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.	Name	Short Program		Free Skate		Total Score
		Place	Score	Place	Score
1	11	Caydee Denney, Broadmoor SC John Coughlin, KS City FSC	3	60.88	1	128.82	189.70
2	13	Mary Beth Marley, DuPage FSC Rockne Brubaker, All Year FSC	1	65.80	2	120.27	186.07
3	12	Amanda Evora, Southwest FL FSC Mark Ladwig, Red River Valley FSC	2	61.27	3	117.71	178.98
4	8	Gretchen Donlan, SC Of Boston Andrew Speroff, SC Of Boston	5	57.77	4	113.84	171.61
5	10	Marissa Castelli, SC Of Boston Simon Shnapir, SC Of Boston	4	60.56	7	108.25	168.81
6	7	Ashley Cain, Stars FSC of TX Joshua Reagan, Stars FSC of TX	7	53.04	5	113.61	166.65
7	9	Andrea Poapst, Broadmoor SC Christopher Knierim, Broadmoor SC	6	53.43	6	112.95	166.38
8	5	Felicia Zhang, SC of NY Nathan Bartholomay, University of DE FSC	9	49.57	8	107.00	156.57
9	4	Tiffany Vise, Broadmoor SC Don Baldwin, Los Angeles FSC	10	45.65	9	95.32	140.97
10	6	Alexa Scimeca, DuPage FSC Ivan Dimitrov, Individual Member	8	51.93	11	80.69	132.62
11	3	Cassie Andrews, IN World Sk Acad FSC Timothy LeDuc, Eastern IA FSC	11	45.35	10	83.17	128.52
12	2	Kloe Chanel Bautista, All Year FSC Tyler Harris, SC Of Boston	12	42.16	12	80.56	122.72
13	1	Rita Fehr, Eau Claire FSC Peter Biver, St. Paul FSC	13	31.37	13	53.68	85.05