2012 Four Continents Championships: Free Dance LIVE Coverage

1) Corenne Bruhns & Ryan Van Natten (MEX)
 Music: Harlem Nocturne, My Drag

• This is dragging, I feel like this team needs more upbeat music to inject some more life into their skating
• The lifts are very slow and labored
• There is no sparkle in this program
• I'd like to see more effort, that helps disguise lesser technique
• Was that a fall, or was she just on her knees?
• That upside down lift with her shoulder on his knee is kind of cool
• Oh boy, scary balance lift, her head almost on the ice
• This team has potential and he's a great performer
• They just need to drill these programs to get more and more comfortable with them

32.66 (TES) + 22.98 (PCS) = 55.64
35.93 (SD) + (FD) = 91.57

2) Cortney Mansour & Daryn Zhunussov (KAZ)
 Music: Cirque du Soleil

• Oh boy, a Morozov team
• Is it me or do they look like a mini-me of the Reeds/
• I like the whimsical quality of this piece
• This suits their ages
• That slide under his legs was very cool
• Good twizzle set, his arms were just slightly higher
• Nice back entry and position changes on the straight line lift, great speed
• I think she's a little diva in the making
• A lot of spread eagles already, but it works in this piece
• Great knee bend
• I'd love to see a little more facial expression from him
• That was a pretty weak haircutter compared to what we'll see later
• That little moment where her mussed her hair was cute, very in the character
• Lost a lot of the speed in the spin, but a cool section of the music for it
• They need to work on matching the leg line, his is slightly higher
• Good outing overall, they should be pleased

30.43 (TES) + 22.70 (PCS) = 53.13
25.53 (SD) + 53.13 (FD) = 78.66

3) Anna Nagornyuk & Viktor Kovalenko (UZB)
 Music: Cry me a river/Peter Gunn

• This costume has a major ick factor
• Those twizzles were really fast, maybe a foot down
• Those boot covers are tragic
• It's so hard to watch anything else because my eye keeps going to the boots
• This is such an odd  combination of music
• Good speed on the rotational lift

38.07 (TES) + 30.61 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 67.68
39.93 (SD) + 67.68 (FD) = 107.61

4) Alexandra Paul & Mitchell Islam (CAN)
 Music: Tonight

• They are exquisite, the definition of beautiful
• She looks like a little sylph out there
• Oh no, he falls on the first twizzle and then aborts the second
• Something is going on with them this season, the aren't clicking along like last year
• I love this music for them, it's like a modern classic
• I love that transition as they change feet on the spin, they make a moment of it
• They need the summer break to figure out where they're going and move on
• Lovely rotational lift

33.07 (TES) + 37.38 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 69.45
48.52 (SD) + 69.45 (FD) = 117.97

5) Madison Hubbell & Zachary Donohue (USA)
 Music: I Put A Spell On You

• I'm buying everything he's selling, but she just gets in the way
• Good flow over the ice, very even and smooth
• That entrance to the first lift comes out of  nowhere
• Oh boy, another fall from him, didn't appear to be on an element
• Good first twizzle, got too close together on the second and appeared to have gotten tangled up
• Come on now kids, don't let go of the performance
• That little pop/lock dance break in the middle is a little tacky, it's corny
• They look wild and out of control here, and though it suits the dance, I think they're running out of steam

40.72 (TES) + 39.55 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 79.27
49.93 (SD) + 79.27 (FD) = 129.20

6) Danielle O'Brien & Gregory Merriman (AUS)
 Music: In the Mood, Moonlight Serenade

• Uh oh, somebody coming later in the event is about to do this music much better!
• Very fast and high energy, but a lot of the details are left out
• A lot of the lift positions need to be held out longer
• A little too slow in the middle section here, they're losing my interest
• This couple is really cute, I like their style, they just need more polish

34.93 (TES) + 30.88 (PCS) = 65.81
40.10 (SD) + 65.81 (FD) = 105.91

7) Xiaoyang Yu & Chen Wang (CHN)
 Music: Howl's Moving Castle

• Hard to tell the unison on the twizzles with all that fabric, but seemed on point
• Ohh, she was supposed to step on his boot to end that lift, but she missed it
• I don't like all the stationary movement at center ice
• Nice rotational lift, very lyrical quality overall
• They're starting to run out of steam in this step sequence
• This music suits them very well, ethereal and dreamlike

36.50 (TES) + 33.13 (PCS) = 69.63
45.42 (SD) + (FD) = 115.05

8) Kaitlyn Weaver & Andrew Poje (CAN)
 Music: Je Suis Malade

• This opening is beautiful, this is the most romantic of all  these free dances
• Really deep edges, good leg line
• This free skate complements their strong suits much better than last season
• I like the drama in this program
• I'm obsessed with this free dance, the emotion is real and not manufactured
• I think that was their first clean twizzle set of the season
• This is a complete program, you don't even see the elements
• That last lift is so grand
• I love the ending, it's so raw
• 47.42 (TES) + 51.61 (PCS) = 99.03

64.23 (SD) + 99.03 (FD) = 163.26

9) Maia Shibutani & Alex Shibutani (USA)
 Music: Chattanooga Choo Choo, In the Mood

• Very quick and snappy beginning
• This is the polar opposite of Weaver & Poje
• The twizzles are more and more amazing everytime
• The strength it must take on her part in that straight line lift is remarkable
• They are masters at changing lift positions seamlessly while still hitting each
• You can see the elements in this program more than some of the older teams
• They manage to make even the slower pieces look fast
• Great balance and leverage on that curve lift
• She definitely gets to do her fair share of splits
• Oh boy, Alex doesn't look good, he's coughing and can hardly breathe
• I though he was going to pass out

47.06 (TES) + 48.85 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 94.91
63.38 (SD) + 94.91 (FD) = 158.29

10) Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir (CAN)
 Music: Funny Face

• I love this dance, it's so theatrical, it's perfection in my book
• This instrumental section in the middle is so clever
• That curve lift was perfectly in time with the musical nuances
• Perfect twizzles
• I don't envy the judges, there is nothing in this program that isn't exquisite
• That final lift is pretty fantastic, the control that must take is out of this world

54.07 (TES) + 57.17 (PCS) = 111.24
71.60 (SD) + 111.24 (FD) = 182.84

11) Meryl Davis & Charlie White (USA)
 Music: Die Fledermaus

• I don't know how to pick this piece apart, it's so fantastic as it is
• They are perfectly at home with one another
• I keep losing my feed so unfortunately it's difficult to comment on it
• I think their twizzles are faster than Virtue & Moir
• I give the edge in performance to Davis & White, I think they include the crowd more
• However, I don't think their lifts change positions as many times as Virtue & Moir

50.01 (TES) + 57.24 (PCS) = 107.25
72.15 (SD) + 107.25 (FD) = 179.40

1	Tessa VIRTUE / Scott MOIR	CAN	182.84	2	1
2	Meryl DAVIS / Charlie WHITE	USA	179.40	1	2
3	Kaitlyn WEAVER / Andrew POJE	CAN	163.26	3	3
4	Maia SHIBUTANI / Alex SHIBUTANI	USA	158.29	4	4
5	Madison HUBBELL / Zachary DONOHUE	USA	129.20	5	5
6	Alexandra PAUL / Mitchell ISLAM	CAN	117.97	6	7
7	Xiaoyang YU / Chen WANG	CHN	115.05	7	6
8	Anna NAGORNYUK / Viktor KOVALENKO	UZB	107.61	9	8
9	Danielle OBRIEN / Gregory MERRIMAN	AUS	105.91	8	9
10	Corenne BRUHNS / Ryan VAN NATTEN	MEX	91.57	10	10
11	Cortney MANSOUR / Daryn ZHUNUSSOV	KAZ	78.66	11	11

1	Tessa VIRTUE / Scott MOIR	CAN	111.24	54.07		57.17	9.46	9.32	9.71	9.61	9.71	0.00	#10
2	Meryl DAVIS / Charlie WHITE	USA	107.25	50.01		57.24	9.54	9.36	9.68	9.61	9.64	0.00	#11
3	Kaitlyn WEAVER / Andrew POJE	CAN	99.03	47.42		51.61	8.50	8.36	8.75	8.71	8.89	0.00	#8
4	Maia SHIBUTANI / Alex SHIBUTANI	USA	94.91	47.06		48.85	8.14	8.00	8.21	8.25	8.21	1.00	#9
5	Madison HUBBELL / Zachary DONOHUE	USA	79.27	40.72		39.55	6.61	6.43	6.54	6.75	6.75	1.00	#5
6	Xiaoyang YU / Chen WANG	CHN	69.63	36.50		33.13	5.68	5.36	5.54	5.54	5.57	0.00	#7
7	Alexandra PAUL / Mitchell ISLAM	CAN	69.45	33.07		37.38	6.29	6.11	6.11	6.36	6.36	1.00	#4
8	Anna NAGORNYUK / Viktor KOVALENKO	UZB	67.68	38.07		30.61	5.18	4.93	5.21	5.18	5.11	1.00	#3
9	Danielle OBRIEN / Gregory MERRIMAN	AUS	65.81	34.93		30.88	5.21	4.93	5.21	5.32	5.21	0.00	#6
10	Corenne BRUHNS / Ryan VAN NATTEN	MEX	55.64	32.66		22.98	4.00	3.64	3.82	4.00	3.79	0.00	#1
11	Cortney MANSOUR / Daryn ZHUNUSSOV	KAZ	53.13	30.43		22.70	3.96	3.46	3.86	4.04	3.79	0.00	#2

2012 European Figure Skating Championships vs. Four Continents: Top Men's Scores

These are comparisons between the two ISU Championships that lead into the World Championships in March. A few of these skaters, namely Evgeni Plushenko and Ross Miner, won't be competing in Nice and we'll see notables Jeremy Abbott, Takahiko Kozuka, and Yuzuru Hanyu added to the field, but could these standings be similar to what we'll see at Worlds?

1) Patrick Chan (CAN) 273.94

2) Evgeni Plushenko (RUS) 261.23

3) Artur Gachinski (RUS) 246.27

4) Daisuke Takahashi (JPN) 244.33

5) Florent Amodio (FRA) 134.18

6) Michal Brezina (CZE) 229.30

7) Tomas Verner (CZE) 225.36

8) Ross Miner (USA) 223.23

9) Javier Fernandez (ESP) 222.26

10) Adam Rippon (USA) 221.55

11) Takahito Mura (JPN) 217.16

12) Samuel Contesti (ITA) 212.32

13) Denis Ten (KAZ) 210.03

14) Tatsuki Machida (JPN) 208.04

15) Brian Joubert (FRA) 207.83

16) Jorik Hendrickx (BEL) 204.63

17) Kevin Reynolds (CAN) 203.26

18) Misha Ge (UZB) 196.53

19) Jinlin Guan (CHN) 196.53

20) Sergei Voronov (RUS) 195.89  

2012 European Figure Skating Championships vs. Four Continents: Top Ladies Scores

These are comparisons between the two ISU Championships that lead into the World Championships in March. A few of these skaters won't be competing in Nice and we'll see notables Alissa Czisny & Akiko Suzuki added to the field, but could these standings be similar to what we'll see at Worlds?

1) Ashley Wagner (USA) 192.41
2) Mao Asada (JPN) 188.62
3) Carolina Kostner (ITA) 183.55
4) Caroline Zhang (USA) 176.18
5) Kanako Murakami (JPN) 169.32
6) Kiira Korpi (FIN) 166.94
7) Elene Gedevanishvilli (GEO) 165.93
8) Polina Korobeynikova (RUS) 164.13
9) Kexin Zhang (CHN) 162.59
10) Viktoria Helgesson (SWE) 160.82
11) Ksenia Makarova (RUS) 159.59
12) Alena Leonova (RUS) 158.78
13) Agnes Zawadzki (USA) 157.23
14) Amelie Lacoste (CAN) 147.65
15) Cynthia Phaneuf (CAN) 147.47
16) Valentina Marchei (ITA) 146.84
17) Yretha Silete (FRA) 145.50
18) Joshi Helgesson (SWE) 145.11
19) Elena Glebova (EST) 141.92
20) Natalia Popova (UKR) 138.60

2012 Four Continents Championships: Pairs Free Skate LIVE Coverage

1) Huibo Dong & Yiming Wu (CHN)
 Music: Mulan

• Huge split 3twist
• Some issues on both sets of SBS jumps
• A lot of position changes, but not the beauty we're used to from the other teams
• Very sloppy death spiral positions, grip changes to up the level
• There is not much of a performance here, no attention to character, who are they even playing?
• Gigantic throw, as per the Chinese tradition
• This is very much a string of elements with no artistry at all
• They look happy to have made it through the program, very winded

46.37 (TES) + 42.02 (PCS) = 88.39
49.52 (SP) + 88.39 (FS) = 137.91

2) Yue Zhang & Lei Wang (CHN)
 Music: Singin' In the Rain

• That's a very cute opening
• Was that only a split double twist? From the Chinese?
• A little timing issue on the SBS jumps
• Good ice coverage on that lift, I like the spinning exit; cleaner positions than the other Chinese team
• They look like they're having a lot of fun out there
• Some unison problems on the spins, he is rotating much faster than her
• Nice smooth throw, not the power of Dong/Wu
• Turn out of the 2nd throw, a little low on the landing
• Backward entrance adds difficulty to that lift
• That spiral with her foot on his shoulder is unique, it's risky for him
• Major skid getting that final lift up, that could've been really scary
• Much more attention to performance than Dong/Wu, I appreciate the commitment

46.77 (TES) + 45.43 (PCS) = 92.20
48.04 (SP) + 92.20 (FS) = 140.24

3) Meagan Duhamel & Eric Radford (CAN)
 Music: Viva La Vida, Yellow

• I'm loving Meagan's braid
• She looks smaller than normal to me for some reason
• Really good split twist, I love the footwork into it 
• This is a very well composed program
• Hand down from Meagan on the first jump, but they still execute the 3-jump combo
• Fall from Meagan on the second jump sequence, some thing has looked really off with her this week
• Eric has really grown on me, my eye is going to him more than Meagan now
• I love that swinging entrance into the spins
• I love it when the spins transition the music into the 2nd piece
• It's nitpicky, but his shirt is a little too blousy for me
• He's looking really unsteady on these lifts
• Good save muscling out that throw, she's a fighter
• She floats like nobody's business into those lifts
• Hand down and maybe a 2-foot on the 2nd throw
• They are giving up a ton of points here and there
• Not the dream free skate they had a Canadians, but they still have Worlds left to peak

62.27 (TES) + 52.96 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 114.23
57.53 (SP) + (FS) = 171.76

4) Jessica Dube & Sebastien Wolfe (CAN)
 Music: Heroes by Phillip Glass

• This music kills me but I won't hold it against them
• I can't imagine rehearsing to this music daily
• The split twist is still eluding them, but it's getting there
• She' the veteran, she should be able to land these jumps
• Slight unison on the spins
• The free skate is usually where the "newness" in this pair shows
• She just sat that throw down, perhaps a speed issue
• They are having trouble relating to this music
• Another fall on the throw, he looked to mouth "I'm sorry" to her
• They're really unraveling, I'm praying for safe lifts
• She seems to have no energy whatsoever, but he still looks strong
• That carry lift needs more ice coverage and perhaps a more robust section of the music to be effective

49.45 (TES) + 49.66 (PCS) -2.00 (DED) = 97.11
57.68 (SP) + 97.11 (FS) = 154.79

5) Paige Lawrence & Rudi Swiegers (CAN)
 Music: The Man in the Iron Mask

• This team has been focusing on PCS over TES, we'll see if it shows
• Sloppy shoulder catch on the split 3 twist
• Slight unison break on the SBS jumps
• More unison issues on the 2a sequence
• Paige is usually such a firecracker but this program doesn't have any life to me
• More unison problems on the spins
• I like that they're having fun, but they're a little too smiley for this dramatic music
• That hydroblade entrance into the death spiral was cool
• They still look pretty high energy about halfway through
• Rough entrance into that lift, a struggle to get up, you could see Paige talking him through
• Not a lot of distance or height on these throws, but at least they're landing them
• Very labored on the lifts, I think the backloading of the program is backfiring at this altitude

49.99 (TES) + 50.70 (PCS) = 100.69
57.97 (SP) + 100.69 (FS) = 158.66

6) Amanda Evora & Mark Ladwig
 Music: Daphnis et Chloe

• A little messy on the split twist, but that's never their strong suit anyway
• Both step out of the SBS jump, but in perfect unison
• This is the best choreography of the whole event in my opinion
• Fall on the 1st throw
• She looks tentative, never a good sign
• She may have singled the axel, I couldn't tell
• Fantastic twist into that stand on his thigh
• Very smooth in and out of the death spiral
• Beautiful 2nd throw
• Very nice elements thus far aside from the throw, no falls on the jumps here from Amanda at all, step in the right direction
• Their lifts are more grand than anyone else, bar none
• I wish his shirt were the same color as the midsection on her dress
• Great toss into that final lift
• Lovely spin positions, but a little slow in that pair spin
• Clunky exit out of that final lift, an unfortunate way to end the program

54.30 (TES) + 53.94 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 107.24
60.75 (SP) + 107.24 (FS) = 167.99

7) Wenjing Sui & Cong Han (CHN)
 Music: The Soul of Flamenco

• She's bringing out her inner diva on that elaborate entrance
• This program grows on me every competition
• Quad throw! Two-footed, but hey!
• 4twist, rough catch, but at least they're getting it done
• A little out of unison, but strong 3-jump sequence
• They seem more calm here, not as frantic as earlier in the season
• She could stretch out the free leg and foot more on the death spiral
• A little unison break in the spin position change
• Her flexibility on that spiral is phenomenal
• This program is light years better than it was in September
• Fantastic 2nd throw, that got so much difference
• That upside down entrance into the press lift is really cool
• Ohh scary moment mid-lift, she puts her arms on his shoulders to save her balance
• A lot of speed on that last lift, good rotation
• Great program from them, they look more grown up every time
• They look exhausted, breath kids breath!

75.54 (TES) + 59.54 (PCS) = 135.08
66.75 (SP) + 135.08 (FS) = 201.83

8) Narumi Takahashi & Mervin Tran (JPN)
 Music: Concerto de Quebec

• This team couldn't be more different from what we just saw
• Only a split 2twist
• Hard spill for Narumi, nearly fell on her face
• Wow what a mess on that SBS sequence, she singled, he stumbled and cut the 2nd jump
• If they had Sui/Han's technical tricks, they'd be unstoppable with their elegance
• She's one of those skaters who can't hit a bad position, other pair ladies must watch he rlifts
• A two-foot and a step out on the 1st throw, same on the 2nd
• He nearly skated over her on the 2nd throw, that was terrifying
• It must be so hard to keep going after all those mistakes
• And they nearly skated into the board out of their 2nd lift, just not their night at all
• Lovely extension and toe point in that 3rd lift, exit could've been more smooth

55.32 (TES) + 55.25 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 109.57
61.54 (SP) + 109.57 (FS) = 171.11

9) Caydee Denny & John Coughlin (USA)
 Music: Nessun Dorma

• Their elaborate entrances to center ice are too high drama even for me
• This program is growing on me, I hated the guitar early in the season but it suits them
• Gorgeous split 3twist
• Nice throw, a little scratchy, but good glide out
• Near perfect unison on the SBS jumps
• It was a fight, but landed the 2nd SBS sequence
• They have great spin unison for a new pair, that's usually the hardest thing to ma
• The lift positions are just not attractive, a stern Russian ballet teacher could work that out in no time
• Awesome 2nd throw, huge roar from the crowd
• That catch-foot position is slightly more attractive because the bum isn't sticking up
• Here is that carry lift that John dreams about everyday
• Her foot gets scarily close to his head up there
• A big scary on that headbanger at the end, he bent his knees and barely muscled her back up                     

62.82 (TES) + 59.25 (PCS) = 122.07
63.35 (SP) + 122.07 (FS) = 185.42

10) Mary Beth Marley & Rockne Brubaker (USA)
 Music: Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor by Rachmaninov

• Come on guys, earn  yourself a medal!
• This program suits them so well, and it's appropriate for their age situation
• Mary Beth falls on the same jump she missed in warmup
• A little crashy on the split twist, looked labored
• She steps out of the double axel, she looks a little antsy today
• I love their SBS split jumps, I must've missed that at Nationals
• Good spinning unison, that's a big area of improvement over last season
• Good throw, good job Mary Beth
• Her lift positions are improving at every event
• That pair spiral is beautiful, she looks so happy to be out there
• Very nice carry lift on one leg, good ice coverage
• It would be great to see some more variation in the lift positions, but that will come
• Two-foots the 2nd throw, again a good save
• They gave away a lot of points here and there, it's going to be close if they land on the podium

60.91 (TES) + 56.56 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 116.47
62.42 (SP) + 116.47 (FS) = 178.89

1	Wenjing SUI / Cong HAN	CHN	201.83	1	1
2	Caydee DENNEY / John COUGHLIN	USA	185.42	2	2
3	Mary Beth MARLEY / Rockne BRUBAKER	USA	178.89	3	3
4	Meagan DUHAMEL / Eric RADFORD	CAN	171.76	8	4
5	Narumi TAKAHASHI / Mervin TRAN	JPN	171.11	4	5
6	Amanda EVORA / Mark LADWIG	USA	167.99	5	6
7	Paige LAWRENCE / Rudi SWIEGERS	CAN	158.66	6	7
8	Jessica DUBE / Sebastien WOLFE	CAN	154.79	7	8
9	Yue ZHANG / Lei WANG	CHN	140.24	10	9
10	Huibo DONG / Yiming WU	CHN	137.91	9	10

Pl.	Name	Nation	TSS =	TES +		PCS +	SS	TR	PE	CH	IN	Ded. -	StN.
1	Wenjing SUI / Cong HAN	CHN	135.08	75.54		59.54	7.46	7.04	7.79	7.46	7.46	0.00	#7
2	Caydee DENNEY / John COUGHLIN	USA	122.07	62.82		59.25	7.43	7.00	7.57	7.46	7.57	0.00	#9
3	Mary Beth MARLEY / Rockne BRUBAKER	USA	116.47	60.91		56.56	7.04	6.89	7.14	7.25	7.04	1.00	#10
4	Meagan DUHAMEL / Eric RADFORD	CAN	114.23	62.27		52.96	6.71	6.50	6.54	6.71	6.64	1.00	#3
5	Narumi TAKAHASHI / Mervin TRAN	JPN	109.57	55.32		55.25	6.93	6.86	6.71	7.14	6.89	1.00	#8
6	Amanda EVORA / Mark LADWIG	USA	107.24	54.30		53.94	6.82	6.64	6.61	6.93	6.71	1.00	#6
7	Paige LAWRENCE / Rudi SWIEGERS	CAN	100.69	49.99		50.70	6.57	6.36	6.04	6.43	6.29	0.00	#5
8	Jessica DUBE / Sebastien WOLFE	CAN	97.11	49.45		49.66	6.46	6.04	6.04	6.36	6.14	2.00	#4
9	Yue ZHANG / Lei WANG	CHN	92.20	46.77		45.43	5.75	5.43	5.71	5.82	5.68	0.00	#2
10	Huibo DONG / Yiming WU	CHN	88.39	46.37		42.02	5.54	5.00	5.36	5.25	5.11	0.00	#1

2012 Four Continents Championships: Ladies Free Skate LIVE Coverage

1) Lejeanne Marais (RSA)
   Music: The Holiday

• I like this costume, but not for this music
• She's really stalking those jumps
• Those jumps are all in one place, they kind of stay on top of each other and don't travel much
• Kind of an interesting layback variation, she looked like she was hanging from the season
• Why did you end at the end of the rink? #weird
• Competition Total = 94.34

2) Crystal Kiang (TPE)

•  Two foot on the first jump
• She has nice upper body carriage
• We've got an opposite jumper!
• Really slow spins, but oddly some nice positions
• She really stalks these jumps, really slow entrances and lots of two-footing
• Competition Total = 93.78

3) Chatelle Kerry (AUS)

• She is so leggy that jumps have to be difficult for her
• Pretty spiral if she'd straighten that standing leg
• Wow that tucked sit spin was really cool
• She's taken advantage of her height to make some really cool spin positions
• She's a very fragile looking skater, this was good music for her
• Competition Total: 102.49

4) Melanie Swang (THA)

• We are having a lot of film soundtrack moments
• Lots of double jumps here, we just can't have that
• She is really hunched over
• I appreciate her knee bend, but her upper body should be more upright
• Competition Total: 96.16

5) Zhaira Costiniano (PHI)

• 1 and a half lutz?
• That high free leg is a technical error
• Those bangs have got to go
• Needs to point that foot on the sit spin
• Well we missed the rest of the piece due to feed malfunctions
• Competition Total = 87.26

6) Yea-Ji Yun (KOR)

• She has a very fresh faced look 
• I like her elegance and her style, but some of the jumps just aren't there
• I love this Cinderella music on her, but the performance quality is not there
• Competition Total = 96.85

7) Chae-Yeon Shur (KOR)

• What to even say about this costume...it's just a lot
• Green is bad luck for sure
• Straighten that standing leg in the spins please!
• She's stalking those jumps big time
• That fall was horrible, right on the hip, that's gotta hurt
• Bailed jump mid air, she's running out of steam big team
• Poor girl, she looks so dejected
• Competition Total = 94.95

8) Alexandra Najarro (CAN)

• What's with the CDonn bun
• Popped 3toe, oh boy
• This is not going so well so far
• Point that foot please!
• This program took a long time to get to the part of the music that we know
• If you're going to take on this program, you need to kill it
• If she doesn't point that foot I don't even know what I'm going to do 
• She's a big fan of the headless spin
• Competition Total = 117.11

9) Mimi Tanasorn Chindasook (THA)

• This costume is interesting, it's rough to pull off all white
• Aborted first jump
• She's at least showing some grace
• Nice 2-3 combo
• A little clunky in the jumps
• Uh oh, botched a spin and had to skate around a little to wait for the music
• Poor girl, shes really running out of steam here
• She really needs some umph her in the big part of the music
• Competition Total = 97.19

10) Sandra Khopon (THA)

• I love this costume, its so elegant and interesting
• I like this music, it's different
• She could use a little zap of energy, but she's still about the best we've seen thus far
• Really high wrap on that leg in the jumps
• Competition Total = 103.15

11) Quiying Zhu (CHN)

• This is a fun little latin number
• Lots of two-footing moments happening
• She looks like she really can't breathe at all
• She's having a hard time even getting off the ice
• They are massaging her chest to keep help her breathe, this is really scary
• Competition Total = 102.77

12) Melinda Wang (TPE)

• This costume is very pretty, I like the deep purple
• She looks thrilled to be there, good for her!
• She's doing a really nice program, nice presentation, she is very present in this program
• She's breathing hard too, but I think she's going to make it okay though
• Competition Total = 103.69

13) Haruka Imai (JPN)

• This is a program where lyrics would help to bring out some personality
• Nice 3-3
• She needs a lot more face and more choreography 
• This is going very slowly, but then again the music isn't helping her at all
• That was a weird fall, her feet just fell out from under her
• She is running out of steam and this lounge version of My Fair Lady is doing nothing
• Competition Total = 134.49

14) Cynthia Phaneuf (CAN)

• She pops the first jump, that's what she always does
• There you go, good triple
• And another pop
• Nice turn out on that leg in the spin, good low position
• I'm not loving this white costume on her
• Let's get it on this footwork, keep it up and keep fighting for it
• Now she's really living up to the momentum in this music, needs to keep fighting
• Competition Total =147.47

15) Amelie Lacoste (CAN)

• This costume is a nice cut on her
• So far so good, 2 clean triples
• Stumble and trip on that next one there
• I like that side-stretched position on the layback
• Definitely some errors, but a cleaner skate overall than Cynthia
• And then you go and cock it up with a fall on a double axel
• Competition Total = 147.65

16) Bingwa Geng (CHN)

• Did these skaters all decide after practice and the men's event to just cut their losses and do double jumps?
• Lovely catch foot spiral
• She seems to be holding back, we'll never know how much this altitude is affecting the skaters
• These jumps are barely off the ground
• Competition Total = 127.89

17) Victoria Muniz (PUR)

• Good 3-jump combo off the bet, seems very strong
• That was a very ugly A-spin
• Definitely the best of the unknown skaters tonight despite some falls and doubling
• She is definitely breathing hard
• Competition Total = 117.83

18) Min-Jeong Kwak (KOR)

• These gloves are too much for me, they don't go with the costume
• Barely getting these jumps around
• Really running out of speed
• Good flexibility in the spins
• Competition Total = 130.52

19) Caroline Zhang (USA)

• Which Caroline will we get today?
• A lot of arm swing into that 2a
• So far so good, she doesn't seem to be too affected by the altitude
• Good clean program ending with her signature pearl spin!
• Competition Total = 176.18

20) Ashley Wagner (USA)

• Great 3-2-2 combo to open
• 2a-2t  instead of a planned 2a-3t but not too bad so far
• A little loss of speed in that spin
• Altitude is not affecting her, she looks strong as can be
• This is a fantastic skate from Ashley and she's really selling it well
• The title of US Champion suits her well
• Great clean program from Ashley, not just clean but inspired
• Let us hope that wasn't Ashleys peak
• Competition Total = 192.41

21) Agnes Zawadzki (USA)

• She's starting off much better than at US Nationals
• She looks so tall and elegant this season
• So far so good, but lacking spark
• There's no life in her skating, the seems tired, but she trains here
• I love that she points her foot on that final spin, I'm obsessed with that
• She's not happy, she just seems mentally blocked this season
• Competition Total = 157.23

22) Kanako Murakami (USA)

• I love Kananko...get it baby girl!
• She looks a little wild tonight, something just isn't quite right
• She looks exhausted, poor baby
• Her jumps looked really sloppy, technique looks off
• Competition Total = 169.32

23) Mao Asada (JPN)

• 3a, but looked 2-footed
• She's looking lovely tonight
• Hand down on the 3lz
• This is a really well composed program
• Beautiful pointed foot on that catch foot spin, I love the head back variation
• 2a-3t combination
• 3-2-2 combination, she's just floating through this, nothing is affecting her
• I love that spiral to end the program
• Good for her, she looks amazing and oh so happy out there!
• Competition Total = 188.62

24) Kexin Zhang (CHN)

2012 Four Continents Championships: Short Dance LIVE Coverage

1) Cortney Mansour & Daryn Zhunussov (KAZ)

• Oh the music selections, kill me now
• She looks like she's bent in half
• Trip and then a fall, they can't seem to get their feet under them 
• This costume is just unecessary
• 13.22 (TES) + 13.31 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 25.53

2) Anna Nagornyuk & Viktor Kovalenko (UZB)

• This costume is very European-looking costumes
• These twizzles are rough, hand down for him
• Not much free leg extension
• That was an okay performance, but nothing spectacular 
• 21.49 (TES) + 18.44 (PCS) = 39.93

3) Corenne Bruhns & Ryan Van Natten (MEX)

• This is a very slow moving piece
• There is no commitment to the piece, she looks like she's not giving complete effort
• Lack of commitment to a performance bothers me more than falling
• 20.64 (TES) + 15.29 (PCS) = 35.93 

4) Xiaoyang Yu & Chen Wang (CHN)

• The shoulders, the ruffles, the stripes, it's all so so so bad
• He almost ate it on that twizzle, very crooked
• As loud as the costumes are, this is a very boring dance
• Those long tails on the skirts terrify me, it's so easy to catch a blade
• 24.00 (TES) + 21.42 (PCS) = 45.42

5) Alexandra Paul & Mitchell Islam (CAN)

• Really great subtleties in the opening
• This is one of the few smooth and sultry pieces this season
• This is beautiful, very graceful and elegant
• I like her hair floating like that, it's better out of the bun
• Not as much attack on the twizzles as I would've liked
• Improved from the rest of what I've seen from them this season
• 23.71 (TES) + 24.81 (PCS) = 48.52

6) Danielle Obrien & Gregory Merriman (AUS)

• That skirt doesn't seem to match the rest of the dress
• She exits the twizzles a turn early
• Nice use of the free arm in the rhumba sequence
• This team is packaged well and they look professional, they just need some more work
• 20.64 (TES) + 20.46 (PCS) = 40.10

7) Madison Hubbell & Zachary Donohue (USA)

• He is a dream to watch, he his so dancy
• Oh no, where did that fall come from
• Hey, I'd rather you fall because you're too into the movement than half-assing it
• Oh boy, she wobbles a little on the twizzle
• At least her costume is more sassy this time
• They look very dejected after the fall and the bobble
• 25.50 (TES) + 25.43 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 49.93

8) Meryl Davis & Charlie White (USA)

• They are the definition of hair-ography
• So much energy in that opening 
• He always looks like he's going to spin out of control everytime on the twizzles but never does!
• I'm glad they went all JLo this season, it suits them so well
• I  love that part of the footwork that looks like they're going into a sit spin
• 34.71 (TES) + 37.44 (PCS) + 72.15

9) Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir (CAN)

• All those ruffles floating in the rhumba sequence is just obnoxious
• That costume is such a distraction, breaks up the lines
• The twizzle timing was perfect, but the arms are a little off
• I can only watch her in that costume because his is so boring by comparison
• They just don't look excited to be out there
• Anybody else surprised that ruffle didn't get in his face in the on that final rotational lift
• 33.92 (TES) + 37.68 (PCS) = 71.60

10) Maia Shibutani & Alex Shibuani (USA)

• They look look a little slow today, other than the twizzles of course
• They arguably have the best unison of the top teams overall
• Whatever Corky Ballas did, it's working for them
• They've really come into their own this season, they're really stepping it up on this short dance
• I like their new costumes and their new aggressive attitude
• 31.86 (TES) + 31.52 (PCS) 63.38

11) Kaitlyn Weaver & Andrew Poje (CAN)

• I feel like this isn't as spicy as it could be, I don't know why
• They look really rushed, it looks a little frantic
• Their arms look a little flaily
• Something about it just seemed off today, no major mistakes, just something a little off
• 31.43 (TES) + 32.80 (PCS) = 64.23

Pl.	Name	Nation	TSS =	TES +		PCS +	SS	TR	PE	CC	IT	Ded. -	StN.
1	Meryl DAVIS / Charlie WHITE	USA	72.15	34.71		37.44	9.39	9.25	9.32	9.43	9.39	0.00	#8
2	Tessa VIRTUE / Scott MOIR	CAN	71.60	33.92		37.68	9.39	9.29	9.46	9.39	9.54	0.00	#9
3	Kaitlyn WEAVER / Andrew POJE	CAN	64.23	31.43		32.80	8.07	7.93	8.29	8.29	8.36	0.00	#11
4	Maia SHIBUTANI / Alex SHIBUTANI	USA	63.38	31.86		31.52	7.93	7.64	8.04	7.89	7.89	0.00	#10
5	Madison HUBBELL / Zachary DONOHUE	USA	49.93	25.50		25.43	6.43	6.39	6.21	6.39	6.36	1.00	#7
6	Alexandra PAUL / Mitchell ISLAM	CAN	48.52	23.71		24.81	6.39	6.00	6.29	6.29	6.07	0.00	#5
7	Xiaoyang YU / Chen WANG	CHN	45.42	24.00		21.42	5.43	5.14	5.36	5.46	5.36	0.00	#4
8	Danielle OBRIEN / Gregory MERRIMAN	AUS	40.10	20.64		20.46	5.25	4.93	5.14	5.21	5.04	1.00	#6
9	Anna NAGORNYUK / Viktor KOVALENKO	UZB	39.93	21.49		18.44	4.75	4.50	4.61	4.75	4.46	0.00	#2
10	Corenne BRUHNS / Ryan VAN NATTEN	MEX	35.93	20.64		15.29	4.00	3.71	3.82	3.93	3.68	0.00	#3
11	Cortney MANSOUR / Daryn ZHUNUSSOV	KAZ	25.53	13.22		13.31	3.54	3.25	3.32	3.43	3.14	1.00	#1

2012 Four Continents Championships: Pairs Short Program LIVE Coverage

1) Caydee Denney & John Coughlin (USA)

    Music: East of Eden

• Ice Musings and I are not obsessed with this themed entrance
• This looks a little slow for me today
• That was really slow getting into that lift
• That was a save on the throw, she was super tilted in the air
• Good showing overall from the home team
• 35.55 (TES) + 27.80 (PCS) = 63.35

2) Jessica Dube & Sebastien Wolfe (CAN)

    Music: Three Hours After Midnight

• I like her hair a lot and I love the zipper on the back of her dress
• Good speed
• I feel like she's reinvented herself as an athletic skater which is really cool
• 31.28 (TES) + 26.40 (PCS) = 57.68

3) Mary Beth Marley & Rockne Brubaker (USA)

    Music: Singing in the Rain

• I'm loving her right now, so quick and speedy right off the bat
• Nice opening SBS jumps, great unison
• That split twist is so improved from last season
• Landed the throw on 2 feet, that's the only visible error
• Stretch out those legs on the lift honey!
• Nice button on the end
• 34.96 (TES) + 27.46 (PCS) = 62.42 

4) Meagan Duhamel & Eric Radford (CAN)

     Music: Concierto de Aranjuez

• Meagan kind of looks like Hilary Swank
• Good fight on those SBS jumps, I don't know how she landed that
• Girlfriend is attacking this
• Did they change some of this choreography, I like it more than I remember it
• She looks oddly hunched over and he is very upright which exaggerates the height difference
• They're looking a bit tired here
• Hands down on the throw
• Something about it looked off today, I can't put my finger on it really
• 31.44 (TES) + 26.09 (PCS) = 57.53

5) Yue Zhang & Lei Wang (CHN)
     Music: The Swan

• All kinds of craziness on those SBS jumps, she doubles and he almost goes into the boards
• Really labored throw, two-footed
• They look really really tired out there, it's like slow motion
• Some nice moments of elegance, but the whole thing just lacks spark
•  24.21 (TES) + 23.63 (PCS) = 48.04

6) Huibo Dong & Yiming Wu (CHN)
    Music: Red Violin

• Slightly off on those SBS jumps, just a slight unison issue
• Wild on that throw, couldn't control the height, hands down
• A lot of position changes on those throws, not such clean positions though
• That was a decent skate, but no polish
• 27.29 (TES) + 22.23 (PCS) = 49.52 

7) Narumi Takahashi & Mervin Tran (JPN)
    Music: Imagine

• That was a cute little fist bump
• No elaborate opening poses here
• They are one of the "beautiful, but" teams
• Land those jumps Narumi please
• A little scratchy there on that throw
• Really nice entry into that lift, that's one of the best in the competition
• This music and the choreography is fantastic
• That is the only time you see a "unique entry" and the death spiral position is beautiful as well
• 34.74 (TES) + 27.80 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 61.54

8) Wenjing Sui & Cong Han (CHN)
     Music: Country Dance

• She definitely grew
• They look like they were shot out of a rocket, it's a little too high energy for me
• So far so good, as long as they don't fall on a crossover of something, they'll likely take the lead
• I think this music may be arranged differently
• Their presentation quality is a welcome change from the rest of the Chinese pairs who are usually stone-faced
•  37.71 (TES) + 29.44 (PCS) = 66.75

9) Amanda Evora & Mark Ladwig (USA)
    Music: The Man I Love

• That looked like a 2-foot, but that's a HUGE improvement
• She looked so good going in
• That was a beautiful throw, fantastic glide out of it
• So elegant, it's really refreshing to see them hit all those technical elements
• Best short of the season by far
• 32.47 (TES) + 28.28 (PCS) = 60.75

10) Paige Lawrence & Rudi Swiegers (CAN)
      Music: Beetlejuice

• That was nearly a fall on the split twist, she went way off to the side
• A lot of ice flying on those SBS jumps, but landed
• This is kind of weird choreography, but it suits the music well
• Very crooked position on the throw, but she managed to land it
• 31.28 (TES) + 26.69 (PCS) = 57.97

2012 Four Continents Championships: Men's Short Program

Thursday February 9th, 2012 8:45 PM EST

1) Nicholas Fernandez (AUS)
2) Maverick Eguia (PHI)
3) Alex Kang Chan Kam (KOR)
4) Harry Hau Yin Lee (HKG)
5) Hwan-Jin Kim (KOR)
6) Wun-Chang Shih (TPE)
7) Luiz Manella (BRA)
8) Jordan Ju (TPE)
9) Kevin Alves (BRA)
10) Min-Seok Kim (KOR)
11) Brendan Kerry (AUS)
12) Jeremy Ten (CAN)
13) Christopher Caluza (PHI)
14) Mark Webster (AUS)
15) Jinlin Guan (CHN)
16) Misha Ge (UZB)
17) Adam Rippon (USA)
18) Ross Miner (USA)
19) Nan Song (CHN)
20) Patrick Chan (CAN)
21) Tatsuki Machida (JPN)
22) Richard Dornbush (USA)
23) Kevin Reynolds (CAN)
24) Daisuke Takahashi (JPN)
25) Jialiang Wu (CHN)
26) Denis Ten (KAZ)
27) Takahito Mura (JPN)
28) Abzal Rakimgaliev (KAZ)

2012 Four Continents Championships: Men's Preview

Podium Predictions:
1) Patrick Chan (CAN)
2) Daisuke Takahashi (JPN)
3) Adam Rippon (USA)

At this point, betting against Patrick Chan (CAN) is like betting against the Yankees, it's just not a smart idea most of the time. Kudos to he and his coach for figuring out the system (IJS) and working it to their advantage. It make not be pretty or exciting all the time, but they know where to squeeze out those points. The subversive part of me likes skaters who buck the system, but it's just not a smart idea if you actually want to win. Chan winning has become the biggest constant in skating these days. My one criticism of him is that he reuses programs too often. If we're going to see him at all the big events as the headliner, I want two new programs each season. But back to this event, he should have it in the bag aside from a 4+ fall meltdown. His 3 Quads and PCS will get him the Gold, despite my love for Takahashi. He's also competing in his home arena, so it will feel like practice.

My love for Daisuke Takahashi (JPN) runs deep, but even I don't think he has it in him to beat Chan anymore. His dance and performance abilities are otherworldly, but his jumps are not what they used to be and he's showing his age. If he could get ever get that Quad flip, he'd be in the ballgame, but without it, he'll play second fiddle to Chan. He is first in my heart, but unfortunately he'll probably be second on the ice.

Nan Song (CHN) was the surprise of the Grand Prix for me this season, grabbing some medals and almost making the Final. He plans 3 quads across his programs and they're pretty spectacular. He's not an artist by any means, so that aspect of his skating suffers, but he tries at least! He'll be a great up and comer, and he reminds me a little of Javier Fernandez at this time last year. Both burst onto the scene because of their ability to  do Quads, but now Fernandez has found an artistic side as well.

Adam Rippon (USA) is finally looking like himself again with a recent 2nd place finish at the US Championships. However, he lost tot Jeremy Abbot by a large margin. Because he does not have the Quad, he'll have to maximize GOE marks on all of his other elements to have comparable scores to Song and company. He usually gets the edge in PCS marks because of his great quality of skating overall. Winning a medal here is a chance to make a mini splash pre-Worlds and set up for a good showing in Nice.

Of the rest of the American contingent, Ricky Dornbush and Ross Miner each has an outside shot at this podium if they can stay clean and like the top guys make mistakes. Ross won at bronze at NHK trophy by doing just that. Ricky was disastrous in the short at US Nationals and Ross made a few silly mistakes in the free so this is their chance to end the season on a high note after failing to make the World team.

The rest of Canada's team is a bit spotty as well. Kevin Reynolds is known for his ability to do Quads with ease, but the rest of his programs normally go to the wayside under competition pressure. Jeremy Ten is a wonderful skater, but he's missed over a season with serious injury so this will be our first time seeing him in forever, so nobody knows what to expect. 

2012 Four Continents Championships: Ladies Preview

Podium Predictions:
1) Mao Asada (JPN)
2) Ashley Wagner (USA)
3) Kanako Murakami (JPN)


I've loved Mao Asada (JPN) ever since she was a pre-teen jumping bean, but I think she's even better now in the Renaissance of her career. She may not be as technically proficient, but she's skating with the maturity of a true artist. I think that losing the Olympic Gold hurt her more than we can ever know and she is using that emotion to improve her performance quality. I grieve for her over the recent loss of her mother and that is the x-factor that certainly will affect her skating the rest of the season, though exactly how is an uncertainty. I think she'll take all of those feelings and put them into her programs, ultimately propelling her to a win.

Ashley Wagner (USA) is the new golden girl of the US and I think that new-found confidence is going to set her up for a nice run as a contender internationally. She beat Mao last year at at NHK 2010 and if she has it in her to do it again, this is as good a time as any. She is exquisitely trained and packaged this season and I believe she will go clean, but in my opinion that is not enough if Mao also skates clean. She's been talking up a triple-triple combination, even in the short, and I'd like to hope she'll try it here to give it a test run before Worlds. A medal here would do wonders for her confidence and give her more international credibility that could help her scores and give her the benefit of the doubt at Worlds.

Kanako Murakami (JPN) is still the little diva that burst onto the scene last year, she's just trying to find herself. Her programs are much  more lyrical and mature this season; I really appreciate that she's taking a step in that direction. Her jumps were an issue on the grand prix, particularly pops, which is a sign of lack of focus and confidence. I'm not worried about her, she's just in a sophomore slump, and I think a great performance and potentially a medal here will be a way to come out of that smelling like a rose.

The Japanese contingent is strong as always and Haruka Imai (JPN) has the potential to factor in. She's training with Sato and Dungjen and her skating reminds me of Yuka a lot. She has a beautiful, soft, elegant quality about her skating but she's a fragile skater and we don't know what kind of mindset she'll show up in. She trains in Detroit so travel and time changes won't affect her like it will the other Japanese ladies.

I like Agnes Zawadzki (USA) but I feel she is a little lost. Last season she had so much confidence, even when things weren't going well. This was an up and down season for her and I think she's just going through some growing pains of switching coaches and trying to find herself artistically. Actually, she reminds me of Kanako a lot this season. Aesthetically, I think her new look with the dark hair and makeup is very harsh. Is she trying to make herself look older? That's fine but if she softened up her look, I think it could help her artistically.

I can't even believe we are talking about Caroline Zhang (USA) as a contender at a major international but I'm happy to do it. If everybody skates clean, she still has a ways to go to make the podium. However, it's not an overly strong field and if she goes clean and others falter, she could find herself taking home some hardware. Either way, getting the bid to this event is a confidence builder and that's what she needs. The jumps still need some work, particularly in terms of height, but she's on the way. Now that skaters are seeming to have longer careers and/or peaking later in life, you can't count her out.

Cynthia Phaneuf (CAN) is certainly gritting her teeth after losing out on the National title. She breaks my heart because she's so dramatic and intense on the ice, that's my kind of skater, but she can't get out of her own head. She pops jumps more than she falls, which is a sign of focus issues. If anybody can straighten her out, it's Brian Orser, but will his methods have time to make an impact this soon in their partnership?

Amelie Lacoste (CAN) was recently crowned Canadian champ, but her federation does not yet have enough faith in her to send her to Worlds in it's one slot. They are using this event as a playoff between Lacoste and Phaneuf, so that will make for a good fight between them. I think I trust Lacoste more in the clutch than I do Phaneuf, particularly because she has momentum coming in from Canadians. 

2012 Four Continents Championships: Ice Dance Preview

This is a picture we haven't seen in two seasons, Virtue & Moir wearing Gold while Davis & White wore Silver. To be fair, the Canadians were not at 100% last season even when they did compete, but this season the teams are on a level playing field and Davis & White won the singular head-to-head battle at the Grand Prix Final. Can they repeat here? I say...yes!

Podium Predictions:
1) Davis & White (USA)
2) Virtue & Moir (CAN)
3) Shibutani & Shibutani (USA)


It's splitting hairs comparing the top two teams but I think Davis & White (USA) have the winning free skate. It's operatic, it's beautiful, it's elegant, it's shall we say European. Virtue & Moir (CAN) have a more theatrical free skate and while I happen to prefer it, it do not feel that the judges will score it as highly as the Americans in head-to-head competition. The teams are perfectly matched in terms of technical elements and program components so it simply comes down to the judges' preferences and whether one team will make a mistake as Virtue & Moir did with their fall in the short dance at the Grand Prix Final.

Another key battle will be for the bronze medal between Shibutani & Shibutani (USA) and Weaver & Poje (CAN). The Canadians were slightly behind the Americans at NHK Trophy, but went on to beat them by 6 points at the Grand Prix Final in December. The young Americans were majorly lacking in the short dance, which they've since beefed up. The Shib Sibs almost always skate clean while Weaver & Poje are known for making mistakes in high pressure situations so I'm going with the safe bet and taking the Americans based on their penchant for clean skating and upward improvement throughout the season. For the record, I personally hope Weaver & Poje can go clean and take bronze here and at Worlds.

I'm on the fence about Hubbell & Donohue (USA) in that I like their skating and I think they bring out the best in one another and have meshed very well in under a year. However, I think they still look a little tacky in their packaging. Now that they're going to be on 4CC and World teams with Meryl Davis, Madison needs to step it up in costume, hair, and makeup department. Ice dancing is so aesthetic and Meryl Davis is all class all the say...Madison Hubbell should take a page from that book. But back to the skating, they impressed with a win at Nebelhorn, but slumped when their programs weren't received well at Skate America. They beat some good teams to take 3rd at US Nationals, but I fear they won't score as well here or at Worlds as Chock & Bates could have scored. Again, that's just my personal opinion. I hope they prove me wrong.

The biggest disappointment of the season for me has been Paul & Islam (CAN). I expected them to seize the 3rd spot in Canada with the retirement of Crone & Poirier but they had a disastrous Grand Prix and for some reason their programs aren't clicking with the judges and they finished a disappointing 5th at their Nationals. Canada truly extended an olive branch by sending them to this event. I hope they can up their stock and build some momentum for next season.

2012 Four Continents Championships: Pairs Preview

Podium Predictions:
1) Duhamel & Radford (CAN)
2) Sui & Han (CHN) 
3) Denney & Coughlin (USA)

Choosing against a Chinese pairs team may be counter-intuitive, but I'm going with the heartwarming story and Duhamel & Radford (CAN) have great momentum going into this event. Since the event is in North America, Colorado Springs specifically, this is practically a home game for them as they won't have to adjust to much of a time difference and there will certainly be a decent Canadian crowd. They are coming off the high of winning Canadian Nationals decisively and they have ambitions technical elements that rival the top teams in the world. They won't get the PCS of the top European teams, but their unison and chemistry is undeniable and they won't face the best in the World until the compete in Nice in March. This will be a good test for them to see how ready they are to contend on the big stage.

Pre-season, it seemed an afterthought that Sui & Han (CHN)  would be contenders for the World podium this season after a stellar debut last year, but they've fallen off a bit with inconsistencies and technical mistakes. They are moving in a more mature direction with a Tango Free Skate, but they still look like a junior team to me. If they hit here, they could win, but they have yet to do so this season and I won't believe it until I see it.

I'm finally drinking the Kool-Aid and buying into Denny & Coughlin (USA) after a convincing win at US Nationals last week. I'm not saying they have World medal potential, but you can't deny that they are consistent and have had a good overall freshman season. Their artistry needs work, but they have solid pair technique and their unison is pretty spot-on for a new team. Time will tell if they can break the curse of the other American pairs and actually go the distance. Their "elegance" is non-existent, but but that is a learned trait and they do have one of the most important intangibles, the competitive edge. Their packaging also needs an overhaul, from costuming to hair and makeup.

A personal favorite of mine is Takahashi & Tran (JPN) and I'd actually love to see them win, but they are so inconsistent. If one of them isn't falling on the side-by-side jumps, its the other. They are elegant and have an on-ice maturity beyond their years, but inconsistency is a major problem and somebody needs to teach them how to compete.

Another team to watch out for is Marley & Brubaker (USA) who made a big splash at US Nationals, winning the short program and nearly taking the title save for a few uncharacteristic mistakes. Though they won't be thought of as medal contenders this season, this is a polished, athletic team on the rise and they have plenty of gas left in the tank with many years left to climb the ranks

On the opposite end of the pairs spectrum you have Evora & Ladwig (USA) who are entering the twilight of their careers without  much international success. We can't keep making excuses for them by saying "they are great, but..." and they just need to man up and land those jumps if they are ever going to crack the top 6 at Worlds. We saw a US pair do it last season but that was after they put together 2 perfect programs. Will Evora & Ladwig ever win a major international medal before they retire? They have as much of a shot as any to do that here if they hit. 

2012 Four Continents Championships: Viewing Schedule

Thursday, Feb. 9
8:45 p.m. - Men's short program

Friday, Feb. 10
3:00 p.m. - Ladies short program
9:00 p.m. - Men's free skate

Saturday, Feb. 11
3:00 p.m. - Pairs short program
5:30 p.m. - Short dance
9:00 p.m. - Ladies free skate

Sunday, Feb. 12
2:00 p.m. - Pairs free skate
4:45 p.m. - Free dance