Pairs free skate

[lavender]

I agree Art&Sport....

[Serious Business]

As far as I know, Mervin Tran is the first person of Vietnamese or Cambodian descent to win a medal at Worlds! Another milestone!

[treeloving]

And all the pairs in podium are transnational team!

[paircheck]

I don't disagree with it being close between V/T and S/S in the fp, but it wasn't according to the judges. Yes, S/S showed nerves but they overcame nerves to hit everything and that is a difficult program. V/T do classic style/ performance with panache, but are not the second coming, or are they? I like V/T and S/S, but don't like the way S/S were so low-balled for this performance/ boundary-pushing program despite hitting everything. Their IN, SS, PCS, and most definitely their CH should have been scored higher. Truthfully IMO, V/T were slightly over-scored to make sure they pulled up to challenge S/S.

The judges are likely just as surprised S/S won by .11 -- S/S keep upping the ante and don't rest on their laurels; other pairs learn from watching them, and emulate some of their moves and technique, but still the Russians are boss, which tells us that S/S hope for a gold Olympic medal appears to be dashed again, especially in Sochi, Russia -- and it's still 2 years away. Of course S/S age is also going against them for two years out.

Happy for Mervin and Narumi! Great competition for them. They finally show what they can do and triumph over their young rivals, S/H.

100% agree

[evangeline]

Awwwww, Narumi and Mervin's smiles could light up the arena.....

[Medusa]

Aliona and Robin had some low levels, both spins looked a little weak, one lift seemed a little rough... I think the judges got it right. I personally would give the PCS edge to S/S because the program is just special, but they seemed nervous today and that can reduce your PCS.

Congrats for their 4th world title, overall it was well-deserved.

And I am over the moon for T/T. What a great finish to the pair competition.

[SkateFiguring]

As far as I know, Mervin Tran is the first person of Vietnamese or Cambodian descent to win a medal at Worlds! Another milestone!

Tran is the same Chinese surname as Chan, Patrick, or Chen, Lu. In Singapore and Malaysia, it's Tan and in Vietnam and Cambodia, Tran.

Mervin is a Canadian citizen of Vietnamese Chinese descent skating for Japan.

[sequinsgalore]

Next years spots:

3 spots: Russia, China (1 up)
2 spots: Germany (1 down), Canada, USA, Japan (never uses 2nd), Italy

[FlattFan]

Didn't know they were gonna do it, but I knew they have what it take to reach the podium. T/T are truly special!
Looking at the protocol, they got downgraded on the 3S, negative GOE on quite a lot of elements. They can improve further. I see them breaking 130 eventually. Their PCS are HUGE for a new pair. Even K/S took 3-4 years to reach 60+.

[ILoveFigures]

Aliona and Robin had some low levels, both spins looked a little weak, one lift seemed a little rough... I think the judges got it right. I personally would give the PCS edge to S/S because the program is just special, but they seemed nervous today and that can reduce your PCS.

Congrats for their 4th world title, overall it was well-deserved.

And I am over the moon for T/T. What a great finish to the pair competition.

Robin also only did a single axel, so the difficulty is down there too.

I think the results were pretty fair.

[alexeifan]

lol trankov's so funny

[sky_fly20]

T/T overall have better skating skills
their PCS is justified. they are indeed very promising pair

happy S/H got their deserved scores

[Art&Sport]

Were S/S that far off on the tech to be that far behind in the score?

No, not really. S/S overcame their nerves, but hit everything. There were some slight timing issues because that program is so difficult in terms of timing, but it didn't throw them off of fully executing their performance. Amazing how solid they were -- they are true fighters and champions. Kudos to V/T also for fighting back so hard. No kudos to those judges for low-balling S/S! I wonder if S/S changed the ending or were just improvising because they may have been slightly ahead of the music. That shows too how difficult the timing is for that ground-breaking program. Right on, Aliona if you were in fact shaking your finger at the judges!!!

Kudos also to T/T and to all those who put everything they had out there on the ice. Such a difficult sport.

[Mathman]

Mervin is a Canadian citizen of Vietnamese Chinese descent skating for Japan.

It kind of cheers the spirit, somehow.

[sky_fly20]

China gets 3 spots also right
so who will get the 3rd spot ?
P/T should just pass their spot to another because their glory days are done, they are also too old
Its best now for them to retire and not turn into a Fumie Suguri

3 Chinese Pairs next worlds
S/H, the Zhangs and ???