 |
|
 |
SHORT PROGRAM
This evening made history since there was a record number of quadruple jumps. Seven clean quads were landed in the Short. If you wanna know who landed them go to the end of the post. Now competition report!
TOP GROUP:
Sasha Abt was the first to take the ice. He didn't try the quad and opted instead a triple Axel/triple toeloop combination and a triple Lutz. Anyway he skated at the best! His program was clean and flowing and what an interpretation!!!! From live it was almost breath-taking. You could have the impression he was looking right in your eyes while he was doing his program, you could almost believe that he was skating just for you...this is a sensation that I always feel when Sasha skate, but this time I wasn't the onlyone. Many people in the audience told me the same thing! Amazing. The program had fine spins and choreography. Marks: included one 5.8 for presentation
Chengjiang Li (CHN) was second to skate. Quadruple toeloop just for start. Then he put his hand down after the triple Axel in his combination jump. What a pity! he was eighth in the Short Program and sixth overall.
Next to skate was Plushenko. He seemed very tense and pale to me but he still managed to do a good performance: he landed a clean quadruple toeloop and a clean triple Axel/triple toeloop. He made a small error on his combination Biellmann spin (again like in Vienna!!!!!). Apart from technical aspect I didn't like him so much that evening: he was too cold in his presentation... Marks: included six 5.8s for required elements and another five for presentation.
Elvis opened with a triple Axel/triple toeloop but fell hard on his attempt at the quadruple toeloop. He finished fifth in the Short and fourth overall.
Weiss (USA) landed a quadruple toeloop and triple Axel/triple toeloop combination. He was going so well and I was already thinking " Oh he's the outsider that no one would expect! Maybe Plushy and Yag are in trouble..." but while I was thinking that he managed to over-rotate the double Axel!!!. I couldn't believe to my eyes! He was almost done! Marks: for required elements ranged from 5.1 to 5.6 but he received two 5.9s and four 5.8s for presentation so he was third in the short.
Last to skate was Yashka. It was an outstanding performance (I was on my feet since at the end of it and I was not the only one!!). He started with a quadruple toeloop and triple Axel/triple toeloop. After he was done with the difficult element he skated as if it was the last time he was skating...really wonderful performance. He reminded me of the FP of Helsinki (I was there too) Marks: three 5.9s and 5.8s for required elements and a full set of 5.9s for presentation. I would have given at least one 6.0 since he was the last skater, he really would have deserved it!
So the standing was
Yagudin
Plushenko(second in the Short)
Weiss
Stojko
Abt
Li
Who landed the quads?
Timothy Goebel (USA) became the first skater to land a quadruple Salchow in the Short Program at a World Championship. Anthony Liu (AUS) and Zehngxin Guo (CHN, Li (CHN), Plushenko, Weiss and Yagudin landed quadruple toeloops.