ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating: Cup of China Pairs Short Program

1) Kaleigh Hole & Adam Johnson (Canada)

• I logged in too late and missed this performance, I will update later with commentary and scores
• SP Score: 23.96 (technical) + 20.06 (presentation) =43.02

2) Amanda Evora & Mark Ladwig (USA)
   Music: The Mask of Zorro

• Here we go with another Spanish themed program
• The twist was lovely, but they crashed a bit on landing
• Mark stumbles out of the first side-by-side but Amanda looks clean
• Lost some speed on the spins
• Love the foorwork
• And what we have come to love from them, their overhead lift
• The crowd looks really empty there!
• SP Score: 28.69 (technical) + 22.77 (presentation) = 51.46

3) Lubov Iliushechkina & Nodari Maisuradze (Russia) **

   Music: The Marriage of Figaro

• This is their second Grand Prix outing this year and they are coming off of a gold medal performance at Skate Canada
• This is my fantasy A team so I'm pulling for them!
• I love the opening over-the-head maneuver
• I love the speed of this program so much
• Throw and twists were both solid
• A beautiful death spiral, but with a slightly awkward exit
• Now that is a side-by-side spin sequence
• This should put them solidly in the lead, even with the fall, until Pang & Tong come up
• SP Score: 30.53 (technical) + 26.32 (presentation) - 1.00 (deduction) = 55.85

4) Caitlyn Yankowskas & John Coughlin (USA) **

   Music: Obilivion by Piazzolla

• I am a big fan of this team and this program
• Caitlin came out with a fire in her eyes like she is ready to attack
• Twist looked  bit slow, but a clean catch
• Clean throw
• Is it just me, or does Caitlin look a lot like Shae-Lynn Bourne
• The side-by-sides looked clean to me
• That overhead lift looks very impressive with his height
• I like the simple lines of these costumes
• Spin sequence went a bit in and out of synchronization
• A clean short, exactly what they need to stay on the podium track
• SP Score: 31.20 (technical) + 26.66 (presentation) = 57.86
• This was a new Season's Best!!
• I was wrong about the Russians staying on top, congrats to this lovely American team

5)  Huibo Dong & Yiming Wu (China) **

    Music: Red Violin

• This team is poised to be one of Bin Yao's up-and-comers
• Nice clean side-by-side jumps
• I understand why she does the leg catch on the death spiral, to earn more points, but the position just isn't that pretty, although I can see that being gorgeous on someone with longer legs like Amanda Evora
• This team seems to be fairly strong technically, but lacks the polish of some of the top world teams; but I'll be happy to eat my words if they become the next Shen & Zhao in a few years
• SP Score: 21.74 (technical) + 24.31 (presentation) = 46.05
• This is a new season's b est
• They look a bit confused at how low their scores were

6) Wenjing Sui & Cong Han (China)

   Music: Country Dance by Josh Turner

• It is still strange for me to see a Chinese pair team that is not coached by Bin Yao
• I would love to know the story there, if Bin Yao did not want them, or if they did not want him
• Their triple twist and throw triple were absolutely huge
• I love their speed and energy here
• He switched positions on his combination spin a full rotation before she did
• Wow he takes a fall on footwork and pulls her down with him
• She has a big arch in her back on the death spiral and her head almost hits the ice
• I'm assuming that will be a two point deduction
• SP Score: 35.57technical) + 26.01 (presentation) - 2.00 (deduction) = 59.58
• Even with the two falls, that is a new season's best and they take over the lead

7) Nicole Della Monica & Yannick Kocon (Italy)

   Music: Piano Fantasy by William Joseph

• Nice opening side-by-sides
• She could point her feet harder in this overhead lift
• The twist lacked height and crashed on landing
• She two-foots the landing on the throw and puts a hand down
• I really like this music and the choreography
• SP Score: 25.95 (technical) + 23.86 (presentation) = 49.81

8) Qing Pang & Jian Tong (China)

   Music: Chopin

• This team has no equal in the world right now, except for maybe Savchenko & Szolkowy of Germany, but they definitely lack consistency
• I keep wondering how long Pang & Tong are planning to stay competition eligible
• They are 30 & 31 now and have immense maturity, but their technical level is still that of a much younger team
• Tong puts a hand down on the side-by-side 
• The overhead lift seemed to be rotating very slowly
• This is a very elegant, quiet program from the home favorites
• SP Score: 30.13 (technical) + 30.49 (presentation) = 60.62

Leaderboard:
1) Pang/Tong                       60.62
2) Sui/Han                           59.58

3) Yankowskas/Coughlin       57.86

4) Iliushechkina/Maisuradze  55.85
5) Evora/Ladwig                    51.86
6) Della Monica/Kocon          49.81
7) Dong/Wu                          46.05
8) Hole/Johnson                    43.02