Pairs - Short Program

[Rosaleen]

17 Yuko KAWAGUCHI / Alexander SMIRNOV RUS
Music: Rondo capriccioso by St. Saens her in light blue him in black with lacey effect on top
Good speed & flow into almost perfect sbs 3t - just a little far apart but that's being picky / 3tw is high with high catch that looked possibly a little awkward (but still clean) / thr 3l / beautiful air pos by her in the lift / sbs flycam to catchfoot then sit & upright change to side L pos / crowd is clapping to the music as they start the spiral s that are well done but ordinary / bods with about 4 revs or so / pair spin starts with opposing camels with nice pos /

PB 59.46 TES 35.02 PCS 27.02 tot 62.07 new PB currently 3rd

 

[SailorGalaxia518]

Once again La Rhumba, you took the words out of my mouth.

Yes, I know a rotated but fallen T3A is worth a lot, but along w/SBS 2A, SBS Spins that were in and out of sync and a program that didn't compare choreography wise w/D&D and...Give me a break!!!

Also, I/B sbs spins are considered one of the best in the world and I'm sure got the highest level of difficulty

 

[Rosaleen]

18 Maria MUKHORTOVA / Maxim TRANKOV RUS
Music: Soundtrack by Schnittke her in shades or coral him in black with gold around waist
Sbs 3t - she's a bit pitched forward but clean / great speed into light & airy 2tw with arms overhead on catch / thr 3l - good distance but not high / spirals have very nice matching pos / sbs flycam sit upright change sit upright - great sync until the final upright pos / h to h lift with him in spread eagle on takeoff / bods - good pos by both - he has nice low pivot / pair spin has excellent speed and unusual move with her spinning under his camel pos / finished ahead of their music /

PB 56.36 TES 31.69 PCS 24.45 Tot 56.14 currently 10th

 

[Rosaleen]

19 Laura MAGITTERI / Ondrej HOTAREK ITA
Music: Don't let me be misunderstood / her in red him in black with red collar and belt
Interesting opening to the flamenco sounding music / 2 twist is ok / sbs 2a are clean if a bit far apart on landing / thr 2l / pause at centre ice for a bit of dancing and the music change has the crowd clapping in time / sbs spins are fast with matching pos but out of sync for most of them / spirals start with excellent speed and matching pos but by the end she was sporting quite a wedgie / sorry didn't really see the lift or bods / pair spin was very well done very nice speed and pos /

PB n/a TES 28.05 PCS 18.54 tot 46.59 currently 16th

 

[Rosaleen]

20 Stacey KEMP / David KING GBR
Music: Guitar concerto by Rodriguez both in black catsuits with one red sleeve & red down one leg /
A bit of chor to start / 2tw is low but clean / sbs 2l / thr 3loop is clean / bods - nice arch to her back and about 4 revs / music slows to the familiar theme for coe to start spirals - excellent matching pos / sbs spin start with flycam - good unison throughout / facing entrance to h to h lift to one hand star / pair spin - goods pos but gets quite slow at times / ending pose has her upside down /

PB 40.38 TES 27.38 PCS 17.58 Tot 44.96 new PB currently 17th

 

[Tigger]

Also, I/B sbs spins are considered one of the best in the world and I'm sure got the highest level of difficulty

Huh? While I do like John and Rena's skating, tonight they certainly did not skate the way they are capable of. Actually, they've skated below what they're capable of all season long.

We obviously aren't going to agree on this one, so...Enjoy!!

 

[Rosaleen]

21 Xue SHEN / Hongbo ZHAO CHN
Music: Romanza by Bacarisse both in black him with red sash at waist & her with red underskirt / lovely chor to set the mood and there's a real hush in the crowd / perfect sbs 3 t / thr 3l to die for / spirals with coe in leg at side / she goes under his leg on entrance to death spiral / sbs flycam start combo spin - got a bit out of sync on leg at side pos on 1st half but ok on back / huge huge 3tw with great catch / great entrance into lift - she does a shoot duck back & forth between his legs with her in sideways star - little hitch on the landing but nothing serious / pair spin to end is great - full standing O and it's going on for a long time / ok - I've got tears in my eyes / more applause as the screen shows them in the kiss & cry /

PB 70.52 TES 39.50 PCS 31.57 tot 71`.07 new PB currently 1st

 

[Rosaleen]

22 Maria PETROVA / Alexei TIKHONOV RUS
Music; Sarabande by Haendel both in shades of blue with white edging
Nice opening movement / good 3tw with arms overhead on catch / sbs 3t think she might have 2ft - far end of rink not sure - nope she didn't / thr 3s - step out / sbs flycam sit ch sit leg in front upright - great sync & matching pos throughout / spirals with coe in catchfoot pos - get kind of slow at end / they're really expressing the music well / forward h to h entrance to lift with one hand set down / crowd is clapping as the rythmn of the music changes for bods & spair spin to end the program - finished a tiny bit after the music but still within the time limit /

PB 67.42 TES 26.74 PCS 28.42 Tot 56.36 currently 11th

 

[Tigger]

Shen and Zhao...What to say? There aren't enough words in the dictionary, are there? That was stunning!!

Poor Maria and Alexei. Just not their night.

 

[iloveaxel]

Love

Just watched Pang & Tong's program. Love them so much, they are so smooth and polished this season. Looks to me there will be a dogfight in the next few years as S&S has rapidly become judges' pet.

Typical biased ruling from that European tech specialist on zhang & zhang, nothing surprised me. Good luck to their free skate and further improvement next season. Nobody is going to hand you the medals.

Poor Pet & T, they were dinged again by the judges. 56 points?? for no obvious mistake?

 

[Jaana]

I think that the result should have been

1. Shen & Zhao
2. Pang & Tong
3. Savchenko & Szolkowy

As always I was really enjoying Shen & Zhao, and thought that Pang & Tong have improved a lot in presentation and feeling. To me Savchenko & Szolkowy are technically good but somewhat overrated in PCS. Their skating is like two robots on the ice, no chemistry and very little charisma, IMO.

WOW, I was really impressed by Kawaguchi & Smirnov, what a wonderful pair!!! Zhang & Zhang did not quite get what they would have deserved, and Petrova & Tikhonov should have been among top ten, in my opinion.

This was a good pairs short programme competition.

 

[iloveaxel]

I think that the result should have been

1. Shen & Zhao
2. Pang & Tong
3. Savchenko & Szolkowy

.

S&S are judges' new pet. European countries are desperate for a new leader after s&z retire. I don't like their skating, very awkward.

 

[_Ladybug_]

I was supposed to be in my social development class but got a stupid infection and was forced to stay home. So the good news is that I watched most of the competition today.

Shen and Zhao were amazing. If I wasn't sick I would have done a standing ovation for them in my living room.
Didn't catch Dube and Davison but I'm very pleased with their results.
Slept through Savchenko and Solkowy (stupid medicine) but I usually love them and I guess they did very good.
The russian pair half japanese did very good. I liked them very much.

 

[Wren]

I am so happy for Shen and Zhao to have a good start, they deserve this title and I am so proud of Dube and Davison.

 

[Hsuhs]

So happy for Aliona & Robin. They were good today. Not perfect but very-very good.
I thought they said Aliona'd had a pair of new boots just 2 weeks ago (smth'd happened to her old ones).

I think Kawaguchi & Smirnov are going to be my very 1st Russian pairs faves. Yuko rocks

 

[Peter_K]

Shen and Zhao were absolutely stunning. They have set themselves apart from the rest of the competition. It's going to take a disaster to knock them off the top of the podium.

What happened to Petrova & Tikhonov? It's like they just ran out of gas.

Way to go Bryce and Jessica for the gutzy performance. Proud to see you putting down a great skate after what's been happening to you.

And a big "way to go" to Valerie and Craig for their solid performance. I wasn't sure how things would go down after seeing them skating individually during practices and warmups at Canadians. I'll admit, I was thinking the worst when I noticed they were doing the same thing during the warm up, but the top 5 is certainly a possibility. And considering who else is in contention, that's not a bad place to be at all.

--Peter

 

[emma]

Wow this thread was a joy to read - I felt like I was really watching the comp! Thanks so much Rosaleen - your descriptions are great, I actually got teary eyed when I read your Shen/Zhao pbp. Wow wow wow.

 

[Spun Silver]

Can't think of any more ways to praise this couple without sounding ridiculous. So happy they did a PB at just the right time and place! May their ice stay smooth for the FP! Thanks, Rosaleen.

ETA: Great job by Dube & Davison too. They showed they could put their accident behind them! Hurray!

 

[Eeyora]

My favorites are in the top three!!

 

[SeaniBu]

ETA: Great job by Dube & Davison too. They showed they could put their accident behind them! Hurray!

:agree: