2023 Grand Prix de France Pairs Short Program

[Ziotic]

I hope you are right Ziotic. They really need a 2nd here to assure themselves of a GPF spot. A 3rd might do it - but then it might come down to points.

Even a second may be tricky as 1+3 beats 2+2 and with only one team looking to be way out in front I can see it getting messy.

 

[elbkup]

Rachael Flatt's was iconic!!

Mariah Bell’s too!

 

[slider11]

Oh no - not sure this is a good thing for Lia and Trennt to be in 1st after the short. They have never been in this position before. They have always been the hunters and not the hunted. Hope it doesn't cost them too dearly in the free.

Lia and Trennt seem to be gelling as a pair. I think they are on target to have a strong long program. It will be close among the top 3.

 

[labgoat]

Bit of a gift there, no?

A wee bit - maybe

 

[labgoat]

I love green, but not on bald guys and definitely not for East of Eden

Sorry to take so long to respond back - I lost my connection. I'll agree that we see this differently. Welcome by the way!

 

[ladyjane]

Just watched Lia and Trennt. That was good!!!!!!!

 

[withwings]

IMHO Trennt has to improve a lot in performance department. At this stage he is not even able to respond Lia's natural ability to perform. It may come with time and effort. Trennt is an outstanding pair skater, no doubt about that but the performance part.... it is not yet there and mostly, if not mainly, because of Trennt.

 

[lariko]

Yay, P/M in the first! Balloon is incoming! I really want them in the final

 

[NanaPat]

Oh no - not sure this is a good thing for Lia and Trennt to be in 1st after the short. They have never been in this position before. They have always been the hunters and not the hunted. Hope it doesn't cost them too dearly in the free.

I don't think it really matters, as they are not in first by much, and it was clear that the judges favor the Italians, giving them large + GOE on every element that was not clearly flawed. I was hoping for second for Lia and Trennt, and I still am. I expect C/M to win unless they melt down in the free.

 

[rain]

I don't think it really matters, as they are not in first by much, and it was clear that the judges favor the Italians, giving them large + GOE on every element that was not clearly flawed. I was hoping for second for Lia and Trennt, and I still am. I expect C/M to win unless they melt down in the free.

And Lia and Trennt were criminally underscored on their side by side jump and throw GOE. Those were beautiful elements, especially the side by sides. They got less than a point of GOE on it. Only one judge gave them a 4 GOE and two gave them 3s. If that's not how that element is supposed to be performed, I don't know what is. They went into them with speed and confidence, perfect execution in total synch and a swish landing from both. You're supposed to be able to be rewarded for what you do well.

 

[discodisco]

IMHO Trennt has to improve a lot in performance department. At this stage he is not even able to respond Lia's natural ability to perform. It may come with time and effort. Trennt is an outstanding pair skater, no doubt about that but the performance part.... it is not yet there and mostly, if not mainly, because of Trennt.

I was thinking that this evening as well. I hadn't really noticed it that much before because it's just being so impressive that they are doing so well as a new pair. However, I definitely think you're right, and that he needs to start to project and show a bit of expression. Other than that though, I was expecting their marks to be a little bit higher to be honest.

 

[discodisco]

I personally hate that lift they do where she is in the splits position and kind of wrapped around his arm. I don't think it really suits simple stops when the Chinese pair did it the last couple years I hated it as well. Both he and Trent are just not tall enough, so it doesn't have the same feeling of amplitude as it might with another pair. She's pretty much touching his head and it just doesn't look great. Certainly doesn't have the same effect as Max and Deanna's lifts.

 

[discodisco]

And Lia and Trennt were criminally underscored on their side by side jump and throw GOE. Those were beautiful elements, especially the side by sides. They got less than a point of GOE on it. Only one judge gave them a 4 GOE and two gave them 3s. If that's not how that element is supposed to be performed, I don't know what is. They went into them with speed and confidence, perfect execution in total synch and a swish landing from both. You're supposed to be able to be rewarded for what you do well.

100%. When they landed that triple toe, I literally gasped. Not only did they have tons of speed and switch the landing, but they are pretty much the only pair in the world where the man and the woman both pick at the same time and get the same amplitude. Typically the man picks a second before the woman, because he needs to start a little earlier because his jump is going to be higher. The woman picks later so that she can land at the same time as him. But watch Lia and Trentt. They pick at the exact same time, and land at the exact same time. I don't know if I've ever seen a pair whose Triple toes match as perfectly as theirs do. If there was ever justification for the highest level of geoe on side by side jumps, that was it. Even the russians, who are absolutely Top Notch with their side by side jumps, don't have that degree of uniformity.

 

[discodisco]

Sara CONTI / Niccolo MACII ITA
Pagliacci, Act 1 Intermezzo by R. Leoncavallo

3Tw4
3LoTh (foot down, steps out)
3S
3Li4
FiDs3
StSq3
CCoSp3

SP: 65.31 (2nd)

C/M looked a little out of it at the beginning of the program, but really got it together for the SBS sals. I like this program for them, it's very classical music Italian

Yep, it's a beautiful song. Classic Italian wedding song. And I thought it was really nice to see a pair go back to classical Roots rather than some sappy emo ballad like we've been seeing almost constantly for the last 4 years or more I'm rooting for the canadians, but I have to admit that was a great program.

 

[discodisco]

Oh no - not sure this is a good thing for Lia and Trennt to be in 1st after the short. They have never been in this position before. They have always been the hunters and not the hunted. Hope it doesn't cost them too dearly in the free.

It's an absolute perfect position for them to be in actually they need to get used to skating the free program regardless of what position they're in, especially if they're in first. We want them to get exposure to this kind of pressure at a low-key meet so that if it ever occurs on the world stage, they're accustomed to it. So besides the fact that they'll gain confidence from being in first place and knowing that they are a top tier team, they now have opportunity to see what it's like to skate last, with a longer wait after the warm-up, with more pressure on them as well, etc. Regardless of how they respond tomorrow it will be a great learning experience and stepping to Greater things.

 

[4everchan]

ermm... Trennt and Lia deserved a better gap considering the quality they presented. Their SBS 3toes were stellar. They have more power, flow and confidence than anyone else here.

I like the elegance of the Italians but not enough to put them pretty much tied with a flawless skate. Their twist was weak and there was a clear mistake on the throw.

I feel badly for the kovalevs. I hope he is not injured.

It seems like Trennt and Lia will have to keep skating cleaner and cleaner and cleaner until judges see them as contenders. At least, this week, they are ahead instead of behind the team that made a mistake.

 

[rain]

I personally hate that lift they do where she is in the splits position and kind of wrapped around his arm. I don't think it really suits simple stops when the Chinese pair did it the last couple years I hated it as well. Both he and Trent are just not tall enough, so it doesn't have the same feeling of amplitude as it might with another pair. She's pretty much touching his head and it just doesn't look great. Certainly doesn't have the same effect as Max and Deanna's lifts.

I hate this lift. Hate it, hate it, hate it. My least favourite lift by far. So much so that I've suggested it be banned. I didn't think it looked good when Savchenko did it (the first time I saw it) and I don't think anyone has looked anything less than awful doing it since. And everyone does it. Argghhh!

 

[4everchan]

one thing about the leonova-kvalko lift : I hate it too but i feel that trennt and lia are doing it better this year. last year, it was so low it freaked me out.

Is it nice ? no. Do i hate it? yes.

at the same time, not everyone is a max deschamps or a deanna stellato, able to create level 4 lifts that are different and pretty.

 

[rain]

one thing about the leonova-kvalko lift : I hate it too but i feel that trennt and lia are doing it better this year. last year, it was so low it freaked me out.

Is it nice ? no. Do i hate it? yes.

at the same time, not everyone is a max deschamps or a deanna stellato, able to create level 4 lifts that are different and pretty.

Yeah, there's a reason so many teams are doing this lift. It needs to be disincentivised.

Trennt and Lia's version does look better than last season, you're right. Last season it was often off-axis.

 

[moonvine]

It's an absolute perfect position for them to be in actually they need to get used to skating the free program regardless of what position they're in, especially if they're in first. We want them to get exposure to this kind of pressure at a low-key meet so that if it ever occurs on the world stage, they're accustomed to it. So besides the fact that they'll gain confidence from being in first place and knowing that they are a top tier team, they now have opportunity to see what it's like to skate last, with a longer wait after the warm-up, with more pressure on them as well, etc. Regardless of how they respond tomorrow it will be a great learning experience and stepping to Greater things.

I'm not sure I'd call a GP a "low key meet."