Rostelecom Cup: Pairs Free Skate LIVE BLOG

1) Tiffany Vise & Don Baldwin (USA)
  Music: Legends of the Fall & Time to Say Goodbye

• I love to see them jump in opposite directions, when it goes well that is
• Seeing that death spiral from overhead made me dizzy
• This choreography seems so old fashioned to me
• Hard slip on the 2nd throw
• Even aside from that, this is light years better than their first GP outing
• I do like the positions on that final spin
• Ended after the music
• I wish he would shave, he looks scruffy
• 50.22 (TES) + 48.02 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 97.24
• 45.91 (SP) + 97.24 (FS) = 143.16

2) Nicole Della Monica & Matteo Guarise (ITA)
  Music: The Phantom of the Opera

• What do these costumes have to do with Phantom?
• Her upper body is very expressive
• She is clearly the better skater, he needs  lot of work on jumping and artistry
• Oh geez, he tripped and fell on a crossover
• He is clearly just there because he's strong enough to lift and throw her
• He looks so unsure and shaky out there that I'm concerned for her safety in those lifts
• They are just skating through this music, no connection to it at all
• This music may be overdone, but it's very emotionally charged and I don't understand how you can skate to it without feeling something
• (TES) + (PCS) =
• 50.25 (SP) + (FS) =

3) Anastasia Martiusheva & Alexei Rogonov (RUS)
  Music: The Mission

• (TES) + (PCS) =
• 50.90 (SP) + (FS) =

4) Paige Lawrence & Rudi Swiegers (CAN)
  Music: War Horse

• (TES) + (PCS) =
• 51.86 (SP) + (FS) =

5) Caydee Denney & John Coughlin (USA)
  Music: Phantom of the Opera

• (TES) + (PCS) =
• 59.02 (SP) + (FS) =

6) Vera Bazarova & Yuri Larionov (RUS)
  Music: Spartacus

• (TES) + (PCS) =
• 66.02 (SP) + (FS) =

7) Tatiana Volosozhar & Maxim Trankov (RUS)
  Music: Violin Muse

• (TES) + (PCS) =
• 74.74 (SP) + (FS) =

Rostelecom Cup: Ladies short program LIVE blog

1) Gracie Gold (USA)
  Music: Hernando's Hideaway

• Who doesn't love Hernando's Hideaway?
• Nice 3-3 Gracie, I love the speed
• So far so good, but I feel like she's speeding through the choreography and just ticking off the elements
• Now that's she's put down a clean short on the GP, that's a huge step
• Our girl looks thrilled
• 34.92 (TES) + 27.24 (PCS) = 62.16

2) Caroline Zhang (USA)
  Music: Rushing Wings of Dawn

• I love everything that she does with her face at the beginning of this piece
• I love this music so much
• Uh on, pupped the first jump, not a good sign
• That stretched out camel is wonderful, but the bent leg position looks rough
• The step sequence is lovely in this piece, it perfectly fits the tone of the music
• 21.84 (TES) + 324.31 (PCS) = 46.15

3) Polina Korobeynikova (RUS)
  Music: Romeo & Juliet

• I'm loving this braid into the bun
• I actually really love this dress
• Her body type reminds me of Alissa Czisny
• She seems like a very introspective skater to me, which is coming back to me now from the Junior GP
• 26.42 (TES) + 25.03 (PCS) = 51.45

4) Agnes Zawadzki (USA)
  Music: Sex and the City

• Agnes honey, what is this odd costume situation we've got going here?
• So, are you Carrie Bradshaw in Abu Dahbi?
• Well  I guess you can be whomever you want to be when you are jumping like this
• She is looking so slick today, so in a zone
• This is a great piece for a short program, it suits her energy
• I love all these arm variations in the combination spin
• 33.01 (TES) + 27.17 (PCS) = 60.18

5) Valentina Marchei (ITA)
  Music: Esperanza

• This program suits her fiery personality
• I feel like her spins and body positions are so improved this year
• Those swing programs last year didn't show of any of these wonderful things we are seeing from her this season
• The technical content is not at the level of the youngsters, but this is still a very solid program that will receive a good score
• 20.48 (TES) + 25.77 (PCS) = 46.25

6) Adelina Sotnikova (RUS)
  Music: Capriccio Espagnoi

• Nice 3-3
• Uh oh, baby popped her flip
• She is killing it in this footwork, you can tell that being at home helps her energy
• 29.11 (TES) + 18.00 (PCS) = 57.11

7) Kanako Murakami (JPN)
  Music: Prayer for Taylor

• Baby girl is killing it today
• I love that she reinvented herself into an artist, this is a beautiful piece
• Darn that fall, but still she's becoming quite the lovely skater
• 29.01 (TES) + 28.77 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 56.78

8) Viktoria Helgesson (SWE)
  Music: Poinciana

• I remember when it used to flip back and forth-who was better-between Viktoria & Joshi, but honestly it's not even close anymore
• That was just okay, iffy technique
• I like the short hair much better that last year's poofy up-dos
• Wait, doesn't her mom coach her anymore?
•  26.67 (TES) + 27.43 (PCS) = 54.10

9) Kiira Korpi (FIN)
  Music: The Girl with the Flaxen Hair

• This is my favorite costume of the season
• This is so delicate and soft
• That was pure enjoyment to watch
• 31.51 (TES) + 30.04 (PCS) = 61.55

10) Alena Leonova (RUS)
  Music: Slumdog Millionaire

• I never quite know what's going to happen when this one steps out onto the ice
• 
  
• (TES) + (PCS) =

Rostelecom Cup: Ladies Preview

This event is going to come down to who wants it the most. I can see this going so many different ways it's making my head spin. There are about 6 ladies that could win this thing, so let's get started. I'll be live blogging the short on Friday AM and all the free programs on Saturday AM. Here is a link to the schedule http://backstagebarbie.blogspot.com/2012/10/2012-grand-prix-of-figure-skating.html.

Adelina Sotnikova (RUS) is our favorite Russian baby. She is a more complete skater than Tuktamisheva and Lipnitskaia and I hope she can win here and make it to the Grand Prix Final in Sochi. She won bronze at Skate America so let's hope that she keeps escalating!

Kiira Korpi (FIN) is looking divine this season. Her costumes are gorgeous and I appreciate how calm she looks on the ice. I love that every time she steps out, we know that we are going to get something beautiful. I love her elegance. We know she will always receive high PCS marks so that helps give her the edge over many other skaters.

Kanako Murakami (JPN) looks to factor into the medal scene this season after already securing a bronze at Skate Canada. She is finally growing into her body and she's held onto her jumps while developing a new sense of artistry. I expect to see her in the top 6 at Worlds this year with her lovely programs.

Gracie Gold (USA) could easily hit the podium if she goes clean. We all expected her to medal at Skate Canada, but she is a rookie senior and we shouldn't put so much pressure on her. She is brand new on the scene and we need to be patient while she develops.

My Podium Predictions:
Gold: Adelina Sotnikova (RUS)
Silver: Kiira Korpi (FIN)
Bronze: Kanako Murakami (JPN)

The Rest of the Field:
Valentina Marchei (ITA)
Polina Korobeynikova (RUS)
Alena Leonova (RUS)
Viktoria Helgesson (SWE)
Agnes Zawadzki (USA)
Caroline Zhang (USA)