Pairs free skate | Page 22 | Golden Skate

Pairs free skate

T/T on the podium, V/T with a thrilling skate, and S/S with gold. Pretty phenomenal way for this event to turn out. D/R in the top five means that the coaching team of Marcotte/Gauthier have two top five teams (D/R and T/T). Pretty cool. T/T's reaction best since Sarah Meier's at Euros.
 
Tigger said:
And anyone else that had happened to, where a fall just so severely affected the flow of the program would have been nailed for that and nailed hard at that. That was not a Top 5 performance and shouldn't have happened.
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That perfomance wasn't top 5 it was 6th, actually it was close to being 9th, that's why it's so important to have two good programs. But the short helped keep them in 4th overall.

P/T 118.95
B/L 118.66
D/C 117.89
S/H 116.17
 
ImaginaryPogue said:
T/T on the podium, V/T with a thrilling skate, and S/S with gold. Pretty phenomenal way for this event to turn out. D/R in the top five means that the coaching team of Marcotte/Gauthier have two top five teams (D/R and T/T). Pretty cool. T/T's reaction best since Sarah Meier's at Euros.
Click to expand...

Didn't knw D/R and T/T are training mates. It's weird they gave T/T great programs year after year and just ok programs for D/R. The SP T/T did last year was also spectacular, especially the footstep. Wow!
 
FlattFan said:
Didn't knw D/R and T/T are training mates. It's weird they gave T/T great programs year after year and just ok programs for D/R. The SP T/T did last year was also spectacular, especially the footstep. Wow!
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D/R are slightly newer and less well matched. They can "do" high BV jumps and a level three triple twist which makes them base value monsters (behind S/H in that department), and I love them when they're clean (Nationals LP 2012 was terrific) and Duhamel can light up a universe with her smile (seriously, she can cheer while upside down).

Completely agree with regards to T/T's short last year. That was a stunning piece of choreography. That footwork - so well matched and musical and precise and intricate - well, it's the biggest reason why I don't entirely despise pairs footwork, despite most of it being.... well, not good.
 
The American Pairs split up every year to play musical chairs partners. The Chinese Pairs skate together for 18 years and get married. All yawn worthy compared to the Russians. They can make a fortune with a reality show or sell their stories to soap operas!
 
Oh I give up!!

rain, do you think that Pina could have really shone more if the 6.0 system was still being used? That's one thing about CoP I hate. There's just so much the skaters have to do now, sometimes it's pretty tough to bring something like Pina to the ice now because there's not that much time left in the program to *really* explore something so modern in movement.
 
SkateFiguring said:
The American Pairs split up every year to play musical chairs partners. The Chinese Pairs skate together for 18 years and get married. All yawn worthy compared to the Russians. They can make a fortune with a reality show or sell their stories to soap operas!
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Sounds saucy. I think I would watch it. Not to mention that Tanya and Max are absolutely gorgeous...

Anyway, just watched the pairs.

My favorite programs of the night: S/S (as it has been the case all season long), T/T and K/S The last one is a big surprise to me. I have never been a huge fan of Kavaguti and Sminrov, but I really really loved their performance tonight, mistakes and all. I think Yuko's dress was my absolutely favorite pairs ladies dress (with Narumi's dress in second).

So glad to to see T/T break through. They are such a beautiful pair, with great transitions and posture. But it was hard for me to watch because they could never get the jumps. Tonight, when they hit their jumps, I really could see how great they were. And also I find the relationship between Narumi and Melvin to be so cute. I just love their fist pumps.

As for the Americans, I think they did a decent effort given the deep field. I actually found that I liked Marley and Brubecker must better and agree with many that they have a lot of long-term potential. I think they still need a lot of polish--but they have great speed and I like some of the elements they sprinkled throughout the music. I admire D/C for being strong jumpers, but they have a lot of work on their basics and I actually think despite beating M/B tonight, I can see M/B beating them down the road.

Finally--it was so close between V/T and S/S! But I think the FS placements were right. I'm happy that S/S got their fourth tittle. I think next year is going to be an interesting one. I really see them as the two frontrunners to Sochi.

And the fun part--the bronze is up for grabs. T/T today, but I think it could be any number of pairs — the Canadians (MT-T (so sad they weren't here!) and D/R with their crazy base values), the other Russians....

And I think American pairs have the potential for 3 spots. It will be tough, but I think it can be done, especially if M/B continue to develop and D/C gets some polish.

EDITED: because trankov is not a two-timer :) stupid mistake on my part!
 
Last edited:
Poor SH. They would have medalled if it weren't for the aborted lift. Really bad luck. Love their energy. The standing ovation proves everything.
 
Not going to read through all this nor watch it because I already knew the result beforehand, just wanting to know exactly where the Americans finished at:




FPl. Name Nation Points SP FS
1 Aliona SAVCHENKO / Robin SZOLKOWY GER
201.49 1 2
2 Tatiana VOLOSOZHAR / Maxim TRANKOV RUS
201.38 8 1
3 Narumi TAKAHASHI / Mervin TRAN JPN
189.69 3 3
4 Qing PANG / Jian TONG CHN
186.05 2 6
5 Meagan DUHAMEL / Eric RADFORD CAN
185.41 5 5
6 Vera BAZAROVA / Yuri LARIONOV RUS
183.68 4 7
7 Yuko KAVAGUTI / Alexander SMIRNOV RUS
182.42 11 4
8 Caydee DENNEY / John COUGHLIN USA :) *not bad at all*
180.37 7 8
9 Wenjing SUI / Cong HAN CHN
179.44 6 9
10 Mary Beth MARLEY / Rockne BRUBAKER USA *ditto* :)
170.90 10 10
11 Stefania BERTON / Ondrej HOTAREK ITA
168.16 9 11
12 Jessica DUBE / Sebastien WOLFE CAN
156.36 12 12
13 Maylin HAUSCH / Daniel WENDE GER
145.80 15 13
14 Mari VARTMANN / Aaron VAN CLEAVE GER
143.29 16 14
15 Nicole DELLA MONICA / Matteo GUARISE ITA
137.31 14 15
16 Vanessa JAMES / Morgan CIPRES FRA
130.70 13 16
17 Danielle MONTALBANO / Evgeni KRASNOPOLSKI ISR
FNR 17
18 Anais MORAND / Timothy LEEMANN SUI
FNR 18
19 Stacey KEMP / David KING GBR
FNR 19
20 Ji Hyang RI / Won Hyok THAE PRK
FNR 20



Despite all the politics the American Pairs did themselves proud, and at this rate they may just one day bring back 3 spots for the Pairs, most likely after the next Olympics though, as to be expected.

Now I hope this lights a fire underneath Gretchen Donlan & Andrew Speroff the most! :rock: :love: :party:
 
I see that some of the folks here have been pretty harsh towards SH compared to TT. I do admit T/T has some more polished elements compared to SH due to the age gap, and SH have many work to do as they are much younger than TT. But don't use this as an excuse for your harshness towards them. At the age of 13 or 14? They have already done such a wonderful job. The audience love them. Many of us love them. Figure skating are composed of two parts : tech and pcs. Tech is the basis. While you are attacking SH for their immaturity on the pcs aspect, the fans of SH could also attack TT for their inconsistency on the jumps. But we didn't do so. Because we know how to respect others. Don't inflict any argument becasue we would defend our loved athletes from such impolite accusation. Mind your own business pls.
 
Err, not the same.
S/H got inexplicable high PCS.
T/T got low TES when they don't perform. And they deserved their low TES, so there's nothing to attack there.

If S/H got appropriate PCS, no one would say a thing.
 
After 2008, Canadians all thought D/D would contend for a medal at the 2010 Vancouver and it didn't pan out at all.
I wonder if Japanese are expecting something similar for T/T?

Will they become the world champion some day like S/S or will they become the D/D of figure skating?
 
cutesonic said:
I see that some of the folks here have been pretty harsh towards SH compared to TT. I do admit T/T has some more polished elements compared to SH due to the age gap, and SH have many work to do as they are much younger than TT. But don't use this as an excuse for your harshness towards them. At the age of 13 or 14? They have already done such a wonderful job. The audience love them. Many of us love them. Figure skating are composed of two parts : tech and pcs. Tech is the basis. While you are attacking SH for their immaturity on the pcs aspect, the fans of SH could also attack TT for their inconsistency on the jumps. But we didn't do so. Because we know how to respect others. Don't inflict any argument becasue we would defend our loved athletes from such impolite accusation. Mind your own business pls.
Click to expand...

The age is irrelevant.

The accuracy of judging isn't. When T/T screw up the jumps, they get dinged for it. When S/S skate sloppily with fast hand gestures and attitude to disguise the lack of basic skating excellence, they get gifted for it. That is a difference worth noting.

re: D/D - I thought about that, and could see it. D/D didn't have the greatest relationship, off-ice, whereas T/T seem to. D/D had massive injury problems to deal with as well.
 
rain said:
You seem to take anything less than effusive praise for S/S as a personal insult. That's not really a great way to start a discussion.

I only brought up my feelings about their program because I do think it's refreshing to see a more modern dance style explored in figure skating. We don't see it often. However, if this is the epitome of what can be achieved in terms of a modern dance/skating fusion, I think that's a shame. I just don't think S/S ever really quite "got it" and held it through an entire performance. As I said in my initial post, I'm sure having to perform the elements had something to do with that. I don't think it is a bad program (on the contrary) or that S/S performed it badly — I simply don't think it ever achieved all that it could be. I don't think it achieved that "masterpiece" status.

You, it seems, have a different opinion. Good for you. That doesn't negate my right to mine. Or the judges to theirs, for that matter. For you, this piece is perfection. For me, it was close, but no cigar.
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Yes, it is quite refreshing for a pairs team to try something risky and different. I give S/S and S a great deal of credit for what they have attempted and accomplished with Pina. OTOH, it is you who refer to "perfection," not me. Altho' I think S/S Pina is a mini-masterpiece, I never mentioned the word, "perfection." I agree that it would be interesting to see the concept/ choreography for Pina further explored, but I think it might give S/S and S more freedom to explore the work in an exhibition format, rather than bring it back for competition again next season. It is always interesting to see what programs S/S and S will choose for a new season.

I dislike the way in some quarters IMO S/S are not fully appreciated and recognized for their accomplishments and impact on the sport, however I am unconcerned regarding your reference to "anything less than effusive praise for S/S." IMHO, that is more like what ubers of Patrick Chan and V/M seem to become overwrought about.

Good for you too, rain, for expressing your opinions. However, you never mentioned exactly where you think S/S Pina "was meant to go." I agree with Tigger that there is not a lot of time under CoP to explore unique movements, so I think the work S/S and S have done with Pina, while perhaps it is not a complete and full masterpiece, it is a remarkable and winning effort. I disagree with your point about "crispness," because I think the movement style S/S were inspired by in the tribute film and in the work of Pina Bausch, has little to do with "crispness" and more to do with unpredictability and unexpectedness. You may have a point about the need for more "commitment" in their movements, but I think any perceived lack of that may ironically be due to the conflicting themes inherent within the movement style of Pina Bausch that S/S are seeking to express on ice (a surface that presents an additional layer of strictures and complications).
 
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