2022 CS Finlandia Trophy Pairs Free Skate

[BlissfulSynergy]

The short program was better. This was so disappointing from all of the top four from the sp. I think Roscher/Shuster are a really nice team -- they were fifth in the sp. I wonder how long they've been skating together? They are lucky to have Robin Solkowy coaching them. He has taught them well on the 3-twist. They just need to develop more difficulty and gain more experience, polish, and connection. I like their confidence and their look together on the ice. R/S skated perhaps the cleanest in both programs. They are just still a bit green and they don't have enough difficulty. But the good thing is they went for what they could do and they showed confidence.

I'm disappointed that Plazas/ Fernandez didn't try harder for third place in the fp. They seemed to be okay with fourth place in the sp, and then simply didn't skate well in the fp. The judges were harsh on them too. But that tends to happen to U.S. teams. If they miss, they get dumped on. P/F were so close to 3rd in the sp, and they should have been given more credit for their choreo and presentation. P/F have improved, but they have to gain confidence in their abilities. There was not a lot separating them from Brooke & Ben in the sp. Although Brooke/Ben are better technically and have long lines, they don't have great presentation or connection as partners yet. P/F have better style and choreo, especially in the sp. It just seems like Brooke &Ben were given a break for their mistakes. They got lucky.

Wow how tall Brooke has grown. She's fortunate to have such a tall partner now in Ben! I hope she's reached her adult height by now, otherwise she'll become as tall as Ben. Of course, she's lovely, no matter what. But for the skating to work, she's fine where she's at now with her height.

Efimova/Blommaert fell apart too in the fp yet stayed in second because the field was not deep. I think E/B are a more elegant looking team than H/K, but being new they have a learning curve. Hocke/ Kunkel clearly have improved but they made mistakes too. It's just that they've been together longer and that helps them for now against E/B. I have thoughts on some of the other competitors, but enough said for now. Not a good event for pairs here with the top teams falling apart in the fp!

 

[gordana]

I wonder how long they've been skating together?

I looked up their ISU profile and i turned out that they have been skating for 5th season together. So they are the most common-experienced German team at the moment. One more interesting discovery for me was that their head coach is Ingo Steuer.

I can't agree that Palaz Fernandez didn't give all of them in free skate. Small point difference with McIntosh/Mimar after the short programme was in favour of Canadians because judges better know them, since they are last year's Juniour Worlds bronze medalists and the judging in figure skating is reputational whether we like it or not.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

I looked up their ISU profile and i turned out that they have been skating for 5th season together. So they are the most common-experienced German team at the moment. One more interesting discovery for me was that their head coach is Ingo Steuer.

I can't agree that Palaz Fernandez didn't give all of them in free skate. Small point difference with McIntosh/Mimar after the short programme was in favour of Canadians because judges better know them, since they are last year's Juniour Worlds bronze medalists and the judging in figure skating is reputational whether we like it or not.

Yeah I shouldn't be harsh on P/F. I was happy to see their improvement and disappointed for their fp errors. I don't think their fp is as pulled together as their sp. Maybe it's the music or else the concept that isn't as fully realized.

It seemed like so many skaters were tired the second day of the event, and it showed with the mistakes. I noticed that among some of the men too. I suppose a day turnaround isn't always the best, perhaps particularly so this early in the season.

I also think that preferences and politics are so endemic in the sport, even probably unconsciously so sometimes. Certainly, the judges are swayed by how confidently skaters perform. And when they start out well, the GOE is high, then it drops on even good elements once mistakes happen in efforts that start out well.

So I get that all the pairs skaters will hopefully not let the poor performances get to them, but gain something and move on stronger. Still, it's disappointing as a viewer.

Anyway, I'm happy to see Jim Peterson back shepherding another lovely pairs team. P/F have been with him for awhile. Max F has been with Jim even longer with a former partner or partners.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

I looked up [Roscher/Schuster's] ISU profile and i turned out that they have been skating for 5th season together.

Thanks for the info. So, that's a huge positive that R/S have been together from young ages. I think that probably accounts for how confident they look together. Plus, having such experienced Olympic & World medalist coaches behind them. So it must be Ingo who taught them their triple twist. It looks really good at this stage for a young team who are still developing. They have good lifts too, but are obviously still working on mastery and ease with those. I guess Robin will be accompanying them to comps more-so. I suppose Ingo still has issues with German fed re his youthful entrapment by the Stasi.