2014 Olympics Pairs Free Skate

[icedinn]

@BladesofPassion
So you think 2022 is their stride. or you dont think they will ever be olympic champs?

 

[Angryyew]

Just finished watching on dvr. LPs were a bit sloppy compared to SPs, but I guess that's to be expected. I was proud of both US pairs. They skated pretty clean and got that top ten they were hoping for.

Russians #2 probably had my favorite performance of the night. With the Germans falling & P & T having issues as well, I think the medals probably ended up where they should have.

Enjoyed Canadians #2. Thought I was gonna like D&R, but their program fizzled quickly. I used to cringe when watching P&T, but they really grew on me this year and I was hoping for a better skate for them.

Can't say v&t will enter the pantheon of my favorite pairs skaters and I didn't like their LP much, but based on the performances given, I think they earned to gold. Congratulations to all the skaters. Happy for the Russian fans.

 

[MaiKatze]

To my fellow german goldenskate members, there is a positive side to S/S's bronze medal: We didn't have one yet in the medal chart and now we do.

 

[dorispulaski]

Well, OK then!

 

[Mrs. P]

To my fellow german goldenskate members, there is a positive side to S/S's bronze medal: We didn't have one yet in the medal chart and now we do.

Yay!

 

[SimplyAFan]

These Olympics are bringing out the worst in people, I've found, I think, in years. Applauding someone else's misfortunes that benefit "your" team/skater/favourite, useless name calling between PEOPLE on message boards... We're all human. We all love who we love and don't need to explain to anyone why we love them. They all tickle our heartstrings in some way because of what they do or have done. While one person might find their preference in skating is more relatable to P/T vs S/S or the "connection" we feel between D/W vs V/M... we're all different. They're all different. This a judged sport. Everyone has opinions. And regardless of how we feel and who should have placed where and when, unfortunately the only opinions and professional opinions at that, that mattered today, were the opinions of the judges, judging a judged sport.

To each's own.

Thank you. Could not have said it any better myself.

 

[text_skate]

To my fellow german goldenskate members, there is a positive side to S/S's bronze medal: We didn't have one yet in the medal chart and now we do.

:yes: exactly my thoughts after the event.

 

[tdnuva]

(..) What's extremely frustrating, though, is that if any other team tried to skate S/S's programs, they probably wouldn't able to perform a single jump clean and they'd be totally out of stamina before the second half has even started. That's the perspective that all of those who perpetuate the 'skater X should lose because he/she/they fell' discourse never seem to consider. I remember when Valentin Nikolaev came to Poland to do a coaching seminar. Skaters from the national team were doing all of the demonstrations. A lot of the exercises he had them do was performing their usual elements but from different and unusual entries. They almost killed themselves and it was very entertaining to watch.

S/S won't have the gold but they'll be remembered for exceptional programs and pushing the sport forward. We see more skaters being creative with the transitions or attempting th3flips nowadays. Small mercies.

(..)

Volosozhar/Trankov dealt with the pressure and delivered in both programs but again the scores were just insane and I don't understand how they can be justified by what was executed in their program. The one mark that particularly sticks in my mind is 9.96 for IN. I thought they skated through the music for the majority of their program. I mean the least you can do is cross-overs to the rhythm or movements and elements placed and executed in such points that they are done to the accents or on the beat. The other thing that really jumped out at me in that program was the 'let's take a break to catch our breath' point in the middle with Max skating around Tanya standing still followed by some posing. CH and TR wise, it was really lacking. A strong performance of a poorly designed program.

All of the above does make you raise questions and I am quite surprised some people see doing so as some kind of anti-Russian cold war plot. I would have felt the same way if the skaters in question were from any other country.

And before anybody says that it's hypocritical to question the Russian skaters' marks whilst Savchenko/Szolkowy were 'gifted,' they were deducted appropriately for their two falls (-3 GOE across the board and -2.00) and it's not like they have given up and skated around looking pissed off, performing the rest of their program like they couldn't care less. They fought until the end and the two falls aside all of their other technical elements as well as PCS aspects were executed to a very high standard.

Ziggy, thanks for that post. Although after reading it I feel like we are dinosaurs in the world of this sport nowadays. But still it lifts me up that there are voices left who try to keep up quality instead of media hype or superficialness.

 

[ivy]

Count me another that wishes more time was spent analyzing the skating, rather then snarking at each other.

These days I really only watch pairs occasionally, so I admit there are nuances that escape me. I did watch all of the programs once and read through the protocol sheets.

I have an issue with the PCS here. All those 10's for V/T?!? And in P/E, Choreo and Interpretation?!? They were tight and had small errors - that has to come off of P/E and Interpretation. The only 10's should have gone to S/K for P/E - they really did perform and execute that program perfectly, and to P/T for Choreo and Interpretation - they had the only really beautiful and emotional skate.

To me PCS should have gone:

S/K
V/T (very close to above)
P/T (mistakes in sbs jumps bringing down SS and P/E)
S/S

P/T ad S/K are the only ones I'll rewatch for pleasure

 

[MaiKatze]

Ziggys posts are the highlights of the forum. Truer words haven't been written. At least here.

 

[Skater Boy]

Where the heck do you get this stuff from..... looks like you make it up as you go along!

I am so confused. I got a nasty note about rumours from some big shot on this thread and it wasn't to be nasty and here some people make comments which are also rumours or plainly inflamatory or trying to incite hatred (might even be a crime) and they seem to get away with it. Fortunately, the "more sane" world doesn't go on these threads or they truly would think skating fanatics are nuts (I thought hockey was bad but I guess because a goal is a goal but a lutz isn't necessarily a lutz) there is far more room for lunacy. Oh well I still appreciate readying everyone's comments (for the most part). Always good to hear the other side)

 

[Skater Boy]

Thank you. Could not have said it any better myself.

Thank you! I agree. I may have strong opinions and I am sorry if offend people but they are just opinons. Most of us aren't judges, and if we are we aren't judging the olympics (or we shouldn't be probably reading these boards lol). I do hope that P and T enjoyed the journey and the Germans s squared will realize the WON a bronze medal and that is awesome.

 

[Sk8n Mama]

Yes, they had a higher number of bogus victories than any pair in the last 30 years, and when they actually lose a close event they arguably should have won (I can see how that was a shock to their senses after almost Chan like judging bias in their favor for years) they whine to the point of turning it into a Games overshadowing event rather than congratulating their rivals who had been blatantly robbed by them several times in the last year alone. I have tried to erase them from my memory completely, so please dont bring them up again, lol!

Wow. It's like you sat in front of the computer and said, "what could I write that would really offend the Canadians at Golden Skate?" The problem with your "theory" about Salt Lake is that Jamie & David's "whining" was justified, since Marie-Reine LeGougne DID, in fact-admittedly-cheat by not judging what happened on the ice.

However this thread is about the 2014 pairs event, which was judged pretty well, I thought, except for V/T. I agree with all who questioned the GOE on the shaky elements. To me, if it's shaky, it should be a 0 with +3 reserved for perfection. I think the ISU needs to clarify +GOE a little more going forward.

 

[Skater Boy]

Yes to this. People are also seeming to miss that S/S got warm applause at the beginning of their program, 10 seconds into the program when the grand melody kicked in. This despite being the rivals of V/T. The Russian teams did not get this (the Russian crowd seem sensitive to certain music choices).
It's natural that a fall like that would create at least a sort "rumble" in a crowd sitting nervously in such heavy anticipation of a victory for their team. I think it likely that the cheering after the fall was a mix of the "good" and the "bad" kind. Anyway it's not like they were obnxiously hooting and hollering over it, or something.

Yeah I agree I am not sure I took the cheering as bad - I mean I cheer for people when they get up after they get hurt because I want to show support and how proud of them I am that they are fighting the good fight despie injury with hope they will heal soon and this is the opposing team. Wow, I hope no one thought I was being mean. For al lthe analyzing, for all the disagreements, and for all the witching with a captal B the results Inot nnecessarily the scores) would not have changed in the Team compeition or the pairs probably. Yes, arguments can be made for bronze for M /MTM and more loudly P and T but the scoring system allows for S squared to win bronze i ama most amazed at the confidence and assurity that K and S skated with. Now I hope Chan and Hanyu will do the sport proud.

 

[Skater Boy]

right. this should be removed
I mean Abbott, Reynolds are Olympic medalists

Well skating enthusiasts will want more skating no matter what. Besides the x winter sports are only events because they bring in viewers, they are great with advertisers and the US does wel at them and the US has a huge market in respect to viewers.One could easily argue many of them should not be olympic events.

 

[Skater Boy]

That's a good idea, it could be like a TROPHY instead.

But then that would kind of miss one of the goals, Which was giving more medals, No ?

Then to be consistent say good bye to team gymnastics - j ust saying you have to be consistent.

 

[SaraM]

i just love Stefania and Ondrejs dracula free skate!

 

[WeakAnkles]

Well skating enthusiasts will want more skating no matter what. Besides the x winter sports are only events because they bring in viewers, they are great with advertisers and the US does wel at them and the US has a huge market in respect to viewers.One could easily argue many of them should not be olympic events.

Oh I don't know. They're very exciting to watch and a really good run in halfpipe, for instance, can be just as exciting--albeit in a different way--as the best program from the ice rink. And they require enormous athletic skill to do well. I'd say that pretty much is the definition of sport right there. But hey, it's a big Olympics with lots to watch.

And I loved Stefania and Ondrejs's Dracula program too. I am so sorry she obviously was not in primo condition, because that is a very beautiful program when it is skated well.

 

[Fruit Loops]

Not really sure what to add to the thread as the fighting and snarking is rather depressing. I was able to watch the whole competition thanks to CBC's streaming and I just loved being able to watch everyone. Nerves seemed to be the order of the day but overall I really enjoyed the programs and thought a lot of teams seemed so happy just to be there. I was happy to finally see M-T/M finish ahead of D&R though I feel badly that D&R didn't get their moment especially when things started so well for them. I'm proud of our Canadian teams and think they placed very respectably. I don't see them as being at the tippy top of the standings unless the top makes mistakes. But they are there, nipping at the heels of the top competitors, forcing them to be clean.

I think I'm going to be a big fan of Russia's #2 team. I really, really enjoy them. They seem to really have fun and connect out there on the ice with truly interesting programs. They really had the skate of the night for me. I think their scores were silly high but the placement was fair. My only real placement quibble is with the 3rd Russian team finishing higher than D&R and maybe P&T getting squeezed out of bronze medal but that one was too close to call and S&S had a good lead from the SP.

I really liked S&S's program choices for these games. I feel they really captured what I love about this team. It's too bad about the mistakes as I would have loved to see them finally get their gold. But they seem to have a history of choking when it really counts. Too bad.

V&T - *sighs* Not a fan. I wish I could love a team that can walk into a competition knowing they will win no matter what. I'm not talking about the scores being fixed, but that they routinely score SO MUCH higher than everyone else all the time, you gotta figure they could only lose gold if they spent the whole program doing snow angels in centre ice. I think they're a very good team but not THAT superior. They deserved their win today but I thought the scores should have been closer especially as it was not their best tonight.

A special shout out to the American teams who I thoroughly enjoyed, the Israelis for doing a respectable job and making history for their country, and Paige & Lawrence for having one of their better skates this season. I also liked the performance of the second German team even with their mistakes. Overall, a fun morning of skating.

 

[UnChosen]

If you are referring to Peng & Zhang, do remember he will be 33 by the next Olympics. I do think they could be serious contenders by then, but wouldnt say they have a better shot than a team with both partners in their young 20s who are already winning medals.

Sui & Han have an iffy future considering his lack of height. They will do well to even make it to the 2018 Games for China. Stolbova & Klimov probably have little to worry about from them.

Which younger Russian pair has the quad twist right now? I havent followed the junior pairs much the last 2 seasons.

Yu/Jin can also do quad twist, I remember an article about them doing it in Chinese national competition. Sui/Han's height difference is fine, Shen & Zhao didn't have that big of a height difference as well and we all know how that went. Having a huge height difference tends to result in off sync SBS for a lot of skaters.

As for Peng/Zhang, I think the guy can last 4 more years since he is built like a freaking tank and she's like feather compared to Zhang Dan.