|
Post by Admin on Feb 14, 2017 21:20:59 GMT
Yuzuru Hanyu, Patrick Chan and U.S. champion Nathan Chen headline the Four Continents Championships at the 2018 Olympic venue, on NBC Sports this week. Four Continents brings together the world’s best skaters outside of Europe, which already had its own continental championships in January. It doubles as the Olympic test event, making it a tune-up not only for the world championships next month but also for PyeongChang 2018. The men’s field includes the 2014 Olympic gold and silver medalists, Hanyu and Chan, plus the American Chen, who outscored both of them at the Grand Prix Final free skate in December. And Japan’s Shoma Uno and China’s Jin Boyang, the bronze medalists at the last two major international competitions. The field includes every worlds medal contender save two-time reigning world champion Javier Fernandez of Spain. If Chen wins this week, skating like he did at the U.S. Championships in January, he has to be considered the world championships favorite. It’s a tall order, though.
|
|
|
Post by Admin on Feb 15, 2017 21:21:52 GMT
On the women’s side, the U.S. team is made up of national champion Karen Chen, plus Mariah Bell and Mirai Nagasu, who placed third and fourth at nationals. U.S. silver medalist Ashley Wagner is skipping Four Continents as usual to prepare for worlds. The favorite is Canadian Kaetlyn Osmond. Another Canadian, Gabrielle Daleman, and Japanese Wakaba Higuchi and Mai Mihara are also in the medal mix, along with the U.S. trio. Japanese champion Satoko Miyahara withdrew last week with a hip injury.
|
|
|
Post by Admin on Feb 16, 2017 21:18:01 GMT
Canadians took the top two spots Thursday in the Four Continents women's short program, with Gabrielle Daleman first and Kaetlyn Osmond second at the test event for the 2018 Winter Olympics. Daleman opened with a triple toe loop-triple toe loop combination at the Gangneung Ice Arena and cleanly landed a triple lutz and a double axel for 68.25 points. "It was a fight tonight, but I'm happy with what I was able to accomplish and with the overall package," Daleman said. "It's been great competing in Korea for my second Four Continents and it is just so motivational and inspiring to compete in the Olympic rink." Osmond fell on the landing of her double axel and was second with 68.21 points. Elizabet Tursynbaeva of Kazakhstan was third with 66.87.
|
|
|
Post by Admin on Feb 17, 2017 21:23:47 GMT
Nathan Chen took first place Friday in the men’s short program at the Four Continents, a test event for the 2018 Winter Olympics, while Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir of Canada won the gold medal in ice dance. The American champion, 17, opened with a quad lutz-triple toe loop combination at the Gangneung Ice Arena and added a quad flip and a triple axel for 103.12 points. “That score is really incredible for me,” Chen said. “It’s close to what I got at nationals, so it’s great to see it reaffirmed at an international event.”
|
|
|
Post by Admin on Feb 18, 2017 21:21:41 GMT
Mai Mihara took the top spot in the women's free skate Saturday to win the Four Continents, a test event for the 2018 Winter Olympics. The 17-year-old Japanese skater, fourth after the short program, earned a total of 200.85 points at Gangneung Ice Arena. Gabrielle Daleman of Canada, who was first after the short program, stumbled on the landing of a double axel and was second with 196.91. American Mirai Nagasu, who had a personal best of 132.04 in the free skate, was third with 194.95. Skating to music from Cinderella, Mihara landed her jumps cleanly to earn 134.34 points in the free skate. "I was able to achieve my goals in my first Four Continents," Mihara said. "I was a little nervous at first."
|
|