \[SPEAKER_04\]: And how did you feel about him?
[19:31] \[SPEAKER_04\]: I mean,
[19:33] \[SPEAKER_04\]: had had you ever seen him skate that well before?
[19:35] \[SPEAKER_03\]: No, not that I can remember, and I wrote down in my notes here that was the best free skate of the event in my opinion, and it was, I mean, skating to firebird, it's been skated so many times before, but I thought he skated it very well, yeah, and
[19:56] \[SPEAKER_03\]: In my opinion, that was the best free skate other than maybe Tomoki But yeah the best free skate and I and I do agree with what you're saying about that he's kind of under the radar I feel like he sometimes in the shadow of Yumakagiyama that you know Everyone pays attention to Yuma, but that shun kind of is like
[20:23] \[SPEAKER_03\]: not there's not a lot of tension given to him and I think when he skates well he's a really good skater to watch and he's hopefully making a name for himself with this event and he skates next then home in Japan so see what he does there.
[20:42] \[SPEAKER_04\]: The other thing I'll say and shame on me I do not
[20:51] \[SPEAKER_04\]: had the most effusive reaction in the kiss and cry that I can ever remember.
[20:58] \[SPEAKER_04\]: But this young coach was just thrilled for Shinsato.
[21:04] \[SPEAKER_04\]: So it really was kind of nice to see and kind of, you know, make sure happy to see something like that come together.
[21:14] \[SPEAKER_02\]: I think that was today, Osaka.
[21:21] \[SPEAKER_04\]: I mean, I thought, whoa, he was happier than Shinsatou.
[21:26] \[SPEAKER_03\]: That's for sure.
[21:28] \[SPEAKER_03\]: I think Shinsatou put like a towel over his head.
[21:31] \[SPEAKER_02\]: He did.
[21:32] \[SPEAKER_02\]: I like when stuff like that happens.
[21:35] \[SPEAKER_02\]: When you're not expecting a result like that, the reaction is, it's more authentic, especially when it comes up like that.
[21:43] \[SPEAKER_02\]: I like seeing the passion and excitement that comes from that surprise.
[21:49] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Now, here's where my thoughts may diverge on with other people's.
[21:55] \[SPEAKER_04\]: I don't tend to share what I'm gonna call the grasslade hate that I see on Twitter or X, right?
[22:08] \[SPEAKER_04\]: I thought Conclave was an excellent program certainly, of course, from Benoit Rechard,
[22:19] \[SPEAKER_04\]: that masked grassals, shortcomings and emphasized her strengths.
[22:29] \[SPEAKER_04\]: I really didn't see, you know, on the replays, I think, you know, the calling was generally fair.
[22:39] \[SPEAKER_04\]: You know, they might have let it let one you go,
[22:48] \[SPEAKER_04\]: you know, top notch for him.
[22:51] \[SPEAKER_04\]: And I think he's underrated as a spinner.
[22:56] \[SPEAKER_04\]: So honestly, I don't have any problem with grassloles silver medal here.
[23:02] \[SPEAKER_04\]: How do you feel?
[23:04] \[SPEAKER_03\]: I don't have any issue with the silver medal.
[23:06] \[SPEAKER_03\]: I kind of need to see this program again a little bit.
[23:12] \[SPEAKER_03\]: I didn't think it was a horrible program, but I kind of wanna,
[23:16] \[SPEAKER_03\]: See it a little bit more to get like a more of a judgment on it.
[23:19] \[SPEAKER_03\]: I think this was my first time really seeing it and I'm I don't know if he's performing Because the music is kind of dramatic there at the beginning and I don't know if he's kind of performing like up with it.
[23:32] \[SPEAKER_03\]: I mean, no, I thought
[23:34] \[SPEAKER_03\]: Um, you know, if you're just watching it, you don't realize maybe the under rotations or, and then you see the results and you're like, oh yeah, he was under rotated there of that.
[23:49] \[SPEAKER_03\]: All right, on that jump, um,
[23:52] \[SPEAKER_03\]: because at first I was like it I thought he skated it really well and then you go back and like oh that was under rotated he got an under rotation on that and um so sometimes like when you're just watching it there it's
[24:06] \[SPEAKER_03\]: you don't pay attention as closely.
[24:08] \[SPEAKER_03\]: I'm not Jackie who can spot an under-rotation so quickly.
[24:12] \[SPEAKER_03\]: Some you can, but like others, especially when they're called a cue, I can't see it that closely.
[24:19] \[SPEAKER_03\]: So I didn't, I thought at first I was like, oh, he did really well, and you know, I'm still like, I don't know how I feel about the program, but then when the scores came up and you look at the protocols and you're like, oh, he did get dinged for quite a bit.
[24:32] \[SPEAKER_04\]: He certainly did a very good quad loop and lots and lots us the triple triple hey that might have had a key on it that maybe wasn't called but I really didn't think there was anything too off about the calling with him and I thought that he improved his performance quality a bit and I really think he
[25:02] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Um, I, I appear to be, you know, in it, in the minority.
[25:08] \[SPEAKER_04\]: So that's my Daniel Grasful analysis.
[25:11] \[SPEAKER_03\]: Well, we'll get to see that program in person, right, Lynn in Skate America.
[25:16] \[SPEAKER_04\]: That's true.
[25:17] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Yes, that is right.
[25:18] \[SPEAKER_04\]: That is true.
[25:19] \[SPEAKER_04\]: And, um, you know, the other interesting thing is we will see Shieder off in Lake Placid and I'm not sure what's going on there
[25:31] \[SPEAKER_04\]: I have a suspicion and, you know, I can be wrong a lot, but I wonder if people, if judges and the community in general is maybe going to have a little bit of a backlash on shiiter off after his, you know, big success coming in second to Milan in last season.
[25:57] \[SPEAKER_04\]: because, you know, this was not his best performance by any means, he made a number of mistakes, but he was also hit a little bit harder on the calls than maybe he would have been last season.
[26:16] \[SPEAKER_04\]: And certainly he did not attain the spin levels that he would have wanted.
[26:27] \[SPEAKER_04\]: I don't know.
[26:27] \[SPEAKER_04\]: I thought it was, you know, certainly it's the beginning of the season.
[26:30] \[SPEAKER_04\]: There's there's time to improve.
[26:33] \[SPEAKER_04\]: But this was not a brilliant start, you know, for for for Shidder off.
[26:42] \[SPEAKER_04\]: And I think people are taking a very close look at his jumps.
[26:49] \[SPEAKER_04\]: You know, are they fully rotated?
[26:50] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Are they pre-rotated?
[26:51] \[SPEAKER_04\]: I don't think they are some people do.
[26:54] \[SPEAKER_04\]: And
[26:57] \[SPEAKER_04\]: sort of chit chat about his lack of edges.
[27:01] \[SPEAKER_04\]: His poor edges, just really shallow edges on his footwork.
[27:09] \[SPEAKER_04\]: So I'm wondering if we're going to see a shiter off sort of backlash.
[27:16] \[SPEAKER_04\]: What do you think?
[27:17] \[SPEAKER_03\]: Yeah, I don't know.
[27:19] \[SPEAKER_03\]: I think you're right that they're kind of watching him a little bit more now that he's, you know, the world's silver medalists.
[27:28] \[SPEAKER_03\]: They're kind of paying closer attention to him and catching him on these things like the edges.
[27:38] \[SPEAKER_03\]: I mean, the flips were considered not even clear edges too in the protocols.
[27:43] \[SPEAKER_03\]: So I think they're really watching him.
[27:46] \[SPEAKER_02\]: He got the warning on the flips.
[27:49] \[SPEAKER_02\]: there's something to be said for okay you've you've metled at the world championships now we expect more for you and so we're not gonna let you get away with these little mistakes anymore you have to bring it you've got to up your level to continue to be in that position on the other hand if his flips merited a warning now they probably merited a
[28:19] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Um, his edges certainly, you know, he got a level two on his steps here.
[28:24] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Um, I don't know.
[28:28] \[SPEAKER_04\]: I don't know if they took people by, so he'd be took people by surprise last season or or what, but I just have a feeling if this holds this kind of analysis of his elements.
[28:43] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Um, you know, he, he may be looking at a, a little bit of a rough
[28:49] \[SPEAKER_02\]: Well, if you look at how he skated last season, he won a silver medal at Cup of China.
[28:56] \[SPEAKER_02\]: He was fourth at his other Grand Prix event.
[29:01] \[SPEAKER_02\]: So for him to be third year, I'm not that concerned yet.
[29:07] \[SPEAKER_02\]: I think we weigh and see what happens at Skate America before I dig deeper into this.
[29:19] \[SPEAKER_04\]: I can't recall who his closest competition will be at Skate America.
[29:24] \[SPEAKER_02\]: Grass, oh.
[29:25] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Grass, oh, okay.
[29:27] \[SPEAKER_04\]: That's going to be interesting, then.
[29:29] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Yeah, if it happens again, then, you know, they're going to have to take a look at what's going on.
[29:38] \[SPEAKER_04\]: But yeah, so those were my major thoughts there.
[29:42] \[SPEAKER_04\]: The other thought that I had.
[29:44] \[SPEAKER_04\]: And perhaps I missed this.
[29:47] \[SPEAKER_04\]: And one of you two can inform me.
[29:50] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Certainly was good to see Boyang competing in China.
[29:56] \[SPEAKER_04\]: And he did a nice job.
[30:00] \[SPEAKER_04\]: But I didn't see the quad loss that he really pioneered and really made famous.
[30:08] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Now, is he not doing it?
[30:10] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Is that a jump that he's not doing right now
[30:15] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Do you quite know what happened there?
[30:18] \[SPEAKER_03\]: No, I have no clue.
[30:20] \[SPEAKER_02\]: But yeah.
[30:21] \[SPEAKER_02\]: He's been injured so much and we have to remember.
[30:25] \[SPEAKER_02\]: He's 28 years old.
[30:29] \[SPEAKER_02\]: So it just may be that this isn't a jump he's doing anymore.
[30:34] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Interesting because really that was his job.
[30:38] \[SPEAKER_04\]: You know for many years and it was brilliant.
[30:44] \[SPEAKER_03\]: No, I thought he skated well that it's uh, um, this is a good confidence booster heading into, uh, you know, Chinese nationals with you, you know, one Olympic spot on the line, um, for them.
[30:58] \[SPEAKER_04\]: I think China assigns their Olympic spots to sentimental favorites.
[31:04] \[SPEAKER_04\]: I don't think he's going to, I don't think he's going to have a problem.
[31:07] \[SPEAKER_02\]: The last two seasons, Jin hasn't done anything outside of Grand Prix events.
[31:13] \[SPEAKER_02\]: and his nationals.
[31:15] \[SPEAKER_02\]: Like, that's it.
[31:18] \[SPEAKER_02\]: There's not a lot of competitive results to look at.
[31:27] \[SPEAKER_02\]: It's been 10 years since he won the Bronze at Worlds.
[31:33] \[SPEAKER_02\]: So, yeah, you have to wonder if his body just
[31:43] \[SPEAKER_02\]: that have kept him out of competition.
[31:45] \[SPEAKER_04\]: So, well, he still had solid, not perfect, but solid skates here.
[31:55] \[SPEAKER_04\]: So, there is that.
[31:58] \[SPEAKER_04\]: But yeah, those are, you know, basically my thoughts on the men.
[32:02] \[SPEAKER_03\]: Well, Daphne, do you want to run down the pairs quickly here for Lin?
[32:08] \[SPEAKER_02\]: Absolutely.
[32:14] \[SPEAKER_02\]: Waging Sui and Kong Han returned to competition for the first time since the Olympics in 2022.
[32:21] \[SPEAKER_02\]: They did not win here.
[32:24] \[SPEAKER_02\]: Gold went to Jordan's and the stage of Metallica, Luca Barulava, Silver went to Italy, Sarah Conti, and Nicoloma Chi, and bronze went to our 2022 Olympic champions when doing Sui and Kong Han.
[32:40] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Yes.
[32:42] \[SPEAKER_04\]: And what's interesting, of course, here was the return of, you know, Shui and Han.
[32:49] \[SPEAKER_04\]: And what they didn't do, which they were solid in some respects and not in others.
[32:58] \[SPEAKER_04\]: I thought they were shaky on their lifts as did many others.
[33:06] \[SPEAKER_04\]: It appears that, I mean, from watching it
[33:11] \[SPEAKER_04\]: the rules that they did not do a lesson left in the short program.
[33:19] \[SPEAKER_04\]: They rather did a hand-to-hand lift.
[33:23] \[SPEAKER_04\]: And that's kind of shocking because certainly that's a technical, clover responsibility to sort of call them and say, hey, that's the wrong left.
[33:41] \[SPEAKER_04\]: you know, three-person kind of technical panel, the controller and the two specialists, and you know, they were from I believe Canada and France and Croatia, and they just didn't call it.
[33:59] \[SPEAKER_04\]: But overall, I thought their lives were a little shaky.
[34:06] \[SPEAKER_04\]: You know, side by side
[34:11] \[SPEAKER_04\]: I believe that this is their first event in their comeback in their first international event.
[34:19] \[SPEAKER_04\]: So let's give them some grace and see how they can improve.
[34:26] \[SPEAKER_03\]: Yeah.
[34:26] \[SPEAKER_03\]: Yeah, um, a lot of people were talking about the lifts, um, even Chris Keneer was vocal about it on Twitter saying that was not the last so left and, um, that it was more of a press lift, um, and that it was not reviewed not called not anything, um, they got credit for it.
[34:50] \[SPEAKER_04\]: It's it's, um,
[34:52] \[SPEAKER_04\]: I don't know how that can happen, but I certainly, you know, Chris Keneeram knows as do other people and, you know, it just simply wasn't called.
[35:03] \[SPEAKER_04\]: They got away with it.
[35:06] \[SPEAKER_04\]: What can I say?
[35:09] \[SPEAKER_04\]: But interestingly, I felt that the Georgian couple, the winners, you know, they had some shaky lives, right?
[35:18] \[SPEAKER_04\]: And, you know, one of them, they were dinged on one of them in the free, but I actually thought two of their lips probably were a bit shaky and, you know, it goes to show you that I think sometimes people take lifts for granted in the pairs event and everyone's always saying,
[35:48] \[SPEAKER_04\]: That's fine, but here is really lifts.
[35:54] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Lifts is the most critical part of a pair program.
[36:02] \[SPEAKER_04\]: What the Georgians did have was lovely throws.
[36:07] \[SPEAKER_04\]: I'm very elegant throws.
[36:11] \[SPEAKER_04\]: They're an elegant couple.
[36:14] \[SPEAKER_04\]: They're a little shaky.
[36:17] \[SPEAKER_04\]: And they got good marks.
[36:18] \[SPEAKER_04\]: I think they got a total of 211.24.
[36:20] \[SPEAKER_04\]: And I believe you can correct me if I'm wrong.
[36:27] \[SPEAKER_04\]: The Japanese world champions got 219.15 in France.
[36:36] \[SPEAKER_04\]: So the Georgians got very strong marks despite a couple of glitches I think in their lives.
[36:47] \[SPEAKER_04\]: And interestingly enough, it was again on the Lassu lift.
[36:51] \[SPEAKER_04\]: You know, he kind of saved it.
[36:53] \[SPEAKER_04\]: But I mean, I've always heard the Lassu lift is very difficult for pairs.
[36:59] \[SPEAKER_03\]: yeah yeah i don't know how he saved it and i got nervous just watching it i'm like how is he managing to keep her up um but then i was kind of surprised in protocols too that it was a very slight negative g o e i thought it would have gotten a little bit more right i think the second um two of the three lifts i thought might have gotten negative g o
[37:29] \[SPEAKER_04\]: So maybe it was a little generous judging on that.
[37:32] \[SPEAKER_04\]: The other thing to remember is that the Georgian skaters are really on the march and they could be pretty solid in the team event at the upcoming games.
[37:51] \[SPEAKER_02\]: Yeah, we kind of been talking about that behind the scenes here and on the episodes that they're making a case for themselves.
[37:59] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Yeah, I mean, you have a god's eye, you have Gubanova, Davis, and the schmalkin, and, you know, those are solid competitors there.
[38:07] \[SPEAKER_04\]: So, you know, they're, they're, they're a small country, but mighty, but, you know, the Italians were solid, they want the silver here.
[38:18] \[SPEAKER_04\]: they had some solid lifts, but I guess their issue is a little bit more the throes, but they're the Italian champions and they're certainly favorite to take one of those spots at the Olympics in Italy.
[38:37] \[SPEAKER_04\]: But again, not honestly a inspiring pair's competition.
[38:48] \[SPEAKER_04\]: is is is what I'll say.
[38:50] \[SPEAKER_02\]: Yeah.
[38:51] \[SPEAKER_03\]: I agree.
[38:52] \[SPEAKER_02\]: Well, I don't want us to get through pairs without mentioning a pretty exceptional short program from Katie McBeath and Daniel Parkman of the U.S.
[39:03] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Yes.
[39:04] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Yeah.
[39:04] \[SPEAKER_04\]: That's that is absolutely true.
[39:07] \[SPEAKER_04\]: You know, I don't know that it's unfortunate they were not able to really carry that energy over to the free skate, but
[39:17] \[SPEAKER_04\]: It was a very good, and it got them so good marks.
[39:23] \[SPEAKER_04\]: It was a very, very good short short.
[39:26] \[SPEAKER_04\]: What probably the best I've seen them skate?
[39:28] \[SPEAKER_03\]: Yeah, and that's coming from France.
[39:31] \[SPEAKER_03\]: I mean, they had back to background pre-events.
[39:35] \[SPEAKER_03\]: So I was quite surprised to see him skate so well in the short, unfortunately, that free skate
[39:44] \[SPEAKER_03\]: she slips in that entrance of the pair spent and then they had other other mistakes as well to that drop them down to seventh overall because here I thought, okay, they may have another fourth place finish at a grand prix.
[40:00] \[SPEAKER_04\]: That would have been sensational.
[40:02] \[SPEAKER_04\]: But they still had, you know, they had a solid ground preseason.
[40:05] \[SPEAKER_04\]: I mean, they're not, you know, he doesn't.
[40:08] \[SPEAKER_04\]: He's not a citizen.
[40:11] \[SPEAKER_04\]: They're not in the mix for
[40:14] \[SPEAKER_04\]: for the Olympic games, but there's so much else they can do.
[40:20] \[SPEAKER_04\]: People forget, US is going to have three spots at the World Championships, right?
[40:28] \[SPEAKER_04\]: And certainly I could see them winning a metal perhaps at four continents.
[40:37] \[SPEAKER_04\]: So there's still so much out there that isn't the Olympics.
[40:42] \[SPEAKER_04\]: And I remember not too long ago, I talked to Katie and she said no.
[40:46] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Danielle is not going to, you know, we're not in the citizenship hunt, but we know that and we're very happy to move forward without the Olympics right now and prove ourselves in other events.
[41:06] \[SPEAKER_02\]: The other thing I wanted to point out is Jixuan Jeng and Yihang Huang, who earned China's thought at the Road to Milano Olympic qualifying event, finished 4th in this event.
[41:20] \[SPEAKER_02\]: This is their Grand Prix debut.
[41:22] \[SPEAKER_02\]: They are the 2024 Junior Grand Prix Final Champions and...
[41:30] \[SPEAKER_02\]: again for being a young team coming into the senior ranks in a very critical year for teams duking it out to get an Olympic spot.
[41:40] \[SPEAKER_02\]: That's a very respectable position to be in.
[41:43] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Absolutely.
[41:44] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Okay.
[41:45] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Absolutely.
[41:46] \[SPEAKER_04\]: I still don't think unless something goes really
[42:00] \[SPEAKER_04\]: can't take anything away from this young team now.
[42:03] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Not at all.
[42:04] \[SPEAKER_04\]: So, and I'm glad that, you know, it tried was a little bit of a mystery to me because it kind of tries to, you know, amp itself up during the Olympic season but sort of back off the rest of the time after.
[42:21] \[SPEAKER_04\]: And, you know, it's kind of hard to do that because you've got to keep building.
[42:25] \[SPEAKER_04\]: So hopefully this young team,
[42:29] \[SPEAKER_04\]: consistently, um, you know, the next, the next quad.
[42:35] \[SPEAKER_02\]: Yeah, skating relies, I think, a lot on momentum.
[42:39] \[SPEAKER_02\]: And so when you disappear for a couple of seasons, or you don't skate that much, or compete that much internationally, people forget that you're even there.
[42:53] \[SPEAKER_04\]: So, oh, definitely,
[42:58] \[SPEAKER_02\]: Last thing to mention, the Cretia Bacari, Matteo Griset, withdrew after the show program because La Cretia suffered an injury.
[43:06] \[SPEAKER_02\]: And so hopefully she's on the mandal ready.
[43:11] \[SPEAKER_03\]: Right.
[43:13] \[SPEAKER_02\]: But let's move on to dance.
[43:15] \[SPEAKER_02\]: Last week we started our podcast with dance and it led to a very long conversation.
[43:22] \[SPEAKER_02\]: Let's see what happens with this week's podcast.
[43:27] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Well, I have to start it off by saying kind of a Mia Culpa.
[43:33] \[SPEAKER_04\]: My predictions and my crappy record is really intact because the last time I was on your podcast, I talked about how I'm pressed I was with Green Parsons and how fired up they were this season.
[43:51] \[SPEAKER_04\]: and how I thought they were really going to come out strong.
[43:55] \[SPEAKER_04\]: And unfortunately, I was wrong.
[43:58] \[SPEAKER_04\]: And they've had a bit of a hard time.
[44:02] \[SPEAKER_04\]: And it continued here, unfortunately.
[44:05] \[SPEAKER_04\]: They had a mishap in the rhythm dance and then after coming out for the warm-up, they had to withdraw from the free dance.
[44:18] \[SPEAKER_04\]: So, unfortunately, for them, they lost some ground here.
[44:25] \[SPEAKER_04\]: And, you know, I don't know.
[44:30] \[SPEAKER_04\]: It's a sad thing for me because I've always thought that they were exceptional skaters, and I always enjoyed the bulk of their programs.
[44:47] \[SPEAKER_04\]: I think that they're going to have to regroup as we all know.
[44:50] \[SPEAKER_02\]: So in this in this competition, in this, in the Ice Dance event, gold went to mass and chalk and Evan Bates of the US.
[45:01] \[SPEAKER_02\]: Silver went to Emily Azengus and videoom colletionic of the US.
[45:09] \[SPEAKER_02\]: And bronze went to Evgenia, La Parava and Jeffrey Brousseau of France.
[45:15] \[SPEAKER_02\]: I'll throw out my initial thoughts on Madison Evans' program.
[45:22] \[SPEAKER_02\]: Both of them.
[45:23] \[SPEAKER_02\]: Their rhythm dance did seem a bit tentative to me, but no...
[45:29] \[SPEAKER_02\]: When you consider they haven't competed yet this season, they didn't do a Challenger series event.
[45:35] \[SPEAKER_02\]: It's not uncommon for a team to come out and...
[45:39] \[SPEAKER_02\]: get their program out there.
[45:41] \[SPEAKER_02\]: And that's kind of what this seemed to me is they skated it.
[45:44] \[SPEAKER_02\]: It was good.
[45:46] \[SPEAKER_02\]: It isn't what it's going to end up being by the time we get to later in the season, but it was a start for the season in their first time out.
[45:57] \[SPEAKER_02\]: Their free dance I thought was better.
[46:00] \[SPEAKER_02\]: They had more speed.
[46:03] \[SPEAKER_02\]: I think by the time we see this program
[46:09] \[SPEAKER_02\]: fire to be honest.
[46:11] \[SPEAKER_02\]: I think it's going to be a good program for them.
[46:14] \[SPEAKER_02\]: I'm not sure about the skirt.
[46:15] \[SPEAKER_02\]: The skirt is very, very long and it could be a little bit distracting, but Lynn, I'm interested in what you have to say.
[46:23] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Okay.
[46:25] \[SPEAKER_04\]: First of all, I hate the rhythm dance genre of 90s hits
[46:38] \[SPEAKER_04\]: I think that it is extremely unfortunate.
[46:44] \[SPEAKER_04\]: So I have to get that out of the way first.
[46:47] \[SPEAKER_02\]: Okay.
[46:47] \[SPEAKER_02\]: That's fair.
[46:48] \[SPEAKER_02\]: Everyone's entitled to their opinion.
[46:51] \[SPEAKER_04\]: In terms of chalk and baits, going with the Lenny Kravitz, I think that that was the smartest choice that they could have made.
[47:03] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Because although this music is from the 90s,
[47:08] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Certainly, American woman is not originally a 90s hit, and I thought that that was a very, very smart choice for them as mature ice dancers.
[47:26] \[SPEAKER_04\]: So I was thrilled about that.
[47:28] \[SPEAKER_04\]: You know,
[47:33] \[SPEAKER_04\]: They, you know, certainly, this time of season, they need to work on the speed, but they elected not to do a challenger.
[47:44] \[SPEAKER_04\]: And can't tell this couple who has been competing for 14 seasons and has won the last three world titles.
[47:57] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Oh, here I am, I'm nobody.
[48:01] \[SPEAKER_04\]: I think you should have done a challenger, right?
[48:03] \[SPEAKER_04\]: They know what they're doing, their team knows what they're doing, and they elected not to do a challenger.
[48:13] \[SPEAKER_04\]: So I think that they're having kind of their traditional bit slower start.
[48:20] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Let's remember that last season they lost skate America, okay?
[48:25] \[SPEAKER_04\]: They're home ground parade, right?
[48:29] \[SPEAKER_04\]: So I thought that the rhythm dance I couldn't have been more pleased with that.
[48:40] \[SPEAKER_04\]: I thought it was a good choice from them and I think it's going to grow.
[48:45] \[SPEAKER_04\]: And I think chalk and baits kind of always grow their programs.
[49:00] \[SPEAKER_04\]: got this skirt.
[49:02] \[SPEAKER_04\]: I'm concerned that, you know, it could get in the way and cause a, you know, a little bit of an error.
[49:12] \[SPEAKER_04\]: But that risk factor is exciting, right?
[49:16] \[SPEAKER_04\]: And she really knows how to work it.
[49:21] \[SPEAKER_04\]: I think that probably a lot of training was put into her
[49:28] \[SPEAKER_04\]: learning how to quote unquote work that skirt and it adds another dimension to the program.
[49:37] \[SPEAKER_04\]: It makes them unique and again, I thought that the program went really well and will only grow in
[49:58] \[SPEAKER_04\]: that it needs and, and of course speed.
[50:01] \[SPEAKER_02\]: Yeah.
[50:02] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Um, but, uh, for, for a debut of that program, I, I thought it was great.
[50:10] \[SPEAKER_04\]: The only reason people are being so critical, I think, is because the French, um, had a debut of their three dance, um, last weekend that kind of garnered them,
[50:27] \[SPEAKER_04\]: about 10 more points than chalk and bates.
[50:32] \[SPEAKER_02\]: They also have had more time to work on their programs.
[50:37] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Well, I mean, then again, chalk and bates had had 14 years of togetherness.
[50:44] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Well, stays are all.
[50:48] \[SPEAKER_04\]: And we'll dry our new couple, right?
[50:57] \[SPEAKER_04\]: But I think, first of all, that was in France.
[51:03] \[SPEAKER_04\]: So I think you got to take that down five six points, right?
[51:10] \[SPEAKER_04\]: And then you got to look at the fact that that program was wonderful, I thought, that the French did last weekend.
[51:23] \[SPEAKER_04\]: It was not a new concept, right?
[51:27] \[SPEAKER_04\]: It was a program that Cesar would have done with Papadakis and LaRoss was slotted in there.
[51:37] \[SPEAKER_04\]: And I think that that's fine because those programs have really worked for him, right?
[51:45] \[SPEAKER_04\]: That they've won him, world titles, Olympic gold, et cetera, plus they really didn't have time.
[51:56] \[SPEAKER_04\]: to come up with a unique style that would establish them as this couple with a different style.
[52:12] \[SPEAKER_04\]: But I think it's going to be a horse race and you've got two couples and two free dances that could not be more different.
[52:25] \[SPEAKER_04\]: kind of subtle flowing, almost lyrical, free dance versus a fiery intense, free dance that is highlighted as often as the case by lifts.
[52:47] \[SPEAKER_04\]: So I couldn't be more interested in watching how this progresses.
[52:55] \[SPEAKER_02\]: I agree, um, Maddie and Evan have not done a challenge or event since the 2021-22 season.
[53:08] \[SPEAKER_04\]: That's correct.
[53:08] \[SPEAKER_02\]: They have not been doing a challenge a series event.
[53:11] \[SPEAKER_02\]: not every team feels the need to do it for some reason.
[53:14] \[SPEAKER_02\]: After that Olympic season, they decided we're going to try something different.
[53:19] \[SPEAKER_02\]: They haven't done challenges.
[53:22] \[SPEAKER_02\]: It seems to work for them.
[53:23] \[SPEAKER_02\]: It's worked for them for the last few years.
[53:26] \[SPEAKER_02\]: This is how they prefer to go into the season.
[53:28] \[SPEAKER_02\]: And I think, you know what, we have to trust that.
[53:33] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Let's see how things unfold going forward.
[53:42] \[SPEAKER_04\]: You have to, you have to trust that, but I think that this is going to be their fiercest challenge yet.
[53:50] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Because it's a little shocking how good a lyrous and gill already are.
[54:03] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Now, the silver medalists, I mean, they just did themselves a world of good here.
[54:08] \[SPEAKER_04\]: They did.
[54:10] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Absolutely.
[54:11] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Um, and, and that is really a big story, um, Zingus and Kaleshnik and, you know, my God, they broke 80 in their rhythm dance.
[54:21] \[SPEAKER_04\]: It took, you know, career in Potomorico to, they only broke 80, like last season, right?
[54:30] \[SPEAKER_04\]: And, um, they're, they're, they're, they're free dance too, too.
[54:35] \[SPEAKER_04\]: the Procuffy F version of Romeo and Juliet because there's probably about 10 versions of it, right?
[54:41] \[SPEAKER_02\]: There are.
[54:43] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Yeah.
[54:43] \[SPEAKER_04\]: It was just exceptionally clean.
[54:48] \[SPEAKER_04\]: If that makes any sense, their feet, their movements just very clean.
[54:57] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Great job of choreography again by Benoit.
[55:05] \[SPEAKER_04\]: out of his comfort zone on this one, because he's generally a quite an avant-garde, shall we say French choreographer.
[55:14] \[SPEAKER_04\]: And this time, I guess, you know, Igor rupt off on him, and he came up with something that's really quite classical, lovely, lovely dance spin.
[55:27] \[SPEAKER_04\]: And just a superb outing,
[55:32] \[SPEAKER_04\]: a new personal best.
[55:33] \[SPEAKER_04\]: I think it was 124.84.
[55:37] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Could not have been more impressive.
[55:40] \[SPEAKER_04\]: And really are really through their really rose.
[55:46] \[SPEAKER_04\]: You know, in the sort of in the betting for that for one of those three ice dance spots.
[55:55] \[SPEAKER_02\]: Absolutely.
[55:55] \[SPEAKER_04\]: So they did just a tremendous competition for them can't say enough.
[56:02] \[SPEAKER_02\]: Yeah, Vadim did get his citizenship.
[56:04] \[SPEAKER_02\]: I think it was early last month.
[56:07] \[SPEAKER_02\]: And he did.
[56:09] \[SPEAKER_02\]: He, Vadim did get his citizenship.
[56:11] \[SPEAKER_02\]: And let's not forget that Emily Zingus has not been eye-stancing her whole life.
[56:18] \[SPEAKER_02\]: This is still new.
[56:20] \[SPEAKER_02\]: She was a single skater before they started skating together.
[56:24] \[SPEAKER_02\]: And this is a partnership that works for me.
[56:30] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Yeah, she's maybe she had the heart of an eye stance for the whole time because she, I would say that she looks like an eye stance for now.
[56:39] \[SPEAKER_02\]: Yeah, it looks like an eye stance.
[56:40] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Yeah, you know, she's got the, the elements.
[56:43] \[SPEAKER_04\]: And I, I was extremely impressed with them.
[56:49] \[SPEAKER_04\]: And I was extremely impressed with their program, especially their free dance.
[56:54] \[SPEAKER_04\]: And they had a good solid rhythm dance.
[56:59] \[SPEAKER_04\]: So that was a big story coming out of cup of China.
[57:03] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Yeah.
[57:05] \[SPEAKER_04\]: And you know, the second French lover over, I thought they skated in her partner.
[57:12] \[SPEAKER_04\]: You know, I thought they skated well.
[57:14] \[SPEAKER_04\]: I mean, they're the kind of team that you either really liked them or you kind of don't.
[57:18] \[SPEAKER_04\]: You know what I mean?
[57:20] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Yeah.
[57:20] \[SPEAKER_04\]: They're a little quirky in that French fashion.
[57:24] \[SPEAKER_04\]: I enjoy them.
[57:26] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Not everyone.
[57:26] \[SPEAKER_02\]: I enjoy them also.
[57:28] \[SPEAKER_02\]: I like that they bring different things to the table and I like the quirk.
[57:35] \[SPEAKER_02\]: I like that part of them.
[57:37] \[SPEAKER_02\]: I like that they're skinny to be ork.
[57:39] \[SPEAKER_02\]: I think it's fantastic.
[57:46] \[SPEAKER_02\]: This is such a
[57:48] \[SPEAKER_02\]: strange season with Laura for them.
[57:51] \[SPEAKER_02\]: I guess in particular with Gilm coming back and France has two spots and it's it's going to be what it is.
[58:06] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Well, least France has two spots.
[58:10] \[SPEAKER_04\]: So it's not like China with the one
[58:15] \[SPEAKER_04\]: You know, the other notable thing is a smart and deep, you know, they just could not overcome the the misstep, you know, in the rhythm dance to get onto the podium, I don't think, but I thought that I personally like that rhythm dance.
[58:33] \[SPEAKER_04\]: I thought it suited them and I think it's it's going to be one of the better rhythm dances of the season.
[58:39] \[SPEAKER_04\]: What what did you think?
[58:40] \[SPEAKER_03\]: yeah i think so too i think it's not one of those it's a mature nineties rhythm dance that suits them well you know it's storage michael uh... and robby Williams it's not a backstreet boys that kind of comes off as a cheesy um... rhythm dance and so i think it it'll suit them well the season they just got a you know fix it up a little bit not making mistakes on it because then
[59:10] \[SPEAKER_03\]: they could get on the podium if they've got two good skates and that free dance, which is Dune part two, is just as good as Dune part one in my opinion.
[59:24] \[SPEAKER_02\]: I like the free dance.
[59:28] \[SPEAKER_02\]: When I first heard that they were doing it, I thought maybe it was a rumor and all I could think is, no, I hope they do it because in ICE stands, there is such a strangle around the neck about reusing programs, but taking this to a part two and doing some different things with that.
[59:49] \[SPEAKER_02\]: I think is something I'd like to see more of in ICE dance if possible.
[59:55] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Yeah, I would probably disagree a little bit.
[59:59] \[SPEAKER_04\]: half the judges are not going to realize that it's a new program.
[1:00:05] \[SPEAKER_04\]: And it might hurt them slightly, because in ice dance, you're really expected to come up with something new every single time.
[1:00:19] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Now you have couples like I guess the Canadians who are bringing back something from years ago.
[1:00:27] \[SPEAKER_04\]: and there's been a little more of a break.
[1:00:31] \[SPEAKER_04\]: But I don't know, I, you know, everything changes.
[1:00:34] \[SPEAKER_02\]: I have a question, Lynn.
[1:00:37] \[SPEAKER_02\]: Who came up with this ridiculous rule that the I standsers can't reuse a program?
[1:00:42] \[SPEAKER_02\]: I don't think it's a rule.
[1:00:43] \[SPEAKER_02\]: It feels like it is.
[1:00:44] \[SPEAKER_02\]: It's a rule, it's a rule of thumb.
[1:00:46] \[SPEAKER_02\]: Yeah.
[1:00:48] \[SPEAKER_02\]: Because why should dance be?
[1:00:51] \[SPEAKER_04\]: I still, because I stand more than the other disciplines
[1:00:56] \[SPEAKER_04\]: is seen as a creative discipline where you're exploring.
[1:01:04] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Okay.
[1:01:04] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Part of, you know, huge part of it is like you're exploring different music genres.
[1:01:11] \[SPEAKER_04\]: You're pushing yourself.
[1:01:14] \[SPEAKER_04\]: I look at Chuck and Bayes.
[1:01:16] \[SPEAKER_04\]: They really try to reinvent themselves every season.
[1:01:23] \[SPEAKER_04\]: You know, I don't know.
[1:01:26] \[SPEAKER_04\]: I'm so old.
[1:01:28] \[SPEAKER_04\]: I remember when the doucheon A's did missing one and missing two and in a missing two did not capture the excitement that missing one did.
[1:01:39] \[SPEAKER_04\]: And I just wonder if Dune will recapture.
[1:01:43] \[SPEAKER_04\]: It was very exciting in Boston when you saw that and you saw her come out and that wonderful costume that was designed by Madison Choc.
[1:01:56] \[SPEAKER_04\]: But you know, I could be wrong.
[1:01:58] \[SPEAKER_04\]: I could be dead wrong because they, they, the last couple of seasons, you know, they started their partnership out slow, but they've been improving with the leaps and bounds.
[1:02:09] \[SPEAKER_02\]: So yeah, I like that they're doing duing part two.
[1:02:13] \[SPEAKER_02\]: Okay.
[1:02:14] \[SPEAKER_02\]: I think that having, I really enjoyed doing part one, but to see this version, I can see the different things that they're doing with it.
[1:02:24] \[SPEAKER_02\]: versus what we got last year.
[1:02:25] \[SPEAKER_02\]: And I hope that the judges will enlighten themselves to it.
[1:02:31] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Right.
[1:02:31] \[SPEAKER_02\]: That's, I mean, that's all we can do.
[1:02:34] \[SPEAKER_02\]: And I appreciate you saying, because I stance as it looked at as, you know, the more creative discipline.
[1:02:42] \[SPEAKER_02\]: And I can bite into that a little bit.
[1:02:44] \[SPEAKER_02\]: I just feel like sometimes, I stance gets pushed to be the testing ground
[1:02:55] \[SPEAKER_02\]: spectators or viewers to the sport of figure skating, which is what I think some of this playing around with 90s and 80s genres of music is kind of meant to do.
[1:03:11] \[SPEAKER_04\]: No question about that.
[1:03:14] \[SPEAKER_04\]: But on the other hand, when you're doing six or seven quads in a program or
[1:03:25] \[SPEAKER_04\]: you know, artistic fashion that it would be for, you know, ice dancers.
[1:03:32] \[SPEAKER_04\]: So, so they're different.
[1:03:33] \[SPEAKER_04\]: It's different emphasis on ice dance.
[1:03:38] \[SPEAKER_04\]: Um, and why we, you know, why we love it so much.
[1:03:40] \[SPEAKER_04\]: It's it's a different, um, it's really a sport in and of itself.
[1:03:45] \[SPEAKER_02\]: It is and that's a conversation for another day because I could go on and on and on about all the nuances and things that I love about I stand said why it's my favorite discipline.
[1:03:58] \[SPEAKER_04\]: And that like I said is for another podcast will okay then so that's about a wrap I think on.
[1:04:06] \[SPEAKER_02\]: on top on cup of Canada almost we got we got one or two more things we want to mention one Caroline Green Michael Parsons we did talk about them we didn't mention
[1:04:18] \[SPEAKER_02\]: they had to withdraw after the free dance and two went or actually they had to withdraw after the free dance.
[1:04:26] \[SPEAKER_04\]: After the free dance warm up for six minutes, the five minute whatever warm up.
[1:04:31] \[SPEAKER_02\]: So they unfortunately had to withdraw after the five minute warm up.
[1:04:35] \[SPEAKER_02\]: And then Lynn, did you happen to notice the strange missile that was in the kissing cry with
[1:04:49] \[SPEAKER_04\]: What is the story on that?
[1:04:51] \[SPEAKER_02\]: It has made the rounds on the internet like as you can imagine, the figure skating Twitter verse.
[1:04:59] \[SPEAKER_02\]: It has kind of blown up there.
[1:05:01] \[SPEAKER_02\]: And I guess that I assume deemed it inappropriate and is investigating how it happened.
[1:05:11] \[SPEAKER_02\]: Well, then, thanks so much for joining us for this episode of This Week in Skating.
[1:05:17] \[SPEAKER_02\]: No problem, any time, any time.
[1:05:20] \[SPEAKER_01\]: Thanks for tuning in to another episode of This Week in Skating.
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