2022 Four Continents: Pairs Short Program

[skylark]

No difficult entry, arms not aloft for her, and his arms didn't go below the shoulder so it couldn't be more than a level 2 at best, and as far as I saw there was contact on the landing. So level 1

thanks! It's really puzzling, I'm gonna watch it again. I don't know why they don't manage one or two of the above. but maybe nerves.

I really dislike their different entrances to the jumps. It just makes my mind do a double take every time, takes them out of unison.

But I love this team, and this pairing. Deanna's positions and posture are exquisite, and their lifts .... mmmmmmmwah!

 

[skylark]

No difficult entry, arms not aloft for her, and his arms didn't go below the shoulder so it couldn't be more than a level 2 at best, and as far as I saw there was contact on the landing. So level 1

Okay, I noticed one more thing in replay. The split was at a 90 degree angle, but with her left leg down and her right at 90. It's supposed to be 45 degrees on each leg.

ETA: I am talking to myself but the slo-mo replay showed a definite shoulder crash in the catch.

 

[gsk8]

Lori-Ann Matte/Thierry Ferland (CAN)

Matte: We have a fall so of course I’m going to point out my jump. But overall this is our first Four Continents and it’s international experience. We wanted to enjoy it.

(on debut at Four Continents) At the beginning of this season we have our first Grand Prix at Skate Canada, so that’s another big international event. We didn’t feel more pressure on us because this is a championship. We just want to do our job as we do at home. We wish to get more experience here.

Ferland: (on debut at Four Continents) It wasn’t a new experience. We had Skate Canada. The ice was big and large. So it wasn’t that different for us. (on the quick turnaround from Nationals) When we were in between (two competitions) we just try to improve everything. Since here we wish to practice at higher and higher level.

 

[gsk8]

Katie McBeath/Nathan Bartholomay (USA)

MacBeath: My federation had reached out about trying pairs and where I was from there wasn’t a lot of pairs. They set up a special camp for a bunch of skaters to try it out. They kept me in mind and when Nathan was searching for a partner, they had called me and asked me whether I wanted to try out. I said ‘absolutely’! He was at my internationals when I was still in singles, so I knew about Nathan, I had met him already. And when we got to try out it was really good.

(on how is skating as pairs so far) So far it went pretty good. This is technically our 9th competition together in total. With each one I’m learning about skating next to someone with a partner and having two people on the ice and someone out there with me. It’s a lot of learning and experiences but I really enjoy skating with Nathan.

 

[gsk8]

Emily Chan/Spencer Akira Howe (USA)

Howe: It went well for us. It was a joy to be out there, especially in as big an event at this. We’re grateful we were able to deliver what we know we can in moments like these.

(on the quick turnaround from Nationals) We were able to get home and stay in the zone, we had few days of good training and made the best of it.

Chan: For our first time at Four Continents, it was really exhilarating. I felt really free on the ice and joyful that we were able to perform what we practiced and how we train at home.

(on the long trip with travel delays) We were all with our friends (their training group in Boston including Lu/Mitrofanov, Jimmy Ma, Gabriella Izzo) so it still was very enjoyable as an experience even the troubles.

 

[gsk8]

Evelyn Walsh/Trennt Michaud (CAN)

Walsh: I think we found our confidence building up from Nationals - it wasn’t that long in between but think it was just enough for us to leave behind the nationals and we are so happy to be here and this is our favorite event. Nationals were very important even for us so we were prepared we didn’t want to change anything just to stay on our high and we are grateful the event was so close we were able to keep the energy.

(on the music) It has an element of usefulness but also contemporary it’s our favourite style we just connected to it and the story line is relatable for us and I hope it comes across the ice.

(on their goals) To focus on ourselves like at Nationals and skate good programs. We can’t control the scores but we do our job and stay in our lane.

Michaud: We are happy with the season’s best international score. After Nationals we trusted ourselves and the same thing today so we are very happy with our result.

(on getting to Tallinn) From the time we left- from the time our flight took off Toronto it took us 41 hours to get to Estonia. With two practice days we got a full rest in between so we were ready to go as soon as we got here and we were not stressed.

(on Four Continents in Tallinn) Our first Junior Grand Prix together was actually in Tallinn - a JGP here five and a half years ago so it’s kind of cool we walked around and visited some places, there are some we will go to the day off tomorrow, re-create photos with our coaches. It’s always well run here, it was well organized last time and so is now.

 

[gsk8]

Deanna Stellato-Dudek/Maxime Deschamps (CAN)

Stellato-Dudek: (on their debut at Four Continents) We are excited to be here, we’re glad the ISU is holding the event, creating ways to compete at the event. It was just an unfortunate skate for us, we lost 4-5 points.

(on the entry to the jump) It’s a difficult entry, we are doing different entries, he is doing a difficult Ina-Bauer and matching my take-off.

(on their next goal) After this to refocus on next season and to see what more creative things we can come up with and increasing some consistency.

(on competing against her former partner) We competed against each other at Autumn Classic, so it’s not a big deal for us, we are still friends.

(on her motivation to compete) Just the desire to figure skate, I love going to the rink every day, I love skating, and so competing is a way to show everyone what you do.

Deschamps: (on his motivation to compete) It’s to push to a next level, to be able to do new creative stuff that has never been seen, I guess.

 

[gsk8]

Audrey Lu/Misha Mitrofanov (USA)

Lu: (on preparing for this competition) I thought preparing was definitely rough but we kept pushing, kept fighting, and we were really happy with how we skated today.

Mitrofanov: There were still some small mistakes in terms of levels and we’re going to come back and continue working on them.(on losing a week of training time before Nationals) After returning from Golden Spin (in December) my blade accidentally caught Audrey’s cheek on a death spiral and sent her to the emergency room for 7 hours. So we didn’t have as much time to prepare for Nationals.

(on goals for the Free Skating) Our goal is to put out a solid performance, put in the triple Salchow-half loop-triple Salchow, and be able to show a clean program and nice, great skating.

 

[ladyjane]

Well, the Pairs competition was during working hours, so I just now watched. The bad thing was that there were only 6 pairs, but that happens with pairs sometimes (I've also watched competitions with only 2 or 3 pairs). The good thing was that there was only one fall, and the pairs were all pretty close together which makes for good watching. The difference between last and first was 13 points.

Regrettably for them Lori-Ann and Thierry were the couple with the fall. On the SBS jumps, more often than not a problem with pairs, but the rest of the skate was pretty good.

I really liked watching Katie and Nathan. They seem to be gelling as a pair which, obviously, makes a programme nice to watch.

Yay! Emily and Spencer did it again. It's such a wonderful programme when it goes well, and it did. Olé. The speed, the joy. It just gets better and better!

Good to see Evelyn and Trennt having a good skate as well. Not perfect perhaps but more at the level of Canadian Nationals then what we saw earlier in the season. They were very happy after their skate, and rightly so!

I love Deanna and Maxime, and their skate went okay, but I've seen them do better. That catch on the twist was not good, and some other mishaps. still nice to watch though.

Audrey and Misha were the stars today. Well done indeed. They may not be as expressive as some of the others but everything was executed quite well. Those SBS elements, both jumps and spins, are really very good. Just as the throw loop. Now, to get Misha to put his arms completely down in the twist, and that level will go up too.

Some really nice skating!

 

[gsk8]

I apologize for cluttering the threads with quotes from the skaters - I thought more people might be interested

 

[skylark]

Audrey and Misha were the stars today. Well done indeed. They may not be as expressive as some of the others but everything was executed quite well. Those SBS elements, both jumps and spins, are really very good. Just as the throw loop. Now, to get Misha to put his arms completely down in the twist, and that level will go up too.

thanks for reminding me I meant to say something about Audrey and Misha's expressiveness. I think it's getting better. Audrey actually was smiling a bit flirtatiously (I mean that as a good thing) at the beginning of the program. And in the seconds after the throw jump, Misha showed a little more definition in his movements, a little flair. I enjoyed that.

 

[skylark]

I apologize for cluttering the threads with quotes from the skaters - I thought more people might be interested

Well, I read them all and found them to be very interesting. Thank you for including them.

I think maybe people haven't come back to read the post-event comments. People tend to skedaddle from the threads right away.

 

[ladyjane]

I apologize for cluttering the threads with quotes from the skaters - I thought more people might be interested

I was definitely interested! No apology needed. I did wait with reading them until after I had actually seen the programmes and written up my little review!

 

[moonvine]

Chinese, Australian, Japanese....

Do we know why the Australians aren’t there? There are some in other events?

 

[moonvine]

Go Deanna. I can't believe a woman who is my age is crazy enough to do this ....

She has SERIOUS Queen energy. Alas her sparkly eye shadow game is very weak today.

 

[moonvine]

Wow what a great event! 5 of the 6 were cleanish and so many SBs!!!

 

[TontoK]

Wow what a great event! 5 of the 6 were cleanish and so many SBs!!!

You know, I thought the same thing.

Small field, not highly ranked in comparison to some others, and yet one of the best overall short program lineups I've seen this season. Many cleanish (love that word!) programs.

I particuarly enjoyed Emily and Spencer, who seemed faster than I remembered.

 

[skylark]

^^ I thought all 3 American pairs seemed to get a boost of confidence and freedom, just from being at this event. Which is great! Katie and Nate didn't fall on their sbs jump, which I can't remember happening before.

 

[anonymoose_au]

I apologize for cluttering the threads with quotes from the skaters - I thought more people might be interested

No it's great. It's cool to see what the skaters are thinking

 

[anonymoose_au]

Do we know why the Australians aren’t there? There are some in other events?

Probably don't want to risk COVID? I think the only reason Brendan and Kailani are there is because the AOC made it a condition to name them to the Olympic Team.