Free Dance

[Serious Business]

Ilia and Ekaterina were slow? That would explain why they took a kick to the groin in the PCS.

[euroskate]

wow germans moving up despite this fall

[euroskate]

eurosport just started broadcasting showed ONE PAIR (N/K) and now commercial

I HATE EUROSPORT

[katia]

UK - steps are level 3, better than previous pair. Not very good but he likes their program. Twizzles 3rd level - probably.
***
they are 6th

[3T3T]

Eurosport guys very impressed with I/K. Nice skate from R/T, they have the highest TES score of the Russian teams, really like their music (snowstorm). Didn't like the last two couples, didn't know what to make of C/B music

[tralfamadorian]

Katia, thanks so much for you translations!

[LaLola]

Natahalie is so cute speaking English! I'm very happy for them!
But I'd given the bronze to C/L...

[katia]

you're welcome
Russians are also talking that Capelinni lanotte had the best components score in Free dance (if I understood correctly) and r/t best components from russian pairs.
And of course they are very happy that they got 2 pairs on podium. They called them "heroes"

[Macassar88]

Nice that I/K medalled. At least that's an improvement from last year. Remember when people were saying that C/L were going to surpass B/S by Euros?

[demarinis5]

Congrats to P/B well deserved first place!

[seniorita]

I just came back from ice dance, I watched from I/K till the end, I loved the competition, I dont know what I m watching but all teams looked great to me, the GB team had standing ovation of course and the ambiance was festy, I was jumping up and down for Natalie and Fabian and they told me off!!! (:/ I was in really wrong section to cheer today), loved the italians!!!

[colleen o'neill]

:sheesh: I've just been following along through NikaQuest ( bless'im )...

I wish I could say I found the competition satisfying..but I can't. Can't say I can be sure Anna & Luca weren't robbed a bit..so hard to say when the marks were so close , and you're watching on the computer .

That was certainly the best we've seen from I/K so far..but I just like C/L's program so much better than any of the top 3.. They skated very well , and I never thought I'd see such a touching take on Giulietta Massina's character as Anna delivered... and as opposed to another contrived take on Ave Maria ? ...( sigh )

I hope C/L will deliver in their SD at worlds, it was a bit rocky here.

I think the top 2 placements are much easier to understand, but I actively dislike both programs ( for different reasons ), so it's like asking myself which poke in the eye I preferred.

I have to say B/S were much improved over GPF , including costumes, but I still feel all the angular arm movements and bent over, devilishly threatening positions are at odds with the sumptuous, flowing music.

P/B also skated well , but if I never saw this program again , I wouldn't miss it. I thought their last year's programs were pure genius , this year ... predictable , walk-like-an-Egyptian fare ... so even though I can agree with their placement , it's a bit of a let-down.

[ImaginaryPogue]

Bobrova/Soloviev: I can't be arsed to finish this program. Even with the improvements, it's still a bore. My biggest fear with them is their coach. Their coach complained that they weren't scored at the level of V/M and D/W at the GPF and that it was unfair. To me, that kind of thinking inhibits a team's growth and suggests they won't work on improving... a big big mistake.

Pechalat/Bourzat: Why do I enjoy this program? Seriously? I don't like P/B. I shouldn't like this. But I do! I love the on ice images. I love the lifts. I love the idea. Sorry, I know, I prefer elegance and classic technique, but this works for me. Even if they dance more with their hands than feet (not true, whatevs), it still works for me. I'm hoping I'll start disliking it soon to join all the cool kids.

Ilynikh/Katsalpov: MAKE IT STOP MAKE IT STOP MY EARS WHY WHY WHAT DID I DO WRONG, STOP SCREAMING, MY EARS.

takes deep breath: okay, this is probably the cleanest long program they've ever skated. They attacked it, the expression was there, the moves were.... solidesque. But seriously, Morosov should be arrested for chosing this arrangement of Ave Maria, tried for this ridiculous choreography, and sentenced until he gets a clue.

Riazanova/Tkachenko: Okay, if it weren't for those step sequences (the leg positions rarely matched, did they) this would be the program of the night. My goodness, the passion and the feeling they brought out. Man oh man, this is a great piece of choreography.....

Capellinni/Lanotte:..... and so is this. Just gorgeously skated and acted. Now, if they skate well to Vincere, they'll deserve the title! Nah, just kidding. But they had the best skate I've seen from them, so that's cool.

[blue_idealist]

Missed this live, but glad to see that Pechalat/Bourzat won!

[katia]

Bobrova/Soloviev: I can't be arsed to finish this program. Even with the improvements, it's still a bore. My biggest fear with them is their coach. Their coach complained that they weren't scored at the level of V/M and D/W at the GPF and that it was unfair.
Imaginary Pogue,
Which coach? I've read on ISU site that B/S have 3 coaches.

Someone here said that Zhulin is a bore, but I liked his commentary. He was very knowledgeable. He noticed that European pairs at the moment are worse than Americans and Canadian pair and it is detrimental for their coaches not to acknowledge that fact. Told that there are couple of Russian junior pairs which may in the near future threaten Americans/Canadian pairs - if they will continue to work very hard. He refused to comment on I/K programm (said there are known reasons for that )
*****
Myself I liked Capelinni/Lanotte, I did not like I/K and I did not liked P/B program. I understand that P/B were very good technically, and that I/K had great components but I preferred C/L even with worse components. I could feel their emotions. I could feel nothing from Russian pairs.
******