At the World’s figure skating championships this year, Canada’s Jeffrey Buttle found himself in the same position as Johnny Weir at the U.S. Nationals.
Skating after a performance that blows the roof off the house is always difficult. Weir, the defending U.S. champion at the time, found himself skating his long program after Evan Lysacek made his first quadruple toeloop in competition, and Buttle had to skate after the momentum of three other spectacular performances at Worlds.
Switzerland’s Stephane Lambiel, the wild card of the competition, skated third in the final group of male skaters. The two-time and defending world champion has admitted to being burnt-out after last year’s intense Olympic season and only recently decided to come to Worlds, but he landed a quad-double-double combination jump and fully rotated a second quad. He stumbled out of the second quad, but came from sixth place after the short program and earned enough points to win the bronze.
Lambiel had a marvelous free skate, charming the crowd and rattling the nerves of Brian Joubert, who skated next. Joubert was in first place after the short program, and recognized what he was up against. “Stephane did a great performance, which made it more difficult,” Joubert said. “I didn’t want to win the program. I wanted just to do a good program and win the title.”
Joubert did end up winning the gold, but points-wise, his free skate came behind Lambiel’s. Joubert nailed his opening quad-toeloop, and then a triple flip and a triple Axel. Instead of risking a second quad, the European champ and first Frenchman to win the Worlds since 1965 went for a triple toe-triple-toe combination, three more triples, and two level-three step sequences. His flying sit spin and sit spin, however, were downgraded to a level one.
You could say that Joubert “skated smart.” I’m very tired,” a triumphant Joubert said. “I didn’t attempt the second quad because I wanted to give the audience a clean program. I worked for this gold. It’s been a great season, and I gave it everything I had tonight.”
This in spite of coming back from a serious injury; in late February, Joubert spiked his foot with the blade of his other foot, causing him to miss crucial training. As a result, he wasn’t up to the form he was earlier in the season. At the Cup of Russia competition in November, he produced four quads. Out of any male skater in the senior circuit, Joubert understands the importance of the quad jump, especially for the future of the sport of figure skating.
Fortunately, he enjoyed a huge lead after the short program, which was a good thing regarding Japan’s Daisuke Takahashi’s performance immediately after Joubert’s. Takahashi overcame the pressure of skating at home and captured the home audience with his exuberant and emotional free skate.
Other than putting his hand down on his opening quad toe loop that seemed to relieve the pressure, Takahashi’s performance was flawless. He subsequently reeled off two triple Axels (one in combination with a double toeloop), a triple flip-triple toeloop combination, a triple Lutz-double toe-double loop, and three more triples. He seemed tired towards the end of his program, but the audience’s support gave him new energy to complete his final straight-line footwork.
“Before I went out to skate, I was so nervous, I almost cried,” Takahashi said. When he finished, he couldn’t stop sobbing with relief and joy while the crowd erupted into a standing ovation. “I’m very happy and full of joy,” he added.
Then it was Buttle’s turn. He was in second place after his short program, but his free skate placed eighth, putting him in sixth overall. He stepped out of a triple axle and fell twice, first on a quad toe loop (which was downgraded to a triple) and his first triple Axel. In spite of these mistakes, however, he produced five more triple jumps. Buttle also made level threes in his complicated and expressive footwork and spins.
And so, like Weir at the U.S. Nationals, Buttle failed to take advantage of a great opportunity. His coach, Lee Barkell, chalked it up to a season of injury and the lack of a consistent quad jump in Buttle’s arsenal.
As far as skating after Takahashi’s pivotal performance, Buttle admitted that it made a difference. “Obviously, it has an effect,” he said. “You can’t ignore that kind of volume and response.”
Sources:
Associated Press. Figure Skating: Joubert’s quad and 7 triples suffice to win men’s title. http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/03/22/sports/skate.php
Cole, C. Joubert wins world figure skating title, Buttle sixth. http://www.canada.com/topics/sports/story.html?id=a12cc65c-3d00-42d8-a32c-effea1f2116f&k=43993
ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2007 Tokyo (JPN) Day 3. http://www.isu.org/vsite/vcontent/content/news/0,10869,4844-131973-133281-18886-268038-news-item,00.html
Kaye, R. 2007 World Figure Skating Championships: Men's Free Skate Highlights. http://goldenskate.com/articles/2006/032307_ml.shtml
Smith, B. Joubert wins men’s world figure skating title. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070322.wsptskate22/BNStory/Front
Showing posts with label Brian Joubert. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Brian Joubert. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Sunday, April 01, 2007
Worlds Men’s Short Program
It seems that every male skater in the world loves to skate in Asia, except for Asian skaters.
The pressure seemed to get to most of the male figure skaters who competed at the 2007 Worlds Championships in Tokyo last month, especially the Asian skaters. This was apparent in the short program.
When all was said and done, it wasn’t an Asian skater that won the gold medal; it was France’s Brian Joubert. Joubert also came on top after the short program, hitting his opening quadruple-triple toeloop and triple Axel, showing good footwork, and making his personal best (83.64).
It wasn’t the clean program he wanted, though. The European champ put his hand down on the triple flip, but he earned a level four for his three spins and a level three for both his circular and straight-line step sequences. “I’m very happy with my performance,” the Frenchman said. “I beat my personal best. I did one small mistake on the triple flip, and I’m a little disappointed about that.”
Joubert was the only male skater who was able to make his quad-combination. Only one other skater made the attempt, American champ Evan Lysacek. He put his hand on the ice on his quad and lost points for the combination when he waited too long for the second jump. He ended up in the fifth place, but eleven points behind Joubert.
“What I feel proud of is that I put the quad out there under the pressure of the world championships,” Lysacek said. “I knew I had to take the risk.”
Other skaters were plagued by mistakes as well. Ryan Bradley, who surprised everyone with his skill and enthusiasm at the U.S. Nationals by winning the bronze medal, came in a disappointing 19th after falling on a triple axel jump.
"It just wasn't in the cards today,” he said. “It’s my first worlds, and I guess it happens.”
Johnny Weir, who has had a less than stellar season, wanted to please his Japanese fans. He blamed his weak performance on weariness. He started with a smooth triple axel and a triple-triple combination but then stumbled on a triple flip and finished fourth.
“I gave it maybe 65 percent tonight,” Weir said with his characteristic wry sense of humor. “I’ve been having some trouble adjusting here. My costume is even tired.”
Jeffrey Buttle from Canada did well, however, coming in second after the short program. He was excited about the competition upon his arrival in Tokyo; “I love competing in Asia,” he said.
For good reason, since Buttle has done well in Asia of late: second in the Grand Prix Final and first in the Japan International Challenge, both in 2005 in Tokyo, and second in the Grand Prix Final and first in the Cup of China, both in 2004 in Beijing.
In Buttle’s short program at World’s, in spite of a back injury that kept him out of the Grand Prix this year, he landed a solid triple flip-triple toe, a triple Axel, and a triple Lutz. His three spins were all level fours, and he set a new personal best (79.90 points).
So it was the Asian skaters that felt the pressure of skating at home the most. Japan’s Nobunari Oda, one of the most talented and promising young skaters in the world, had a disappointing short program. He missed his first triple axle and had points off his score for other badly executed jumps.
It seemed that his style, which usually serves him well, hurt him this time. Oda tends to skate with “deep knees,” meaning that he bends his knees before and after making his jumps, but his weight has to be placed in just the right way. The pressure seemed to get the best of him at home, and he missed his first triple axle and had several points taken off for other badly executed jumps (including some popped jumps). He placed a dismal 14th.
Japan’s Daisuke Takahashi did the best of the Asian men, coming in third after the short program. He opened his program with a triple flip-triple toe combination, but the second jump was under-rotated. He then went on to produce a triple Axel, a triple Lutz, and a level-four combination spin.
“It was my worst performance in this season,” Takahashi said afterwards. “I was not able to show what I can do. I am very lucky to end up in third place.” He admitted to feeling pressure. “We are the host country, and the crowd had very high expectations and I tried to respond to it. This made me very nervous.”
Figure skating is huge in Asia, so the crowds at Worlds were enthusiastic. It had to be difficult for the skaters from Asia, and as it turned out, it was.
References:
Associated Press. Americans stumble at skating worlds. http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/today/s_498942.html
Associated Press. Lambiel says pressure is off, but defending figure skating crown will be tall order. http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/03/19/sports/AS-SPT-FIG-Worlds-Lambiel.php
ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2007 - Tokyo, Japan - Day 2. http://217.158.112.238/vsite/vcontent/content/news/0,10869,4844-131973-133281-18886-268020-news-item,00.html
Stevens, N. Canada has a strong presence at figure skating worlds. http://thechronicleherald.ca/Sports/565473.html
Stevens, N. Joubert leads heading into men's free program at figure skating worlds. http://www.cbc.ca/cp/sports/070321/s032155A.html
The pressure seemed to get to most of the male figure skaters who competed at the 2007 Worlds Championships in Tokyo last month, especially the Asian skaters. This was apparent in the short program.
When all was said and done, it wasn’t an Asian skater that won the gold medal; it was France’s Brian Joubert. Joubert also came on top after the short program, hitting his opening quadruple-triple toeloop and triple Axel, showing good footwork, and making his personal best (83.64).
It wasn’t the clean program he wanted, though. The European champ put his hand down on the triple flip, but he earned a level four for his three spins and a level three for both his circular and straight-line step sequences. “I’m very happy with my performance,” the Frenchman said. “I beat my personal best. I did one small mistake on the triple flip, and I’m a little disappointed about that.”
Joubert was the only male skater who was able to make his quad-combination. Only one other skater made the attempt, American champ Evan Lysacek. He put his hand on the ice on his quad and lost points for the combination when he waited too long for the second jump. He ended up in the fifth place, but eleven points behind Joubert.
“What I feel proud of is that I put the quad out there under the pressure of the world championships,” Lysacek said. “I knew I had to take the risk.”
Other skaters were plagued by mistakes as well. Ryan Bradley, who surprised everyone with his skill and enthusiasm at the U.S. Nationals by winning the bronze medal, came in a disappointing 19th after falling on a triple axel jump.
"It just wasn't in the cards today,” he said. “It’s my first worlds, and I guess it happens.”
Johnny Weir, who has had a less than stellar season, wanted to please his Japanese fans. He blamed his weak performance on weariness. He started with a smooth triple axel and a triple-triple combination but then stumbled on a triple flip and finished fourth.
“I gave it maybe 65 percent tonight,” Weir said with his characteristic wry sense of humor. “I’ve been having some trouble adjusting here. My costume is even tired.”
Jeffrey Buttle from Canada did well, however, coming in second after the short program. He was excited about the competition upon his arrival in Tokyo; “I love competing in Asia,” he said.
For good reason, since Buttle has done well in Asia of late: second in the Grand Prix Final and first in the Japan International Challenge, both in 2005 in Tokyo, and second in the Grand Prix Final and first in the Cup of China, both in 2004 in Beijing.
In Buttle’s short program at World’s, in spite of a back injury that kept him out of the Grand Prix this year, he landed a solid triple flip-triple toe, a triple Axel, and a triple Lutz. His three spins were all level fours, and he set a new personal best (79.90 points).
So it was the Asian skaters that felt the pressure of skating at home the most. Japan’s Nobunari Oda, one of the most talented and promising young skaters in the world, had a disappointing short program. He missed his first triple axle and had points off his score for other badly executed jumps.
It seemed that his style, which usually serves him well, hurt him this time. Oda tends to skate with “deep knees,” meaning that he bends his knees before and after making his jumps, but his weight has to be placed in just the right way. The pressure seemed to get the best of him at home, and he missed his first triple axle and had several points taken off for other badly executed jumps (including some popped jumps). He placed a dismal 14th.
Japan’s Daisuke Takahashi did the best of the Asian men, coming in third after the short program. He opened his program with a triple flip-triple toe combination, but the second jump was under-rotated. He then went on to produce a triple Axel, a triple Lutz, and a level-four combination spin.
“It was my worst performance in this season,” Takahashi said afterwards. “I was not able to show what I can do. I am very lucky to end up in third place.” He admitted to feeling pressure. “We are the host country, and the crowd had very high expectations and I tried to respond to it. This made me very nervous.”
Figure skating is huge in Asia, so the crowds at Worlds were enthusiastic. It had to be difficult for the skaters from Asia, and as it turned out, it was.
References:
Associated Press. Americans stumble at skating worlds. http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/today/s_498942.html
Associated Press. Lambiel says pressure is off, but defending figure skating crown will be tall order. http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/03/19/sports/AS-SPT-FIG-Worlds-Lambiel.php
ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2007 - Tokyo, Japan - Day 2. http://217.158.112.238/vsite/vcontent/content/news/0,10869,4844-131973-133281-18886-268020-news-item,00.html
Stevens, N. Canada has a strong presence at figure skating worlds. http://thechronicleherald.ca/Sports/565473.html
Stevens, N. Joubert leads heading into men's free program at figure skating worlds. http://www.cbc.ca/cp/sports/070321/s032155A.html
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
