TallyT

I'm not usually the doom and gloom sort (my family call me a Pollyanna) but I really think that Skate America will end up being cancelled at the last minute... and if it goes, so will others.

If I was one of the big names, I'd be tempted to say a polite "thanks but no thanks". Alina has won everything, has nothing to prove, and surely doesn't need the 'joy' of competing again all three of her 'successors' in a faux-Nationals; Evgenia has everything but the OGM, so ditto (okay, maybe if Canada opens borders... but that is not looking likely any time soon). Rika's tweet yesterday was from Switzerland, presumably she's heading back to Japan and Hamada. Shoma... well, maybe if he could get to Switzerland because no one wants a repeat of last year's coachless competitions, and somehow I don't see him as remote coaching; if he did this, he could go to France with a great chance of winning (Kevin will be there but without his coaches). Nathan Chen... is he back at uni? (I thought I read he took the next year or two off but he may have chosen, given the skating wasteland, to head back if they are open). If so, looking at the numbers where the uni is, and at Nevada... umm. Yuzuru, if he is in Sendai, would have first dibs on Sendai Ice Rink, and Brian did say he basically trains himself these days, so with remote (and maybe a temporary Japanese coach, most of them would be more than happy for the honour) I've no doubt he could do it, even with new programs. But even more than Alina, he has absolutely nothing to prove and only the 4A to get. The ISU will be praying that he above all does decide to swallow their pretend GP, because wherever he is will be the only one to get much of an international audience and they know it.

Nah, I'm following it as well here and there. And normally I don't even like soap opera.

Tracey has mentioned how scary it is to see in practice at TCC, so watching it from across the world... poor them. But on the other hand, they are there every day, they know better than we do how he is NOT going to rest till he gets it.

It's evil of me, but I'm beginning to hope Shcherbakova announces she's leaving (though not for Plushy, please) as well, just because the explosions from the Eteri worshipping people twisting their previous praise of each exiting skater into condemnation is getting damn funny... and if all three of the 3A 'family' desert, what will they do???? But she won't. She's now top of the team.

Russian ladies - the never-ending soap opera story.... I can't say I'm surprised, the team system had the seeds of its own implosion inbuilt. Too many OGM wannabes under one roof was never going to work, even before covid wrecked their chances of making a mark this year. And the method did treat the girls as easily replaceable and replaced, which kind of makes Eteri's complaints about lack of loyalty rather... well, sauce for the goose. If Alina chooses not to return, it's going to make things veeeeerrrry interesting, with the invincible team going from too many for the podiums to... one (at least till Valieva moves up). I what Shcherbakova is thinking this morning? She's pretty well become queen bee.

The US have over 68000 new cases yesterday, and 1465 deaths. https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/ They cannot seriously think that it will be under control and the borders opened by Skate America. I love and desperately miss seeing Yuzuru and many others, but I do NOT WANT them to go into that sort of risk.

We may not have a program yet, but we have at least one costume suggestion.... given my dream for one program, I want black and red, and slim trousers, but it's very lovely.

And Holy Hannah, it's just so beautiful... other skaters can probably do it, but not with his grace and lightness.

That embossing is gorgeous! I have several boxed book sets (Folio Society gifts mostly) and this is up there with ther very best of them.

Welcome!!!

Just started a taped (and unrelated) show, and the tape had caught the end credots for the preceding repeat of the Men's GPF from last year... my sister looked at the slowmo of Yuzu mid-Origin, said mildly "oh he's graceful, lovely costume, is that one of the ones you follow?" Ten seconds of slowmo Nathan followed, and she wrinkled her nose (I don't think his daggy yellow went down nearly as well) and went "not as nice to watch..." I doubt she'll take up watching - she's into fencing in a BIG way, it's her sport to watch and play - but it was nice to hear anyway

To be fair, I believe baseball is even more popular than figure skating in Japan, amd the first guy looks like a baseballer... the third one, is that the tennis player?

Anone know if it's been mentioned what the music on the CM is?

Oh, so beautiful.... o

It caught Yuzu's otherworldly magic, the camera work was superb. We just needed it to be loooooooonger.......

Want more, more, more.....

Yuzu is on screen... now and oh so beautiful.....

The behind the scenes bits have made the Japanese papers as well. Lotte would be really happy right now...

It's beautiful!

... and this makes perfect sense to me so maybe roll on 2021???

Gorgeous photos and footage.

And social media waits with baited breath....