Sombreuil

I agree with this. Boyang seems to be trying (without getting a lot of assistance ) to be trying to find his own style rather than waiting for his advisers to tell him what to do which seems to be the case with the majority of skaters. He can be expressive and he often looks as though he's really enjoying himself while he's skating(jump face aside!). In addition he's not focussed on the short term- he seems to want to do it properly, whereas Nathan and Shoma seem to want to do it fast never mind the quality or the content. I know Nathan has backtracked a bit on the get out and go to university line, but it did leave a strong impression that he's in it to make a splash and get out fast.

Better make an effort to watch as much as I can then

Thank you for that. I hadn't really had time to look it up. I thought the bit about ideal ice temperatures for figure skating being warmer than for hockey was interesting in view of Max Ambesi's comments during 4CC about the fact that at PC the same rink is being used for FS and short track speed skating, and the speed skaters apparently like it slightly warmer again, which might cause problems. I did google Zamboni - they were first developed in the late 40s - before that it was done with a hand propelled thing- ice equivalent of a push lawnmower I suppose- must have taken ages. On the other hand they didn't have TV schedules dictating the pace then!

Also, although he enjoys the ice shows, they aren't really cutting edge are they? The rinks tend to be cramped and jumping passes have to be modified to fit. Mr Perfectionist probably wouldn't be satisfied with just ice shows. Unless he became fed up with living abroad or was injured I think the new rivalries and the jump still to be landed will keep him interested in competition for a season or two yet.

I can't even remember what I put down- know I got the men wrong

I know what you mean - I feel the same - irrational but what can you do? Stay away and watch a recorded version? The boy says he draws strength from the support of his fans -,so maybe we should just watch and support him whatever happens?

Wasn't quite sure where to put this but after dithering over the 'random thoughts' thread, he is a distinguished ex skater whose name has been cropping up lately and though I'm too useless technically to link the YouTube vids there are several on there of Dick Button. Things I hadn't realised/ forgot to take into account - that the rinks were outdoors and they skated after dark- must have been a bit scary - he was the first to land a 3Loop/Rittberger - his triumph at the age of 18 was right after the aftermath of WW2 - not saying it's the reason he won because he did it again 4 years later, but it must have been a fair advantage with everyone older coming out of a conflict like that. - I can see what BO means but every improvement in sport comes on the back of those who came before- the 'bielmann' is actually the 'colledge' if you go back to the first pre war person who did it. Things I don't know:- - were they skating on lakes or purpose built outdoor rinks? - presumably it was pre Zamboni- how did they level the ice- or did they? - if they didn't mad levels of respect to that generation of skaters doing any jumps at all!

Well - he was a bit lukewarm about him and very positive about Javi which some people find upsetting. I posted - yesterday I think(?)- that it's a question of age and taste rather than anything more sinister.

Speaking for myself the diet will be a goner by this time tomorrow- just have to hit it extra hard next week- something has to give.

I think it's very beneficial sometimes to have different choreographers for free and SP - variety is good and if you always work with one person it's possible to get stale. Also one size doesn't fit all - I wish they would try a few different people instead of relying on one person. I'm glad EM is using Anna Karenina for the same reason - it's good to switch it around a bit and try some different people, especially when you're young. It would be amazing but unlikely to find the perfect choreographer at the first time of trying as Y did with Jeff, and even then he used someone else for the FP and after trying out DW eventually found SB. I know JF sticking with DW makes his work a bit formulaic - I don't know whether that's a comfort zone after a less than stellar junior career, or DWs style, or that he simply can't do anything else but it would be nice to see something different occasionally. And those are carefully put together programmes - SW is just a mess.

They use his photos as click bait- don't take it

TSL is a spent force- if it ever had much standing in the first place. It's just a bitchfest and they've bitten the hands that have fed them often enough to have lost their contacts so no one interesting is on there any more- maybe I'm feeling zen today but I find it perfectly easy to ignore them - I don't recall being particularly impressed with their interviewing when they had the likes of Tracey Wilson on there, I'm certainly not interested in their own views

@SSS The important thing to remember is that Dick Button is 88. He's been retired for ages and he almost certainly belongs to that august grouping of old timers who admire 'manly' skating. So he won't like the young ones because they're new and tbh often boring when they do too much jumping. He won't like Patrick Chan because lyrical skating isn't sufficiently masculine, and he won't appreciate Yuzuru because the sparkles will get between him and the quality of the skating, and he definitely won't appreciate a lot of his music choices. Javier skates to music he can enjoy (Sinatra, Elvis, classic film stuff) and in a way that he understands- it's slightly old fashioned and charming and the old boy can relate to it- it's perfectly comprehensible that he should enjoy his skating best, it's probably closest to what he tried to do himself. His opinions on the field are largely irrelevant. No one would have even thought of asking him what he thought if he weren't the last one to get consecutive golds. Whatever else you allow to upset you, chill out over this one.

No - the black shirt with the stylised white flowers down one shoulder - with the live band

Change - with the black jeans and the chrysanthemum patterned T-shirt

I don't know how much, if any, athlete involvement there is in ISU? I know in other sports athletes go on to be judges and officials and to the top but does this happen in FS? The only thing I remember seeing recently was a Russian (?) pairs/dance(?) skater who had declined to join a judging course because of disillusionment with the system but as must be obvious my recollection is extremely hazy. if there isn't much/ any then recruiting a few recently retired skaters might bring a little common sense into the thinking process? Who is FS for? The fans and the athletes after all, and the athletes give the most to it

Ok I've had a go- felt a bit like last time I went to the races esp re pairs and dance.

Well sometimes people come back to it after they've finished being outraged/amused/ disappointed about the trivial stuff and when as @Yatagarasu says they've had a chance to read a full proper translation. Personally I'm totally indebted to the likes of @gladi for the translations and I don't like to jump on the contents of partial or googled or Twitter translations because sometimes they turn out to be inaccurate or chosen for bias or wrongly nuanced. Let the joke die down and try again later?

Oh I think the shenanigans of the past 4 months have shown that he doesn't - and quite right too - it's his life!

I am dying to find out what he's planning for the ex

I am so glad EM is going with the Anna Karenina programme - have been refraining from comment rather than jinx it

Now now, don't get too excited- we only saw the white mock up with the blue fabric pinned to it - the fact there was no gold but the belt doesn't mean there won't be the gussets - don't get your hopes up yet or you might be despondent on Friday if he's decided the gussets were lucky!

@Yatagarasu I'd buy you a crate of it if I thought it would make it happen

Ok now I'm laughing out loud - good job I'm home alone this afternoon!

@xeyra Exactly