2016 World Championships Pairs Free Skate

[rosy14]

Both (Kolyada and Stolbova/Klimov) were kept low on PCS. For Kolyada it's right, I mean, it happens every time a skater is in the first groups because he's a "new comer". But I cannot understand how the skating skills, the capacity of interpretations and the music chosen by SK were worse than Savchenko/Massot (and Massot is NOT Szolkowy. But he's French). And i see a pattern here. Keep the PCS low for those skaters who can "disturb" those chosen to be the winners. And look the chance, the penalized ones are all Russians !

 

[whatif]

Did anybody else hear people shouting the infamous "ROSSIJA!!" when V/T were taking the ice? LOL, it's not only in Sochi.

 

[Anni234]

Bummed for V/T, hoped that they would win it or at least podium. A good one for S/M though. I am yet to see the videos so I have a lot of catching up to do tomorrow.

 

[sweetskates1]

I fully understand that it is personal 'sense' and just an opinion. Just thought I would try to explain my dislike for them without being mean or denying that they perform some amazing tricks.

that's your own personal perception... i see them as hard worker, dedicated, respectful to each other skaters. class. not crass.

 

[MaiKatze]

I officially admit that I'm gonna cry if the ladies will be off the podium. It will be the worst worlds for Russia, just a nail in the coffin. Lackluster much

I wouldn't worry. Three top ladies, all bombing? No way. Personally I'm hoping for Anna to pull through, but realistically at least Evgenia will podium.

 

[WeakAnkles]

WeakAnkles I am not really sure what it is that makes D/R come across as so distasteful. I can tell you that I am fine with no romantic chemistry. It is not that. I never felt that from my favorites (i.e. Aliona in pairs, D/W in dance, Carolina Kostner (romanticism, romantic) etc. They just seem crass, rude. She lacks feminine grace and he doesn't supplement for her lack of graciousness. Anyway, it is a visceral dislike of who I perceive them to be as people. And also, they just look rough as they skate. If I had to choose their polar opposites - it would have to be the French ice dancers G/P. There is a quality, an art to their skating that seems to emanate from their beings. With D/R it's more of a sense that their 'ugly' looking skating is a result of their abrasive personalities. But again, I admit fully that it is more of a 'sense' than a 'logical explanation' that makes me feel the way that I do about them. With that said, I really want to watch the FS to see if I get into it !

Eric seems to be humor-free, but a genuinely nice person. I did think when watching them on TSL that they don't handle criticism well, either of them. And I'm not big on alot of these traditional values--like "feminine grace." Grace is a good thing. "Feminine" grace is a social construct we could do without. I think it's a bit of a stretch to say that their "rough" and "ugly" skating is an outgrowth of their personalities. Eric is actually quite graceful on the ice. Megan is not. That's more a reflection of their particular physicalities than any personality defects. They're both uber-competitive people, but then what top level athlete isn't? I just don't see a correlation between that and their particular skating style. Sorry but I have to completely disagree with your post.

 

[SaraM]

no way should Ksenia & Fedor not be in third... their free skate is SUPERIOR to Aliona & Brunos... wow im pissed about this...

 

[solani]

If I cared enough I would say that Kolyada and Stolbova would have been on the podium if this championship was held in Europe. And that' what I find jarring about this sport. There is too much environmental factors influencing the outcome in direct or indirect way.

I'm not so very sure about that. Jin and Savchenko/Massot don't have home advantage in North America either. But nowadays judges cannot "place" athletes in certain positions like they did in the past.

 

[berry8]

Okay fair enough, here in the Free Skate they didn't deserve a medal but there are some underscored mark for some russian athletes (in the SP the pairs too) and there is that super weird way of judging so different from the rest of the season and the previous years, where home advantage means everything.

But i'm not angry about it: this phenomenon starts here at WC in USA and it will finish here.

You are totally wrong:/
All the events so far have been fairly judged...

 

[whatif]

I'm not so very sure about that. Jin and Savchenko/Massot don't have home advantage in North America either. But nowadays judges cannot "place" athletes in certain positions like they did in the past.

It's not about the outcome it about the intention. It does not matter who gets on it, it's about who does not. But I stop there.

 

[Tastetherainbow]

Just realized, very striking and interesting parallels for Mens LP and Pairs LP:

First placed skaters in SP did not do well and fell to second place (Hanyu and S/H), second placed skaters in SP were spectacularly clean and rose to first place (Fernandez and D/R), bronze is won by skaters at their first worlds (Jin and S/M as a new partnership).

 

[sweetskates1]

I think you are missing the point of my post. I am trying to explain that I have a visceral reaction to their skating that has everything to do with my eschewed perception of who I think they are. I am not saying that my dislike for them is based in reality but rather that their skating comes across to me as 'ugly' and that they come across to me as "graceless". Personally, I am a great fan of feminine grace though I understand that it is part of our constructed notions about gender. Because figure skating is performance art as well as a sport (for me anyway), I look for subjective things such as feminine grace, beauty, manliness, connection to the music, chemistry etc. I am in no way saying that my way of looking at figure skating, figure skaters or the world is the right/only way. I am simply letting you know how I feel.

Eric seems to be humor-free, but a genuinely nice person. I did think when watching them on TSL that they don't handle criticism well, either of them. And I'm not big on alot of these traditional values--like "feminine grace." Grace is a good thing. "Feminine" grace is a social construct we could do without. I think it's a bit of a stretch to say that their "rough" and "ugly" skating is an outgrowth of their personalities. Eric is actually quite graceful on the ice. Megan is not. That's more a reflection of their particular physicalities than any personality defects. They're both uber-competitive people, but then what top level athlete isn't? I just don't see a correlation between that and their particular skating style. Sorry but I have to completely disagree with your post.

 

[ruffledgrouse]

The press conference finally started. Han's doing all the talking for the Chinese pair so far- Sui is on mute with hers eyes on her lap

 

[NAOTMAA]

My personal dislike for D/R has nothing to do with gracefulness or romantic chemistry (they have neither!). It comes from their skating looking clumsy and their lack of skating like a true pair (skating as one). Instead they skate like two individuals who just do tricks together like a circus act. No matter how technically advanced pairs skating is or becomes it should NEVER lack what makes pairs PAIRS :confused2:

 

[DannyCurry]

My thoughts on the pairs tonight :

Duhamel & Radford : Congrats ! Won fair and square. There are quite a few things I don't like about their programs this season but tonight I admired Meagan's determination to land everything (I didn't see her land the quad salchow in the warm-up so I was surprised she nailed it that well in the programme) and as always, Radford, who probably seems boring to some, is good-looking (in my book) so I always enjoy watching him. Plus, he's really consistent in the sbs jumps, isn't he?!

Sui & Han : I love them so much but this LP is not my favorite and the performance wasn't so great. Hope they'll come back stronger for 2017 and 2018.

Savchenko & Massot : Not a wonderful LP either, but they nailed most of their elements. It's amazing how much they've achieved in a rather short time. Even with a dull program, I enjoy watching them, because she's a goddess, and he's one hot hunk So, considering the performances of the other competitors, I'm quite happy they got the bronze here.

Stolbova & Klimov : Unfortunate they couldn't repeat their GPF performance I don't know how long those two will keep skating together.

Volosozhar & Trankov : I love this team, but tonight they were really messy. I'm wondering though, what exactly did Maxim say last year about his competitors?

 

[sowcow]

WeakAnkles I am not really sure what it is that makes D/R come across as so distasteful. ... They just seem crass, rude. She lacks feminine grace and he doesn't supplement for her lack of graciousness. Anyway, it is a visceral dislike of who I perceive them to be as people. ... With D/R it's more of a sense that their 'ugly' looking skating is a result of their abrasive personalities!

Are we watching a beauty pageant ; or a Tuesday night 'review' of who got :handw: 'voted off the island'?
OR, are we watching a competitive sporting event ?!?

I admit fully that it is more of a 'sense' than a 'logical explanation' that makes me feel the way that I do about them.

Ok ... ok; admittedly we're watching a 'subjectively scored' competitive sporting event; so I guess anything and everything can (and does?) play a factor in the outcome...

:agree:

 

[solani]

Just realized, very striking and interesting parallels for Mens LP and Pairs LP:

First placed skaters in SP did not do well and fell to second place (Hanyu and S/H), second placed skaters in SP were spectacularly clean and rose to first place (Fernandez and D/R), bronze is won by skaters at their first worlds (Jin and S/M as a new partnership).

We don't have the defending champion in the ladies event. So the next best thing is a Russian skater. And Anna is in 2nd place after the SP. So, let's say the trend continues. Then Anna's going to win this, Gracie gets silver and Evgenia is going to get bronze, right? I'd like that.

 

[WeakAnkles]

I think you are missing the point of my post. I am trying to explain that I have a visceral reaction to their skating that has everything to do with my eschewed perception of who I think they are. I am not saying that my dislike for them is based in reality but rather that their skating comes across to me as 'ugly' and that they come across to me as "graceless". Personally, I am a great fan of feminine grace though I understand that it is part of our constructed notions about gender. Because figure skating is performance art as well as a sport (for me anyway), I look for subjective things such as feminine grace, beauty, manliness, connection to the music, chemistry etc. I am in no way saying that my way of looking at figure skating, figure skaters or the world is the right/only way. I am simply letting you know how I feel.

Thank you for clarifying. That makes much more sense to me than the original post. Hey, we all have visceral reactions to some skaters. I cannot stomach Kovtun (I can't write what I really think about him without getting banned!). He's the only skater I have schadenfreude about. We're human. C'est la vie. And all that jazz.

 

[Krunchii]

My favourite pair was Iliushechkina/Moscovitch! I'm so insanely happy to see them skate to their potential here! Hopefully Lubov will be able to landed her SBS jumps again next season, she's such a joy to watch.

 

[lavoix]

I thought the Chinese pair was too high up in the medals for the mistakes they had.