2007 Four Continents Figure Skating Championships - Original Dance, Pairs Long, and Ladies Short Highlights

2007 Four Continents

February 7-10, 2007
Colorado Springs, Colo., USA

STANDINGS

PAIRS (FINAL):

1. Shen/Zhao CHN
2. Pang/Tong CHN
3. Inoue/Baldwin USA

DANCE (FINAL):

1. Dubreuil/Lauzon CAN
2. Belbin/Agosto USA
3. Virtue/Moir CAN

MEN'S (FINAL):

1. Lysacek USA
2. Buttle CAN
3. Abbott USA

LADIES (FINAL):

1. Meissner USA
2. Hughes USA
3. Rochette CAN

DAY 1
DAY 3
DAY 4
FULL RESULTS

The second day of the Four Continents Figure Skating Championships continued with the Original Dance, Pairs Long, and Ladies Short.

Ice Dance

USA's Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto bested Canada's Marie-France Dubreuil and Patrice Lauzon in the original dance competition by over one point in this phase of the competition. However, even with the lead, the 2006 Olympic silver medalists were not at their best.

Dressed in black with red highlights, Belbin and Agosto performed their tango to Piazzolla's Concierto para Quinteto and Oblivion, but the program seemed to lack the typical punch that this team usually exhibits in the original dance.

"Every program for us is always a work in progress," explained Agosto. "After each competition, we always come back and analyze what we did well, and what we didn't do well to make a game plan of what we want to change."

During the side-by-side midline step sequence, Belbin's left skate snagged the back of her dress, forcing her to skate on one foot until she tore herself free.

"Thankfully it happened in the one-foot section because I couldn't get my leg out," said Belbin, adding that she's never encountered this problem before. "These things happen. I'd rather have it happen here than at the World Championships. We just cut the skirt off and start over."

Nevertheless, the highlight of their program was the ending rotational lift in which Agosto used no hands to support his partner as she meshed her arms around his shoulder while maintaining a beautiful catch-foot position. In addition, the duo also scored 8.03 points on their level three circular step sequence.

Dubreuil and Lauzon, who are only 0.31 of a point behind the leaders, also struggled with their passionate program to Payadora by Julián Plaza, but managed to place second in this phase of the competition and overall with a total of 97.86 points.

"We had a pretty good day before we skated," mused Dubreuil, "but it didn't happen for us today out on the ice. Just a bad day on the job."

Dubreuil struggled with her twizzles during the side-by-side midline step sequence and later, caught an edge during a transitional move. However, the current World silver medalists quickly recovered to complete the rest of the program with their typical fire and attack.

"I just stumbled and was unfocused," admitted Dubreuil."Tomorrow is another day and another program and we just have to move onto something else and put the program behind us."

The five-time and reigning Canadian Champions are known for their innovative, and often potentially dangerous, rotational lifts. Today's lift did not stray from that pattern. Dubreuil begins by mounting onto Lauzon's mid-section in a tango hold. The lift evolves in such a way that Dubreuil almost stands beside her partner supported only by her hand to his neck and his hand to her inner thighs.

Many might remember their Olympic original dance in which Dubreuil was dropped to the ice on the same element (a different variation). The team was forced to withdraw from the competition due to her injury.

"Well, that is what we are known for," said Dubreuil. "I don't know why we should stop. We did that lift for Olympics like a thousand times and it never happened. I also have all of the confidence in Patrice."

The battle for the bronze medal is heating up to be a two-team race between Canada's Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir and USA's Meryl Davis and Charlie White. Both teams train with the same coaching staff of Igor Shpilband and Marina Zoueva.

Davis and White are known as the first team to receive all level fours in the free dance from a senior international judging panel, a feat that they conquered at this fall's Skate Canada competition.

Conversely, Virtue and Moir achieved the same standard in the original dance at this event, earning all level fours for their program to Association Tango and winning the technical portion of the original dance.

Virtue and Moir skated not only with explosive power on all of their moves, but also skated noticeably closer than the top teams. Additionally, the current Four Continents bronze medalists showed perhaps the best twizzles of the competition to this point, and performed their passionate tango with verve that belies their age and experience.

"We thought it was the best we had ever skated it," said Virtue. "We're thrilled with the level fours, and it is something that we have been working on. We're really happy with our skate today."

Virtue and Moir have earned 90.90 points going in to the free dance, while rivals Davis and White are close behind with 88.34 points.

On the other side of the rivalry, USA's Meryl Davis and Charlie White, though not able to earn level fours on all of their elements, were able to boast that they earned the highest score of a single element in the original dance competition.

The 2006 World Junior bronze medalists earned an impressive 8.17 points on their level four diagonal step sequence and also displayed similar blade proximity to that of their training mates. The other highlight of their tango to Los Amigos was the team's blazing twizzles in the midline step sequence in which both bodies almost seemed to move as one.

In fifth place are teammates Kimberly Navarro and Brent Bommentre who are skating in their first ISU Championship event. The team, who has only skated together for only 18 months, produced deep and controlled edges that complimented their tense body lines. The 2006 Karl Schäfer Memorial bronze medalists earned a new personal best of 48.44 for their tango to music from the soundtrack Mr. and Mrs. Smith and Little Drop of Poison by Tom Waits.

"We are treating this [competition] like a bonus," said Bommentre of being the alternates (for Melissa Gregory and Denis Petukhov) coming in. "We are not putting any pressure on it."

Lauren Senft and Leif Gislason of Canada currently stand in sixth place, followed by the brother-and-sister team of Cathy and Chris Reed who now represent Japan.

Pairs

The Chinese pair team of Xue Shen and Hongbo Zhao and their countrymen Qing Pang and Jian Tong reined supreme in the pairs free skate tonight with Shen and Zhao wowing the audience to clinch the gold medal and Pang and Tong earning the silver.

It was a competition that began with a horrible on- ice accident that ended up with Canadian pairs champion Jessica Dubé in the hospital.

Jessica Dubé (19) and her partner Bryce Davison (20) started out successfully in their free skate, nailing each element with excitement and ease, but when the duo started their side-by-side flying camel spin, it was obvious to the audience that they were too close to each other to maintain a safe distance.

Davison was unable to successfully maintain a comfortable distance from Dubé, and on the third revolution of the spin, his blade cut into her face below the eye. Dubé immediately fell to the ice, and medical staff removed her promptly.

At press time, Dubé's coach, Annie Barabe issued a short statement that said Dubé is in 'good spirits' and is getting excellent medical care at Memorial Hospital here in Colorado Springs.

"She is doing very well and she will be fine," said ISU Medical advisor Jane Moran. "She has seen a specialist, a facial trauma surgeon, and is currently undergoing surgery for repair. The eye was not affected at all. Nothing was broken. She is receiving excellent medical care."

The two-time and current Canadian Champions were in eight place going into the long when the withdrew after the accident.

Shen and Zhao, skating for what was to be their last time as Olympic eligibles on competition ice in the United States, performed a mesmerizing program made up of elements interwoven with exquisite choreography that drew a standing ovation from the audience.

Skating to Meditation from Thais by Jules Massenet, the pair opened with a triple toe loop - double toe loop combination, and immediately transitioned to successfully land side-by-side double Axels from a spread eagle entrance. This set the tone for their trademark split triple twist in which Shen seemingly floated across the ice, drawing gasps from the audience.

The performance had only one small flaw in the spiral sequence when Zhao missed a connection move that caused a lackluster entry into their combination spin. As a result, the team lost speed towards the end and received a one point deduction for a time violation.

"I feel like today was a big surprise," Zhao said through an interpreter. "Coming here, we had a lot of obstacles since the last two competitions were really close [together]. I am still suffering from jet lag and we feel very happy to have scored over 200 points for the second time."

Their score of 203.05 points easily bested the rest of the field, but Shen and Zhao plan to earn more points at the World Championships by adding an opening triple toe loop-triple toe loop sequence.

After the competition, the 2006-07 Grand Prix Final Champions said that they will reconsider their [eligible] status and that they may be back to compete next season.

"We're going to rethink that decision," said a very happy Shen, whose sentiment was echoed by her partner.

Winning the silver medal, but some 18 points behind their teammates, was Pang and Tong. The Chinese Champions completed all of the technical elements planned in their program that was full of content, but unlike their counterparts, Pang and Tong were not able to translate the emotion of their program as well to the audience.

Skating to music from Phantom of the Opera, the 2006 Cup of China silver medalists executed a high-flying split triple twist and difficult side-by-side jumps in their demanding program. The difference was in the execution of the finer points of the choreography, as well as in the component scores for which Shen and Zhao were justifiably rewarded.

The team has been hampered by injury and illness since winning the world title in March, and are hoping to be better prepared for the World Championships next month in Tokyo.

In January, Tong was involved with a head-on traffic accident in Beijing, China. The 27-year-old received 16 stitches in his head as a result of going through the windshield. His partner Pang is still battling albuminuria, a somewhat obscure kidney condition, and is unable to train for more than an hour without taking a break.

Still, the team was able to score a total of 185.33 points to finish ahead of Americans Rena Inoue and John Baldwin, the bronze medalists.

"Today's performance for us was satisfactory because we experienced a lot of obstacles in health and other things," said Tong. "Our jumps have improved and it is important to get better. We have confidence that we will do a lot better at the World Championships."

Inoue and Baldwin skated a much-improved program than they did at the US Championships two weeks ago in Spokane, Wash., committing only one major error on their signature throw triple Axel.

The 2006 Skate America Champions opened their Puccini program with side-by-side triple toe loops, Baldwin's nemesis element, and then performed a clean split double twist.

"I was very happy to do the triple toe," said a beaming Baldwin. "I have missed it five times in a row this season, and I was just ecstatic that I did it."

Despite a fall on a throw triple Axel by Inoue, the only other error in the team's program was a step out by Baldwin on the back half of their double Axel-double Axel sequence. In the end, their total score of 175.48 was easily enough to clinch the bronze medal for last year's champions.

"Unfortunately I fell on the throw triple Axel, but the performance level was really good," said Inoue. "I felt that at Nationals I was very nervous and we held back a lot and didn't skate aggressively like we've been skating at home. I just wanted to be very aggressive."

"We really attacked that first part of the program," added a beaming Baldwin. "I was very happy to do the triple toe," said a beaming Baldwin. "I have missed it five times in a row this season, and I was just ecstatic that I did it."

USA's Brooke Castille and Ben Okolski smashed their previous personal best score in the free skate by more than 16 points, but settled for fifth place overall with a total of 160.04 points.

The newly-crowned US Champions skated their Requiem for a Dream program with attack and brilliantly choreographed angst between each of the technical elements. The team also performed a high-flying split triple twist, but could only manage double Axels as the most difficult solo jumps in the program.

Still, the 2006 Nebelhorn Trophy Champions are encouraged by their placement and scores, and plan to begin working on putting the triple toe loop back in their program starting tomorrow.

The Canadian team of Valerie Marcoux and Craig Buntin, as well as teammates Anabelle Langlois and Cody Hay, admittedly had Dubé on their minds as they skated through their programs. Both teams struggled to complete their elements.

Marcoux and Buntin had a great start to their L'Amour program, landing a triple toe loop-triple toe loop sequence to open, but 2006 Skate Canada and NHK Trophy silver medalists later struggled with planned side-by-side double Axels in which Marcoux popped her jump while Buntin fell on his. On their side-by-side spin, the team stopped skating altogether, waiting for the music to catch up to them. The team placed fifth in the free skate and fourth overall with a total of 162.79 points.

Langlois and Hay struggled through their program, committing numerous errors - most notably, falling on the throw triple lutz and unsuccessfully completing one of their overhead lifts.

"I had a hard time staying focused," explained Langlois. "I didn't let it (Dubé and Davison's accident) bother me, but as we got closer to the side-by-side [spins], I began to have a hard time and had to fight my brain to stay focused."

Langlois herself was injured in a competition several years ago with former partner Patrice Archetto on a throw jump. "For a long time after that, I refused to be thrown but I had to move past it."

Ladies

The question that resonated throughout the ladies short program tonight was, 'Does anybody really want to win this thing?'.

Only three ladies in the field of twenty-six skated a technically clean performance, and of those, only one is in the top three.

One by one, the top skaters popped, fell on, or stepped out of a jump, and in the end, Canada's Joannie Rochette was standing alone at the top of the heap, albeit with a very small lead.

Rochette started her sultry program to Jimi Hendrix's Little Wing with a triple flip that she had to step out of before tacking on a double toe, which wasn't counted as her required combination. After the mistake however, Rochette skated cleanly and surely, showcasing her willowy back and balletic fingers as she ticked off each successive element.

The four-time Canadian champ landed a triple lutz out of footwork, an element that she missed at her country's championships three weeks ago, as well as a nice double Axel.

"I missed a lot of training between Nationals and here," admitted the 21-year-old. "I was sick and I had to rebuild my confidence after Nationals."

Overall, Rochette scored 56.60 points and takes a little more than a one point lead into the free skate on Saturday afternoon.

"Despite making a costly mistake on my first jump, I was still able to enjoy my performance," added Rochette. "It was my goal to do it (triple Lutz) tonight and I held the performance together in spite of the mistake."

USA's Emily Hughes also had problems with the same element in the opening of her short to Carmen by Bizet. The U.S. silver medalist fell on her opening triple flip, of what was planned to be her combination jump, but later nailed her triple Lutz and added a double toe to the back, earning precious points.

"My goal tonight was to compete for my personal best," revealed the 18-year-old. "It didn't happen and I am ready to move on [to the free skate]."

The high school senior completed each of the rest of her required elements to skate away with 55.34 points, edging out senior international new-comer Aki Sawada from Japan, for second place.

Sawada, sixth at her first senior national championships in December, was one of the three ladies who skated cleanly, landing a triple lutz-double toe loop combination to begin her program.

Before her program started, Mie Hamada, Sawada's coach, gave her a playful slap on the forehead which is the duo's ritual for good luck. It must have worked as Sawada earned a new personal best score of 55.13 points with her routine to Blues in the Night. After landing the combination jump, the 2005-06 JGP Final silver medalist executed a clean triple flip and required double Axel to place first in technical components in this portion of the competition.

"Because of the Japanese team members cheering, I was able to do very well," said a giggly Sawada. "So I am very happy."

Sawada has set a personal goal to earn a score of 107 points in the free skate. Hamada says that she will be on-hand to provide the (slap) motivation.

"I was very happy to achieve a new personal best," continued Sawada, regarding her performance. "It didn't matter to me that I skated last. I didn't think about it being anything special. The competition is late, but this doesn't bother me at all because I'm practicing until 10:30 [PM]."

In fourth place, after a fall on her underrotated triple flip, was USA's Alissa Czisny.

Fresh off earning her first medal (bronze) at the US Championships, Czisny was the class of the field in the component scores. Czisny almost made up for the jump deduction in her routine to Jesse Cook's Prelude & Quadukka-l-Mayyas with high grades of execution on her fast and centered spins, good footwork, and a nice spiral sequence. The 19-year-old earned a total of 54.64 points, less than two points behind the leader, Rochette.

"I think that it was a pretty good performance," said Czisny. "The flip wasn't good, but I fought back and worked it out."

Another of the ladies in the small pool of "clean" skaters tonight was Yan Liu of China, who stands in fifth close behind Czisny.

A very lyrical and emotional skater, Liu cleanly executed a triple lutz-double toe loop combination, as well as a triple loop and the required double Axel. Not known as a top tier skater by the casual fan, Liu presents herself as a taller version of her countrywoman Lu Chen.

Skating to Song of Boundless Traveling, the two-time and current Chinese champion displayed a lyrical quality that suited the music well and that showcased her limber body in her spins and spiral sequence. Within striking distance of the podium, Liu earned a new personal best of 53.34 points in this phase of the competition.

The disappointment of the competition had to be U.S. Champion Kimberly Meissner, who not only fell on her opening triple lutz, but also received negative grades of execution on her wobbly triple flip. The 17-year-old, who is known for her rock-solid jumps rather than her component scores, found herself in a shocking sixth place.

Skating to Snow Storm by Sviridov, Meissner seemed disconnected from her program and didn't seem to present a clear artistic vision to the audience. Her total score of 52.49 sets her up well to move up in the standings should she have a clean skate on Saturday night.

"I just have to work on things tomorrow," said Meissner. "My long program is my best!"

The other disappointment in the competition was Japan's Fumie Suguri, who has not been competing well all season. The four-time Japanese champion was left off the team heading for the World Championships in her home country after placing fourth at her country's nationals in December. The 26-year-old lacked the attack that she normally brings to the competition ice, falling on both her triple jump attempts, and placing twelfth overall.