Michael Martinez had a tough start and could not recover enough as he ended with 57.50 points, which put him in 25th place after the short program of the 2021 CS Cup of Austria at the Merkur Eisstadion in Graz, Austria, Saturday morning (Philippine time).
The two-time Olympian is slowly gaining that competition feeling after participating for the first time after three years in last month’s Finlandia Trophy. Nonetheless, the road back to his former form is a journey.
Martinez opened with a decent double axel but landed into the quarter in the following triple lutz. That saw him eventually fall onto the ice, causing him into the lowest possible GOE of minus-5 and a subsequent deduction.
However, the 2017 Southeast Asian Games silver medalist got back some marks with a good triple loop–double toe loop combination late in the routine. Then he ended the program with a solid combination spin.
Martinez also pulled through with marks in the program components, all of them in the line of 6. The 25-year-old ‘s interpretation of Requiem for a Dream/Requiem for a Tower saw him take 32.50 for the presentation.
Lucas Tsuyoshi Honda of Japan leads the pack with 83.95, whose routine was highlighted with a solid triple lutz-triple toe loop combo late into the program. Estonia’s Mihhail Selevko and Austria’s Maurizio Zandron are currently in second and third place.
Martinez looks to finish strong in the free skate, scheduled on Saturday at 12:30 PM (7:30 PM, PH time).
