Pairs' FS - 2022 Olympics: Thoughts?

[Arigato]

I don't even watch pairs, but seeing Sui/Han win the gold was something to behold.

 

[4everchan]

Top 3 : that's what I would have done too (if I were a judge LOL) ... I am very happy for Sui Han who have been around for so long and didn't have a great free skate in 2018. I am happy they managed to overcome the injuries and the pressure of getting that gold medal at home. The last lift was just amazing for its creativity !!!!! Tarasova and Morozov : often praised for the quality of their elements and skating, they kept failing at offering judges and fans high quality programs, not only in terms of consistent performances but also in terms of material. They played it a bit safe in the FP this time but it was a beautifully skated program. Bravo. A few tight landings meant that they didn't gain enough ground on TES to beat Sui Han, which they have beaten slightly on PCS. M/G : I love this newish pairs. They are dynamic and present high level content. They also have inventive positions. They have the flair and energy that will keep me watching and wanting for more!

I do feel that P/J and the Japanese team deserved a bit better scores but in the end, I am not sure it would have made much of a difference for them to finish one spot higher...

I'd like to mention something that makes me particularly happy. After 2018, the ISU destroyed an aspect of pairs skating : technical prowess. By reforming the code of point, the incentive to perform harder elements like quads disappeared. Even doing harder throws or jumps is not really encouraged. The return of the quad twist performed so well by Sui Han was a highlight for me and perhaps what secured their gold medal. I wish that this will motivate teams to bring back some harder tricks, and I hope that the Code of point will be adjusted in a way where there is a better balance between risk and reward.

This event, was, by far, the most satisfying to watch among all disciplines this time around.

 

[chuckm]

One thing I didn't like about the pairs was so many of the teams were using slow, weepy ballads such as one would hear at Junior ladies competitions. There is so much good music available, why pick shlock? I would include the version of House of the Rising Sun that Knierim/Frazier are being sued about, the selections being used by the Japanese pair, and all the music of both Canadian pairs. Enough!! No more!

 

[readernick]

One thing I didn't like about the pairs was so many of the teams were using slow, weepy ballads such as one would hear at Junior ladies competitions. There is so much good music available, why pick shlock? I would include the version of House of the Rising Sun that Knierim/Frazier are being sued about, the selections being used by the Japanese pair, and all the music of both Canadian pairs. Enough!! No more!

Yes, to this. I love the Japanese team but they truly have the worst music. I liked S/H's music selection and that's about it. Pairs is such a wonderful discipline. The teams need wonderful music! Hopefully, we will see less weepy ballads in the future.

 

[Mathman]

The heartbreak of the German team made the Yahoo news feed. It reminds me of Tai Babilonia and Randy Gardner in the 1960 Olympics. Randy hurt his back between the short program and the long. He was unable to lift his partner and they had to withdraw.

'Breaks your heart': Winter Olympics fans gutted after brutal scenes

Fans were left utterly shocked at the determination from the pair. Find out more here.

au.sports.yahoo.com

 

[Skater Boy]

I will be the lone wolf, the salmon swimming upstream, the single voice in the desert - the top 3 maybe 4 were amazing. Any of the top 3 could have won gold without any issue. T and M especially amazed me - hey had pure skating Most wanted Sui and Han to win even the broadcaster which is why I probably cheered for the under dogs - T and M.

 

[anonymoose_au]

I will be the lone wolf, the salmon swimming upstream, the single voice in the desert

Nah I wanted T/M to win gold, but didn't dare hope because even with their amazing programs at this competition there would have been objections and "S/H Wuz robbed" and I realised it wouldn't be worth the palaver.

I'm still hoping for Worlds!

 

[ManyCairns]

The heartbreak of the German team made the Yahoo news feed. It reminds me of Tai Babilonia and Randy Gardner in the 1960 Olympics. Randy hurt his back between the short program and the long. He was unable to lift his partner and they had to withdraw.

'Breaks your heart': Winter Olympics fans gutted after brutal scenes

Fans were left utterly shocked at the determination from the pair. Find out more here.

au.sports.yahoo.com

Not to be nitpicky, but I remember it as a groin injury, and that's how WaPo described it at the time.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/arch...t-pairs/a830cc07-5f7b-4677-9c11-54c207b3871e/

 

[Vash01]

I will be the lone wolf, the salmon swimming upstream, the single voice in the desert - the top 3 maybe 4 were amazing. Any of the top 3 could have won gold without any issue. T and M especially amazed me - hey had pure skating Most wanted Sui and Han to win even the broadcaster which is why I probably cheered for the under dogs - T and M.

T&M were undermarked in the SP by at least 1 point. They lost the gold by 0.63.
However, I knew from the beginning that in China it would be impossible to beat Sui Han unless they had a major error, like a fall or a pop into single. They did make a mistake on a sbs jump but I guess it was not major. So this result was not unexpected.

 

[Piett]

I'm pretty happy that T/M were finally able to make the best of their potential. And it was so close that the final result would have been OK either way. Good for S/H to go for the quad twist. In 2018 T/M also had a quad twist but they moved away from that.

Anyway, it was a great competiton. My gf was confused why I was jumping up and down when S/H landed their final throw since she knew that I wanted T/M to win. But after all the drama in the women's event it was just so exciting to see some super determined proud veterans finally making it in front of their own fans.

 

[Tutto]

Very happy for the 'veterans' gold and silver. It could have been either way really. The mistake on the Sal by S/H was very visible so I would give a nod to T/M.
I like M/G but the programs really let them down.
I wonder if someone could be brutally honest and tell Mrs Moskvina and Mr Mishin to let other people deal with artistic side of things? Alas, no such brave individual exists I suspect
That LP for M/G is
I could imagine Rodnina/Zaitsev skating to it, but hello it is 2022 not 1972!
When music changes from slow music to the 'Time Forward' I just can't help it I burst into a hysterical laughter. For me as anyone who ever lived in the former Soviet Union this music is forever associated with the evening news program 'The Time'' which was a pinnacle of soviet propaganda machine...oh dear...
Well I just hope they will get better programs next season

 

[Piett]

On a small note, I watched the german commentary on Eurosport. Aljona Savchenko was co-commentator. When after the Hase/Seeger debacle the commentator jokingly said that Germany could have used her to fill in she said that she would have been able to and she seemed to be serious. She was also surprisingly critical of M/G and S/M. It seemed as if in her opinion (with the exception of S/H) nobody can really impress her. As if those poor kids should consider themselves lucky that she is no longer competing. She didn't seem to be at peace with only watching the others.

 

[Seven Sisters]

On a small note, I watched the german commentary on Eurosport. Aljona Savchenko was co-commentator. When after the Hase/Seeger debacle the commentator jokingly said that Germany could have used her to fill in she said that she would have been able to and she seemed to be serious. She was also surprisingly critical of M/G and S/M. It seemed as if in her opinion (with the exception of S/H) nobody can really impress her. As if those poor kids should consider themselves lucky that she is no longer competing. She didn't seem to be at peace with only watching the others.

That Aljona must have been referring to Nolan—he was the one weakened by Covid and loss of training time—makes this statement even more extraordinary! But then again, she probably could lift Minerva Fabienne and/or skate both the man’s and the woman’s parts You’ve got to love Aljona.

I did love Sui/Han of course, as well as Peng/Jin, but for me the most extraordinary moment was seeing Morozov drop to the ice absolutely overcome with emotion after their skate. T/M are constantly seen as cold, clinical, but brilliant technicians. But I think we saw in that moment just how human they are.

 

[Dpbthomas1]

Again, for me, it was Sui and Han. I loved their FS as much as their SP. Both were amazing. The choreography was interesting, difficult and the artistry and attention to details was unmatched. And while not a factor -- I loved the costumes that both wore for both of their programs. They looked fanstastic, in addition to skating the lights out.
I had not followed them previously (unfortunately), but was blown away by them. And so happy that the Pairs competition left us with a happier ending to the Olympics figure skating.

 

[skylark]

For me, Sui/Han, Tarasova/Morozov, Knierim/Frazier and possibly Peng/Jin all skated rather cautiously. So, in my opinion, none of those actual skates gave me that thrilling, "yeah, this was an Olympic skate with a little wildness and abandon and lots of emotion" feeling. The emotional reactions of the skaters afterward, especially S/H and T/M, lifted to the rafters and inspired. But the actual skates didn't.

Mishina/Galliamov seemed to me to be lacking in their usual sparkle. I put it down to what seemed to me like the Foregone Conclusion of this event. So many said it here, and in the various commentaries, that if they skated clean, S/H and T/M would be at the top; I'm sure M/G heard/absorbed it too. For me, it's a real shame, because although yes, they have a great future, they could have given a more brilliant performance than they did. They have done so before, even with that god-awful FS music and program.

Who had the Olympic skate? For me, it was absolutely Miura/Kihara. Just everything. Their elements, their polish, their emotion, the feeling that they were pushing the boundaries of what they'd done before, the building of the program and their excitement as they realized they were skating their dream program. I dislike their fs music, but I didn't care. Their performance overcame every possible even tiny drawback.

While Cain-Gribble/Leduc created their dream skate and their thrilling Olympic moment in the SP -- they skated free -- for me they also exemplified a different kind of Olympic moment in the FS. Ashley's sprained ankle of a couple of days before likely affected her jump landings. She was disappointed ... and then Timothy came right to her, put their arms around her and spoke into her ear. Whatever Timothy said, it was perfect. So was her coach's reaction. Ashley has now said via IG that she "Could not be more grateful to have lived out our Olympic dream." What could be better? They skated not necessarily for a particular result, but to skate as well as they could and to live out their vision of pairs skating, which I'm so grateful for. Synchronicity, power, harmony of soul and movement, unison, attention to choreography, musicality. They have so much to give and have given so much.

Artur Dmitriev, Sr. wasn't surprised at Moskvina's choice of FS music for M/G. He said, "No, I've known Moskvina for long enough." He went on to detail how Moskvina had wanted to use those pieces together as far back as Valova/Vasiliev.

I now feel that Tamara M. pretty much sacrificed her best team to accomplish her own dream. And apparently, M/G told her they didn't like their FS program, but they weren't allowed to change it. ("Coach is coach.") As an M/G fan who complained rather loudly about the FS music from their first test skate, I'm still annoyed, and it'll probably take me awhile to get over it. I just hope the experience doesn't dampen their spirit, but instead propels them forward to put that beauty, sparkle, connection (yes, they have it!) into their future skating.

Here's the link to the interview with Dmitriev:

Vaytsekhovskaya's interview with Dmitriev sr.

Elena Vaytsekhovskaya's interview with Arthur Dmitriev sr for rt.com EV: A couple of days before this interview I was talking to a well known coach. She said the pair should be a rock and her understanding none of the current Russian pairs is such a rock and that's what they lack. Do you...

www.fsuniverse.net

 

[tulosai]

All I have to add to what others have said is that I feel bad for Kirsten Moore Towers that her career has likely ended this way. She was such a promising young pairs skater and it's a pity she was not able to go further than she has. Anything I'd say in further elaboration wouldn't be particularly kind so I'll leave it there.

 

[anonymoose_au]

but for me the most extraordinary moment was seeing Morozov drop to the ice absolutely overcome with emotion after their skate. T/M are constantly seen as cold, clinical, but brilliant technicians. But I think we saw in that moment just how human they are.

Heck yeah! I applaud this comment!

Louder for the people up the back

 

[MariaGold]

and then Timothy came right to her, put his arms around her and spoke into her ear. Whatever he said, it was perfect.

Timothy uses they/them pronouns.

 

[skylark]

Timothy uses they/them pronouns.

you're right, thank you! I'll fix that. (My brain still hangs onto the English grammar in my 5th-grade textbook ... LOL ...)

 

[hannahbanana]

Timothy uses they/them pronouns.

groan