Pairs Free Skate, Sat. 11/19 at 9:30 am EST

[Spun Silver]

I had the page open on my computer so might as well do this now.

Warm-Up Group 1
1 Vanessa JAMES / Morgan CIPRES
FRA
8 44.86
2 Ksenia STOLBOVA / Fedor KLIMOV
RUS
7 48.81
3 Huibo DONG / Yiming WU
CHN
6 49.27
4 Jessica DUBE / Sebastien WOLFE
CAN
5 53.24

Warm-Up Group 2
5 Amanda EVORA / Mark LADWIG
USA
4 57.69
6 Vera BAZAROVA / Yuri LARIONOV
RUS
3 59.06
7 Meagan DUHAMEL / Eric RADFORD
CAN
2 61.06
8 Tatiana VOLOSOZHAR / Maxim TRANKOV
RUS
1 63.69

 

[Tonichelle]

GO AMANDA AND MARK! w00t!!

 

[Nadine]

Let's get ready to Rock (& Roll)!

ps: a little over 15 minutes until it starts, time for me to take break, and get a cup of cocoa.

 

[BackStage Barbie]

Here is the link to my LIVE play-by-play http://backstagebarbie.blogspot.com/2011/11/2011-isu-grand-prix-of-figure-skating_4518.html Praying for good skates all around!

 

[icemusings]

I'll be doing live coverage and commentary at http://icemusings.blogspot.com/2011/11/trophee-eric-bompard-pairs-free-skate.html. Hope they're cleaner than the men were this morning!

 

[Nadine]

I'm really looking forward to seeing that one RUS couple that skated a fierce performance to Bolero yesteday.

 

[Kinga]

Nice effort from the French pair. I liked their costumes too (Meite should look up at Vanessa in terms of costuming and overall look)

 

[Spun Silver]

This couple has some nice qualities, and potential, but they make everything look difficult. I've heard of her (with other partner(s)) for years, but never actually managed to see her before.

He slipped and fell on nothing right before one of their throws. That must have made her a little nervous.

 

[Nadine]

BRAVO, this young French pair really redeemed themselves from yesterday, except for that awkward fall by him on simple stroking (btw she looked scared for him & asked him "are you ok?").

I really like this pair now, they complement each other perfectly, and the height difference is just right. Both tall, lithe, and limber.

 

[Nadine]

Darn, except for that fall at the very end of the performance on the throw jump everything else was splendid.

Lol, I can even forgive her (to some extent) her non-pointed toes & bulky leg line b/c they make everything else so unique, interesting, and beautiful, especially the lifts! Nice change of pace.

 

[sequinsgalore]

Stolbova/Klimov

2FTw - not very high, but ok
3T+2T+2T - she puts hand down on 2nd 2T, doesn't complete combo
3S - she doubles, I think
Li
FCCoSp - off unison
ChSp
Li
3LzTh - hand down
BiDs
PCoSp
Li - he puts her down too early
3STh - she falls

Very messy performance, they need a lot of work...

 

[Spun Silver]

A lot of problems for Stolbova. She got the Paris ... thing.

At the start of the dance I wondered why she's wearing a sleeveless dress, if it's so darn cold out on the Polovstian steppes.

^ Yes, I saw that abbreviated lift. Odd.

 

[Kinga]

Russians - I liked them much better in the SP. Italian commentators say that her body has changed a lot since last year, thus mistakes in jumps and lifts. They show potential in terms of style, but this program does not work for them, IMO. And costuming... Change, please!

 

[sequinsgalore]

Stolbova/Klimov

Score: 88.25, total 137.06 and into 1st

 

[Violet Bliss]

Dong/Wu is very impressive technically.

 

[sequinsgalore]

Dong/Wu

Eurosport effed up, so I misse the first part. What did I miss?

Li
BoDs
FCCoSp - off unison in the end
3LoTh - nice
3STh - also good
Li
PCoSp
ChSp
Li

 

[Nadine]

This Chinese pair's death spiral has to be about one of the ugliest I've ever seen. Seriously, her back does not arch, she's far away from the ice, and those bulky legs & unpointed toes are the worst.

All skaters really need to work on their leg line and toe point.

I consider these last 5 or so years the lost years in pairs skating, really sad, and pathetic.

 

[dorispulaski]

that was one wacked arrangement of Polovetsian Dances.

 

[Spun Silver]

I like Dong and Wu. They elevated the comp with their elegance. It's a nice program with gentle, enveloping music. Love their costumes.

 

[Spun Silver]

This Chinese pair's death spiral has to be about one of the ugliest I've ever seen. Seriously, her back does not arch, she's far away from the ice, and those bulky legs & unpointed toes are the worst.

All skaters really need to work on their leg line and toe point.

I consider these last 5 or so years the lost years in pairs skating, really sad, and pathetic.

Compared to Stolbova, Dong is slim.