ICE DANCE - Short Dance

[blue dog]

I think she will make it through, and they will win, with Pechalat/Bourzat in 2nd, and Davis/White in 4th. Ilynikh/Katsalapov will win bronze.

[KKonas]

To clarify, the 3 person technical panel must also, if possible, be composed of people from different ISU member nations. And that is certainly the case here, the tech specialist (one who calls the levels) is Ayako Higashino of Japan. The technical controller (the one who issues corrections to the tech calls if necessary) is Linda Leaver (Boitano's long time coach!) of US. And the assistant technical specialist (he votes on whether to let a correction from the technical controller stand) is Sergei Ponomarenko (Olympic winner!) of Russia. I think all three talk to each other nonstop during each performance, calling and assessing levels.

At this Worlds in Pairs the Referee was Polish and one of the Judges was Polish in both the SP & FS. In Men the Ref was British and so was a judge on the panel in both the SP and FS. So it is quite common, but of course the Tech Panel itself should not have more than one person from the same country either. BTW Linda Leaver, the tech controller is not the same Linda Leaver who was/is Boitano's coach. They are two different people who happen to have the same name.

I am of the opinion that nothing untoward or biased happens with tech calls most of the time, including this short dance.

I agree.

[chuckm]

It's not a matter of "IF POSSIBLE". The technical panel MUST be composed of persons from 3 different countries, or the results will not count. That is a hard and fast rule.

[chuckm]

I think she will make it through, and they will win, with Pechalat/Bourzat in 2nd, and Davis/White in 4th. Ilynikh/Katsalapov will win bronze.

What ARE you smoking? After the SD, I/K are more than 8 point behind D/W. I/K's highest FD score was 92.55, at Euros; D/W's highest was 103.02, at 4CC. So even if I/K beats D/W in the FD by 3 points (hard to imagine) they would still be 5 points behind overall.

P/B has NEVER beaten D/W in head-to-head competition, losing to D/W in both SD and FD. They are already almost 3 points behind after the SD.

OK, I take it you don't like D/W and don't wish them well. But there's no need to be insulting.

[Serious Business]

It's not a matter of "IF POSSIBLE". The technical panel MUST be composed of persons from 3 different countries, or the results will not count. That is a hard and fast rule.

I'm just quoting the rule book.

For all ISU Events (Championships, Senior and Junior Grand Prix Events), Qualifying Competition for the Olympic Games and the Olympic Winter Games, if possible, the Referee, Technical Controller and the Technical Specialists must not be from the same Member and all must be designated ISU.

As an exception in extenuating circumstances for International Competitions one (1) National Technical Specialist from the Host Member may be used as Assistant Technical Specialist. In this case, this Assistant Technical Specialist must be designated as his ISU Member.

I would imagine the rule is there because if one of the designated panelists dies or something, they can have someone local fill in and not invalidate the competition.

[blue dog]

What ARE you smoking? After the SD, I/K are more than 8 point behind D/W. I/K's highest FD score was 92.55, at Euros; D/W's highest was 103.02, at 4CC. So even if I/K beats D/W in the FD by 3 points (hard to imagine) they would still be 5 points behind overall.

P/B has NEVER beaten D/W in head-to-head competition, losing to D/W in both SD and FD. They are already almost 3 points behind after the SD.

OK, I take it you don't like D/W and don't wish them well. But there's no need to be insulting.

NO NO NO Chuck--I can't cheer anyone on that I like. If I do, they fall apart. Yes I'm being superstitious, but, case in point-- The superbowl--I wanted the steelers to win. At the Olympics, I was rooting for Belbin/Agosto...at the 2005 worlds, I rooted for Michelle Kwan. Don't ask me to root for Davis/White, Alissa, Yu Na Kim, Miki Ando, the Shibutanis, or Weaver/Poje.

At the 1994 Olympics, I thought Nancy had it in the bag. Pasha won. In 1998, Michelle...well...we won't go there.

[wallylutz]

At the 1994 Olympics, I thought Nancy had it in the bag. Pasha won.

uh...are you calling Oksana Baiul = Pasha? I think you got the wrong Oksana in mind. Frankly, Baiul would probably be offended that you call her Pasha, because the actual Pasha once called Baiul, " a criminal".

[justaskatingfan]

Vanessa CRONE and Paul POIRIER 2011 Worlds SHORT DANCE (CBC Bold)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnEwitQ3hJw

[MikiAndoFan#1]

I absolutely loved Cappellini & Lanotte's performance! They were my favourite.

[colleen o'neill]

Oh, my God.. I'm so late to the party . I can't really comment when I'm watching on my TV. No laptop.. and I just can't dash back and forth to the computer in time ,since I type so slowly.. So I sit there spouting off to the TV ( My dogs think I'm nuts.) Then I had to walk the poor little guys , etc.etc.

Now finally, I get to unload. Tessa and Scott ..beyond Rubies. That was pretty exquisite. I'm still a bit of a dishrag after the long build up of suspense and I guess I'll have to go through it all over again tomorrow. I find Tessa and Scott's expression so natural and perfect , and they just floated through that .( Can you say enough about their edges and glide ?)

Pogue my sister called me and told me I had to get to the computer right away ,or you might cry. I suggest we cry together..tears of joy ! Tessa seemed so relaxed, I really believe what she says about being pain free.

Much as I love Meryl and Charlie , I have to say that I think V/M should be farther ahead than they are, today , because of D/W's twizzle problems ,and their seeming a bit tense to me. That said, I don't think anyone else should be in 2nd.

I have to run away..I'll be back to spout some more.

[ImaginaryPogue]

Actually, I'm all right with it being close. D/W's mistake was pretty minor (I'd still give those twizzles a +1 or +2) and their movement is gorgeous. I'd rank them behind in terms of Interpretation, though.

[colleen o'neill]

Pogue,,I think you've hit the nail on the head there..and I always expected it to be close..I just don't see how D/W can be ahead on PCS so maybe it would sit better with me if it was close ,but not quite so close. This is not a cry of wuzrobbed ,just a hmmmm...

There are a few other things I don't get though..such as how C/L can be ahead of C/Z . This would normally be hard for me to say , since I've had a fondness for C/L for years , but I thought C/Z did a fabulous job on their SD today , and C/L didn't seem as neat or fast to me.

I don't know what to say about C/P. I never thought their SD worked , and I feel that this is a case where their very favourable GP assignments didn't help them. They would have had more than ample time to change the dance , and they would have been in good company.( D/W, P/B, B/S...)So I think this comes from a defensive attitude on the part of their team that doesn't help the skaters in the long run. Not every critique is an attack.

I think I/K have been boosted a bit.Lovely girl. Speed , yes.. waltz, no.I don't buy their placement , talented as they are.

B/S have made a mistake I feel , in changing their SD. Ignore the lyrics to Delilah.. it was much more lyrical. Seems to me they changed it to be more apples / apples with I/K at home. Bad move . I think that made them more vulnerable to the Shibs , and less competitive with P/B ,who I think could have been had today. I like their program but they were a bit flat today compared to Euro's.

You know I adore the Shibs, but I'm a little surprised to see them quite so high,since I feel their real strength is their FD. I would have thought W/P should have been slightly above them in this segment.

[justaskatingfan]

(CBC Bold)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRs4_ayfXFk

[ImaginaryPogue]

Here's Hersh on our Canton quartet

You know, I defended C/P's SD. For me, at SC it worked (where for a number of people it didn't). I love the immediacy of the opening and closing. I love the way the phrasing of the music matches the GW sequences. But it didn't grow like I hoped (neither did their free, but that's a much stronger dance and still works). I tend to agree - favourable GP assignments really made this team look stronger this year than perhaps they were, and they didn't grow as much (I'd say the same for Moore-Towers/Moscowitch, too actually. Trajectory is virtually identical: Strong performance at SC, lesser but still worthy at SA, lesser at the GPF, lesser at 4CC. etc). I really hope both teams look at what happened, because next season we have young guns (Paul/Islam; Lawrence/Sweigers) who could concievably knock them off their pace.

[Spun Silver]

OT, but is Doris in Russia? I am so wanting to know her take on everything!