2013 Europeans Pairs LP

[sky_fly20]

S/S program is different and has some interesting choreo but honestly live the music was repetitive with no highlights, they looked slower than usual and the program itself doesnt have flow. Maybe its just this version of Bolero that took away from their performance.
V/T program is boring and predictable but they sold it, the score was huge though. I wish the French team was third, but the Italian couple were really crowd favorites.
I think Kavaguti Smirnov had the best program and I loved her costume. The best choreo was from K/S, this Adams family is really amazing live.
This is the tears day, the medal ceremony was really touching and after the tour of Champions Trankov gave me his flag. Now I have a Russian flag to cheer next days!

lucky you ! hope you took some pictures
pls do share

[Ziggy]

its S/S who have empty programs

Again: No. It was anything but empty.

They have short entries into most of their elements and pretty much every single one has transitions coming in and out.

[Mao88]

PAIRS LONG PROGRAM - VIDEOS & RESULT (Updated)

1. Tatiana VOLOSOZHAR & Maxim TRANKOV (RUS) - 212.45 Free Skate, 2nd Copy, 3rd Copy, Interview
2. Aliona SAVCHENKO & Robin SZOLKOWY (GER) - 205.24 Free Skate, 2nd Copy, 3rd Copy
3. Stefania BERTON & Ondrej HOTAREK (ITA) - 187.45 Free Skate, 2nd Copy, 3rd Copy
4. Vanessa JAMES & Morgan CIPRES (FRA) - 178.81 Free Skate, 2nd Copy
5. Yuko KAVAGUTI & Alexander SMIRNOV (RUS) - 175.48 Free Skate, 2nd Copy, 3rd Copy
6. Ksenia STOLBOVA & Fedor KLIMOV (RUS) - 167.23 Free Skate
7. Daria POPOVA & Bruno MASSOT (FRA) - 157.12
8. Mari VARTMANN & Aaron VAN CLEAVE (GER) - 141.79 Free Skate
9. Nicole DELLA MONICA & Matteo GUARISE (ITA) - 140.89
10. Stacey KEMP & David KING (GBR) - 131.51
11. Julia LAVRENTIEVA & Yuri RUDYK (UKR) - 128.79
12. Elizaveta MAKAROVA & Leri KENCHADZE (BUL) - 115.96
13. Stina MARTINI & Severin KIEFER (AUT) - 112.29
14. Maria PALIAKOVA & Nikita BOCHKOV (BLR) - 103.13
15. Magdalena KLATKA & Radoslaw CHRUSCINSKI (POL) - 99.65

Medal Ceremony

[sky_fly20]

Pairs Medal Ceremony: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SX64gK6Miek

[ImaginaryPogue]

V/T is overrated for the reason that they can always manage to land their sbs triples. In pairs these days so few can do that...but their LP is awfully boring, and let's face it, they are going to be olympic champions with no memorable program.

Except at the GPF and CoR.

When people say S/S' program is empty, what they mean is that it's a technically difficult program packed with interesting sequences and challenging movements, but it doesn't move them, right? Because that's sorta how I feel. There's no doubt it's more complex than V/T's, and that V/T are being gifted scores they don't deserve thanks to overemoting, but I really think that S/S missed the boat here a bit with this Bolero. A shame. But if your emotionally remote programs are this interesting (that first lift is a jaw dropper) and inventive, really, complaining is silly. I do hope they have an "Out of Africa" type program at the Olympics - an emotionally easy but still rich program. Because they are probably one of the most interesting pairs ever, whereas V/T are just not being given programs worthy of their gifts - this is potentially an all time list team being treated with Morosov's typical nightmare (so calculated, though, you have to respect the chutzpah).

Good for Berton/Hotarek and James/Cipres. Hopefully they can challenge for many more podiums in the future.

[Ziggy]

The problem with S/S' program is that it lacks light and shade. The music is quite repetitive and so is their movement. It's quite 'introverted' and there aren't really any memorable, funny or entertaining highlights.

Having said that, it is incredibly complex and I don't remember seeing any other pair team even approaching this degree of difficulty, so whenever I hear somebody saying that it is 'empty', I foam at the mouth a little.

As much as I hate to admit it, Steuer really needs to start playing the game and pander to the judges and the audience more. By all means, continue to have integrity and make complex routines but also think about how they are received.

[wallylutz]

One of S/S's problem is their costumes. I don't know who picked / made the costumes for them but they always seem to come up with such bizarre / bordering illegal costume that really distracted from their performance. They need to pay more attention to how they package themselves because otherwise, the Russians will always have a head start over them even before they step on the ice.

[sky_fly20]

V/T were highly overscored
S/S ok... it was clear that they can t beat the russians at "the russian/european championships"

yet the so called wonderful Germans got a the biggest gift of the night
the judge " ahem" gave S/S their boring and empty program in 9's , really ?
counting tes with a fall ; but still gave S/S +3 goe on theirs

Savchenko/Szolkow need up their ante and pcs to compete for silver with Bazarova/Larionov

[Ziggy]

ITA. I might be wrong but I get this impression that Steuer is quite arrogant and thinks that his choreography should be enough when in reality there's lots of other details like this that really do count.

As for the costumes, I think they are designed by Aliona? As much as I'm happy she is so creative maybe uhhmm... they could let somebody professional do them. :P

the judge " ahem" gave S/S their boring and empty program

Can you please stop calling one of the most complex pair routines ever performed 'empty'?

[ImaginaryPogue]

yet the so called wonderful Germans got a the biggest gift of the night
the judge " ahem" gave S/S their boring and empty program in 9's , really ?
counting tes with a fall ; but still gave S/S +3 goe on theirs

Savchenko/Szolkow need up their ante and pcs to compete for silver with Bazarova/Larionov

sky_fly, how is the program empty? Like Ziggy, I see some very complex transition work which is actually the .... opposite of empty.

Also, can you tell me what you mean by the +3 GOE comment? Because the element they had the fall on (the Salchow) was given straight -3s. They only received +3 from judges on two elements - their spiral sequence (which was creative and interesting) and their throw flip (which was huge, as always).

Re Steuer - I dunno Ziggy, he ditched their Olympic season LP after one bad skate (TEB). I just don't think that they're as interested in pandering as V/T are (remember, their program is a tribute to the victims of the tsunami disaster).

[sky_fly20]

I cannot understand why everyone so in love with SS program.

I cant even understand its a program. no wonder they are playing catch up
and those hideous costumes are not helping !

by Worlds I think S/S pcs will be somewhere in Pang/Tong and Bazarova/Larionov range
though I think B/L will be ahead slightly in pcs comared to S/S

[FlattFan]

S/S got one of the worst programs ever. And their hideous outfit just make me want to set them on fire.
V of V/T will be crippled in a year or two. All of their throws are so massive, and she always landed them on two feet. She should have enough time to rotate, but landing on one foot might be too risky/scary for her. Maybe tone down the throws so she won't end up breaking her ankles. Bound to happen any day now.
B/H are so unpolished, but they did enough to win, especially with the lead in the SP. I thought they should be lower than the French in the LP.

[sky_fly20]

S/S got one of the worst programs ever. And their hideous outfit just make me want to set them on fire.
V of V/T will be crippled in a year or two. All of their throws are so massive, and she always landed them on two feet. She should have enough time to rotate, but landing on one foot might be too risky/scary for her. Maybe tone down the throws so she won't end up breaking her ankles. Bound to happen any day now.
B/H are so unpolished, but they did enough to win, especially with the lead in the SP. I thought they should be lower than the French in the LP.

and B/H looked labored and tentative on those throws, I doubt they will get the same scores at Worlds
and bronze medal will likely go to the Canadians or P/T, sad though K/S have almost zero chance of medaling

[Scrufflet]

I was very disappointed in S/S's long program. These fine skaters deserve better than this! Hideous costumes and the music sounded like it was kazoos!

[sky_fly20]

I was very disappointed in S/S's long program. These fine skaters deserve better than this! Hideous costumes and the music sounded like it was kazoos!

hideous costumes plus a boring weird program they might even find their pcs catched up by
Bazarova/Larionov and Pang/Tong