US Nationals: Ladies short program videos

1. Ashley Wagner: 72.04

2. Gracie Gold 67.02

3.Polina Edmunds 66.04

4. Mirai Nagasu 65.28

5. Courtney Hicks 65.01

European Championships 2015: Men and Ladies preview

MEN

There is no doubt about the men's competition that Javier Fernandez is the favourite to get his third straight European title. Let alone the fact that his programs are usually worth a lot of points because of the difficult technical content, he arrives in Stockholm as the most experienced out of the top contenders, and therefore the most likely to stay focused under pressure. That has to be said that the past has proved that the Spanish is quite an emotional skater and could alternate disasters to triumphs. 

Competition for him will come from the 19 years old Russian national champion Maxim Kovtun, who has been the only one to win both grand prixs, but then faltered during the final. He certainly has the potential to dominate in Europe; he attempts a total of five quads between short and free skate and there is a lot more to his skating than jumps: nice speed and flow, good transitions and solid interpretation skills. However, he often loses connection with his program and the elements he plans, affecting negativily his scores. 

Also coming from Russia and also fighting for a medal finish is Sergei Voronov. 27 years old, he has started to get his first important results only in the last couple of years. He is the 2014 European silver medalist and the 2014 grand prix final medalist.  He has dramatically improved skating skills wise and has been so consistent lately that there might be a chance for him to even outskate his younger compatriot Kovtun in Stockholm, despite a slightly more modest technical content.

LADIES

In the ladies competition a Russian sweep is highly expected. The battle between Elena Radionova at her first Europeans and Elizaveta Tuktamisheva will be one of the most interesting episodes of these Championships. Elizaveta Tuktamisheva is in a winning streak: she won an incredible number of competitions since the beginning of the season, proving that she has definetly overcome the difficult condition she was in last year. She has been incredibly consistent since the very first competition she attended and she looks unstoppable. 

The only one who has been able to "stop" her is Elena Radionova, who came in second at the grand prix final behind Tuktamisheva, but won the dreaded Russian nationals ahead of her. Radionova, despite being only 15,  she competes as focused as a true veteran. She has a small edge on Tuktamisheva as far as both tehnique (jumps and spins) and components are concerned. Recently there has been statements from Mishin, Tuktamisheva's coach, that she might actually attempt one or more triple axels at European championships. As always, adding a risky element in figure skating could "make you or break you", but it is sure that if she nails it, no one will take her the gold medal away.

As it is quite predictable that either Tuktamisheva or Radionova will get first and second place, it would be obvious to think that the third Russian girl nominated for European Championships Anna Pogorilaya will conquer her first bronze medal. Even though she has struggled throughout the entire season, she won't probabibly any trouble o get to that result because there are not other competitors who could challenge her for the jumps she attempts.
An interesting part of these championships will be the presence of Kiira Korpi, returning to the international scene after two years of injuries. She has competed at the Finnish Nationals earlier this season, where she showed a two pretty solid skates. Her class and maturity are unmatched, but her technical content is definetly watered down compared to the others and therefore it would be difficult for her to aspire to a medal finish. However she will be just a pleasure to watch.

European Championships 2015 schedule

STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN (GMT+1)

WEDNESDAY, 28th January
11.00 am: Men short program
5.55 pm: Short Dance

THURSDAY, 29th January
11.00 am: Ladies short program
6.30 pm: Free Dance

FRIDAY, 30th January
2.00 pm: Pairs short program
6.00 pm: Men's free skate

SATURDAY, 31st January
12.00 am: Ladies free skate

SUNDAY, 1st Febraury
10.30: Pairs free skate

Canadian Nationals 2015 schedule

GMT -5

FRIDAY, 23rd January
11.35: Ladies short program
14.20: Men's short program
18.30: Short Dance
20.50: Pairs short program

SATURDAY, 24th January
10.40: Ladies free skate
12.40: Men's free skate
17.25: Free Dance
19.10: Pairs free skate

US Nationals 2015: junior and senior schedule

GMT -5

 TUESDAY, 20th January
6 pm: Junior Pairs short

WEDNESDAY, 21st January
1.45 pm: Junior Men's short
6.15 pm: Junior short dance
               Junior ladies' short

THURSDAY, 22nd January
10.30 am: Junior Pairs free
4.30 pm: Senior Pairs short
7.00 pm: Senior Ladies short

FRIDAY, 23rd January
10.30 am: Junior Men's free
                 Junior Ladies free
                 Junior Free dance
5.15 pm: Senior Short dance
8.15 pm: Senior Men's short

SATURDAY, 24th January
2.30 pm: Senior Pairs free
               Senior Free dance
7.00 pm: Senior Ladies Free

SUNDAY, 25th January
2.30 pm: Senior Men's Free

NHK Trophy Men's short

Yuzuru Hanyu:

Takahito Mura was very near to perfection. His short program featured a quad toe (slightly two footed)-triple toe a triple axel and a triple ltz in the second half of the program. The spins weren't exceptional and lost some levels on them. 86.28

Jeremy Abbott executed a somehow conservative program without any quad, which happens to be a very good strategy for him. He executed a triple flip-triple toe combo and a triple lutz with great quality and then a gorgeous triple axel in the second half of the program. He didn't receive very high program components compared to usual (and other skaters) that resulted in a score of 81.51.

Daisuke Murakami skated early in the first group but as he nailed a quad salchow-double toe, a triple axel and triple flip. 79.68

Sergei Voronov hasn't been able to replicate his wonderful performance deliverd at Cup of Russia few weeks ago: he did a quad toe-double toe to begin but then two footed his triple axel. 78.93

Yuzuru Hanyu had a very rough short program: he fell on the quad toe and on the triple lutz, didn't do any combo and looked tired at the end of the program. The triple axel in the second half of the program was something of absolute beauty but wasn't enough to assure him his usual scores. 78.01

NHK Trophy ladies short program

Gracie Gold won the NHK short program with a 0.05 points gap between her and a great Leonova. Her technical performance was spot on as she nailed a triple lutz-triple toe and a triple loop in the second half of the program. 68.16

Alena Leonova surprised at NHK, considering her negative appereance of the last competitions, as she performed a clean and delightful short program featuring a splendid triple toe-triple toe, a spread eagle into the double axel and a triple flip.68.11

Kanako Murakami had by far her best performance of the season. She showed off her incredible musicality as well as a triple toe-triple toe combo and a triple flip. However some of her jumps were considered short of rotation and lost a couple of points on the technical mark. 64.38

Satoko Miyahara had the same problems as her compatriot: she presented a very difficult technical content featuring a triple lutz-triple toe and a triple flip, but she often gets a under rotation on them and that caused her technical score to lower dramatically.

Polina Edmunds completely bombed her short program falling on her triple luzt and popping the flip.