2016 Nebelhorn Pairs SP
- Thread starter dorispulaski
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Can someone take pity and give a standings recap? The official site isn't updated yet.
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Yes, he skated with DeeDee Leng and did very well in SP 2014 nationals as a fairly new team. They split, and he's been skating on cruise boats since then ... banking the funds for training, he said.
USFSA suggested Ashley and Tim try out .... that was only 5 months ago! Great progress.
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I remember thinking that Tim was the more artistic and balletic half of the team when he skated with DeeDee. I'm so glad he's got this opportunity.
I worry a little because Tim and Ashley are so close in height; she's 5'7" I think. But he seems very strong and they look good together, with the long limbs.
I worry a little because Tim and Ashley are so close in height; she's 5'7" I think. But he seems very strong and they look good together, with the long limbs.
Interesting. S/M didn't hit the levels - twist only level 2 and death spiral only level 3. I loved Aljona's position in the death spiral by the way and it's really a great program.
Had a brief chat with Dylan and Liubov, the fall during warm up was not much of an issue during the program and they are both ok. Overall they are ok with the performance. More when I find the time, please be patient but it was very interesting to talk to them.
Ajonas and Brunos program is insane. And there is so much room for improvements.
1.The twist is even higher than last year, but only level 2. Maybe because of their crazy dismount?
2. What concerns me is the salchow. Aljona doubles it often. I cannot see how she wants to manage 3S+1Lo+3S consistently.
3. The 3ATh is so HUGE. Short setup and amazing air position. Could be around 10 points when clean.
4.I love the lift. The program has so much power and so many details. Brunos improvements are totaly visible.
1.The twist is even higher than last year, but only level 2. Maybe because of their crazy dismount?
2. What concerns me is the salchow. Aljona doubles it often. I cannot see how she wants to manage 3S+1Lo+3S consistently.
3. The 3ATh is so HUGE. Short setup and amazing air position. Could be around 10 points when clean.
4.I love the lift. The program has so much power and so many details. Brunos improvements are totaly visible.
I agree with this especially, comparing him to last season, is almost like night and day. He is able to skate with Aljona and not just asides here, which is pretty hard for every men in the world and why Robin was so key in their setup.
Their program is full of little things, that you might not see on first sight, it´s really well choreographed.
In the end, it is great that Aljona has found someone to compete with, after all the stuff that has happened. I hope they can compete at their best, when it matters.
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- Nov 12, 2012
I just watched Aliona and Bruno and have to say...WOW, just WOW...and it's their first outing for the season...
First - the program itself is magnificent - it's a crowd pleaser wihout a doubt, catchy, great rhythm, with story told and portrayed (amazingly) by Aliona and Bruno. The choreography is really smart and gives no room to be bored - great, innovative transitions, so in character of the music, fantastic pace of elements. Adding sharpness and charisma in execution it is a winner.
Then Bruno - a TON of improvement for this man, big kudos, it's visible in all areas: technique, synchronization, but most imporatnt in personality and presence on ice. I did not feel like he was Aliona's helper/lifter/statist - he had a role, performed it very well, was in character, had great, lively expression during whole program.
Aliona - what can I say? She's on fire - looking sharp, poised, with sparkling personality as always. Glad to see her this charismatic with Bruno - it's obvious they geled pretty well and now looking like real pair.
Tech elements - that 3A throw would be a BANG during the season I feel, twist is bigger than last season (definitely my top 3 right now after Scimeca/Knierim and Sui/Han tano), side-by-side jumps looked solid, great lift, with Aliona's extensions and changes of positions so in music, much improved spins. And there is still room for improvement...
But the main thing for me is that the program felt like exhibition - it has that ease to watch, spark of excitement regarding music, choreography, elements. I felt like they truly enjoyed it, the way they performed left me very much entertained and in a happy mood. Aside of that - they definitely challenge the field and themselves, it shows like they not only want to be top contenders, but already are them. Big kudos for the team, Aliona and Bruno themselves
First - the program itself is magnificent - it's a crowd pleaser wihout a doubt, catchy, great rhythm, with story told and portrayed (amazingly) by Aliona and Bruno. The choreography is really smart and gives no room to be bored - great, innovative transitions, so in character of the music, fantastic pace of elements. Adding sharpness and charisma in execution it is a winner.
Then Bruno - a TON of improvement for this man, big kudos, it's visible in all areas: technique, synchronization, but most imporatnt in personality and presence on ice. I did not feel like he was Aliona's helper/lifter/statist - he had a role, performed it very well, was in character, had great, lively expression during whole program.
Aliona - what can I say? She's on fire - looking sharp, poised, with sparkling personality as always. Glad to see her this charismatic with Bruno - it's obvious they geled pretty well and now looking like real pair.
Tech elements - that 3A throw would be a BANG during the season I feel, twist is bigger than last season (definitely my top 3 right now after Scimeca/Knierim and Sui/Han tano), side-by-side jumps looked solid, great lift, with Aliona's extensions and changes of positions so in music, much improved spins. And there is still room for improvement...
But the main thing for me is that the program felt like exhibition - it has that ease to watch, spark of excitement regarding music, choreography, elements. I felt like they truly enjoyed it, the way they performed left me very much entertained and in a happy mood. Aside of that - they definitely challenge the field and themselves, it shows like they not only want to be top contenders, but already are them. Big kudos for the team, Aliona and Bruno themselves
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Glad to hear they weren't injured. Thanks for the update, Alex.
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- Dec 29, 2011
Aljona is officially not real or made of human... things 
The 3A was two-footed, but the heeeeeiiiiiight... and the overall program is so much fun! They're basically world championship material already
(Not saying I definitely think they'll win or are better than all the other contenders, just that seeing this program on it's own, I could easily imagine that winning a WC)
The 3A was two-footed, but the heeeeeiiiiiight... and the overall program is so much fun! They're basically world championship material already
(Not saying I definitely think they'll win or are better than all the other contenders, just that seeing this program on it's own, I could easily imagine that winning a WC)
Yes, he skated with DeeDee Leng and did very well in SP 2014 nationals as a fairly new team. They split, and he's been skating on cruise boats since then ... banking the funds for training, he said.
USFSA suggested Ashley and Tim try out .... that was only 5 months ago! Great progress.
Tim LeDuc started out in U.S. Junior pairs skating with Cassie Andrews. Tim won the bronze medal in U.S. junior pairs with Andrews in 2011 (the same year btw that Ashley Cain won the gold medal in U.S. junior pairs with Joshua Reagan -- who now skates with Brittany Jones for Canada). A bit of North American musical pairs history.
Here's the famous sp skated by Dee Dee and Tim, which vaulted them to 3rd place in the sp at 2013 U.S. Nationals (they fell to a lower placement after the fp). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VyMwTP0NSQ Obviously, Leng/LeDuc could have been a very competitive team had they not split up when Tim tried out with Marissa Castelli, who had split with Simon Schnapir post 2014 Olympics. Leng went on to partner with Simon (she later retired after a back injury). Castelli chose Mervin Tran over Tim, and Tim kept in shape by skating on cruise ships. And the beat goes on.
Ashley is tall for a pairs girl (somewhere close to 5' 6"). Ash/Tim have great lines, and good jumping skills (seen in practice clips they have posted), but they still have a lot to work on, being a very new partnership. Ashley competes singles too, but she may need to consider focusing in on pairs if she hopes to make a good stretch run with Tim. I'm a fan, and I hope to see them improve.
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The Nebelhorn commentator's supposition about AJ Reiss and Erika Smith probably knowing each other beyond their two-year partnership, is on the mark. AJ and Erika have been a couple for some time, even though they did not pair up together as skating partners until recently.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqBzWb9SeGQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqBzWb9SeGQ
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Tim LeDuc started out in U.S. Junior pairs skating with Cassie Andrews. Tim won the bronze medal in U.S. junior pairs with Andrews in 2011 (the same year btw that Ashley Cain won the gold medal in U.S. junior pairs with Joshua Reagan -- who now skates with Brittany Jones for Canada). A bit of North American musical pairs history.
A musical chairs game that ended up leaving Caitlin Yankowskas without a partner. :disapp:. Josh split with Ashley (2012) nearly a year after John Coughlin ended his partnership with Caitlin (2011). Caitlin/John had made the best US pairs finish at worlds in six years, a record that still stands. Ashley/Josh had just placed 6th at nationals in 2012. Then Josh was out with injury, then the Cait/Josh partnership didn't work I guess. Caitlin was balletic and could land her jumps. To think that for 2 years, our (then) best female pairs skater was without a partner! and is now retired. Arrgh. All of this causes me to invoke karma.
I loved Brittany and Joshua's performances last week, and they won! I feel they made a huge leap in "gelling" in their partnership between last year and now.
Is that why Leng/LeDuc split up? Because he tried out with Marissa? And then she picked Mervin? Ouchy.
I hope she does consider it seriously. IIRC, Josh gave as a reason for ending the partnership that Ashley split her time between pairs and singles.
I watched Tim's program with DeeDee today and couldn't help comparing their twist to his with Ashley. But all the other pairs elements look promising to me. I'm also a fan, and I'm really looking forward to seeing them do well and be happy skating together.
I really enjoyed their SP here, and look forward to tomorrow's LP. But I think I need counseling. I'm way too invested, obviously!:shocked:
^^
I enjoy watching pairs and ice dance more these days than I do the singles events.It usually takes new partnerships time to develop a reliable 3-twist due to timing and sometimes technique issues, even if they previously had good 3-twists with other partners.
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- Oct 30, 2012
Ashley Kim and her partner did better than I thought. But her height is just not pair height.
It seems she is not ditching single to focus on pair, but back to both pair and single!!! Don't know what she is thinking. It makes more sense when she was 16, but not at 21. Hope Ashley is not doing pairs because she does not need to pay her coach.
It seems she is not ditching single to focus on pair, but back to both pair and single!!! Don't know what she is thinking. It makes more sense when she was 16, but not at 21. Hope Ashley is not doing pairs because she does not need to pay her coach.
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Aliona/Bruno have a lot of phenomenal aspects to their program, what a nice surprise. I just don't care for the lift much, the positions aren't very interesting (I'm not sure why the rules continue to give bonus credit simply for grabbing the blade) and she looks bored doing them. A very mechanical element. The Triple Axel doesn't really have anything to do with the music either but it's hard to get too picky there.
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