Korpi skates to victory at Nebelhorn Trophy

Finland’s Kiira Korpi skated to victory at the Nebelhorn Trophy in Oberstdorf on Saturday, after winning the silver last year. Viktoria Helgesson of Sweden and USA’s Melissa Bulanhagui took silver and bronze, their first medal at this event. This was also Bulanhagui’s first senior international event.

Korpi has chosen Evita for her new long program, and the role suits her well. However, the Finn wasn’t yet solid on her jumps. Like in the short, she downgraded her planned triple toe-triple toe to a double-triple, then she popped the Lutz and later doubled a flip.

On the other hand, the 2007 European bronze medallist produced two triple loops, a triple Salchow and a double Axel. Two spins were awarded a level four. The layback spin was nice but she didn’t hold the positions long enough and received…

Pechalat and Bourzat dance off with Nebelhorn gold

Nathalie Pechalat and Fabian Bourzat of France made up for the disappointing short dance and came from behind to claim victory in the dance event at Nebelhorn Trophy on Saturday. Italians Anna Cappellini and Luca Lanotte slipped to second, while Russia’s Ekaterina Riazanova and Ilia Tkachenko dropped from second to third. Team Russia won the “Fritz Geiger Memorial Trophy” ahead of Team USA and Team Canada.

Pechalat and Bourzat put out a charming program to music from Charlie Chaplin that was highlighted by their beautiful lifts. The footwork looked smooth. However, one straight-line lift was graded a level two and the two step sequences got a level two as well. They won the free dance portion and the event at 147.18 points.

The program is an excellent vehicle for…

Korpi takes Ladies Short Program at Nebelhorn Trophy

Kiira Korpi of Finland skated to the lead in the Ladies Short Program Friday at the Nebelhorn Trophy. With 58.45 points, she got a lead of seven points over USA’s Melissa Bulanhagui (51.20 points). Joshi Helgesson of Sweden came in third at 48.16, just two points ahead of her older sister Viktoria.

Korpi debuted her new short program to Somewhere Over the Rainbow, choreographed by Shae-Lynn Bourne. The exquisite performance included a triple loop, a double Axel and beautiful spins. The flying sit spin was a level three and the combination spin a level four. However, the Finn doubled the first toe in her planned combination, but still added the second triple toe.

“I have the triple-triple in both programs now, but unfortunately it didn’t go well today,” Korpi said. “It is a…

Machida takes Nebelhorn win as favorites finish off the podium

Japan’s Tatsuki Machida took the gold at the Nebelhorn Trophy, the second international senior-level competition of his career, as the top favorites finished off the podium. Konstantin Menshov of Russia earned the silver medal, his first medal in a competition since 2007, and Peter Liebers of Germany captured the bronze. It was his second international podium finish after 2006 when he still was competing at the junior level.

Belgium’s Kevin van der Perren and Michal Březina from the Czech Republic, who were regarded as the top contenders prior to this event, finished fifth and seventh respectively.

Performing to Legends of the Fall, Machida nailed a quad toe right out of the gate and followed up with a triple Axel-triple toe and four more triple jumps. He only wobbled on the triple loop and…

Bazarova and Larionov grab Nebelhorn gold

Vera Bazarova and Yuri Larionov of Russia grabbed the gold at Nebelhorn Trophy on Friday in spite of Larionov suffering from  an injury. Italy’s Stefania Berton and Ondrej Hotarek skated to the silver medal, while the new Canadian team of Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford took the bronze.

Bazarova and Larionov completed a triple twist, a throw triple loop and flip as well as difficult lifts in their routine to Man in the Iron Mask, but struggled with the side by side jumps. Both stumbled on the triple toe and he also touched down with his hand on the second jump in the double Axel-double Axel sequence. The team scored 165.30 points.

“It happend on the practice before the short program,” Larionov explained of his injury….

Cappellini and Lanotte dance to lead at Nebelhorn Trophy

Anna Cappellini and Luca Lanotte of Italy danced to the lead in the Short Dance at the Nebelhorn Trophy in Oberstdorf, Germany, on Thursday. Russia’s Ekaterina Riazanova and Ilia Tkachenko came in second while top contenders Nathalie Pechalat and Fabian Bourzat of France had to settle for third place on the opening day of the competition.

Cappellini and Lanotte offered a solid dance set to Que sera, sera for the Waltz portion and the lively Quickstep Girls, Girls, Girls. The team opened with the two sequences of the Golden Waltz that were awarded a level three and a level two respectively. Their side by side footwork was a level three while the twizzles and the one-armed rotational lift…

Bazarova and Larionov win Pairs Short Program at Nebelhorn Trophy

Top-favorites Vera Bazarova and Juri Larionov of Russia captured the Pairs Short at Nebelhorn Trophy on Thursday, but it was a rather weak competition with lots of errors. Italy’s Stefania Berton and Ondrej Hotarek finished second ahead of Canadians Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford.

Skating to Secret Garden, Bazarova and Larionov both stumbled on their side by side triple toes, but recovered to complete a high triple twist, a throw triple flip and a level-four Axel Lasso. They earned 57.30 points.

“Obviously this was not our best performance,” commented Bazarova. “It was very weird, we felt sleepy. In practice everything was fine. We know that tomorrow in the free skating we have to be more active.”

Berton and Hotarek turned in the only clean performance of the Pairs Short. Their…

Machida leads Men at Nebelhorn Trophy

Japan’s Tatsuki Machida grabbed the lead in the Men’s Short Program on Thursday at the Nebelhorn Trophy with Kevin van der Perren of Belgium and Konstantin Menshov of Russia following in second and third.

Skating to Dark Eyes and dressed in black, Machida hit a triple Axel, triple flip-triple toe and a triple Lutz. He got a level four for two spins, but he slipped in the step sequence that was graded only a level two. The reigning Four Continents silver medalist was light on his feet and his program had a dance-like quality. He posted 71.41 points.

“The jumps went very well today and I’m very pleased with them,” stated the 20-year-old. “I had an error in the step sequence because I think I put too much energy in it. I was…