Pairs' Short Program

[skatingfan04]

Moskvina always makes sure that K/S always have all high-level elements, while D/D's elements as a whole are judged a bit lower than the top teams (except Pang/Tong) in terms of levels. In addition, K/S's basic skating and flow has really improved by leaps and bounds - they appear to be sufficiently faster than D/D now so that the judges judged them higher on PCS.

Thanks.

 

[Fredegunda]

I was pleasantly surprised by Z/Z. I last saw their skating at Torino and wasn't very impressed, but they seemed much smoother tonight. Their spins seemed better than I remembered in terms of unison and speed - have they been working on spins specially?

Mukhortova/Trankov remind me of TT/MM, I am interested to see how they will develop.

 

[Fredegunda]

who the hell is controlling those camera angles ?

Are you watching Eurosport? The Dutch commentator said once that they get local cameramen to do the work. If so, maybe it is because the Swedes are unaccustomed to filming figure skating.

Stadium looks pretty full, especially for just Pairs SPs. Yay Sweden! I hope they really come alive for the medal performances.

Crown Princess Victoria is there too!

 

[_Ladybug_]

P/T didn't do enough to land on first

 

[mizu_iro]

Missed the OES teams, but have found a sufficiently steady feed to watch P/T on...

Pang/Tong
O Doux Printemps d'Autrefois
Black, light blue outfits with some weird gold embellishments

Want them to do well...
SBS 3T, he had a wild landing (*sigh*)
3Twist, high and secure
Throw 3R, best of the competition
SBS steps, not the fastest but goes to music
SBS spins, in sync but not the fastest
Lasso lift, good
Death spiral with change-of-hand, slows
Pairs spin to close, consistent speed

Not bad, but they could have been better. I predict 5th behind D/D.

 

[MissIzzy]

Crown Princess Victoria is there too!

Yep, and stuck sitting next to Speedy! Occupational hazard for royalty, I guess.

 

[rjulie510]

Right, but I have to think she'll fold under the pressure the Russian Skating Fed will put on her. I mean why bother starting a serious competitive relationship under the name Russia if you don't plan on skating at the Olympics?

I tend to agree. I think Yuko will not be able to give up a chance to skate at the olympics, therefore she will give up Japanese citizenship to get Russian citizenship. And we all know once Yuko makes up her mind, Piseev will do everything in his power to make sure she gets Russian citizenship on time for the Vancouver Olympics.

I'm a fan of Kawaguchi/Smirnov, and I'm happy to see the progress they made this season. It looks like Moskvina magic is still working.

 

[beep_beep]

Yep, and stuck sitting next to Speedy! Occupational hazard for royalty, I guess.

poor girl...

 

[mizu_iro]

Yep, Pang/Tong are behind Dube/Davison by less than a point.
Final Standings:

1 Dan ZHANG / Hao ZHANG CHN 74.36 43.50 30.86 7.96 7.57 7.82 7.64 7.57 0.00 #12
2 Aliona SAVCHENKO / Robin SZOLKOWY GER 72.00 40.75 31.25 7.86 7.61 7.86 7.86 7.86 0.00 #1
3 Yuko KAWAGUCHI / Alexander SMIRNOV RUS 71.42 42.28 29.14 7.29 7.04 7.32 7.39 7.39 0.00 #15
4 Jessica DUBE / Bryce DAVISON CAN 68.66 40.52 28.14 6.96 6.82 7.11 7.14 7.14 0.00 #9
5 Qing PANG / Jian TONG CHN 67.87 37.58 30.29 7.57 7.43 7.61 7.61 7.64 0.00 #21
6 Maria MUKHORTOVA / Maxim TRANKOV RUS 64.09 36.94 27.15 6.79 6.61 6.86 6.93 6.75 0.00 #10
7 Meagan DUHAMEL / Craig BUNTIN CAN 60.01 36.25 23.76 6.14 5.75 5.96 5.93 5.93 0.00 #14
8 Tatiana VOLOSOZHAR / Stanislav MOROZOV UKR 59.53 35.17 25.36 6.50 6.18 6.39 6.43 6.21 1.00 #3
9 Anabelle LANGLOIS / Cody HAY CAN 59.43 35.27 24.16 6.11 5.82 6.11 6.04 6.11 0.00 #16
10 Rena INOUE / John BALDWIN USA 53.83 30.74 24.09 6.32 5.75 6.04 6.11 5.89 1.00 #2
11 Huibo DONG / Yiming WU CHN 50.49 30.88 19.61 5.39 4.68 4.93 4.89 4.64 0.00 #7
12 Brooke CASTILE / Benjamin OKOLSKI USA 49.59 27.31 22.28 5.68 5.43 5.61 5.64 5.50 0.00 #4
13 Stacey KEMP / David KING GBR 44.28 26.97 17.31 4.50 4.14 4.32 4.39 4.29 0.00 #19
14 Laura MAGITTERI / Ondrej HOTAREK ITA 42.18 25.75 17.43 4.50 4.21 4.32 4.39 4.36 1.00 #6
15 Hayley Anne SACKS / Vadim AKOLZIN ISR 41.96 25.73 16.23 4.18 3.82 4.04 4.18 4.07 0.00 #11
16 Adeline CANAC / Maximin COIA FRA 41.75 24.52 18.23 4.61 4.43 4.57 4.64 4.54 1.00 #17
17 Dominika PIATKOWSKA / Dmitri KHROMIN POL 38.32 23.43 16.89 4.43 4.04 4.32 4.21 4.11 2.00 #18
18 Marina AGANINA / Dmitri ZOBNIN UZB 35.24 20.39 14.85 3.89 3.50 3.75 3.71 3.71 0.00 #8
19 Ariel Fay GAGNON / Chad TSAGRIS GRE 33.34 19.17 14.17 3.79 3.32 3.64 3.57 3.39 0.00 #13
20 Amy IRELAND / Michael BAHORIC CRO 26.57 15.89 10.68 2.96 2.57 2.75 2.64 2.43 0.00 #20

 

[Wrlmy]

So happy K&S did so well

 

[Kinga]

I was pleasantly surprised by Z/Z. I last saw their skating at Torino and wasn't very impressed, but they seemed much smoother tonight. Their spins seemed better than I remembered in terms of unison and speed - have they been working on spins specially?

I agree that they are better than usually, but still, I dont think that it is gold-medal skate in terms of presentation. We see what happens tomorrow.

As for K/S - maybe technically they were better than D/D but I liked D/D so much more! I still have the feeling that K/S don't match so well and that their skate is a bit mechanical...

 

[gio]

Zhang/Zhang have improved a lot. All three Canadian couples were good (especially Dube/Davidson) and Kawaguchi/Smirnov too.

Happy to see all those pleasing surprises!!!

 

[Medusa]

I love Kawaguchi/Smirnov. And actually I don't know why, they are not very smooth or soft on the ice (as e.g. Totmianina/Marinin later in their career or Savchenko/Szolkowy), their programs seem a bit disconnected at times, they don't have this romantic flair that Salé/Pelletier or Dubé/Davison have - but I always want them to do well. They are just cute and - I don't know. My heartrate certainly increased when it was their turn, that didn't happen with any other pair. But - no worries today . Wouldn't it be great if they made the podium? Okay, I stop dreaming right here... But you'll never know, if they land that stupid Quad and go clean for the first time in this season...

 

[fumie_fumie]

I agree that they are better than usually, but still, I dont think that it is gold-medal skate in terms of presentation. We see what happens tomorrow.

As for K/S - maybe technically they were better than D/D but I liked D/D so much more! I still have the feeling that K/S don't match so well and that their skate is a bit mechanical...

The K/S's LP will be their undoing. I would think they will be back to where they belong after LP.

The "Love Story" is not a love story after all.

 

[Bruin714]

Us

A dismal Worlds for the Americans so far ... Evan's out, B&A's fall, I&B's 10th currently ............... Let's hope it all turns around tomorrow!

 

[Wrlmy]

The K/S's LP will be their undoing. I would think they will be back to where they belong after LP.

The "Love Story" is not a love story after all.

Where do they belong? But sadly, I agree.. I think D&D, K&S, P&T will be fighting for bronze. I'm torn. I think D&D had the best skate of the day, and K&S are my favorite. P&T is my favorite Chinese pair and would love to see them overtake Zhangs for the third time in a row.

 

[museksk8r]

The K/S's LP will be their undoing. I would think they will be back to where they belong after LP.

The "Love Story" is not a love story after all.

Goodness, that's harsh! Programs are open to many different interpretations and means of expression. Clearly, the judges think "they belong" where they are as long as they skate well and I agree. I wish for Kawaguchi/Smirnov terrific skating . . . I them!!

 

[luckyguy]

who the hell is controlling those camera angles ?

You are right. It was really terrible. CD and SP Pairs too.

 

[oxade21]

Yeah, K/S, eat that haters.
Long Program starting order is up and K/S are last one to take the ice.
http://www.isufs.org/results/wc2008/SEG006.HTM

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

It was not a splatfest. Z/Z deserved the 1st place. others were all close. Should be a WoW LP finish.

Joe