2011 World Figure Skating Championships: Pairs Preview

The 2011 World Figure Skating Championships kick off in Moscow, Russia in just over a week. The pairs take the ice on Wednesday April 27th at 11:30am for their short program with the free skate on Thursday April 28th starting at 10:00 am. All of these times are US Eastern Standard Time. The complete event schedule can be found here. http://icemusings.blogspot.com/2011/03/moscow-world-championships-schedule.html
The pairs competition seems to be the easiest to predict based on the results of the season thus far. The top teams have been very consistent and in pairs more than in any other discipline, there is a very distinct break between the top four or five teams in the world and the next flight of six or seven teams that could contend for a top five finish if other teams make mistakes.
The Top Contenders

Aliona Savchenko & Robin Szolkowy of Germany already have a world gold under their belts from 2009 and they have not been beaten overall in competition all season. The world title is clearly theirs to lose. They won by large margins in both of their Grand Prix events and even in the Grand Prix Final over Pang & Tong. The only team that came close to beating them was Kavaguti & Smirnov at the European Championships. In my opinion, nobody in the world can beat a clean Savchenko & Szolkowy so if you ask me, they truly hold their fate in their hands. At 27 and 31 they seem to be at the height of their physical abilities so I can see them staying in for the next 3 seasons. If they do happen to miss gold, it would take a complete and utter meltdown for them to miss the podium in Moscow.

Those who know me and follow my blog/twitter know I have not been the biggest fan of Yuko Kavaguti & Alexander Smirnov but I do truly love their Claire de Lune free skate this season. It is fluid, elegant, and oh so "Russian." They only competed in one Grand Prix event this season and won easily at Cup of Russia. They came so close to Savchenko & Szolkowy at Europeans, beating them in the free skate, but had to settle for silver. I would actually like to see them take the world title, but I think they'll yet again play second fiddle to the Germans and face stiff competition from their fellow Russian pairs, though the home crowd will be on their side.

Tatiana Volosozhar & Maxim Trankov of Russia are the new kids in town on the pairs circuit, but while their partnership is young, they each have a wealth of experience from previous pairings and seem to have meshed very well. I have yet to see them skate together but I've heard great things, and both were the stronger half of their previous partnerships so they seem to make sense as a couple. Many think they can win a world title but I think it takes more than a few months to truly mesh as a pair and I think 3rd or 4th place is a more realistic expectation in their first Worlds together.

Qing Pang & Jian Tong have been a favorite pair team of mine for years but they have made so many uncharacteristic mistakes this season and they look so exhausted. They finished second to the Germans at the Grand Prix Final by a large margin so it will be a very tall order for them to defend their world title. The Russian teams will also present a huge challenge and I expect them to finish around 3rd or 4th. They plan to take the Shen/Zhao route and take a full year off, though they haven't announced which year, before coming back for the Sochi games and I think that year of rest will do wonders for them.

Vera Bazarova & Yuri Larionov of Russia are without a doubt my favorite pair team in the world because of their soft elegance and their delicate lines. They have that undeniable "Russian" quality and remind me of the great Gordeeva & Grinkov. I am happy to see Russian pairs return to glory and it is very likely that all three teams can place in the top 5 at this year's Worlds. This team is very young and they will have a long future ahead of them even after the current top Russian pairs retire. They had a strong season with two Grand Prix silver medals, a 4th place finish at the Grand Prix Final, a bronze at Europeans, and a bronze at Russian nationals. A top five finish at Worlds would be the perfect way to cap off an outstanding season and set them up for a great 2011-2012 season.
Teams In The Hunt

Caitlin Yankowskas & John Coughlin are the reigning US champions and they will need to finish 6th or better if they hope to help the US qualify a third pair to World next season. This is entirely doable if they skate to the best of their abilities technically and emotionally as they did at US Nationals. They had a great Grand Prix season but a weak showing at Four Continents left them in 4th. That was not entirely bad though because it showed that they could still accomplish a respectable finish with mistakes, meaning they could have top five potential with two perfect skates. Aside from the top 5 contenders, their main competition will come from the two Canadian teams, Takahahi/Tran and Evora/Ladwig. According to John's twitter, their training is going great and they'll be in great shape in Moscow.

Though Yankowskas/Coughlin are the current US champions, Amanda Evora & Mark Ladwig are on virtually the same level internationally. If they are perfect, they actually have the potential to beat some of the best in the world based on the levels and grades of execution they get on some of their lifts and other pair elements, but they are prone to mistakes. Amanda was distracted due to a death in the family and  Mark fought a broken skate lace so their showing at Four Continents was disappointing, but if they can bounce back, they have the potential to place in the top six or seven. If their placement added to that of Yankowskas & Coughlin adds up to thirteen or less, they will qualify a 3rd US pair team to the 2012 World Championships.

Kirsten Moore-Towers & Dylan Moscovitch of Canada made me love them at the beginning of the seasons as they seemingly burst out of nowhere to claim two Grand Prix silver medals, yet never without mistakes. They struggled at the Grand Prix Final yet won Canadian Nationals in impressive fashion. They followed up with yet another disappointing showing at Four Continents. They remind me so much of American pairs in that they give us glimpses of greatness yet can't seem to show two perfect programs in the same competition. They can place anywhere from 5th to 10th depending on what shape they are in next week in Moscow.

I didn't really follow Canadian Nationals so I was floored to see Meagan Duhamel & Eric Radford win the silver at Four Continents after an underwhelming international debut at Skate Canada. There was a lot of controversy in the blogosphere over whether they should have gotten full credit for their side by side triple flips, which are more difficult jumps than most pairs attempt. Either way, that was a mistake-filled competition, and skating clean was enough to make the podium. That will not be enough at Worlds and I'm not convinced that this team is the real deal yet, so their performances next week should tell us whether they are a one hit wonder or if they truly have staying power.

They young Japanese pair of Narumi Takahashi & Mervin Tran has been over-hyped in my opinion, but then again they are very solid for their age. They won two senior Grand Prix medals this season and won the junior Grand Prix Final, as well as bronze at junior worlds. Because they have competed on both the junior and senior circuits this season, I think they are exhausted and that showed through in their 7th place finish at this year's Four Continents. Though many already consider them a top pair in the world, I still think they'll finish behind the Americans & Canadians and round out the top ten. Nevertheless, it will be a great experience for them to compete at senior Worlds and then get some much needed rest in the off season.

Stefania Berton & Ondrej Hotarek of Italy were not really on my radar until they finished 5th at this year's European Championships, which is especially impressive as Europe is once again becoming the hotbed of pairs skating that it once was. Looking back, they did place a respectable 11th at last year's senior worlds and 6th at this season's Cup of Russia. They'll look to improve on that 11th place finish, but it will be very difficult to break into the top 10.

Maylin Hausch & Daniel Wende of Germany are another team looking to break into a very tight top ten. They finished 14th at last year's worlds and have been steadily climbing this season from 7th at NHK Trophy to 3rd at Grand Prix Paris and 6th at Europeans. The success of their countrymen has to have been a great motivation for them and assuming they win gold or silver, Hausch and Wende need only place 11th or 12th to qualify a third German team for next year's worlds.
The Rest of the Field
Stina Martini & Severin Kiefer (AUT): 8th at 2010 Ice Challange, 8th at 2010 NRW Trophy Singles Pairs, 15th at 2011 Europeans, 5th at 2011 Mont Blanc Trophy, 16th at 2011 World Juniors (Personal Best Total Score: 100.87)
Lubov Bakirova & Mikalai Kamianchuk (BLR): 8th at 2010 Nebelhorn Trophy, 7th at 2010 NRW Trophy Singles Pairs, 10th at 2011 Europeans (Personal Best Total Score: 120.72)
Alexandra Malakhova & Leri Kenchadze (BUL): 8th at 2010 Golden Spin, 4th at 2011 Mont Blanc Trophy
Huibo Dong & Yiming Wu (CHN): 7th at 2010 Skate Canada, 7th at 2010 Cup of China, 2nd at 2011 Winter Universiade, 10th at 2011 Four Continents (Personal Best Total Score: 146.49)
Yue Zhang & Lei Wang (CHN): 8th at 2010 NHK Trophy, 3rd at 2011 Winter Universiade, 9th at 2011 Four Continents (Personal Best Total Score: 147.89)
Klara Kadlekova & Petr Bidar (CZE): 7th at 2010 JGP Austria, 7th at JGP 2010 Great Britain, 4th at 2010 Coupe de Nice, 6th at 2010 Ice Challenge, 6th at 2010 Grand Prix Paris, 7th at 2011 Europeans, 8th at 2011 World Juniors (Personal Best Total Score: 139.94)
Natalja Zabijako & Sergei Kulbach (EST): 5th at 2010 NRW Trophy Singles Pairs, 13th at 2011 Europeans (Personal Best Total Score: 106.47)
Adeline Canac & Yannick Bonheur (FRA): 5th at 2010 Ice Challenge, 3rd at NRW Trophy Singles Pairs, 9th at 2011 Europeans (Personal Best Total Score: 125.34)
Stacey Kemp & David King (GBR): 5th at 2010 Coupe de Nice, 8th at 2010 Skate Canada, 8th at 2010 Skate America, 8th at 2011 Europeans (Personal Best Total Score: 139.94)
Danielle Montalbano & Evgeni Krasnopolski (ISR): 9th at 2010 Nebelhorn Trophy, 7th 15 2010 Ice Challenge, 6th at 2010 Golden Spin

2011 Four Continents Championships: Pairs Free Skate

**Denotes USFSA Fantasy Skating Team Selection
Warm-Up Group 1:
1) Mary Beth Marley & Rockne Brubaker (USA)

• Mary Beth and Rockne are about to step onto the ice
• The split twist has been a struggle for them because it is unlike any singles element for Mary Beth
• Nice side by side jumping combinations
• They wonderful speed and ice coverage
• Looks like they double that throw jumps
• Nice low death spiral position with a clean fluid motion
• She double her side by side jump
• The second throw was landed cleanly but it looked like a double to me
• That cantilever lift is very nice but she could stretch out her positions a little more
• Everything looks like it could use more polish but they've come so far already
• Very nice unison on their spins, they struggled with that
• SP Score: 45.60
• FS Score: 98.86 = 51.35 (TES) + 47.51 (PCS)
• Total Score = 144.46

2) Narumi Takahashi & Mervin Tran (JPN)

• I hope this team can keep up their stamina because they've had such an intense season competing junior and senior programs
• Narumi has a fall on the first jumping sequence
• Nice clean catch on the split triple twist
• She has a really nice landing position on her first throw
• They lose some unison on their side by spins
• She doesn't look herself today, perhaps she is ill, because she doesn't seem engaged in the performance
• She has some very nice positions in the lifts, showing a lot of flexibility
• He is such a strong and charismatic pair partner, I just love him
• SP Score: 50.25
• FS Score : 102.38 = 52.56 (TES) + 51.82 (PCS) -1.00 (DED)
• Total Score = 152.63

3) Huibo Dong & Yiming Wu (CHN)**

• He puts his hand down on the triple toe loops and loses the combination
• Second side by side jump is clean
• Split double twist looks a little wild
• He is very strong in the lifts, but could use more speed
• I would love to see more expression from them, they have a way to go before they live up to the Pang/Tong or Shen/Zhao legacy
• They have the height on throws of the great Chinese pairs
• What they really needs is more finesse and speed to improve their PCS scores and the performance as a whole
• She really needs so much more stretch in those overhead lift positions
• SP Score: 46.41
• FS Score: 88.69 = 47.38 (TES) + 41.31 (PCS)
• Total = 135.10

Warm-Up Group 2:

4) Yue Zhang & Lei Wang (CHN)

• They are starting with good speed
• Clean first jumping pass
• Their spins are very out of sync and they are really losing a lot of speed
• This is a gorgeous musical selection and I can tell that they are really trying to be expressive
• They botched their lift, he never really got her over his head
• I actually like their spiral positions, but I'd like more energy and engagement from both of them
• Very nice set of throws, the landings look so easy for her
• They have a lot to work on, but this is a nice team and they have the potential to do well
• SP Score: 50.61
• FS Score: 88.32  = 45.63 (TES) + 42.69 (PCS)
• Total = 138.93

5) Kirsten Moore-Towers & Dylan Moscovitch (CAN)

• This is one of my favorite pairs free skates of the year
• I've seen them struggle with their jumps before, but they are solid today
• They have really great speed today
• Nice landing by Kirsten on her first throw
• They have some really nice lifts and they are choreographed perfectly to accentuate swells in the music
• Nice clean jumping passes from them today, looks like they really mean business
• Like the American teams, their strength is definitely the free skate
• They take a really long entrance into the death spiral which looks a bit awkward and prolonged
• This is a beautifully choreographed pairs program and they've really grown into it
• He just lifts her like it is nothing, he has to be one of the strongest pair partners in the world
• Wow that was a hard fall for Kirsten, looks like she just slipped on the landing of that throw, I really thought she had that
• Despite that fall, they should go solidly into first
• That final lift from a lunge is spectacular
• She mouths "i'm sorry" to him, that just broke my heart
• SP Score: 54.41
• FS Score: 111.81 = 58.93 (TES) + 53.88 (PCS) = 1.00 (DED)
• Total = 166.22

6) Amanda Evora & Mark Ladwig (USA)

• They really start off with great speed and energy as soon as the music starts
• Looked like a clean catch on the triple twist to me
• My feed just froze, so I missed the past 10 seconds
• Good landing on the throw triple, may have been pitched forward a little
• Slight loss of unison in the middle of the spin sequence, but they pick it back up at the end
• A very hard fall for Amanda on the double axel sequence, she stood up holding her hip
• Those lifts are the best thing about their skating
• They've always struggled with their jumps and its unfortunate they couldn't have skated clean today
• Nice solid landing from Amanda on the second throw
• These lifts are already spectacular, but they get a 10% bonus because they backload them into the program
• This final lift from a lunge has such nice speed
• She mouths "I'm sorry" to Mark just like Kirsten did to Dylan
• Definitely not the perfect program they needed to move up in placement
• SP Score: 52.23
• FS Score: 105.07 = 53.57 (TES) + 53.50 (PCS) - 2.00 (DED)
• Total = 157.30

Warm-Up Group 3:

7) Qing Pang & Jian Tong (CHN) **

• I know they have no challengers at this competition, but I'd really like to see a clean skate from them to get the momentum going into worlds
• They landed their jumps, but her landings were very stiff
• I don't really know why, but she's struggled with her jumps all season
• She just doesn't have that fluidity that they've been known for, ever her lift positions look stiff
• They lost their unison on their spins which is something a great pair team should never do
• They do connect so well with one another on the ice, though it helps that they are in love in real life
• A perfect clean catch on the split triple twist
• That throw was just huge, as we've come to expect from the Chinese
• I think the second throw may have been even better
• SP Score: 71.41
• FS Score: 128.04 = 61.23 (TES) + 66.81 (PCS)
• Total = 199.45

8) Paige Lawrence & Rudi Swiegers (CAN)

• After what he did for Mark Ladwig in lending him his boot, I'm not a big Rudi Swiegers fan
• I remember really liking this program at Skate Canada
• Sorry for the delayed commentary, my feed froze and I'm trying to get it back
• I missed the jumping passes, not sure how they landed
• Paige barely hangs onto that throw, maybe puts a hand down
• Second throw was landed cleanly
• Sorry for my lack of commentary on this program, it seems the feed froze for everybody watching
• SP Score: 59.98
• FS Score: 111.75 = 58.20 (TES) + 53.55 (PCS)
• Total = 171.73

9) Meagan Duhamel & Eric Radford (CAN)

• They have a lot  of speed and flew into that split triple twist
• Jump combo was landed, but the unison was slightly off
• Who knew Canada was a hotbed for young pair teams?
• Struggling a bit with unison on their spins, but then again, they've been skating together for only a very short time
• That was a bit of an awkward death spiral
• This is a really beautiful musical selection 
• She fought to hand onto the landing of that throw
• This is really a very nice program, I'm thoroughly enjoying it
• SP Score: 59.92
• FS Score: 121.87 = 66.55 (TES) + 53.32 (PCS) 
• Total = 181.79

10) Caitlin Yankowskas & John Coughlin (USA) **

• This program is so gorgeous and it just speaks to me everytime
• Nice clean double axels
• A tiny crash on the split triple twist but nothing to get too excited about
• Nice landing by Caitilin on that throw, very fluid
• This program has me in tears again, just like Nationals
• Really nice three-jumps sequence
• They structure their programs with the jumps and the twist at the beginning because those are the elements that make Caitlin the most nervous, and those are now out of the way
• I need to study the bullet points for levels on the death spiral so I know what to look for
• Their spins look very well synced today
• I love the positions on their spiral sequence
• This choreography is fantastic, Marina Zoueva can do no wrong in my mind
• Something happened on the second throw, I'm not sure if he didn't push her correctly or if she opened up
• It was going to be hard to match that Nationals program, but the popped throw will certainly hurt their technical marks
• They don't look thrilled with that performance at all, I don't know if it was enough to put them on the podium
• I don't know if they'll even get credit for that throw, maybe a single
• SP Score: 55.25
• FS Score: 111.79 = 57.16 (TES) + 54.56 (PCS)
• Total = 166.97

Final Standings

FPl.	Name	Nation	Points	SP	FS
1	Qing PANG / Jian TONG	CHN	199.45	1	1
2	Meagan DUHAMEL / Eric RADFORD	CAN	181.79	3	2
3	Paige LAWRENCE / Rudi SWIEGERS	CAN	171.73	2	4
4	Caitlin YANKOWSKAS / John COUGHLIN	USA	166.97	4	5
5	Kirsten MOORE-TOWERS / Dylan MOSCOVITCH	CAN	166.22	5	3
6	Amanda EVORA / Mark LADWIG	USA	157.30	6	6
7	Narumi TAKAHASHI / Mervin TRAN	JPN	152.63	8	7
8	Mary Beth MARLEY / Rockne BRUBAKER	USA	144.46	10	8
9	Yue ZHANG / Lei WANG	CHN	138.93	7	10
10	Huibo DONG / Yiming WU	CHN	135.10	9	9

2011 Four Continents Championships: Pairs Short Program

**Denotes USFSA Fantasy Skating Team Selections 
Warm-Up Group 1:
1) Mary Beth Marley & Rockne Brubaker (USA)
2) Meagan Duhamel & Eric Radford (CAN)
3) Paige Lawrence & Rudi Swiegers (CAN)

Warm-Up Group 2:
4) Yue Zhang & Lei Wang (CHN)
5) Huibo Dong & Yiming Wu (CHN) **
6) Kirsten Moore-Towers & Dylan Moscovitch (CAN)

Warm-Up Group 3:
7) Narumi Takahashi & Mervin Tran (JPN)
8) Amanda Evora & Mark Ladwig (USA)
9) Qing Pang & Jian Tong (CHN) **
10) Caitlin Yankowskas & John Coughlin (USA) **

Standings After Short Program

Pl.	Name	Nation	TSS =	TES +		PCS +	SS	TR	PE	CH	IN	Ded. -	StN.
1	Qing PANG / Jian TONG	CHN	71.41	39.29		33.12	8.25	8.11	8.29	8.39	8.36	1.00	#9
2	Paige LAWRENCE / Rudi SWIEGERS	CAN	59.98	34.21		25.77	6.36	6.14	6.54	6.64	6.54	0.00	#3
3	Meagan DUHAMEL / Eric RADFORD	CAN	59.92	35.38		25.54	6.50	6.07	6.46	6.43	6.46	1.00	#2
4	Caitlin YANKOWSKAS / John COUGHLIN	USA	55.25	29.02		26.23	6.61	6.18	6.61	6.71	6.68	0.00	#10
5	Kirsten MOORE-TOWERS / Dylan MOSCOVITCH	CAN	54.41	28.12		26.29	6.61	6.36	6.54	6.68	6.68	0.00	#6
6	Amanda EVORA / Mark LADWIG	USA	52.23	28.14		25.09	6.29	6.07	6.14	6.54	6.32	1.00	#8
7	Yue ZHANG / Lei WANG	CHN	50.61	28.93		21.68	5.64	5.25	5.46	5.57	5.18	0.00	#4
8	Narumi TAKAHASHI / Mervin TRAN	JPN	50.25	26.77		25.48	6.43	6.39	6.25	6.46	6.32	2.00	#7
9	Huibo DONG / Yiming WU	CHN	46.41	25.41		21.00	5.50	5.00	5.25	5.29	5.21	0.00	#5
10	Mary Beth MARLEY / Rockne BRUBAKER	USA	45.60	23.60		22.00	5.68	5.25	5.50	5.61	5.46	0.00	#1

My analysis:

• These were not the results I expected, but because I did not see the event live, I cannot really comment on the results. Things are very tight from 2nd-8th and for several of those teams, the free skate is their strength so I expect a lot of movement if teams put out their best free programs.
• Pang/Tong: they are in a league of their own and should have no trouble winning here, especially with an 11-point lead after the short
• Lawrence/Swigers: they did a nice short with all level 3s and 4s except for their twist; they will need a personal best free skate to stay in second because some of the teams coming from behind can pull huge numbers in the free
• Duhamel/Radford: they pulled some very strong numbers in the short, but the free skate is the strength for several of the teams behind them so they'll need flawless long programs to stay on the podium
• Yankowskas/Coughlin: they only performed side by side double toes and also received negative GOEs on their throw-must have been an off day for them-and their strength is the free skat but  they'll need the free skate they performed at US Nationals to make up a 4.5-point gap to make the podium
• Moore-Towers/Moscovitch: their strength is the free skate and they can put up some huge scores so if they do a clean free, teams ahead of them better watch out
• Evora/Ladwig: Mark's skate broke when toe picking in for the side by side double toes and caused a fall; without that they could have been much higher in the rankings and the free skate is also their strength so they could easily make up the distance and land on the podium with a strong free
• Takahashi/Tran: many expected them to be in podium contention and while they are currently 8th, they could still get there; their side by side triple salchow was downgraded and they also had two fall deductions; a perfect free skate could put them back in the running

2011 Four Continents Championships: Pairs Preview

The 2011 Four Continents Championship kicks off next week from Chinese Taipei.. In the past the US has not sent its top flight to this event, but the ISU has been encouraging federations to send their World championship team in an effort to make this event an equivalent of the European Championships. The US will be sending their top 3 Pair teams to the competition next week, as will Canada. China is sending their top team, Pang/Tong, but the young dynamos Sui/Han will be absent from the competition. There are a total of 10 teams competing and each of the four countries represented, Canada, China, Japan, and the US, has at least one podium threat.

Here are my podium predictions, and I will update with my fantasy skating picks as soon as USFSA opens up the selection for this event:

1) Pang/Tong

2) Yankowskas/Coughlin

3) Moore-Towers/Moscovitch

Although I do not think they've been at their best this season, Qing Pang & Jian Tong will go down as one of the great pair teams of this era. With Shen/Zhao officially retired and Zhang/Zhang's future unsure, Pang/Tong seem to be the last of the great Bin Yao teams standing, at least until he can develop his next flight of pair teams. I've always admired this team for their long lines and grace, but they've had a lot of uncharacteristic falls and mistakes this season. After their long careers they must be exhausted and if they have a strong showing at World this year I suspect they may retire. The only team to beat them this year has been the German team of Savchenko/Szolkowy and as they will not be competing in Taipei, Pang & Tong should have no trouble claiming the title if they can avoid catastrophic mistakes. If anything, this event will be good practice for them on the road to another world medal.

There are about 5 teams after Pang & Tong that fall very close together in terms of season's best scores, but I have to go with recently crowned US Champions Caitlin Yankowskas & John Coughlin. They caught my eye at NHK at the beginning of the season and have continued to impress me over the past few months, including a phenomenal showing as US Nationals last month. For me, they have every quality that makes a great pair team. John is just a pillar of strength and Caitlin floats like a feather and her positions are exquisite. I think this is really their year to make their mark on the international scene and if they can perform the way they did in Greensboro, I think they'll stand next to Pang & Tong on the podium.

Kirsten-Moore Towers & Dylan Moscovitch of Canada are one of my favorite teams to emerge from the Grand Prix season. They had absolutely no expectations for themselves and it was great to see them turn talent and determination into two silver medals and a spot in the Grand Prix Final. I did not see them put two clean programs together all season and they crumbled slightly in the final, but from what I hear, they gave a phenomenal showing at Canadian Nationals. They are in a similar situation to Yankowskas/Coughlin in that they are riding the momentum of  winning their first national title so the showdown between these two teams should be very exciting.

Caydee Denney & Jeremy Barret have been knocking at the door all season and while they didn't bring home any Grand Prix medals, they are going through a rebuilding year after a coaching change and they have improved immensely as artists, particularly Jeremy. I love their programs this year and I only wish they could have been rewarded with an International medal. After an unfortunate fall at US nationals in the short program, they failed to earn a slot on the World team but I think that has left them very hungry and will inspire them to really put together two solid performances. If they skate to the best of their abilities, they'll be in the medal mix with Yankowskas/Coughlin and Moore-Towers/Moscovitch.

Amanda Evora & Mark Ladwig have some of the best elements in the world, particularly their lifts, but they're struggled to put together two mistake-free programs in any competition this year, including US nationals where they won a silver despite some jumping errors. Their free skate score is one of the highest internationally, but what kept them from receiving higher total scores was their weaker short program, which they've since changed. They are in a similar situation to Rachael Flatt where they've changed their short program and have yet to receive scores for it from internationals judges. Depending on how well their Sing Sing Sing short program is received and if they can clean up their free skate, they too could be in the medal mix with the Canadians and their fellow Americans.

The final team that I believe to have a shot at the podium in Taipei next week is Narumi Takahashi & Mervin Tran of Japan. It has always surprised me that Japan has not produced great pair teams based on the strength of their singles skaters, but this team is their sole pair team and they are quite good. They competed on both the junior and senior Grand Prix circuits this season and won the Junior Grand Prix Final. Like the Japanese singles skaters, they have fantastic technique and these two are really fun to watch as well. Their scores internationally have been quite similar to those of the American teams competing here and the top Canadian team, but I feel that they need some more time together to really connect as a pair. I personally think experience and maturity will win out in this competition in favor of the Americans or Canadians, but Takahashi & Tran could easily squeeze onto the podium for a medal if they skate two perfect programs.

Other teams competing in the pairs event at the 2011 Four Continents Championships include:

Meagan Duhamel & Eric Radford (CAN)

Paige Lawrence & Rudi Swiegers (CAN)

Huibo Dong & Yimingn Wu (CHN)

Yue Zheng & Lei Wang (CHN)

2011 Four Continents Championships: US Team & Event Times

I haven't had much interest in the Four Continents Championships recently because the US generally does not send their top flight of skaters to the event. However, this year US Figure Skating has decided to send the top three finishers from Nationals in each discipline, except for men, where they are sending the 4th-6th place finishers. The Four Continents Championships is designed to be a lead-in the the World Championships for skaters from Asia, Australia, North America, and South America. It is the equivalent to the European Championships for the rest of the world. The US team for the 2011 Four Continents Championships includes:

Ladies:                                                Pairs:
Alissa Czisny                                        Caitlin Yankowskas & John Coughlin
Rachael Flatt                                         Amanda Evora & Mark Ladwig
Mirai Nagasu                                        Caydee Denney & Jeremy Barrett

Men:                                                   Ice Dance:
Jeremy Abbott                                       Meryl Davis & Charlie White
Adam Rippon                                        Maia & Alex Shibutani
Armin Mahbanoozadeh                          Madison Chock & Greg Zuerlein

The highlight of this event should be the showdown in Ice Dance between Davis & White, who have competed and won three times internationally this season and Virtue & Moir who will be making their debut at this event after a rehabilitation period post-surgery for Tessa. If Davis & White can win, they'll have the edge going into Worlds, but if Virtue & Moir pull off the upset, the Americans will have their work cut out for them at Worlds in Tokyo. If Canada sends Kirsten Moore-Towers & Dylan Moscovitch and China sends their top pairs to this event, it will be a great opportunity to see how Yankowskas/Coughlin & Evora/Ladwig stack up against them heading into Worlds. If they can beat Moore-Towers/Moscovitch and stay close to the Chinese, it will give them confidence heading into Worlds. In ladies, Rachael Flatt will have a chance to see what international judges think of her new East of Eden short program and build her confidence with it. Alissa Czisny actually has a great shot at pulling off the win if she can play it cool and clean as she has for most of the season. If Japan sends their top ladies, Alissa will have competition but she still has a shot at a win, or at least the podium. Reigning Olympic champion Yuna Kim is not planning to compete so Czisny will have to wait until Worlds to face her for the first time this season. For Mirai Nagasu who failed to make the World team with a 3rd place finish at Nationals, this is redemption time and she has to put up two solid programs to prove that she is still a threat for the World podium in the future. The men's event is the only discipline where the US is not sending its Worlds team. Instead, 4th-6th place finishers Abbott, Rippon, and Mahbanoozadeh will have a chance at redeeming themselves in the eyes of US Figure Skating. While they won't be attending Worlds, this is still a prestigious international event that can help their ISU ranking and Grand Prix assignments for the 2011-2012 season.

This year's event will be held in Taipei City, Chinese Taipei from Thursday February 17th-Sunday February 20th. I did my best to convert the event times from Taipei Time to US Eastern Standard Time, but I apologize if I've made any mistakes. I'm assuming icenetwork.com will plan to stream these events live as they did with all Grand Prix events so check back with them closer to the event for viewing times.

Thursday February 17th:
Short Dance 3:00-5:20am
Pairs Short Program 6:30-8:30am

Friday February 18th:
Men's Short Program 11:00pm (Thursday)-3:20am
Pairs Free Skate 3:45-6:00am
Free Dance 7:00-9:30am

Saturday February 19th:
Ladies Short Program 12:00-4:10am
Men's Free Skate 5:00-9:00am

Sunday February 20th:
Ladies Free Skate 10:30pm-2:20am
Exhibition 4:30-7:00am

2011 US Figure Skating Championships: The Barbie Awards for Best Moments in Greensboro

I needed a way to summarize Nationals 2011 in my own way without doing a generic wrap up of each event. I thought of doing a top ten favorite moments post, but there were so many that were great for different reasons that I simply couldn't rank them. So, I decided that I would just talk about the things that were highlights for me and why they were so special. Therefore, I give you The Barbie Awards for the Best Moments in Greensboro.

Newcomer Award: Courtney Hicks
Courtney Hicks won the Jr Ladies event by a huge margin and with the highest score ever posted by a US Jr lady. If the pressure doesn't get to her, she will do a phenomenal job at the Jr Worlds this season on a spectacular team also composed of Agnes Zawadzki & Christina Gao. What was spectacular about Courtney wasn't her win though, it was her ability and her talent. She truly reminds me of Sasha Cohen, not just because they share a coach, a dress, and a music selection, but because of her lines and technique. If she can find the consistency that Sasha lacked, she'll go very far. Check out her tw-hicks spin if you get the chance, I can't even describe it, but she is basically a spinning pretzel.

Debut Award: Mary Beth Marley
We've been hearing all season about the new partnership of Marley & Brubaker but we didn't get a chance to see them and boy was I surprised, pleasantly so. They haven't completely gelled as a pair yet-their jumps and spins aren't in perfect unison-but the progress they've made in 5 months is outstanding. Mary Beth showed so much determination in landing those throws and holding her positions in the lifts, especially after a fall in the free skate on some basic crossovers. She definitely has a fighting spirit and a willingness to learn which was great to see. They have so much promise if they can just stay together and stay healthy. The 2011 Grand Prix season will give them the chance to compete against the World's best and see how they stack up.

Emotionally Stirring Performance Award: Yankowskas & Coughlin
It's no surprise that I found John and Caitilin's free skate to Ave Maria to be the emotional performance of Nationals this year. Yes skating is a sport, but it is also about performing, and the performances are always more captivating when they portray real human emotion. Marina Zoueva's choreography perfectly conveyed what John was feeling after his mother's death and they translated it in such a way that it served as catharsis for John and also allowed he and Caitlin to connect with the audience in a very personal way. Aside from the mesmerizing performance, the program was very sound technically, aside from an awkward landing on a throw, and the judges awarded them, rightfully so, the gold medal. If they can deliver the two programs they performed at Nationals at Worlds, they'll do very well.

Watch out World Award: Maia & Alex Shibutani
I have been following this delightful brother and sister Ice Dance duo all season and they improve every time they step onto the ice. They have great natural ability and are very well matched, but I can also tell that they are very hard workers. They are both still teenagers and they have a very bright future as a team. They have the best coaches in the world, Marina Zoueva & Igor Shpilband, and at the rate they are going, they'll soon pass Davis & White.They may not have won a Junior World title, but if they can avoid injury and keep up their work ethic, they are sure to stand atop the senior World podium a few short years from now. Oh and did I mention that their short dance to The Carousel Waltz is the most heart-warming program of the season?

Selling the Performance Award: Madison Chock & Greg Zuerlein

Madison & Greg's free dance to Cabaret has been the program I've talked about all season, and being a musical theatre gal, this is no surprise. This team has never really done much for me until I caught them at Skate Canada and was blown away. They have toed the line between over the top and too conservative all season but I felt they really hit their stride in Greensboro. They gave all they had to the performance without getting out of control. I felt like I was watching a young Liza Minnelli & Joel Grey. Excuse my theatrical terminology, but Madison knows how to "chew the scenery" just like Ms. Minnelli. With the rise of the Shibutani siblings, It may be a pipe dream, but I would still love to see Madison & Greg win a world championship someday because I appreciate their commitment to performance. 

Kick It And Stick It Award: Rachael Flatt

I am a Rachael fan and have really felt for her as she experienced the ups and downs of the season. She put us some great performances on the Grand Prix to win two silvers, but never had enough in the tank to win gold. An injury led to a disappointing Grand Prix Final and the scores her programs received this season seemed they would keep her off of the World Team. But then Lori Nichol stepped in, as she often does, with a brilliant piece of choreography that, in my opinion, saved Rachael's season. Before Rachael took the ice for her new East of Eden short program in Greensboro, I tweeted that I was going to lend Rachael my signature catchphrase "Kick It & Stick It." But what she did on the ice surprised us all. She actually did the "stick it" part first as she landed 4 clean jumps, in true Rachael fashion. But what nobody expected was when the "kick it" part came in as she lit up the arena with an explosive step sequence that showed passion that we have never seen from her, ever. Unfortunately she didn't completely kick it or stick it in the free skate, but she did enough to go onto Four Continents and Worlds, where I will again lend her my signature phrase. 

Comeback Kid Award: Alissa Czisny

Alissa is on the short list of most talked about skaters in the world this year, and who expected that? Well according to Alissa, her success has come from having coaches that truly believe in her, so Yuka Sato & Jason Dungjen have had faith all along that this would be her season. What I love about Alissa is that she demonstrates that grace, artistry, and belief in yourself can often get you further than triple-triple combinations. She has also shown the world that great figure skating careers don't have to end at age 17. After a tumultuous history at Nationals it was great to see her win a second title, this time with two clean performances and no controversy surrounding the win. Her performances in Greensboro were like a breath of fresh air and this was the first time I could really enjoy watching her skate without fearing that she would fall. After a very solid season and two major titles, Grand Prix Final & US Nationals, dare I say she has broken shaken the label of "the pretty skater who can't land her jumps?" Well I was one of those naysayers and she has certainly changed my mind this season, so with a strong showing at Four Continents, she may just establish herself about one to beat at Worlds.

Showmanship Award: Ryan Bradley

Ryan Bradley has always been known as a showman, and unfortunately, as the skater who finishes just off of the podium. He planned to retire after the heartbreak of missing the 2010 Vancouver team but due to popular demand, he returned to Nationals. With a new mindset, please the audience and enjoy himself, Ryan was freer than I've ever seen him and he delivered a short program that was sheer entertainment for the audience, but also a points magnet that landed him in first place. I cannot recall any other program in recent memory, aside from Davis & White's Baliwood, that was this entertaining while still gathering a huge sum of points from the judges.

Fighting Spirit Award: Adam Rippon

Adam's shaky performance in the short program, complete with a fall on the Rippon lutz, was the heartbreak of Nationals for me. I wanted so badly for him to win this one and I'm still in shock that he will not be competing at Worlds after a 5th place finish last season. After the disappointment of the short, I wanted so badly for him to come back with a strong free, and aside from a shaky first jump, he did just that. When Adam is "on" his skating is a thing of such beauty and last night he was "on". I think he knew that even a perfect free skate wouldn't put him on the podium, but the joy on his face after he finished a near perfect program was simply infectious. A lesser person would have given up after being favored to win and landing in 9th place after the short. Adam proved in the free that he has what it takes to be a winner if he can work on his focus and his mental toughness.

2011 US Figure Skating Championships: Senior Pairs Free Skate

Here we are with the senior pairs in their free skate. We are starting at about 10:50 EST with the first two groups of three, we'll then cut to ice dance and come back live on NBC for the final groups in pairs and dance. **denotes my picks in USFSA Fantasy Skating

1) Erika Smith & Nathan Bartholomay

   Music: Alexander

• That was a nice cartwheel move at the beginning
• Solid lifts
• Nice throws, they are really putting on a nice showing here
• That group 5 star lift was really stellar, especially with the music
• This music is very nice for them, and I like the choreography as well
• FS Score: 47.00 (TES) + 41.99 (PCS) = 88.99
• 43.60 (SP) + 88.99 (FS) = 132.59

2) Chloe Katz & Joseph Lynch

   Music: Music from Henry V

• That was a bit of a rough catch on the split twist
• Their speed is very nice
• I like that their costumes go together but don't match
• Wow she took a tough fall onto her stomach on the 1st throw, hits boards
• That is unfortunate for her, they were really flying
• She doubles her side by side triple toe loop, he is clean
• Group 5 lasso into hand-to-hip lift with him actually skating crossovers under her
• She holds onto a beautiful triple throw lift
• She shows some nice flexibility
• Their lifts are nicely placed on the hilights in the music
• FS Score: 52.35 (TES) + 42.37 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 93.62
• 46.38 (SP) + 93.62 (FS) = 140.00

3) Lisa Moore & Justin Gaumond

   Music: No, No, Nanette

• I loved them in the short skating to Singin in the Rain
• They have a nice jazzy, whimsical quality about them
• Throw double loop was clean, and she landed safely
• SBS double toe-double toe
• I like Peter Carruthers, am not a fan of the "creative" death spiral where the lady grabs the foot going in
• She was so tilted in the air on that last throw and just crumbled
• FS Score: 43.63 (TES) + 38.51 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 81.14
• 46.44 (SP) + 81.14 (FS) = 127.58

4) Gretchen Donlan & Andrew Speroff

   Music: Stairway to Heaven 

• Nice strong catch on the triple twist, good flow out
• She hung onto that SBS triple landing for sure
• I like the upside down entrance into the press lifts, they shift to a hand to hip with Andrew skating underneath of her
• I though she had that double axle, but she lost her footing
• Gorgeous flowing landing on her throw
• Nice low death spiral position
• They put up some great lifts, especially with difficult entrances
• Their second throw is equally strong
• This is a very nice program, conceptually and choreographically
• They should go solidly into first here
• Andrew is so strong for her and really shows her off nicely
• Gretchen could use some ballet to teach her to stretch out her legs and point her feet
• Coach Sheryl was in tears!
• FS Score: 51.29 (TES) + 46.34 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 96.63
• 48.62 (SP) + 96.63 (FS) = 145.25

5) Becky Bereswill & Trevor Young

   Music: Chicago

• I hope they use actual Fosse movements 
• Her dress is incredible
• They have some nice speed
• Good solid double axel-double toe
• I really love the choreography in this piece
• Opting for a split double twist
• I really like this team and I hope they place high enough to get some senior Grand Prix assignments
• She has learned quickly to process the lifts and throws 
• Becky really eeks out the landing on that throw triple loop, she was so tilted and still pulled it out
• That reverse overhead is so difficult and they hit it like it's nothing
• He lifts her so elegantly and makes her look so light
• This is such an entertaining program and she they've really chose the best selections form Chicago
• Mistake at the end, he loses the pivot on the death spiral and and almost loses her
• FS Score: 47.11 (TES) + 42.84 (PCS) -1.00 (DED)= 88.94
• 48.77 (SP) + 88.94 (FS) = 137.71

6) Molly Aaron & Daniyel Cohen **

    Music: Malaguena

• They are on my fantasy team so I'm pulling for them
• I like that they took a moment to really get into character before beginning
• She puts her hand down on the first throw, but it had a lot of height
• Molly takes a hard fall on the opening jump
• They hit some nice unique positions in their overhead lifts
• Not the best skate they have every done, they won't be too happy about that one
• FS Score: 49.40 (TES) + 43.39 (PCS) -3.00 (DED) = 85.59
• 47.24 (SP) + 85.59 (FS) = 136.83

7) Lindsay Davis & Themisthocles Leftheris

   Music: 

• Missed skate due to late NBC coverage
• FS Score: (TES) +  (PCS) = 97.18
• 51.07 (SP) + 97.18 (FS) = 148.25

8) Tiffany Vise & Don Baldwin

    Music: Mona Lisa Overdrive/The Mission

• Missed skate due to late NBC coverage
• FS Score: (TES) +  (PCS) = 96.97
•  54.29(SP) + 96.97 (FS) = 151.26

9) Marissa Castelli & Simon Shnapir

   Music: Avatar

• Missed skate due to late NBC coverage
• FS Score: (TES) +  (PCS) = 100.44
• 51.48 (SP) + 100.44 (FS) = 151.92

10) Caydee Denney & Jeremy Barrett

     Music: Rhapsody in Blue

• We now have Tom Hammond, Sandra Bezic, and Scott Hamilton as the live commentators, such an upgrade, though I do love Peter Carruthers
• Caydee is so sassy, and Jeremy has worked so hard to live up to her performance levels
• Nice clean catch on the triple twist
• Side by side triple toes, beautifully landed, good work Caydee, such a fighter
• Nice throw triple lutz on a huge musical crescendo
• Jeremy steps out of the first double axel in the sequence but the second set is clean
• This middle section in center ice is gorgeous
• Just beautiful  choreography by David Wilson
• Great spin sequence, great unicson
• Nice position by Caydee in the lasso lift
• Nice strong landing by Caydee in the second throw triple
• Great hand to hip lift
• This is wonderful music for them and they use it beautifully
• That's a nice position by Caydee in that death spiral
• They have such great speed and exuberance in this ending section
• They get such nice lift positions, especially with Jeremy on just one foot
• Great pair spin here at the end, wonderful camel positions
• FS Score: 59.36 (TES) +58.34  (PCS) = 117.70
• 57.79 (SP) + 117.70 (FS) = 175.49

11) Mary Beth Marley & Rockne Brubaker **

     Music: The Addam's Family

• Marybeth is ready to light it up
• I like their look together
• Not a clean catch, but huge height on the split triple twist
• Nice Triple-double combo
• Oh wow something happened there and they both tripped over each other
• Wonderful recovery into a lasso lift
• I wanted this so much for them
• She recovered so well and landed that lift like a champ
• Nice spiral sequence from both of them
• She gets a great low death spiral position
• They have a really nice look on the ice and performance quality
• They need to work a bit on their side by side jumps, especially the timing, but that will come with time
• She eeks out that throw like a fighter
• They have some phenomenal lifts, what a great pair partner he is
• This little tango moment is so fun
• I love the spin sequence on the traditional Addams Family music
• They stay in perfect unison in the spins until the very last position change
• What a performer she is
• I am so impressed by how fast she has learned all of these elements, what a little champ she is
• I hope they stay together because they have so much potential
• FS Score: 44,16 (TES) + 52.29 (PCS) -2.00 (DED)= 105.45
• 58.10 (SP) + 105.45 (FS) = 163.55

12) Caitlin Yankowskas & John Coughlin **

     Music: Ave Maria

• Alright lets light it up guys, you've got this
• This opening pose is to die for
• I'm crying already, can't contain my emotion
• Opening double axels are crisp and clean
• Gorgeous split triple twist
• Not the most beautiful, but Caitlin lands that throw like the fighter she is
• Great three jump series, so in sync
• Everything looks so effortless, they are just letting it happen and not forcing it or muscling it
• Great death spiral and fantastic spin sequence, spins get a little out of sync at the end
• Caitlin really does look like an angel
• I love the way she seems to float in that spiral sequence
• Gorgeous throw triple, she lands it like it is nothing at all
• Their lifts are effortless because he is just so strong for her and she has such incredible positions
• That ending pose is phenomenal 
• FS Score: 61.97 (TES) + 62.18 (PCS) = 124.15
• 64.30 (SP) + 124.15 (FS) = 188.45

13) Amanda Evora & Mark Ladwig

     Music: Nessun Dorma

• This should be another big number if they can skate perfectly
• These costumes are gorgeous
• Their triple twist has such quick rotation
• Great Side by side triple toes on a huge musical crescendo
• This music and choreography are fantastic for them
• That was  very strong throw triple lutz
• Now when we get into the more lyrical part of the program is where they really shine
• Slight unison loss at the end of their spins
• Fantastic spiral sequence
• Side double axles, they both fight for each jump, possibly two-footed and/or step out
• Those side by side camels are such an interesting position for spins
• Their lifts are phenomenal and they perform them in the back half of the program to gain a lot of points on them
• Throw triple loop was huge, Amanda has to put her hands down to control it
• That one hand to hip lift onto one foot is just stellar, especially on these musical crescendos
• Not perfect, but a very very nice skate for them indeed
• Exit from the last lift was a little clunky but I think they did enough to stay in second, in my opinion
• FS Score: 62.09 (TES) + 60.26 (PCS) = 122.35
• 62.87 (SP) + 122.35 (FS) = 185.22

2011 US Figure Skating Championships: Senior Pairs Short Program

Here we go y'all, I'm so excited! I try to state the facts while also giving my opinion on the performances, but I keep everything clean and nice. If I don't have commentary for a skater, it is because I had to step away from my computer, not because I didn't like them. I will watch the skaters I missed either tonight or tomorrow and fill in the commentary so I am prepared going into the free skate on Saturday afternoon. Happy watching!
**Denotes USFSA Fantasy Skating Picks

1) Amanda Evora & Mark Ladwig

   Music: Sing, Sing, Sing

• Their new costumes for Sing Sing Sing are so adorable, love it
• Oh heeey Peter Carruthers
• At 26 and 30, they are so mature compared to other teams
• They are starting off with nice speed and energy
• That was a pretty clean catch on the split triple twist
• Some nice choreography and transition moments
• Nice solid side by side triple toe loops (huge YEAH screamed from the crowd)
• Throw triple loop had nice height, did she put her hand down?
• A slight loss of unison in their spins, but they got it back
• The steps are nice in this mirroring sequence
• They look slightly uncomfortable out there, probably because the program is new
• I am sensing a bit of holding back
• Amanda has a gorgeous death spiral position
• Their lasso lift is gorgeous, a highlight of the program for them
• SP Score: 35.33 (TES) + 27.54 (PCS) = 62.87

 2) Lisa Moore & Justin Gaumond

     Music: Singing in the Rain

• They train with Evora/Ladwig, and they have the elegance 
• Nice clean throw triple salchow
• They did side by side rippons
• I love the "faux umbrellas" and they really contribute to the choreography
• Very good unison in the spins until the foot change, also grew apart in terms of distance
• They are a lovely team, very easy to watch
• SP Score: 26.64 (TES) + 19.80 (PCS) = 46.44

 3) Lindsay Davis & Themisthocles Leftheris

     Music:

• SP Score:  (TES) +  (PCS) = 51.07

4) Alexa Scimeca & Ivan Dimitrov

    Music:

• This team has withdrawn due to injury, we wish them the best in the future
• SP Score:  (TES) +  (PCS) =

 5) Gretchen Donlan & Andrew Speroff

    Music: Moonlight Sonata

• Nice clean catch on throw triple twist, gorgeous extension 
• Beautiful landing on her throw
• Wonderful lines and such elegance
• Slight timing issue on their side by side jumps
• Good job staying together on those spins
• She looks so ethereal up their floating in the lasso lift
• The foot work looked a little clunky to me
• I'd love to see her get a bit lower with more of an arch in the death spiral
• What a lovely, quiet program from this very young team
• SP Score: 26.73 (TES) + 21.89 (PCS) = 48.62

 6) Tiffany Vise & Don Baldwin

    Music: Pirates of the Caribbean

• Don is the brother of John Baldwin, former US champion
• What an athlete she is, look at those guns!
• Good speed at the beginning, did a split double twist, but a clean one
• They do their SBS jumps in opposite directions
• That was a nice strong throw
• Their spins are also in opposite directions
• His sit positions are lower than hers and she seems to slow down
• He struggled to get that lift off
• They really lose speed in that death spiral
• She is very dynamic in this footwork
• Definitely some errors in this program. but she looks so happy with it
• Peter Carruthers always comments about the safety concerns involved with trying difficult elements
• SP Score: 31.13 (TES) + 23.17 (PCS) = 54.29

7) Caitlin Yankowskas & John Coughlin**

    Music: Tango Oblivion

• They have the personality of ice dancers
• Nice stretch out of the split triple twist
• I love that not a moment is wasted
• Strong throw triple salchow, bad camera angle there
• Beautiful side by side triple toes, impeccable timing
• Wonderful lift, smooth entrance and exit
• That is what a pairs spin sequence should look like
• I'm actually shaking for them right now
• This step sequence is new
• Gorgeous position on that death spiral
• That was an incredible short for them, I have tears in my eyes
• SP Score: 35.98 (TES) + 28.32 (PCS) = 64.30

8) Marissa Castelli & Simon Shnapir

   Music: Money/For the Love of Money

• Simon looks a little clunky in that opening "dance" sequence
• Simon stumbles on opening Side by Sides
• They lost speed on their crossovers, maybe caught an edge
• Split triple twist was huge
• Major unison issues right her on the spins
• The free skate is their strength, so they can recover from these mistakes on Saturday
• She was flying with so much speed on that throw triple salchow
• Her catch-foot lift position is pretty awesome
• SP Score: 29.57 (TES) + 21.91 (PCS) = 51.48

9) Chloe Katz & Joseph Lynch

   Music: Prelude

• 
  
• SP Score:  (TES) +  (PCS) =

10) Mary Beth Marley & Rockne Brubaker**

     Music: 

• 
  
• SP Score:  (TES) +  (PCS) = 58.10

11) Erika Smith & Nathan Bartholomay

    Music: Punch Drunk

• 
  
• SP Score:  (TES) +  (PCS) =

12) Caydee Denney & Jeremy Barrett

     Music: Love theme from "The Cousins"

• New costume for this program, I think I like this one better
• Caydee has always been very expressive but now Jeremy has started to come to her level in that department
• The footwork into the triple twist was nice
• Caydee was very tilted in the air on that side by side jump
• Throw triple flip was very nice
• I do not like that upside down death spiral position
• Very nice spin sequence
• Sometimes the pressure to defend a title is very intense
• They have a lovely step sequence
• John Zimmerman has done wonders with them in terms of presentation and performance quality
• SP Score: 32.13 (TES) + 26.66 (PCS) -1.00 = 57.79

13) Molly Aaron & Daniyel Cohen**

      Music: Schindler's List

• She fights for the landing on that throw
• She takes a tough fall on the side by side jumps
• This music seems to somber for a short program to me
• They are skating quite slowly
• SP Score: 27.08 (TES) + 21.16 (PCS) -1.00 = 47.24 

14) Becky Bereswill & Treover Young
      Music: Song of India

• Can we talk about how I'm obsessed with her costume
• Wow are they both tall, what long line
• Off ever so slightly on their unison for the side by side triples
• Split double twists as opposed to triples from most teams
• Nice reverse overhead lift, not the fastest rotation, but smooth entry and exit
• Good fight for that landing from Becky
• They look great for a pair just beginning their partnership
• I'd love to see them get some international assignments next season
• Slight unison issue at the end of the spin sequence
• That was a lovely and elegant program choreographed by Marina Zoueva
• SP Score: 27.55 (TES) + 21.22 (PCS) = 48.77

Standings After the Short Program:
Yankowskas/Coughlin    64.40
Evora/Ladwig                  62.87
Marley/Brubaker            58.10
Denney/Barrett               57.79
Vise/Baldwin                    54.29
Castelli/Shnapir               51.48
Davis/Leftheris                51.07
Bereswill/Young                48.77
Donlan/Speroff                 48.62
Aaron/Cohen                     47.24
Moore/Gaumond              46.44
Katz/Lynch                        46.38
Smith/Bartholomay           43.60