I'm loving Mary Beth Marley's costume. I'm really pulling for Marley & Brubaker to have a clean free skate, regardless of placement. She's just come so far! I feel like Aliona always wears her warm-up jacket out in the warm up.
1) Maylin Hausch & Daniel Wende (GER)
Music:
Your Highness by Steve Yablonsky
- 8th after the short was a huge surprise, I had them pegged for top 4, or 5th at the lowest
- His costume is very similar to that of Don Baldwin in the short
- Not enough height on the split twist, not a clean catch
- I love Daniel's long flowing edge out of the throw
- Maylin puts her hand down in the first jump of the combination
- Both struggle on the side by side triple salchows, she doubled I believe
- I like their athleticism in this program, but they're struggling on elements
- Even the exit from that lift seemed rough
- They just don't look like themselves
- The star lift with him on the inside spread eagle was great!
- She was so tilted on that throw 3flip, steps out and puts a hand down
- This will not be a program they're happy with
- They have some intricate positions in their lifts, nice innovations
- I hate that death spiral, anything other than a traditional death spiral is ugly to me
- Good pair spin positions, but the speed was lacking
- The final pose seemed out of the character of the piece to me
FS Score: 46.25 (TES) + 46.35 (PCS) = 92.60
Total Score: 48.94 (SP) + 92.60 (FS) = 141.54
2) Tiffany Vise & Don Baldwin (USA)
Music:
Legends of the Fall, Time To Say Goodbye
- I think Tiffany Vise is a little to old for that hair ribbon
- Wrong music played for them, I haven't seen that in a while
- That has to rattle you a little bit once you're in character
- They can't stop laughing, now they'll be announced a 3rd time
- I love this music, I've choreographed pieces to it so it's very close to my heart
- That double twist was very clean, and the catch was clean and high
- I love the spread eagle entrance into the throw triple loop, gorgeous flow out
- Triple-toe double toe from him, single toe for her
- I really enjoy seeing them jump and spin in opposite directions
- I really don't like these "innovative" death spiral positions at all
- This is a very elegant piece, we're used to more athletic pieces from them so it's a nice change
- Side by side triple salchows were lovely
- I think the spiral requirement in pairs is silly, the men never look good doing them and there are so many other elements
- The counter balance on his skate is very cool
- Hands down on the throw triple
- Good quality spins, dangerously close at certain points
- I think Code of Points has been great for pairs because we get higher quality choreography between the elements
- Very solid performance for them, should easily be in first
FS Score: 53.00 (TES) + 50.87 (PCS) = 103.87
Total Score: 51.55 (SP) + 103.87 (FS) = 155.42
3) Mary-Beth Marley & Rockne Brubaker (USA)
Music:
Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor by Rachmaninov
- I'm pulling for them, hoping for a good clean skate
- Did she stumble a little on the opening pose
- She fell really hard on that side by side triple toe
- Very good speed here, I like to see that
- Huge height on the split triple twist, catch was a little low
- She falls again on the triple salchow, must be nerves because she is a very strong jumper
- Their spins are greatly improved from last season when they debuted
- Two footed throw triple lutz, but that is a harder throw than most will do
- Her lift positions are much stronger than last season
- Interesting spiral sequence
- I like this program and I think they have a lot of growing room
- I wish they had been able to compete at Nebelhorn so this wasn't their first event of the season
- The lifts are very nice
- Rockne is such a strong partner and I'm sure he's being very patient with her
- Fall on the throw triple salchow
- I really like the innovative positions of their pair spin
- Poor girl, she has to be so upset with that program
FS Score: 44.28 (TES) + 47.36 (PCS) - 3.00 (DED) = 88.64
Total Score: 56.16 (SP) + 88.64 (FS) = 144.80
4) Aliona Savchenko & Robin Szolkowy (GER)
Music:
Pina
- This piece is based on the German postmodern dancer & choreographer Pina Bausch, who I happen to love!
- Gorgeous throw triple flip
- Very strong side-by-side jump sequence
- I really like their spiral sequence, if that's possible
- This is unique music, and their in between choreography fits it perfectly
- I'm loving this music!
- These costumes are quite subdued for them!
- I'm not a fan of even their death spiral, but at least it fits the theme of the program
- This is great choreography, this program is going to be outrageously good by Europeans and Worlds
- They act this very well and he lets her be the star
- These lifts, entrances and exits included are so cool
- Great pair spin programs
- I'm enamored with this program!
- The speed is one thing they can work on but the rest is brilliant
FS Score: 60.41 (TES) + 64.12 (PCS) = 124.53
Total Score: 59.45 (SP) + 124.53 (FS) = 183.98
5) Kirsten Moore-Towers & Dylan Moscovitch (CAN)
Music:
Henry V
- Their costumes look like they were bought from a Tudors salvage sale, which is obviously quite fitting
- I loved them last season but they fizzled, can they keep a high level for a whole season this year?
- Triple toe-triple toe in sequence, slight loss of unison in the second set
- Seriously lacking height on the split triple twist
- Step out and maybe a hand down for Dylan on the triple salchow
- I really like this music, it's a nice look for them
- They are losing some speed after that stumble on the jump, could be running out of gas
- Great height on the throw triple loop
- This middle section seems slow, they are lacking in their choreography and musical interpretation
- This is a very grandiose musical choice, in the same vein as their Les Miserables free last season
- Her free leg seems bent in the spins and his foot seems flexed
- That star lift out of the lunge position at the end of the program has become somewhat of a signature for them
- I like them a lot and hope they stay together in order to grow in their maturity and musical interpretation
FS Score: 61.65 (TES) + 56.18 (PCS) = 117.83
Total Score: 59.60 (SP) + 177.43 (FS) = 177.43
6) Vera Bazarova & Yuri Larionov (RUS)
Music:
Doctor Zhivago
- Her costume is a little much for me, it's very 1994 Lillehammer-esque
- Can they actually land their elements today?
- She turns out of her side by side triple toe
- Gorgeous split triple twist with a clean catch
- She seems to have little to no confidence in her skating
- Nice throw triple flip, but tentative on her part
- Side by side double axel sequence, loss of unison at the end
- This program needs a lot more speed
- They are beautiful, but they need more expression
- I hate to say it, and usually I love their grace, but this program is a little boring for me
- Slight unison issue on the spins, and they hit some ugly positions
- That program was just okay for me, it needs a little more oomph
FS Score: 58.72 (TES) + 55.60 (PCS) = 114.32
Total Score: 59.62 (SP) + 114.32 (FS) = 173.94
7) Caydee Denney & John Coughlin (USA)
Music:
Nessun Dorma
- I can't decide whether I want to like them or not
- Clean side by side triple throws, slight unison issues
- That split triple twist is World class, I'd like to see a quad attempt
- Double axel-double axel sequence, Caydee singles it; not a good way to pass top teams
- Really nice throw triple loop
- This choreography has a lot of arms, but not much else for me
- This arrangement of Nessun Dorma makes me want to throw up
- I hate to admit it, but they do have some decent chemistry out there, I wonder why?
- Throw triple flip was clean, but it lacked the height of their first throw
- They spins are very well synchronized for a new pair
- They've done all their difficult elements minus a lift at this point
- Her positions are improved from when she skated with Jeremy, but could still be more stretched
- This is a strong start for them, regardless of placement
- Nice difficult entrance and positions in that final lift
- They should be thrilled with that
- I'm not sure if that is enough to pass the Canadians or not
FS Score: 59.36 (TES) +56.42 (PCS) - (DED) = 115.78
Total Score: 59.62 (SP) + 115.78 (FS) = 175.40
8) Dan Zhang & Hao Zhang (CHN)
Music:
Totentanz
- Nice opening jump sequence
- I hate this piece of music
- Good height on the split twist
- Side by side triple salchows
- This is a nice enough program, but it's not really doing much for me
- It's not nearly as interesting as Savchenko & Szolkowy's free skate, but they may have enough of a buffer from the short program
- They are skating really slowly
- Turn out of the throw triple salchow
- They used to be such an athletic pair but now with her height, they could work toward re-establishing themselves as an elegant pair
- Very clean skate from them, good comeback after a year off
- They look exhausted!
FS Score: 56.96 (TES) + 58.85 (PCS) = 115.81
Total Score: 62.85 (SP) + (FS) = 178.66
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.
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.
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.
