2012 Cup of Russia Pairs FS

[sequinsgalore]

It's starting now

[let`s talk]

The audience in Megasport took a toilet/snack break I see.

[sequinsgalore]

Tiffany VISE / Don BALDWIN (USA)

Music: Legends of the Fall (soundtrack) by James Horner
Time to Say Goodbye

2FTw
3T+2T+2T - he doubled the 3T
Li
3S - she doubled
FiDs
3FTh - forward, hand down
ChSq
Li
3LoTh - fall
FCCoSp - ok unison, hard to tell when they're mirrors
Li
PCoSp

[sequinsgalore]

Vise/Baldwin
97.24 (SB), total 143.15 (SB) and into 1st

[demarinis5]

Nice program from Vise/Baldwin. To bad their technical abilities are not strong. I liked it.

[sequinsgalore]

Nicole DELLA MONICA / Matteo GUARISE (ITA)

Music: The Phantom of the Opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber

3S
2FTw
3LoTh
FiDs
FCCoSp - ok unison
2A+2T+SEQ - he twofoots/stumbles on 2A
Li
ChSq - they both stumbles, he falls
3STh - she holds on
Li
Li
PCoSp

The camerawork makes me dizzy...

[sequinsgalore]

Monica/Guarise
92.28 (PB), total 142.53 (PB) and into 2nd

[sequinsgalore]

Anastasia MARTIUSHEVA / Alexei ROGONOV (RUS)

Music: The Mission (soundtrack) by Ennio Morricone

3S - finally!
2A+2A+SEQ - she falls on 1st 2A and doesn't complete seq
3FTw - a bit shaky exit
CCoSp - unison off at the end
3FTh - fall
Li
ChSq
3LoTh
FiDs
Li
Li
PCoSp - a bit slow

She's got wonderful stretch in the lifts, too bad she can land the jumps more consistently

[bigsisjiejie]

You know, at some point it's time to call it quits, and I think Vise/Baldwin, at ages 26 and 35, need to do so. I just don't see this pair ever being able to improve, given their inherent individual limitations and also age. I would not be surprised to see them retire after this season, maybe nationals if they don't podium.

[gold12345]

V/B didn't want to end on the really bad note of last year's Nationals, and they enjoy skating together. If they still enjoy it, then I hope they skate as much as they want.

[bigsisjiejie]

V/B didn't want to end on the really bad note of last year's Nationals, and they enjoy skating together. If they still enjoy it, then I hope they skate as much as they want.

Maybe so, but it's a huge toll pairs skating takes on a 35-year old body, given the requirements to stay and compete at the elite level. Don's brother John (with Rena) had the same issues. I presume the Baldwin family is independently wealthy, as most US skaters don't have the financial option to stay this long in the sport in the eligible ranks.