Skate Canada: Pairs Short Program LIVE BLOG!

2) Tiffany Vise & Don Baldwin (USA)
     Music: Open Arms

• They look like they feel awkward doing that opening sequence
• I really like the pairs that jump opposite of one another, but it's better when they land them
• She really must point that foot
• Feed cutting in and out terribly
• You know it's bad when the man's foot is pointed more than the woman's
• They should stick to more athletic programs as the artistry isn't their strongest suit
• She looks most at home in the lifts because she is such an athlete
• 24.41 (TES) + 23.06 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 46.47

3) Daria Popova & Bruno Massot (FRA)

     Music: La Belle Historie

• They are intense,  love it!
• This team looks slick
• The entrance into that throw was long and labored, the throw was very crashy
• Oy vey, so let's take back what I said about this team looking slick, they are falling apart at the seems
• Early season pairs events are usually a travesty and this one is certainly living up
• 25.53 (TES) + 23.90 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 48.43 

4) Paige Lawrence & Rudi Swiegers (CAN)

 Music: Robin and Marion

• This opening is gorgeous
• They look so smooth and fast
• Paige is such a precious little pixie
• Really tight SBS jumps
• This is really the best I've ever seen them
• That was divine-like a breath of fresh air
• 25.90 (TES) + 26.98 (PCS) = 52.88

5) Meagan Duhamel & Eric Radford (CAN)

 Music: La Boheme

• Odd costuming, I don't like it at all
• I kind of like Eric's long hair flapping in the wind, but it looks more like Ice Dance hair
• These lifts are going to be very slick by the end of the season' they are choppy now but they'll get there
• They are telegraphing those jumps, they can do better
• That throw looked doomed from the takeoff, how did she land it?
• He is much more enjoyable to watch now; she is stiff but he is so fluid
• She needs to mimic his reckless abandon 
• 35.35 (TES) + 29.14 (PCS) = 64.49

6) Stefania Berton & Ondrej Hotarek (ITA)

 Music: Paint it Black

• Wow this is smooth
• The lines are wonderful in all black, though I could do without her Morticia Addams spiderweb detail
• Spins a little off
• The are lacking in the fine details, but they kill it in their strength areas, the athletic jumps and throws 
• 31.13 (TES) + 28.66 (PCS) = 59.79

7) Aliona Savchenko & Robin Szolkowy (GER)

 Music: Kismet

•  Here come the disco animals from Lady Gaga's bathhouse
• Awesome speed, impeccable body lines
• Poor Robin, you know he just goes along with Aliona's every whim
• This has to be old hat to them, I just love how they keep it fresh every year
• These costumes are very Merce Cunningham
• Very cool entrance into the press lift and a very unique ending
• 38.63 (TES) + 33.63 (PCS) = 72.26