COC Mens Free Live Commentary

Here is my live commentary for the mens free skate, taking place at the 2009 Cup of China.

Start Order
Warm-Up Group 1
1 Armin MAHBANOOZADEH USA
12 59.54

2 Kevin REYNOLDS CAN
11 60.12

3 Ming XU CHN
10 61.02

4 Denis TEN KAZ
9 64.05

5 Chao YANG CHN
8 65.10

6 Stephen CARRIERE USA
7 65.24

Warm-Up Group 2

7 Yannick PONSERO FRA
6 66.65

8 Jinlin GUAN CHN
5 66.70

9 Samuel CONTESTI ITA
4 72.08

10 Evan LYSACEK USA
3 80.80

11 Sergei VORONOV RUS
2 81.40

12 Nobunari ODA JPN
1 83.35


Armin Mahbanoozadeh (USA)
3A-fall
3A+3T-fall on 2nd jump; good attempt
3F(lovely)+2T(toe-axeled)-landed
3R-landed
Good flying deathdrop
3Z-nice
3S-good; came after Ina Bauer (without back bend)
3Z+2T-lutz not as high as 1st, combo was cleanly landed nonetheless
2A-good
Good final spin combo

TES: 65.29
PCS: 53.70
Ded: -2.00
Total: 116.99
Grand Total: 176.53


Kevin Reynolds (Canada)
4S-fall out
2T
3A(wobbly)+2T
3R+3T-no speed coming out of 2nd jump but landed
3A-possible UR but landed
3S-preceded and followed by spirals; nice
3Z-low but clean
3F+3T(slight toe-axel)+2R-good
Spins were OK throughout program but the last spin combo was far and away the best with great speed
Transitions and expression have improved slightly from last season. Crowd liked the performance.

TES: 72.45
PCS: 55.90
Total: 128.35
Grand Total: 188.47
Rank: 1


Ming Xu (China)
Warsaw Concerto
3A-fall
3A-good but will only count as a sequence because neither 3A was in combination
3Z-good
Fairly simplistic footwork
3Z+1T-It looked like he missed his toe pick on the entrance to the toe
2A+2A+SEQ-good height; barely held onto landing of first 2A
3R-clean
1A
3S-clean
Missed exit to spin
Interpretation and transitions are very weak. Choreography is repetitive but speed is OK.

TES: 52.45
PCS: 51.10
Ded: -1.00
Total: 102.55
Grand Total: 163.57
Rank: 3


Denis Ten (Kazakstan)
3A-very nice
Z-off balance on entrance, tripped, didn't leave the ice
Nice step sequence
Great middle section of choreo
3F-fall
3Z-fall; possible UR
3R-landed
3S-good (plus another jump that was landed in a sequence that I missed)
2A-good
Very nice straight line step sequence
Good dynamic presentation

TES: 59.38
PCS: 61.20
Ded: -2.00
Total: 118.58
Grand Total: 182.63
Rank: 2


Chao Yang (China)
3Z+3T-great air time
3F-lovely
2A-less height on this jump than previous triples but clean
Nice speed in spin combo
2A+2T+2R-very hunched over landing on 2A but otherwise OK
3F(slightly UR)+2T-landed with steps preceding jump pass
3S-nice
Footwork doesn't use motion of whole body; fairly bland
2A-landed
Flying deathdrop-slightly off-axis
Very tired and slow toward end of program
3Z-good
Off balance to entrance of final spin
Very bland artistically

TES: 66.49
PCS: 58.40
Total: 124.89
Grand Total: 189.99
Rank: 1


Stephen Carriere (USA)
3A-nice
3R+2A+SEQ-good
3Z-good with steps preceding it
Good step sequence
3F-little off but held on
2A+2T-opened up in air and fell out of landing
3R-good
3Z+Tano2T+2R(w/both arms above head)-close to the boards but clean
3S-forward on landing; held on
Good speed on final combo spin; traveled slightly
Much improved skating skills and musicality

TES: 65.94
PCS: 63.90
Total: 129.84
Grand Total: 195.08
Rank: 1


Warm-Up Group 2 is on the ice. Guan landed nice 3Z+3T. Contesti did a clean but wobbly triple flip. Lysacek is in black as usual.


Yannick Ponsero (France)
4T-very nice
3A-slightly forward on landing but clean
3Z-fall backwards
3A+2T(he was leaning in the air in the 3A, hopped and turned out of it but did not put his foot down and tacked on the 2T)
3S+2T+2T-good
3R-leaning over right side and fell
3T+half loop+3S-nice
Good spins
Incredible speed in his stroking; program was not as fun and carefree as the theme of the music suggested to be.

TES: 61.77
PCS: 68.70
Ded: -2.00
Total: 128.47
Grand Total: 195.12
Rank: 1


Jinlin Guan (China)
3Z+3T-great
3F-lovely air time and smooth landing
2S
2A-good height
deathdrop
3F-hand down; leaned in the air
3R-landed
3Z-solid
2A+2T+T-landed
Guan has good understanding of subtlety and holding out movements to match some of the sections of the score that have slower tempos. Good expression; footwork sequences need more speed and power.

TES: 57.35
PCS: 63.90
Total: 121.25
Grand Total: 187.95
Rank: 5


Samuel Contesti (Italy)
3A+3T-Put his hand and free leg down to the ice on 2nd jump but did not fall
3F-crashed into boards
3Z-nice
3A-good height
3R-fall out
2A-good
3S+3T-solid
2A+2T+2T-good
Very fun, quirky program, but his western-themed LP from last year worked better because it carried a theme and it was explored in a comedic manner. Contesti's facial mannerisms are fun to watch at first but become repetitive.

TES: 69.47
PCS: 67.30
Ded: -1.00
Total: 135.77
Grand Total: 207.85
Rank: 1


Evan Lysacek (USA)
3Z+3T-forward on landing but OK
3A-good
3S-slightly off to left side but controlled landing
3A+2T-landing on 3A a little wild but clean
3R-landed; possible UR
3F(possible double foot)+2T+2R(possible UR)
3Z-slightly wild landing, held on
2A-good
Great climax to straight line step sequence
Very dramatic program. I prefer something like his Gershwin LP from last season that is more subtle; the more dramatic programs like this, Carmen, and Tosca, go very overboard with expression.

TES: 72.87
PCS: 78.50
Total: 151.37
Grand Total: 232.17
Rank: 1


Sergei Voronov (Russia)
4T-held on
2Z+3T-dealt with mistake on lutz well
3A+2T-very good
Nice use of levels in footwork
1A
3R-excellent; finished revolution well before landing
2F
3S+2T+2R-good
2A-good
Program doesn't really go anywhere and his movement does not always reflect the intensity of his music.

TES: 65.59
PCS: 73.40
Total: 138.99
Grand Total: 220.39
Rank: 2


Nobunari Oda (Japan)
3Z-nice
3A+3T-entrance a little slow but otherwise excellent
Good spin combo
3S-solid
1A
3Z+3T+2R-great recovery, very solid
3F-preceded by spiral; good
3R-nice
2A-nice
Very nice performance. This Charlie Chaplin themed program is different, but is also something that can be very easily appreciated. The programs flows together very well and maintains the fun, comical theme throughout.

TES: 78.13
PCS: 78.10
Total: 156.23
Grand Total: 239.58
Rank: 1


Final Standings
1 Nobunari ODA JPN 239.58
2 Evan LYSACEK USA 232.17
3 Sergei VORONOV RUS 220.39
4 Samuel CONTESTI ITA 207.85
5 Yannick PONSERO FRA 195.12
6 Stephen CARRIERE USA 195.08
7 Chao YANG CHN 189.99
8 Kevin REYNOLDS CAN 188.47
9 Jinlin GUAN CHN 187.95
10 Denis TEN KAZ 182.63
11 Armin MAHBANOOZADEH USA 176.53
12 Ming XU CHN 163.57