2018 Four Continents Championships: Review

Most of the focus has shifted to Pyeongchang and the Olympics which are less than two weeks away.  However, there was still one major competition to get out of the way: Four Continents.  In Olympic years the competition is rather light; however, thanks to Japan we ended up with a pretty competitive event. 

It's a Japanese sweep!

2018 European Championships + 2018 Canadian National Championships: Review

We're getting down to the final few competitions before the Olympics take center stage.  This week was the Eteri student showdown:  Evgenia vs. Alina.  I'll take a quick look at the 2018 European Championships and also catch up on what happened weekend before last at the 2018 Canadian National Championships.

2018 European Championships

The Queen has been dethroned!

2017 European Championships + 2017 Canadian National Championships: Review

More skating to cover this week!  I'll take a quick look at the results of the European Championships and give my thoughts on the outcome of last week's Canadian national championships. Let's go!

2017 European Championships

Back-to-back for Medvedeva

2016 Skate Canada: Review

The second event of the season was packed when it came to medal contenders.  Of course this one was pretty much decided before the competition began but there were a few surprises along the way.

One down for Evgenia. Five more to go...

2016 Japan Open + 2016 Tallinn Cup + 2016 Autumn International Classic + 2016 Ondrej Nepela: Reviews

Oh boy, here we go!  This was a massively busy week in the skating world.  Four competitions!  I'll take a look at Japan Open, JGP Tallinn Cup, the Autumn International Classic and Ondrej Nepela Memorial.

2016 Japan Open

Japan Open is a bit of cheesefest that doesn't really count for anything, but it is a competition that gives us a sneak peek at where some of the bigger names are just a few weeks before the start of the Grand Prix season.  (Side note: It was super-weird not seeing Mao Asada here...)

Team Japan is still #1

Off Season Fun 2015-2016: Favorite Free Skates

After a longer than usual break (sorry about that!) Off Season Fun continues and concludes with my favorite Free Skates from last season.
5. Mao Asada: "Madame Butterfly"

Off Season Fun 2015-2016: Favorite Short Programs

Off Season Fun continues onward!  Next up I'll take a look back a my favorite programs from the 2015-2016 season.  First up, the Short Program...

5. Anna Pogorilaya: "Bolero for Violin and Orchestra"

2016 Four Continents Championships: Ladies Review

A lot of the top names were invited to this event but only a few of them came...and even fewer actually showed up.

Not the podium I was expecting but, I'll take it!

2016 European Championships + 2016 Canadian Nationals: Ladies Reviews

More skating! The 2016 European Championships took place last week.  The ladies event at Euros is more like a mini rematch of Russian nationals.  The top 3 competed again here and the results were...eh, the same.  I'll also take a look at the ladies from last weekend's Canadian National Championships.

2016 European Championships

Another Russian sweep this year

2015 Rostelecom Cup: Ladies Review

There were plenty of big Russian names at this event.  We had the reigning national champ, the reigning world junior champ and the reigning Olympic champ...needless to say inflation was expected.

It's a Russian sweep!

2015 U.S. International Challenge & Nebelhorn Trophy: Ladies Review + 2015 JGP Corpernicus Stars & JGPF Standings

There's always this flurry of events around this time of the season.  The ISU Challenger Series, affectionately known as "Senior B" events, have started.  I'll take a quick look at the first two events of the series and, of course, continue my coverage of the ladies at last week's JGP event...

2015 U.S. International Classic

The 2015 U.S. International Classic medalists

2015 World Team Trophy: Ladies Review

With all of the pressure of the regular season off, the World Team Trophy is an event that allows all of the top skaters from each country to relax and just perform for the crowd.  It's a lighthearted event but it's still a competition which means each country came ready to prove they were the best in the world.

Team USA - Gold, Team Russia - Silver, Team Japan - Bronze

2015 Four Continents Championships: Ladies Review

I always go into a competition knowing that anything can happen. I have to admit though, I really really was not expecting this...

The 2015 Four Continents Championships medalists...wait, what?

2015 European Championships: Ladies Review + Canadian & Korean Nationals Round-Up

If ever there was an easy competition to call, it was this year's European Championships.  Not many surprises here at all.  I'll take a quick look at the European ladies and then wrap up with a quick look at the results of the Canadian and Korean national championships.

And it's a Russian clean sweep!

2014 Rostelecom Cup: Ladies Review

If there was one competition on the Grand Prix this season that should have been easy to call, it was Rostelecom Cup (aka Cup of Russia).  Boy, were we wrong...

The Russian reign of the GP ends...

2014 Skate Canada: Ladies Review

The second event of the season, Skate Canada, once again had a young Russian squaring off against a top American.  The skating was a different but, ultimately, the outcome was mostly the same.

Russia is 2 for 2 so far...

2014 JGP Nagoya TV Cup & JGPF Standings + 2014 US International Skating Classic: Ladies Review

Two events this week: the fourth event in the JGP series, JGP Nagoya TV Cup, and the 2014 US International Skating Classic.  I'll take a look at the JGP event first (as well as the standings so far) and then give my thoughts on the ladies from the Classic.

2014 JGP Nagoya TV Cup 

Final results:

2014 Junior World Championships: Ladies Review

And the Russian domination continues!  For the second year in a row the Russian ladies made it a clean sweep, nabbing all three spots on the podium.

Back-to-back titles for Elena, and back-to-back sweeps for Russia

JGP Riga Cup 2013: Ladies Review

Woohoo! The Junior Grand Prix has officially begun! Let's get to it...

Here are the final results:

2013 Junior World Championships: Ladies Review

I can’t say it’s a surprise but I’m still a little shocked that my prediction (had I made one officially) ended up being correct. There was a Russian sweep of the podium at junior worlds in the ladies event. We saw some great skating, some bad skating and some questionable results but hey, this is figure skating after all…

Perfect end to a nearly perfect season!