Pairs SP - Please use this thread for comments and PBP

The highest scoring SP's this season are:
S&S TEB 68.18
Z&Z CoC 67.12
M&T SA 66.32
K&S SC 65.02
P&T NHK 63.10
V&M CoC 60.34


1 Aliona SAVCHENKO / Robin SZOLKOWY GER (SA, TEB)

Why S&S are chosing to skate to Lost in Space? I have no idea. Which one is the Robot? Which one is Will Robinson? And what danger are they escaping???

Coaching and Choreographer: Ingo Steuer
SP Lost in Space

Their best performance was from TEB, where they won the SP with 68.18 points

TES 37.98 PCS 30.20

The judges' highlights were their throw triple flip (element 2) and their hip lift (element 5)
Their triple twist was not first rate.

Sp Flight Plan from TEB

1 3T 4.00 1.00
2 3FTh 5.50 0.98
3 3LzTw2 5.50 0.00
4 FCCoSp3 3.00 0.50
5 3Li4 4.00 0.80
6 SpSq4 3.40 1.00
7 FiDs4 3.50 0.70
8 PCoSp2 3.50 0.60

Video of their 2008 Nebelhorn SP Lost in Space
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQ557mO14ZA&feature=related


2 Dan ZHANG / Hao ZHANG CHN

I was surprised to see that Zueva and Shpilband are now their choreographers. However that is, I like the choreo of their Wings of Song program, and loved their performance of it at Cup of China. They are giving away nearly 2 points to S&S in PCs. In previous years, that would be more than justified. However, this year, I would have given Z&Z a little more PCS love, especially because S&S's Lost in Space program is not the genius program that their Bollywood SP was.

Coach: Bin Yao, Xiaofei Chen
Choreographer: Marina Zueva, Igor Shpilband

From cup of China-their best performance of the season (67.12). They also won the SP at CoR, but with a slightly lower score, as they had trouble on the triple salchow.
TES 38.56 PCS 28.56

The judges' highlights are definitely their awesome triple twist (first element) and their throw triple loop, both earning multiple GOE's of 3.

1 3LzTw2 5.50 1.26
2 3LoTh 5.00 1.38
3 3S 4.50 0.80
4 FCCoSp3 3.00 0.50
5 SpSq2 2.30 0.50
6 3Li4 4.00 0.30
7 FiDs4 3.50 1.12
8 PCoSp4 4.50 0.40

It's worth hunting up their Cup of China performance on the web!

SP: Riding on the Wings of Songs by Felix Mendelssohn
Video from a Chinese Internal Cheese Fest
Zhang&Zhang 08/09 SP
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QW3gcgfbr0o


3 Yuko KAWAGUCHI / Alexander SMIRNOV RUS (SC)

Only the GP videos of their programs exist. Check for either Skate Canada or Cup of Russia coverage on your favorite video site.

Coach: Tamara Moskvina Former Coach: Nikolai Velikov
Choreographer: Tatiana Druchinina

SP: The Swan by Camille Saint-Saens

At Cup of Russia they had trouble with the first three elements of their program, the SBS triple toe, the triple twist, and the throw triple loop.

Their best results were at Skate Canada, where they scored 65.02.
TES 37.10 PCS 27.92

The judges' highlight of this program was the throw triple loop (element 3)

1 3T 4.00 0.80
2 3LzTw2 5.50 -0.14
3 3LoTh 5.00 0.70
4 3Li4 4.00 0.70
5 FiDs4 3.50 0.14
6 FCCoSp4 3.50 0.40
7 SpSq4 3.40 0.60
8 PCoSp4 4.50 0.50

4 Qing PANG / Jian TONG CHN

Coach: Bin Yao, Wei Liu; Former Coach: Wenyi Cong
Choreographers: Sarah Kawahara, Nikolai Morozov


SP: The Midnight Blues (thank you, mycelticblessing)

Their best performance of this program was at NHK, where they won the SP with 63.10, even though they fell on the triple toe, and underrotated it as well.
TES 34.94 PCS 29.16, plus a 1.0 deduction for the fall.

The judges' highlights of this program are definitely their triple twist (element 2) and their throw triple loop (element 3).


1 2T 1.30 -1.00
2 3LzTw2 5.50 1.40
3 3LoTh 5.00 1.52
4 FiDs4 3.50 1.12
5 SpSq3 3.10 0.70
6 3Li4 4.00 0.50
7 PCoSp4 4.50 0.20
8 FCCoSp4 3.50 0.10

Here's a video from a Chinese internal Cheese Fest
Pang & Tong's 08/09 SP
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqAuByRzV9M

5 Tatiana VOLOSOZHAR / Stanislav MOROZOV UKR (CoC)

I definitely think that the change of coaches to Ingo Steuer has been very good for them!

Coach & Choreographer: Ingo Steuer

SP: Mr. Holland's Opus by Michael Kamen


At Cup of Russia, they had problems with both their 3T and their throw triple loop.

Their best SP was at Cup of China ( 60.34 points).
TES 35.94 PCS 24.40

The Judges' highlight, is without doubt, their triple twist. I think they are the only couple out their who get level 3 on a triple twist.

1 3T 4.00 0.80
2 3LzTw3 6.00 0.84
3 3Li4 4.00 0.80
4 FiDs4 3.50 0.70
5 3LoTh 5.00 -0.70
6 FCCoSp3 3.00 0.10
7 PCoSp4 4.50 0.10
8 SpSq3 3.10 0.20

Their SP is available on Chinese youtube
http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/UxC6mpM5yc0/

6 Maria MUKHORTOVA / Maxim TRANKOV RUS

This is the year of Pink Floyd, isn't it?

Coaching History: Oleg Vasiliev (Since 2006)
Choreographer: Alexander Matveev

SP: Nobody Home by Pink Floyd performed by London Symphonic Orchestra

Look for videos from Skate America or TEB

They skated their best SP ever at Skate America (66.32 points), winning that segment of the competition over S&S, and earning positive GOE on all their elements.

The judges' highlight would be their Spiral Sequence (element 3)
TES 37.40 PCS 28.92

SP Flight Plan from Skate America

1 3LzTw2 5.50 0.70
2 3T 4.00 0.00
3 SpSq4 3.40 1.20
4 3LoTh 5.00 0.70
5 FiDs4 3.50 0.70
6 FCCoSp3 3.00 0.40
7 3Li4 4.00 0.50
8 PCoSp4 4.50 0.30

Everyone keeps talking about how much the Zhangs have improved but I find them as dull as ever.

I like S&S's program - it really is different - but they spent too much time apart in the beginning of their SP.

My favorite SPs in this group are Mukhortova and Trankov (gorgeous ) and Volosozhar & Morozov. I hope M&T can replicate what they've done in their short twice this season in their LP. The positions they hit are gorgeous. I particularly like their lift.

As for V&M, their choreography is fab and they look better than they ever have.

^^^
Agree!

If Mukhortova and Trankov skate their SP as they did at SA and their LP is flawless, I see a winner.

It could be. Some day M&T have to skate 2 good programs back to back.

I'm not that hot about the Zhang's LP, but I do like their SP.

^ The Zhang's SP is beautiful. I was surprised when I saw it the first time. I was expecting their usual skating with loads of great tricks but little expression. I was pleasantly surprised. Z/Z and M/T are my favorites for the short program.

By the way Doris, Pang and Tong's SP music is ''The Midnight Blues'' by Gary Moore.

Yes, I totally agree about the Zhangs' SP. It's wonderful. And I really like her white dress!

Thanks, mycelticblessing. Their ISU biography is incorrect then.

Pairs starting momentarily. Good luck to all.

Shouldn't it be starting now ?
SBS stream is showing Miki's SP...

M/T skated very beautifully, just a slight touch on the ice on the throw.

1 Tatiana VOLOSOZHAR / Stanislav MOROZOV UKR
64.08 1
2 Maria MUKHORTOVA / Maxim TRANKOV RUS
61.56 2

Whoa, totally didn't see that coming.

V/M broke their PB by nearly 3 points and are now in the lead with 64.08.

Oh, I am so glad for Tania and Stas!

P/T great skate into first.

Apparently the grown-ups decided to show all those young single-skaters how to skate clean short programs.

Three beautiful performances so far - I feel bad for M/T, but among three great pairs they were not the best so far. Hoping for a good second group.

Z/Z Love this SP. Silly fall for her after the side by side. She completed the jump but fell coming out of it.

eta. Aliona and Robin are on, Wow. Should go into first.

I love Z/Z's SP this year, but 68.34 with a fall? I don't get it.

Please, how S/S are doing?

Did she fall after the side by side or during the landing? My stream was frozen the entire time, so I couldn't tell. The scores would make more sense if the judges didn't tie the fall to the jump; then they literally only lost one point.

Aliona and Robin into first 70.74 Season Best.