Saturday, January 28, 2012

2012 US Figure Skating Championships: Senior Pairs Free Skate LIVE Coverage

1) Rita Fehr & Peter Biver
  Music:
   (TES) + (PCS) = 53.68
   31.37 (SP) + (FS) = 85.05

2) Kloe Chanel Bautista & Tyler Harris
  Music:
  • A lot of speed traveling across the ice
  • Nice lift positions, she reminds me of Melissa Bulanhagui
  • Great side by side jump sequence
  • We had some wipeouts on both throws unfortunately
  • Some serious unison issues on those spins
  • Strong finish, but a lot of issues on some important elements
  42.96 (TES) + 39.60 (PCS) -2.00 (DED) = 80.56
   42.16 (SP) + 80.56 (FS) = 122.72

3) Cassie Andrews & Timothy LeDuc
  Music: Carmen
  • Oy vey Carmen, here we go
  • So much speed right now, awesome energy out of the gate
  • She falls on the triple sal
  • No height at all on the throw, she flipped forward, didn't stop the landing
  • I get nervous for the lifts when the teams start by making mistakes 
  • Some pretty major unison issues on the spins, though I know that's one of the most difficult things in pairs skating
  • Oh he just slipped on that rotational lift, that was scary
  • They are losing control of this performance
  • I think they need to slow it down and solidify their basics
  41.65 (TES) + 42.52 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 83.17
   45.35 (SP) + 83.17 (FS) = 128.52

4) Tiffany Vise & Don Baldwin
  Music: Legends of the Fall, Time to Say Goodbye
  • Gorgeous music for a very mature couple
  • Very hard crash on that split twist, should've stuck with a double
  • Stumble out of the throw
  • She doubles the the side by side jump
  • Everything is muscled here, nothing looks easy, which it should as well trained as they are
  • This whole program looks unstable to me
  • Now there was a gorgeous throw
  • Lovely side by side spins
  • Not a good performance from them overall, unfortunate really because I've seen this done well before
   51.24 (TES) + 45.08 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 95.32
   45.65 (SP) + 95.32 (FS) = 140.97

5) Felicia Zhang & Nathan Bartholomay
  Music: Concierto de Aranjuez
  • I love these costumes right now
  • Fantastic speed
  • Nice split twist, a little hiccup on landing, but good otherwise
  • Slight unison hiccup, but great side by side 3ts
  • They seem well matched, good pacing
  • 2a sequence, very sharp
  • Coach is going crazy off to the side
  • She has grown a lit and her long limbs make some nice positions in the lifts
  • Good spin unison there, lacking in some speed, but that will come with experience
  • They are doing more of an understated interpretation of this music, but I like it nonetheless
  • Really smooth, clean throw 3s
  • Hand down on that 2nd throw, but that's the only flaw of this piece thus far
  • I really like them together, they are well-matched in their performance qualities
  • Nice job on that carry lift on the crescendo
  • I'd like a lower death spiral position
  • She is really giving it to the audience on this program, great way to say "we don't belong in this group"
   59.07 (TES) + 47.93 (PCS) = 107.00
   49.57 (SP) + 107.00 (FS) = 156.57

6) Alexa Scimeca & Ivan Dmitrov
  Music: Unstoppable
  • A lot of flashy footwork into that split twist, crash landing
  • Oh no, she puts hand down, he falls
  • Big throw 3f, two-footed, very stifled landing
  • They seem to have a little bit too much speed to contain
  • A lot of snow flying on that lasso lift, seemed short a few rotations
  • They just seem a bit awkward on their timing today, that stop during the music change was a little weird
  • Oh she just totally bailed on that jump, she looked very uneasy on that jump
  • Impressive to go up into that carry lift after such a rough jumping pass
  • They're going to want this one back
  • Oh goodness, she practically landed on her knees in that 2nd throw
  • Those lifts look wild, they are really scaring me, I'm glad nobody got hurt in that program
  41.65 (TES) + 41.04 (PCS) -2.00 (DED) = 80.69
   51.93 (SP) + 80.69 (FS) = 132.62

7) Ashley Cain & Joshua Reagan
  Music: Dr. Zhivago
  • This is a beauty of a piece of music for a lovely pair
  • Lovely air position in that lift, very strong carry
  • They are so well matched, they look like siblings
  • Very nice jumping passes
  • What happened to them doing their jumps at the end of the program?
  • A little slow in the spins, but fantastic unison
  • I appreciate how well they complement one another
  • Very slow across the ice on that spiral, let's pick up some speed here to fire up the second half
  • Beautiful throw triple salchow
  • They are fantastic if they will just STAY TOGETHER!
  • They have fantastic basics that they can build upon
   59.50 (TES) + 54.11 (PCS) = 113.61
   53.04 (SP) + 113.61 (FS) = 166.65

8) Gretchen Donlan & Andrew Speroff
  Music: Sleeping Beauty
  • They are such romantic skaters, very elegant and balletic, so this piece fits them perfectly
  • Those lifts do not even look hard for them at all, she's such a tiny little pixie
  • She's practically the same height as him when he's on his knee
  • Slight unison issues on the jumping passes, she singles the axel
  • Beautiful subtle arm movements in the lifts
  • Fantastic arch in the back on the death spiral
  • Gorgeous throws, gorgeous elements, fantastic potential, add some difficulty and they're there!
  • What a nice button on the end, like a beautiful pas de deux
  56.98 (TES) + 56.86 (PCS) = 113.84
   57.77 (SP) + (FS) = 171.61

9) Andrea Poapst & Chris Knierim
  Music: Swan Lake
  • Here's another beautiful ballet couple, 3 in a row
  • The height on that throw is gigantic, Sappenfield knows how to teach those
  • Hand down on the throw 3s, still a lovely position
  • Great smooth position shifts in that lift, a little stiff on her part
  • I like that spin sequence and where it falls on the music
  • Another hand down on the other throw, but amazing job saving from a fall
  • I love the placement of that lift on the big music shift
  • I normally hate alternate death spiral positions, but hers was actually nice
  57.76 (TES) + 55.19 (PCS) = 112.96
   53.43 (SP) + 112.96 (FS) = 166.38

10) Marissa Castelli & Simon Shnapnir
  Music:
  • A little messy on the landing on the split twist
  • Wiped out on the landing for Simon on that jump, couldn't control it
  • She has so much trust in those lifts, she says she can see into the 2nd tier of the arena
  • Nearly landed that throw 3a, just a turn out of it
  • I want her to stretch out that open position, really cool positions up there
  • He struggles on his jumps and today is no exception
  • Slightly off center in that pair spin today
  • Huge height on that throw 3sal, nice landing on the crescendo
  • Interesting death spiral position, I'm not sure if I liked it or not
  • Wonderful stretch in that carry lift
  54.83 (TES) + 55.42 (PCS) -2.00 (DED) = 108.26
   60.56 (SP) + (FS) = 168.81

11) Caydee Denney & John Coughlin
  Music: Nessun Dorma
  • That eyeshadow is just bad
  • That split twist lacked the usual punch, it was like in slow motion
  • That throw 3lo was a little stifled, abrupt, no glide out
  • SBS 3ts, just a tad out of sync
  • Good spins, I could hear John calling them to switch positions
  • I'm a little bit bored by this for a team that's supposed to be really "explosive"
  • The lifts have impressive positions, but none of them really achieve the full extension
  • Nice posture on that throw 3f, good strong back
  • That final carry lift is pretty spectacular, such great ice coverage, such excitement
  65.33 (TES) + 63.49 (PCS) = 128.82
   60.88 (SP) + 128.82 (FS) = 189.70

12) Amanda Evora & Mark Ladwig
  Music: Daphnis et Chloe
  • The costumes are gorgeous, I love this program
  • Nice clean landing on the split twist
  • Two-foot on the jump landing, probably the best she is going to do
  • Turn out of the triple lutz, they're giving it away here
  • She just went down on the 2a, this is not going to happen
  • The lifts are obviously fantastic
  • Gorgeous throw
  • She needs to maybe go to a sports psychologist, just to find the grit and strength within to compete hard
  • This is just really anti-climactic for me, as much as I loved these programs on the Grand Prix
   59.10 (TES) + 59.61 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 117.71
   61.27 (SP) + 117.71 (FS) = 178.98

13) Mary Beth Marley & Rockne Brubaker
  Music:
  • I love his costume, the little pink underneath is great
  • Very quick off the top
  • Rockne, come on, get those jumps going
  • Very crashy on that split 3twist, but good height
  • Turn out of the 2a, but landed nonetheless
  • A little unison issue on the spins, but good positions
  • They are losing me here a little in the middle 
  • Fantastic throw 3lz, she looked fantastic on that
  • She looks lovely in those lifts, her posture is lovely
  • They both have pretty nice spiral positions
  • She looks great out there, very comfortable, so much more than last year
  • I'm just so impressed by Mary Beth Marley right now
  • She eeked out that last throw
  60.27 (TES) + 61.00 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 120.27
   65.80 (SP) + 120.27 (FS) = 186.07


Start No.NameShort ProgramFree SkateTotal Score
PlaceScorePlaceScore
111Caydee Denney, Broadmoor SC
John Coughlin, KS City FSC
360.881128.82189.70
213Mary Beth Marley, DuPage FSC
Rockne Brubaker, All Year FSC
165.802120.27186.07
312Amanda Evora, Southwest FL FSC
Mark Ladwig, Red River Valley FSC
261.273117.71178.98
48Gretchen Donlan, SC Of Boston
Andrew Speroff, SC Of Boston
557.774113.84171.61
510Marissa Castelli, SC Of Boston
Simon Shnapir, SC Of Boston
460.567108.25168.81
67Ashley Cain, Stars FSC of TX
Joshua Reagan, Stars FSC of TX
753.045113.61166.65
79Andrea Poapst, Broadmoor SC
Christopher Knierim, Broadmoor SC
653.436112.95166.38
85Felicia Zhang, SC of NY
Nathan Bartholomay, University of DE FSC
949.578107.00156.57
94Tiffany Vise, Broadmoor SC
Don Baldwin, Los Angeles FSC
1045.65995.32140.97
106Alexa Scimeca, DuPage FSC
Ivan Dimitrov, Individual Member
851.931180.69132.62
113Cassie Andrews, IN World Sk Acad FSC
Timothy LeDuc, Eastern IA FSC
1145.351083.17128.52
122Kloe Chanel Bautista, All Year FSC
Tyler Harris, SC Of Boston
1242.161280.56122.72
131Rita Fehr, Eau Claire FSC
Peter Biver, St. Paul FSC
1331.371353.6885.05

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