Pre-Season Figure Skating Survey

Hey all, I thought it would be fun to do some predictions before the figure skating season official kicks off. If you are interested in participating, please email me your answers at thebackstagebarbie@gmail.com. You can give me as much detail as you like. You can also omit answers to any questions that you don't feel comfortable answering. Also include your twitter handle and/or blog address so I can credit your contribution in the post. Thanks so much and I'm looking forward to a great season!

1) Which skater/team are you most excited to see this season in terms of new programs, choreography, and overall performance?

2) Who do you expect to make their biggest splash in their Senior Grand Prix debut? This can be a skater rising from the Junior ranks or a newly formed team.

3) What do you think about the new Grand Prix format?

4) Will Denney & Coughlin live up to their pre-season hype?

5) Which individual GP event are you most excited for? (i.e. Ladies at NHK, Pairs at TEB, etc)

6) Will we have a clear favorite for the national title in ladies, men's singles, or pairs at the conclusion of the Grand Prix season? If so, who will it be?

7) How does Evan Lysacek factor in this season, particularly if Plushenko returns to competition?

8) Who has the potential to beat Virtue/Moir or Davis/White?

9) Does it help or hurt Ice Dance as a discipline when one coaching team (Zoueva/Shpilband) dominates most of the competitions?

10) How critical is the 2011-2012 in the grand scheme of things, specifically looking toward Sochi?

11) Who will be this year's Alissa Czisny and come out of nowhere to have a stellar season?

12) I know it's not nice to think about, but who do you expect to bomb this season?

13) If the World Team Trophy does take place, (assuming US, Canada, France, Russia, China, and Japan compete) who will win?

14) I know we've debated this for years but I'm going to ask it anyway. Which 2 ladies, men, or pairs can earn a 3rd spot in their discipline for the US at Worlds?

2011 Grand Prix Alternate List

Courtesy of @icemusings here is a list of the top alternates for the 2011 ISU Grand Prix of figure skating series should any of the assigned skaters have to withdraw.

http://icemusings.blogspot.com/2011/07/tentative-grand-prix-alternate-list.html

2011 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating: Season Preview

I didn't write a lot about this when it was announced a month or two ago because everyone else was covering it. I've been thinking a lot about the upcoming Grand Prix season and the more I think about it, I realize how unfortunate it is for the skaters that the fields were cut from 12 to 10 in singles and 10-8 in Ice Dance. The Grand Prix is a great debut for rising senior skaters and many promising young athletes will not be given the chance to compete on the world stage. However, the smaller fields mean that each event is chock full of contenders. There are no throwaways in these events and even the best in the world will be fighting to make that podium. Here is a sneak peak at each event, including the key match-ups. I'll make more concrete predictions closer to the start of the events when the fields are finalized after TBD slots are filled and skaters withdraw, as they always do.

Skate America (Oct 21-23)
Ladies: Based on last season's results, this should be a battle between Alissa Czisny and Carolina Kostner, but because it is the first event of the year, gold will likely go to whomever is the least rusty from the off-season. Ksenia Makarova ended the 2010-2011 season with a 7th place finish at Worlds and she could snatch a medal if her new Marilyn Monroe freeskate is successful. Laura Lepisto was injured last season but she took the bronze at the 2010 Worlds and is always a threat. You can never count out the Japanese women and this may be Haruka Imai's chance to medal if she is more prepared than the favorites. The US has one host slot to give out and I predict it could go to Alexe Gilles if she shows that her coaching change has caused a big enough improvement over last season.
Men: The headliner of this event is sure to be 2010 Olympic Champion Evan Lysacek in his first competition since Vancouver. But will he show up, and if so, what kind of shape will he be in? World silver medalist Takahiko Kozuka seems to be the front-runner, unless of course Lysacek is back in top form. Florent Amodio will also challenge for the podium, especially if he shows us that quad he's been promising. Michal Brezina is another who could land on the podium along with Ricky Dornbush the young American who made an impressive top-10 debut at 2011 Worlds.
Pairs: Reigning World Champs Savchenko & Szolkowy should have no trouble winning here, but the first event of the season is known to be tricky as most athletes aren't in top shape yet. Zhang & Zhang of China are back after a full season off so it will be interesting to see what they look like after all that time out of the spotlight. Bazarova & Larionov should easily make the podium, especially if Vera has been working on her technical elements in the off-season. Her jumping ability has held them back in the past. Reigning champions Moore-Towers & Moscovitch aim to show that last season's success on the Grand Prix was not a fluke. Young Americans Marley & Brubaker make their Grand Prix debut and are hungry to show international judges that they are the real deal. US Figure Skating has one host pick open and I am 99% sure it will go to the new team of Denney & Coughlin after their recent success at home competitions. If they perform as they did this summer and continue to improve, they could snag a medal here. Or, the US could go another way and decide to give rising seniors Cain & Reagan a shot at a second Grand Prix.
Dance: This is obviously World Champion Davis & White's event. They won't be challenged until they meet Virtue & Moir in the Final. The battle here will really be for the rest of the podium. Pechalat & Bourzat should easily take the silver, especially if they are as hungry as I suspect after a disappointing fall left them off the World podium. Monnko & Khaliavin make their senior debut after impressive junior careers. The new US team of Hubbell & Donohue will also make their Grand Prix debut here after also competing at the Nebelhorn Trophy in September. The US has one spot to award and I believe it will go to the newly formed team of Chock & Bates. This team could have future success but it takes a while to build synergy in a dance team and they shouldn't expect to medal outright. Rising seniors Lichtman & Copely could also receive the host pick as a second assignment.


Skate Canada (Oct 28-30)
Ladies: This is an interesting field of ladies because about 6 of the 10 are contenders for Gold but there is no front runner. Of the three Americans, Ashley Wagner, Mirai Nagasu, and Rachael Flatt, neither has ever won a Grand Prix but all have medaled. Flatt has had arguably the most success, though her programs and training plans for the upcoming season have been quite hush-hush so I wouldn't be surprised to see her withdraw. Wagner beat Nagasu in a recent summer competition so that could be a predictor of things to come. Alena Leonova ended last season on a very high note and she could come on very strong to medal and even win this event. Akiko Suzuki had a great 2010 Grand Prix racking up two silvers so she is a contender as well. Perhaps the biggest threat is little Elizaveta Tuktamisheva, the 2011 World Junior Silver medalist. She has arguably the highest technical content of all these ladies so if she can avoid feeling the pressure of a senior debut, she well may win it. Canada will likely add Myrianne Samson to the field for their host pick as she was not assigned to any other events.
Men: I have to believe that Patrick Chan will come back strong after winning Worlds and take the Gold here in his home country. Daisuke Takahashi will be a wild card this season. Can he come back strong after a disappointing World Championships or is he past his prime? He is a personal favorite of mine so I really hope he can make a comeback. Adam Rippon also seems likely to make the podium assuming that Jason Dungjen & Yuka Sato have the same effect on him that they have on their other new pupils. He could even take the silver if Takahashi struggles. Youngster Ross Miner must raise the bar from his mediocre 2010 GP season after being called upon to represent the US at Worlds and doing a fine job at that. He'll certainly be held to a higher standard this season. Javier Fernandez was impressive in the 2010-2011 season and improved steadily. If he ups his artistry to meet his fantastic quad this could be a breakout year for him.
Pairs: Experience versus technical ability will clash at this event as reigning World silver medalists Voloshozar & Trankov go up against  youngsters Sui & Han. Both teams should be on the podium barring any major disasters. Home team Duhamel & Radford could round out the podium if they start this season the same way they ended last with an impressive 7th at Worlds in a debut season. They have some great skills if they can improve their artistry and on-ice connection. Takahashi & Tran found success on the 2010 GP but I'm not impressed by them and unless they've improved greatly, I don't see them making this podium. Canada's Lawrence & Swiegers are also a fine team and though they're pleasant to watch, I don't see them as World class.
Dance: Like Davis & White at Skate America, this event is Virtue & Moir's to lose. They won't have a true challenge until they meet Davis & White at the Grand Prix Final. Pechalt & Bourzat and Weaver & Poje, now training mates, will battle for 2nd at this event. Both are fairly well matched with the French having the edge in the past, though I've been hearing great things about the improvements made by Weaver & Poje in the off-season. Riazanova & Tkachenko of Russia have also been steadily climbing and could be a threat if the French or the Canadians have problems. Canada's host pick will likely go to Paul & Islam who could easily medal.

Cup of China (Nov 4-6)
Ladies: 2010 World bronze medalist Carolina Kostner headlines this event, though she'll face very tough competition. Reigning Junior World champion and Russian wonder-baby Adelina Sotnikova makes her Senior GP debut along with American Christina Gao. Sotnikova vs fellow Russian Ksenia Makarova will be an interesting battle for the top spot at home, as will Gao vs Mirai Nagasu for supremacy in the US. Let's not forget Japan's Kanako Murakami who won a gold and a bronze in her senior GP debut last season and now has that experience under her belt.
Men: This event features at least 3 Men who are trying to get out of a funk from last season. Nobunari Oda, Brian Joubert, and Jeremy Abbott all had disappointing 2010-2011 but any of the 3 could win this event if they can rediscover the spark they had in previous seasons. Of all the men competing, Artur Gachinski ended last season with the biggest bang, winning bronze at Worlds. If the momentum continues, he could win here, but not if Oda, Abbott, or Joubert are at the top of their game. Yazuru Hanyu of Japan is a youngster coming up the ranks who made a big splash with a silver at 2011 Four Continents and he could be a threat to win here too. American Ricky Dornbush will be in his 2nd senior Grand Prix event here (and of the season) which could give him a leg up on the competitors.
Pairs: With the withdrawal of Pang & Tong from the entire Grand Prix season, Kavaguti & Smirnov seem poised to take gold here.We'll also have to wait and see which team will replace Pang & Tong because that team could factor in to the medals. Zhang & Zhang are huge wild cards because they are Olympic medalists from 2006 but they've never returned to that top form since then and we haven't seen them perform in over a year. Americans Evora & Ladwig and Canadians Moore-Towers & Moscovitch seem likely to round out the podium as they've each shown signs of greatness, though each team has also been known to crack under pressure. However, if Sui & Han replace Pang & Tong or take China's TBD slot they are almost guaranteed a medal so the Americans & Canadians will really have to battle for that bronze. As of 8/16 Sui & Han have been added to the Cup of China roster and they'll likely take the silver.
Dance: If it were last season this time, I'd have said Bobrova & Soloviev would win this event, but the Shibutani siblings passed them at Worlds to take bronze and if they remain in that top shape, the young Americans will likely win. Americans Lichtman & Copely and Russians Monko & Khaliavin are both moving up from the junior circuit where they both medaled at Worlds last year and if either makes the senior debut that the Shibutanis made last season, they'll medal.

NHK Trophy (Nov 11-13)
Ladies: This will be an interesting field because about half of the ladies make their season's debut while the other half will have already skated in one event. We have a lot of wild cards here and no clear favorites. Of the two home picks, Mao Asada has the best international record though she struggled all last season, while Akiko Suzuki had a great 2010 Grand Prix but failed to make the World team. Kiira Korpi and Cynthia Phaneuf have both shown us they can be great at times, but those strokes of brilliance have been few and far between. Russia's Alena Leonova made a huge jump in the standings at the 2011 Worlds to finish fourth so she has perhaps the best momentum going in. Now that she has senior international experience, American Agnes Zawadzki has the goods to win her first senior medal. After a coaching change to the renown John Nicks, Ashley Wagner could easily medal if she keeps her nerves in check and can put up a decent short program to match her usually fantastic longs. My money is on Suzuki, Leonova, and Zawadzki for the podium, not necessarily in that order.
Men: If he competes the way he did last season, I see Takahiko Kozuka winning this event, while Daisuke Takahashi will likely use the home crowd's energy to take silver. I don't know that we've ever seem him perfect, but Tomas Verner is usually good enough to eek out a medal. But he'll be challenged by the American squad of Mahbanoozadeh, Miner, and Mroz, two of which have senior Grand Prix medals in their collections.
Pairs: Savchenko & Szolkowy should rack up another gold here, though they'll face a challenge from Kavaguti & Smirnov who will likely take the silver. I see a 3-way battle for bronze, and possibly a 4-way depending on who replaces Pang & Tong. Takahashi & Tran and Iliushechkina & Maisuradze both had decent 2010 Grand Prix seasons with the later winning Skate Canada and making the final. Both tapered off toward the end of the season but could win a medal here if they show up strong. Americans Castelli & Shnapir could be a dark horse because they have some flashy, high-scoring elements if they could actually hit them all in the same competition.
Dance: Of the 4 times they faced one another last season, the Shibutanis came out on top 3 times while Weaver & Poje only beat the young siblings once, and that was the first event of the 2010 season. The outcome will depend on preparation as either could come out on top though I'll put my bets on the Americans. Russian favorites Ilinykkh & Katsalapov were very successful as juniors but have yet to make their mark as seniors. A medal here could be huge for them. Paul & Islam, known as Virtue & Moir 2.0 will try to escape the shadow of their countrymen and stand on their own feet to win their first senior international medal, though they debuted on the 2010 circuit. Germans Zhiganshina & Gazsi and Americans Kriengkrairut & Giuletti-Schmitt have also been steadily climbing and could make a strong showing.

Trophee Eric Bompard (Nov 18-20)
Ladies: Of all the ladies competing, Alissa Czisny, Laura Lepisto, and Carolina Kostner have the most experience, with the later two having World medals. If she performs the way she did most of last season, my money is on Czisny for sure. Lepisto is a lovely skater but she rarely wins medals on her own, as she tends to capitalize on others' mistakes. Kanako Murakami who won a bronze at the 2010 GPF in her senior debut could could upset the favorites. Russia's young Elizaveta Tuktamisheva will already have one senior GP under her belt at this point and will be at the top of field in terms of technique, though the maturity and artistry of the older ladies could keep her out of the medals.
Men: Many are touting this as THE event of the Grand Prix season with the greatest battle likely between reigning World champ Chan and reigning Olympic champ Lysacek. Many speculate that Lysacek will withdraw if he is not ready to compete, but practice reports state that he is quickly returning to Olympic shape. Nobu Oda has a huge technical arsenal, but he often makes silly mistakes and his artistry is nowhere close to that of Chan or Lysacek. If he puts that quad in, Adam Rippon could be a huge factor as he scores high on components and normally gets great levels and GOE's on his technical elements. Brian Joubert is a past World champ, though he hasn't looked like it recently and I don't see him factoring in for Gold. Michal Brezina and Florent Amodio have both shown they can pull points out of nowhere, but they'll have to do more than their usual fluff routines to medal at this event. Regardless of what happens, men who are used to medaling will have to fight even for 5th or 6th, which is one of the side effects of the new Grand Prix redesign.
Pairs: After their amazing debut at the 2010 Worlds, this seems to be Voloshozar & Trankov's to lose. The only team even close to them is Bazarova & Larionov, also of Russia, but their technique simply is not at the same level. Evora & Ladwig and Duhamel & Radford will likely battle for the bronze, but if both teams skate clean, I'd give the edge to Evora & Ladwig based on experience and connection. Youngsters Stolbova & Klimov make their senior debut and could also factor into the medals if they can come on as strong as Sui & Han did last season.
Dance: I feel 95% confident in predicting this podium. Virtue & Moir will win, followed by Pechalat & Bourzat and finally Ilinykh & Katsalapov. Both the French & Russian teams made coaching changes that could effect their performance in either a good or a bad way. Cappellini & Lanotte of Italy are a pretty team, but they can't seem to crack that top tier of ice dance.

Rostelecom Cup (Dec 8-11)
Ladies: Can Mao Asada finally make a comeback and win? Will the Russian wonder-baby Adelina Sotnikova continue on her winning streak and upset her? Can Alena Leonova overtake the youngster to become the top woman in Russia? Which of the three Americans, Flatt, Gao, and Zawadzki will step up and take a medal? Or will Finland's Kiira Korpi pull out a surprise win as she did last season at the final GP event? There is a lot riding on this event both nationally and internationally. If Asada can't come out strong this season, the Japanese youngsters will likely pass her by the 2014 games. The same is true for Alena Leonova in Russia. If she can't hold off Sotnikova here at home, in her senior debut, she'll prove that she'll be all but irrelevant by Sochi. In the US, Zawadzki & Gao seem poised to take over as the top ladies, but its just a matter of when they'll strike and who will come out on top. And last but not least, how will a move and a coaching change effect Rachael Flatt and will she even compete at all? Any of these women should be threats to make the Final so I highly doubt we'll know who is competing until this event is finished.
Men: If he can get to the level he was at in 2009, Jeremy Abbot has a good shot at winning this event, though Artur Gachinski will have the home crowd on his side. Michal Brezina is always a threat, as is Tomas Verner. We can't forget that Brandon Mroz won two Grand Prix medals last season and he seems to peak early in the season so he's certainly a factor. Yazuru Hanyu & Javier Fernandez made huge impressions last season and it could be a breakout year for either. And last but not least, the question weighing on everybody's mind, will Plushenko compete in Russia's TBD slot and declare once and for all that he is still relevant in the sport?
Pairs: Savchenko & Szolkowy will meet Kavaguti & Smirnov here for the 2nd time this season, though I expect the Germans to come out on top again. I saw a short practice clip recently and they seem to be in top shape. Bronze is truly open to anyone, though it may depend on who Russia selects for their host pick. Hausch & Wende and Berton & Hotarek, though not top tier pairs, are solid enough that either could pick up a medal. Then again 3 young teams, Gerboldt & Enbert, Cain & Reagan, and Jones & Gaskell have just as much of a chance to medal if they can go clean in both programs, though I'd give the edge to Gerboldt & Enbert who were impressive at Europeans last season.
Dance: Davis & White will not be challenged in this event and it will merely be a chance for them to tweak and perfect their programs before the Final. In the same respect, Weaver & Poje likely won't be challenged for the silver unless Bobrova & Soloviev have done a lot of work in the off-season. Russia's Riazanova & Tkachenko were alternates for the final last season and as I hear they're improving steadily, they could even pass Bobrova & Soloviev. I suspect Russia will add one of their young rising senior teams as the host pick.

2011 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Assignments

Skate America (Oct 21-23)

Ladies:
Elene Gedevanishvili, GEO
Carolina Kostner, ITA
Valentina Marchei, ITA
Haruka Imai, JPN
Ksenia Makarova, RUS
Joshi Helgesson, SWE
Viktoria Helgesson, SWE
Alissa Czisny, USA
Caroline Zhang, USA
Joelle Forte, USA
Mens: 
Kevin van der Perren, BEL
Michal Brezina, CZE
Florent Amodio, FRA
Samuel Contesti, ITA
Takahiko Kozuka, JPN
Daisuke Murakami, JPN
Denis Ten, KAZ
Richard Dornbush, USA
Armin Mahbanoozadeh, USA
Douglas Razzanno, USA
Pairs:
Moore-Towers/Moscovitch, CAN
Zhang/Zhang, CHN
Hausch/Wende, GER
Savchenko/Szolkowy, GER
Bazarova/Larionov, RUS
Marley/Brubaker, USA
Vise/Baldwin, USA
Denney/Coughlin, USA
Dance:
Paul/Islam, CAN
Ralph/Hill, CAN
Pechalat/Bourzat, FRA
Zhiganshina/Gazsi, GER
Tobias/Stagniunas, LTU
Davis/White, USA
Hubbell/Donohoe, USA
Cannuscio/Lorello, USA

Skate Canada (Oct 28-30)

Ladies:
Amelie Lacoste, CAN
Cynthia Phaneuf, CAN
Adriana DeSanctis, CAN
Sarah Hecken, GER
Akiko Suzuki, JPN
Alena Leonova, RUS
Elizaveta Tuktamisheva, RUS
Rachael Flatt, USA
Mirai Nagasu, USA
Ashley Wagner, USA
Mens: 
Kevin Van Der Perren, BEL
Patrick Chan, CAN
Andrei Rogozine, CAN
Elladj Balde, CAN
Daisuke Takahashi, JPN
Denis Ten, KAZ
Javier Fernandez, ESP
Alexander Majorov, SWE
Ross Miner, USA
Adam Rippon, USA
Pairs:
Duhamel/Radford, CAN
Lawrence/Swiegers, CAN
Dube/Wolfe, CAN
Sui/Han, CHN
Yu/Jin, CHN
Takahashi/Tran, JPN
Iliushechkina/Maisuradze, RUS
Volosozhar/Trankov, RUS
Dance:
Virtue/Moir, CAN
Weaver/Poje, CAN
Harvey/Gagnon, CAN
Pechalat/Bourzat, FRA
Cappelini/Lanotte, ITA
Pushkash/Guerreiro, RUS
Riazanova/Tkachenko, RUS
Chock/Bates, USA

Cup of China (Nov 4-6)

Ladies:
Bingwa Geng, CHN
Kexin Zhang, CHN
Qiuying Zhu, CHN
Carolina Kostner, ITA
Valentina Marchei, ITA
Kanako Murakmi, JPN
Ksenia Makarova, RUS
Adelina Sotnikova, RUS
Christina Gao, USA
Mirai Nagasu, USA
Mens:
Kevin Reynolds, CAN
Jinlin Guan, CHN
Jialing Wu, CHN
Nan Song, CHN
Brian Joubert, FRA
Yuzuru Hanya, JPN
Nobunari Oda, JPN
Artur Gachinski, RUS
Jeremy Abbott, USA
Richard Dornbush, USA
Pairs:
Moore-Towers/Moscovitch, CAN
Steele/Schultz, CAN
Sui/Han, CHN
Zhang/Wang, CHN
Zhang/Zhang, CHN
Kadlecova/Bidar, CZE
Kavaguti/Smirnov, RUS
Evora/Ladwig, USA
Dance:
Yu/Wang, CHN
Huang/Zheng, CHN
Carron/Jones, FRA
Coomes/Buckland, GBR
Bobrova/Soloviev, RUS
TBD
Lichtman/Copely, USA
Shibutani/Shibutani, USA

NHK Trophy (Nov 11-13)

Ladies:
Cynthia Phaneuf, CAN
Kiira Korpi, FIN
Mae Berenice Meite, FRA
Elene Gedevanishvili, GEO
Mao Asada, JPN
Akiko Suzuki, JPN
Shoko Ishikawa, JPN
Alena Leonova, RUS
Ashley Wagner, USA
Agnes Zawadzki, USA
Mens: 
Tomas Verner, CZE
Samuel Contesti, ITA
Takahiko Kozuka, JPN
Daisuke Takahashi, JPN
Tatsuki Machida, JPN
Konstantin Menshov, RUS
Adrian Schultheiss, SWE
Armin Mahbanoozadeh, USA
Ross Miner, USA
Brandon Mroz, USA
Pairs:
Purich/Schultz, CAN
Savchenko/Szolkowy, GER
Berton/Hotarek, ITA
Takahashi/Tran, JPN
Iliushechkina/Maisuradze, RUS
Kavaguti/Smirnov, RUS
Castelli/Shnapir, USA
Denney/Coughlin, USA
Dance:
Paul/Islam, CAN
Weaver/Poje, CAN
Zhiganshina/Gazsi, GER
Alessandrini/Vaturi, ITA
Reed/Reed, JPN
Ilinykh/Katsalapov, RUS
Kriengkrairut/Giuletti-Schmitt, USA
Shibutani/Shibutani, USA

Trophee Eric Bompard (Nov 18-20)

Ladies:
Yrethe Silete, FRA
Lena Marrocco, FRA
Mae Berenic Meite, FRA
Sarah Hecken, GER
Carolina Kostner, ITA
Kanako Murakami, JPN
Elizaveta Tuktamisheva, RUS
Sonia LaFuente, USA
Victoria Helgesson, SWE
Alissa Czisny, USA
Mens:
Patrick Chan, CAN
Kevin Reynolds, CAN
Nan Song, CHN
Michal Brezina, CZE
Florent Amodio, FRA
Chaffik Besseghier, FRA
Brian Joubert, FRA
Nobunari Oda, JPN
TBD
Adam Rippon, USA
Pairs:
Duhamel/Radford, CAN
Dong/Wu, CHN
James/Cipres, FRA
Bazarova/Larionov, RUS
Stolbova/Klimov, RUS
Volosozhar/Trankov, RUS
Evora/Ladwig, USA
Dance:
Virtue/Moir, CAN
Huang/Zheng, CHN
Pechalat/Bourzat, FRA
Zahorski/Miart, FRA
Cappellini/Lanotte, ITA
Gorshkova/Butikov, RUS
Ilinykh/Katsalapov, RUS
Hurtado/Diaz, ESP

Rostelecom Cup (Dec 8-11)

Ladies:
Amelie Lacoste, CAN
Kiira Korpi, FIN
Mao Asada, JPN
Haruka Imai, JPN
Sofia Biryukova, RUS
Alena Leonova, RUS
Adelina Sotnikova, RUS
Rachael Flatt, USA
Christina Gao, USA
Agnes Zawadzki, USA
Mens: 
Andrei Rogozine, CAN
Michal Brezina, CZE
Tomas Verner, CZE
Yuzuru Hanyu, JPN
Artur Gachinski, RUS
Sergei Voronov, RUS
Konstantin Menshov, RUS
Javier Fernandez, ESP
Jeremy Abbott, USA
Brandon Mroz, USA
Pairs:
Jones/Gaskell, CAN
Hausch/Wende, GER
Savchenko/Szolkowy, GER
Berton/Hotarek, ITA
Gerboldt/Enbert, RUS
Kavaguti/Smirnov, RUS
Stolbova/Klimov, RUS
Cain/Reagan, USA
Dance:
Weaver/Poje, CAN
Carron/Jones, FRA
Reed/Reed, JPN
Tobias/Stagniunas, LTU
Bobrova/Soloviev, RUS
Riazanova/Tkachenko, RUS
Pushkash/Guerreiro, RUS
Davis/White, USA

Countdown to US Figure Skating Championships: 4 Days!

Alexe Gilles (Broadmoor SC)

• 2007 US Novice Nationals 5th
• 2007 Jr. Grand Prix Final 6th
• 2008 Jr. Nationals 5th
• 2008 Jr. Grand Prix Final Bronze Medalist
• 2009 Jr. National Champion
• 2010 US Nationals 8th
• 2010 Four Continents 9th
• 2010 Skate Canada 11th
• 2010 Skate America 12th

Alexe is one of those skaters who really showed so much promise as a junior but can't seem to get out of her own head enough to have success on the senior level. She is so beautiful to watch when she is doing well but she seems to struggle with self-confidence issues, especially this year on the Grand Prix. It was sad to see her meltdown at Skate Canada when her programs were so gorgeous. She showed us glimpses of what she can do at Skate America with a lovely triple-triple in her short program, but seemed to doubt herself again and suffered a few falls in the short and the long. For her sake, I would love to see her pull off an excellent short program in Greensboro, make the final warm-up group for the free skate, and pull out a top 6 finish. She recently graduated from high school and I don't know what her future plans are, but with her grace and elegance, she would make an excellent show skater as well.

Countdown to US Figure Skating Championships: 15 Days!

Armin Mahbanoozadeh (Washington FSC)

• 2007 US Novice Champion
• 2007 Junior Grand Prix Final Bronze Medalist
• 2008 Junior Grand Prix Final Silver Medalist
• 2010 US Nationals 8th
• 2010 Skate America Bronze Medalist

Get ready to work on you pronunciation because Mahbanoozadeh is about to become a household name. Armin had International success as a junior on the Grand Prix circuit but struggled at Nationals and failed to ever qualify for Junior Worlds. In his senior debut, he placed a respectable 8th last season. With Lysacek and Weir out for the season, Armin has an opportunity to move up in the National ranks but nobody expected him to move up so early in the season. His bronze at Skate America was one of the biggest surprises of the Grand Prix season and left many wishing he would have received a second Grand Prix assignment. Perhaps the most important aspect of his bronze medal was that he upset top US contender Adam Rippon, establishing him as a strong medal threat in Greensboro at the end of the month. According to his coach Priscilla Hill, Skate America was about skating clean, which he did, and he will attempt to add more difficulty into his programs at National, including the quad. Ironically, after the quad controversy at the 2010 Olympics, it seems that the quad may define the Mens event in Greensboro. Abbott, Mroz, and Bradley all have it, but its a craps shoot of they will be landed cleanly. On the flip side, Rippon and Mahbanoozadeh are arguably the more artistic skaters of the bunch so only time will tell if technique or presentation will take the cake in Greensboro.

Countdown to US Figure Skating Championships: 19 Days!

Ryan Bradley (Broadmoor SC)

• 2006-08 US Collegiate Champion
• 2007 US Silver Medalist
• 2008 US Nationals 5th 
• 2009 US Nationals 4th
• 2010 US Nationals 4th
• 2010 Four Continents Championships 5th

Ryan is one of those skaters who seems like he has been around for years just waiting to strike but unfortunately he has never been able to peak at the right time. His best national finish was 2nd in 2007, and he has finished just off the podium many times but unfortunately never qualified for the Olympics. He was so close last season too, finishing 4th and just a hair behind Johnny Weir. He has not had a lot of international success with disappointing 15th and 18th place finishes at his trips to senior worlds. He did not compete on the Grand Prix circuit this season so I'm assuming that his return to Nationals this season is an attempt to qualify for the World team and redeem himself from those low finishes at past Worlds. I've always enjoyed Ryan's skating, but I am afraid that it may be time for him to move on as the next generation is moving up the ranks and Ryan will have his work cut out for him if he wants to make the World team. I do wish him well though in Greensboro and maybe he will prove me wrong. 

2010 ISU Grand Prix Final: Pairs Free Skate

1) Kirsten Moore-Towers & Dylan Moscovitch (Canada)

   Music: Les Miserables by Boublil & Schonberg

• I fell in love with this team and this program when I first saw them at Skate Canada, expect a huge score
• I love how she does a shoot the duck before the split twist as the contrast makes the twist look higher
• Triple toe-double axel sequence is solid
• She holds the landing on the throw triple loop
• They have phenomenal lifts and this lasso is no exception
• She goes down on a hand and a knee on the triple salchow, but i don't think it was a fall 
• The lasso lift where he goes onto one foot is great
• She holds the second throw landing as well, the triple salchow
• Spins are good
• And here is the hilight, the hand to hip lift starting with Dylan in a lunge
• FS Score: 59.21 (TES) + 52.63 (PCS) -1.00 (DED)= 110.84
• 58.73 (SP) + 110.84 (FS) = 159.67

2) Lubov Iliushechkina & Nodari Maisuradze (Russia)

   Music: Conquest of Paradise by Vangelis

• Their speed is great right from the start
• I like that they start with a triple salchow as opposed to the usual split triple twist
• The triple toe-double toe sequence is very strong, both are great singles skaters
• Lubov two-foots the landing on the throw triple flip
• She has a gorgeous arch in her back in the lasso lift
• She shows off that arch again in the pair spin
• Wonderful height and solid landing on the throw triple loop and they get a bonus for placing it past the halfway point
• I really like their choreography and they have some pretty intricate holds
•  Fantastic unison on the spins, they have really done a lot of work since their less than stellar showing at Cup of China
• He struggles a bit to get her up on the hand to hip lift but once she is up, her positions are gorgeous
• She has a very nice death spiral, but finishes after the music
• Lubov does her signature fist pump after a strong program
• Ekaterina Bobrova is supporting them from the stands, looks very happy for them
• This program has grown on me so much since I first saw it at Skate Canada
• FS Score: 60.99 (TES) + 56.39 (PCS) = 117.38
• 60.06 (SP) + 117.38 (FS) = 177.44

3) Wenjing Sui & Cong Han (China)
   Music: City Lights by Charlie Chaplin

• Nice opening sequence with clean jumps and a good split twist
• She landed really funny falling on the quad salchow throw, almost in a split position, I hope she didn't hurt her knees, not sure if she fully rotated or not
• That spiral sequence shows off the amazing flexibility in her back
•  Her throw triple flip was huge and she landed it perfectly
• I love that position in that combination spin where she is in the needle
• I want her to point her feet harder in the lift positions
• Overall a very good showing for them minus the fall on the throw quad salchow
• They are so young, could easily be juniors, and they have a very bright future ahead of them
• FS Score: 63.28 (TES) + 55.27 (PCS) -1.00 = 117.55
• 61.49 (SP) + 117.55 (FS) = 179.04

4) Vera Bazarova & Yuri Larionov (Russia)
   Music: The Man in the Iron Mask by Nick Glennie-Smith

• I love the drama and commitment to character in the opening sequence
• Their speed is wonderful right off the bat
• Vera stumbles out of the triple toe but doesn't fall which is surprising for how tilted she was in the air
• Nice clean catch on the split triple twist
• She eeks out a landing on the throw triple flip
• Vera falls on the first jump of the double axel-double axel combination and doesn't attempt the second; Yuri falls on the second
• They have nice interesting exits from their lifts
• They are much stronger artistically than any team thus far, but those incidents on the combination jump will hurt their technical mark
• Second throw is a good strong landing
• Their unison is a bit off on their spins
• I would like more stretch and pointed toes in the lifts
• FS Score: 57.40 (TES) + 57.54 (PCS)v-2.00(DED) = 112.94
• 63.86 (SP) + 112.94 (FS) = 176.80

 5) Qing Pang & Jian Tong (China)
   Music: Liebestraum (Dream of Love) by Liszt

• Great double axel-double axel sequence and the crowd is loving it
• This press lift isn't the most attractive position, but its strong nonetheless
• Good unison on the spins
• They've struggled with jumps and spin unison  this season, but it seems like they've done a lot of work since winning Cup of China
• Amazing artistry, no pair has them beat in terms of grace, elegance, and expression
• I love these new costumes! So gorgeous
• Strong throw triple salchow
• Throw triple loop gets huge height, but she puts her hand down
• With their height and long limbs, the lasso lifts look particularly great
• The crowd seems to love them and they certainly were gorgeous
• FS Score: 55.20 (TES) + 66.10 (PCS) = 121.30
• 68.63 (SP) + 121.30 (FS) = 189.93

 6) Aliona Savchenko & Robin Szolkowy (Germany)
   Music: The Pink Panther by Mancini

• They open with a huge throw triple flip 
• Then into a triple toe-triple toe sequence with slight unison problems
• I hate that extended free leg death spiral position
• Issues on the spins, Aliona does one  extra leg catch revolution and the unison gets off
• Her flexibility is crazy on that spiral, similar to a Sasha Cohen
• Triple twist lacked height
• Landed double axels but Aliona looked shaky
• I love that bend leg position in the hand to hip lift
• I always think this program is over before the footwork starts
• The leg catch position on th overhead lift is amazing
• Throw triple salchow doesn't travel far but it is a clean landing 
• FS Score: 67.48 (TES) + 68.84 (PCS) = 136.32
• 74.40 (SP) + 136.32 (FS) = 210.72

Final Results:
1) Savchenko/Szolkowy                     210.72
2) Pang/Tong                                     189.31
3) Sui/Han                                          179.04
4) Iliushechkina/Maisuradze              177.44
5) Bazarova/Larionov                        176.80
6) Moore-Towers/Moscovitch              159.67

2010 ISU Grand Prix Final: Free Dance

1) Ekaterina Bobrova & Dmitri Soloviev (Russia)

   Music: Melody of the White Nights by Schwartz 

• This team is super young, but they made a huge jump this season with silver at Cup of China and gold at Cup of Russia
• Keep in mind that they beat Faiella and Scali with these programs
• This program is so gorgeous and romantic and they are very expressive
• The is a well-composed twizzle sequence but Dmitri stumbles which will cost them if they want to move up
• I would like them to pick up more speed here
• I love that front walkover entrance that she does to the lift
• I love that low spin position where they are almost hugging
• This program is just so Russian and I just love it
• I really believe they will be the next great Russian Ice Dance team since Navka & Kostomarov
• I love the ending where she pulls away but then comes back
• I couldn't tell if they finished after the music or if they were just having "a moment" there
• Aside from Dmitri's twizzle error, that was simply beautiful
• FD Score: 40.84 (TES) + 41.58 (PCS) = 82.42
• 54.33 (SD) + 82.42 (FD) = 136.75

 2) Vanessa Crone & Paul Poirier (Canada)

   Music: Eleanor Rigby by Lennon & McCartney

• I have been vocal about not liking this team, but I do love this choreography
• That opening sequence should be constantly moving, like contact improvisation, but they do it like poses so it looks too choppy
• They are big fans of the upside down lift
• They are interesting to watch because they are so similar in height
• I would like Vanessa to bend her knees a little more
• Their twizzles seemed a little slow and they got dangerously close together at the end
• They seem to be picking up speed and gaining momentum toward the end of the program
• That should put them in first for the time being
• FD Score: 42.78 (TES) + 42.14 (PCS) = 84.92
• 54.82 (SD) + 84.92 (FD) = 139.74

3) Kaitlyn Weaver & Andrew Poje (Canada)

   Music: Moulin Rouge Soundtrack

• Here comes my new favorite team of the season! 
• I would die to see them win the bronze medal here
• They need to pick up speed
• They both have such long limbs that their lines are gorgeous 
• Kaitlin just uses her arms in such a beautiful way 
• The two of them are incredibly expressive and seem so well matched
• I love the way they change their performance quality when the music switches into the Tango de Roxanne
• That rotational lift at the end with Kaitlyn in the head tap position is really lovely
• They have such amazing intensity here at the end
• I loved that program and I would be so happy if they could take the lead right now.
• FD Score: 39.84 (TES) + 40.99 (PCS) = 80.83
• 55.51 (SD) + 80.83 (FD) = 136.34

4) Nora Hoffmann & Maxim Zavozin (Hungary)
   Music: Gypsy Witch Soundtrack by Experidance

• These are new costumes for them and while I think hers is better, his is worse
• All of this loose fabric has Faiella-Scali costume malfunction written all over it
• I like the drama at the beginning of this program, but those cackling witches freak me out
• They remind me of like late 1990s, early 2000s European Ice Dance with the weird music and the fabric 
• I wish she would hit more distinct positions in her changing-position rotational lift because it just looked a bit muddy
• Max used to skate for USA and was successful on the Junior level, but its great to see him have success as a Senior, even if he is competing for another country
• This would be good music for Miki Ando, or Nobunari Oda
• Did I miss something? They don't look very happy! Was there a fall or a missed element or something? 
• FD Score: 37.13 (TES) + 38.96 (PCS) = 76.09
• 55.98 (SD) + 76.09 (FD) = 132.07

5) Nathalie Pechalat & Fabian Bourzat (France)
   Music: Charlie Chaplin Medley

• I just love how they take the ice in character and never  break that character throughout the piece
• This choreography is fabuloso in that it is elegant, yet has an air of whimsy about it
• I feel like I am watching a silent French film, they just create such beautiful images
• They use every ounce of this music and their performance is so nuanced
• The ending image is so lovely
• I don't comment a lot because I wanted to watch their beautiful performance, but everything was top notch from the twizzles and spins to footwork and jumps
• FD Score: 46.50 (TES) + 49.94 (PCS) = 96.44
• 65.66 (SD) + 96.44 (FD) = 162.10

 6) Meryl Davis & Charlie White (USA)
   Music: Il Postino by Luis Bacalov & Payadora/Recuerdo by Lisandro Adrover

• And here come the headliners
• Those holds at the beginning are so fantastic, so sensual
• I think Charlie has evolved so much this season from an athlete into an artist 
• Wow those twizzles are simply divine
• Its good to seem them make it cleanly through drop where they had the falls at Skate America
• I like that double camel position in their combination spin
• She has such strength to hold her body parallel to the ice when he is spinning her by her legs with one arm
• This is a phenomenal program, the best I've seen them do it this season
• FD Score: 50.15 (TES) + 52.79 (PCS) = 102.94
• 68.64 (SD) + 102.94 (FD) = 171.58

Final Results:


1) Davis/White                             171.58
2) Pechalat/Bourzat                     162.10
3) Crone/Poirier                           139.74
4) Bobrova/Soloviev                    136.76
5) Weaver/Poje                            136.34
6) Hoffmann/Zavozin                    132.07

2010 ISU Grand Prix Final: Ladies Free Skate

1) Rachael Flatt (USA)
   Music: Slaughter on Tenth Avenue by Rodgers & Wild

• I am really pulling for her to skate a nice free and move up after a flawed short
• She has nothing at all to lose here, so she just needs to go all out
• Nice double axel-triple toe combination to start out
• I feel like she is going to bring it
• That was a tough fall for Rachael on the 3L, cannot remember the last time I saw her fall
• Nice clean triple flip
• That right leg was swinging really wide on the 3L entrance
• The planned triple flip looked doubled, she also eliminated the combination
• I believe that triple loop was singled
• She tacked her combination onto that triple salchow
• Nothing has really looked "right" with her at this competition; Rachael Flatt just doesn't make technical errors 
• Who is making her smile for photos in the Kiss & Cry when I'm sure she'd rather crawl under the bench
• FS Score: 36.47 (TES) + 46.91 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 82.38
• 45.19 (SP) + 82.38 (FS) = 127.57

2) Miki Ando (Japan)

   Music: Piano Concerto in A minor by Grieg

• Miki literally looks scared to death, thats not good
• Triple lutz-double loop clean, but really high wrap on the leg
• The Ando jumping machine is back in action with a good triple loop
• Not a fan of her positions at all, but this camel is actually fairly nice
• She should not to the front leg catch position because, in my opinion, Sasha Cohen is the standard so don't do it if you can't live up
• Double axel-double toe is just text book
• Triple lutz is landed a little low but clean, same with triple salchow and triple toe
• Double axel-double loop-double loop looked like an endless series of jumps to me
• Notice how I'm only commenting on jumps? That is because there is nothing else of interest in this program for me
• She is seriously traveling on that final combination spin
• Well Ando did what she does well, a clean long packed with technical content
• Girl just threw it down and that will be the standard for the next four ladies
• FS Score: 64.64 (TES) + 58.06 (PCS) = 122.70
• 50.45 (SP) + 122.70 (FS) = 173.15

3) Akiko Suzuki (Japan)

   Music: Fiddler on the Roof by Bock & Harnick

• Akiko has been my favorite skater of the ladies this season and I'd love to see her win here
• Opening triple lutz may have been two-footed
• Double axel, triple toe was clean
• Nice triple loop
• I love every moment of her program and her connecting steps are just as interesting as her jumps
• I was so lost in watching her perform that I forget to comment on the past few jumps, she may have doubled a planned triple back there
• There is something about her arms on her camel that I just am obsessed with, so powerful and strong
• This footwork sequence is phenomenal and is such an amazing end to the program
• This choreography really does Fiddler justice which I really appreciate
• I think Bock  & Harnick would be proud of her musical interpretation 
• FS Score: 58.18 (TES) + 57.28 (PCS) = 115.46
• 58.26 (SP) + 115.46 (FS) = 173.72

 4) Kanako Murakami (Japan)
   Music: The Mask of Zorro by James Horner

• The costume makes me want to vomit, but the opening triple-triple is great
• Triple lutz is solid, little jumping bean looks like she is on
• She is so youthful in her short, but very mature here
• Completely popped the triple flip, probably a lack of concentration
• Her layback can use work, but the hair cutter into the Bielmann are strong
• Triple flip-double toe, cool as a cucumber
• She reminds me a lot of Mirai Nagasu, like in a big way
• Triple loop and double axel are both nice and clean
• Three jump combination and she just keeps going and going and going
• Nice fast spins to end and she is thrilled with that performance as she should be 
• FS Score: 59.98 (TES) + 57.14 (PCS) = 117.12
• 61.47 (SP) + 117.12 (FS) = 178.59

 5) Carolina Kostner (Italy)
   Music: L'Apres-Midi d'un Faun by Debussy

• Not a Carolina fan, but I'm going to try to be objective
• Those opening poses fit the piece well, very Nijinski
• Triple toe and double axels are solid
• Those long legs look great in spins when she rally stretches out and points her foot
• I want so badly for the nude mesh on her costume to be closer to her skin tone
• she seems to have no speed in certain sections
• She pops a triple loop, but then the triple loop-double toe is clean
• She looks like she has no energy out there and is really fizzling out in the end
• I've said it before and I'll say it now, that music is so subtle and nuanced that you need a true performer to make it interesting, and that is not Carolina
• FS Score: 55.56 (TES) + 60.91 (PCS) = 116.47
• 62.13 (SP) + 116.47 (FS) = 178.60

 6) Alissa Czisny (USA)
   Music: Selections from Winter & Spring by George Winston

• Nice triple lutz-double toe
• And a nice triple flip-double toe
• Just stay calm girl, land your jumps, and you will win this thing
• Such a gorgeous "complete packages" that she gives us
• Triple toe done, 4 jumps yet to go
• Can you imagine Alissa and Stephane Lambiel doing side-by-side spins?
• Triple loop clean into a gorgeous spiral
• Good triple flip and a step out of an otherwise clean double axel
• Great triple toe and we are done with jumps!
• Combination spin is exquisite leading into some wonderfully intricate footwork
• So Alissa Czisny just won the grand prix final with two clean programs! 
• FS Score: 55.68 (TES) + 61.31 (PCS) = 116.99
• 63.76 (SP) + 116.99 (FS) = 180.75

 Final Results:
1) Alissa Csisny                 180.75
2) Carolina Kostner           178.60
3) Kanako Murakami         178.59
4) Akiko Suzuki                 173.72
5) Miki Ando                      173.15
6) Rachael Flatt                 127.57

2010 ISU Grand Prix Final: Mens Free Skate

1) Florent Amodio (France)
   Music: Broken/Apologize/Imma Be/Don't Stop Til You Get Enough

• That opening triple axel was huge and just so strong
• He looks solid and calm today, I think Florent came to compete....or maybe not
• In a competition of this level he just cannot pop jumps like that
• He looks great doing this choreography, but the question all season has been if he stands at center ice and dances too much rather than skating
• Why isn't he able to land most of his jumps cleanly today? Nerves?
• This program certainly hasn't been terrible, but I was really hoping to see a clean skate here because this program is just such a joy to watch when he is "on"
• His spins and footwork are still phenomenal
• With all this time the judges are taking, I'm assuming they are looking at possible under-rotations and edge calls
• FS Score: 70.40 (TES) + 69.86 (PCS) = 140.26
• 61.64 (SP) + 140.26 (FS) = 201.90

2) Tomas Verner (Czech Republic)
   Music: Michael Jackson Medley

• Here comes another Michael Jackson program
• He gets some pretty great height on his triple axel
• I think this program is choreographed and composed better than Florent's because it is more understated and travels more across the ice
• This audience cannot clap in time with the music and it is driving me nuts
• The "Smile" section in the middle is gorgeous, just so lyrical, and he doesn't overdo it
• His jumps are not perfect and a few of them won't get great GOEs, but they are all landed nonetheless
• He won't win with this program, but it is great to see him here giving a nice performance 
• FS Score: 74.35 (TES) + 73.92 (PCS) = 148.27
• 65.37 (SP) + 148.27 (FS) = 213.64

3) Takahiko Kozuka (Japan)
   Music: Piano Concert No. 1 by Liszt

• Alright here comes the youngster from Japan who had the highest scores of the season
• There was no flow out of that opening quad, but he landed it
• Triple Axel was a little better, but landed low to the ice
• He is showing nerves here that we didn't see earlier this season
• I can tell that he is really concentrating on his interpretation of his music and he is getting much better at it
• He looks a little unsure of himself on his jump landings so I would love to see him just have more confidence in himself
• He seems to be squeaking by on a lot of his landings, which is nothing like what we saw him do at his Grand Prix Events where his technical elements were textbook
• I like his serpentine step sequence and he seems to be really leaving his heart out there on the ice
• He should be very proud that he did so well this season by winning to events and putting up two respectable programs here
• FS Score: 82.25 (TES) + 77.64 (PCS) = 159.89
• 77.90 (SP) + 159.89 (FS) = 237.79

4) Daisuke Takahashi (Japan)

   Music: Invierno Portento by Piazzolla

• Dais is all about the costume changes this season and I really like this one
• He looks in the zone, but we'll see right now
• That looked like a two-footed triple to me instead of a quad
• Beautiful triple axel to follow
• This circular step sequence is just mesmerizing and I love that moment where he holds for just a second in front of the judges
• He is unmatched by any other man in terms of artistic expression and musical interpretation
• Wow Dais took a very hard fall there and landed almost on his stomach
• I love his version of a layback spin
• Dais is really struggling to put to together good technical content this season 
• Wow he just took another fall-he had the landing, but simply slipped off the edge
• I'm not sure what is happening this year, but he does not look like our current World Champion
• That headless scratch spin to end the program is gorgeous
• He looks shaken, and I really hope he is not hurt because those falls were hard
• I just caught the video were Taka basically landed on Dai doing a jump in practice, what a fall
• FS Score: 58.20 (TES) + 81.00 (PCS) -2.00 (DED) = 137.20
• 82.57 (SP) + 137.20 (FS) = 219.77

5) Patrick Chan (Canada)

   Music: Phantasia by Andrew Lloyd Webber

• Yes Patrick, starting off with a clean quad
• Follow that with a clean triple axel
• This choreography is simply amazing and he certainly performs it exquisitely
• As a dancer, this kind of program is my bread and butter because it utilizes every single nuance of the music
• A step out and hand down on the second triple axel, but not a fall, not a fall
• Okay Patrick, you are giving away valuable points here by stumbling on your landings
• I am getting really emotional during those swells in the music because he is doing so well
• That kick as the music transitions into the Masquerade theme is my favorite moment
• Congratulations Patrick! Two programs with zero falls!! 
• FS Score: 86.94 (TES) + 87.22 (PCS) = 174.16
• 85.59 (SP) + 174.16 (FS) = 259.75

6) Nobunari Oda (Japan)

   Music: Piano Concerto No.1/Piano Concerto No.2 by Grieg

• Fall on opening quad attempt, not sure if it was rotated or not
• With that one point deduction, he erases his short program lead over Chan and now must beat him in the Free Skate
• Perhaps Chan's amazing program has Nobu a little shaken?
• I really don't think this program suits him at all, doesn't show his strenghts
• I wish Nobu would do a long program that was more like his short program, which shows what he does well 
• His jumps are textbook, but his spins are nothing special and his footwork is uninteresting
• He did something similar to Dai, landed a double axel, but slid off his edge and took a fall
• A bit if a meltdown for the top Japanese men here
• FS Score: 79.64 (TES) + 78.64 (PCS) -2.00 (DED) = 156.22
• 86.59 (SP) + 156.22 (FS) = 242.81

Final Results:


1) Patrick Chan                            259.75
2) Nobunari Oda                          242.81
3) Takahiko Kozuka                     237.79
4) Daisuke Takahashi                  219.77
5) Tomas Verner                          213.64
6) Florent Amodio                        201.90

2010 ISU Grand Prix Final: Ladies Short Program

1) Rachael Flatt (USA)
   Music: Summertime by Gershwin & Happy Feet Blues by Wynton Marsalis

• Rachael looks cool as a cucumber as usual
• Her face on those opening notes just completely sets the mood
• The double jump out of her opening combo looked very wonky, that may be the leg injury
• Come on Rachael, get it together
• Triple flip looked doubled, and an awkward fall out
• She is not going to be happy with this program
• Double axel is clean, but doesn't get much height
• I'm not used to seeing Rachael make these mistakes, but I really think it may be the leg injury
• She still seems committed to the choreography and performance
• For some reason she seemed very unsettled today, something just seemed "off"
• Well we know she can come from behind to medal, as per Skate America, and that may indeed still happen here
• SP Score: 19.88 (TES) + 25.31 (PCS) = 45.19 

 2) Akiko Suzuki (Japan)
   Music: Tango Jalousie by Jacob Gade

• I am loving Akiko this season, work it out girl! 
• A strong opening triple flip-double toe to set the tone
• Triple lutz is rock solid
• She attacks these musical nuances with such fire, even down to the arms in her camel spin
• Double axel looks as easy as pie
• I love Rachael to death, but this program is going to put her to shame
• She is so committed to this performance
• SP Score: 30.06 (TES) + 28.20 (PCS) = 58.26

 3) Kanako Murakami (Japan)
   Music: Jumpin Jack

• Alright here comes the little firecracker!
• Triple toe-triple toe is stellar and she makes it look like nothing
• This program suits her so well
• Triple flip is just so easy
• I would like to see some improvement on her layback position and a cleaner exit
• She makes those jumps look like nothing
• She totally has this crowd in the palm of her hand
• She couldn't have asked for a better short program here at her first senior Grand Prix Final!
• I just have to smile watching her
• Her idol Mao Asada would be proud, or maybe a little threatened?
• SP Score: 33.04 (TES) + 28.43 (PCS) = 61.47

4) Carolina Kostner (Italy)
   Music: Galicia Flamenco

• This program does nothing for me and I have no clue why it has been getting big scores all season
• She has such long limbs, but in my opinion she doesn't know what to do with them, she never finishes any positions
• The choreography is also bland and uninteresting
• She is executing well as she has all season, but I will never understand those high PCS marks she gets 
• SP Score: 31.53 (TES) + 30.60 (PCS) = 62.13

5) Alissa Czisny (USA)
   Music: Romance from Violin Concerto in D, op. 35 by Korngold

• Alissa looks calm out there
• I love that when expresses emotion, it is real, and she isn't just pulling her face
• Triple lutz-double toe is great
• Triple flip & double axel are clean as well
• That spiral is so gorgeous
• You landed all of your jumps! Good girl Alissa!
• I don't think I was breathing during any of her jumps, but now I can just watch Alissa be her gorgeous self in her spins and footwork
• A clean short for Alissa is so huge!
• If it were up to me, nobody would be allowed to do the heel stretch spin other than Alissa, because nobody else does it justice
• Wow she has to be so happy with herself and her coaches must be breathing a sign of relief
• SP Score: 33.62 (TES) + 30.14 (PCS) = 63.76

6) Miki Ando (Japan)
   Music: Gabriel's Oboe/The Falls from The Mission soundtrack by Morricone

•  Wide free leg swinging out of that opening 3lutz-3loop combination, probably a downgrade
• Oh holy wow Miki Ando just fell on a triple flip
• Double axel is solid
• There is absolutely no life to this program and she has no idea how to interpret this gorgeous music
• I feel bad for her, I wonder who made the decision to go with a new short program for the Final?
• Wow that is tough for Miki, but as we've seen earlier this season, she can come from 4th or 5th in the short to win overall
• SP Score: 22.67 (TES) + 28.78 (PCS) -1.00 (DED)= 50.45

Current Leaderboard:
1) Alissa Czisny                     63.76
2) Carolina Kostner               62.13
3) Kanako Murakami             61.47
4) Akiko Suzuki                     58.26
5) Miki Ando                          50.45
6) Rachael Flatt                     45.19

2010 ISU Grand Prix Final: Mens Short Program

1) Florent Amodio (France)
   Music: Once Upon A Time In Mexico by Robert Rodriguez

• So powerful
• Looks very calm out there
• Oooo you can't pop your triple axel like that, not when you are competing with the big boys
• SP Score: 28.38  (TES) + 33.26 (PCS) = 61.64 

 2) Nobunari Oda (Japan)
   Music: Storm by Yoshida Brothers

• Gigantic jumps out of Nobu today
• I think this short program really suits him well and I wish is long were more like it
• That quad, triple will get a huge number, as well as the triple axel
• His speed is just insane here today and so exciting to watch
• Wow, Nobu just woke me up!
• He looks thrilled with that short and I'm so happy for him, it will certainly get a monster score
• SP Score: 48.06 (TES) + 38.53 (PCS) = 86.59

 3) Tomas Verner (Czech Republic)
   Music: Singing in the Rain

• If I were Verner, I would not want to skate after that program Oda just put up
• Nice opening jump, but you cannot pop your axel like that, the competition is too good
• I love the choreography and Tomas' performance quality, but nowhere near Oda technically
• I think I saw a little stumble in the step sequence, he just doesn't look like he is concentrating enough
• He seems a little slow out there on the ice, but his spins are lovely 
• It looked like he had himself psyched out from the very beginning, must have been tough to go after the huge score by Nobu
• His coach just said "tomorrow is another day," which is one of my favorite quotes from Gone With The Wind, my favorite movie
• SP Score: 28.76 (TES) + 36.61 (PCS) = 65.37

4) Patrick Chan (Canada)
   Music: Take Five by Paul Desmond

• Patrick can put up a huge score in this short program to challenge Nobu's if he can just keep his head on straight
• He has so much charisma and that really comes out here, even in the opening moments of choreography
• Landed that opening quad, not perfect, but landed
• Its always a toss up to see if good Patrick or bad Patrick will show up
• Awesome triple axel
• If he can get through his combination, he should be right up there with Nobu
• He just really shines in this footwork sequence, he is such a showman!
• Good job Patrick, that is what I like to see out of you
• SP Score: 43.77 (TES) + 41.82 (PCS) = 85.59

5) Daisuke Takahashi (Japan)
   Music: Historia de un Amor/Que Rico Mambo/Mambo no. 5 by Perez Prado & Batucada by DJ Dero

• Dice brought out his 3rd new short program costume of the year 
• Huge jumps out of Dice today, he has his game face on and is here to compete!
• Such a performer, I just love it
• Everything he is doing out there is spectacular today and he is just flying across teh ice
• Some technical content is missing without the quad and he won't pass Chan or Oda who landed the quads, but a phenomenal performance nonetheless
• SP Score: 40.57 (TES) + 42.00 (PCS) = 82.57

6) Takahiko Kozuka (Japan)
   Music: Soul Medly by Orin Isaacs

• Taka has the highest scores of the season, but he has yet to compete against Takahashi, Chan, or Oda so we'll see how he does in comparison
• This program seems to take too long to get started and I'm not a huge fan of the opening choreography
• Huge quad into a triple, but turned out a bit, not sure if it was fully rotated or not
• Great height on the triple axel, it was landed a little to low to the ice, but still landed
• All his jump landings look slightly shaky, but that may be nerves
• Ooo too close to the boards there
• I don't love this program, for such jazzy music it doesn't really go anywhere for me
• A decent program for him, but nothing like Oda or Chan
• SP Score: 39.43 (TES) + 38.47 (PCS) = 77.90

Current Leaderboard:


Nobunari Oda                         86.59
Patrick Chan                           85.59
Daisuke Takahashi                 82.57
Takahiko Kozuka                    77.90
Tomas Verner                         65.37
Florent Amodio                       61.64

2010 ISU Grand Prix Final: Short Dance

1) Nora Hoffmann & Maxim Zavozin (Hungary)
   Music: Sleeping Beauty by Tchaikovski & Skaters' Waltz by Strauss

• They really have a lot of speed in this opening sequence
• I would love to see a little more precision in the positions in the Golden Waltz sequence
• This program shows great improvement over their short dances earlier this season, particularly in terms of speed
• SD Score: 30.21 (TES) + 25.77 (PCS) = 55.98 

 2) Kaitlyn Weaver & Andrew Poje (Canada)
    Music: At Last by Etta James & Cheek to Cheek by Irving Berlin

• This is my favorite short dance of the entire season and I am so happy to be able to see it again
• I love that side lift where Kaitlyn's  body is completely parallel to the ice
• They integrate the Golden Waltz seamlessly into the free skating choreography
• What an elegant and graceful program
• The second have is so joyful and so free
• SD Score: 29.50 (TES) + 26.01 (PCS) = 55.51
• This is about 3 points lower than their season's best short program, so it looks like that twizzle issue really hurt them

 3) Ekaterina Bobrova & Dmitri Soloviev (Russia)
   Music: Delilah by Tom Jones

• This music is really repetitive and kind of makes me crazy, but I like the program so much
• Amazing speed going into the start of the program
• They too have twizzle issues with Dmitiri stumbling out of his
• They are nice and close on their midline step sequence
• They look very "Russian" in the Golden Waltz sequence if that makes sense
• That death drop always scares me, it is amazing but I'm always afraid he'll actually drop her
• Lovely rotational lift
• They do a great job of maintaining speed until the end of the program
• How on earth did a Russian Ice Dance team choose to skate to Tom Jones?
• SD Score: 27.00 (TES) + 27.33 (PCS) = 54.33

4) Vanessa Crone & Paul Poirier (Canada)
   Music: Fallin' by Alicia Keys

• Thank the good lord that Vanessa got a new dress, I've been criticizing that white spandex number all season
• On the subject of costumes, I think I would put Paul in something a little more free updated than a tuxedo, he looks a bit too stuffy
• They go almost immediately into their Golden Waltz
• Vanessa's positions always look a little muddy to me and I desperately want her to make them more precise
• I have criticized Vanessa all season for the tension in her upper body and while it is still there, it is improved
• This team is really lacking in performance quality in my opinion
• I want to see more tension between the two of them since they are skating to Fallin'
• I don't think that will be a season's best score, but it should put them safely into first place for now
• Their coach looks a little like Cynthia Nixon
• SD Score: 26.86 (TES) + 27.82 (PCSI ) = 54.82
• Oh wow that score seemed low, they must have gotten low levels on some of their elements

5) Nathalie Pechalat & Fabian Bourzat (France)
   Music: Main Theme from Dr. Zhivago by Maurice Jarre

• They are just too beautiful for words in my opinion
• Amazing flow across the ice, elegance, brilliance
• Wow Fabian came so close to the boards before the shoot the duck
• That was such a gorgeous program and they never lost the flow even for a second
• What a great jump they have made from last season to this
• This short dance just really suits them well
• This is one of the most well choreographed short dances of the entire season
• SD Score: 33.29 (TES) + 32.37 (PCS) = 65.66
• That was their highest short dance score of the Grand Prix Season so far

6) Meryl Davis & Charlie White (USA)
   Music: La Boheme by Puccini & La Traviata by Verdi

• I love how they start this program "asleep"
• No twizzle issues for this team!
• This is a wonderful elegant program, showing great strides for this team in terms of maturity
• Nice flow through their Golden Waltz, deep edges, and precise positions
• Meryl is almost parallel to the ice on the shoot the duck
• The entrance into that rotational lift is wonderful and the positions and speed they achieve are fantastic
• What a wonderful short dance, I am so happy for them
• SD Score: 34.42 (TES) + 34.22 (PCS) = 68.64

Current Leaderboard:


1) Davis/White                                68.64
2) Pechalat/Bourzat                       65.66
3) Hoffman/Zavozin                        55.98
4) Weaver/Poje                              55.51
5) Crone/Poirier                             54.82
6) Bobrova/Soloviev                       54.33

2010 ISU Grand Prix Final: Podium Picks & Fantasy Picks

Well the regular Grand Prix season has ended and the top six finishers in each discipline have qualified for the Grand Prix Final in Beijing December 9-12. Most of the competitors are en route to Beijing and we are only four days away from the start of the competition!

The icenetwork.com live streaming schedule for the 2010 Grand Prix Final from Beijing is as follows:

Friday December 10th
4:15 a.m.: Senior short dance
5:25 a.m.: Senior men's short program
6:30 a.m.: Senior ladies short program
7:35 a.m.: Senior pairs short program

Saturday December 11th
3:55 a.m.: Senior men's free skate
5:10 a.m.: Senior ladies free skate
6:20 a.m.: Senior free dance
7:40 a.m.: Senior pairs free skate

Qualifying Order:                                                          My Podium Predictions:
**Green denotes fantasy picks
Men:
1) Takahiko Kozuka (481.58)                                         1) Patrick Chan
2) Daisuke Takahashi (461.86)                                       2) Daisuke Takahashi
3) Patrick Chan (466.73)                                                 3) Tokahiko Kozuka
4) Tomas Verner (445.12)                                               4) Nobunari Oda
5) Nobunari Oda (462.61)                                               5) Florent Amodio
6) Florent Amodio (443.15)                                             6) Tomas Verner   
 
Ladies:
1) Miki Ando (346.68)                                                    1) Miki Ando
2) Alissa Czisny (332.17)                                                2) Akiko Suzuki
3) Carolina Kostner (319.48)                                          3) Rachael Flatt
4) Kanako Murakami (315.09)                                        4) Kanako Murakami
5) Akiko Suzuki (335.60)                                                5) Alissa Czisny
6) Rachael Flatt (323.90)                                                6) Carolina Kostner
   
Pairs:
1) Savchenko/Szolkowy (395.58)                                  1) Savchenko/Szolkowy
2) Pang/Tong (366.87)                                                   2) Pang/Tong
3) Bazarova/Larionov (356.83)                                      3) Bazarova/Larionov
4) Moore-Towers/Moscovitch (346.40)                           4) Moore-Towers/Moscovitch
5) Iliushechkina/Maisuradze (333.49)                            5) Sui/Han
6) Sui/Han (341.54)                                                        6) Iliushechkina/Maisuradze

Ice Dance:
1) Davis/White (321.89)                                                 1) Davis/White
2) Pechalat/Bourzat (321.41)                                         2) Pechalat/Bourzat
3) Crone/Poirier (303.50)                                               3) Bobrova/Soloviev
4) Bobrova/Soloviev (299.72)                                        4) Crone/Poirier
5) Weaver/Poje (283.91)                                                5) Weaver/Poje
6) Hoffmann/Zavozin (272.91)                                        6) Hoffmann/Zavozin

2010 ISU Grand Prix Final: Ice Dance Preview

In order to make informed predictions for the Grand Prix Final next weekend, and also just for the love of watching great figure skating, I'm reviewing the tapes of the Grand Prix qualifiers. I'm not going to give complete commentary as that can be found on my other posts, but rather I'll be giving a summary of the programs and discussing how they grew and evolved from the skaters' first Grand Prix assignment to their second. You can catch the pairs in their short program at 4:15 am on December 10th and their free skate at 6:20 am on December 11th as icenetwork.com streams the Grand Prix Final live from Beijing. I will be live-blogging both events right here. 




My Final Predictions:

1) Davis/White (USA)

2) Pechalat/Bourzat (France)

3) Bobrova/Soloviev (Russia)

4) Crone/Poirier (Canada)
5) Weaver/Poje (Canada)
6) Hoffmann/Zavozin (Hungary)

Ice Dance:
1) Davis/White: 15(NHK)+15(SA)=30                            (321.89)
    NHK: 66.97(SD)+98.24(FS)=165.21

• This short dance is a wonderful showing by Davis & White as usual, but there is certainly room for improvement as they become more comfortable with the short dance genre and this program specifically. This program is very operatic in nature and it is great to see a program from them that relies more on elegance than on athleticism. I am seeing a lot more maturity from them in this program and them and a style that looks more "European" to me. I would love a little more speed through the Golden Waltz but still a very strong program. 
• I love the way that they take the ice in character in this tango free skate. As usual, they have awesome lift positions and great flow across the ice. I love the nuances in this piece of music and they really use every ounce of it. The ending is also fabulous with the three very distinct poses on the ending musical beats.

    SA: 63.62(SD)+93.06(FD)=156.68

• I like Meryl's dress better here than at NHK. It looks like the same dress but the lighter peach color suits the tone of the program better than her old red dress. The stumble by Charlie on the twizzle was so uncharacteristic and I doesn't seem to have affected them much here. The Golden Waltz looks much stronger here that it did at NHK with better speed and deeper edges. They really know how to interpret this music down to every single nuance. Their rotational lifts at the end of the program were wonderful and they really suited the musical climax, which is a credit to Marina Zoueva's choreography.
• Meryl made a costume change here to a simpler dress with less of a full skirt and a more angular look. Charlie also switched from jacket to a vest which gives him more freedom to use his upper body. This is a really specific comment, but I love the way they use their heads in their movement. They do both take a fall but it doesn't effect them much. The choreography here is different slightly from NHK as they felt the footwork was too intricate there so they changed a few sections to give themselves some breathing room.

2) Pechalat/Bourzat: 15(CC)+15(TEB)=30                    (321.41)
    CC: 64.12(SD)+95.47=159.59  

• This team really looks beautiful together out on the ice. They are so sensual and elegant. Visually they are probably the most stunningly gorgeous Ice Dance team I have ever seen. They have made huge improvements this season and with Virtue/Moir gone, they may be the only team with a real chance to challenge Davis and White. I would love to see more speed on their Golden Waltz and their rotational lifts at their next event. They are so expressive and you can see everything they are feeling on their faces.
• The performance of this Charlie Chaplin free skate is incredible. They even enter the ice in character and each second of their choreography serves the theme of the program. This is perhaps the most well composed and choreographed Ice Dance program of the season. There is not one wasted movement or gesture and they never break character, not even for a second.

    TEB: 65.48(SD)+96.34(FD)=161.82

• This Dr. Zhivago short dance is really exquisite. I think this team is more elegant than Davis and White, but I do not think they will beat them at the Final unless Davis and White have some major mistakes. They are beautifully expressive, particularly with their upper bodies. I would like to see Nathalie in a lower position on the shoot the duck and also a higher attitude position after.
• I don't know what to say about this free program that I didn't say at their last event. It is so well choreographed and composed to hilight their strengths. No moment is a waste and each movement and gesture serves the theme of the program. I think they are going to put up two very strong programs at the Grand Prix Final and give Davis & White a run for their money, but I think they will come up short and take home the silver in Beijing, which is certainly nothing to scoff at.

3) Crone/Poirier: 15(SC)+13(SA)=28                            (303.50)
    SC: 62.95(SD)+91.47(FD)=154.42

• I don't really love this short dance, for many reasons. First, I don't think that Fallin by Alicia Keys is an appropriate musical selection for a Golden Waltz. Second, I hate Vanessa's costume and I think that it is too tight for a white dress if you know what I mean. This is a team where I prefer to watch the man as Paul has beautiful positions and amazing flow, while Vanessa looks very stiff and rigid, especially in her upper body.
• This free program is choreographed by Christopher Dean so that automatically places a high level of expectation on them in terms of living up to Dean's legendary status. I am not a big fan of these primary colored costumes and I don't understand what they have to do with Eleanor Rigby. I also don't understand why Vanessa insists on wearing these skin-tight spandex numbers where we can see just about everything. I do love the choreography, but that is to be expected from a master. I am not a big fan of the way the program is executed and I think they are lacking in performance quality. Vanessa needs to loosen up her arms and shoulders and extend more through her legs and feet in the more stretched out positions.

    SA: 60.41(SD)+ 88.67(FD)=149.08

• I like that Vanessa chose to let her hair down for the Short Dance here as it keeps her from looking so uptight. She gets a nice low position on her shoot the duck. They score lower here than they did at Skate Canada, but I think I like the program better here as the flow seems much better, and Vanessa doesn't seem so rigid.
• The opening sequence of this free dance seems a little choppy. This program didn't do much for me at all at Skate Canada but it is starting to grow on me. I can appreciate it for the great choreography, but I still do not enjoy watching Vanessa. Her arms are stiff, her legs are often bent, and she forgets to point her feet. Their performance still leaves much to be desired for me and they have little if any connection to the audience. They seem so mechanical out on the ice almost as if this is a display of technique rather than a performance.

4) Bobrova/Soloviev: 13(CC)+15(CR)=28                     (299.72)
    CC: 55.85(SD)+ 89.54(FD)=145.39

• In terms of Ice Dance, this team is the surprise of the season for me as I had never really heard much about them before, but what I see, I really like. They really attack this short dance and use every part of their bodies to express the music. The music gets on my nerves a little, but I really love the program. They are nice and close on their midline step sequence and get really deep into their edges on the Golden Waltz. I think this his going to be the next great Russian Ice Dance team. Watch out for them in Sochi! They really are such a joy to watch.

• This is a very elegant, quiet free dance, but they are both very expressive still. I like this free dance a lot and I would love to see them secure a spot on the podium at the Final. This piece is wonderfully romantic and they have such an amazing connection with one another.

    CR: 60.80(SD)+93.53(FD)=154.33

• I really like this program and it has definitely improved from Cup of China. They have a great flow in their Golden Waltz and it transitions perfectly in and out of their free skating. Their death drop is a highlight of the program and their rotational lifts are also spectacular. They are both wonderfully expressive, especially Ekaterina. 
• I love both of their programs this season and I think that if they can put up two inspired skates at the Final, they can beat Crone & Poirier and stand on the program. I would like to see them clean up their twizzles and really get them perfectly in unison. They have so much emotion when they skate and I think that really makes them stand out from some other teams.

5) Weaver/Poje: 13(NHK)+9(SA)=22                            (283.91)
    NHK: 58.69(SD)+82.88(FD)=141.57

• This short dance to At Last/Cheek to Cheek is one of my favorite of this season in Ice Dance. It is the picture of elegance and I think it is a great example of what a short dance should be in terms of integrating free dancing with the Golden Waltz. I love the opening lift where Kaitlyn is nearly parallel to the ice. What I love about Ice Dance as a discipline is that it is the most pleasing to the eye and this program is quite enjoyable to watch.
• I really like this free program, but the Moulin Rouge music is pretty overdone. I do love the choreography though and they have some nice spin positions. I actually prefer this team to fellow Canadians Crone & Poirier, but they are not getting quite the scores of their countrymen this season. They also have great lift positions and a wonderful performance quality. I do, however, think the ending is very abrupt, both musically and choreographically and I think it should be reworked.

    SA: 59.48(SD)+82.86(FD)=142.34

• I love this short dance even more here than I did at NHK. I think it has even better speed and flow and their lines are just so long and gorgeous. I like that it looks like he is actually leading her in this Golden Waltz. This is so enjoyable to watch and just the picture of elegance. I actually like this better than their free dance this season I think.
• This free dance doesn't seem quite as strong here for me as it did at NHK. It seems just slightly sloppy and not quite so polished. They are a wonderful team and I think they will put up two strong programs at the Grand Prix Final, but I don't expect them to  make the podium unless some of the top teams make major mistakes. I think that they are the most overlooked of the Canadian teams, living in the shadow of Virtue/Moir and now Crone/Poirier. They  have worked very hard to improve and this team should should be able to move up a lot in the world standings this season.

6) Hoffmann/Zavozin: 9(CC)+13(CR)=22                      (272.91)
    CC: 52.69(SD)+78.13(FD)=130.82

• She has beautiful lines in this short dance but he looks a little sloppy for me. They seem to have nice speed and do a nice job of interpreting the music. Their Golden Waltz is nowhere near the level of the other Grand Prix Final Qualifiers in terms of positions and edges, but they are still a nice team.
• The opening sequence of this free skate is very exciting and dramatic. While they do provide great expression on their faces, this program seems slow to me. I really feel they are goign to be out fo theri leagues in the Final this year.

    CR: 57.24(SD)+84.85(FS)=142.09

• They seem to have better flow across the ice here than they did at Cup of China. I think they have really grown into this program over the past two weeks. I also like that Max has shed the tuxedo jacket as it got in the way and made his arms look sloppy. They seem deeper in their edges and more precise in their positions in the Golden Waltz here as well. Their performance and musicality are much stronger here as well than their first Grand Prix outing this season.
• The speed is definitely better here than at Cup of China. Both of their programs have improved greatly after their 4th place showing at Cup of China. They now have good momentum going into the Final and should make a strong showing there.