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2007 Cup of China - Figure Skating HighlightsCompulsory Dance, Pairs Short, and Ladies' Short
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Cup of China is the third of six events of the International Skating Union (ISU) Grand Prix series and is being held at the Harbin International Conference Exhibition and Sports Center, Nov. 8-11, in Harbin, China.
Approximately 58 skaters from 18 different countries are competing for points and global prize monies totaling $180,000 in U.S. dollars. The points will go toward qualification for the Grand Prix Final in which the top six competitors from each discipline will be invited to compete for a total purse of $272,000 U.S. dollars.
The Grand Prix Final will be held Dec. 13-16, 2007, in Torino, Italy.
Cup of China kicked off on Nov. 8 with the Compulsory Dance.
The Compulsory Dance (CD) for this event was the Argentine Tango. The dance was invented by Reginald J. Wilkie and Daphne B. Wallis and was first performed in 1934 at the Westminster Ice Rink in London, England.
Russia's Oksana Domnina and Maxim Shabalin are currently first after the CD with 38.77 points - just over three points ahead of USA's Tanith Belbin and Benjamin Agosto (35.89 points).
"We just think that we have to give even more and have to be better tomorrow," said Domnina. "Today was the easiest part."
Despite a fall by Domnina during the warm-up, the Russians displayed confidence in their CD.
"I can't say what happened there," said Domnina of the fall. "Maybe we came too close, or maybe it was just bad luck."
Belbin and Agosto performed well, but their skating appeared to lack some of it's natural barrage.
"I felt we skated really well," said Agosto. "It felt good. This is a good dance for us."
The team acknowledged that they had worked on the Argentine Tango all summer.
"It really feels like it has come a long way," said Agosto. "We're looking forward to the OD. I don't like to have to make up ground after the compulsory, but it's a situation we've found ourselves in before."
Federica Faiella and Massimo Scali of Italy showed good expression in their tango, earning a new personal best of 33.54 points for third place.
The Italians were happy with their scores, citing that the Argentine Tango was a new dance they haven't skated before in competition.
"We are really pleased with our marks, too," said Scali. "They were much better than at Skate America."
Two brother-and-sister teams are separated by just over a point. Israel's Alexandra Zaretski and Roman Zaretski are fourth (30.81 points), followed by Great Britain's Sinead Kerr and John Kerr (29.52 points).
Qing Pang and Jian Tong of China are currently first after the short program, followed by USA's Keauna McLaughlin and Rockne Brubaker and Jessica Miller and Ian Moram of Canada.
"We felt some pressure," admitted Pang. "A lot of our friends had come to watch."
The Chinese champions earned 65.48 points for their routine to Massenet's O Doux Printemps d' Autrefois, which featured side-by-side triple toeloops, a huge triple twist, and a throw triple loop.
"We got good scores and we are quite pleased with our performance tonight," said Pang. "It was better than in our previous competition (Skate America)."
McLaughlin and Brubaker earned a new personal best of 59.22 despite a fall by McLaughlin on the side-by-side triple Salchows. The current Junior World champions otherwise delivered a very good triple twist, a difficult lift, and a throw triple Salchow in their routine to Moonlight Sonata.
"Overall it was pretty good," said McLaughlin, despite the error." "It was really good for the first time out on the senior Grand Prix," added Brubaker. "We both had mistakes. It is a learning experience, and it's an honor to be here."
Miller and Moram nailed their opening side-by-side double Axels in their routine to Wayfering Pilgrim, but appeared to have difficult on their side-by-side and pair combination spins. Nevertheless, the Canadians otherwise produced a level four lift and a throw triple loop, earning a new personal best of 50.64 points.
"We're just very happy on the way we skated, " said Moram. "Being third right now is definitely just a bonus. We're just enjoying it."
His partner agreed. "I think we just had a lot of fun out there," added Miller. "The crowd was amazing. When we did the first lift on the warm up, the crowd started yelling, and that was the moment I knew that we're going to skate good."
Yue Zhang and Lei Wang of China are currently in fourth place (48.32 points), followed by teammates Jiaqi Li and Jiankun Xu (46.24 points).
Mari Vartmann and Florian Just of Germany withdrew from the competition prior to the short program as Vartmann is currently suffering from a stomach flu.
Carolina Kostner of Italy leads the ladies after the short program, followed by USA's Carolina Zhang and Yu-Na Kim of South Korea.
Kostner, who missed the Grand Prix last season due to injury, was pleased with her performance.
"I was very nervous going into it," said the 20-year-old. "This is a small comeback for me."
Kostner opened her short with a triple flip-triple toeloop combination, but then barely hung onto the landing of a triple Lutz. The Italian champion otherwise produced a double Axel, a level four flying sit spin, and a level three straightline footwork sequence, earning 60.82 points.
Zhang delivered a nearly flawless routine to Spanish Gypsy by Ray de Tone, but was "edge" penalized on a triple Lutz - a mistake she also made two weeks ago at Skate America.
The current World Junior champion otherwise produced a triple flip-triple toeloop combination, a double Axel, a level four combination spin. Zhang was also received high grades of execution (GoEs) on her spiral sequence and layback spin, both of which were awarded a level four, earning a score of 58.76 points.
The 14-year-old was happy with her performance, but felt it could have been better.
"I think I held my spins this time, better than at Skate America," said Zhang. "My jumps could have been bigger and I really was slow today, but I am pleased with my overall performance."
Kim landed a triple Lutz and a double Axel, but popped the landing of her second jump in a triple flip-triple toeloop combination. Despite the error, the 2006-07 Grand Prix Final champion otherwise produced three level three spins, earning 58.32 points in her routine to Die Fledermaus by Johann Strauss.
Disappointment was obvious on the young skater's face as she left the ice for the kiss-and-cry.
Kim admitted to being nervous after the mistake on the jump.
"It's my first competition of the season," said the 17-year-old. "Now I have one day to prepare for the free skating. I just want to forget about the mistake and want to give my best."
Performing to Serenade by Franz Schubert, Julia Sebestyen of Hungary opened with a beautiful triple flip, but then underrotated her first jump in a triple Lutz-double toeloop combination. The Hungarian champion is currently in fourth with 55.46 points.
USA's Alissa Czisny sits in fifth place with 51.08 points after her routine to The Swan by Camille Saint-Saens. The 2007 U.S. bronze medalist underrotated and stepped out of the landing of a triple Lutz. She was also penalized for using the wrong takeoff edge on a triple flip-double toeloop combination, but otherwise produced a double Axel, two level four spins, and a very good spiral sequence.
Susanna Pöykiö of Finland skated to a flamenco which featured a triple flip-double toeloop combination and a double Axel, however the 25-year-old doubled a Lutz. She is currently in sixth place with 48.48 points.
USA's Beatrisa Liang is in seventh place after the short, followed by Dan Fang of China.
The competition continues with the Original Dance, Men's Short Program, and the Pairs Long Program.
