A few random transcripts
Free preview while I'm compiling more transcripts for those of you who are keeping watch direct.
2009 Trophee Eric Bompard (Nobunari Oda)
NBC
SH: Phenominal, phenominal, phenominal. What a great breakthrough for him.
1: On the ice now, Nobunari Oda of Japan, in second place after the short. He was seventh at the world championships last spring. He could have placed higher but he doesn’t keep track of all of his jumps. He has mental mistakes and it ends up costing him. And if you can’t tell already, he’s Charlie Chaplin out on the ice.
SH: One of his weaknesses has been his artistry. He’s really taking a huge step forward by doing this Charlie Chaplin routine. It normally opens with a quadruple toe loop, but it’s abandoned him here in Paris and so he is opening much safer, easy triple lutz. Unbelievable jumping ability he has. Very deep, soft knees, a lot of speed, tons of height. The next jump, triple axel, and look at how high he gets on this thing, it’s just extraordinary. He steps forward, three and a half revolutions, into a triple toe loop, like nothing. Wow. So often the skaters are so busy doing great things like that triple salchow and they’re so intent on what they have to do under the scoring system that they forget the audience, and this is one of those numbers where you can hear the audience responding, and it’s like “Thank you! We’re here for you!” *laughs*
1: This seems like a great Olympic season program. A little light, different, original.
SH: It’s a crowd pleaser, and also, it’s a huge step forward artistically for someone who’s always had his only weakness has been his artistry. Amazing jumper. Another triple axel here. Ha ha.
1: Wow.
SH: But this is, this is the statement you wanna make early in the international season, that I’m different, I’m ready, I’m prepared, and I’m in shape. Soft knees, beautiful air position, landings just amazing. He’s one of the few skaters that I’ve seen recently that I think is going to be able to walk when they’re sixty years old. The rest of them are just tearing their bodies up. It’s just so easy for him. This is going to be so tough to beat, I mean the choreography’s great, the crowd’s behind him, he’s showing amazing skill. All the heavy lifting is over, he’s finished jumping, all he has to do now is finish this footwork sequence, do one more spin, and put the pressure on Tomas Verner, who’s next. And that’s a lot of pressure because this was a great skate.
1: Nobunari Oda of Japan, the 2009 Japanese champion, his coach Nikolai Morrisov very pleased with that performance.
SH: And it’s a whole different guy. I mean, that’s what you want to see going into an Olympic year. When I think back to Brian Boitano in ’88, from who he was in ’87 to who he became in ’88, was a huge step forward, and it assured him the Olympic gold medal. A huge step forward for Nobunari. Amazing difference, that program can make.
1: Would you say that he has underperformed in the past?
SH: Well, I just think the artistry of the program’s been his weakness. He’s got the technical skill, it’s just nothing held it together. A big triple axel here, it’s like “Wooo! One-two-three. Oh, boy, if I had a triple axel like that, I’d never do anything else.*laughs* That’s it. Gorgeous combination there. Another one later in the program when your legs are tired. No problem for him. Look at his air position, soft knee right there, perfect landing and just easy triple flip right here, just amazing right into a double toe loop here, into a, just present, hi how you doing, I’m Charlie Chaplin and I’m about to win the gold medal here unless Tomas Verner can do something amazing.
1: Oda’s score in the free skate 163 points-
SH: That’s phenominal.
1: .33. That’s a new personal best
SH: That’s just, that’s just awesome. What a difference.
1: 232.53. He is in first place. And as you say, that will be a tough one to beat. Adam Rippon enjoying his new celebrity status. Rising star winning his first Senior medal in Paris.
SH: Exciting time for him, and also for Nobunari Oda, the winner of this championship. He’ll be taking away not only the gold medal here, but some strong momentum going into Vancouver.
1: David Paltier is with the winner.
DP: This is the first competition of the year. Were you nervous at all today, skating your long program?
NO: Uh, yes, I was more nervous yesterday, but I was real nervous today too. But I was very focused and (mumble) and smile. I think I did.
DP: Why did you decide not to go for the quad
NO: Cause I couldn’t make even once in this morning practice so I decided, don’t do the quad. But I will do the quad
DP: Thank you very much and congratulations.
NO: Thank you.
SH: When in doubt, take it out!
2009 Grand Prix Final Long Program (Nobunari Oda)
1: Here's Nobunari Oda of Japan in third place after the short program. Even with a personal best in the short program, he could only get into third place, which shows you how high the bar was raised in the first portion of this competition.
Scott Hamilton: And he is having a phenominal year. Winning both of his international competitions coming in, and turning a lot more heads than he's ever turned in his entire skating career just with this program. Beautiful triple lutz to open. Always known to be a great jumper. Setup for triple axel's just a little bit odd, see, a little odd, right there, and triple axel, gigantic into another huge triple toe loop, wow!
1: Well, he's skating to a selection of Charlie Chaplin music. This is one of the more charming programs of the season
SH: Always known for his jumps, but not his personality, all of a sudden this Nikolai Morrisov program is showing a different side of him and actually chased his biggest competitor, Daisuke Takahashi, right out of that camp. He went to his coach and said, "Well," he said, "I think I'm out of here." Be interesting to see how that plays out.
1: Oda with no quad planned in this program, but he has been landing them all week in Tokyo in practice. Do you think we'll ever see one in competition?
SH: He has more than enough ability to pull that off. But it does seem that the men are being more conservative. The quad is important, but not an end all-be all, as we found out last year with Evan Lysacek winning the World Championships without one. But that puts the extra pressure on triple axels, and that's the next jump in this program. Triple axel, three and a half revolutions. Oh, and a pop. He opened up and only did a single axel, that's a huge loss of points right there that he could have gained. Now the next three jumping sequences become very important, triple lutz-triple loop-double toe, gorgeous. Last triple of the program, triple loop, gorgeous. He's such a talented, gifted jumper, but in order for him to be competitive, he has to be clean. And that triple axel will probably cost him. Double axel here, oh, and he goes off the heel on a double axel another single. To tell you the difference, you lose more than seven points between a triple axel and a single axel. And when you're talking about tenths of a point between first and second place at times...
1: Nobunari Oda of Japan. Not the best we've seen him perform this program this season.
SH: Well, the two international competitions he won, he skated a much better performance than that. I'm sure he's going to be disappointed, especially in front of his home crowd. Two single axels. Very costly. Triple axel, the one he did right here, beautiful air position, lot of speed coming down into a triple toe loop, gorgeous height on that. This great three-jump combination, triple lutz, great, again, great air position, straight in the air, triple toe loop nothing to it, and an easy double loop jump, again just makes it look so easy. And then the popped triple axel, it's like WHOA! No. Your body knows. Your body knows the timing on all this. Closing spin of the program. And he knows. "I gave two big jumps away. Unlucky."
1: Scott, you mentioned what a phenominal season Oda has had. He has two of the top four scores of the season.
SH: Well, this won't be one of 'em. *laughs* Cause the two mistakes were really costly, and he really left holes in the program, so he won't get the component scores that he was getting earlier, either.
1: But he does score enough to take over first place, so that will drop Johnny Weir to second place
2007 Cup of Russia Long Program (Kim Yu-Na)
ESPN coverage
1: --coming off a big win at Cup of China. Here is seventeen-year-old Yu-Na Kim of Korea.
Paul Wylie: This program to Miss Saigon really combines so many different things, but Yu-Na moves very beautifully across the ice into this triple flip-triple toe loop, the most difficult combination of the event. Hah! So solid.
1: The next jump was not even a part of last year's jumping repertoire, the triple loop jump, so now she has a complete array of triple jumps.
PW: A complete array except for the triple axel, which she may not need.
1: Seventeen years of age and a big hand from her coach, Brian Orser. Yu-Na Kim. And Paul, what did you think?
PW: Just an incredible performance. Really, the way that she was from star to finish on top of her skate, and had the extension and the connection with the audience. The spins were tough, the footwork was tough. And I don't care about the difficulty. She was beautiful to watch. All right, I said I didn't care about difficulty, I do care about difficulty. And it was right up front here, beatifully high triple flip, it goes into a triple toe loop. The air position just nice and tight, clean as a whistle, no worries about whether it's an outside or an inside edge, it's a perfect inside edge. But then, the spins. Just very high quality, difficulty in the short program she had two level four spins, the cannonball position there and you see just the attention to detail throughout the program here. Stunning talent.
1: Well, she needs 109 to win. Her personal best thus far 122. Well, look at the technical element marks, 72.9. Added with the program components, of course no deductions, and let's see the final tally. 133.7. She has blown away her personal best. In fact, the highest free skate score ever for Yu-Na Kim, 133.7
2007 Worlds Short Program (Kim Yu-Na)
Simon Reed: The winner of the Grand Prix Final, the winner of the event in Paris. She's had a phenominal year. A tango for Brian Orser's charge, and what a charge he has to in Kim Yu-Na. Beatiful. So good, the running edge out of that triple flip-triple toe. Fine on the triple lutz, too.
CH: Well, that was huge at the (something) with the steps beforehand. This is a classy performance.
SR: Ah! Mindboggling! I have rarely ever seen a single skater skate to the music as well as that. Brilliant program, superb choreography. What a feel she has. Technically, Chris, again, will tell you all about it. For me, it was the most enjoyable performance by a long way.
CH: Yeah, it was a fantastic skate, that. I loved it. Absolutely loved it. Beatiful touch at the end, there going into the double axel from that Ina Bauer. So difficult, because the right hip is so far behind you. Just makes the jump almost impossible. Brilliant. Love the step sequence. She hit every beat of the music, didn't she?
SR: She did.
CH: And there he is.
SR: A former world champion himself. And boy, we've not seen him in the coaching element too much before. What a way to get into the big time with this young lady. Incredible talent. And it's obviously been very safely nurtured.
CH: It certainly has. What a beautiful start, we saw that triple flip-triple toe. Fantastic speed, I think the triple toe was higher than the triple flip at the beginning. Just amazing. And look at the expression. Really does feel the music so well. Difficult to get the lutz off the steps beforehand, but look, no hesitation, crosses that left foot in front, back outside edge, plants the toe, great elevation. Clean as you like, and doesn't she make it look easy. Fantastic.
SR: And this is a sixteen-year-old at her first world championships.
CH: And here's that double axel, you see from the Bauer, no problem. That was a special skate.
SR: That was, wasn't it? Hopefully it will be rewarded. It's not going to be coming as a surprise. ISU Grand Prix Final in St. Petersburg. Not a lot of peopl there who would have known too much about her, but they put her first then. And here she is again at Worlds. Just amazing. What we've seen is still difficult to take in.
CH: Awesome, he says. I think that sums it up, really.
SR: It really does. Skates with Brian in Toronto. Oh, my!
CH: My goodness!
SR: 41.49. More congratulations due. To the judges. 41. So she's up to what, 72, just shy of 72. That is fantastic. No more than she deserves, but credit the judges for going with that. I'm pretty sure that's not going to be beaten. That is phenominal.
2008 Worlds Long Program (Kim Yu-Na)
ABC
TG: Yu-Na Kim on the ice, the seventeen-year-old from South Korea who trains in Toronto.
1: There's nothing flashy at all about this skater. She is very gentle to the ice. Beautiful flow over the ice. And she is opening with a triple-triple combination here, triple flip-triple toe. Solid as a rock.
DB: Did you notice the line of that going in? That was straight. It wasn't outside or inside, but a straight line all the way through, and good height, which allowed her to get the revolutions. That's jumping.
1: Nice flying sit-spin. Good air position, very light.
DB: Again, look at the ease of that. And the way she just floats through it, completing the revolution in the air and then settling down. That's wonderful. Turn your foot out here, my dear.
TG: Yu-na Kim is the reigning world bronze medalist and she is coached by a world champ, Brian Orser. He won the title back in '87.
1: And this is a beautiful combination. Double axel-triple toe. Very nice.
DB: That spin, I'm sorry to say was a Button camel. *snicker* Had to get it in once, in the last forty years, when I stopped calling them Button camels.
1: *laughs*
TG: 40?!
DB: Yep.
TG: Keep going.
1: *laughs some more*
DB: You know I stopped forty years ago, calling them Button camels.
TG+1: Oh.
DB: Awww.
1: She really was determined on that landing. It's hard to focus again after you make a mistake like that
DB: It'll be interesting to see if that was a full complete landing, or whether there was a little cheat on the end of that.
1: and we have a little smile on her face, toward the end of this program. She still has to keep this energy up for the straight line footwork.
DB: That straight line footwork was really not objectively fast, or terrific. It had a lot of different moves all the changes, the brackets, the rockers, the turns, that sort of thing, but it did not inspire as a straightline footwork.
1: Nice Ina into a triple axel. Nice flowing edge out of that jump and now this final combination spin, a little bit more stretched. Beautiful sit positions.
(overlapping speech)
DB: The quality that she had in the jumping and in the performance was really very beautiful. She made a few little glitches here and there, but ultimately that was a superb performance, magnificent jumps, lovely performance. The whole thing. If that doesn't hold her up into a very high position, I think in this competition since in the last now three, uh, uh, third from the last skater, I think that I'll eat my hat.
TG+1: *laugh*
1: Well, she kept her calm and she really focused on each individual jump, and just a beautiful flow over the ice.
TG: Could we looking at the next world champion?
DB: Tonight--
1: I think that's--
DB: Difficult to examine.
TG: Asada, Nikano still to come. So, we'll see. We'll check the numbers in a moment. But the world champ from last year forced to withdraw earlier and she's disappointed obviously about that. Standing by now with Peter Carruthers.
PC: We're sorry to see you withdraw, and we do wish you a speedy recovery with your injury. Good luck, Miki.
TG: That's too bad. And, and the Japanese skaters, there's pressure on them that many others don't deal with with the large contingent of media. They are surrounded and followed all the time at these events, all the events that they skate in.
DB: And they make paparazzi look like tootsies.
TG: Yeah. I mean it is to that level with those athletes. Yu-na Kim, waiting for the marks.
1: And here is a look at her triple flip-double toe (sic) combination. She started this program with, and I think it really set the tone of the quality of jumps and the quality of flow that this young lady has.
TG: Now the numbers. Just seventeen years old, and has been dealing herself an injury. She had a hip injury recently. Forced to withdraw from the Four Continents Championship, but Brian Orser said she was fit. Maybe not 100%, but she was ready to go. It obviously is. 64.82 for technical elements.
1: I think it's going to be wonderful to see her at 100%
TG: It will, but guess what? It's not enough to put her--
DB: Pull her ahead of Carolina Kostner.
TG: Look at that, how close that is, little more than a point. Kostner's still on top.
DB: Well, I've gotta tell you, I mean it was a world of difference...
2009 Grand Prix Final Long Program (Kim Yu-Na)
NBC coverage
1: Welcome back to our coverage of the Grand Prix Final. Here are the standings after the ladies' short program. Something we haven't seen in a while. Kim Yu-Na trailing Miki Ando, but by less than a point. She's in second place. Kim Yu-Na warming up for the free skate. An unusual position for her, she hasn't been in second after the short program since the 2008 Worlds.
SH: Normally she has like a ten or fifteen point lead. But you know, warm up is looking pretty good. You wondered what was going to happen to her after Lake Placid in that long program. Here's that combination in the short program. She got downgraded on the second jump right here. Now watch it again, we're going to..look at the landing of the triple toe loop, it comes down right there, short of rotation, barely. I don't even know how they counted that downgraded. And then the jump that's been giving her fits, the triple flip that she singled right there. So unusual to see her make these kind of mistakes. But that's two competitions in a row.
1: Miki Ando, the leader after the short program. She will skate last. And now, Kim Yu-Na of South Korea, and the one thing we've learned over the last couple of weeks, the world champion is human.
SH: Shocking long program at Skate America in Lake Placid. Another shocking short program at this competition, that's two in a row that are just so uncharacteristic. She's gotta turn this thing around and be what we're used to seeing. We thought she was invincible going into the Olympic games and now we know that she has weaknesses. I never thought that was possible. But she's gotta turn it around with a good long program here otherwise people are going to have big doubts and some of the other womenn may think it's possible to win that gold medal in Vancouver. Everything about her skating is magnificent. Great speed into this opening combination triple lutz, a little forward, double toe loop. Normally that's a triple-triple. Wisely she chose to do a double toe loop at the end of that, due to the lack of speed. and when she struggles it's on this triple flip. She singled it in the short program, she'll pre-rotate her upper body when she misses it. That was nicely square on the takeoff and beautifully landed. Everything about her skating. Her line, flexibility, choreography...
1: It's interesting, the last time Kim Yu-Na lost a competition was the Grand Prix Finals last year to Mao Asada. This year, in Tokyo, chasing another Japanese skater, Miki Ando with the lead.
SH: Ah, a litle two-foot on that triple toe loop, but a very difficult combination. And just a little tired going into this, the most difficult jump in the program, another triple lutz. Big triple lutz at the end of the program, beautifully delivered. Just a special, spectacular skater, and a nicely delivered program
1: And she landed the triple flip!
SH: Well, she got that monkey off her back. It was only there for two performances, and maybe that's what she needed to kind of right herself and get back into everything.
1: Looks a little bit relieved.
SH: Not, not amount of difficulty in that program, four triple jumps, only. She'll need to do more than that if she wants to hold off these Japanese women who are so strong in the jumping department. Everything means something. It's a lot of points.
1: Brian Orser's so calm. Miki Ando on the ice, getting set to go.
SH: Opening combination. A little forward on that, wisely does a double toe loop on the landing of that triple lutz. Triple flip, she squares her body perfectly there and eases in to the landing, she faces where she took off. Beautifully landed. Double axel-triple toe - now she's a little short on rotation on this triple toe, see, right there, she comes down forward instead of backwards, so they'll only give her credit for a double toe loop there. And the two-foot will be, cost her some points as well. Not a perfect performance and not the level of difficulty that she'll need to win the Olympic gold medal, but still righting the ship, turning it around.
1: Well, you see the score that Kim Yu-Na needs to take the lead, and she does that easily, but that is well below her personal best. And that total is about twenty-two points off of her personal best. One skater remains: Miki Ando, when we return.
Kim Yu-Na: This competition I made many mistakes in the long program and short program, as well. But overall, my...I have three competitions, I mean, Grand Prix series and there's a good moment or bad moment, so I learn a lot. I was real nervous, because it's Olympic season, but I really...it was a good fight for future, so I really happy about it.
SH: Well, she's feeling the nerves here, how's she going to feel in Vancouver when she sees those Olympic rings on the boards? Each competition between the last three have gotten closer and closer. I think there's a lot of women that think that gold medal is not out of their reach.
2009 Worlds Short Program (Kim Yu-Na)
TG: Kim Yu-Na. She’s rated the number one celebrity in Korea. You see she’s an accomplished singer. She’s been in lots of television shows and commercials. She is the number one celebrity, not just the sports celebrity, number one celebrity in all of Korea. Immensely popular. It’s her third trip to the world championships, but a little deceptive in that she’s taken the bronze medal her past two appearances, but in both instances, skating with injuries. And here in Los Angeles, trying to become the first Korean skater to ever win a world title.
1: And talk about carrying a weight of expectation on her shoulders, not only is she carrying the whole country on her shoulders, but she also is expected to do the cleanest program here.
TG: Carolina Kostner of Italy awaiting her short program scores, 63.18, which puts her, for now, into fourth place. They are the current standings. Jeanette Rochet of Canada continues to lead the competition. Now Kim Yu-Na. Only one skater this season has beaten her, and that was Mao Asada in the Grand Prix Final.
1: But this short program, I think everyone agrees, is magnificent. And so, she’s expected to live up to that as well. It’s Dance Macabre by Saints-Saens, choreographed by David Wilson.
KB: There are good skaters, excellent skaters, and then there’s phenoms, and she’s one of those. Opening combination here. Look at the speed going into it, a triple flip-triple toe. Just gorgeous. Perfect technique.
1: And musical. Jumps right with the notes.
KB: There’s so much ice in these. Triple lutz. Textbook.
1: There you have it.
KB: Perfect positions. This layback-
1: Layback.
KB: The speed, the position.
1: What’s exciting about Yu-Na is that along with her elegance, she has fire.
KB: Final element in this short program. Combination spin. Great expectations and she delivered on every single one of them.
1: Brilliant.
KB: That will be impossible to beat.
1: Head and shoulders better than everyone else today.
KB: Japan has had a tradition of ice skating for a long time. South Korea has had none. She is the first one to come out of her country at this level. So exciting.
TG: A personal dynasty in the making. Korean Kim Yu-Na.
2006 Grand Prix Final Long Program
TG: Brian Joubert easily won two gold medals in the Grand Prix series. He has fans all over France if not the world, but his number one fan is standing by right now with Peter Carruthers. Peter?
PC: Mrs. Joubert, Brian is about to skate. What is on your mind?
Mom: I am afraid. Sorry, I am always afraid.
PC: Don't be sorry, you're a nervous mother. What makes him a great athlete?
Mom: Because every day he works a lot. Every day he works.
PC: Hard worker. What did you say to him?
Mom: Well, for me to say, he's outstanding, and I love Brian.
PC: Thank you so much. Good luck.
TG: Yeah, Peter, that's great. And Brian Joubert. Many expected him to move away from home, go to Paris to train, he hasn't done that. He's still in Poitiers, living at home with his family. Here he is, his fourth competition in five weeks. Now the Grand Prix of Paris, the Cup of Russia, the French Nationals and now the Grand Prix Final here in St. Petersburg. The leader after the short program with a total of 80.75 points, that was just a little less than a point ahead.
PW: The competency he was talking about inspires consistency, has given him a tremendous string of victories. The Cup of Russia he landed three quads in a program. The first attempt quad here, a quad toe, hand down just like the short program, double toe combination. The second quad planned is a different quad, a quad salchow, takes off the backward inside edge, he changes it to a triple. That's his right.
TG: You think that was a planned change?
PW: It looked pretty smooth, pretty planned, yes. I don't think he thinks he needs it at this point. Triple axel. That was easy. Lots of changes in Joubert's approach, he's got a new coach, Jean-Cristophe Simond. Two-time European silver medalist himself, his dream is to be the first Frenchman to win Worlds since 1965, and that coveted Olympic gold in Vancouver.
TG: You mentioned the coaching change. He's had four different coaches over the last, oh year plus or so. And earlier this season he and Alban Preaubert were the first duo to stand on the podium together at a Grand Prix event, that was in Paris.
PW: Second quad, after the halfway point so it earns a bonus, turned out of that...very difficult just to keep that stamina together. If you're a Metallica fan you may recognize this music. It's Metallica music performed by the Finnish chamber group called Apocalyptica. Choreographed by Kurt Browning.
TG: What do you think our colleague Mr. Browning has brought out in Joubert's skating?
PW: Well, Brian himself said that he taught him to use his entire body, and I think that has given him a lot of awareness in his feet and in his arms, and I really think that he's, he's given him a lot more flexibility. His spins have also really improved, he's been gaining the higher levels, he's been paying attention to that. Every piece of Brian Joubert's performance has been on the rise this season. This was not as good as his performance at the cup of Russia, but still, remember, two quads attempted, little mistakes here and there. But I'd say he is a dominant force in the sport right now.
TG: His mom liked it, as you might expect. Yeah, it wasn't what we saw at the Cup of Russia. But it's almost impossible to have that peak performance every time out throughout the season. And I'm not sure overall anyone really challenges Brian Joubert for the top spot right now in skating.
PW: Quad toe-double toe here, you see he put that hand down just slightly. Just not enough speed maybe going into it, a little tentative. Although the triple sow which was supposed to be a quad, but beautiful air position, you know as he mentions, he's thinking of quad when he's doing triples, so it's easy for him. And here, the second quad toe after the halfway mark, deep into the program. A little loose in the air, so he's not getting the rotation that he may need, there's just an extra little eighth of a turn that's making him step out of that. Plushenko's probably the only one who can take him on at this point.
TG: He's off having fun right now, not skating competetively at least. 76.51, there are the numbers, the one point mandatory deduction. 152.71, so not his personal best but clearly good enough to top Daisuke Takahashi. And what you really wish you could have seen is the performance from Takahashi at NHK, against the performance from Joubert at Cup of Russia. That would have been a heck of a match up. Neither one put his best foot forward here in St. Petersburg, but Joubert who skates away with the gold medal. he wins by more than eight points over Daisuke Takahashi. Nobunari Oda finishes third, and Alban Preaubert ends up in fourth. Peter Carruthers is with the champ.
PC: Brian, four competitions in five weeks. You looked just a little tired out there. What was the story?
BJ: I'm very tired because physically it's very hard, and mentally also. I gave a lot of power for the Trophee Eric Bompard and the Cup of Russia, so now it's difficult but it's very interesting, and I'm, I am stronger now for the next competition.
PC: Tell me exactly what happens when you took off for the quad, but had to put the hand down. Why does that happen?
BJ: Uh, in the beginning of the program I was not strong enough with my body, that's why I did this mistake, but uh, technically it was okay.
PC: You said you watched a little bit of Takahashi, it wasn't a great performance, it kind of let you down a little. Why?
BJ: Why, uh, he did some mistakes, so it was easier for me to win. But I don't like it, I like when, um, there is very good competition with strong competitors, but um, but I am gonna have these kind of competition in Europeans and in Worlds.
PC: So, Brian Joubert, looking for the fight. Congratulations on your win here at the final. Right now, let's go back to Terry Gannon.
TG: All right, Peter. See, there's the answer to the three quad question. He watched some of Takahash. He knew he didn't need the three quad.
2006 Skate Canada Short Program
Rod Black: Japan's national champion.
Tracy Wilson: Daisuke also a mercurial competitor, moments of brilliance, looking for consistency on his jumps. He will open with his triple flip-triple toe. Very solid. Preparing now for his triple axel. Oh! He held on. Triple lutz. Skating to Tchaikovsky's violin concerto, choreography by Nikolai Morrisov. Nikolai's capable of putting together beautiful footwork. Daisuke has the technical ability to carry it off. I like the way he puts his whole body into this footwork.
RB: It's going to be close between Daisuke and Johnny Weir. Nice performance by Daisuke Takahashi. This might be splitting hairs here.
TW: That's exactly what it'll be.
RB: So Daisuke Takahashi with Marc Andre Craig of Canada to skate yet. A lot of fans here. Skated at the Olympic games, of course for Japan. Finished eighth overall.
RB: In the house is Tokashi Honda who carried the torch for so long for Japanese men's skating, now a commentator, so he has also fallen to the lowest common denominator. *laughs* And Tokashi now is living back in his homeland, he used to skate in Barry. There's Daisuke who's looking up at him. It's quite the competition between Daisuke Takahashi and Nobunari Oda, who also trains in Canada.
TW: And Oda who won Skate America last week. Daisuke hoping to end up at the top of the podium here. Good height in his jumps, this his combination, his triple flip-triple toe. Let's take a look now at his triple axel. He took some time to prepare going into it, and overrotated on the landing, so that element not as good as Johnny Weir when you're talking about splitting hairs, Rod. let's take a look at his lutz out of footwork, this was a very strong jump, good landing. Perhaps on the jumps I'd give the edge to Weir. However, Daisuke had the better spins, they were a little bit faster and stronger, and I also thought that his footwork was more dynamic and had more power than Johnny Weir, but the technical specialists come into play, they will grade the level of difficulty on the footwork sequences and the spins. And there's Shizuka--
RB: There's your Olympic champion.
TW: --Arakawa
RB: So the number to beat, Tracy, is 76.28. Daisuke Takahashi, who won Skate America a year ago, and these numbers are going to be better than Johnny Weir's, and Daisuke Takahashi moves into first place now.
2009 Skate Canada Long Program
1(f): Daisuke Takahashi of Japan, also with a chance of making the Grand Prix Final, as he continues his comeback from last season's knee injuries. The 2007 Worlds silver medalist seemed to struggle with endurance at his first Grand Prix event of this season. Hoping to be stronger in Canada. In the mean time, Denis Ten's scores in the free skate, not competitive, he is out of the medal picture.
KB?: Having spent last year recuperating from that knee injury, mixing it up a little bit to have Daisuke back on the international scene. His opening is a mine field. Quad toe right off the top. Dup triple. Quad toe will be such an important jump in Vancouver. The next two jumping passes are the next most difficult jumps in this program, the triple axel. Beautiful triple axel-double toe loop combination. And then another triple axel opening up right here. Nicely landed. Most of the top men in the world will spread their triple axels out a little bit. They'll do one in the second half of the program where you get a ten percent bonus. Triple axel is a big point getter and you want to do it later in the program, you get more points. The fact that he did both of his triple axels off the top shows there might be a little bit of an endurance issue, but the quality of his skating is extraordinary. Almost put his hand down there, a little forward landing. Program showing great personality
1: It has the look of an Olympic program.
KB: Well, his fellow countryman Nobunari Oda has had a phenominal international season. A little step out on that triple salchow there.
1: And Oda has one of those great personable programs as well, he does that Charlie Chaplin skate.
KB: It's just amazing how Japan has come on as a powerhouse not only ladies figure skating. They've got a lot of amazing women skaters, but also the men.
1: Daisuke Takahashi very happy with that performance, and he puts the pressure on Jeremy Abbott, who only had a two and a half point lead after the short program.
KB: Well that was a really good solid skate. And, you know, two triple axels and coming off that injury to the knee injury and coming back to this international season, you know, stamina obviously will be an issue, but my goodness. That was really, you know, a solid performance. Very well constructed, very intelligently put together with great personality. I think he should be really happy with that. Triple axel there, BIG triple axel, good speed coming out, and a nice easy double toe loop on the landing of that. Beatifully done. Now toward the middle of the program when you're getting a bonus, triple lutz, another difficult jump. Triple lutz, double toe, very easily landed. Really good, and, and this is a little bit of a scary one there, the triple loop, it's like "WOAH! not gonna put my hand down, not gonna put my hand down, nopenopenopenope, sorry, didn't put my hand down. Judges. Didn't put my hand down." And that triple flip. Just, you're really tired here, and "aaah! I did it. Okay, I did it." He's going, "I could have stood up straight on that triple flip."
1: But he got out of it. Now that is a phenominal score for Takahashi
KB: Again, intelligently put together. But all the components score. He's milking everything with the quality of his spins, the quality of his footwork sequences
1: And look at that total, 231.31. Just to give you an idea of how that stacks up, the top scores of the season, from Oda and Plushenko, right around 240. So Daisuke has put himself in the top group.
Gala skate 2006 (event unknown) Sex-bomb
KB: Watch this.
TG: Looks like he's been pumping iron since he won the gold medal.
KB: Oh, yeah!
Peggy Fleming: (something) costume. *laughs* A little Tom Jones.
KB: This was your era, wasn't it, Peggy? Tom Jones?
PF: Well yeah.*laughs*
KB: Were you into Tom? Oh, wow!
PF: Oh, my gosh, I don't think Tom looked like that.
TG?: We are here to pump you up!
Everyone laughs.
?: Ow!
KB: I'll tell you one thing, he's got Phillipe Candelloro beat, hands down.
TG: *laughs:
PF: Absolutely!
KB: I'm not sure we can keep showing this!
PF: Uh-oh!
KB: Candelloro used to just take his shirt off. I think Plushenko's going to take it one step further.
TG: All right, I'm out of here.
KB: What do you think, Peg?
PF: Oh, I don't know, I can't look.
TG: Peggy, you carry it from here.
PF: He's just to sexy.
KB: This guy's personality is unbelievable!
PF: Just when you thought you were safe, sitting up in the audience.
TG: That guy in the front row is the most embarrassed guy in the crowd.
PF: Makes his feet look very small. Terry, maybe you should ask him what he had for breakfast this morning!
2009 Trophee Eric Bompard (Nobunari Oda)
NBC
SH: Phenominal, phenominal, phenominal. What a great breakthrough for him.
1: On the ice now, Nobunari Oda of Japan, in second place after the short. He was seventh at the world championships last spring. He could have placed higher but he doesn’t keep track of all of his jumps. He has mental mistakes and it ends up costing him. And if you can’t tell already, he’s Charlie Chaplin out on the ice.
SH: One of his weaknesses has been his artistry. He’s really taking a huge step forward by doing this Charlie Chaplin routine. It normally opens with a quadruple toe loop, but it’s abandoned him here in Paris and so he is opening much safer, easy triple lutz. Unbelievable jumping ability he has. Very deep, soft knees, a lot of speed, tons of height. The next jump, triple axel, and look at how high he gets on this thing, it’s just extraordinary. He steps forward, three and a half revolutions, into a triple toe loop, like nothing. Wow. So often the skaters are so busy doing great things like that triple salchow and they’re so intent on what they have to do under the scoring system that they forget the audience, and this is one of those numbers where you can hear the audience responding, and it’s like “Thank you! We’re here for you!” *laughs*
1: This seems like a great Olympic season program. A little light, different, original.
SH: It’s a crowd pleaser, and also, it’s a huge step forward artistically for someone who’s always had his only weakness has been his artistry. Amazing jumper. Another triple axel here. Ha ha.
1: Wow.
SH: But this is, this is the statement you wanna make early in the international season, that I’m different, I’m ready, I’m prepared, and I’m in shape. Soft knees, beautiful air position, landings just amazing. He’s one of the few skaters that I’ve seen recently that I think is going to be able to walk when they’re sixty years old. The rest of them are just tearing their bodies up. It’s just so easy for him. This is going to be so tough to beat, I mean the choreography’s great, the crowd’s behind him, he’s showing amazing skill. All the heavy lifting is over, he’s finished jumping, all he has to do now is finish this footwork sequence, do one more spin, and put the pressure on Tomas Verner, who’s next. And that’s a lot of pressure because this was a great skate.
1: Nobunari Oda of Japan, the 2009 Japanese champion, his coach Nikolai Morrisov very pleased with that performance.
SH: And it’s a whole different guy. I mean, that’s what you want to see going into an Olympic year. When I think back to Brian Boitano in ’88, from who he was in ’87 to who he became in ’88, was a huge step forward, and it assured him the Olympic gold medal. A huge step forward for Nobunari. Amazing difference, that program can make.
1: Would you say that he has underperformed in the past?
SH: Well, I just think the artistry of the program’s been his weakness. He’s got the technical skill, it’s just nothing held it together. A big triple axel here, it’s like “Wooo! One-two-three. Oh, boy, if I had a triple axel like that, I’d never do anything else.*laughs* That’s it. Gorgeous combination there. Another one later in the program when your legs are tired. No problem for him. Look at his air position, soft knee right there, perfect landing and just easy triple flip right here, just amazing right into a double toe loop here, into a, just present, hi how you doing, I’m Charlie Chaplin and I’m about to win the gold medal here unless Tomas Verner can do something amazing.
1: Oda’s score in the free skate 163 points-
SH: That’s phenominal.
1: .33. That’s a new personal best
SH: That’s just, that’s just awesome. What a difference.
1: 232.53. He is in first place. And as you say, that will be a tough one to beat. Adam Rippon enjoying his new celebrity status. Rising star winning his first Senior medal in Paris.
SH: Exciting time for him, and also for Nobunari Oda, the winner of this championship. He’ll be taking away not only the gold medal here, but some strong momentum going into Vancouver.
1: David Paltier is with the winner.
DP: This is the first competition of the year. Were you nervous at all today, skating your long program?
NO: Uh, yes, I was more nervous yesterday, but I was real nervous today too. But I was very focused and (mumble) and smile. I think I did.
DP: Why did you decide not to go for the quad
NO: Cause I couldn’t make even once in this morning practice so I decided, don’t do the quad. But I will do the quad
DP: Thank you very much and congratulations.
NO: Thank you.
SH: When in doubt, take it out!
2009 Grand Prix Final Long Program (Nobunari Oda)
1: Here's Nobunari Oda of Japan in third place after the short program. Even with a personal best in the short program, he could only get into third place, which shows you how high the bar was raised in the first portion of this competition.
Scott Hamilton: And he is having a phenominal year. Winning both of his international competitions coming in, and turning a lot more heads than he's ever turned in his entire skating career just with this program. Beautiful triple lutz to open. Always known to be a great jumper. Setup for triple axel's just a little bit odd, see, a little odd, right there, and triple axel, gigantic into another huge triple toe loop, wow!
1: Well, he's skating to a selection of Charlie Chaplin music. This is one of the more charming programs of the season
SH: Always known for his jumps, but not his personality, all of a sudden this Nikolai Morrisov program is showing a different side of him and actually chased his biggest competitor, Daisuke Takahashi, right out of that camp. He went to his coach and said, "Well," he said, "I think I'm out of here." Be interesting to see how that plays out.
1: Oda with no quad planned in this program, but he has been landing them all week in Tokyo in practice. Do you think we'll ever see one in competition?
SH: He has more than enough ability to pull that off. But it does seem that the men are being more conservative. The quad is important, but not an end all-be all, as we found out last year with Evan Lysacek winning the World Championships without one. But that puts the extra pressure on triple axels, and that's the next jump in this program. Triple axel, three and a half revolutions. Oh, and a pop. He opened up and only did a single axel, that's a huge loss of points right there that he could have gained. Now the next three jumping sequences become very important, triple lutz-triple loop-double toe, gorgeous. Last triple of the program, triple loop, gorgeous. He's such a talented, gifted jumper, but in order for him to be competitive, he has to be clean. And that triple axel will probably cost him. Double axel here, oh, and he goes off the heel on a double axel another single. To tell you the difference, you lose more than seven points between a triple axel and a single axel. And when you're talking about tenths of a point between first and second place at times...
1: Nobunari Oda of Japan. Not the best we've seen him perform this program this season.
SH: Well, the two international competitions he won, he skated a much better performance than that. I'm sure he's going to be disappointed, especially in front of his home crowd. Two single axels. Very costly. Triple axel, the one he did right here, beautiful air position, lot of speed coming down into a triple toe loop, gorgeous height on that. This great three-jump combination, triple lutz, great, again, great air position, straight in the air, triple toe loop nothing to it, and an easy double loop jump, again just makes it look so easy. And then the popped triple axel, it's like WHOA! No. Your body knows. Your body knows the timing on all this. Closing spin of the program. And he knows. "I gave two big jumps away. Unlucky."
1: Scott, you mentioned what a phenominal season Oda has had. He has two of the top four scores of the season.
SH: Well, this won't be one of 'em. *laughs* Cause the two mistakes were really costly, and he really left holes in the program, so he won't get the component scores that he was getting earlier, either.
1: But he does score enough to take over first place, so that will drop Johnny Weir to second place
2007 Cup of Russia Long Program (Kim Yu-Na)
ESPN coverage
1: --coming off a big win at Cup of China. Here is seventeen-year-old Yu-Na Kim of Korea.
Paul Wylie: This program to Miss Saigon really combines so many different things, but Yu-Na moves very beautifully across the ice into this triple flip-triple toe loop, the most difficult combination of the event. Hah! So solid.
1: The next jump was not even a part of last year's jumping repertoire, the triple loop jump, so now she has a complete array of triple jumps.
PW: A complete array except for the triple axel, which she may not need.
1: Seventeen years of age and a big hand from her coach, Brian Orser. Yu-Na Kim. And Paul, what did you think?
PW: Just an incredible performance. Really, the way that she was from star to finish on top of her skate, and had the extension and the connection with the audience. The spins were tough, the footwork was tough. And I don't care about the difficulty. She was beautiful to watch. All right, I said I didn't care about difficulty, I do care about difficulty. And it was right up front here, beatifully high triple flip, it goes into a triple toe loop. The air position just nice and tight, clean as a whistle, no worries about whether it's an outside or an inside edge, it's a perfect inside edge. But then, the spins. Just very high quality, difficulty in the short program she had two level four spins, the cannonball position there and you see just the attention to detail throughout the program here. Stunning talent.
1: Well, she needs 109 to win. Her personal best thus far 122. Well, look at the technical element marks, 72.9. Added with the program components, of course no deductions, and let's see the final tally. 133.7. She has blown away her personal best. In fact, the highest free skate score ever for Yu-Na Kim, 133.7
2007 Worlds Short Program (Kim Yu-Na)
Simon Reed: The winner of the Grand Prix Final, the winner of the event in Paris. She's had a phenominal year. A tango for Brian Orser's charge, and what a charge he has to in Kim Yu-Na. Beatiful. So good, the running edge out of that triple flip-triple toe. Fine on the triple lutz, too.
CH: Well, that was huge at the (something) with the steps beforehand. This is a classy performance.
SR: Ah! Mindboggling! I have rarely ever seen a single skater skate to the music as well as that. Brilliant program, superb choreography. What a feel she has. Technically, Chris, again, will tell you all about it. For me, it was the most enjoyable performance by a long way.
CH: Yeah, it was a fantastic skate, that. I loved it. Absolutely loved it. Beatiful touch at the end, there going into the double axel from that Ina Bauer. So difficult, because the right hip is so far behind you. Just makes the jump almost impossible. Brilliant. Love the step sequence. She hit every beat of the music, didn't she?
SR: She did.
CH: And there he is.
SR: A former world champion himself. And boy, we've not seen him in the coaching element too much before. What a way to get into the big time with this young lady. Incredible talent. And it's obviously been very safely nurtured.
CH: It certainly has. What a beautiful start, we saw that triple flip-triple toe. Fantastic speed, I think the triple toe was higher than the triple flip at the beginning. Just amazing. And look at the expression. Really does feel the music so well. Difficult to get the lutz off the steps beforehand, but look, no hesitation, crosses that left foot in front, back outside edge, plants the toe, great elevation. Clean as you like, and doesn't she make it look easy. Fantastic.
SR: And this is a sixteen-year-old at her first world championships.
CH: And here's that double axel, you see from the Bauer, no problem. That was a special skate.
SR: That was, wasn't it? Hopefully it will be rewarded. It's not going to be coming as a surprise. ISU Grand Prix Final in St. Petersburg. Not a lot of peopl there who would have known too much about her, but they put her first then. And here she is again at Worlds. Just amazing. What we've seen is still difficult to take in.
CH: Awesome, he says. I think that sums it up, really.
SR: It really does. Skates with Brian in Toronto. Oh, my!
CH: My goodness!
SR: 41.49. More congratulations due. To the judges. 41. So she's up to what, 72, just shy of 72. That is fantastic. No more than she deserves, but credit the judges for going with that. I'm pretty sure that's not going to be beaten. That is phenominal.
2008 Worlds Long Program (Kim Yu-Na)
ABC
TG: Yu-Na Kim on the ice, the seventeen-year-old from South Korea who trains in Toronto.
1: There's nothing flashy at all about this skater. She is very gentle to the ice. Beautiful flow over the ice. And she is opening with a triple-triple combination here, triple flip-triple toe. Solid as a rock.
DB: Did you notice the line of that going in? That was straight. It wasn't outside or inside, but a straight line all the way through, and good height, which allowed her to get the revolutions. That's jumping.
1: Nice flying sit-spin. Good air position, very light.
DB: Again, look at the ease of that. And the way she just floats through it, completing the revolution in the air and then settling down. That's wonderful. Turn your foot out here, my dear.
TG: Yu-na Kim is the reigning world bronze medalist and she is coached by a world champ, Brian Orser. He won the title back in '87.
1: And this is a beautiful combination. Double axel-triple toe. Very nice.
DB: That spin, I'm sorry to say was a Button camel. *snicker* Had to get it in once, in the last forty years, when I stopped calling them Button camels.
1: *laughs*
TG: 40?!
DB: Yep.
TG: Keep going.
1: *laughs some more*
DB: You know I stopped forty years ago, calling them Button camels.
TG+1: Oh.
DB: Awww.
1: She really was determined on that landing. It's hard to focus again after you make a mistake like that
DB: It'll be interesting to see if that was a full complete landing, or whether there was a little cheat on the end of that.
1: and we have a little smile on her face, toward the end of this program. She still has to keep this energy up for the straight line footwork.
DB: That straight line footwork was really not objectively fast, or terrific. It had a lot of different moves all the changes, the brackets, the rockers, the turns, that sort of thing, but it did not inspire as a straightline footwork.
1: Nice Ina into a triple axel. Nice flowing edge out of that jump and now this final combination spin, a little bit more stretched. Beautiful sit positions.
(overlapping speech)
DB: The quality that she had in the jumping and in the performance was really very beautiful. She made a few little glitches here and there, but ultimately that was a superb performance, magnificent jumps, lovely performance. The whole thing. If that doesn't hold her up into a very high position, I think in this competition since in the last now three, uh, uh, third from the last skater, I think that I'll eat my hat.
TG+1: *laugh*
1: Well, she kept her calm and she really focused on each individual jump, and just a beautiful flow over the ice.
TG: Could we looking at the next world champion?
DB: Tonight--
1: I think that's--
DB: Difficult to examine.
TG: Asada, Nikano still to come. So, we'll see. We'll check the numbers in a moment. But the world champ from last year forced to withdraw earlier and she's disappointed obviously about that. Standing by now with Peter Carruthers.
PC: We're sorry to see you withdraw, and we do wish you a speedy recovery with your injury. Good luck, Miki.
TG: That's too bad. And, and the Japanese skaters, there's pressure on them that many others don't deal with with the large contingent of media. They are surrounded and followed all the time at these events, all the events that they skate in.
DB: And they make paparazzi look like tootsies.
TG: Yeah. I mean it is to that level with those athletes. Yu-na Kim, waiting for the marks.
1: And here is a look at her triple flip-double toe (sic) combination. She started this program with, and I think it really set the tone of the quality of jumps and the quality of flow that this young lady has.
TG: Now the numbers. Just seventeen years old, and has been dealing herself an injury. She had a hip injury recently. Forced to withdraw from the Four Continents Championship, but Brian Orser said she was fit. Maybe not 100%, but she was ready to go. It obviously is. 64.82 for technical elements.
1: I think it's going to be wonderful to see her at 100%
TG: It will, but guess what? It's not enough to put her--
DB: Pull her ahead of Carolina Kostner.
TG: Look at that, how close that is, little more than a point. Kostner's still on top.
DB: Well, I've gotta tell you, I mean it was a world of difference...
2009 Grand Prix Final Long Program (Kim Yu-Na)
NBC coverage
1: Welcome back to our coverage of the Grand Prix Final. Here are the standings after the ladies' short program. Something we haven't seen in a while. Kim Yu-Na trailing Miki Ando, but by less than a point. She's in second place. Kim Yu-Na warming up for the free skate. An unusual position for her, she hasn't been in second after the short program since the 2008 Worlds.
SH: Normally she has like a ten or fifteen point lead. But you know, warm up is looking pretty good. You wondered what was going to happen to her after Lake Placid in that long program. Here's that combination in the short program. She got downgraded on the second jump right here. Now watch it again, we're going to..look at the landing of the triple toe loop, it comes down right there, short of rotation, barely. I don't even know how they counted that downgraded. And then the jump that's been giving her fits, the triple flip that she singled right there. So unusual to see her make these kind of mistakes. But that's two competitions in a row.
1: Miki Ando, the leader after the short program. She will skate last. And now, Kim Yu-Na of South Korea, and the one thing we've learned over the last couple of weeks, the world champion is human.
SH: Shocking long program at Skate America in Lake Placid. Another shocking short program at this competition, that's two in a row that are just so uncharacteristic. She's gotta turn this thing around and be what we're used to seeing. We thought she was invincible going into the Olympic games and now we know that she has weaknesses. I never thought that was possible. But she's gotta turn it around with a good long program here otherwise people are going to have big doubts and some of the other womenn may think it's possible to win that gold medal in Vancouver. Everything about her skating is magnificent. Great speed into this opening combination triple lutz, a little forward, double toe loop. Normally that's a triple-triple. Wisely she chose to do a double toe loop at the end of that, due to the lack of speed. and when she struggles it's on this triple flip. She singled it in the short program, she'll pre-rotate her upper body when she misses it. That was nicely square on the takeoff and beautifully landed. Everything about her skating. Her line, flexibility, choreography...
1: It's interesting, the last time Kim Yu-Na lost a competition was the Grand Prix Finals last year to Mao Asada. This year, in Tokyo, chasing another Japanese skater, Miki Ando with the lead.
SH: Ah, a litle two-foot on that triple toe loop, but a very difficult combination. And just a little tired going into this, the most difficult jump in the program, another triple lutz. Big triple lutz at the end of the program, beautifully delivered. Just a special, spectacular skater, and a nicely delivered program
1: And she landed the triple flip!
SH: Well, she got that monkey off her back. It was only there for two performances, and maybe that's what she needed to kind of right herself and get back into everything.
1: Looks a little bit relieved.
SH: Not, not amount of difficulty in that program, four triple jumps, only. She'll need to do more than that if she wants to hold off these Japanese women who are so strong in the jumping department. Everything means something. It's a lot of points.
1: Brian Orser's so calm. Miki Ando on the ice, getting set to go.
SH: Opening combination. A little forward on that, wisely does a double toe loop on the landing of that triple lutz. Triple flip, she squares her body perfectly there and eases in to the landing, she faces where she took off. Beautifully landed. Double axel-triple toe - now she's a little short on rotation on this triple toe, see, right there, she comes down forward instead of backwards, so they'll only give her credit for a double toe loop there. And the two-foot will be, cost her some points as well. Not a perfect performance and not the level of difficulty that she'll need to win the Olympic gold medal, but still righting the ship, turning it around.
1: Well, you see the score that Kim Yu-Na needs to take the lead, and she does that easily, but that is well below her personal best. And that total is about twenty-two points off of her personal best. One skater remains: Miki Ando, when we return.
Kim Yu-Na: This competition I made many mistakes in the long program and short program, as well. But overall, my...I have three competitions, I mean, Grand Prix series and there's a good moment or bad moment, so I learn a lot. I was real nervous, because it's Olympic season, but I really...it was a good fight for future, so I really happy about it.
SH: Well, she's feeling the nerves here, how's she going to feel in Vancouver when she sees those Olympic rings on the boards? Each competition between the last three have gotten closer and closer. I think there's a lot of women that think that gold medal is not out of their reach.
2009 Worlds Short Program (Kim Yu-Na)
TG: Kim Yu-Na. She’s rated the number one celebrity in Korea. You see she’s an accomplished singer. She’s been in lots of television shows and commercials. She is the number one celebrity, not just the sports celebrity, number one celebrity in all of Korea. Immensely popular. It’s her third trip to the world championships, but a little deceptive in that she’s taken the bronze medal her past two appearances, but in both instances, skating with injuries. And here in Los Angeles, trying to become the first Korean skater to ever win a world title.
1: And talk about carrying a weight of expectation on her shoulders, not only is she carrying the whole country on her shoulders, but she also is expected to do the cleanest program here.
TG: Carolina Kostner of Italy awaiting her short program scores, 63.18, which puts her, for now, into fourth place. They are the current standings. Jeanette Rochet of Canada continues to lead the competition. Now Kim Yu-Na. Only one skater this season has beaten her, and that was Mao Asada in the Grand Prix Final.
1: But this short program, I think everyone agrees, is magnificent. And so, she’s expected to live up to that as well. It’s Dance Macabre by Saints-Saens, choreographed by David Wilson.
KB: There are good skaters, excellent skaters, and then there’s phenoms, and she’s one of those. Opening combination here. Look at the speed going into it, a triple flip-triple toe. Just gorgeous. Perfect technique.
1: And musical. Jumps right with the notes.
KB: There’s so much ice in these. Triple lutz. Textbook.
1: There you have it.
KB: Perfect positions. This layback-
1: Layback.
KB: The speed, the position.
1: What’s exciting about Yu-Na is that along with her elegance, she has fire.
KB: Final element in this short program. Combination spin. Great expectations and she delivered on every single one of them.
1: Brilliant.
KB: That will be impossible to beat.
1: Head and shoulders better than everyone else today.
KB: Japan has had a tradition of ice skating for a long time. South Korea has had none. She is the first one to come out of her country at this level. So exciting.
TG: A personal dynasty in the making. Korean Kim Yu-Na.
2006 Grand Prix Final Long Program
TG: Brian Joubert easily won two gold medals in the Grand Prix series. He has fans all over France if not the world, but his number one fan is standing by right now with Peter Carruthers. Peter?
PC: Mrs. Joubert, Brian is about to skate. What is on your mind?
Mom: I am afraid. Sorry, I am always afraid.
PC: Don't be sorry, you're a nervous mother. What makes him a great athlete?
Mom: Because every day he works a lot. Every day he works.
PC: Hard worker. What did you say to him?
Mom: Well, for me to say, he's outstanding, and I love Brian.
PC: Thank you so much. Good luck.
TG: Yeah, Peter, that's great. And Brian Joubert. Many expected him to move away from home, go to Paris to train, he hasn't done that. He's still in Poitiers, living at home with his family. Here he is, his fourth competition in five weeks. Now the Grand Prix of Paris, the Cup of Russia, the French Nationals and now the Grand Prix Final here in St. Petersburg. The leader after the short program with a total of 80.75 points, that was just a little less than a point ahead.
PW: The competency he was talking about inspires consistency, has given him a tremendous string of victories. The Cup of Russia he landed three quads in a program. The first attempt quad here, a quad toe, hand down just like the short program, double toe combination. The second quad planned is a different quad, a quad salchow, takes off the backward inside edge, he changes it to a triple. That's his right.
TG: You think that was a planned change?
PW: It looked pretty smooth, pretty planned, yes. I don't think he thinks he needs it at this point. Triple axel. That was easy. Lots of changes in Joubert's approach, he's got a new coach, Jean-Cristophe Simond. Two-time European silver medalist himself, his dream is to be the first Frenchman to win Worlds since 1965, and that coveted Olympic gold in Vancouver.
TG: You mentioned the coaching change. He's had four different coaches over the last, oh year plus or so. And earlier this season he and Alban Preaubert were the first duo to stand on the podium together at a Grand Prix event, that was in Paris.
PW: Second quad, after the halfway point so it earns a bonus, turned out of that...very difficult just to keep that stamina together. If you're a Metallica fan you may recognize this music. It's Metallica music performed by the Finnish chamber group called Apocalyptica. Choreographed by Kurt Browning.
TG: What do you think our colleague Mr. Browning has brought out in Joubert's skating?
PW: Well, Brian himself said that he taught him to use his entire body, and I think that has given him a lot of awareness in his feet and in his arms, and I really think that he's, he's given him a lot more flexibility. His spins have also really improved, he's been gaining the higher levels, he's been paying attention to that. Every piece of Brian Joubert's performance has been on the rise this season. This was not as good as his performance at the cup of Russia, but still, remember, two quads attempted, little mistakes here and there. But I'd say he is a dominant force in the sport right now.
TG: His mom liked it, as you might expect. Yeah, it wasn't what we saw at the Cup of Russia. But it's almost impossible to have that peak performance every time out throughout the season. And I'm not sure overall anyone really challenges Brian Joubert for the top spot right now in skating.
PW: Quad toe-double toe here, you see he put that hand down just slightly. Just not enough speed maybe going into it, a little tentative. Although the triple sow which was supposed to be a quad, but beautiful air position, you know as he mentions, he's thinking of quad when he's doing triples, so it's easy for him. And here, the second quad toe after the halfway mark, deep into the program. A little loose in the air, so he's not getting the rotation that he may need, there's just an extra little eighth of a turn that's making him step out of that. Plushenko's probably the only one who can take him on at this point.
TG: He's off having fun right now, not skating competetively at least. 76.51, there are the numbers, the one point mandatory deduction. 152.71, so not his personal best but clearly good enough to top Daisuke Takahashi. And what you really wish you could have seen is the performance from Takahashi at NHK, against the performance from Joubert at Cup of Russia. That would have been a heck of a match up. Neither one put his best foot forward here in St. Petersburg, but Joubert who skates away with the gold medal. he wins by more than eight points over Daisuke Takahashi. Nobunari Oda finishes third, and Alban Preaubert ends up in fourth. Peter Carruthers is with the champ.
PC: Brian, four competitions in five weeks. You looked just a little tired out there. What was the story?
BJ: I'm very tired because physically it's very hard, and mentally also. I gave a lot of power for the Trophee Eric Bompard and the Cup of Russia, so now it's difficult but it's very interesting, and I'm, I am stronger now for the next competition.
PC: Tell me exactly what happens when you took off for the quad, but had to put the hand down. Why does that happen?
BJ: Uh, in the beginning of the program I was not strong enough with my body, that's why I did this mistake, but uh, technically it was okay.
PC: You said you watched a little bit of Takahashi, it wasn't a great performance, it kind of let you down a little. Why?
BJ: Why, uh, he did some mistakes, so it was easier for me to win. But I don't like it, I like when, um, there is very good competition with strong competitors, but um, but I am gonna have these kind of competition in Europeans and in Worlds.
PC: So, Brian Joubert, looking for the fight. Congratulations on your win here at the final. Right now, let's go back to Terry Gannon.
TG: All right, Peter. See, there's the answer to the three quad question. He watched some of Takahash. He knew he didn't need the three quad.
2006 Skate Canada Short Program
Rod Black: Japan's national champion.
Tracy Wilson: Daisuke also a mercurial competitor, moments of brilliance, looking for consistency on his jumps. He will open with his triple flip-triple toe. Very solid. Preparing now for his triple axel. Oh! He held on. Triple lutz. Skating to Tchaikovsky's violin concerto, choreography by Nikolai Morrisov. Nikolai's capable of putting together beautiful footwork. Daisuke has the technical ability to carry it off. I like the way he puts his whole body into this footwork.
RB: It's going to be close between Daisuke and Johnny Weir. Nice performance by Daisuke Takahashi. This might be splitting hairs here.
TW: That's exactly what it'll be.
RB: So Daisuke Takahashi with Marc Andre Craig of Canada to skate yet. A lot of fans here. Skated at the Olympic games, of course for Japan. Finished eighth overall.
RB: In the house is Tokashi Honda who carried the torch for so long for Japanese men's skating, now a commentator, so he has also fallen to the lowest common denominator. *laughs* And Tokashi now is living back in his homeland, he used to skate in Barry. There's Daisuke who's looking up at him. It's quite the competition between Daisuke Takahashi and Nobunari Oda, who also trains in Canada.
TW: And Oda who won Skate America last week. Daisuke hoping to end up at the top of the podium here. Good height in his jumps, this his combination, his triple flip-triple toe. Let's take a look now at his triple axel. He took some time to prepare going into it, and overrotated on the landing, so that element not as good as Johnny Weir when you're talking about splitting hairs, Rod. let's take a look at his lutz out of footwork, this was a very strong jump, good landing. Perhaps on the jumps I'd give the edge to Weir. However, Daisuke had the better spins, they were a little bit faster and stronger, and I also thought that his footwork was more dynamic and had more power than Johnny Weir, but the technical specialists come into play, they will grade the level of difficulty on the footwork sequences and the spins. And there's Shizuka--
RB: There's your Olympic champion.
TW: --Arakawa
RB: So the number to beat, Tracy, is 76.28. Daisuke Takahashi, who won Skate America a year ago, and these numbers are going to be better than Johnny Weir's, and Daisuke Takahashi moves into first place now.
2009 Skate Canada Long Program
1(f): Daisuke Takahashi of Japan, also with a chance of making the Grand Prix Final, as he continues his comeback from last season's knee injuries. The 2007 Worlds silver medalist seemed to struggle with endurance at his first Grand Prix event of this season. Hoping to be stronger in Canada. In the mean time, Denis Ten's scores in the free skate, not competitive, he is out of the medal picture.
KB?: Having spent last year recuperating from that knee injury, mixing it up a little bit to have Daisuke back on the international scene. His opening is a mine field. Quad toe right off the top. Dup triple. Quad toe will be such an important jump in Vancouver. The next two jumping passes are the next most difficult jumps in this program, the triple axel. Beautiful triple axel-double toe loop combination. And then another triple axel opening up right here. Nicely landed. Most of the top men in the world will spread their triple axels out a little bit. They'll do one in the second half of the program where you get a ten percent bonus. Triple axel is a big point getter and you want to do it later in the program, you get more points. The fact that he did both of his triple axels off the top shows there might be a little bit of an endurance issue, but the quality of his skating is extraordinary. Almost put his hand down there, a little forward landing. Program showing great personality
1: It has the look of an Olympic program.
KB: Well, his fellow countryman Nobunari Oda has had a phenominal international season. A little step out on that triple salchow there.
1: And Oda has one of those great personable programs as well, he does that Charlie Chaplin skate.
KB: It's just amazing how Japan has come on as a powerhouse not only ladies figure skating. They've got a lot of amazing women skaters, but also the men.
1: Daisuke Takahashi very happy with that performance, and he puts the pressure on Jeremy Abbott, who only had a two and a half point lead after the short program.
KB: Well that was a really good solid skate. And, you know, two triple axels and coming off that injury to the knee injury and coming back to this international season, you know, stamina obviously will be an issue, but my goodness. That was really, you know, a solid performance. Very well constructed, very intelligently put together with great personality. I think he should be really happy with that. Triple axel there, BIG triple axel, good speed coming out, and a nice easy double toe loop on the landing of that. Beatifully done. Now toward the middle of the program when you're getting a bonus, triple lutz, another difficult jump. Triple lutz, double toe, very easily landed. Really good, and, and this is a little bit of a scary one there, the triple loop, it's like "WOAH! not gonna put my hand down, not gonna put my hand down, nopenopenopenope, sorry, didn't put my hand down. Judges. Didn't put my hand down." And that triple flip. Just, you're really tired here, and "aaah! I did it. Okay, I did it." He's going, "I could have stood up straight on that triple flip."
1: But he got out of it. Now that is a phenominal score for Takahashi
KB: Again, intelligently put together. But all the components score. He's milking everything with the quality of his spins, the quality of his footwork sequences
1: And look at that total, 231.31. Just to give you an idea of how that stacks up, the top scores of the season, from Oda and Plushenko, right around 240. So Daisuke has put himself in the top group.
Gala skate 2006 (event unknown) Sex-bomb
KB: Watch this.
TG: Looks like he's been pumping iron since he won the gold medal.
KB: Oh, yeah!
Peggy Fleming: (something) costume. *laughs* A little Tom Jones.
KB: This was your era, wasn't it, Peggy? Tom Jones?
PF: Well yeah.*laughs*
KB: Were you into Tom? Oh, wow!
PF: Oh, my gosh, I don't think Tom looked like that.
TG?: We are here to pump you up!
Everyone laughs.
?: Ow!
KB: I'll tell you one thing, he's got Phillipe Candelloro beat, hands down.
TG: *laughs:
PF: Absolutely!
KB: I'm not sure we can keep showing this!
PF: Uh-oh!
KB: Candelloro used to just take his shirt off. I think Plushenko's going to take it one step further.
TG: All right, I'm out of here.
KB: What do you think, Peg?
PF: Oh, I don't know, I can't look.
TG: Peggy, you carry it from here.
PF: He's just to sexy.
KB: This guy's personality is unbelievable!
PF: Just when you thought you were safe, sitting up in the audience.
TG: That guy in the front row is the most embarrassed guy in the crowd.
PF: Makes his feet look very small. Terry, maybe you should ask him what he had for breakfast this morning!