2024 IceChallenge | Nov 4-10

[CaroLiza_fan]

Vanessa PHAM / Anton SPIRIDONOV (USA). Is this a new partnership? Because, although I am familiar with both of them, I can't remember seeing their names together before.

Vanessa is wearing a beautiful purple dress. Anton is wearing black trousers and a short-sleeved shirt that shouldn't see the light of day! It's white with tiny black spots and thick black trim.

They were skating to "Do You Love Me" by The Contours, "Cry To Me" by Solomon Burke and "Wipe Out" by The Surfaris. Yes, three VERY different songs that I would never have thought of putting together.

Yet, somehow, it worked.

They go into 3rd position, just half a point behind Dozzi / Papetti in 2nd.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Amy CUI / Jonathan ROGERS (USA). Wasn't familiar with the names, and actually thought that it was Ting using an Anglicised name, and that she had switched to Ice Dance without me hearing. But when I saw her, I realised it wasn't.

"Blame It On The Boogie" by the Jackson 5; followed by "Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough" by Michael Jackson

She is wearing a beautiful gold dress. He is wearing a blue top and gold trousers. (Yes, really!)

If this is a new partnership, they have hit the ground running! They were good.

They go into 2nd position.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

What is going on? Are Lou TERREAUX / Noe PERRON (FRA) auditioning to change countries? Because this is not what we expect from French Ice Dancers. It is too normal.

They are both wearing white tops, and navy blue bottoms (a skirt for Lou; and trousers for Noe).

"Time Of The Season" by The Zombies, followed by two Elvis songs.

It was OK. But not French.

They go into 5th position.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Ava Valentina AVERSANO MARTINEZ / Christian BENNETT (MEX)

She is wearing a silver dress that has such a big cut out in the middle that it is almost more of a bra and matching skirt. He is wearing a pink shirt and black trousers.

Chic again, but not "Le Freak". This time it's "Good Times". Followed by "Funkytown" by Lipps Inc.

In the case of the latter, it started out as the normal version, but turned into an awful remix.

But, I enjoyed the skating.

They go into 7th position.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Lucy HANCOCK / Ilias FOURATI (HUN)

I absolutely loved this the last time I saw them.

And I promise not to get too fixated on Lucy and her beautiful royal blue dress and black hooker boots this time.

Who am I kidding?!



Oh, I nearly forgot. Ilias is wearing a black shirt and black trousers.

Yes, I absolutely loved that again.

They go into 6th position.

Have to admit, I'm disappointed it wasn't higher.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Have the last partnership, Raffaella Adele KONCIUS / Alexey SHCHEPETOV (USA), withdrawn? I swear I heard a Zamboni during those replays for Lucy and Ilias.

No they are here. She is wearing a magenta dress with white trim. He is wearing a black shirt with cream trousers.

An Elvis programme to finish with. "A Little Less Conversation" followed by "Bossa Nova"

Never come across these two before. But, they weren't bad.

They go into 7th position.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

I was going to say "That's a wrap for today". But then the announcer came on and told us that there will be Podium Ceremonies for the Senior Singles skaters on the ice at half past. So, just under 30 minutes from now.

I hope the stream stays on air for them.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

No, the stream has just gone off air.

See you tomorrow, then!

CaroLiza_fan

 

[moonvine]

Vanessa PHAM / Anton SPIRIDONOV (USA). Is this a new partnership? Because, although I am familiar with both of them, I can't remember seeing their names together before.

Vanessa is wearing a beautiful purple dress. Anton is wearing black trousers and a short-sleeved shirt that shouldn't see the light of day! It's white with tiny black spots and thick black trim.

They were skating to "Do You Love Me" by The Contours, "Cry To Me" by Solomon Burke and "Wipe Out" by The Surfaris. Yes, three VERY different songs that I would never have thought of putting together.

Yet, somehow, it worked.

They go into 3rd position, just half a point behind Dozzi / Papetti in 2nd.

CaroLiza_fan

Yes. Vanessa used to skate with Johnathon? Rogers

 

[moonvine]

Amy CUI / Jonathan ROGERS (USA). Wasn't familiar with the names, and actually thought that it was Ting using an Anglicised name, and that she had switched to Ice Dance without me hearing. But when I saw her, I realised it wasn't.

"Blame It On The Boogie" by the Jackson 5; followed by "Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough" by Michael Jackson

She is wearing a beautiful gold dress. He is wearing a blue top and gold trousers. (Yes, really!)

If this is a new partnership, they have hit the ground running! They were good.

They go into 2nd position.

CaroLiza_fan

It's new..that is Vanessa's old partner.

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Yes. Vanessa used to skate with Johnathon? Rogers

It's new..that is Vanessa's old partner.

Thank you for the info!

It's always interesting when former partners turn up at the same competition. You can't help but keep an eye out to see if there is any awkwardness, or if they are friendly enough, or what.

I might have missed doing it today, but you can bet that I will be doing it tomorrow!

Thank you again.



CaroLiza_fan

 

[moonvine]

Thank you for the info!

It's always interesting when former partners turn up at the same competition. You can't help but keep an eye out to see if there is any awkwardness, or if they are friendly enough, or what.

I might have missed doing it today, but you can bet that I will be doing it tomorrow!

Thank you again.



CaroLiza_fan

No problem! I find myself knowing far too much about US junior level ice dance, which isn't even my favorite discipline. But I really liked Pham/Rogers. So I will see how I like Pham/SPIRIDONOV

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

The final day is starting now with the final two Singles competitions. 3 Basic Novice boys; followed by 14 Basic Novice girls.

Livestream is now on air:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-annI6cJQ6Q

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

That is funny. Last night and this morning, I was talking about the wrong music being listed in the ISU Bio of one of my kids. It said she was skating to Céline Dion, when she was actually skating to "Don Quixote".

And then lo and behold, the first skater out today is skating to "Don Quixote"!

He was wearing a red suit that was clearly based on the dress that Zagitova wore in her "Don Quixote" programme.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

The second boy was wearing a black jumpsuit with a silver pattern.

He was skating to a guy singing in French.

He was good.

New leader.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

The third and final boy was wearing a very similar costume to the skater on before him.

The music wasn't similar. It was "Uptown Funk" by Bruno Mars.

Rough edit in the middle.

There were a few little issues. And a fall towards the end.

There was also a choreographic slide at the very end that looked like it went wrong, and might be classed as a fall too.

It'll be an Austrian 2-3. It's just a matter of which way around.

He goes into 2nd position.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Straight onto the girls.

Same stream.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

The first skater is from Hungary. She is wearing a beautiful dark blue dress, with a black trim that has sparklies on it.

She is skating to the 2023 French Eurovision entry, "Évidemment" by La Zarra.

She was really good!

That has got to be an older sister sitting with her. They are so alike!

Obviously, she goes into the lead.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

We now have the first of 3 consecutive Austrians.

The first is wearing a blue dress with a white pattern on the front and lower sleeves. She is skating to "Call Me Maybe" by Carly Rae Jepsen.

There was a bit of choreography she did at the start of the chorus that I particularly liked, although it was a bit on the slow side.

She was good too!

Her cuddly toy penguin(?) is almost the same shade of blue as her dress!

She goes into 2nd position.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Oh! The third wee girl, from Austria, was skating to the uncensored version of "Greased Lightning"!

And this a Basic Novice competition!

She was wearing a beautiful dress. Even though it had absolutely nothing to do with "Grease"! It was mainly shiny deep pink, with silver patches on it.

I can tell you something, she is really enjoying playing with the cuddly toy she was given.

She geos into 2nd position.

CaroLiza_fan