Youtube Thread

[iloveaxel]

I am opening this youtube thread. Everybody who wants to share with us any figure skating youtbue link, please post here. You can also ask for any specific video under this thread.

To start with, I'd like to share with you some recent obscure performances.

1. Zhang & Zhang's short program at 2007 Winter University Games, they won this event.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DuXdgj3fJo

2. Jianqi Li & Jiankun Xu's short program at 2007 Asian Winter Games. Huge throws and twists. I see some improvements in them.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYeZGlOJyzk

3. Last but not least, I highly recommend this free skate by a North Korean skater at 2007 Asian Winter Games. Surprisingly good choreography, especially the stragitht line footwork. Even Lu Chen, the guest commentator was quite stunned the extremely isolated North Korea could produce such excellent choreography.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7QUlA5Zf1A

BTW, here's my request: I know Lu Chen's husband used to skate pair for Russia, but I'm too lazy to do any homework. Can somebody post some youtube links of her husband's past performances?

[Joesitz]

Nice idea Iloveaxel,

I hope everyone can add to this.

Joe

[blue dog]

Per ilovewaxel's request--

Yelena Bechke (his first wife) and Denis Petrov:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhnpifO7EKs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_twJw106uo

(is it just me or does Denis look like Seann William Scott, the guy who plays Stifler in the American Pie films?)

A new favourite of mine!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_5drCqSmgk

I wish the following would skate more like this all the time...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mNCcYn5WOU

[iloveaxel]

Per ilovewaxel's request--

Yelena Bechke (his first wife) and Denis Petrov:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhnpifO7EKs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_twJw106uo

Wow, thanks so much!!! I didn't even know Denis Petrov married before!!
This is the first time I saw his pair skating. To be honest with you, I'm quite disappointed. Yelena&Denis' 'nutcrackers' piece was very sloppy, there's no connection to music and audience. They just moved from element to element. How could this piece win Olympic silver medals? There's no way this can be remotely compared to Shen&Zhao's 'nutcrackers'.

Sorry for my ignorance, I paid very little attention to pairs before late 1990s. How was Denis & Yelena's stature in Russian pairs skating history? Were they the typical Russian(Soviet Union) pairs? I found them really boring. Their lifts were great, but another tricks were just so, so.


I'm wondering whether the rivalries among Shen&Zhao, S&P, B&S and even TT&MM have pushed pairs skating to a new level. I know there's always G&G, but they were exceptional.

[iloveaxel]

Ding & Ren's throw quad toe loop at 4cc.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJh7lGcDto8

Some silly montages:
(figure skating parents: creepy Mother leung, scary Mother Bonaly and caring Mother Brian)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjHm55UoZkM

Sasha Cohen wants to change society (smack-down on Peter)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7WGuTy9CwQ

Totmianina rolls her eyes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A59uQfubYL4

Embarrassing moment of 2002 Olys pairs medal ceremony(cheaters? or cheated??)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fHS-ChDw3E

[emma]

Wow on Ding and Ren's throw quad loop - I don't remember that at all so thanks so much for the link!!!! What are they doing these days - are they competing and if so, how are they doing?

[iloveaxel]

Wow on Ding and Ren's throw quad loop - I don't remember that at all so thanks so much for the link!!!! What are they doing these days - are they competing and if so, how are they doing?

Yup, they have been largely forgotten when people talk about difficult throws such as throw quad/throw 3A. People always talk about I/B, zhang & zhang and some other couples. But in reality, Ding & Ren were the ONLY pair who landed throw quad numberous times at events sponsored by ISU. I checked the protocols of past events, they got full credits minus -1 GOE deduction at at least 2-3 events.

Ding & Ren have retired.

[mike79]

Wow, thanks so much!!! I didn't even know Denis Petrov married before!!
This is the first time I saw his pair skating. To be honest with you, I'm quite disappointed. Yelena&Denis' 'nutcrackers' piece was very sloppy, there's no connection to music and audience. They just moved from element to element. How could this piece win Olympic silver medals? There's no way this can be remotely compared to Shen&Zhao's 'nutcrackers'.

Sorry for my ignorance, I paid very little attention to pairs before late 1990s. How was Denis & Yelena's stature in Russian pairs skating history? Were they the typical Russian(Soviet Union) pairs? I found them really boring. Their lifts were great, but another tricks were just so, so.


I'm wondering whether the rivalries among Shen&Zhao, S&P, B&S and even TT&MM have pushed pairs skating to a new level. I know there's always G&G, but they were exceptional.

Bechke and Petrov were a decent pair but they only won their silver medal on account of Brasseur and Eisler falling apart during the LP in Albertville. The entire event was very sloppy, and even Olympic champs Mishkutenok and Dmitriev didn't skate up to par, although Liebestraum was still a masterpiece LP.

IMO Bechke and Petrov developed into a formidable pro team and seemed to have a lot of success in pro competitions until they split.

[Tinymavy15]

thanks for the great videos everybody. I had no idea dennis was married before. Whta happened to them? divorce? he is young to be on a second marriage. Here is one of my favorite skates, by who else but the lovely miss Cohen. When Dick Button raves, you know it's good. Coming of a very dissipointing worlds, here's sasha!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gg3gq2NUtHA

[Tinymavy15]

Wow on Ding and Ren's throw quad loop - I don't remember that at all so thanks so much for the link!!!! What are they doing these days - are they competing and if so, how are they doing?

That's what i am wondering? Why is everyoen fussing over the Zhangs and Shen and zhao, saying it has never been done before when that beauty was landed. By Ding and Ren! Who is this team? Chinese? Are they also coached by Bin Yao? and have they retired? I thought they were very good.

[iloveaxel]

That's what i am wondering? Why is everyoen fussing over the Zhangs and Shen and zhao, saying it has never been done before when that beauty was landed. By Ding and Ren! Who is this team? Chinese? Are they also coached by Bin Yao? and have they retired? I thought they were very good.

Here's another video clip of them winning the Jr. World silver medals(not sure which year).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqhmXYi19VI

I knew their names, but like most people, had no idea of their skating until recently. They were the fourth Chinese pair, however, there's little chance they could get ahead of the top three, they retired in late 2005. Both of them are still fairly young. Ding is only 20 years old! They were coached by Bin Yao's skating partner.

Here's more information I learned recently. They won 2002/2003 JGPF. The history of them landing throw quad toe in competitions sanctioned by ISU(I got these info. from a Chinese skating board).


2003 Skate Canada, GOE -0.70，
http://www.isufs.org/results/sc2003/..._FP_Scores.pdf page 8.

2003 Cup of China , Goe-1.12
http://www.isufs.org/results/coc2003..._FP_scores.pdf page 8

2003 NHK GOE - 0.42分，one judge gave a +2
http://www.isufs.org/results/nhk2003..._fp_scores.pdf page 6

2004 Skate America，failed to land but still got it full rotated http://www.isufs.org/results/gpusa04..._FS_Scores.pdf page 3

2004 Cup of China GOE - 0.98
http://www.isufs.org/results/gpchn04..._FS_Scores.pdf page 2


I am keeping Caroline Zhang's exhibition program under this thread, It will be one of my forever favourite...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuOT8zfBDuo

[heyang]

I had no idea dennis was married before. Whta happened to them? divorce?

I don't remember Elena Bechke and Denis Petrov much during their Oly eligible days. They did tour with SOI with and after G&G. During the Grinkov tribute show, Elena said how she would see G&G sneaking kisses on the bus to the venue.

I believe Elena's nerves had a lot to do with the lack of great success in their eligible days. However, they really shined as pros. I really enjoyed watching them on SOI.

I believe they were married about 5 years before divorcing. Based on what I recall reading in a magazine, they realized that they were really good friends, but not really in love - it was just a matter of being together constantly for training and competition that led them to believe they had romantic love. After getting exposed more to the world, they realized that they had a really deep friendship. No drama like Usova and Zhulin. I'm pretty sure they were divorced by the time I saw them in SOI (but don't quote me on that) in 1995.

Elena left the tour before Denis because she was tired of travelling. She remarried to a business man a couple of years after she left the tour.

Denis stayed with SOI for a year or two after Yelena left. He partnered with Katia and Kristi for various #'s. He was Kristi's partner for the Moulin Rouge song 'Someday I'll Fly away' on her final tour with SOI.

Of course, Denis met Lulu on tour.

Here's a link to their bio...
http://www.pairsonice.net/profileview.php?pid=3

According to the following site, they started dating in 1988, married in 1990 and divorced in 1995.
http://www.angelfire.com/ga/bechkepetrov/info.html

Keeping on topic, here's a performance of Bechke & Petrov
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orHw_Hb-2oQ

Also, here's the finale from one season of SOI that highlights one of their signature professional tricks - watch the couple in green. She essentially flips in such a way that her blades could potentially hit his face.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZWOI...elated&search=

[iloveaxel]

IKeeping on topic, here's a performance of Bechke & Petrov
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orHw_Hb-2oQ

Wow, thanks so much for the link. I can't believe how much progress they made after leaving amateur skating. Their Olys performance was so sloppy, and I don't think they could even win a Jr. title with that kind of performance in today's pairs skating.

However, this pro program was just wonderful. Their lines, extension, lifts, wow.
Another example besides shen & zhao that pairs can really make visible progress if both partners keep on pushing each other and skating long enough.

So maybe zhang & zhang still have a chance?

[Tonichelle]

I believe Katia wrote about this - a tad - in her book, or maybe it was Scott's I've read both so many times they mesh together lol

basically Elena and Denis' marriage was like a lot of Russian/Soviet marriages at the time, more of a merger than anything else...

kinda like the ice dance love triangle that happened around the same time...

OT even more but: I absolutely adored them as a team, and even after the split when Denis still toured with SOI... great team...

[antmanb]

That's what i am wondering? Why is everyoen fussing over the Zhangs and Shen and zhao, saying it has never been done before when that beauty was landed. By Ding and Ren! Who is this team? Chinese? Are they also coached by Bin Yao? and have they retired? I thought they were very good.

COuld it be that Shen and Zhou's attempts (in 2002) came bfore Ding and Ren landed theirs?

Also shen and Zhao and the Zhangs were all attempting the throw quad sal whereas Ding and Ren did the toe loop.

Ant