I can only recap the final flight for now. Here is what I thought:
They show Takahashi's two-footed quad flip. A QUAD FLIP? DAISUKE!!! You are amaaaazing. But please don't fall. I think he would be the first man to land a quad flip if he pulled it off.
Jeremy Abbott (Music: Symphony No. 1 by Saint-Saens): COME ON JEREMY! You were underscored in the short, but scores don't matter, just skate clean! Well, scores do matter a bit. hee. Quad toe - not enough speed at all going into that. He falls. uh, say Paul Wylie, and my heart. He holds onto the triple flip but it wadn't perty. Gorgeous triple axel/triple toe. Not quite that much speed so far but he looks like he's getting stronger as he goes on. Oh man, he just fell on a double axel. Oh, Jeremy. He is so upset right now. He always seems sort of fragile...this will not do anything for his psyche. Second triple axel with a double toe was gorgeous again. Wylie is discussing whether Abbott should have the quad in the program...maybe the answer is not? I don't know. Beautiful three jump combination. He saves a triple loop. Nice spins, of course. I just can't watch him because his face gives everything away and makes me so sad. Another clean jump, and great footwork here at the end. Beautiful edges. I think Wylie just product-placed. I can't really listen to more talk about what Abbott should build on...isn't it evident his time is now and that it is being squandered by these performances? SO SAD. Ugh he is soooo sad now. I can't watch. Score: 151.05 in the free, 232.10, in first place overall, which is amazing considering he had two falls.
Takahiko Kozuka (Japan, Guitar Concierto by M. Kamen): Beautiful deep edges right from the start. Fall on the quad toe - ACK QUAD IS BAD NEWS TODAY. Singled his triple axel. Wylie is explaining the mental energy that goes into the quad. I think it must also be phsyical. Kozuka did a beautiful three jump combo, and now an extremely low sit spin. Great spin. Nice footworkBeatuiful spread eagle into combo, great jumps. It's too bad about that beginning. Second triple axel attempt, unravels mid-air. Ugh, just not the day for Kozuka. Fine triple lutz at the end here, he lands his last few triples as well. Just love ot watch him on the ice, he really works the ice. Apparently he has a lot of training in school figures, which he would never have needed competitively but has helped his skating quality immensely, judging from the way he skates. Oh, well, Kozuka. Next year... Score: 132.53...wow, his overall total is 216.73, and he is in sixth overall. What a disaster.
Brian Joubert (France, Music: Ancient Land): Now, maybe Joubert can land us a quad for the final group!!! He is planning for two. Oh dear, I have a really bad association with this program from Vancouver...I don't usually feel like that when I hear a piece of music. Interesting. I wonder if the skaters feel like that!? quad toe/double toe. GREAT! Secon quad toe...WOW, he got it. that is awesome. He is really hanging onto them too...now he holds onto the triple axel. UGH falls on triple lutz. He must already be exhausted. That stinks...to mar what has been a great display of jumping. Now is where some choreography comes in,and he just looks spent. More jumps. Triple flip...fine...Second triple lutz in combination. Wylie said he is simplifying the program. He turns out of a triple loop. The beginning of his program just knocks him out too much! ugh. He is doing ok on the footwork but it's really not the same level as some of the other skaters, and he is not attacking like he did last night. Three jump combo - that should rack up some points. Spins are fine, not special here. The crowd loves him, as always. Wylie is also pinpointing little simplifications in his footwork, which I think is quite helpful for the viewer. Oh, he looks so disappointed. Sad...but overall not a disaster. Score: 154.04 for the free skate, 241.74 overall, first place for now. THREE MEN REMAIN.
Patrick Chan (Canada, Music: PHantom of the Opera): Joyce says Joubert puts pressure on Chan now, but he kind of doesn't really put THAT much pressure on Chan, let's not kid ourselves. Let's see what happens!!!! Beautiful edges for Chan as well. WOW that triple axel was LEANING but he saved it! Then he added the combo jump, so that was a nice save. Triple flip, triple toe - doesn't look perfect but good second jump. Maybe he is tight or whatever. Saves the triple lutz also - Wylie says he is not over his skate. It's so weird, but he has inherited Plushenko's ability to save any jump, I guess. Good for him. Great section here, nice spins and choreogrpahy. Wow, well done on the second triple axel. Beautiful three-jump combination...he is skating VERY well...Good spins. Gorgeous spread eagle. UGH he falls on the triple loop. Oh, man. argh,and he puts his foot down on the check out of the triple sal. Lands a double axel, though. When he has that fall, the other Grade of execution deductions on the jumps start to look much worse. Great footwork here, though. Score: 159.42, 247.22 overall. He is in first.
Michal Brezina (Czech Republic, Music: An American in Paris): He is not trying a quad. Triple axel - so high! Triple flip, also gorgeous. Triple salchow, simple for him! Cutesy routine but not up to par with the others. Second triple axle...double toe. Low landing but still great. He is really doing well. SO of course when i say that he puts his hand down on his next jump! OH. Double axel. Triple lutz, but no combo. Three jump combo. This was a great job, overall, but he will lose out on program components. I don't think he'll overcome Joubert. Score: 154.31, new personal best, 236.60 overall, he's in third for now. I guess the crowd is booing...yay, they like him.
Which brings us to....
Daisuke Takahashi (Japan, La Strata): OMG HE did the quadruple flip but he two-footed!!! UGh, I guess he doesn't get credit, but wowee!!! Triple axel double toe - slow, but done. Triple loop jump, great. I wish the camer would show some of this amazing footwork! YAY. He has a loooot of energy. I hope he has enough for the rest of hte program!! Great job...Triple flip/triple toe - does not really check out of the landing. Holds onto the triple salchow. OMG SECOND TRIPLE AXEL !! YAYY. Triple lutz, fine and dandy. Double axel/double toe. I love this program beyond words - have I mentioned that? More footwork...he is just throwing so much passion out there. I am loving this. He is the performance of the night emotionally and technically, I would say, at least of the final flight. YAYYYY!!!! UGH he was soooo close on the quad flip. I know I usually say don't try the quad, but he has to do what he has to do, and he tried to push the envelope. Good for him. Score: 168.40 MANNNN DOES HE DO IT!!! 257.70. YOur new world champion, Daisuke Takahashi, YAhoo!!!
Right up to Peter Carruthers, Lipinski and Weir.
Lipinski loves that he did the quad flip. Weir is so impressed also, says that Takahashi sometimes gets slow at the end, but here he was crisp and clean and perfect, and they agree he was stronger in the second half.
Podium
1) Takahashi
2) Chan
3) Joubert.
Abbott is fifth, Rippon is sixth, so the Americans keep their three slots next season. I will have more to say but while this was not a clean competition, how about that Daisuke?? Amazing.
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