2011 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating: Trophee Eric Bompard Free Dance LIVE BLOG

1) Sara Hurtado & Andria Diaz (ESP)

     Music: Tristan and Isolde

• I love her braid but hate the rest of this ensemble
• They are very athletically built skaters
• Nice speed in and out of the curve lift
• This is very 1990s ice dance, very high drama
• Interesting counter-balance move, the exit was very scary though, I thought he was going to tep on her head or hand or something
• He falls on the twizzle
• Interesting twizzle variations
• Kind of sloppy overall

FD Score: 26.71 (TES) + 33.33 (PCS) -2.00 (DED) = 58.04
Total Score: 45.71 (SD) + 58.04 (FD) = 103.75

2) Kristina Gorshkova & Vitali Butikov (RUS)
     Music: Tango

• These are equally heinous costumes, just as in the short
• They start right off with their dance spin
• Everything is very choppy and stiff
• Pretty good twizzle set
• I don't understand these costumes at all
• This whole thing is very messy
• Very slow through the footwork
• I just can't get into this program because nothing is crisp and clean, its all very muddled
• This high drama nonsense is very 1990s Ice Dance

FD Score: 34.71 (TES) + 35.00 (PCS) = 69.72
Total Score: 48.77 (SD) + 69.72 (FD) = 118.48

3) Xintong Huang & Xue Zheng (CHN)
     Music: Libertango

• Slight unison issue in twizzles
• A few awkward transitions the the big lift
• Some of their transitions are a bit strange
• Very slow in the dance spin
• That haircutter lift is very common, lacks creativity
• This program just isn't doing it for me today, there was no spark

FD Score: 38.03 (TES) + 37.95 (PCS) = 75.98
Total Score: 50.71 (SD) + 75.98 (FD) = 126.69

4) Madison Chock & Evan Bates (USA)
     Music: Prelude in E Minor by Chopin

• This is a very romantic program
• The technique and the connection between them has improved with every event
• She has fantastic upper body carriage as does he
• The height difference bothers me less and less each time I see it
• That lift with Evan in an arabesque is fantastic
• I still don't know if I like this muzak feel in the middle section
• Nice speed
• Same speed in and out of the straight line lift, very good
• They get way too close on the twizzles and Madi sits it down, too bad about that
• I love the speed and positions of the rotational lift
• Her upside down camel position is very nice in the dance spin 
• Aside from the freak twizzle fall, a very nice outing for them
• I'm obsessed with her hair, I have no idea how she gets it like that, its's very Romeo and Juliet

FD Score: 39.29 (TES) + 40.64 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 78.93
Total Score: 52.01 (SD) + 78.93 (FD) = 130.94

5) Elena Ilinykh & Nikita Katsalapov (RUS)
     Music: Ave Maria

• She always crosses herself going onto the ice
• They carry very nice speed
• I love how deep they get into the knees
• I'd prefer her hair down and flowing
• I really like the twizzles facing one another, it's nice visually
• Sometimes he looks really unsteady lifting her, but she's so small
• I love the position on that dance spin, but the speed is nearly gone by the end
• The pace is so fast, that they always look a little wild by the end trying to keep up
• I do believe that was better than at NHK though

FD Score: 37.65 (TES) + 44.50 (PCS) = 82.15
Total Score: 58.17 (SD) + 82.15 (FD) = 140.32

6) Anna Cappellini & Luca Lanotte (ITA)
     Music: La Strada

• This program was gorgeous at Skate Canada, if they just do it the same way
• This character piece looks lovely on them
• I love that headtap lift, it's very unique
• Very good speed throughout
• That hand in the crotch lift is just awkward all around
• That straight line lift takes so much strength
• Tanith lift, I don't know the man has any idea where he's going when she is right in his face like that
• They'll get very high marks for that skate

FD Score: 42.43 (TES) + 46.71 (PCS) = 89.14
Total Score: 64.62 (SD) + 89.76 (FD) = 153.76

7) Nathalie Pechalat & Fabian Bourzat (FRA)
     Music: The Feeling Begins, Passion, In The Garden

• Very nice opening lift
• I still don't htink that the costuming looks World Class, but I don't know how else you make somebody look like a Mummy
• He is fantastic, I could just watch him all day
• This is a very complete program, it tells a story from beginning to end and they carry the theme throughout
• I don't think you could get more of a contrast from thsi to Virtue & Moir
• All of the music goes together so well, nothing is choppy
• They  have fantastic speed, I think the home crowd is really propelling them and this is a piece that the audience can really get into
• And they end the way they started
• They loved that at home and they should be proud

FD Score: 47.33 (TES) + 50.71 (PCS) = 98.04
Total Score: 66.52 (SD) + 98.04 (FD) = 164.56

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

• They are the class of the field
• This piece is classic Virtue & Moir
• A little problem with that overhead lift, choppy transitions
• They make this look so easy
• Its so classic old Hollywood
• They take a lot of risk with these lifts
• Very nice, clean program
• They're very happy with that

FD Score: 50.96 (TES) + 55.79 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 105.75
Total Score: 71.18 (SD) + 105.75 (FD) = 176.93

Pl.	Name	Nation	Points	SD	FD
1	Tessa VIRTUE / Scott MOIR	CAN	176.93	1	1
2	Nathalie PECHALAT / Fabian BOURZAT	FRA	164.56	2	2
3	Anna CAPPELLINI / Luca LANOTTE	ITA	153.76	3	3
4	Elena ILINYKH / Nikita KATSALAPOV	RUS	140.32	4	4
5	Madison CHOCK / Evan BATES	USA	130.94	5	5
6	Xintong HUANG / Xun ZHENG	CHN	126.69	6	6
7	Kristina GORSHKOVA / Vitali BUTIKOV	RUS	118.48	7	7
8	Sara HURTADO / Adria DIAZ	ESP	103.75	8	8

Pl.	Name	Nation	TSS =	TES +		PCS +	SS	TR	PE	CC	IT	Ded. -	StN.
1	Tessa VIRTUE / Scott MOIR	CAN	105.75	50.96		55.79	9.32	9.00	9.43	9.46	9.50	1.00	#8
2	Nathalie PECHALAT / Fabian BOURZAT	FRA	98.04	47.33		50.71	8.39	8.11	8.61	8.71	8.71	0.00	#7
3	Anna CAPPELLINI / Luca LANOTTE	ITA	89.14	42.43		46.71	7.75	7.46	7.96	7.93	8.07	0.00	#6
4	Elena ILINYKH / Nikita KATSALAPOV	RUS	82.15	37.65		44.50	7.57	7.04	7.61	7.54	7.57	0.00	#5
5	Madison CHOCK / Evan BATES	USA	78.93	39.29		40.64	6.86	6.54	6.64	7.04	6.93	1.00	#4
6	Xintong HUANG / Xun ZHENG	CHN	75.98	38.03		37.95	6.46	6.07	6.43	6.57	6.25	0.00	#3
7	Kristina GORSHKOVA / Vitali BUTIKOV	RUS	69.71	34.71		35.00	6.21	5.46	5.89	5.93	5.86	0.00	#2
8	Sara HURTADO / Adria DIAZ	ESP	58.04	26.71		33.33	5.68	5.25	5.50	5.93	5.61	2.00	#1