2022-23 GPF Senior Pairs Free Skate

[Lamente Ariane]

see you for women!

Same here!

 

[Seven Sisters]

I cannot stop smiling when I see a move or a transition in their programs very similar with those of Meghan and Eric’s. Meghan is in their coaching team, after all!

Their music choices are Duhamel/Marcotte all the way, every time, and that is the similarity that jumps out at me each time.

 

[Ziotic]

Alexa & Brandon were robbed! R&R did not skate with the joy and abandon of the short program. Slight loss of balance on the twist landing, doubled the triple toe, his hand down on the next jump, two hands down on one throw, and very low landing on the other. Sorry, just not buying this result.

It’s not like K/F were clean either, maybe go back and watch again they made similar mistakes in jumps

 

[el henry]

Well, as good as the SP was, the LP was sloppy.

Pairs are taking unfortunate chaos lessons from the men.

Disappointed for Deanna and Max, but cannot argue with the placements: correct in all respects. Congrats to the medalists!

 

[CellarDweller]

With all the mistakes that all the pairs made, the podium could've been a toss-up.

I was on a conference call during the last skate, but I watched R&R on mute, and I agree with the results. As much as I like K&F, Brandon was too off his jumps for a gold.

See ya when the ice-dancing gets started!

 

[tsuyoboogie]

Riku and Ryuichi are freakin' adorable~
Congrats to the medalists!

So I bought an advent calendar with different types of matcha in each date when I was in Canada. Today's matcha is...glitter matcha?!? It sparkles a little bit in the morning light...I wonder what it could taste like...

It actually tastes kind of like a sugar cookie, but sparklier!

You're adorable too (online and in person)
I love your whimsy

Seemed like an accurate translation of their words, although Riku did mention that it was because of the crowd's warm support that they were able to do well. There's a sense of gratitude there.

Yeah, the translations were very concise more like summarizing their answers

 

[WAC172]

For two free skates that were pretty close in a lot of aspects (mistakes, overall quality), it's disappointing for the difference to be decided by PCS. I don't think an error-filled R/R should beat an error-filled K/F on pcs.

 

[yuumagical]

Riku and Ryuichi are freakin' adorable~
Congrats to the medalists!



You're adorable too (online and in person)
I love your whimsy

Yeah, the translations were very concise more like summarizing their answers

Thanks for the compliment, it's greatly appreciated! Unfortunately, a work-related situation just came up, I'm going to have to miss the ice dance and women.

Edit: I actually won't have to miss them after all!

 

[TontoK]

For what it's worth, Skating Scores dot com reveals that the judges were just as split as we are.

The Japanese won 5 judges, and the Americans won 4. The scores were tight on every scorecard.

I have absolutely no problem with this. It could have gone either way - no wuzrobbed involved here.

 

[chuckm]

They had a seven point cushion so it might be enough to squeeze out a bronze. It depends on deductions and PCS. But think not.

Deanna and Max did not have a 7-point cushion---that's what Knierim/Frasier had over them.
Deanna and Max were only 2 points ahead of Conti/Macii after the SP.

So far this season, Deanna and Max had one great performance (SA) but the last two efforts haven't been nearly as good. They won gold in France against a less competitive field due to last minute withdrawals, but their total score was 12 points lower than what they scored at SA.
And their GPF score was a point lower than what they scored in France.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

Wow, what a mess! I'm almost sorry I watched that. At least, couldn't the top two teams skated better?

Honestly, it was a wash between the top two teams. I like K/F's program and music a little better. If K/F had been more on point, they could have won. But who knows, with the judging we saw here. FGS!

M/K were clearly being favored regardless. I don't see M/K as ever being head-and-shoulders above K/F or even Ash/ Timothy in past seasons. M/K have a nice connection and very good skating skills. But they aren't overall better than the current World champions. So being World champions didn't help K/F the way some fans have been claiming. Yes, the judges have showed K/F respect, but when push came to shove, guess who the judges wanted to win here? LOL!

I could see it in the high GOEs, especially that positive .53 GOE on that bad throw landing for Miura. I'll check to see if anyone is nitpicking on that scoring like they did on Brandon's positive GOE for a less egregious lean and reach (his hand did not touch the ice; Miura's hand may have slightly grazed the ice). All told, even with the mistakes, K/F were slightly better overall in the fp IMO. I can't see anyone acting as if M/K are a better team. They're not -- both teams are comparable in talent, with K/F having a slight edge in overall veteran experience.

So, on any given day, it should be who skates better. But that's not a guarantee, especially not after Montpelier Worlds where M/K were gifted second place over teams who skated better than they did. It's safe to say that the push is in to award Japan a World championship in pairs.

While the judges have shown respect to K/F, they deserve to be respected for how well they skated at both Olympics and Worlds. I think K/F came back this season largely to help the U.S. discipline, and that's commendable. I look forward to seeing them at U.S. Nationals, since they missed Nats last season due to COVID.

 

[yelyoh]

Deanna and Max did not have a 7-point cushion---that's what Knierim/Frasier had over them.
Deanna and Max were only 2 points ahead of Conti/Macii after the SP.

Thanks for the correction and now you may procede to heaven.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

I do love pairs, so I have to say that I think the pairs skaters are not being helped by the ISU. The skaters work very hard, so I feel for them for how hard they work, and how little the pairs discipline is valued by the ISU. For e.g., pairs skaters should be given at least a day of rest in between sp and fp so they can regroup. They have to come back too quickly. Pairs is treated like the orphaned stepchild of the ISU!

Lots of problems exist in the sport of figure skating. Unfortunately, I don't see any scenario in which problems will ever be thoughtfully and effectively addressed any time soon.

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

It’s not like K/F were clean either, maybe go back and watch again they made similar mistakes in jumps

Given that M/K should have had a wider lead after the SP, this result was correct. I might have personally swapped their PCS and dropped each by 2 points (so like 65-66 PCS for M/K and 67-68 for SK/F).

Thrilled for C/M picking up a bronze for Italy! As much as some of that PCS was home cooking, and they had a fall - they still finished strong. SD/D just made way too many errors, scrappy throws, and silly things like the twist and a ChSq1 that seemed more like an afterthought (the death spiral as cool as it is, they should honestly scrap it after this season because it seems like it's not rewarded enough and it's too risky to get a level 1 if his knee isn't deemed as bent enough).

 

[ladyjane]

I am so happy for Sara Conti and Niccolo Macci with an excellent twist lift into the bargain. I remember them since the Challenge Cup 2021 where they had a terrible fall in the SP which made them withdraw from the FS. So, this is such a lovely turnaround.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

Yep, Deanna/ Max were underscored in the sp. They should have been at least around 70 to 71. They got 73 at SA. It just goes to show how fickle, inexact, and inconsistent the scoring is.

As I said in the sp thread, Conti/Macii were generously scored in the sp. I'd have had them maybe at 65+ there. But okay, they skated clean. Yet nope, they didn't skate clean in the fp. It was a rather rough skate considering they received a season's best score. And isn't it ironic how some posters were decrying Brandon's slight glitch on sbs and K/F received a season's best score. In Conti/Macii's case, there's no way they should have had a season's best for that rough skate.

And then b/c Deanna/Max were held back on pts in sp, it looks like Deanna had a bit more nerves. I started to get nervous with their mistakes, knowing they were not far ahead of C/M in the sp. On the twist for Deanna, she completed it fine, but turned out on the landing. I thought for sure they would get negative but the judges decided to be neutral with no negative or positive. So I thought okay good, keep going. But it looks like Deanna was rattled by the mistake on the twist. And unfortunately, the over-scoring of Conti/Macii, especially in the fp, positioned them for the bronze. I try to give athletes credit for what they are good at, but honestly, both Italian teams have some weaknesses that are overlooked. The event takes place in Italy, so clearly they were being helped in having their scores pushed to the 180s. Italy has political clout due to Cinquanta for all those years having a chokehold on the ISU. Clearly, Italy wants to try and get more pairs spots for Worlds next year. I'll wait to see Matteo Guarise and his new partner, who are already looking better than all three of the other Italian teams.

BTW, judges were also working hard with low-ball GOE on what Chan/ Howe did well to ensure they didn't crawl out of last place. C/H tried their best, but they clearly are not at full strength physically. IMO, Chan/ Howe should have said thanks for the two silvers on the GP, and withdrawn from GPF to concentrate on being ready for U.S. Nationals.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

Given that M/K should have had a wider lead after the SP,

Hey that's your view. Mine differs. I thought the placement was correct in the sp, but the actual score could have been tighter. M/K do not have a superior twist. It looks okay in the air, but their dismount always has issues that get ignored. They realize this, and they've worked on their dismount, so it looks a bit better this year than last. Still, it is a bit of close contact with the catch. Yet, the judges have always ignored the contact and given them high GOE for their twist.

 

[chuckm]

Take a look at the protocols for the SP. Deanna and Max got no 4s for any of their elements, and had more 0s than 3s; their PCS scores are in the 7s. Maybe if they skated faster and if they could gain more amplitude with their throws, they would score higher. That performance was not deserving of a score in the 70s.

They got a higher score at SA because they skated better there. Since then, they have yet to repeat that SP performance. They scored 64.33 at GP France, and 69.34 here.

 

[slider11]

Pairs was kinda a mess, for most based on the individual jumps. Honestly, how can you expect 2 people to have extraordinary lifts, throws and spins and then also have jumps like a single skater. Personally, I'd like to see the throws stay at triples but the individual jumps be doubles in combination, maybe with some sort of creative twist in-between.

As for this competition, I think the placement was fair although my personal preference was Knierim and Frazier.

 

[TontoK]

Take a look at the protocols for the SP. Deanna and Max got no 4s for any of their elements, and had more 0s than 3s; their PCS scores are in the 7s. Maybe if they skated faster and if they could gain more amplitude with their throws, they would score higher. That performance was not deserving of a score in the 70s.

They got a higher score at SA because they skated better there. Since then, they have yet to repeat that SP performance. They scored 64.33 at GP France, and 69.34 here.

I think people fall into the trap of scoring the performance that could have been or should have been. Or scoring a past performance.

It's understandable, and I can do this sometimes, too.

But your analysis of this situation is correct. The SP performance here wasn't in the same ballpark as the one at SA, and the score didn't deserve to be in the same ballpark either.