2017 Worlds Pairs SP

[Chemistry66]

Or even if they dont look like this, lets say T/M. Suppose they WD here and Russia ends up with 2 spots only.
Then, next year V/T return Alyona style and S/K are in top form. Or Z/E improve a lot and T/M underperform at nationals. And there is no Olympic spot for T/M then. It is a higher risk.

Eek. Last time I was theorizing stuff like this, I nearly jinxed the Russian junior ladies at 2016 Junior Worlds. Be careful!

Also, on the other hand, consider that if T/M had injured themselves further in the SP and had to withdraw because of that, they could have taken themselves out of Olympic consideration entirely if she needed a long recovery time. Not having a result is bad, but long term injuries are also bad (see one Denny, Haven)

 

[icybear]

Well, they won't lose because of the judges' scoring. They could lose if they make errors like the SBS 3S which has been an issue. I think they will hold off for the win, but I would be happy with S/M winning too. I can't stand the cheesefest that is T/M's freeskate, but they also skate very clean, neat elements even though I don't find them particularly World Champ worthy, so Narumi Takahashi/Mervin Tran-type bronze would be well-deserved.

Although secretly, I want James/Cipres to pull off a FS like they did at Euros and snatch bronze.

Well it could happen. If it comes down to the wire then it could make the difference.

 

[karne]

karne????

Alas, I had to be a responsible adult and go to work today, so I went to sleep (because karne on no sleep does not function well at work).

That was not a good start.

So as I read through the thread I saw this post after others' posts about Katia and Harley had started and I almost died.

I loved them. He is a bit stiff though, no?

He's skating injured - has been for a couple of months.

She probably just woke up in the middle of the night like "SOMETHING GOOD JUST HAPPENED" and then fell back asleep with a huge grin on her face. Internal "Aussies did good" sensors.

*awkward cough* Well, now that you mention it...

I did actually wake up several times during the night because I was just that nervous. At one point I did dream that they were third after the SP.

 

[ruffledgrouse]

Just got back from work and going over the placements like

Sui/Han: :agree: glad to have you back
Sav/Mas: amazing rise
T/M: :dance: go for that medal! Top Russians, baby!
Yu/Zhang: :giveup: way to prove me wrong!
D/R: :eeking: not even the top Canadians? (Congrats to I/M, btw!)
S/K: plz save our two spots. plz
S/B:
D/F: :hopelessness:
o hai PKR... long time no see. Good on you, making the free
Aussie's in the free? Karne must be so proud

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

Well it could happen. If it comes down to the wire then it could make the difference.

While I think S/H were underscored and would have had a wider gap had they, say, skated right after .

 

[Ares]

TAT said the music was all wrong for them. It's beautiful but they are firey so it was the wrong choice.

Yes. I think Ksenia & Fedor sorta skated through it without nuance, mostly in 1st part - ignoring the music. They need something more dynamic, today it did not match for me. I know it's pairs and not ice dance but I also though they were skating too from each other, not much connection between them (bar the last minute or so). I blame choreography, but they have influence over that too. I liked Claire de Lune more at the Europeans, but they had much, much better showing there.

As for Claire de Lune in pairs ... nothing beats Kavaguti / Smirnov rendition One of the best programs in pairs ever imo. That was like the opposite of S/K (I appreciate them too but K/S style fits this music better, choreography also was stronger, but that was LP iirc so there was more time for that).

And technical elements completely let them down - that was the worst.

 

[4everchan]

the skating order if out and should be better for S/H this time

http://www.isuresults.com/results/season1617/wc2017/SEG006.HTM

 

[Rissa]

TAT said the music was all wrong for them. It's beautiful but they are firey so it was the wrong choice.

I dont know, their fs last year wasn't fiery either but it was perfect.

 

[Ares]

While I'm glad that Tarasova managed to skate through the SP, I cannot imagine what hellish pain she'll be in tomorrow, and having to skate a more difficult LP to boot

Is Tarasova injured too? :eeking:

 

[Bcash]

You know honestly, this was a really nice recovery from an early mistake. Other teams could learn something.

I've seen some practice videos and they look really consistent and well trained. I guess they just relied on their preparation work. What a freak fall that was.

 

[Ares]

So how many teams will qualify? I like so many lower ranked teams...

Only 16 qualified. Too little imo, esp. with 28 pairs and higher level. There were solid teams who missed it like Austrians Ziegler / Kiefer.

 

[Bcash]

On a positive note, that entry into the death spiral is everything. And Vanessa is a trooper for recovering so fast.

Yeah I like how they rechoreographed the entry. Now both spirals in the short and the long have interesting entrance.

 

[Tastetherainbow]

the skating order if out and should be better for S/H this time

http://www.isuresults.com/results/season1617/wc2017/SEG006.HTM

You mean worse... that is A LOT of pressure there. Will most likely affect their SBS 3S.

 

[Lota]

Is Tarasova injured too? :eeking:

Yup, had a nasty accident this morning at practice: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptbZB3kcJ5Q&feature=youtu.be&t=11916

She needed 10 or 15 stitches (depending on the source) and managed to skate through the program on painkillers and sheer willpower

 

[Violet Bliss]

Just got back from work and going over the placements like

---------

D/R: :eeking: not even the top Canadians? (Congrats to I/M, btw!)

Eric skated with a hip injury. They switched out their 3Lz with a 3T and struggled through most of the program. Kudos to them, especially Eric, for fighting through the competition for the Olympics spots for Canada.

Is Tarasova injured too? :eeking:

She had 10, or 15? stitches on her because of an accident in the morning practice when they both fell, with Morozov falling over her.

 

[kevinVchicago]

Alas, I had to be a responsible adult and go to work today, so I went to sleep (because karne on no sleep does not function well at work).



So as I read through the thread I saw this post after others' posts about Katia and Harley had started and I almost died. [emoji23]



He's skating injured - has been for a couple of months.



*awkward cough* Well, now that you mention it...

I did actually wake up several times during the night because I was just that nervous. At one point I did dream that they were third after the SP. [emoji23]

Congrats, they qualified!! [emoji12]

 

[solar]

Pairs SP Conference --> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=054WiWSmeuM

Cong's answer to the final question was so sweet :luv17:

 

[Arriba627]

So proud of S/K after all they have gone through. Something tells me after what Alexa went through this year keeping that 2nd spot for the Olympics wasn't going to faze them at all.

Totally agree. They really came out with their game face on, but they still had a joyful feel to the program. She worried me with being a no-show in practice on Monday. It was a good decision to send them. They got a nice applause from the crowd. Tomorrow's competition should be a barn burner. Can't wait.

 

[TontoK]

Followed the thread earlier, didn't watch any of the skates except for S/H, which is the only team I'm really interested in that's here.

That program was amazing, except for the start of the SBS spins. It was fresh and young and modern.

From commentary on the thread, it sounds as though bodies are wearing out. Maybe over time, maybe recent injuries.

While I'm not fans of most of these teams, I have great respect for them, putting themselves out to try to salvage respect and national placements to benefit next year.

I don't think it unlikely that positions shift quite a bit among the top 10 or so, and that could mean bad news for Team USA. I'm not losing too much sleep over it - it's far past time that USFSA put some attention and focus on pairs. SP placements sound as though they were fair. If USFSA doesn't like it, they can invest in the discipline and try to improve.

 

[gmyers]

It's officially sk/k