Best of Joshua Farris

UPDATE (2/8/17): Seven months after his announcement, Farris announced that he's coming back after leaving skating on the wrong terms. He is aiming for the summer competitions as the beginning of his comeback.

After battling concussions for over a season, former World junior champion Joshua Farris announced his retirement from competitive skating. Farris was coming off a career-best season, where he finished third at U.S. Nationals and won the silver at the 2015 Four Continents Championships. Here are some of his career highlights:

2015 Four Continents short program

2015 U.S. Nationals free skate

2013 Junior Worlds free skate

2012 Junior Grand Prix short program and free skate

Wagner vs. Wagner - Comparison of Moulin Rouge

Requested by a number of folks after Worlds, a look at Ashley Wagner's two career-defining skates of her now-trademark Moulin Rouge free skate. The left is her 2015 Nationals free skate, where she won her third U.S. title with the most difficult content of her career. The right is her 2016 Worlds free skate, where she won the World silver medal.

Besides the different hair colors, what's most interesting to compare between the two is the difference in the level of her skating just one year apart. She's come to be known for her storytelling and music interpretation, and that's apparent and cream of the crop in both programs. But the transitions, the ice coverage, and the intricacy of the program increased exponentially, and even the power that she achieves on her basic stroking is noticeably stronger than it was last year.

It was not just the home crowd excitement in Boston that helped her component marks - Wagner's skating has moved up a couple of notches since last year, and it's no surprise that we've seen her PCS rise all season long.

Best of Takahiko Kozuka

7-time Japanese medalist Takahiko Kozuka announced his retirement today (3/15/16), capping off a career that saw him win the silver medal at the 2011 World Championships. His senior career spanned ten seasons. Highlights:

  • Olympics - 8th (2010)
  • World Championships - Silver (2011), five top 10 appearances
  • Four Continents - Silver (2014), bronze (2009)
  • Japan Nationals - 1 gold (10-11), 3 silver, 3 bronze, 1 junior gold (05-06)
  • Grand Prix Final - Silver (2008), bronze (2010)
  • 15-time medalist on the Grand Prix Series (incl. FInal)

Here are some of his career highlights, including a flashback to 2000 when he was a novice competitor in Japan.

2011 World Championships free skate

2009-10 Japan Nationals free skate

2012 Grand Prix Final short prorgram

2012 Skate America free skate

2014-15 Japan Nationals free skate