Compulsory Dance Results

[eleonora.d]

Caro must have had a really bad practice?

This is definetely offensive.

I was able to watch the whole cd : this finnstep is not easy at all!
Domnina / Shabalin were maybe too much self confident.
Khoklova Novitski look good and I hope they'll get the gold medal.

Faiella Scali danced the best finnstep by far, it was quite clear they are the ones who understood better than anyone how to perform and interpret a finnstep. Too bad Massimo slightly lost his balance at the end of a twizzle. Anyway they look in great shape.
My fav couple, Cappellini / Lanotte, quite underscored as usual.
It was a bit sad watching Schonfelder sitting and watching the competition :/

 

[lmarie086]

Wow, this sounds like a really hard compulsory! I can't wait to see some videos of it...
I hope Kerrs can stay in podium position. I'd really like to see them and Pechalat/Bourzat on the podium.

 

[dorispulaski]

I don't understand how you can end up with such an opinion with the other Italian team's placement.

Faiella and Scalli really deserved that result.

I've watched most of the top10 of the CD's so far, and all of them had visible mistakes of one sort or another, The worst mistakes were F&S and DomShabs. Actually Hoffman and Zavozin should perhaps be a little higher-in retrospect, they suffered from having skated so early and their small errors were not as bad as some skaters that were placed above them.

And while I've never been a big fan of the DomShabs, I'll defend their 5th place. The staging with popping the cork on a bottle and pouring champagne and dancing was great, just right for the Finnstep. And the other segments of the dance, other than the part where he fell were very good indeed. Indeed it was very similar to B&A last year. B&A's first circuit of the Argentine was absolutely topnotch...until they fell.

COP scoring has the different segments scored separately, so if you have 7 top notch segments and 1 really bad segment, plus a -1 deduction for a fall, you can still get a pretty good score. So with the DomShabs today.

In fact, I'd have F&S nearly as low since Scali not only stumbled in that segment, he missed several steps there in the midst of the stumble, nearly as bad as DomShabs without the deduction. And the other segments were all of them worse than DomShabs.

 

[kate]

Wow, this sounds like a really hard compulsory! I can't wait to see some videos of it...

It's not really that hard, but it is very new. Coaches don't really know how to coach it, skaters don't know what the judges will be looking for, etc. Most of these teams have competed each of the senior compulsories (with the exception of maybe the Midnight Blues) at least half a dozen times each, but for all of them this was their first time with this.

 

[herios]

Videos are up on youtube thanks to "whitecrowagain" Yay!

I jumped to see Hofman and Zavozin, after that Pechalat / Bourzat and I was the very first viewer of this one

 

[casken]

Just watched the top 10 CDs and I really feel for the judges becuase I struggled picking out which teams I would have placed where. In fact my scores for the top 8 wouldn't have been more the a couple of points apart becuase everybody had little issues here or there and I really didn't know what I should value over what.

I probably would have had D&S first had they not fallen, but only by a small margin over K&N, becuase even though it wasn't as powerful as K&N it seemed to me to have the best combo of speed, polish, and closeness. I do wonder how much the champagne opening was influenced by the fact that Del/Schoe are becoming known for doing a concept/story for their CD.

Kerrs were far better in this CD than they were in the waltz at SA where I thought they were lucky to be third and really should have been fifth at best. I was all prepared to be annoyed at them being ahead of P&B but they were actually better then them here.

I kept rewinding to find this almost fall that Scali supposedly had but all I noticed was a balance check at the end that was no worse than almost all the couples seemed too have at one time or another in the dance. They seem to be the new team for everybody to pile on, so I guess they have officially arrived. Congrats F&S!

I can see why Rakhamo & Kokko liked Carron&Jost. The first sequence was excellent and had the lightness and bounce that R&K's OD had, but I thought the second sequence suffered noticeably in comparison.

In general I really didn't care for the Finstep, even when I saw it demonstrated by Winkler/Lohse, and wouldn't mind if we never saw it again. To much hopping and stopping for my tastes.

 

[SamuraiKike]

I'm not too familiar with CDs but just been watching a few of the finnsteps and is already my fave!! well maybe behind the Golden Waltz..

Wasn't this supposed to be a sold out event?? the arena was almost empty

 

[MarieM]

I meant it the other way around : the judges held the PCS of all other teams back to protect DomShab.

Gwendal was doing the commentary on french Eurosport, and he was just annoyed with the marks received by DomShab, Kerrs and F&S.
The Kerrs were out of unison all the way through it and out of tempo most of the time.
F&S were out of tempo in the second passage and made visible bobbles here and there on the required steps.
DomShab were out of tempo all from the very beginning, but their command on the ice was unparalleled.
He liked C&J the best of all, and C&L the second because, despite what they do is small, she is in a class of her own.
He said P&B were way undermarked, compared to the Kerrs or F&S.

I would agree with him on nearly everything. But I disagree when he doesn't say he likes diva Jana

 

[zandor]

According hungarian tv Domnina and Shabalin had withdrawn because of injury

 

[MissIzzy]

British Eurosport is saying the same.

 

[beep_beep]

According hungarian tv Domnina and Shabalin had withdrawn because of injury

Oh, boy...
British eurosport is sayin it too...

 

[sillylionlove]

Does anyone know what the injury is and what the implications are for worlds??

 

[lmarie086]

DomShabs really cannot catch a break...could it be possible that they may just retire? I'd hate for that to happen but with his knees I almost think that would be for the best.

 

[Eevun]

Sad.... I had looked forward to see them this year

This makes a great opportunity for Kerrs to medal!!

 

[mycelticblessing]

DomShabs really cannot catch a break...could it be possible that they may just retire? I'd hate for that to happen but with his knees I almost think that would be for the best.

I'd hate for them to retire at this time too. The Olympics would be less exciting without them. Hopefully his knee would have recovered by next season. Looking at their Grand Prix programs, it's apparent that his knee is still really bothering him. I'm starting to think it would have been better if they had sat this season out altogether and wait for the knee to fully recover first. When Oksana was interviewed at CoR, she did mention that his knee was still injured, but they felt that they needed the competition to have a better preperation for the Olympics. Now it seems like this is backfiring on them.

 

[icedancedevotee]

When Oksana was interviewed at CoR, she did mention that his knee was still injured, but they felt that they needed the competition to have a better preperation for the Olympics. Now it seems like this is backfiring on them.

Well, it doesn't look to be backfiring with the judges! No question his injury is serious, and I certainly feel bad for ANY person in pain, don't get me wrong. But it sure seems like they get much higher scores than just about any other team would for the quality they're currently exhibiting. I just don't get it. Most teams that fall in the compulsory dance would be a heck of a lot lower than fifth.

Before anyone gets mad, I blindly skipped to the end of the thread before reading that Domnina/Shabalin had withdrawn. I now have better context for the statement that they "just can't catch a break."

 

[herios]

Well, it doesn't look to be backfiring with the judges! No question his injury is serious, and I certainly feel bad for ANY person in pain, don't get me wrong. But it sure seems like they get much higher scores than just about any other team would for the quality they're currently exhibiting. I just don't get it. Most teams that fall in the compulsory dance would be a heck of a lot lower than fifth.
."

Yes, I am getting mad, because people are not objective. I agree, they were held up, but so were Belbin and Agosto in Gothenburg, they were treated similarly, it is called "Protocol", how quickly we forget!

Anyway, they can't catch a break, because Maxim did not listen in December 2007 to the doctors, he was told to rest after his surgery in December for minimum 6 weeks and they returned to compete at the Euros in Zagreb after only 4 weeks, since than they are on most off the ice than on!

Here is a link from Washington Post

http://tinyurl.com/de2qlc

 

[icedancedevotee]

Yes, I am getting mad, because people are not objective. I agree, they were held up, but so were Belbin and Agosto in Gothenburg, they were treated similarly, it is called "Protocol", how quickly we forget!http://tinyurl.com/de2qlc

I'm sorry if my comment about Domnina/Shabalin made you mad. I do agree with you that Belbin/Agosto were held up a little in the standings at 2008 Worlds; no question about it. It happens with other skaters, too. I'm just frustrated in general with the kinds of marks Domnina/Shabalin receive, not necessarily or only in reference to 2009 Europeans. They are held up all the time!

Granted, I am not an expert in the technicalities of ice dance; I am the first to admit that. It just seems that a lot of people, in this forum at least, find them slow, sloppy, and puzzling in their musical choices. What amazes me is that Khoklova/Novitski still have the air of being second-best to Domnina/Shabalin in Russia, when they've been much more successful in at least the last two seasons. Personally, I don't care for Khoklova/Novitski's style, but when they skate well, I want to see them get rewarded--and get respect. I have personal favorites, and it would be NICE if they always won, but I truly want the best skaters, with the best performances, to win.

I just sense that no matter what happens the rest of this season, and in the beginning of next season, the judges are going to give Domnina/Shabalin the Olympic gold. If Maxim's injury is that severe--and I hope that it's NOT, for the poor guy's own sake--the Olympics may be the only competition we'll see them in, but I bet I know the outcome!

 

[herios]

I'm sorry if my comment about Domnina/Shabalin made you mad. I do agree with you that Belbin/Agosto were held up a little in the standings at 2008 Worlds; no question about it. It happens with other skaters, too. I'm just frustrated in general with the kinds of marks Domnina/Shabalin receive, not necessarily or only in reference to 2009 Europeans. They are held up all the time!

Granted, I am not an expert in the technicalities of ice dance; I am the first to admit that. It just seems that a lot of people, in this forum at least, find them slow, sloppy, and puzzling in their musical choices. What amazes me is that Khoklova/Novitski still have the air of being second-best to Domnina/Shabalin in Russia, when they've been much more successful in at least the last two seasons. Personally, I don't care for Khoklova/Novitski's style, but when they skate well, I want to see them get rewarded--and get respect. I have personal favorites, and it would be NICE if they always won, but I truly want the best skaters, with the best performances, to win.

I just sense that no matter what happens the rest of this season, and in the beginning of next season, the judges are going to give Domnina/Shabalin the Olympic gold. If Maxim's injury is that severe--and I hope that it's NOT, for the poor guy's own sake--the Olympics may be the only competition we'll see them in, but I bet I know the outcome!

Yes, they are held up sometimes, but not all the time. At COR, exactly at home, they were put behind Kokhlova / Novitki and Davis / White in the FD, and rightfully so. Where it was very clear they were held up was the GPF.


Why would everybody think they are the sure candidates for Gold in the Olympic games, like they would need only to show up it puzzles me. That is one of the most ridicoulous ideas I have ever heard. Where is this coming from ? Delobel and Schonfelder defeated them hands down at GPF for example, they were undefeated up to now this year and they are the World champs. Right now, until Isabel is coming back to compete they look to me the front runners. Also do not forget Virtue and Moir next year will skate at home. if they will skate at least as well as Domnina / Shabalin, do you think the judges will gamble to put them behind Domnina / Shabalin ? I would not believe that could happen after Salt Lake City,

 

[icedancedevotee]

Why would everybody think they are the sure candidates for Gold in the Olympic games, like they would need only to show up it puzzles me. That is one of the most ridicoulous ideas I have ever heard. Where is this coming from ? Delobel and Schonfelder defeated them hands down at GPF for example, they were undefeated up to now this year and they are the World champs. Right now, until Isabel is coming back to compete they look to me the front runners. Also do not forget Virtue and Moir next year will skate at home. if they will skate at least as well as Domnina / Shabalin, do you think the judges will gamble to put them behind Domnina / Shabalin ? I would not believe that could happen after Salt Lake City,

Where is it coming from? I'm not entirely sure. It does seem to me that dance, of all the four disciplines, is the one that still suffers from reputation, rather than actual performance, getting the marks. I HOPE you're right, that's it's ridiculous to think that Domnina/Shabalin need only to show up to win Olympic gold; however, I don't think it's ridiculous, I think that's the way it's set up, and unless they have a COMPLETE meltdown (e.g., forget how to skate the program halfway through or fall fifteen times), they'll win.

I think Delobel's unfortunate and unfortunately-timed injury gives the judges the perfect excuse to knock them down off the top; Virtue's injury gives them an excuse to keep from PUTTING them on the top. As far as Virtue/Moir being placed behind Domnina/Shabalin at the OG, presuming both teams skate their absolute best, I think that's exactly what could happen. Sure, the Canadian crowd will hate it and go nuts, maybe even more nuts than the SLC crowd did in 2002, but the judges certainly could do it. In SLC, there were only two marks--technical and presentation--for the crowd to point at and be critical of; now, with the new system, the total score is broken down into so many components that one can seemingly justify about any result. Besides, look at the track record of Russian versus Canadian dance teams at the Olympics. . . .