- Joined
- Jul 11, 2003
I get this feeling that this season will have rivalry between S&Z's lyricism to S&S's bravura. Whatever style one likes, the judges will choose the team with zero faults. Not unlike SLC.
Joe
Joe
Mission accomplished - Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy
- Thread starter gsk8
- Start date
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- Mar 28, 2005
Shen/Zhou are not competing this season. In fact they are pretty much retired.
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- Jul 11, 2003
Well then, no rivalry. Too bad.
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- Dec 7, 2005
Great article. Thank you. This team are wonderful skaters and very talented.
I will be rooting for them.
Ptichka-thanks for the "article" in your post. That was quite a read.
I will be rooting for them.
Ptichka-thanks for the "article" in your post. That was quite a read.
Originally Posted by sillylionlove "Remember this was the same country that has all these secret files on Katarina Witt."
That's right - they really kept tight surveillance on Witt - probably worried she might defect. Didn't she say in her book that they bugged her apartment and had tapes of some intimate moments?
That's right - they really kept tight surveillance on Witt - probably worried she might defect. Didn't she say in her book that they bugged her apartment and had tapes of some intimate moments?
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- Mar 28, 2005
I suppose but S/S so far lack the consistency to seriously rival a team as great as S/Z. Last year at Worlds they could have challenged S/Z had they been able to duplicate their Euros free skate, but they faltered and even dropped to 3rd place below P/T, still their first World medal mind you so still good. At the Olympics they were touted as medal contenders, and they were the only top team to truly skate a poor competition and finished in 6th overall. At Worlds they were even stronger medal hopefuls in a weaker field without T/M and S/Z, and they really fizzled finishing 6th again, this time below I/B and M/B.
They definitely are an original and appealing team, and they are extremely good, but consistency is something they are still striving for.
They may have trouble even in their current rivalries with P/T and Z/Z if they do not find this consistency they have yet to show. Often they do clean shorts, very rarely clean free skates.
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- Feb 5, 2004
SLC? That was crooked as hell and the original decision went with the couple that had a mistake!!
Ant
Well, I never thought the decision was wrong. In previous Worlds the same happened: S&P did a mistake but had a more difficult programme and won over faultless B&S. In SLC it was S&P that were faultless with an easier programme.
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- Jul 11, 2003
I guess if you are of the school that skaters are unable to improve then S/S are doomed. But then how do you explain how S&Z improved after getting a bronze gift at SLC?
That was my point.
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- Feb 5, 2004
I don't think Shen & Zhao got a bronze gift in SLC. Totmianina & Marinin were in fourth and deservedly so - i don't think they did anything to merit moving past Shen & Zhao in the free, Kyoko & Ina were 5th and they certaintly did not skate well enough to move into third in the FS - their skating skills alone were not good enough to move above Totmianina & Marinin or Shen & Zhao.
Ant
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- Jul 28, 2003
ITA. IN SLC T&M had decent technical content, but their artistry was non-existent. That - they acquired later on, with Vasiliev and world class choreographers.
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- Mar 28, 2005
I agree. Shen Zhou had a wobbly outing, but Totmianina and Marinin did not have a good performance that night either. Ina and Zimmerman skated well but they simply dont have the basics and technical strength of the other 2 teams. I agreed with the placements of everyone, other then debating the first 2.
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- Mar 7, 2005
Call me crazy, but I have no problem placing the top five exactly as they finished that night
hwell: . Although, I think I'dbe more inclined to put I&Z ahead of T&M, but eh they had less technical difficulty , weak SBS spins and their throws were so low and forward, even though they won over the crowd. T&M were slow and blah , but I&Z weren't exactly speed skaters under the best of circumstances either. Although, I will admit I&Z's program was considerably more interesting, and their lifts were actually much better than T&M's and S&Z's hmmm...
I also have to admit, S&Z did have the fall on the quad throw, all three of their lifts came down early with Shen falling out of the first one , and they spun in different parts of the rink andout of synchronization on their SBS . I think a judge could have justified not putting them on the podium, but seeing as how that was the one unanimous decision in the top 10 by all 9 judges that night , I think their bronze was perfectly warranted
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- Jul 11, 2003
I&Z had that magic touch of Moskvina. Thinking about that competition, I hardly believe T&M were actually there. I reiterate, S&Z got the gift of bronze and don't forget the rumor about the scandal.
Joe
Joe
- Joined
- Feb 5, 2004
Sorry Joe i don't understand your seemingly cryptic statement - care to shed a greater light? Do you think I&Z should have won the bronze? Why do you think that S&Z's bronze was a gift because of the scandal about gold and silver?
Ant
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2003
S&Z did not have a lock on the bronze in SLC. They were an up and coming Pairs team that looked good for the future. Big throws and that's all.
If the Chinese Judge would give B&S a gold vote, the Russian judge would give S&Z a bronze vote. This was a security measure.
And it was only a rumour going around at the time.
Joe
If the Chinese Judge would give B&S a gold vote, the Russian judge would give S&Z a bronze vote. This was a security measure.
And it was only a rumour going around at the time.
Joe
- Joined
- Jul 28, 2003
Joe, here are the marks from SLC pairs free - http://www.icecalc.com/events/owg2002/results/SEG006.HTM. ALL the judges put S&Z in 3d. It was indeed close (5:4) between T&M and I&Z, which is understandable as the former were technically stronger but the latter more exciting. The most "off" judges were Canada and Russia - Lavoie putting T&M in 7th, and Sanaya put I&Z in 6th.
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- Jul 11, 2003
Thanks Ptichka. I never did look at the scores. just read the rumor. 
Joe
Joe
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- Feb 5, 2004
OK i see that now - i think Ptchika has shown the scores that show that the rumour wasn't really well founded.
Also i think S&Z were more than an up and comming couple with only big throws. S&Z were competing in their second Olympics in SLC (having come 5th in Nagano after Ina & Dunjgen) and by SLC they were the only couple even vaguely stong enough to compete with B&S and S&P. By then they had improved some of their presentation but had mostly focussed on the technical - including lifts and spins.
Ant
- Joined
- Jul 28, 2003
The truth of the matter is, it is likely there was such a deal. Chinese federation might have been unsure about S&Z, and could want shoring up; it could well agree to support the Russian team in return for Russians voting for S&Z over T&M. However, even if there were such a deal, it was not necessary - on that night, S&Z skated to a very solid bronze.Thanks Ptichka. I never did look at the scores. just read the rumor.
