2025-26 Grand Prix Final Free Dance

[CaroLiza_fan]

That's why I prefer Simon and Louise's commentary on Eurosport. And in my opinion, Emilea and Vadim's FD was WAY better last season. I don't this one suits them at all.

Erm, I think you mean Chris and Louise. (Don't worry, with how many decades Simon and Chris were working together, it is easy to forget which is which! )

This is why I am so annoyed that British Eurosport lost the figure skating rights a few years ago. Because I really liked Chris and Louise's partnership a lot. To be honest, I didn't like the partnership at first. It took a few competitions for Louise Walden to get into the swing of commentating. But once she did, she was great! And the chemistry between her and Chris got as good as the chemistry between Simon and Chris was. It was such a shame that those of us back home only got to hear them together for one season.

I really wish that Eurosport would reach an arrangement with the ISU whereby they use the same commentary. Just like they have with the IBU for biathlon. We could have Ted and Mark for the Juniors; and Chris and Louise for the Seniors. But, I think they have more pressing matters to be dealt with at the moment, with all the confusion over the future ownership of Eurosport and TNT Sports. (Personally, I really want them both to stay with Discovery, because I have never been interested in getting HBO Max or Netflix).

Getting back to Emilea and Vadym, maybe it is just my personal taste, but I think the classical style suits them better. Which is why I love their current Free Dance so much. With last season's FD, I loved the classical first half, but wasn't as keen on the more modern second half.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[ManyCairns]

This is intersting how we have two totally different interpretations of what we saw.

.....



CaroLiza_fan

See, I just thought they looked resigned as to the scoring and outcome but serious about the task at hand (the skating) rather than exhausted. Definitely not as much sparkle after the program but again to me it was just resignation/knowing the scoring that was coming. They had such fantastic results two weeks prior, and the SD scoring I am sure was a shock. I've already re-watched both dances multiple times and loved the performances themselves.

BTW I've looked for Emilea's statements and haven't found them, so thanks for noting they are on X, so I know where to look.

As several posters have alluded to, the next quad in ID is shaping up to be great with all the up-and-coming teams.

 

[viennaskater]

Erm, I think you mean Chris and Louise. (Don't worry, with how many decades Simon and Chris were working together, it is easy to forget which is which! )

This is why I am so annoyed that British Eurosport lost the figure skating rights a few years ago. Because I really liked Chris and Louise's partnership a lot. To be honest, I didn't like the partnership at first. It took a few competitions for Louise Walden to get into the swing of commentating. But once she did, she was great! And the chemistry between her and Chris got as good as the chemistry between Simon and Chris was. It was such a shame that those of us back home only got to hear them together for one season.

I really wish that Eurosport would reach an arrangement with the ISU whereby they use the same commentary. Just like they have with the IBU for biathlon. We could have Ted and Mark for the Juniors; and Chris and Louise for the Seniors. But, I think they have more pressing matters to be dealt with at the moment, with all the confusion over the future ownership of Eurosport and TNT Sports. (Personally, I really want them both to stay with Discovery, because I have never been interested in getting HBO Max or Netflix).

Getting back to Emilea and Vadym, maybe it is just my personal taste, but I think the classical style suits them better. Which is why I love their current Free Dance so much. With last season's FD, I loved the classical first half, but wasn't as keen on the more modern second half.

CaroLiza_fan

No, it is definitely Simon Reed, although Chris is great as well.

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

No, it is definitely Simon Reed, although Chris is great as well.

Erm, I thought Simon wasn't allowed to commentate on figure skating any more after the Meagan Duhamel incident. Or does that only apply to the ISU broadcasts and not apply to Eurosport?

I hate asking this, but are you sure you haven't got the voices mixed up?

Just to clear up any doubt, here is a video of Chris Howarth and Nicky Slater introducing themselves on camera at the 2011 European Championships (back in the halcyon days when Eurosport had commentators actually on site!):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhmBGUE5hI0

Here are Chris and Louise commentating on a partnership that were actually in the competition that this thread is about:

Lilah Fear / Lewis Gison - 2022 European Championships FD

And here are Simon and Chris commentating on them at the previous Senior Worlds:

Lilah Fear / Lewis Gison - 2021 World Championships FD

Sorry about doing this, but I just want to be sure you've got the right commentator.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[maya1985]

What did she do to you? Without Gabriela, Cizeron would be nothing. People will be interested in her book. Exhibit A: revise their programs of the 2019 WCs, their Tango RD in particular. Gabby brought life into P/C. Gabby is just being herself. Clearly, she hit a nerve. Why should we even care so much about temporary IG posts? Bock, where are the skating skills to match those TES scores? Where is the flamenco? What is the concept? How does Bock not score similarly to either G/P or F/G? But say what this is ID, it's all subjective.

You didn't understand my message (or maybe it's my bad English, sorry)... I'm outraged by the situation and the contempt shown towards Gabriella. Obviously, without her, Cizeron wouldn't have had his career. I was simply saying that in France, unfortunately, many fans only adore Cizeron, and therefore it would be difficult for her to get her story out there, especially since French journalists ignore Gabriella. And I sincerely hope she manages to make herself heard, and I admire her. And I agree, Gabi was the soul of the couple

 

[ajingmarg]

You didn't understand my message (or maybe it's my bad English, sorry)... I'm outraged by the situation and the contempt shown towards Gabriella. Obviously, without her, Cizeron wouldn't have had his career. I was simply saying that in France, unfortunately, many fans only adore Cizeron, and therefore it would be difficult for her to get her story out there, especially since French journalists ignore Gabriella. And I sincerely hope she manages to make herself heard, and I admire her. And I agree, Gabi was the soul of the couple

Obviously without him she wouldn't have won the gold medal

 

[viennaskater]

Erm, I thought Simon wasn't allowed to commentate on figure skating any more after the Meagan Duhamel incident. Or does that only apply to the ISU broadcasts and not apply to Eurosport?

I hate asking this, but are you sure you haven't got the voices mixed up?

Just to clear up any doubt, here is a video of Chris Howarth and Nicky Slater introducing themselves on camera at the 2011 European Championships (back in the halcyon days when Eurosport had commentators actually on site!):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhmBGUE5hI0

Here are Chris and Louise commentating on a partnership that were actually in the competition that this thread is about:

Lilah Fear / Lewis Gison - 2022 European Championships FD

And here are Simon and Chris commentating on them at the previous Senior Worlds:

Lilah Fear / Lewis Gison - 2021 World Championships FD

Sorry about doing this, but I just want to be sure you've got the right commentator.

CaroLiza_fan

It's definitely him. I know his voice and if i catch the broadcast from the start he even introduces himself. Maybe he's allowed to commentate on Eurosport.

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

It's definitely him. I know his voice and if i catch the broadcast from the start he even introduces himself. Maybe he's allowed to commentate on Eurosport.

Sorry to have doubted you. It's just a lot of members get the British Eurosport guys mixed up, and I thought you might be doing the same (even though I knew you were like me and had been listening to them forever).

That is interesting to know. I knew Simon was still commentating on tennis, but I didn't realise he was still comentating on figure skating too. Well, I suppose Simon was head of commentary at Eurosport for years (maybe still is for all I know!) He no doubt still has influence there.

Sorry again.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[viennaskater]

Sorry to have doubted you. It's just a lot of members get the British Eurosport guys mixed up, and I thought you might be doing the same (even though I knew you were like me and had been listening to them forever).

That is interesting to know. I knew Simon was still commentating on tennis, but I didn't realise he was still comentating on figure skating too. Well, I suppose Simon was head of commentary at Eurosport for years (maybe still is for all I know!) He no doubt still has influence there.

Sorry again.

CaroLiza_fan

No need to apologise.

 

[Rackon]

As a fellow uberfan of this lovely team, I have to disagree with your impression of the performance. I thought they had the intensity in spades and even brought a kind of desperate romantic passion out in the program that had not been as present in previous performances. Technically as sharp as ever.

Emilea and Vadym's performances always captivate me from start to finish -- their dances always seem short and I am always "surprised" when they end because I am enjoying every moment and completely along for the ride.

I agree. ZK were serious and intense but quite calm as they took their starting position. I thought they gave an excellent performance, capturing the desperate passion of the doomed lovers. Emi thought she had made an error in their twizzles, which accounted for her subdued state in the K&C - on review I couldn’t find any mistake in the twizzles and they each received a level 4 on them.

I thought the judges were hard on them but I think they won a lot of new fans at this competition.

 

[viennaskater]

Smart/Dieck with talent, good techique and the ability to create emotions instead of only concentrating technical details),

Smart/Dieck is one couple I seriously missed in this final - they've honed that Dune FD to perfection. Attention-grabbing from the get-go.

 

[Miya88]

Obviously without him she wouldn't have won the gold medal

OF COURSE she would,Cizeron had luck that papadakis wanted to skate with him.

 

[ajingmarg]

OF COURSE she would,Cizeron had luck that papadakis wanted to skate with him.

There are many skaters who would love the opportunity to skate with him

 

[throw_triple_flip]

after hearing what Mark said about people being nasty towards Emilea, I watched the video Emilea posted where she talked about it (Although I have never been on Twitter, I have now found a way of reading it again, and have started regularly visiting @NoNameFace's page again. So thank you to her for commenting about it. I would never have been able to find the video otherwise). And I just can't get my head around why anybody would do that.

I reported some very nasty comments about them on youtube from "fans" of a team that missed out on the final. If they were happy enough doing that I would not be surprised if they would message Zingas also.


(Disclaimer: obviously not all of their fans are like that).

 

[museksk8r]

Well, I still don’t feel well about how this dance event turned out and, if anything, from all the resulting online commentaries and video playbacks, I am even more convinced that Gilles and Poirier were robbed considering how everything played out at the GPF.

My RD standings would be:
1. FB/C
2. G/P
3. C/B
4. F/G

My FD standings would be:
1. G/P
2. FB/C (due to the fall breaking the spell)
3. C/B
4. F/G

Overall:
1. G/P
2. FB/C
3. C/B
4. F/G

There are so many elements where G/P’s GOE was purposefully held down to 2s and 3s and where C/B’s GOE were inflated to 4s and 5s when they should have been 2s and 3s for elements that were really not performed well. Tony’s and Thomas’s (The Skating Session) deep dive into the ice dance event was very enlightening. Shawn Rettstatt and IAM are really politicking super hard for Chock and Bates. I’ve long wondered where is Skate Canada, Michael Slipchuk, and Team G/P (Carol Lane, etc.) to politick for Gilles and Poirier? I truly feel bad for Piper and Paul; the early skate order hurt them here and if the judges had actually rewarded them fairly, they would have won this event due to the fall of Laurence and Guillaume, but for political reasons, the powers that be will not allow that to happen.

Now, if I’m judging a dance event where all these teams deliver their best cleanly with fair levels and GOE, I would rank them as follows:
1. FB/C
2. G/P
3. C/B
4. F/G

With FB/C, it’s easy to see how their quality of skating speaks for itself with their deep edges, speed, high and low planes of movement, extension, and ice coverage. When their elements are performed cleanly, they perform them the best of all the teams. However, no one can convince me that a clean G/P should be losing to F/G ever! This season, C/B have regressed and this competition really proved to me that G/P were blatantly held down and C/B with their slow skating, shallow ice coverage, and clunky elements were unjustly held up. Ice dance judging this season is next level insanity and it’s no wonder it’s making so many fans fall out of love with this sport.

 

[throw_triple_flip]

Well, I still don’t feel well about how this dance event turned out and, if anything, from all the resulting online commentaries and video playbacks, I am even more convinced that Gilles and Poirier were robbed considering how everything played out at the GPF.

My RD standings would be:
1. FB/C
2. G/P
3. C/B
4. F/G

My FD standings would be:
1. G/P
2. FB/C (due to the fall breaking the spell)
3. C/B
4. F/G

Overall:
1. G/P
2. FB/C
3. C/B
4. F/G

There are so many elements where G/P’s GOE was purposefully held down to 2s and 3s and where C/B’s GOE were inflated to 4s and 5s when they should have been 2s and 3s for elements that were really not performed well. Tony’s and Thomas’s (The Skating Session) deep dive into the ice dance event was very enlightening. Shawn Rettstatt and IAM are really politicking super hard for Chock and Bates. I’ve long wondered where is Skate Canada, Michael Slipchuk, and Team G/P (Carol Lane, etc.) to politick for Gilles and Poirier? I truly feel bad for Piper and Paul; the early skate order hurt them here and if the judges had actually rewarded them fairly, they would have won this event due to the fall of Laurence and Guillaume, but for political reasons, the powers that be will not allow that to happen.

Now, if I’m judging a dance event where all these teams deliver their best cleanly with fair levels and GOE, I would rank them as follows:
1. FB/C
2. G/P
3. C/B
4. F/G

With FB/C, it’s easy to see how their quality of skating speaks for itself with their deep edges, speed, high and low planes of movement, extension, and ice coverage. When their elements are performed cleanly, they perform them the best of all the teams. However, no one can convince me that a clean G/P should be losing to F/G ever! This season, C/B have regressed and this competition really proved to me that G/P were blatantly held down and C/B with their slow skating, shallow ice coverage, and clunky elements were unjustly held up. Ice dance judging this season is next level insanity and it’s no wonder it’s making so many fans fall out of love with this sport.

Isn’t there a possibility that biases inform your opinion?

 

[museksk8r]

Isn’t there a possibility that biases inform your opinion?

C’mon, in general, everyone’s opinions are formed by biases, whether conscious or unconscious; that goes for every person on this forum, every person who has ever served on a tech panel and on a judging panel, and every person that has ever existed on planet earth. I have watched these programs multiple times though as well as studied the quality of elements these dancers have displayed this season and I truly believe my rankings are justified with reason and logic. I do adamantly challenge anyone who believes the results from this Grand Prix Final were not politically motivated; the judges’ GOE scores clearly show the result was rigged by an IAM bloc.

 

[dorispulaski]

Well, I would have had FB/C considerably lower.

They are like The original Shaggy Dog story. It is a very long story in the original, but In brief,

A fellow is horribly sad when he finds a shaggy dog at the cemetery after his wife dies.. He adopts the dog and enters the dog in shaggy dog contests at all levels. The dog wins them all. And then the dog is in the World Shaggy Dog Contest.

And the first judge says, "That's a shaggy dog."
The second judge says, "That's a very shaggy dog."
And the third judge says, "That's not a shaggy dog at all."

The most important thing in ice dance is to Dance, just as in a shaggy dog contest, the pet must be a dog.

Dance - verb
"to move one's body rhythmically, usually to music : to engage in or perform a dance"

They glide smoothly and fast, but they have little sense of rhythm at all. They don't dance. They hide this by picking boring, almost beatless music, particularly in the FD. The crowd, which was happy to clap to the rhythm any time there was something to clap to, had a hard time with them.

And they had a fall.

They had been having troubles with twizzles in the morning practice, so their twizzles were not exceptionally fast (as they usually are) in the FD.

Their lifts are way overmarked. All the time.

So I would have had the FD
C&B, especially because of the complex holds in the last step sequence and the lifts.
G&P - They suffer for reusing an FD. same thing happened with C&B with The Snake.
F&G- They aren't as precise as the previous two teams, but they do dance, and the crowd dances with them
All 3 of these teams had a program with a well realized theme/story.

FB/C didn't. 4th in the FD.

Of course, my opinion is just mine. I don't expect anyone to agree.

 

[SkatersWaltz]

Globe and Mail article: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/spo...rier-searching-for-answers-as-judging-clouds/

 

[fenway3]

The most important thing in ice dance is to Dance, just as in a shaggy dog contest, the pet must be a dog. . . .

[FB&C] glide smoothly and fast, but they have little sense of rhythm at all. They don't dance.

Where should a couple's commitment (or lack thereof) to explicitly dance actually show up—in the TES, PCS, or both?