2013 Skate America: Pairs Short Program Recap

Volosozhar & Trankov (RUS) are world class.  Their commitment to the characters sets them apart from everyone else but the Germans. The power, speed, and precision don't hurt either. I feel like I'm watching a piece of theatre when I watch them skate. The impressive thing is that your eye goes to both of them equally and not just to one or the other. Even down to the death spiral, they never break character. Total Short Program Score: 83.05

I will try to stifle my hatred of the "ass up" death spiral because I loved the program as a whole. I personally love light, whimsical short programs and this was certainly it. The costumes were unique without being over the top and their lifts are always spectacular. I am enamored with that final spin and how the speed never dissipates when they change levels. The peck on the cheek was to die for. Total Short Program Score: 71.51

I was impressed by Stolbova & Klimov (RUS) minus his odd facial hair. They had a quiet power about them, very commanding, and very Russian. This program is going places and they are ready to step up as the 2nd Russian pair team. Nothing about the piece blew my socks off, but they are an easy team to watch, it didn't feel anxious or nervous like I do with a lot of pair teams. Total Short Program Score: 64.80

Berton & Hotarek (ITA) had an acrobatic short to say the least. That one-handed lift was unreal and everything about the piece screamed "circus trick". I couldn't take anything in the program seriously because of that insane shade of yellow. Total Short Program Score: 63.85

Okay so I was really surprised by Castelli & Shnapir (USA) today. After being default US champs, you guys really stepped it up. Speed and attack were great and aside from Simon doubling that SBS jump, the rest was awesome. They have a lot to work with in that great throw 3Sal, a pizzazzy footwork sequence, thrilling final lift, and the overall energy. Hopefully the confidence stays up for the free and the rest of the season. Total Short Program Score: 62.56

There is a fine line between aggressive and frantic. Today Denney & Coughlin (USA) stumbled over that line. Tosca is a dramatic piece, but it was all over the top. The twist was so high and the unison was perfect on the SBS jumps, but she couldn't possibly maintain that pace and wiped out on the throw. The piece didn't do much for me, probably because the music is so "been there done that". I much preferred Castelli & Shnapir. Total Short Program Score: 62.06 

Overall I got a good vibe from Zhang & Toth (USA) today. They had the double fall on the SBS jumps, but the twist, throw, and lifts were strong. The Carousel Waltz is music they can feed off of. I get his character, but she needs to work more on establishing hers. The final pose was so Broadway! Total Short Program Score: 55.83

I liked Purdy & Marinaro's (CAN) drama-filled opening, but the emotion never went anywhere for me. It's Unchained Melody, amp up the romance for heaven's sake! She doesn't seem gritty enough for a pair girl, you have to jam that leg out and land those elements girlfriend! I think this piece of music was too mature for a young team. Total Short Program Score: 50.26

2013 Skate America: Pairs Preview

Pairs is a discipline I run hot and cold with. I was all about them after that 2002 debacle and then they faded away for me until Shen & Zhao won the Olympic Gold in 2010. The rivalry between Savchenko & Szolkowy and Volosozhar & Trankov has been thrilling for me in the past two seasons and I truly hope they are back and forth up until their Olympic Free Skate. That being said, let's talk about this event. The paris will skate their short Saturday 10/19 at 12:00pm EST and their free on Sunday 10/20 at 2:30pm EST.

Tatiana Volosozhar & Maxim Trankov (RUS) are the overwhelming favorites here. They will win unless they withdraw. I am hearing fantastic things about their Jesus Christ Superstar free (notice the abundance of British musical theatre tunes at this event) and I'm sure they won't disappoint. This event will be about getting their timing down and building strength and speed so they can ace this season. Anyone in the arena to watch them live in Detroit will be in for a treat.

Kirsten Moore-Towers & Dylan Moscovitch (CAN) have been developing a healthy rivalry with their

countrymen Duhamel & Radford, and it's been great for their performance over the past two seasons.They are coming off of a win at the US Classic in Salt Lake City and US events have always treated them well. I'm not sure what to make of their Fellini Medley free skate, but they've always been a little offbeat in their choices. They're a contender for a Grand Prix Final spot and they have a great shot at taking silver here to keep themselves in the running.

Caydee Denney & John Coughlin (USA) seem to be the logical choices for the third podium spot. Their Phantom of the Opera free skate (another ALW?) should be an overdramatized tacky mess, but they are consistent which is something most pairs cannot say. The rumor mill was busy last season that they weren't getting along anymore and/or that John's body was too wrecked to compete, but I think they'll press on through this season to make it to the big dance.




Ksenia Stolbova & Fedor Klimov (RUS) are in a crucial year in

their career. There are so many young powerful Russian pairs, they aren't too far removed from that, so they better step it up if they are going to make that Olympic team. A good showing here will set them on the right track.

Marissa Castelli & Simon Shnapir (USA) are my prediction for the next US pair to break up and fizzle out. They essentially won the US title by default last season because so  many top teams were injured. Rumors flew that they had a poor work ethic and they were only staying together so they could go to worlds. They aren't a favorite for the Olympic team, but if they want to change the minds of US Figure Skating, they best hold it together here.






Podium Predictions:
Gold: Volosozhar & Trankov (RUS)
Silver: Moore-Towers & Moscovitch (CAN)
Brozne: Denney & Coughlin (USA)

The Rest of the Field:
Purdy/Marinaro (CAN)
Berton/Hotarek (ITA)
Stolbova/Klimov (RUS)
Castelli/Shnapir (USA)
Zhang/Bartholomay (USA)

2012 World Figure Skating Championships: Pairs Short Program Results

Pl.   Qual. Name Nation TSS = TES +   PCS + SS TR PE CH IN Ded. - StN. 1 Q Aliona SAVCHENKO / Robin SZOLKOWY GER 68.63 35.74   32.89 8.29 7.96 8.29 8.32 8.25 0.00 #19 2 Q Qing PANG / Jian TONG CHN 67.10 33.94   33.16 8.36 7.93 8.39 8.39 8.39 0.00 #20 3 Q Narumi TAKAHASHI / Mervin TRAN JPN 65.37 34.94   30.43 7.57 7.50 7.68 7.68 7.61 0.00 #11 4 Q Vera BAZAROVA / Yuri LARIONOV RUS 65.02 35.33   29.69 7.57 7.32 7.46 7.46 7.29 0.00 #14 5 Q Meagan DUHAMEL / Eric RADFORD CAN 63.69 35.00   29.69 7.50 7.32 7.46 7.46 7.36 1.00 #17 6 Q Wenjing SUI / Cong HAN CHN 63.27 34.90   29.37 7.21 7.11 7.46 7.54 7.39 1.00 #18 7 Q Caydee DENNEY / John COUGHLIN USA 62.48 34.36   28.12 7.14 6.61 7.32 6.96 7.11 0.00 #10 8 Q Tatiana VOLOSOZHAR / Maxim TRANKOV RUS 60.48 31.62   30.86 7.93 7.36 7.68 7.79 7.82 2.00 #16 9 Q Stefania BERTON / Ondrej HOTAREK ITA 60.39 32.39   28.00 6.96 6.71 7.07 7.14 7.11 0.00 #15 10 Q Mary Beth MARLEY / Rockne BRUBAKER USA 59.62 33.08   26.54 6.68 6.29 6.82 6.75 6.64 0.00 #4 11 Q Yuko KAVAGUTI / Alexander SMIRNOV RUS 59.59 31.20   30.39 7.68 7.50 7.50 7.68 7.64 2.00 #13 12 Q Jessica DUBE / Sebastien WOLFE CAN 55.83 30.37   25.46 6.50 6.21 6.36 6.46 6.29 0.00 #8 13 Q Vanessa JAMES / Morgan CIPRES FRA 50.51 27.36   23.15 6.04 5.50 5.96 5.82 5.61 0.00 #7 14 Q Nicole DELLA MONICA / Matteo GUARISE ITA 49.07 27.88   21.19 5.64 4.93 5.39 5.32 5.21 0.00 #5 15 Q Maylin HAUSCH / Daniel WENDE GER 48.48 25.44   24.04 6.32 5.75 6.04 6.07 5.86 1.00 #12 16 Q Mari VARTMANN / Aaron VAN CLEAVE GER 47.91 25.66   22.25 5.79 5.21 5.75 5.64 5.43 0.00 #1 17 Danielle MONTALBANO / Evgeni KRASNOPOLSKI ISR 44.69 25.90   18.79 5.00 4.39 4.93 4.68 4.50 0.00 #6 18 Anais MORAND / Timothy LEEMANN SUI 44.59 24.28   20.31 5.29 4.86 5.14 5.18 4.93 0.00 #9 19 Stacey KEMP / David KING GBR 39.33 23.24   18.09 4.64 4.57 4.57 4.50 4.32 2.00 #2 20 Ji Hyang RI / Won Hyok THAE PRK 36.23 19.03   18.20 5.04 4.11 4.64 4.57 4.39 1.00 #3

2012 World Figure Skating Championships: Pairs Short Program Skate Order

The top 16 will advance to the Free Skate

StN.	Name	Nation
	Warm-Up Group 1
1	Mari VARTMANN / Aaron VAN CLEAVE	GER
2	Stacey KEMP / David KING	GBR
3	Ji Hyang RI / Won Hyok THAE	PRK
4	Mary Beth MARLEY / Rockne BRUBAKER	USA
	Warm-Up Group 2
5	Nicole DELLA MONICA / Matteo GUARISE	ITA
6	Danielle MONTALBANO / Evgeni KRASNOPOLSKI	ISR
7	Vanessa JAMES / Morgan CIPRES	FRA
8	Jessica DUBE / Sebastien WOLFE	CAN
	Warm-Up Group 3
9	Anais MORAND / Timothy LEEMANN	SUI
10	Caydee DENNEY / John COUGHLIN	USA
11	Narumi TAKAHASHI / Mervin TRAN	JPN
12	Maylin HAUSCH / Daniel WENDE	GER
	Warm-Up Group 4
13	Yuko KAVAGUTI / Alexander SMIRNOV	RUS
14	Vera BAZAROVA / Yuri LARIONOV	RUS
15	Stefania BERTON / Ondrej HOTAREK	ITA
16	Tatiana VOLOSOZHAR / Maxim TRANKOV	RUS
	Warm-Up Group 5
17	Meagan DUHAMEL / Eric RADFORD	CAN
18	Wenjing SUI / Cong HAN	CHN
19	Aliona SAVCHENKO / Robin SZOLKOWY	GER
20	Qing PANG / Jian TONG	CHN

2012 World Figure Skating Championships: Pairs Preview

 Here we are again, can you believe the figure skating season is nearly over already?  But before the season ends, we get the best event of the year, Worlds. Pairs will certainly be an interesting event. Three teams dominated the senior Grand Prix, but we have a set of former World Champs from China returning, as well as a pair of Chinese youngsters making their senior Worlds debut. Aside from who will medal, another interesting storyline is if the teams from the USA and Canada can come together and secure their country a third spot at the pre-Olympic Worlds in 2013. The pairs skate their Short Program Wednesday March 28th at 8:00 am EST and their Free Skate on Friday March 30th at 2:30 pm EST.

Podium Predictions
1) Savchenko & Szolkowy (GER)
2) Volosozhar & Trankov (RUS)
3) Kavaguti & Smirnov (RUS)

Top Contenders

Savchenko & Szoklowy (GER) had an up and down season by their standards, winning Gold at Skate America, Cup of Russia, and the Grand Prix Final, Bronze at NHK Trophy, and withdrawing from Europeans due to injury. I think they easily have the finest pairs programs of the season, their Pina free skate is so artistic and contemporary; nothing else holds a candle to it. I’m picking them to win their second consecutive and fourth overall World title.

Volosozhar & Trankov (RUS) were the other dominant pair this season. They won Skate Canada, Trophee Eric Bompard, and Europeans. They won Silver behind the Germans at the Grand Prix Final and they too with drew this season due to injury, but it was from Russian Nationals. They have impressive technical elements and outstanding chemistry, but I prefer the polish of the Germans to the flash and athleticism of the Russians.

Kavaguti & Smirnov (RUS) also took two Golds on the Grand Prix, at Cup of China and NHK Trophy. They picked up a Silver at Cup of Russia and a Bronze at the Grand Prix Final. Continuing the theme, they also struggled with injury and withdrew from Europeans and Russian Nationals. They have two very diverse programs, a passionate edgy short, and a lyrical long to Claire de Lune. They missed the World podium last year after a fall, but I think they’ll find their way back there if they go clean.

Pang & Tong (CHN) will be a curious case to say the least. They were fantastic last season and finished it off with a Bronze at Worlds, but we haven’t seen them since then. They planned to take time off to rest and get married, but they found they loved skating too much to take a full year off. China needs them too, they only have two slots for pairs this season, a travesty by their standards, so they’ll look to help get that third spot back. They are a beautiful team and that is what they exploit in their programs, but I’d love to see them take a risk and try something with an edge to it. That may be what they need to challenge the top three at this point.

In The Hunt

Sui & Han (CHN) appeared to be in a bit of a sophomore slump, and by that I mean they didn’t make the Grand Prix Final as they did in their debut season, but they came back with a big time win at Four Continents. Their attempt at maturity in their new Tango free skate was all but laughable at the beginning of the season, but now they are really starting to to grow into it. Expect them to make a huge splash in their senior Worlds debut.

Bazarova & Larionov (RUS) are an elegant team with beautiful lines, but unfortunately that's about all they're offering this season. They haven't upped their technical game and they've been less than consistent. They are normally a shoe in for the Grand Prix Final, but a poor showing at Skate America knocked them out of the running. 

Denney & Coughlin (USA) are the hot new American team, but unfortunately they are still an American team and that usually means choking at Worlds. They have pretty impressive elements, but they are packaged as athletes,  not as artists, and than needs to change next season if they expect to compete with the best teams in the World.

Duhamel & Radford (CAN) were fantastic on the Grand Prix and even qualified for the final. They easily won their Nationals with what looked like the performance of a lifetime, but it seems they may have peaked too soon. 

Takahashi &Tran (JPN) have been all over the place this season, placing fourth and second at their Grand Prix events and qualifying for the Grand Prix Final. They can be described in four words: beautiful lines, inconsistent elements. Narumi just seems to have no self-confidence in the throws and jumps and that needs to be addressed before they can reach their full potential.

Berton & Hotarek (ITA) stepped up their International game this season, finishing 4th and 3rd in their Grand Prix assignments and fourth at Europeans. I don't love their look on the ice, but the judges clearly appreciate their elements. They've been pretty consistent this season and if they stay that way, they can finish well.

Marley & Brubaker (USA) are attending their first Worlds, though Rockne was here with a previous partner. If Mary Beth can block out the pressure of the World stage, they have a good shot at making a splash. They won Silver at Nationals and their first International medal in Bronze at Four Continents so they are well on their way if they stay clean and consistent. They can't afford any mistakes though, because no judges will give a relatively new team the benefit of the doubt.

Dube & Wolfe (CHN) are in a similar situation to Marley & Brubaker. She has a lot of Worlds experience but he has none. They got better at every event this season and finished a surprise 2nd at Canadians to earn a spot on the World team over some more experienced teams. They won't challenged for a medal as Dube did with Davison, but they can earn some International judges' favor if they are clean.

The Rest Of The Field

Martini & Kiefer (AUT)

Bakirova & Kamianchuk (BLR)

Makarova & Kenchadze (BUL)

Ri & Thae (PRK)

James & Cipres (FRA)

Hausch &Wende (GER)

Vartmann & Van Cleave (GER)

Kemp & King (GBR)

Montalbano & Krasnopolski (ISR)

Della Monica & Guarise (ITA)

Morand & Leemann (SUI)

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: 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: 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 US Figure Skating Championships: Senior Pairs Preview

Podium Predictions:
1) Amanda Evora & Mark Ladwig 
2) Caydee Denney & John Coughlin
3) Mary-Beth Marley & Rockne Brubaker
4) Tiffany Vise & Don Baldwin


Last year we had a sentimental favorite in Yankowskas & Coughlin and they won gold. This year we have another sentimental favorite in Evora & Ladwig, a team that has been so close to gold for so many years but can't ever quite get there. I don't want to suggest that if they win it will be by default, but they have so much more experience skating together than most of the teams in this event that it's not even funny. I say it all the time, but we can't truly appreciate the beauty of the pairs elements and the artistry if they don't land the jumps. I truly think they will win, but I want them to get their gold in high fashion with two clean programs.

Denney & Coughlin own the last two gold medals from the US Championships, albeit with different partners. They teamed up in the summer and have been quite successful together. They've avoided major mistakes in competition, but their connection, artistry, and polish need fine tuning. They are a solid bet for one of the top two spots and a spot on the world team. If they are clean and Evora & Ladwig make mistakes, they'll likely win. The judges seem to really like them so I don't see them going below second unless they fall apart.

I really took to Marley & Brubaker last year at Nationals. I have always been a Rockne fan and found Mary Beth very refreshing. They had a solid debut in 4th last year and they've been able to get some international exposure at 4 Continents and Skate America. They have a lot of work to do in terms of artistry and building Mary Beth's confidence, but they'll get there if they STAY TOGETHER. I cannot stress enough how much I want these teams to stay together. They have switched coaches from John Nicks to Meno & Sand which should work out well in my opinion. Mr Nicks is a fantastic pairs coach, but he is aging and he has singles students to worry about. Meno & Sand are arguably the most successful US Pair team ever so they know what they're talking about.

Fourth is a tough position to call because anyone could land there, but I'm going with Vise & Baldwin. They had a very respectable showing at Skate America and skated two clean programs. They don't have all the acrobatic tricks of the younger teams, but they have a maturity that only comes with years and years of experience. I'm not about to suggest that they are world class or that they will ever contend for any major international titles, but it would be nice to see them on the podium.


Competitors:


Andrews/LeDuc-BYE
Cain/Reagan-BYE-6th at 2011 Cup of Russia (138.02)
Castelli/Shnapir-BYE-7th at 2011 NHK Trophy (149.02)
Chanel-Bautista/Harris-3rd at 2011 Eastern Sectionals (124.67)
Denney/Coughlin-BYE-4th at 2011 Skate America (175.40); 5th at 2011 NHK Trophy (163.75)
Donlan/Sperof-1st at 2011 Eastern Sectionals (152.73)
Evora/Ladwig-4th at 2011 Cup of China (170.63); 4th at 2011 TEB (169.58)
Fehr/Biver-BYE
Marley/Brubaker-BYE-7th at 2011 Skate America (144.80)
Poapst/Knierim-BYE
Scimeca/Dimitrov-4th at 2011 Eastern Sectionals (110.80)
Vise/Baldwin-BYE-6th at 2011 Skate America (155.42)
Zhang/Bartholomay-2nd at 2011 Eastern Sectionals (131.08)

2011 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating: 2011 NHK Trophy Pairs Free Skate LIVE BLOG

1) Natasha Purich & Raymond Schultz (CAN)
     Music: Spellbound Concerto

• They look soooo young
• Good energy off the top
• He steps out of the SBS 3T
• Pop the twist to a single
• She is hardly getting any height on that throw, or distance
• Major unison errors on the 2A series
• This is a very junior-looking program
• She stops in the middle of the spin completely and holds out her wrist, I don't know if his blade hit her or what?
• Very freaky and I hope she's okay!

FS Score: 41.60 (TES) + 41.01 (PCS) = 82.61
Total Score: 45.56 (SP) + 82.61 (FS) = 128.17

2) Marissa Castelli & Simon Shnapir (USA)
     Music: Piano Concerto No.2  by Rachmaninov

• This is a very serious, grown up program for them
• Simon falls on the jump sequence and totally misses the second jump
• Their lifts always look so great because of his height
• Fall on the throw triple axel, but it may have been rotated
• Very off unison in the spins
• This certainly not the best I've seen from them
• Slight unison issue on the double axel
• Great comeback with the 2nd throw on a great musical crescendo
• That carry lift looks great

FS Score: 53.05 (TES) + 48.04 (PCS) -2.00 (DED) = 99.09
Total Score: 449.93 (SP) + (FS) = 149.02

3) Lubov Iliushechkina & Nodari Maisuradze (RUS)
     Music: A Chorus Line

• I'm obsessed with this program
• I love the jazziness of the choreography, Michael Bennett would be proud!
• Good solid jumps and a good twist
• Two-foot on the throw or so it looked from my angle
• I'd love to see some more expression in the "What I Did For Love" section
• The 2nd throw looked a little two-footed as well
• Very interesting spin positions
• The crowd is clapping along to the "One" section, I'd love to know if this Japanese audience knows anything about A Chorus Line
• I like this piece because it looks like a complete program to me, and not just a string of elements
• They should be very happy with that skate

FS Score: 52.27 (TES) + 52.62 (PCS) = 105.89
Total Score: 53.12 (SP) + 105.89 (FS) = 159.01

4) Yuko Kavaguti & Alexander Smirnov (RUS)
     Music: Clair de Lune

• This is one of my favorite pairs free skates in recent memory, so light and airy
• Low catch on the split twist, it looked like his hands may have slipped on the fabric of her dress
• Great throw, she was rotating at warp speed
• Slow exit out of the death spiral
• The fabric of her dress looks positively gorgeous floating through the spins
• Yuko never straightens her legs fully which really bothers me
• She struggles on both jumps of the sequence, very funky landings
• That moment where he holds her as she runs in the air is my favorite of the program
• She eeks out the landing on the 2nd throw, maybe a little two-footed
• Their lifts are never anything spectacular, where they really excel is in the in-between moments
• Not their best outing with this program, some awkward entrances and exits to lifts and the whole thing looked a little slow

FS Score: 61.13 (TES) + 61.36 (PCS) = 122.49
Total Score: 55.02 (SP) + 122.49 (FS) = 177.51

5) Caydee Denney & John Coughlin (USA)
     Music: Nessun Dorma

• I zoned out and missed the opening jumps but I heard clapping so that's a good sign
• Slight loss of speed exiting the split triple twist, but great height
• John looked a little wild on both jumps of the double axel series, but landed nonetheless
• Very slow entrance into the throw and she fell, likely short of rotation
• Nice job on the second throw
• Caydee needs to really point that foot
• They have very nice unison in the spins for a team that is so new
• Her spin positions don't hold a candle to Caitlyn's
• That carry lift is ugly, John looks like he his dead lifting
• Ended slightly after the music

FS Score: 55.61 (TES) + 53.66 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 108.27
Total Score: 55.48 (SP) + 108.27 (FS) = 163.75

6) Stefania Berton & Ondrej Hotarek (ITA)
     Music: Adagio in G Minor

• This has been a breakout year for them
• They're an interesting pair because they're both similar in height and size
• Nice 3-jump combination
• Split double twist, she is so tall that a triple would be very hard
• Some of the entrances and exits to the lifts are very awkward and labored
• She puts her hands down on second jumping pass
• Almost perfect unison on the spins
• All of their lifts look slow and labored because she is so tall
• She really opened up out of that throw and made it a double, very abrupt landing
• This is just not an exciting program for me
• Their lifts really scare me because he never looks stable
• One of those ugly death spirals that I hate
• Much improvement, but it lacked spark

FS Score: 52.49 (TES) + 107.60 (PCS) =
Total Score: 56.23 (SP) + 55.11 (FS) = 163.83

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

• Very nice split twist
• Oh wow, Narumi actually landed that first jump!
• This is a gorgeous program that they have here
• I don't know what happened in that jump combination, she seemed to stumble out of the 1st while he stumbled on the 2nd and it was a jumbled mess
• Mervin is the focal point of this team, I hardly ever watch Narumi
• I love that they do the throws back to back right after the halfway point, that follows the Chinese pair programs format
• She two-foots the second throw, possibly short of rotation
• She has a fantastic spiral position
• Not a perfect skate, but it was a huge improvement for them
• Narumi is so excited! So proud of herself for landing the jumps

FS Score: 55.92 (TES) + 58.28 (PCS) = 114.20
Total Score: 57.89 (SP) + 114.20 (FS) = 172.09

8) Aliona Savchenko & Robin Szolkowy (GER)
     Music: Pina

• I love this music so much
• Slight unison issue on the jumps but they held it together
• Kudos to Robin for such great flexibility on that spiral sequence even if his hip is hiked up
• This is such an innovative program and the choreography is so specific
• Low catch on the split twist
• Did Aliona single her axel?
• I appreciate that they don't simply perform generic lifts, but they are actually specific to the character of the program
• Oh boy, a botched lift, he couldn't get her up over his head and she just slid down his back
• Two-foot on the last throw
• They just lost control of the program right at the end, they are not pleased with that

FS Score: 48.58 (TES) + 63.87 (PCS) = 112.45
Total Score: 59.23 (SP) + (FS) = 171.68

Pl. Name Nation Points SP FS 1 Yuko KAVAGUTI / Alexander SMIRNOV RUS 177.51 5 1 2 Narumi TAKAHASHI / Mervin TRAN JPN 172.09 2 2 3 Aliona SAVCHENKO / Robin SZOLKOWY GER 171.68 1 3 4 Stefania BERTON / Ondrej HOTAREK ITA 163.83 3 5 5 Caydee DENNEY / John COUGHLIN USA 163.75 4 4 6 Lubov ILIUSHECHKINA / Nodari MAISURADZE RUS 159.01 6 6 7 Marissa CASTELLI / Simon SHNAPIR USA 149.02 7 7 8 Natasha PURICH / Raymond SCHULTZ CAN 128.17 8 8 Pl.   Name Nation TSS = TES +   PCS + SS TR PE CH IN Ded. - StN. 1 Yuko KAVAGUTI / Alexander SMIRNOV RUS 122.49 61.13   61.36 7.79 7.54 7.64 7.82 7.57 0.00 #4 2 Narumi TAKAHASHI / Mervin TRAN JPN 114.20 55.92   58.28 7.32 7.29 7.32 7.46 7.04 0.00 #7 3 Aliona SAVCHENKO / Robin SZOLKOWY GER 112.45 48.58   63.87 8.14 7.82 7.86 8.14 7.96 0.00 #8 4 Caydee DENNEY / John COUGHLIN USA 108.27 55.61   53.66 6.96 6.50 6.75 6.71 6.61 1.00 #5 5 Stefania BERTON / Ondrej HOTAREK ITA 107.60 52.49   55.11 6.89 6.71 7.07 6.89 6.89 0.00 #6 6 Lubov ILIUSHECHKINA / Nodari MAISURADZE RUS 105.89 53.27   52.62 6.68 6.39 6.57 6.82 6.43 0.00 #3 7 Marissa CASTELLI / Simon SHNAPIR USA 99.09 53.05   48.04 6.32 5.64 6.00 6.25 5.82 2.00 #2 8 Natasha PURICH / Raymond SCHULTZ CAN 82.61 41.60   41.01 5.32 5.14 5.00 5.21 4.96 0.00 #1