Ice Musings: Cup of China Men's Free Skate

The event begins at 6:15am EST.
The warmup group is on the ice.

Group 1

Richard Dornbush, USA: 76.78 TES + 65.56 PCS = 142.34 Total: 205.27

Hand down on the quad toe but he lands it
Nice triple lutz
Triple axel + triple toe with a step out on the toe
I really like this step sequence--it fits the music,k character of the program and is very difficult
Good camel positions into a nice low sit spin
Beautiful triple axel
Hydroblade to triple salchow to double axel
Great low sit spin position with broken leg variation
Triple lutz + double toe + double loop with both arms overhead and very tight on all the landings
Triple flip
Triple loop
Great speed in his final combination spin with a smooth flying change
If he can hit this program clean it will be a big point getter

Kevin Reynolds, CAN: 79.30 TES + 62.80 PCS -2.00 = 140.10 Total: 204.41 and into 2nd place

Beautiful quad salchow to open the program
Quad toe
Fall on his triple axel
Fall on the quad loop
Great passion behind this step sequence and he's walking a fine line between being too flaily and really going for it
Nice camel spin into sit spin but he loses speed by the end of his upright spin
Triple flip + triple toe + triple loop
Nice step up into double axel
Triple lutz + triple toe -- a little wonky on the landing of the toe
Triple salchow + double loop
Nice scratch spin at the end of his program

Jialing Wu, CHN: 63.49 TES + 54.94 PCS -1.00 = 117.43 Total: 182.49 and into 3rd place

Big triple axel + triple toe to open his program
Triple salchow
Fall on the triple axel
His feet got tangled up and he two footed that triple
These spins are very slow and he only does a small number of variations
Very slow on this footwork as well with not a lot of power and ice coverage
Triple flip + double toe
Nice triple loop
Better speed through this camel to sit to triangle spin
Double axel + double toe + double loop was wild and he turned out of the last jump
Really low landing on that triple and he has to put his free leg down
Nice sit positions and speed

Nan Song, CHN: 86.45 TES + 67.58 PCS = 154.03 Total: 226.75 and into 1st place

Nice quad toe + triple toe combo
Solo quad toe
Huge triple axel right in front of the judges
Good positions in his sit spin but lost his centering a few times
His step sequence is decent and he's in to it enough that the audience is clapping along
Triple axel + single toe
Triple salchow
Good camel position but his broken leg variation isn't great and he needs more flexibility through the catch foot
Great triple right on the music
Right into another triple
Very fun choreographic step sequence
Double axel + double toe
Fast triangle spin position with a flying change into a scratch spin

Group 2

Nobunari Oda, JPN: 74.30 TES + 76.16 PCS -1.00 = 149.46 Total: 227.11 and into 1st place

Triple axel + double toe + double loop combo was a little tight at the end
Opened up his triple lutz early but tacks on the triple toe
Triple loop right into one footed footwork on the landing
Fall on his next triple flip and it takes him a second to get back into his program
Good camel position but he has to drop his leg to get into the catchfoot position
Big triple axel
Good triple salchow
Triple lutz + double toe
Double axel with a bit of a struggle on the landing
He looks tired here a t the end
Good low sit positions with good speed
A lot of energy and flow across the ice in his choreography at the end into the ending pose

Jeremy Abbott, USA: 69.67 TES + 80.50 PCS -1.00 = 149.17 Total: 228.49 and into 3rd place

Yuzuru Hanyu, JPN : 72.80 TES + 74.36 PCS -2.00 = 145.16 Total: 226.54 and into 4th place

Artur Gachinski, RUS: 69.04 TES + 72.86 PCS -1.00 = 140.90 Total: 222.54 and into 5th place

Fall on his opening quad toe attempt
Spread eagle into triple axel--wild in the air and has to step out of it
Triple axel + double toe
Nice broken leg variation in his camel spin but he needs more stretch through the catchfoot position
Good low sit position with a nice change of foot into a twist variation
Not a lot of upper body in this step sequence, very slow and a move that looks like he lost his balance; he's giving away a lot of points here by not going for the high levels
Pops open his salchow into a single
Triple loop was tilted in the air but he lands it
Double Flip
Triple lutz + double toe + double loop really tight
Double axel sequence very tight on the landings
Nice camel position right into a Y spin with a change foot into a sit spin

Pl.	Name	Nation	TSS =	TES +	PCS +	SS	TR	PE	CH	IN	Ded. -	StN.
1	Nan SONG	CHN	154.03	86.45	67.58	6.79	6.25	7.11	6.71	6.93	0.00	#4
2	Nobunari ODA	JPN	149.46	74.30	76.16	7.86	7.43	7.57	7.68	7.54	1.00	#5
3	Jeremy ABBOTT	USA	149.17	69.67	80.50	8.00	7.82	7.93	8.18	8.32	1.00	#6
4	Yuzuru HANYU	JPN	145.16	72.80	74.36	7.61	7.29	7.25	7.46	7.57	2.00	#7
5	Richard DORNBUSH	USA	142.34	76.78	65.56	6.61	6.39	6.46	6.61	6.71	0.00	#1
6	Artur GACHINSKI	RUS	140.90	69.04	72.86	7.29	7.07	7.21	7.50	7.36	1.00	#8
7	Kevin REYNOLDS	CAN	140.10	79.30	62.80	6.43	6.07	6.29	6.36	6.25	2.00	#2
8	Jialiang WU	CHN	117.43	63.49	54.94	5.86	5.21	5.54	5.57	5.29	1.00	#3