2024 Finlandia Trophy: Ice Dance Thoughts?

[gsk8]

Fear and Gibson win surprise gold in Finland

2024 Finlandia Trophy | Ice Dance Great Britain's Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson were the surprise winners of the Ice Dance title at Finlandia Trophy after

www.goldenskate.com

Well, that was interesting! Did not see that coming!

“Today was a bit of a disappointment for us, we did some mistakes,” acknowledged Poirier. “I think the best will be to put this performance behind us and take it as a learning experience. At least we were able to go back into the performance and deliver the other elements, this is something you learn from practice. As always, we felt very welcomed and by the Finish crowd and had a good time here overall.”

I really enjoy watching Fear and Gibson and hope they do their best in Grenoble.

I have always enjoyed the Turkkila/Versluis and look forward to seeing more of them.

What are your thoughts on the Ice Dance event?

 

[ladyjane]

A mixed bag in my view. I thought Hannah and Ye were underscored (and it's not often I say that, because I'm not the scores specialist in ice dance at all) both in the RD and FD. I loved watching them. I think Lilah and Lewis are very lucky that their most important competitors had fluke fall problems - in the RD at SA and in the FD here. Very lucky indeed). Juulia and Mathias had the most beautiful tango I have ever seen, although the RD is not really their thing (it was good, but it wasn't their style, and you can feel that), their compatriots made me smile again in the FD (I really like those two), I felt sorry for Emilea in the RD (and for both of them in the result), but she and Vadym showed a wonderful FD that can really make them proud, the Taschlers were fast as always and great to watch in both sections (RD and FD). I was saddened by Piper and Paul's issues in the FD, although their RD is really something (I love Barbie and Ken in the film, and they express that wonderfully). I hope they come back strong in the Final! I like Oona and Gage usually, but this FD does not do it for me (and of course the problem with the lift did not help). I was sad for the Ukranians but both parts of the competition weren't very good. Eve and Logan were ok, and are in the right place (7th).

 

[skylark]

Since I like unpredictable events, I enjoyed this one when I was finally able to watch it.

Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik. Another USA team created their magic and put me in a trance. This is encouraging and it's especially rewarding as an experience for viewers like me, and of course for the skaters it must be such a high. Z/K free dance is something unlike what they've done before, and they did it with so much quiet passion. Their skating was smooth. They always have a spark that's unusual, and their connection seems to be sparked by their individual personalities that make an interesting couple. I love this team and their commitment to the performance.

Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson. They bring something so unique among ice dance teams, and I've been wishing for their commitment to performing for the audience to suddenly break through, and hoping for a surprise result like this. I credit their skating and joy for bringing them to this place. What's more, they responded to their critics by beginning their FD with a more lyrical, slower style of skating, and they did it so well! Then when the music shifted, they made the audience even happier by kicking in their trademark charisma and charm. So well done!

Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier. What Evan Bates said after SA applies: sport is a metaphor for life: we all fall sometimes and the thing is to get up and try again. Piper and Paul's RD is magical in a fun way; it's also the best music for this year's Rhythm Dances so far , in my opinion. Their FD is, for me, typical of their programs and much less interesting. Paul's bare back seems sort of passive-aggressive to me, more done for an effect than anything. And for me it's so distracting that it keeps interfering with the dance and the dancers themselves.

Eva Pate and Logan Bye. I'm glad they went back to last year's FD. It shows them to advantage and makes Eva shine and sparkle!

Yuka Orihara and Juho Pirinen. Their FD to "A Chorus Line" is so joyful, so true to the spirit of the music and the show! It's a crowd-pleaser, and in my opinion that's important in figure skating. I loved everything about it except Pirinen's costume, which is probably true to the show, but for me it was a bit over the top.

 

[throw_triple_flip]

So I was watching the free with a self proclaimed hater of figure skating in the room with me and even they gasped (loudly) when Paul Poirier fell over!

It would've been totally understandable if the British team had completely flopped after that horrible accident in practice. They've made so much improvement in regards to their skating skills and consistency these past few years and I think it's likely they'll end up being European champions this season.

I really like the Korean team but I'm not really a fan of that free dance. They usually perform equally strongly in their programs- he's in in the background with this free and that's a waste in my opinion. I don't agree with those claiming they were underscored, this wasn't as good as their strongest performances.

Turkkila and Versluis had my favourite free skate, every little detail in the choreography was so well thought out, their story telling just brilliant. Though, without the twizzle issue in the RD, could the Czechs have taken the bronze?

Orihara and Pirinen were brilliant. They perform to the entire crowd, and not just the judges.

 

[Rebecca Moose]

The Finnish teams had the best free dances of the event, full stop.

Turkkila and Versluis tango FD is stunning. Sexy, precise tension, without gimmicks. Reminiscent of Grishuk/Platov 1997 -- high praise, but I think warranted.

I have liked Fear/Gibson in the past, but this free dance is reductive and seems shockingly open, even for them.

I adore Piper and Paul, but I do not adore this free dance. More Annie Lennox, less g-string, please.