2023 Cup of China: Ice Dance Thoughts?

[gsk8]

Gilles and Poirier win first Cup of China title

2023 Cup of China: Ice Dance Canada’s Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier won their first Cup of China title in their first appearance at this event on Saturday in Chongqing. […]

www.goldenskate.com

I think it's safe to say there is no surprise on the final standings! It does make it exciting to see Lajoie and Lagha on the heels of their teammates

I really enjoyed a lot of the performances, particularly Green/Parson's RD as I'm metal head

It's also nice to see more Chinese teams entering this discipline!

What are your thoughts?

 

[ladyjane]

I have become a real fan of Marjorie and Zachary this year, and it's got a lot to do with their RD. Even in the beginning of the season when they were suffering from a lack of training time due to injury this RD made me very happy. The judges also thought so this time when it was much better. The FD is good as well but Piper and Paul are still better on that score (and usually in the RD as well, but that's without mistakes) and I'm a fan of theirs too. Nice to see Caroline and Michael doing a good job as well. I feel they are really rising to the top of the stacked pile which is US ice dancing after Madison and Evan.. The Georgians couldn't convince me (alas, I had high hopes for them, ever since they won the JGPF), I always enjoy watching Loisia and Theo and I was really pleased to see some Chinese Dancers.

 

[gsk8]

I have become a real fan of Marjorie and Zachary this year,

Same. I love their Thriller routine!

 

[SmileHappy34]

Love seeing it on Tv Too bad can't see on all gps or other events

All skated well and improve from previous.

 

[Sai Bon]

LaLa were magnificent. I think they should have won. Hopefully this is a breakthrough for them. Loved GrP free dance too. Not surprised their RD is still a bit shaky - it's only 4 weeks old!

 

[Colonel Green]

Lajoie & Lagha's first few years in senior were a bit on the quiet side (though they got all the big assignments), but this past season and now they're really moving up in the world. This might be a score outlier for them short-term, but they're going places.

 

[throw_triple_flip]

Gilles and Poirier weren't technically as strong here, but I think in terms of actual expression and storytelling they were better than at Skate Canada.

Really liked Green and Parsons. Hopefully they'll have a similar trajectory to the last couple of seasons and get great scores toward the end of the season.
I thought the French team's free was gorgeous and they showed brilliant musicality throughout it.

The Georgian team's changes to the free are definitely for the better but I'm really not sure if this is the free dance to put them ahead of their new domestic rivals. Also having train sound effects at the beginning of a Schindler's List free dance seems in poor taste to me..

I think Lajoie and Lagha deserved the silver but they look like two seperate skaters to me and not a team. And these lyrical free dances- I don't think how they skate it matches the music.