Pairs Short Program Play-By-Play

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2018 Winter Olympics - Figure Skating
PAIRS FIGURE SKATING
SHORT PROGRAM​

1 KIM Kyueun / KAM Alex Kang Chan (KOR)

Music: Historia De Un Amor

Red dress / black outfit

2Tw
3STh - she fell
1S* - she singled, he did 3S
3Li - bit slow
PCoSp
StSq
FiDs

Bummer, very shaky skate

SP: 21.04+22.89-1.00 = 42.93, 1/1

 

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Kim / Kam (KOR)

Alright double twist lift, but a rough fall on the throw triple salchow attempt. Only a single salchow from Kim on the side by side jumps. Tentative reverse rotational lift and a tad slow in the combo spin. Footwork sequence actually has a fairly good unison and an adequate death spiral to match.

The fall and the popped jump will hurt their technical score by quite a bit. It's tough going out first in a hometown crowd. I hope they make the free skate but it will require some major mistakes by the next few skaters.

 

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2 ALEXANDROVSKAYA E / WINDSOR H (AUS)

Music: Paint It Black performed by Hidden Citizen

Grey+black costumes

3Tw
3T
3Li
3FTh - tilted, hand down
StSq
FiDs
PCoSp

Had to fight for that throw, the rest was better

SP: 34.70+26.85 = 61.55, 1/2

 

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Alexandrovskaya / Windsor (AUS)

Great triple twist to start with good height, and wonderful sbs 3Ts with good flow-out and height. Strong rotation in the lift. The throw triple flip looked extremely off-center in the air but she somehow got the landing with a slight hand down. A bit rocky in the first half of the step sequence but they got the unison better later on. Smooth death spiral right into a combo spin with decent speed and positions.

That throw triple was quite scary, and they became tight in the footwork right after it. They were very focused and expressionless throughout the performance. But they'll get a lot of extra GOE points on all their other elements with Level 3s and 4s.

 

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3 SUZAKI Miu / KIHARA Ryuichi (JPN)

Music: Yuri on Ice (soundtrack) by Taro Umebayashi

Teal costumes

3Lz
3Tw - low catch
3Li
3STh
PCoSp
StSq
FiDs

Nice solid skate, they give a cautious smile

SP: 32.89+24.85 = 57.74 (PB), 2/3

 

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Suzaki / Kihara (JPN)

Their entrance to the 3Lz is quite different but they were calmly landed still. Slight crash landing on the triple twist. A bit careful on the lift but a clean triple salchow. The positions in the combo spin look a little uncomfortable but they should still be at a high level. Footwork sequence was fully non-touching and had fairly simple steps, but a competent death spiral to end.

I wonder if the bandage on Kihara's wrist was bothering him at all. But this was a better performance than the one at the team event and they should be pleased with that performance.

I'm surprised that Suzaki / Kihara earned a Level 4 on their step sequence (!) since they had no holds, almost like a non-touching ice dancing midline step sequence. Very interesting

 

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4 CONNERS Paige / KRASNOPOLSKI Evgeni (ISR)

Music: Ghost (musical)

Lavender+pink dress / dark blue+lavender shirt, black pants

3Tw
3T
3LzTh
FiDs
3Li
StSq
PCoSp

Needs more polish on inbetweens, but nice clean skate with big elements. She smiles

SP: 34.26+26.09 = 60.35 (PB), 2/4

 

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Conners / Krasnopolski (ISR)

Fair throw triple twist, but that catch wasn't that clean. Sbs 3T done fine but a little out of unison on the landing. Clean throw triple flip into an alright death spiral that could be slightly faster. Smooth reverse rotational lift with clear positions. Step sequence had a decent number of steps but a bit shallow in the depth of edge. Combination was a tad slow as well.

Overall, they could use more speed and more expression to match the Ghost romantic music. But a clean skate that they should be happy with.

 

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5 ZIEGLER Miriam / KIEFER Severin (AUT)

Music: I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) from "Sunshine on Leith" (soundtrack) by Charlie & Craig Reid

Berry dress, yellow hem / white shirt, black pants

3Tw - low catch
3T - he fell
FiDs
PCoSp
3FTh
StSq
3Li

Shame about the two first elements, but the rest was good.

SP: 31.71+28.09-1.00 = 58.80, 3/5

 

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Ziegler / Kiefer (AUT)

A bit of a crash on the throw triple twist. Hard fall from Kiefer on the sbs 3T. Nice tuck into the death spiral. Neat outside edge entry into an fair combo spin. Clean throw triple flip with a slightly high landing but had good height. Smooth step sequence with good energy and a stable lift at the end.

A pleasant and somewhat lively performance of I Would Walk Ten Thousand Miles. Shame on the fall on the side by side and the triple twist wasn't high enough for the catch.

 

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6 DUSKOVA Anna / BIDAR Martin (CZE)

Music: LA 40 (Album: Tango Hereje) performed by The Mozart Tango Players

Purple ombre costumes

3T - he stepout+hand down
3Tw
3Li
3LzTh
FiDs
PCoSp
StSq

Shaky sbs jump, but the rest was high quality. Very good considered they've been out with injury

SP: 34.62+28.63 = 63.25, 1/6

 

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Duskova / Bidar (CZE)

Step-out from Bidar on the sbs 3T. Nice and high on the triple twist. Strong rotation in the lift and a clean throw triple lutz. Continuous speed throughout the death spiral and good centering and positions within the combo spin. Good variety of steps and holds throughout the step sequence.

They had fairly good speed and interesting transitions, particularly at the start. The program had a pleasing progression from Mozart to a more of a argentine tango by the step sequence.

 

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7 ASTAKHOVA Kristina / ROGONOV Alexei (OAR)

Music: Adagio For Strings by William Barber
Lacrimosa (from "Requiem in D Minor") by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
O Fortuna (from "Carmina Burana") by Carl Orff

Dark blue costumes

3S
3Tw
3Li
3FTh
FiDS
StSq
PCoSp

Great skate. Clean! They seem calm

SP: 38.93+31.59 = 70.52 (PB), 1/7

 

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Astakhova / Rogonov (RUS)

Wonderful, clean sbs 3S and fairly good triple twist. Two very strong split positions in the lift, and a decent throw triple flip. Good continuous speed through their death spiral, into a choreographically interesting step sequence particularly when they push away from each time. A bit tight on the combo spin at the end but it had good speed.

I like their speed and drama near the end. They could have more expression and energy in the first half, but the music choice really helped accentuate their power and choreography.

 

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8 HOCKE Annika / BLOMMAERT Ruben (GER)

Music: Big Spender

Black fringe dress / black sheer outfit

3Tw - low landing
3T - he hangs on, almost into boards
3LoTh
FiDs
3Li
StSq
PCoSp

Iffy two first elements, the rest was ok. They hug and nod

SP: 34.61+28.43 = 63.04 (PB), 3/8

 

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Hocke / Blommaert (CHN)

A slight crash on the throw triple twist. Too close to the barrier from Blommaert on the sbs 3T. Brilliant throw 3Lo with great ice distance. Competent death spiral and lift. The step sequence has a lot of variety of steps, but it needs a lot more Fosse jazz to make it sing. An adequate combo spin to finish.

I didn't really feel the snap and vinegar that the music from Sweet Charity has. But the elements were fairly good apart from that awkward landing on the 3T.

 

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9 PENG Cheng / JIN Yang (CHN)

Music: Assassin's Tango (from "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" soundtrack) by John Powell

Red dress / white shirt, black pants

3T - she fell, maybe <
3LoTh
3Tw
FiDs
PCoSp
3Li
StSq

Shame about her fall, they do everything else so well

SP: 33.50+30.11-1.00 = 62.61, 4/9

 

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Peng / Jin (CHN)

Precise posing right at the beginning. Fall on the opening 3T from Peng and hand-down from Jin (looks < from Peng). Wonderfully high throw 3Lo, and fantastic, high triple twist. Good speed in the inside death spiral and very good speed in the combo spin. Strong rotation in the lift and good unison through the step sequence.

This was the best performance of Mr. and Mrs. Smith from Peng/Jin that I've seen this season, despite the fall on the 3T. Sad since the precision and sharpness of their movements was great, though I didn't feel as though they had romantic tension between them really. Hope they still make the Top 16.

 

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10 RYOM Tae Ok / KIM Ju Sik (DPR)

Music: A Day in the Life by Paul McCartney, John Lennon, performed by Jeff Beck

Black/silver costumes

3Tw
3T
3LoTh
PCoSp
3Li
StSq
FiDs

Lovely skate, very nice to see! She fistpumps

SP: 38.79+30.61 = 69.40 (PB), 2/10

 

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Ryom / Kim (PRK)

Great height and catch in the opening triple twist. Great unison on the sbs 3T. Clean throw 3Lo, though it could have more ice coverage and height. Good speed through the combo spin, and a strong lift. I like the interpretive steps in the sequence. Very quick into the death spiral.

Certainly the best they have done in the short program. They have strong elements and their expression was quite apparent to Day in the Life, which is a difficult song to express. Their future looks great so long as they can continue to train outside North Korea.