Pairs Free Skate Play-By-Play

[draqq]

2018 Winter Olympics - Figure Skating
PAIRS FIGURE SKATING
SHORT PROGRAM​

1 Moore-Towers / Marinaro (CAN)

A slight crash on the opening 3Twist. Hand-down and double-footed from him on the 2A+1Lo+3S attempt, but lots of base value points on that. Wonderful throw 3Lo with great ride-out. Well-done lasso lift with good rotation. Clean back-outside death spiral. Good combo spin and good triple toes (Marinaro might have had a double-footed landing). Fairly good unison in their sps spins. Good flow out of the throw 3S, but could have more height and ice coverage. Nice positions in the reverse lift, and a lovely star position in the reverse rotational lift.

Well well, that was pretty much as clean of a performance as I've seen from them. Great start to the competition! I think they captured the soft, elegant tone of the music, though the transitions are simpler than the other top teams and not many of the technical elements were well-timed to the music (not that the music had a lot of moments that could be emphasized).

 

[dorispulaski]

1 MOORE-TOWERS K / MARINARO M (CAN)

Music	Un Ange Passe by Alain Lefevre
Element Number	Description	Score
1	Triple Twist Lift 3	6.20
2	Double Axel + Single Loop + Triple Salchow	7.20
3	Throw Triple Loop	6.20
4	Group 5 Axel Lasso Lift 4	8.90
5	Backward Outside Death Spiral 4	5.60
6	Pair Combination Spin 4	5.21
7	Triple Toeloop	4.50
8	Fly. Change Foot Combination Spin 4	4.21
9	Throw Triple Salchow	5.50
10	Group 5 Reverse Lasso Lift 4	8.50
11	Choreo Sequence 1	2.90
12	Group 3 Lift 4	5.50
	Technical Elements Score:	70.42

 

[sequinsgalore]

2 SCIMECA KNIERIM A / KNIERIM C (USA)

Music: Ghost - The Musical by David A. Stewart, Glen Ballard

Lavender dress / grey shirt, black pants

4Tw - ok, bit low catch
StSq
3STh - twofoot
3S - he stepout, hands down
3T+COMBO - he fell, she did 3T+1T
3Li
BoDs
5RLi
3FTh - ok, bit twofoot?
FCCoSp
5ALi
PCoSp

Mistakes on sbs jumps and minor issues with throws

FS: 60.57+60.70-1.00 = 120.27, 185.82, 2/2

 

[draqq]

Scimeca Knierim / Knierim (USA)

Quite good on the opening quad twist attempt! Good spread eagles right into a throw triple salchow with a two-footed landing. Knierim stumbled out of the sbs 3S with both hands down. Unfortunate fall from him as well on the 3T+2T attempt, will count as just a 3T. Solid hip lift that they had in the short program. Good speed throughout the back outside death spiral, and a calm reverse lift. Nice and high throw 3F. Loss of unison in the second half of their sbs spins. Safe and secure lasso lift and right into combo spin with alright speed.

Aw, Chris apologizing to her at the end about his jumps. They have very strong elements when they can get through them, but they had too many mistakes on the jump and throw elements, and that sapped some of their polish and aggression in the rest of their elements. Great quad twist, though, so they will happy with that. He just seemed out of sync for most of the program.

 

[sequinsgalore]

3 DUSKOVA Anna / BIDAR Martin (CZE)

Music: Once Upon a Time (from "Nouba" - Cirque du Soleil)
La Nouba (from "Nouba" - Cirque du Soleil)
Pearl (from "Kooza" - Cirque du Soleil)
Klezmer Moment (from "Corteo" - Cirque du Soleil)

Black/white stripes costumes, orange/yellow details

3T - she hand down, he turnout
3Tw
3S+2T - ok, bit tight
3FTh
5RLi
3STh
5ALi
BoDs
PCoSp
3Li
FCCoSp - unison off
ChSq

Tight on sbs jumps, but overall nice skate. They seems happy

FS: 64.34+63.25 = 123.08, 186.23, 2/3

 

[draqq]

Duskova / Bidar (USA)

A little forward on the sbs 3T from Duskova. Fine triple twist with good height. Alright sbs 3S+2T, a bit far apart. Clean throw 3F, and good back entry into the lift that came very close to the barrier. Clean throw 3S, but not a lot of height nor distance. Nice spread eagle entrance and position in the lift. Okay death spiral, better combo spin. Nice split positions in the Group 3 lift. Very sloppy sbs spins that were just all over the place.

I think they had a lot of interesting flipping transitions, but they weren't able to emphasize the beats all that much. Their elements don't have a lot of high GOEs, but they were clean on most of the major elements. This is a team that should improve given how young they both are. They can continue to work on their speed, flow, and extension.

 

[sequinsgalore]

4 HOCKE Annika / BLOMMAERT Ruben (GER)

Music: Romeo and Juliet (soundtrack) by Abel Korzeniowski

Pink dress / grey shirt, black pants

3Tw - bit low catch
2T+2T+2T - she pop, he did 3T+2T+2T
5RLi
3LoTh
BoDs
ChSq
2A
FCCoSp - unison off, far apart
5ALi
3STh - twofoot, hands down
3Li - early exit
PCoSp

Quite few mistakes here and there

FS: 53.79+55.15 = 108.94, 171.98, 4/4

 

[draqq]

Hocke / Blommaert (GER)

Hard crash in the opening triple twist. Hocke only doubled the first 2T in the 3T+2T+2T attempt. Very rough entry in the first lift, so they won't have a high level on it. Good throw triple loop, and a good tuck into the back-inside death spiral. Nice entries (brackets I believe) into the clean sbs 2A. Sbs spins very far apart and a bit out of sync. Better rotation in their axel lasso lift, but hand-down in their throw triple salchow. Two-foot landing on the last lift and an alright multidirectional combo spin.

I think Hocke has a lightness to her movements that portrayed Juliet quite nicely, but Blommaert was fairly stiff and emotionless in the program so the Romeo part of the relationship was lacking. They were quite rough in the first few elements and that somewhat carried through the performance.

 

[sequinsgalore]

5 SEGUIN Julianne / BILODEAU Charlie (CAN)

Music: Where's My Love by Syml

Red ombre dress / grey shirt, black pants

3Tw
3T+2T
5RLi
3S
3LzTh
BoDs
FCCoSp - unison on/off
ChSq
5ALi
3LoTh
3Li
PCoSp

Clean lovely skate, they smile and hug

FS: 71.28+65.22 = 136.50 (SB), 204.02 (SB), 1/5

 

[draqq]

Seguin / Bilodeau (CAN)

Alright triple twist to start. Solid sbs 3T+2T. Good ice coverage on the first lift, a bit of a balance check in the first part. Solid sbs 3S and a very strong throw 3Lz. Good death spiral, but a bit off in the sbs spin on the change of foot. Good axel lasso lift with smooth position changes. A bit tilted on the throw 3Lo, but Seguin landed it cleanly anyway. Very fine reverse rotational lift with a carry and a decent combo spin in speed and position.

They are always pleasant and simple, a homely style that's very comforting to watch. When they are at their peak, I just feel very warm and secure in their perfomance. Most of their elements will receive somewhere in the +1/+2 range, apart from that sbs spin.

 

[sequinsgalore]

6 RYOM Tae Ok / KIM Ju Sik (PRK)

Music: Je suis qu'une chanson by Diane Justler, performed by Ginette Reno

Black jumpsuit / black t-shirt, pants

3Tw
3T+2T - ok, bit tight
5RLi
2A - tight, hers maybe <
BoDs
FCCoSp
3STh
5ALi
3LoTh
ChSq
3Li
PCoSp

Great skate from the North Koreans, they smile and hug. Replay shows small hand down on a throw

FS: 63.65+60.58 = 124.23 (PB), 193.63 (PB), 3/6

 

[draqq]

Ryom / Kim (PRK)

Smooth triple twist to start, though a bit under-rotated. A bit forward from Ryom on the 3T+2T but done alright all considered. Good rotation and interesting position in the opening lift. Eeked out the sbs 2A, might have a underrotation but looked a bit rough. Good speed through the back outside death spiral, and one of the only pairs with great sync throughout their sbs spins. Throw 3S might be two-footed but looks okay on first viewing (seems like it might have a hand-down). Nice axel lift and a clean throw 3Lo. Nice carryinto a rotational lift and a decent combo spin to finish.

I actually like the connection and energy that this pair has between each other. I just think the French song is somewhat distant and doesn't portray their style very well. Some of the elements were well-timed but I think the music is rather random for them.

 

[sequinsgalore]

7 DELLA MONICA N / GUARISE M (ITA)

Music: Tree of Life Suite by Roberto Cacciapaglia

Aqua blue and dark blue jumpsuits

3S
3Tw
3T+1T - she hand down on 3T, he forward
PCoSp
3LoTh - bit twofoot
BoDs
5RLi
ChSq
3STh - fall
5ALi
3Li
FCCoSp

Problems with a jump and throw, the rest was good. They still smile at the end

FS: 64.60+74.00-1.00 = 128.74 (PB), 202.74 (PB), 1/7

 

[draqq]

Della Monica / Guarise (ITA)

Sbs 3S done very well. Smooth 3Twist lift too. Hand-down from Della Monica on the 3T+1T, didn't carry a lot of speed into it. Fairly good centering on the combo spin though. Great running edge on the throw 3Lo (looks like a slight two-foot on the landing). Good speed in the back outside death spiral. Solid first lift with nice cartwheeling exit. Ouch, a hard fall on the throw 3S. Lots of ice coverage on the axel lasso lift. Good press into the final lift, and very good unison in their sbs spins which shows their confidence in that element.

I enjoyed the choreography of this program more than the interpretation. The holds and shapes were interesting, but I wasn't sure of what they were trying to portray either as a story or in style. I think they are a refined team but I'm still not certain on their voice as a pair. Beautiful performance for the most part, though, with many clean, impressive, fast elements.

 

[sequinsgalore]

8 ASTAKHOVA Kristina / ROGONOV Alexei (OAR)

Music: Another Day Of Sun from "La La Land" (soundtrack) by Justin Hurwitz
CIty Of Stars from "La La Land" (soundtrack) by Justin Hurwitz
Epilogue from "La La Land" (soundtrack) by Justin Hurwitz

Yellow dress / white shirt, black pants, yellow tie

3T+COMBO - she fell, he did 3T+2T
3Tw
3S - both stepout
5ALi
ChSq
3FTh
3LoTh - stepout, fall
BoDs
FCCoSp
5RLi
3Li
PCoSp

Bit disappointing skate with messy sbs jumps and fall - seemed tired on the last elements, too

FS: 62.17+63.76-2.00 = 123.93, 194.45, 4/8

 

[draqq]

Astakhova / Rogonov (OAR)

Hard fall from Astakhova on the opening 3T (2T won't count). Very strong 3Twist, but turn-outs it seems from both of them on the sbs 3S. Very beautiful position in the first lift. Good landing on the high throw 3F. Unfortunate fall on the throw 3Lo that seemed like it didn't need to happen. A bit slow coming out of the death spiral. Fairly good sync on the sbs spins, and pair of lifts with good rotation. Interesting positions in the combo spin but a bit slow near the end.

This was a very rough skate. It seemed that Astakhova didn't have her feet beneath her on the landings. I like La La Land but they didn't have the pep and jazz to really capture that music, which was cut rather oddly and out of sync at times with their elements.

 

[sequinsgalore]

9 MARCHEI Valentina / HOTAREK Ondrej (ITA)

Music: Amarcord by Nino Rota

Black/white checkered outfits, red details

3Tw
3T
3S+2T+2T
5ALi
3LoTh
FCCoSp
ChSq
5RLi
3Li
3LzTh
BoDs
PCoSp

Wow, another killer skate from them! Seemed bit freer in the team comp, but still great today.

FS: 73.94+68.15 = 142.09 (PB), 216.59 (PB), 1/9

 

[draqq]

Marchei / Hotarek (ITA)

Good catch on the opening triple twist. Solid 3T with good ride-out from both of them. And an equally good 3S+2T+2T as well. Nice rotational speed in the axel lasso lift. Good ride-out in the throw 3Lo, bang! A bit far apart on the sbs spins, but very good sync for the most part. Good one-hand position on the backward entry lift, and strong ice coverage on the hip lift. Good, clean landing on the throw 3Lz as well! And a decent combo spin to finish (that could have slightly more speed at the end).

Well, Valentina Marchei is in shock! Yes, you and Hotarek really did have a clean performance, haha! Nice to see row of green lights all across the board. They had very good energy and humor in the choreography. The transitions were a bit simpler than the top teams, but what a fantastic performance and interpretation. They better go into first place, judges!

 

[sequinsgalore]

10 ZABIIAKO Natalia / ENBERT Alexander (OAR)

Music: Too Close by Alex Clare (Evan Duffy Cover)
I love you much too much by Bob Zurke
The Sleeping Beauty. Act 1-8. Pas d'action by Petr Tchaikovsky
The Sleeping Beauty by Petr I. Tchaikovski

White outfits, purple reveal

3Tw
3T+2T+2Lo
3S<< - she pop/stepout, he did 3S
3FTh - hand down
3Li
FCCoSp
3LoTh
BoDs
ChSq
5RLi
5ALi
PCoSp

A couple of mistakes, the rest was technically sharp, if a bit snoozy

FS: 70.36+68.17 = 138.53 (PB), 212.88 (PB), 2/10

 

[draqq]

Zabiiako / Enbert (OAR)

Nice and high 3Twist to start, and good 3T+2T+2Lo but a little out of sync in the entries. Step-out from Zabiiako on the sbs 3S, and it looks under-rotated (actually downgraded from the replay). Alright throw 3F, could have had a hand-down from her. Safe and secure hip lift, then decent unison on the sbs spins. Solid throw 3Lo into a strong back outside death spiral. Time for the costume change! A bit slow in the rotation of the reverse lift, but still good, and a fine one-armed dismount on the final lift. And a competent combo spin to finish!

More of a balletic performance that's all about position and technique. They didn't have that much expression but they had a clean skate for the most part despite the mishap on the 3S. This is was a better performance than their team event at the very least.