2018 Olympic Figure Skating Pairs SP

[GGFan]

whole post

I love that your words allow me to re-experience the event just by reading

 

[NoNameFace]

I love that your words allow me to re-experience the event just by reading

, hehe, no biggie - my pleasure to make You feel it that way, then

 

[treeloving]

I think the problem of T/M is not only their program but the way they skate , express music and their chemistry, although Tarasova has great line and extension they's skate always look sloppy and lacking for me.

Skills-wise they are really the top though, their flow is so good.

 

[Koralai]

Ya know what... Robin Szolkowy signed off on "Candyman." So however opaque that decision may be to us, his hard-earned wisdom was a part of it.

I disliked "Candyman" at the start of the season, but I actually really enjoy it now. I love a grandiose pairs program as much as the next person, but it's also refreshing to see pairs who don't take themselves too seriously and who want to give the audience something fun. And think how motivating it will be for them to have something lighthearted to look forward to as they prepare to skate last. Szolkowy couldn't have planned for them to be skating last, of course, but that also offers an interesting contrast with his experience in Sochi (unless I'm misremembering, but I thought he and Aliona skated last?).

And really y'all, if "The Addams Family" was worthy of Olympic silver (and it absolutely was!!), then as far as I'm concerned Tarasova and Morozov deserve whatever medal they can nab with "Candyman."

 

[Anyasnake]

"The Addams Family" was worthy of Olympic silver (and it absolutely was!!)

You mispelled Gold

 

[bramweld]

This may be late in coming, but I just had to say this:

1. Sui and Han, a class above, they should be at least 2-3 points clear of everybody else.

2. D/R, if it weren't for some little errors they should be in second. A very beautiful program, beautifully executed. They have improved a lot and I love their long. It could be my favourite long this year.

3. T/M, gave a worthy performance, Fedor and Ksenia would have not have competed well here they have just been too inconsistent. Stolbova needs to correct her jumping technique because something has gone awry.

4. The quality of all pairs in the top 10, is just so very good. This has been a very good competition. Ice dance will be just as tight I imagine.

 

[steiner]

J/C were underscored and S/H should have more of a lead but overall it’s an excellent competition.

 

[ChiquitaBanana]

MAGNIIIIIIFICAT, MAGNIIIIIFICAT

I somehow always manage to justify this music choice to myself through a series of logical non-sequiturs which ends with the conclusion that Della Monica, Guarise and the Pope are all from Italy. :dance2:

Isn’t the Pope from Argentina?

 

[Ares]

J/C were underscored and S/H should have more of a lead but overall it’s an excellent competition.

The level of competition was extremely high ... like never before at least technically. 63 points were needed just to make Free Skate cut!

10 pairs scoring 70+ points and the difference between 3rd and 9th place is smaller than 3 points.

OGM is not out of reach for Savchenko / Massot yet but their chances decreased significantly.

Side note:

Tarasova / Morozov Rach music cuts / edit were again so grating on top of so-so choreography ... I'd rate their components lower giving bigger points advantage to Sui / Han.

I agree though with these who point out basically immaculate extension of T/M, good speed and unison. But emotionless still.

 

[TontoK]

6 points is quite much for a SP. It think the judging was fair except the PCS for T/M.

It wasn't just elements. I thought S/H and T/M skated with speed and freedom and security that none of the other teams had. It showed clearly to me on television.

I saw not a flicker of doubt, no moment of roughness, from either of those teams. Superior extension (T/M) and flow (S/H).

There were several other highly commendable performances - I'm not denying that - but none of them offered anything close to what the top 2 delivered.

Overall, this portion of the event has brought me back to pair skating. It used to be my favorite discipline, but I had definitely drifted away over the past years. It was only a yer or so ago that I watched S/H on a GSer's recommendation.l

 

[jasonzl]

CANDYMAN IS LOVE!! CANDYMAN IS LIFE!!

candyman is stupid and need to die.

 

[andromache]

Overall, this portion of the event has brought me back to pair skating. It used to be my favorite discipline, but I had definitely drifted away over the past years. It was only a yer or so ago that I watched S/H on a GSer's recommendation.l

I think pairs has had the most IJS-related growing pains compared to the other disciplines, with very, very few pairs being able to meet the technical requirements of IJS and also bring the performance magic. Now we have a very diverse array of pairs able to rise to that challenge.

 

[bramweld]

candyman is stupid and need to die.

Candyman should have been the short and Rach the long. It's just a ridiculous choice for them. Period.

 

[TontoK]

I think pairs has had the most IJS-related growing pains compared to the other disciplines, with very, very few pairs being able to meet the technical requirements of IJS and also bring the performance magic. Now we have a very diverse array of pairs able to rise to that challenge.

I think this is correct.

I did have one Debbie Downer moment, and that was the American pair. I knew, of course, that they would not be competitive for a medal, but I really didn't quite realize how large the gap is... not just with the top teams, but even the "second tier" pairs. They are not my favorite American pair, but the gap with my favorites (C/L) would be even larger.

I'm sure they are lovely people, and they have an inspiring story that NBC is focused on... but the skill/performance gap is really a canyon.

Way back in the day, there always seemed to be an American pair that was in the discussion for at least a bronze medal... not favorites, but hovering around the shadow of the medal stand if all went well. Those seem like glory days now.

 

[Barb]

Are there any videos of the short program as I completely missed it due to the hours being diff last night! Someone help please lol I need to see these incredible teams!

http://fsnews.ru/page-al-og2018_pairs_sp.html

 

[vavavoom]

1. No, they don't deserve that PCS.
2. I don't think anyone argues their placement, just their PCS. Technically, they were the best today.

Being biased has nothing to do with it, 99% of figure skating fans agree that TM are boring, lack chemistry and charisma, and their programs are completely uninspired. There should be a serious PCS gap between them and SH.

99% of figure skating fans LOL. Maybe in your own little World.

 

[andromache]

I think this is correct.

I did have one Debbie Downer moment, and that was the American pair. I knew, of course, that they would not be competitive for a medal, but I really didn't quite realize how large the gap is... not just with the top teams, but even the "second tier" pairs. They are not my favorite American pair, but the gap with my favorites (C/L) would be even larger.

I'm sure they are lovely people, and they have an inspiring story that NBC is focused on... but the skill/performance gap is really a canyon.

Way back in the day, there always seemed to be an American pair that was in the discussion for at least a bronze medal... not favorites, but hovering around the shadow of the medal stand if all went well. Those seem like glory days now.

I don't know if Alexa and Chris are quite THAT bad. Even if they are somewhat lacking in terms of the PCS categories, they do truly have world class elements in terms of everything but the SBS jumps. But when the SBS jumps aren't there and the rest of the deep field is skating cleanly, they are going to fall behind.

I wonder if Zimmerman is working with any young US pairs? Plus, Zimmerman's skaters all seem to work with John Kerr, and it's clear that his choreography is A. brilliant and B. what judges and audiences are really responding to. It's such a waste if the US finally has a decent pair coach/choreographer duo and no US pairs go there.

 

[Bcash]

So apparently 5 judges ranked T/M first and S/H were only able to pull ahead thanks to a world record score given by the Chinese judge.

- - - Updated - - -

99% of figure skating fans LOL. Maybe in your own little World.

You can do a survey here if you want.

 

[andromache]

So apparently 5 judges ranked T/M first and S/H were only able to pull ahead thanks to a world record score given by the Chinese judge.

All European judges?

Seriously though, S/H skated what is probably the best pairs SP of the IJS era. If they were Russian or Canadian, they would bigger shoo-ins for gold* than Tatiana and Max in 2014.

*after Bruno doubled the SBS

 

[vavavoom]

I think the problem of T/M is not only their program but the way they skate , express music and their chemistry, although Tarasova has great line and extension they's skate always look sloppy and lacking for me.

Skills-wise they are really the top though, their flow is so good.

Haters gonna hate. Percentage is not important to me. At the end, they are outsiders mostly not qualified to judge. Judges took just the right decisions. T&M for the win!