From the day the announcement first came down, the void was massive.
Not just here this weekend at HomeSense Skate Canada International, but in the ranks of men's figure skating in this country in general.
You can't have a world champion retire unexpectedly and not feel it.
But if Shawn Sawyer can fill the gaping hole left by Jeffrey Buttle's absence as well in the future as he did today at Scotiabank Place, we'll really have something here.
Sawyer astonished everyone by winning the free program with a 142.36-point total that surpassed the number rung up by all three medallists. But because he came into today's proceedings sitting seventh after the short program, the 22-year-old from Edmundston, N.B., couldn't climb any higher than fifth in the final standings. He wound up a little less than three points back of bronze-medal winning Evan Lysacek of the U.S.
"You don't expect to see a score like that go up before the final warmup," said American silver medallist Ryan Bradley (212.75), who used the word "wow" to describe his immediate reaction.
That about summed up Sawyer's thoughts afterward, too.
"When the score came out, I couldn't believe I could get that score with that program," said the 22-year-old from Edmundston, N.B., whose previous personal best with it came a week ago at Skate America (135.84). "That's incredible. I've been third before in segments of the competition but winning a segment of a Grand Prix — and not the short but the long program — that's unbelievable. It's something I didn't think I could achieve.
"It's not a medal but it feels better."
Not bad for a guy who's only here because Buttle bowed out of eligible skating less than two months before this competition.
"At first, I only had one Grand Prix (Skate America in Everett, Wash., where he placed fifth)," said Sawyer. "But I ended up doing something very good with it and used it to my advantage."
After Patrick Chan — who snared the gold today with a 215.45-point overall total) upset Buttle last January at the Canadian championships in Vancouver, it seemed we were on the verge of another of those great men's skating rivalries. But buoyed by his performance here today, Sawyer is game for jumping into that picture.
"Why not?" Sawyer said when asked whether a Canadian title is possible for him in January in Saskatoon. "Patrick is an amazing skater and an amazing competitor. I have a little bit more experience than him and it does cross my mind sometimes but I don't want to put too much emphasis on it.
"But after skating a solid program like that, why not go for it?"
Showing posts with label Vancouver. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vancouver. Show all posts
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Take A Deep Breath
It took a while for a lot of folks who follow this sport — including yours truly — to get a handle on the "code of points" judging system.
Even now, a quick look at a detailed scoresheet can boggle the minds of anybody except perhaps the most seasoned of observers.
One thing you have to love though, if you're a fan: There's no question about the separation between one team and the next. If it's really close, you know it.
Today's pairs free skate final at HomeSense Skate Canada was one of those nailbiters.
Even the quickest of mathematicians might have had to wait until the final standings were posted on the Scotiabank Place scoreboard to know for sure that Russia's Yuko Kawaguchi and Alexander Smirnov had indeed hung on for the gold.
The Russians' final overall total — 176.97 points — was a scant 0.43 better than Canada's Jessica Dube and Bryce Davison, the reigning world bronze medallists. Now, a guy (or a girl) could drive themselves batty trying to figure out where they might have gained the extra point between winning and losing. But Dube and Davison, who trailed by 4.88 points after the short program, didn't even try to go there.
"It was super tight and we couldn't have asked for more," said Davison, 22, of Cambridge, Ont. "I thought it was fair. We didn't see all of the Russians' skate but they're very good skaters and we know what they can do. Unless I sit down and go over every little detail with a fine-toothed comb ... no, it was fair. It was exactly what we expected and five points is a lot to make up.
"We did our job and they did theirs and they came out on top today."
For Dube and Davison, it meant a second straight silver medal. But the Canadians, who stood third behind Americans Keauna McLaughlin and Rockne Brubaker, didn't give up the gold without a fight.
"I think we're really proud about how we came out," said Davison. "We attacked that long really well and stayed in the character of that program (skated to music from Carmen) better than we thought we would . To be honest, that was a better long that we were expecting."
The Carmen theme was a departure of sorts from the style Dube and Davison usually present on the ice. But 18 months out from the Vancouver 2010 Olympics, they're in a bit of an experimental mood.
"We wanted to see going into next year, the Olympics, what kind of programs suit us best," said Davison. "We thought something aggressive would be good for us. We really like the program. It's fun to work on and I think it's something that's very interesting for us because we're seen as a classical, romantic team. It's fun to skate outside of our box."
It was almost good enough for gold here, too.
Yeah, we'll agree. That was super close. And exciting, don't you think.
Even now, a quick look at a detailed scoresheet can boggle the minds of anybody except perhaps the most seasoned of observers.
One thing you have to love though, if you're a fan: There's no question about the separation between one team and the next. If it's really close, you know it.
Today's pairs free skate final at HomeSense Skate Canada was one of those nailbiters.
Even the quickest of mathematicians might have had to wait until the final standings were posted on the Scotiabank Place scoreboard to know for sure that Russia's Yuko Kawaguchi and Alexander Smirnov had indeed hung on for the gold.
The Russians' final overall total — 176.97 points — was a scant 0.43 better than Canada's Jessica Dube and Bryce Davison, the reigning world bronze medallists. Now, a guy (or a girl) could drive themselves batty trying to figure out where they might have gained the extra point between winning and losing. But Dube and Davison, who trailed by 4.88 points after the short program, didn't even try to go there.
"It was super tight and we couldn't have asked for more," said Davison, 22, of Cambridge, Ont. "I thought it was fair. We didn't see all of the Russians' skate but they're very good skaters and we know what they can do. Unless I sit down and go over every little detail with a fine-toothed comb ... no, it was fair. It was exactly what we expected and five points is a lot to make up.
"We did our job and they did theirs and they came out on top today."
For Dube and Davison, it meant a second straight silver medal. But the Canadians, who stood third behind Americans Keauna McLaughlin and Rockne Brubaker, didn't give up the gold without a fight.
"I think we're really proud about how we came out," said Davison. "We attacked that long really well and stayed in the character of that program (skated to music from Carmen) better than we thought we would . To be honest, that was a better long that we were expecting."
The Carmen theme was a departure of sorts from the style Dube and Davison usually present on the ice. But 18 months out from the Vancouver 2010 Olympics, they're in a bit of an experimental mood.
"We wanted to see going into next year, the Olympics, what kind of programs suit us best," said Davison. "We thought something aggressive would be good for us. We really like the program. It's fun to work on and I think it's something that's very interesting for us because we're seen as a classical, romantic team. It's fun to skate outside of our box."
It was almost good enough for gold here, too.
Yeah, we'll agree. That was super close. And exciting, don't you think.
Friday, October 31, 2008
The Numbers Don't Lie
You spend hours convincing yourself that all the hard work is paying off. That you are, indeed, better than you were the day before.
But still, you need the extra something that puts it all in real perspective for you. It's called validation and in figure skating, at least, the ultimate example of that lies on the scoresheet.
Consider Joannie Rochette fully validated, at least for this day.
The four-time Canadian champion from Ile-Dupas, Que., has never been better in a short program than she was Friday afternoon at HomeSense Skate Canada International. The numbers on the scoreboard at Scotiabank Place didn't lie: 64.74 points, an impressive 4.7 better than her previous high (at the 2008 Four Continents Championship in Korea).
That put Rochette on top of the heap heading in Saturday's free skate final, nearly seven points ahead of Japan's Fumie Suguri.
"I can't explain how I'm feeling," said Rochette, who has spoken at length about the gains she's made since the world championships last March in Gothenburg, Sweden, where she placed a career-best fifth. "It's just different and I hope I can keep it the rest of the season."
Then the analytical side of this introspective young woman took over.
"My first goal tonight was to improve my program component score, my artistic mark," she said. "We achieved that (28.04 points). I think my best before was 25, 26.
"I'm really happy the judges saw the difference in me."
While it's just the beginning of the long road to the 2009 worlds in Los Angeles — not to mention the Vancouver Olympics a year later — Rochette admitted "it's really important to come to the first competition of the year and make an impact and give a new look to yourself, and I think we achieved that."
In the background, Rochette's coach, Manon Perron, couldn't stop smiling as she gave her own nod of approval. But we've all been there — that's the kind of support we all crave and need from the people around us who matter the most.
In this sport, though, there's another group of people whose opinion happens to count for more than anybody else's.
"I was happy with the score and I can say 'mission accomplished,' " said Rochette. "It's one thing if people around you tell you that you are better but it's another to see it reflected in the mark. We're just so, so happy with that."
But still, you need the extra something that puts it all in real perspective for you. It's called validation and in figure skating, at least, the ultimate example of that lies on the scoresheet.
Consider Joannie Rochette fully validated, at least for this day.
The four-time Canadian champion from Ile-Dupas, Que., has never been better in a short program than she was Friday afternoon at HomeSense Skate Canada International. The numbers on the scoreboard at Scotiabank Place didn't lie: 64.74 points, an impressive 4.7 better than her previous high (at the 2008 Four Continents Championship in Korea).
That put Rochette on top of the heap heading in Saturday's free skate final, nearly seven points ahead of Japan's Fumie Suguri.
"I can't explain how I'm feeling," said Rochette, who has spoken at length about the gains she's made since the world championships last March in Gothenburg, Sweden, where she placed a career-best fifth. "It's just different and I hope I can keep it the rest of the season."
Then the analytical side of this introspective young woman took over.
"My first goal tonight was to improve my program component score, my artistic mark," she said. "We achieved that (28.04 points). I think my best before was 25, 26.
"I'm really happy the judges saw the difference in me."
While it's just the beginning of the long road to the 2009 worlds in Los Angeles — not to mention the Vancouver Olympics a year later — Rochette admitted "it's really important to come to the first competition of the year and make an impact and give a new look to yourself, and I think we achieved that."
In the background, Rochette's coach, Manon Perron, couldn't stop smiling as she gave her own nod of approval. But we've all been there — that's the kind of support we all crave and need from the people around us who matter the most.
In this sport, though, there's another group of people whose opinion happens to count for more than anybody else's.
"I was happy with the score and I can say 'mission accomplished,' " said Rochette. "It's one thing if people around you tell you that you are better but it's another to see it reflected in the mark. We're just so, so happy with that."
They've Only Just Begun
They're the reigning world bronze medallists in pairs skating.
Not to mention the highest-rated duo in their discipline at HomeSense Skate Canada International this weekend at Scotiabank Place in Ottawa. So it might seem a little disconcerting to the average fan to see Canadians Jessica Dube and Bryce Davison sitting in third place after today's short program.
Mind you, with 60.14 points in the bank, they're a mere 0.52 out of second place, currently occupied by Americans Keauna McLaughlin and Rockne Brubaker. Even the leaders, Yuko Kawaguchi and Alexander Smirnov of Russia (65.02), are still within hailing distance for this plucky Canuck duo.
No wonder, then, that Dube and Davison had a bit of a 'what, us worry?' attitude about them afterward. And let's face it, this is the first event of the season, not the last.
"Just come out and do a free," Davison, 22, of Cambridge, Ont., said when asked how they'll approach Saturday's free-skate final. "You can't change what happened today and you don't change your gameplan going into the free because of what happened in the short. We've just got to come out and attack, really."
Said Dube, 21, of Drummondville, Que.: "I felt a little bit shaky but that's something we'll work on tomorrow."
Understand, too, that they've been here before — and not all that long ago. You might recall the 2008 BMO Canadian championships back in January in Vancouver, when Dube and Davison blew their short program but rallied strongly in the free and almost snatched the crown away from short program winners Anabelle Langlois and Cody Hay.
The experience galvanized Dube and Davison for what turned out to be a run to their first appearance on the worlds podium two months later in Gothenburg, Sweden.
And let's face it, Dube and Davison have much bigger fish to fry, so to speak, in the months that lie ahead. We speak, most specifically, of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics, where the Canadians hope to stand on the highest step of them all.
So it wasn't cockiness talking when Davison said "we're not too worried about the other teams right now."
"Especially this year," he added. "It's a year to make ourselves better and get ourselves ready. You can never worry about what the other teams are doing because you do your best that you can do and if they're better than you, that's just the case. And if you end up being world champion, it's because you were your best."
Not to mention the highest-rated duo in their discipline at HomeSense Skate Canada International this weekend at Scotiabank Place in Ottawa. So it might seem a little disconcerting to the average fan to see Canadians Jessica Dube and Bryce Davison sitting in third place after today's short program.
Mind you, with 60.14 points in the bank, they're a mere 0.52 out of second place, currently occupied by Americans Keauna McLaughlin and Rockne Brubaker. Even the leaders, Yuko Kawaguchi and Alexander Smirnov of Russia (65.02), are still within hailing distance for this plucky Canuck duo.
No wonder, then, that Dube and Davison had a bit of a 'what, us worry?' attitude about them afterward. And let's face it, this is the first event of the season, not the last.
"Just come out and do a free," Davison, 22, of Cambridge, Ont., said when asked how they'll approach Saturday's free-skate final. "You can't change what happened today and you don't change your gameplan going into the free because of what happened in the short. We've just got to come out and attack, really."
Said Dube, 21, of Drummondville, Que.: "I felt a little bit shaky but that's something we'll work on tomorrow."
Understand, too, that they've been here before — and not all that long ago. You might recall the 2008 BMO Canadian championships back in January in Vancouver, when Dube and Davison blew their short program but rallied strongly in the free and almost snatched the crown away from short program winners Anabelle Langlois and Cody Hay.
The experience galvanized Dube and Davison for what turned out to be a run to their first appearance on the worlds podium two months later in Gothenburg, Sweden.
And let's face it, Dube and Davison have much bigger fish to fry, so to speak, in the months that lie ahead. We speak, most specifically, of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics, where the Canadians hope to stand on the highest step of them all.
So it wasn't cockiness talking when Davison said "we're not too worried about the other teams right now."
"Especially this year," he added. "It's a year to make ourselves better and get ourselves ready. You can never worry about what the other teams are doing because you do your best that you can do and if they're better than you, that's just the case. And if you end up being world champion, it's because you were your best."
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