Pairs Short Program Play-By-Play

[sequinsgalore]

11 MOORE-TOWERS K / MARINARO M (CAN)

Music: Sweet Dreams performed by Terez Montcalm
Sweet Dreams performed by Escala

Red Dress / black outfit with red lapels

3Tw
3LoTh
2T - he pop (hand down), she did 3T
StSq
3Li
FiDs
PCoSp

Oh no, costly mistake on sbs jump from him! Strained smile from both

SP: 34.46+31.22 = 65.68, 3/11

 

[draqq]

Moore-Towers / Marinaro (CAN)

Nice ice coverage on the triple twist and a squeaky clean throw 3Lo. Only a 2T from Marinaro on the side-by-side with a hand down. Good flow in the step sequence and a wonderful Bobrova-like dismount on the lift. And a fairly strong combo spin with fast and centered positions.

Artistically, I liked the end of the program with the more dramatic music than the first half. I felt like the step sequence and technical elements didn't emphasize much, though they had good power and flow. That popped jump is going to hurt.

 

[sequinsgalore]

12 YU Xiaoyu / ZHANG Hao (CHN)

Music: Swan Lake by Petr I. Tchaikovski

White dress / black outfit

3T
3Tw
FiDs
StSq
3LoTh
3Li
PCoSp

Lovely elegant skate. They seem pleased and hug

SP: 42.10+33.48 = 75.58 (PB), 1/12

 

[draqq]

Yu / Zhang (CHN)

Solid sbs 3T and wondrously high triple twist. Step sequence improved from the team event with better attention to the phrasing of the music. Stuck that throw 3Lo. Like how the rotation of the lift went right with the music and that the low combo spin fit with the music as well.

I'm actually impressed by them having the throw triple not be in the first three elements like most teams. This is the best I've seen them perform Swan Lake and be very much in tune with the shades of the music, as much as Zhang doesn't have a lot of balletic training of course. Still, they should move into the first place so far.

 

[sequinsgalore]

13 SCIMECA KNIERIM A / KNIERIM C (USA)

Music: Come What May (Moulin Rouge soundtrack)

Off-white sparkly dress / dark blue outfit

3Tw - grab his neck on landing
3S - he stepout
PCoSp
3FTh - hand down
StSq
3Li
FiDs

Not their best, had to fight for several elements

SP: 34.18+31.37 = 65.55, 5/13

 

[draqq]

Scimeca Knierim / Knierim (USA)

Slightly rough landing on the triple twist but very high. A little step-out from him on the sbs 3T. Good rotation after the change foot in the spin. A slight hand-down from her on the throw 3F. Nice curves and edgework through the step sequence. Smooth lift with an interesting twist exist and a solid death spiral.

Not their best with slight errors on many of the major elements. I hope that doesn't take them out of the top 16, but those PCS should be high enough.

 

[sequinsgalore]

14 SEGUIN Julianne / BILODEAU Charlie (CAN)

Music: Everybody Wants to Rule the World performed by Lorde

Black+silver fringe dress / grey+black ombre outfit

3Tw - ok, bit on his shoulder
3S
3Li
FiDs
3FTh - hand down
StSq
PCoSp

Hand down on throw, but otherwise solid skate. They nod

SP: 35.63+31.89 = 67.52 (SB), 4/15

 

[draqq]

Seguin / Bilodeau (CAN)

Nice triple twist right with the music. Clean sbs 3S. Very smooth rotation in the lift but a little glitch on the landing. Good tuck into the death spiral. Hand down on the throw 3Lz. A bit slow in the circular step sequence but a good number of steps.

I like their music choice with how dark this version of Everybody Wants to Rule the World. I'm not sure if they are as darkly dramatic as the music, but they were fairly clean with every element apart from that throw. They should make the qualification as well.

 

[sequinsgalore]

15 JAMES Vanessa / CIPRES Morgan (FRA)

Music: Make It Rain by Foy Vance performed by Ed Sheeran arranged by Maxime Rodriguez

Blue dress / dark jacket, black pants

3Tw
3S
3Li
3FTh
FiDs
StSq
PCoSp

Yay, great clean skate! She seems emotional

SP: 40.67+34.67 = 75.34, 2/15

 

[draqq]

James / Cipres (FRA)

Wonderful catch in the triple twist. Great three turns into the sbs 3S. Great positions in the lift right to the crescendo of the music. Good flow-out from the throw 3F and clear death spiral. Very attentive footwork to the music, especially those twizzles on the beat of the guitar riff. Blurry speed in the combo spin in the low position and ending on the beat of the music.

Everything was executed the best this pair could possible have done! Brilliant job! I hope this goes into first place but they should be very close to the Chinese pair.

 

[sequinsgalore]

16 DELLA MONICA N / GUARISE M (ITA)

Music: Magnificat by Marco Frisina performed by Mina

Grey/white/pink ombre costumes

3S
3Tw
3LoTh
3Li
FiDs
StSq
PCoSp

Another clean skate, they seem happy and hug

SP: 40.41+33.59 = 74.00 (PB), 3/16

 

[draqq]

Della Monica / Guarise (ITA)

Clean, very strong sbs 3S and a proficient triple twist. Great landing on the throw 3Lo. Seamless lift right into an inside death spiral with fairly good rotation. Good body lines and unison in the step sequence and a balanced combo spin.

I still don't care for the music, but I like their technical quality in each of the elements. I feel like this choice is rather one-dimensional and I think the program needed to be more exuberant for it to resonate. But a very lovely, mature, and clean performance.

 

[sequinsgalore]

17 SUI Wenjing / HAN Cong (CHN)

Music: Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen, performed by K.D. Lang

Dark red dress / dark blue outfit

3T
3FTh
3Tw
PCoSp
StSq
3Li
FiDs

YAS! Slay, clean skate for my faves! They hug

SP: 44.49+37.90 = 82.39 (PB), 1/17

 

[draqq]

Sui / Han (CHN)

Solid landings on the sbs 3T. Textbook height and elongated throw 3F. Briilliant one-handed triple twist. Wonderful speed in the combo spin with multidirectional positions. Expressive step sequence and new, interesting entry into the lift. And a fantastic spread eagle lift that would fit in ice dance right into the final spin.

WOW! Well, they just threw down the gauntlet. That was an Olympic Gold-worthy short program. Gorgeous and memorable!

 

[sequinsgalore]

18 MARCHEI Valentina / HOTAREK Ondrej (ITA)

Music: Tu vuo fa l'Americano by Renato Carosone

Red dot dress / white shirt, black pants

3S
3Tw - bit wobbly landing, hand on his back
3LzTh
3Li
FiDs
PCoSp
StSq

Such a great fun skate. She seems so happy!

SP: 40.36+34.14 = 74.50 (PB), 4/18

 

[draqq]

Marchei / Hotarak (ITA)

Wonderful sbs 3S to start. Okay tripel twist that could have more height and a faster landing. Clean throw 3Lo and a nice through-the-legs exit on the lift. Good death spiral right into the combo spin, which could have little more speed. Extremely fun step sequence with energy to spare.

What a great performance! Some of the technical elements could be stronger, sure, but that was lively, exuberant, and effervescent! Fantastic blend of technique and humor!

 

[sequinsgalore]

19 DUHAMEL Meagan / RADFORD Eric (CAN)

Music: With Or Without You by U2 performed by April Meservy ft. Aaron Edson

Dark blue costumes

3Tw
3Lz - ok, unison bit off
3LzTh - ok, bit twofoot?
FiDs
3Li
PCoSp
StSq

Cleanish skate, though nitpick is quality was not as good as Sui/Han on twist, sbs and throw

SP: 41.26+35.56 = 76.82, 2/19

 

[draqq]

Duhamel / Radford (CAN)

Solid catch in the triple twist. Completed sbs 3Lz, a little out of unison. Good landing on the throw 3Lz (looks like a little bit of a tap of the landing foot actually on replay), and fantastic speed through the death spiral. Strong rotation in the reverse rotational lift and fantastic speed through the multidirectional combo spin to the music. Good flow through the step sequence.

That's pretty much the best they could have skated that program. I wish there was more connection between them and that those triple lutzes were better timed. I'm not sure if this music is the absolute best for this pair, but that was a very solid bid for the bronze position.

 

[draqq]

Zabiiako / Enbert (RUS)

Nice height on their triple twist, could cover more distance. Clean sbs 3T with fairly good speed going into it. Pretty much clean on the throw 3Lo and a smooth lift and death spiral to match. Pleasant step sequence and good speed through the combo spin.

Another clean performance today! It was romantically nice... very, well, nice. But only that.

 

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20 ZABIIAKO Natalia / ENBERT Alexander (OAR)

Music: The Summer Knows (from “Summer of 42”) by Michel Legrand

Lavender+pink ombre dress / blue blouse, teal pants

3Tw
3T
3LoTh
3Li
FiDs
StSq
PCoSp

Nice clean skate, if a bit bland

SP: 40.13+34.22 = 74.35 (PB), 6/20