Original dance

Marina ANTIPOVA / Artem KUDASHEV RUS
8 28.57

Coach: Oleg Sudakov, Valentin Kuziaev

Foxtrot: Baby, It's Cold Outside
Quickstep

She's in a blue fringe dress that spins out like a bottle brush in the twizzles.
He's in a black suit with what appears to be an untucked in bright blue shirt that flairs out unexpectedly at times.

1st twizzle out of synch, second set OK.
They can't keep up with the speed of the rhythm in the second half of the program. There's some nice moments, but I wouldn't have them that high up.

45.00 total 73.57 in 8th

Alisa AGAFONOVA / Dmitri DUN UKR
9 27.92

Coach: Shpilband

Puttin on the Ritz (a rather slow version with a tuba)

She's in a seaweed green halter dress with ruffles & pleats down the front and silver faux low belt. He has a wide striped vest and white shirt and brown pants

Their unison was off throughout this dance in a most distracting way, plus one of them was pretty much always off the music.

45.55 total 73.47 in 9th

Madison CHOCK / Greg ZUERLEIN USA
1 33.15

Coach: Shpilband


She has blue spangly flapper dress and headband, he has vest black in front blue in backj. He has a varsity shirt with white collar one black armband, grey body.
Perhaps not their best, especially in the first section.The dance spin really lost speed at the end. The final footwork bit was really good though, and both lifts very complex with quick transitions

57.29 SB total 90.44 into 1st

That's a huge lead!

I thought C/Z should have been behind the Hubbells, but maybe it's me. I find them talented, but their program is really nothing special.

Maia SHIBUTANI / Alex SHIBUTANI USA 5 29.71
Coach Shpilband

Swing 1940s: Selection from Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day by Paul Englishby


She's in red halter dress, he in white shirt, red suspenders, black pants. They really rocked this. Best OD I've seen them skate. Gorgeous transition into the rotational lift where he spins on one foot. Twizzles spot on and quick! The PS is lyrical and in the slow part.. Lots of interesting stuff in this program.

Shibs giving shout outs to Evan, Tessa, etc.

52.10 (BOO) 81.81 in 4th.

I think the judging was right - they were good, but they skate quite far apart.

Pushkash and Kiselev
Charleston: Unlucky Date by A. Tsfasman
Ragtime: Tiger Rag

They dance the whole thing as a charleston.
He's in black with a purple & white & black striped vest

She's in black flapper dres

OK, but I can't get into it. Pair spin interesting but he's on two feet. Is that legal?

50.30 total 80.74 points in 5th place

I think Pushkash/Kiselev did a nice job of capturing the theme of the OD better than others ranked ahead of them. However, they're not at the other teams' technical level yet (C/Z, H/H...) and I prefer R/G's style.

1 Q Madison CHOCK / Greg ZUERLEIN USA 57.29 32.60 24.69 6.50 6.45 6.45 6.60 6.50 0.00 #28
2 Q Ekaterina RIAZANOVA / Jonathan GUERREIRO RUS 53.80 30.60 23.20 6.10 5.95 6.10 6.25 6.15 0.00 #21
3 Q Madison HUBBELL / Keiffer HUBBELL USA 53.44 30.50 22.94 6.05 5.95 6.10 6.05 6.05 0.00 #24
4 Q Maia SHIBUTANI / Alex SHIBUTANI USA 52.10 30.70 21.40 5.80 5.65 5.50 5.65 5.55 0.00 #29
5 Q Ekaterina PUSHKASH / Dmitri KISELEV RUS 50.30 28.50 21.80 5.75 5.65 5.70 5.85 5.75 0.00 #30
6 Q Kharis RALPH / Asher HILL CAN 49.58 28.50 21.08 5.65 5.50 5.60 5.50 5.50 0.00 #23
7 Q Lucie MYSLIVECKOVA / Matej NOVAK CZE 49.18 29.20 19.98 5.20 5.10 5.35 5.30 5.35 0.00 #12
8 Q Karen ROUTHIER / Eric SAUCKE-LACELLE CAN 48.06 27.70 20.36 5.40 5.30 5.35 5.40 5.35 0.00 #25
9 Q Lorenza ALESSANDRINI / Simone VATURI ITA 47.67 27.40 20.27 5.35 5.10 5.35 5.50 5.40 0.00 #22
10 Q Terra FINDLAY / Benoit RICHAUD FRA 47.11 28.00 19.11 5.05 4.85 5.10 5.05 5.10 0.00 #19
11 Q Alisa AGAFONOVA / Dmitri DUN UKR 45.55 25.80 19.75 5.25 5.10 5.20 5.25 5.20 0.00 #27
12 Q Tarrah HARVEY / Keith GAGNON CAN 45.33 27.00 18.33 4.85 4.70 4.75 4.90 4.90 0.00 #16
13 Q Marina ANTIPOVA / Artem KUDASHEV RUS 45.00 25.70 19.30 5.15 4.95 5.05 5.15 5.10 0.00 #26
14 Q Genevieve DEUTCH / Evan ROBERTS GBR 41.69 24.60 17.09 4.55 4.45 4.60 4.55 4.40 0.00 #13
15 Q Nikola VISNOVA / Lukas CSOLLEY SVK 40.16 24.00 16.16 4.25 4.15 4.25 4.40 4.25 0.00 #17
16 Q Nikki GEORGIADIS / Graham HOCKLEY GRE 39.52 23.80 15.72 4.20 4.00 4.10 4.25 4.15 0.00 #20
17 Q Anastasia GALYETA / Alexei SHUMSKI UKR 39.17 23.70 15.47 4.15 4.00 4.10 4.15 4.00 0.00 #18
18 Q Sonja PAULI / Tobias EISENBAUER AUT 38.81 23.50 15.31 4.15 3.90 4.05 4.15 3.95 0.00 #15
19 Q Charlene GUIGNARD / Guillaume PAULMIER FRA 38.22 21.70 16.52 4.40 4.25 4.30 4.45 4.35 0.00 #11
20 Q Oksana KLIMOVA / Sasha PALOMÄKI FIN 38.08 23.80 14.28 3.75 3.60 3.80 3.95 3.75 0.00 #5
21 Q Dominique DIECK / Michael ZENKNER GER 37.65 23.40 14.25 3.75 3.70 3.80 3.85 3.70 0.00 #9
22 Lesia VALADZENKAVA / Vitali VAKUNOV BLR 37.59 23.80 13.79 3.60 3.55 3.70 3.75 3.60 0.00 #3
23 Q Paola AMATI / Marco FABBRI ITA 37.38 22.90 14.48 3.90 3.70 3.80 3.95 3.75 0.00 #4
24 Q Dora TUROCZI / Balazs MAJOR HUN 37.17 23.70 13.47 3.60 3.55 3.55 3.70 3.40 0.00 #1
25 Q Xueting GUAN / Meng WANG CHN 36.16 20.80 16.36 4.45 4.35 4.20 4.25 4.25 1.00 #14
26 Justyna PLUTOWSKA / Dawid PIETRZYNSKI POL 34.58 20.10 14.48 3.90 3.65 3.70 3.95 3.85 0.00 #2
27 Ramona ELSENER / Florian ROOST SUI 34.50 20.50 14.00 3.75 3.55 3.75 3.85 3.60 0.00 #10
28 Kristina KIUDMAA / Aleksei TROHLEV EST 33.02 19.82 13.20 3.45 3.35 3.40 3.70 3.50 0.00 #6
29 Q Lora SEMOVA / Dimitar LICHEV BUL 31.28 18.26 13.02 3.55 3.25 3.45 3.60 3.35 0.00 #7
30 Alissandra ARONOW / Aleksandr PIROGOV LTU 30.92 18.50 12.42 3.40 3.10 3.40 3.30 3.20 0.00 #8

Overall scores:

FPl. Name Nation Points CD OD FD
1 Madison CHOCK / Greg ZUERLEIN USA
90.44 1 1
2 Madison HUBBELL / Keiffer HUBBELL USA
84.83 2 3
3 Ekaterina RIAZANOVA / Jonathan GUERREIRO RUS
82.82 7 2
4 Maia SHIBUTANI / Alex SHIBUTANI USA
81.81 5 4
5 Ekaterina PUSHKASH / Dmitri KISELEV RUS
80.74 3 5
6 Kharis RALPH / Asher HILL CAN
79.67 4 6
7 Karen ROUTHIER / Eric SAUCKE-LACELLE CAN
77.30 6 8
8 Lucie MYSLIVECKOVA / Matej NOVAK CZE
76.98 11 7
9 Lorenza ALESSANDRINI / Simone VATURI ITA
75.48 10 9
10 Terra FINDLAY / Benoit RICHAUD FRA
73.93 13 10
11 Marina ANTIPOVA / Artem KUDASHEV RUS
73.57 8 13
12 Alisa AGAFONOVA / Dmitri DUN UKR
73.47 9 11
13 Tarrah HARVEY / Keith GAGNON CAN
72.86 12 12
14 Genevieve DEUTCH / Evan ROBERTS GBR
68.06 14 14
15 Sonja PAULI / Tobias EISENBAUER AUT
63.33 17 18
16 Nikola VISNOVA / Lukas CSOLLEY SVK
62.92 20 15
17 Charlene GUIGNARD / Guillaume PAULMIER FRA
62.78 16 19
18 Nikki GEORGIADIS / Graham HOCKLEY GRE
62.73 18 16
19 Anastasia GALYETA / Alexei SHUMSKI UKR
62.29 19 17
20 Xueting GUAN / Meng WANG CHN
61.53 15 25
21 Oksana KLIMOVA / Sasha PALOMÄKI FIN
60.52 23 20
22 Dominique DIECK / Michael ZENKNER GER
60.13 22 21
23 Paola AMATI / Marco FABBRI ITA
59.99 21 23
24 Dora TUROCZI / Balazs MAJOR HUN
59.40 24 24
25 Lesia VALADZENKAVA / Vitali VAKUNOV BLR
57.95 28 22
26 Justyna PLUTOWSKA / Dawid PIETRZYNSKI POL
56.44 25 26
27 Ramona ELSENER / Florian ROOST SUI
54.41 30 27
28 Kristina KIUDMAA / Aleksei TROHLEV EST
53.47 27 28
29 Alissandra ARONOW / Aleksandr PIROGOV LTU
52.72 26 30
30 Lora SEMOVA / Dimitar LICHEV BUL
51.57 29 29
Ariana WEINTRAUB / Avidan BROWN ISR
NQD 31
Sara HURTADO / Adria DIAZ ESP
NQD 32
Maria POPKOVA / Viktor KOVALENKO UZB
NQD 33

I wouldn't have had the Hubbells in second, although I know they skate with great power and speed, and watching on the little screen, I am probably ignoring that.

I would have R&G ahead of the Hubbells, and Shibs also ahead of Hubbells. Shibs were far apart, but swing is a far apart dance, so it's less offensive.

I also really liked Ralph & Hill and Mysliveckova & Novak.

I'm at a loss where to put C&Z-they had harder skills, but some sloppiness today. Perhaps 3rd in the OD, ahead of Hubbells. Then R&H and M&N.

Since I have the IN feed, and since its sound is not always synched properly, it's hard for me to say definitively which of Agafanova & Dun was off the music-but one of them surely was.

dorispulaski said:

I wouldn't have had the Hubbells in second, although I know they skate with great power and speed, and watching on the little screen, I am probably ignoring that.

I would have R&G ahead of the Hubbells, and Shibs also ahead of Hubbells. Shibs were far apart, but swing is a far apart dance, so it's less offensive.

I also really liked Ralph & Hill and Mysliveckova & Novak.

I'm at a loss where to put C&Z-they had harder skills, but some sloppiness today. Perhaps 3rd in the OD, ahead of Hubbells. Then R&H and M&N.

Since I have the IN feed, and since its sound is not always synched properly, it's hard for me to say definitively which of the 2 was off the music-but one of them surely was.

Click to expand...

Thank you for the report.
Guys, do you think C/Z is really so far from another teams? They have 6 points over Hubbels. Now we couldnt see this at senor competitions.....
Who was with C/Z and Shibutany - Igor?

Thanks Doris for all of the updates. You are the best!!

dorispulaski said:

I wouldn't have had the Hubbells in second,

Click to expand...

The Hubbells were 3rd in the OD.
I haven't seen it and I'm personnaly not really a fan of the theme this year so I can't judge.

I can understand why the judges put C/Z first - speed, good edging, powerful coach, tough elements. But IMO, their performance wasn't so astronomically superior to the two or three teams behind them, and they didn't capture the theme as well as other teams did. YMMV.

I have a bigger problem with the scoring than the actual standings. I don't think C/Z deserved as big as a lead as they have. I do not think they were 4 points better today than the Hubbells or Riazanova/Guerreiro.

As I've said before, judges already have the placements before the competition. What they look for only are errors. They do not look for pluses. It's more obvious in Senior Division.

Joesitz said:

As I've said before, judges already have the placements before the competition. What they look for only are errors. They do not look for pluses. It's more obvious in Senior Division.

Click to expand...

Jositz, seems you are not alone in this thinking. Have received emails from friend who is at the event as a member of a non-US delegation (won't say which but not one with a team in the top 6) and the point gap at the top has many completely puzzled as the performances from the top 6 seemed much more comparable than the scores would suggest.

Doris, your pbps are amazing as always. Thank you for all of your effort and insightful comments.

As it does seem that the champion has been all but decided in this event, would be interested to know how people think two performances of essentially the same Shpilband "Phantom" program compare? C/Z have enjoyed success reprising what is essentially the same music cut and choreographic element placement that Shpilband choreographed for the lovely Lithuanians, Drobiazko and Polivas from when he coached them for the 2006 Olympics.

http://www.flickdrop.com/viewvideo/...__amp__Povilas_Vanagas__Olympic_Winter_Games/

www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrLCrZOgXBQ

I see the music cuts as the same, and the starting and ending elements are similar (start with pair spin, end with rotational lift), but other than that, not so much. The other lifts are differently placed and very different between the two program.

Given that they are the same music cuts, it's natural that they feel similar.

BTW, D&V should have scored higher for that program. That's a pretty technical COP dance they did. I don' t think they got proper credit on the technical mark, back in the day.