Hello from Boston!
I apologize that my second blog is coming a few days after my first one (it’s Friday while I’m writing this) but it’s hard finding time to type anything with the schedule we have here in Boston this week. By the time I get back to my hotel, it’s late and all I want to do is sleep! I have a few minutes this morning though so I figured it was a good time to update again. The competition has been SUCH a treat to see in person! We brought some pom poms and other USA stuff with us and it’s been fun to use it for Team USA this week. I would have done without security taking my friend’s teeny tiny cowbell (that we only rang for Team USA), but I guess someone complained about it. I think they might need to find their chill…it’s a competition! Make some noise for your favorites!! =)
Anyway, this week has been SO much fun! Day #2 for me consisted of the short dance competition and the men’s short program both of which were very fun. I was SO impressed by all three U.S. dance teams (they all did a wonderful job) and the Shibutanis’ short dance was magical in the arena. It’s been one of my favorites this entire season and it did not disappoint in person! I also enjoyed Capellini & Lanotte, Coombs & Buckland, the two Canadian teams(Gilles/Poirier, Weaver/Poje) and the French team(Papadakis/Cizeron) in first place was also very good. It was an amazing competition overall and it started hitting me in the stands at this time that I really *am* at the World Championships!
The men weren’t quite as stellar as the dancers, but it was still an enjoyable competition. I really loved Grant’s(Hochstein) short program even though he had trouble with his quad (which he has been landing SO well in practice….I hope he can hit it in the long!). Adam Rippon brought the house down with his incredible short program. Max Aaron also had a great short program and I really enjoyed Canada’s Patrick Chan’s short program as well. Italy’s Ivan Rhigini had a scary moment in the warm up when he fell over a gift someone threw late onto the ice for a previous competitor, but then he went out and nailed his short program and got a standing ovation from the crowd. That was a fantastic moment! I also loved seeing World Champion Javier Fernandez and Olympic Chanpion Yuzuru Hanyu in person. They both have SO much charisma and presence on the ice and even though Javier fell on his quad salchow, his program was one of my favorites, and what can you say about Hanyu?! He was phenomenal and he made all that hard stuff look so easy! The final may not be too stressfull since Hanyu is so far ahead of everyone else, but it’s still going to be fun.
On Day #3, we went over to Quincy Market and Faneuil Hall to do some shopping and sightseeing before the ladies short program competition. There’s SO much food over there that I had trouble figuring out what I wanted to eat for lunch! I settled on a turkey club panini that was SO good. It was a gorgeous day yesterday so it was nice to spend some time in the city instead of in the arena. I bought some souvenirs and also bought some cupcakes from Wicked Good Cupcakes (I had them the last time I was here and they’re SO good!). We also went out for dinner between the two skating events to a sports bar, Fours, that I had the last time I was in Boston. It was great sharing that place with my friends (and my mom) and we all agreed that their clam chowder might be the best here in Boston. It is SOOOO good! Eventually, it was time to head to the arena for the ladies short program competition and it was INCREDIBLE. Team USA brought their A game for sure and I’m SO happy for Mirai(Nagasu), Ashley(Wagner), and Gracie(Gold)! The last EIGHT short programs that we saw in the competition were ALL clean which is amazing. It was the exact opposite of the men because all the ladies in the top two groups seemed to be ready to go and skated out of their minds. It was SO exciting and that final is going to be insane because anyone in that final flight could win a medal! I have a feeling the ladies World medal drought is going to come to an end at this competition!
The final for ice dancing also happened last night and WOW is all I can say about it! Everyone was incredible and the final flight especially was so amazing. The Shib Sibs(Maia Shibutani and Alex Shibutani), were outstanding and I can still hear the crowd roar after they completed their twizzles!! It was so loud I couldn’t hear their music. They were just amazing and I am SO happy for them to win the silver medal! It’s been a long time coming for them and I hope they’re proud of all they accomplished this season. The French team(Papadakis and Cizeron) was also very good, but I, personally, found their program quite boring even though it was skated very well. I really enjoyed(Madison) Chock & (Evan) Bates and (Madison) Hubbell & (Zachary) Donohue’s free dances and they both skated extremely well. The other teams that I enjoyed were Cappellini & Lanotte and Charlene Guignard & Marco Fabbri, both of Italy, and (Penny) Coombs & (Nicholas) Buckland, of Great Britain. Everyone skated so well though and it was fantastic competition!
Today we FINALLY get to see the pairs compete (pairs is my favorite discipline so I am SUPER stoked to finally see them here) as well as the men’s final later tonight which should be amazing. Sending good luck and wishes to all the skaters today and thanks for reading my second blog!
Blessings,
Heather =)
