A star pair team Yuko & SMIRNOV is born today!

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iloveaxel

Match Penalty

Joined

Oct 13, 2006

• Nov 24, 2006

• #1

An international debut, an unexpected third place in the short program with 59 points, a star pair team is born today at 'Cup of Russia'...

Here's their flawless performance on youtube.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QO3J9oaJsI

 

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1795

Final Flight

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Joined

Sep 6, 2006

• Nov 24, 2006

• #2

not flawless
but nice...great debut...:agree:

 

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iloveaxel

Match Penalty

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Oct 13, 2006

• Nov 24, 2006

• #3

1795 said:

not flawless
but nice...great debut...:agree:

Click to expand...

Where is the flaw? tell my untrained eyes.

 

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iloveaxel

Match Penalty

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Oct 13, 2006

• Nov 24, 2006

• #4

music cut

the music cut of the second portion is kind of messy. They deserve better.

 

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Buzzz

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Jul 26, 2003

• Nov 24, 2006

• #5

Thanks for the link! Nice start for both.

 

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cloudkicker09

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Oct 30, 2006

• Nov 25, 2006

• #6

WOW they are very good and very beautiful, how old are they and who are they representing?

 

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aunm88

Rinkside

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Oct 15, 2006

• Nov 25, 2006

• #7

What a nice debut!
According to their ISU bio, they are aged 25 and 22 (Smirnov being the younger one) and represent Russia

Here's the link:
http://www.isufs.org/bios/isufs00009880.htm

 

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rjulie510

Rinkside

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Joined

Jul 30, 2003

• Nov 25, 2006

• #8

Moskvina magic is still working!!! Yuko Kawaguchi and Alexander Smirnov are BEAUTIFUL, and has that classic Russian pairs look. (Beautiful lines, solid technique, elegant and smooth style, etc) Sure, they do have flaws at this point (death spiral needs to get lower, they could be more emotional, etc) but that's nitpicking and I think with more experience those things will get better.

I always liked Yuko Kawaguchi, not just her skating but her determination that really set her apart. (I mean, this girl moved from Japan to USA to Russia for her skating.) It's great that she finally found a partner that matches her. They look great together, and for few moments I even felt like they have the look of classic Russian pairs champions.

Besides Petrova/Tikhonov (who probably won't skate eligibles that much longer), Russian pairs field is very opened. I wish them the best of luck.

 

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1795

Final Flight

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Joined

Sep 6, 2006

• Nov 25, 2006

• #9

iloveaxel said:

Where is the flaw? tell my untrained eyes.

Click to expand...

they aren't major flaws that will be deducted point for but:
flail-y landing on their split triple...
struggled landing on their throw triple loop...
some struggle for unison in their side by side spin (changing positions)...
and it's boring...:sheesh:
these are (to me) the tiny flaws that seperate and define great from "flawless"
my eyes aren't "trained" either but yeah...
great debut though...amazing in fact...

 

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emma

Record Breaker

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Oct 28, 2004

• Nov 25, 2006

• #10

thanks for the link to watch this pair -- I really liked this program, LOVED the opening moves, and can't wait to see them develop more.

 

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rain

Record Breaker

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Jul 29, 2003

• Nov 25, 2006

• #11

1795 said:

they aren't major flaws that will be deducted point for but:
flail-y landing on their split triple...
struggled landing on their throw triple loop...
some struggle for unison in their side by side spin (changing positions)...
and it's boring...:sheesh:
these are (to me) the tiny flaws that seperate and define great from "flawless"
my eyes aren't "trained" either but yeah...
great debut though...amazing in fact...

Click to expand...

Another that I noted was a barely adequate death spiral...like so many pairs these days, sigh.

I'm utterly bored by the pairs field as it stands, so I'm really hoping this team has a great long and I can actually get excited by at least one pairs team. I was hoping to see a few more emerge this post-Olympics year, but have so far been disappointed. One thing I think they really need to capture my imagination is some originality...a few signature moves. Very few teams are pushing the sport this way anymore.

 

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1795

Final Flight

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Joined

Sep 6, 2006

• Nov 25, 2006

• #12

rain said:

Another that I noted was a barely adequate death spiral...like so many pairs these days, sigh.

I'm utterly bored by the pairs field as it stands, so I'm really hoping this team has a great long and I can actually get excited by at least one pairs team. I was hoping to see a few more emerge this post-Olympics year, but have so far been disappointed. One thing I think they really need to capture my imagination is some originality...a few signature moves. Very few teams are pushing the sport this way anymore.

Click to expand...

I know!!!!
i used to love pairs now its so repetitive and redundant....unlike ice dancing...

 

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JonnyCoop

Record Breaker

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Dec 28, 2003

• Nov 26, 2006

• #13

I remember Kawaguchi skating with her previous partner, Alexander Markuntsov, at the 2001 Worlds, when they represented Japan. (They were medallists at Junior Worlds that season). She was a delight to watch, and their performances were very popular with the audience, tho rather rough around the edges. (Moskvina trained them as well). I'm glad she is finding success tho with another partner.

I do have to wonder, tho -- is it making a difference that she is now representing Russia instead of Japan? Certainly being a pair from Russia gets the judges attention better than being one from Japan.....

 

La Rhumba

Supporting All British Skaters!

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Aug 9, 2006

Country

• Nov 26, 2006

• #14

Markuntsov was gorgeous, but everyone else ignored him, while she got all the attention and praise.

Agree about the awful standard of death spirals. Shocking.

To me the most attractive Pair to watch in recent times is the German Pair S&S.