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

1) Vanessa James & Morgan Cipres (FRA)
     Music: Nostalgia

• This is a very soft program compared to their very athletic short program
• Perfect unison on SBS jumps
• Very slow split double twist
• Nevermind what I said about being a "soft program"
• Good clean throw, not a lot of distance
• All that clean skating and he goes down on a simple crossover, they are practically laughing as they continue
• I like this music a lot, even if it is repetitive
• Very strong outing from them, it won't be medal-worthy, but they show promise
• Finish after the music

FS Score: 45.75 (TES) + 43.70 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 88.45
Total Score: 44.86 (SP) + (FS) = 133.31

2) Ksenia Stolbova & Fedor Klimov (RUS)
     Music: Polovetsian Dances

• They are so similar in size that the split twists are hard for them
• Her skirt is a little long for me, it gets in the way, and I hate those black tights
• She stumbles on jump #2 of the 3-jump combination
• They have a long way to go in terms of polish and elegance, though I feel they'll always be more of an athletic team
• Those lift positions really need some work, her foot is nowhere near pointed
• Wild on the throw, she puts a hand and a foot down
• Points for creativity on the death spiral entrance, but it's not pretty
• Hard fall and a big skid on the landing of the 2nd throw
• That was a very poor outing from them, I expected much more

FS Score: 43.08 (TES) + 46.17 (PCS) - 1.00 (DED) = 88.25
Total Score: 48.81 (SP) + 88.25 (FS) = 137.06

3) Huibo Dong & Yiming Wu (CHN)
     Music: Mulan

• It's so cute that they're doing Mulan!
• Crash landing on the split triple twist
• Good jumping pass
• He nearly hits the boards
• Fall from him on the 2nd jumping pass
• They look very tentative in the lift
• Nearly a dead stop at the end of the death spiral
• Everything looks very slow and laboured
• Very slow spins
• This element layout follows that of the usual Chinese programs
• Fairly clean program, but no spark at all to be found

FS Score: 53.85 (TES) + 45.63 (PCS) - 1.00 (DED) = 98.48
Total Score: 49.27 (SP) + 98.48 (FS) = 147.75

4) Jessica Dube & Sebastien Wolfe (CAN)
     Music: Heroes by Phillip Glass

• Good overall speed
• I love the cut of her dress but his shirt is so 1997
• Clean jumping until he put his hands down on the last one
• Off unison in the spins
• Tentative approach the the 1st throw, lacked speed and ice coverage
• I miss Bryce, but these two have potential together if they stick it out
• Better timing on the 2nd throw
• Didn't get the lift up, he couldn't get his arm straight, not sure if that completely devalues the lift or not
• Finished a little ahead of the music after the pair spin
• An okay outing, just fine for a brand new pair

FS Score: 48.06 (TES) + 49.38 (PCS) = 97.44
Total Score: 53.24 (SP) + 97.44 (FS) = 150.68

5) Amanda Evora & Mark Ladwig (USA)
     Music: Daphnis et Chloe, Reverie

• I love the opening section, so fluid and gorgeous
• Great split twist
• Good jumps! Just a wild free leg swing from Amanda
• I love that little choreographed lift
• Good throw Amanda!
• Great speed and flow across the ice
• They are so beautiful I'm literally crying
• Ouch hard splat from Amanda on that double axel
• I say this every gosh darn competition, but they are so beautiful, but who that can only take you so far when you can land the 3 jumps you have to do in a program
• Their reverse entry lifts are so gorgeous, he is sooo strong
• I love the spiral sequence

FS Score: 54.04 (TES) + 58.85 (PCS) - 1.00 (DED) = 111.89
Total Score: 57.69 (SP) + 111.89 (FS) = 169.58

6) Vera Bazarova & Yuri Larionov (RUS)
     Music: Doctor Zhivago

• Clean opening jumping pass
• Big split triple twist, because she weighs 7 pounds
• How she lands throws on those teeny tiny legs is beyond mee!
• All the jumps were clean, that's a big accomplishment for them!
• He actually gets pretty good leg height on that spiral
• Very slow rotation on the lift
• Very nice arch in the back from Vera
• When they land all their elements they pull big numbers, so this is a nice bounce back from Skate America where they only placed 5th
• Their lifts lack variety, but she doesn't hit a bad position

FS Score:65.34  (TES) +  (PCS) = 125.85
Total Score: 59.06 (SP) + (FS) = 184.91

7) Meagan Duhamel & Eric Radford (CAN)
     Music: Viva la Vida, Yellow

• This is a beautiful program, something about it is so heart warming
• He is so much nicer to look at now that he cut his hair
• I love her arch before the split twist
• Unison issues on the SBS jumps, and they both land hands down on the 3rd jump
• Good clean double axels to recover
• I prefer a more traditional death spiral though I know variations improve the level
• Very good unison on the spins, quite remarkable for a team that is only a year old
• Feed stopped for a minute, not sure what I missed
• Nice 2nd throw
• Good lifts today, I believe those were a struggle at Skate Canada
• Good flexibility from her on the pair spin, but it was rally off center
• Abrupt ending, we know I hate those
• Apparently they fell on the 1st throw 

FS Score: 61.35 (TES) + 57.21 (PCS) - 3.00 (DED) = 115.56
Total Score: 61.06 (SP) + 115.56 (FS) = 176.62

8) Tatiana Volosozhar & Maxim Trankov (RUS)
     Music: Black Swan

• They are in a league of their own here
• Was that a split single twist?
• I'm so happy she scrapped the tutu
• Nice jumping pass
• Very soft knees from both of them
• Perfect unison on the 2nd jumping pass
• Hardly any loss of speed in the grip change on the death spiral
• He exits the spin one revolution before she does
• This is so athletic and so graceful at the same time
• Huge throw, what else can you say about how good that element was
• Wonderful lift position on her part, very fast rotation
• They get bonus for all these lifts in the second half
• I love where this 2nd throw is placed in the music, two-footed
• A little slow on that carry lift
• A few minor errors, but they will be your winners!

FS Score: 64.20 (TES) + 66.24 (PCS) = 130.44
Total Score: 63.69 (SP) + 130.44 (FS) = 194.13

Pl.	Name	Nation	Points	SP	FS
1	Tatiana VOLOSOZHAR / Maxim TRANKOV	RUS	194.13	1	1
2	Vera BAZAROVA / Yuri LARIONOV	RUS	184.91	3	2
3	Meagan DUHAMEL / Eric RADFORD	CAN	176.62	2	3
4	Amanda EVORA / Mark LADWIG	USA	169.58	4	4
5	Jessica DUBE / Sebastien WOLFE	CAN	150.68	5	6
6	Huibo DONG / Yiming WU	CHN	147.75	6	5
7	Ksenia STOLBOVA / Fedor KLIMOV	RUS	137.06	7	8
8	Vanessa JAMES / Morgan CIPRES	FRA	133.31	8	7

Pl.	Name	Nation	TSS =	TES +		PCS +	SS	TR	PE	CH	IN	Ded. -	StN.
1	Tatiana VOLOSOZHAR / Maxim TRANKOV	RUS	130.44	64.20		66.24	8.39	8.04	8.25	8.36	8.36	0.00	#8
2	Vera BAZAROVA / Yuri LARIONOV	RUS	125.85	65.34		60.51	7.64	7.43	7.64	7.61	7.50	0.00	#6
3	Meagan DUHAMEL / Eric RADFORD	CAN	115.56	61.35		57.21	7.32	6.96	7.11	7.25	7.11	3.00	#7
4	Amanda EVORA / Mark LADWIG	USA	111.89	54.04		58.85	7.46	7.21	7.43	7.39	7.29	1.00	#5
5	Huibo DONG / Yiming WU	CHN	98.48	53.85		45.63	6.14	5.39	5.64	5.82	5.54	1.00	#3
6	Jessica DUBE / Sebastien WOLFE	CAN	97.44	48.06		49.38	6.43	6.04	6.07	6.29	6.04	0.00	#4
7	Vanessa JAMES / Morgan CIPRES	FRA	88.45	45.75		43.70	5.71	5.21	5.43	5.57	5.39	1.00	#1
8	Ksenia STOLBOVA / Fedor KLIMOV	RUS	88.25	43.08		46.17	6.14	5.61	5.68	5.79	5.64	1.00	#2

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

1) Chafik Besseghier (FRA)
     Music: Massive Attack, Children, Safrio Duo

• Two foots that opening jump
• This is very cool music, but I don't know that the costume matches
• Really good power into that triple axel, stumble out
• Please give us some face!!
• This softer section in the middle is very nice musically
• I know this music from somewhere but I can't think of where
• It's interesting because he's landing all the jumps but none of them are pretty, none of them have a nice glide out
• He must be nervous because everything looks stiffled, even in this footwork everything looks small and constricted, he isn't going all out
• He needs to point that foot!

FS Score: 58.58 (TES) + 55.38 (PCS) - (DED) = 113.96
Total Score: 46.43 (SP) + 113.96 (FS) = 160.39

2) Romain Ponsart (FRA)
     Music: Romeo and Juliet

• He is a beauty of a skater, its a shame about that first fall
• I love his look on the ice and this romantic music suits him well
• He is quite expressive
• I love his posture and carriage
• He has a very fast clean rotation on his jumps
• He has all the goods if he could build some consistency, perhaps the 2nd coming of Joubert
• A few mistakes, but he shows nice promise and is young for a male skater

FS Score: 54.94 (TES) +56.48  (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 110.42
Total Score: 50.03 (SP) + 110.42 (FS) = 160.45

3) Alexandre Majorov (SWE)
     Music: Flamenco Bolero

• Please no! He's much too young and not artistic enough for Bolero
• That weird hip roll was just bizarre
• He needs to lift his head up to the audience
• That mesh shirted costume is more Boy George than Bolero
• This footwork is doing nothing for me, its slow and it lacks a flamenco flair
• He rotates very quickly, sometimes he goes in with too much speed and can't control it
• Nothing about his skating is much too pretty but he does attack those jumps nonetheless
• He is attacking the 2nd step sequence much harder, I appreciate the commitment to the piece, at least at the end
• Ends a bit before the music
• The whole thing was a little wild and sloppy for my taste, but the strongest free thus far

FS Score: 65.78 (TES) + 62.70 (PCS) - (DED) = 128.48
Total Score: 62.12 (SP) + 128.48 (FS) = 190.60

4) Nobunari Oda (JPN)
     Music: Umbrellas of Cherbourg

• I like this new softer approach for him, but I miss the gigantic jumps
• 3A-2t-1t combo, count those combos Nobu!
• Oh Goodness, we're losing the jumps
• Oh now, a fall on footwork and it takes him a long time to get back into the movements
• This is so unfortunate that he's not up to his best this season
• Unless there are major major issues at the top, this will likely leave him off the podium
• Goodness me, two more falls on the next two jumping passes, what is happening to him today?
• The jumps are his big strength, he must be either sick or injured for them to have left him in this way
• He has completely left performance mode as well, this is so sad to see him breakdown like this

FS Score: 46.63 (TES) + 60.62 (PCS) - 3.00 (DED) = 104.25
Total Score: 62.95 (SP) + 104.25 (FS) = 167.20

5) Kevin Rynolds (CAN)
     Music: Chrono Trigger

• Withdrew from the Free Skate

FS Score:  (TES) +  (PCS) - (DED) =
Total Score: 65.56 (SP) + (FS) =

6) Florent Amodio (FRA)
     Music: Besamo Much, Rio

• He is self-destructing circa Skate America with bailed jumps and falls
• He stops mid-program to pose more than anybody I know
• This is the weirdest program, I feel like nothing happens, exactly like his program last year
• I feel like this is not even a program, there is just no through line to it

FS Score: 60.48 (TES) + 70.44 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 129.92
Total Score: 71.42 (SP) + 129.92 (FS) = 201.34

7) Adam Rippon (JPN)
     Music: Air, Toccata and Fugue

• This is such a beautiful, elegant piece
• Two footed and landed with the chest down, but that was the Quad Lutz
• Spread eagle into triple axel, landed really low, bt landed
• Very clean flow out of the triple sal
• I love that floating arm on the twist sit spin variation
• He makes every moment mean something
• Could there be a bigger contrast from Amodio to Rippon?
• I love the placement of that 2nd triple axel right as Toccata begins
• He's landed his big elements now if he can just stay clean
• A little funny off of the triple lutz, but landed in combination
• Great Rippon lutz right on a musical shift
• I LOVE that toe point on the sit spin
• The arrangement of this music is fantastic
• Good job, fist pump!

FS Score: 70.05 (TES) + 74.88 (PCS) = 144.93
Total Score: 72.96 (SP) + 144.93 (FS) = 217.89

8) Michal Brezina (CZE)
     Music: The Untouchables

• Will we actually see a program unlike the splatfest that was Skate America?
• Huge 3A
• Huge 4t-3t, stumble out
• He is coming out so much more aggressive here than at Skate America, which is nice to see
• I don't like the techno arrangement of this piece
• Very clean jumping today from Brezina
• Stumble out of 2nd triple axel
• This program as a whole does nothing for me other than jumping, the spins are weak and he does not "perform it"

FS Score: 67.72 (TES) + 76.56 (PCS) = 144.28
Total Score: 74.32 (SP) + 144.28 (FS) = 218.60

9) Nan Song (CHN)
     Music: Hungarian Rhapsody

• That is one very shiny vest
• Get ready for some jumps
• Turn out of the 4t, ugly air position
• HUGE 4t-3t
• This is not much more than a string of big jumps with some arm movements
• Solid 3a
• He actually does a decent job of pointing the foot on the sit spin and turning out the leg
• Nearly into the boards on the 2nd 3A
• All these air positions are ugly, but he straightens them out on the landings, amazing athleticism
• I hate that ugly upside down spin

FS Score: 79.93 (TES) + 67.64 (PCS) = 147.57
Total Score: 76.53 (SP) + 147.57 (FS) = 224.10


10) Patrick Chan (CAN)
      Music: Concierto de Aranjuez

• Very clean Quad Toe, I love the immediately outstretched arms to check the landing
• 4t-3t
• Bail out of the 3A, into a 2A
• This first footwork sequence is very nice, oops, caught an edge and puts hands down, not sure if that was a fall or not
• You can't deny that he is a rare talent, even with falls and silly mistakes, he performs to he max and makes it all look beautiful
• Stumble, hands down again
• He always starts the season a little rough like this
• His spins seem to have gotten faster this season
• Another stumble out of, what looked to be a bail to a double
• This simply won't do later in the season, but for now it should be good enough

FS Score: 72.30 (TES) + 85.14 (PCS) - 1.00 (DED) = 156.44
Total Score: 84.16 (SP) + 156.44 (FS) = 240.60

Pl.	Name	Nation	Points	SP	FS
1	Patrick CHAN	CAN	240.60	1	1
2	Nan SONG	CHN	224.10	2	2
3	Michal BREZINA	CZE	218.60	3	4
4	Adam RIPPON	USA	217.89	4	3
5	Florent AMODIO	FRA	201.34	5	5
6	Alexander MAJOROV	SWE	190.60	8	6
7	Nobunari ODA	JPN	167.20	7	9
8	Romain PONSART	FRA	160.45	9	8
9	Chafik BESSEGHIER	FRA	160.39	10	7

Pl.	Name	Nation	TSS =	TES +		PCS +	SS	TR	PE	CH	IN	Ded. -	StN.
1	Patrick CHAN	CAN	156.44	72.30		85.14	8.82	8.36	8.21	8.64	8.54	1.00	#10
2	Nan SONG	CHN	147.57	79.93		67.64	7.00	6.14	6.96	6.93	6.79	0.00	#9
3	Adam RIPPON	USA	144.93	70.05		74.88	7.57	7.11	7.54	7.54	7.68	0.00	#7
4	Michal BREZINA	CZE	144.28	67.72		76.56	7.89	7.14	7.82	7.61	7.82	0.00	#8
5	Florent AMODIO	FRA	129.92	60.48		70.44	7.14	6.50	7.29	7.04	7.25	1.00	#6
6	Alexander MAJOROV	SWE	128.48	65.78		62.70	6.39	6.00	6.39	6.21	6.36	0.00	#3
7	Chafik BESSEGHIER	FRA	113.96	58.58		55.38	5.79	5.29	5.57	5.50	5.54	0.00	#1
8	Romain PONSART	FRA	110.42	54.94		56.48	5.93	5.14	5.71	5.75	5.71	1.00	#2
9	Nobunari ODA	JPN	104.25	46.63		60.62	6.86	5.71	5.46	6.57	5.71	3.00	#4
WD	Kevin REYNOLDS	CAN											#5

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

1) Madison Chock & Evan Bates (USA)
   Music: Chick Chick Boom, Doom Diggy Diggy

• This opening section has smoothed out a lot since they debuted at Finlandia
• Good twizzle set, I'm impressed their timing is so on in their debut season
• Madison's facial expressions are the best
• They are nice and close in the holds
• Their speed has improved drastically
• Their connection to one another is so much stronger than it was earlier in the season
• That straight line lift is fantastic, great position changes
• This music is very well edited, no strange cuts between pieces
• Very specific hand gestures in the step sequence
• Very nice dance from them!

SD Score: 26.15 (TES) + 15.86 (PCS) = 52.01

2) Sara Hurtado & Andria Diaz (ESP)
   Music: Mas Que Nada, Magdalenha

• My eyes, these costumes!
• She does not have large hips, but that costume is doing her no favors in that area
• The headpiece is too much
• The costumes distract from the actual skating
• That straight line counter balance lift was very cool
• I'm having trouble focusing on anything but the costumes
• She goes down to her knees right before the end, he pulls her up
• That was a decent program, but unfortunately I hardly watched the skating

SD Score: 23.28 (TES) + 23.43 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 45.71

3) Kristina Gorshkova & Vitali Butikov (RUS)
   Music: Rhumba, ChaCha

• Did she borrow this costume from Alena Leonova?
• I love that twizzle variation
• They have nice speed
• Very flamboyant gestures to match the costumes and the music
• Again, these over the top costumes pull my focus and keep me from paying my full attention to the skating

SD Score: 24.72 (TES) + 24.05 (PCS) = 48.77

4) Xintong Huang, Xun Zheng (CHN)
   Music: Mambo, Rhumba, Samba

• This costume is bad too, but I'm almost slightly used to it because I saw it in China
• She was slightly behind on the twizzles
• Nice positions in the lift
• Good speed throughout
• I love a good hydroblade move
• The choreography in the step sequence fits the music quite well
• Love the ending, but is that necessary?

SD Score: 26.43 (TES) + 24.28 (PCS) = 50.71

5) Elena Ilinykh & Nikita Katsalapov (RUS)
   Music: HipHip ChinChin, Mas Que Nada, Mujer Latina

• I wonder how Virtue & Moir feel about hearing this music when they're not out there skating to it
• They look so nice together 
• She has her stank face on
• I love this opening section
• Their twizzles look better than usual today
• I feel like I want them to be so much better than they actually are
• The pace of this music is almost too fast for them to keep up with it without looking wildly out of control
• Nice rotational lift, but sloppy exit

SD Score: 27.78 (TES) +30.39 (PCS) = 58.17

6) Anna Cappellini & Luca Lanotte (ITA)
   Music: Volveras, El Chupacapra

• Not as fast as other teams, but very clean synchronized twizzles
• Very smooth through the rhumba, very clean edge work, oops there's some snow!
• She pulls her face as well as anybody
• I love that even though she is such a diva, he still stands out too

SD Score: 33.78 (TES) + 30.84 (PCS) = 64.62

7) Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir (CAN)
   Music: HipHip Chin Chin, Temptation, Mujer Latina

• This is the real HipHip Chin Chin
• Is this opening section different?
• So much speed going into the 1st rhumba sequence
• Just a hair off from one another on the twizzles
• I wish they'd bring a little more heat
• Scott is totally the star of this team
• Amazing curve lift
• I'd like to see more face from Tessa
• outstanding footwork section
• For some reason I feel like she's not giving 100% today, not sure why I feel that way

SD Score: 34.64 (TES) + 36.54 (PCS) = 71.18

8) Nathalie Pechalat & Fabian Bourzat (FRA)
   Music: Mas Que Nada, Batacuda, Real in Rio

• Huge applause from the home crowd
• I like this short dance a lot because it's different from a lot of the others
• They look a little wobbly on this rhumba sequence
• Fabian's kick over her head was a little rough looking
• Nice shimmy at the end of the twizzles
• I totally forgot about his back walkover
• They are pleased, and to do it at home!

SD Score: 33.43 (TES) + 33.09 (PCS) = 66.52

Pl.	Name	Nation	Points	SD	FD
1	Tessa VIRTUE / Scott MOIR	CAN	71.18	1
2	Nathalie PECHALAT / Fabian BOURZAT	FRA	66.52	2
3	Anna CAPPELLINI / Luca LANOTTE	ITA	64.62	3
4	Elena ILINYKH / Nikita KATSALAPOV	RUS	58.17	4
5	Madison CHOCK / Evan BATES	USA	52.01	5
6	Xintong HUANG / Xun ZHENG	CHN	50.71	6
7	Kristina GORSHKOVA / Vitali BUTIKOV	RUS	48.77	7
8	Sara HURTADO / Adria DIAZ	ESP	45.71	8

Pl.	Name	Nation	TSS =	TES +		PCS +	SS	TR	PE	CC	IT	Ded. -	StN.
1	Tessa VIRTUE / Scott MOIR	CAN	71.18	34.64		36.54	9.00	8.93	9.18	9.21	9.29	0.00	#7
2	Nathalie PECHALAT / Fabian BOURZAT	FRA	66.52	33.43		33.09	8.36	7.89	8.39	8.36	8.32	0.00	#8
3	Anna CAPPELLINI / Luca LANOTTE	ITA	64.62	33.78		30.84	7.54	7.36	7.86	7.79	7.93	0.00	#6
4	Elena ILINYKH / Nikita KATSALAPOV	RUS	58.17	27.78		30.39	7.64	7.32	7.64	7.75	7.61	0.00	#5
5	Madison CHOCK / Evan BATES	USA	52.01	26.15		25.86	6.57	6.11	6.54	6.50	6.54	0.00	#1
6	Xintong HUANG / Xun ZHENG	CHN	50.71	26.43		24.28	6.25	5.79	6.04	6.39	5.89	0.00	#4
7	Kristina GORSHKOVA / Vitali BUTIKOV	RUS	48.77	24.72		24.05	6.14	5.82	6.07	6.11	5.93	0.00	#3
8	Sara HURTADO / Adria DIAZ	ESP	45.71	23.28		23.43	5.82	5.64	5.89	5.96	5.93	1.00	#2

2011 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating: Trophee Eric Bompard Ladies Short Program LIVE BLOG

1) Sonia LaFuente (ESP)
     Music: Cry Me A River

• I love this costume! The coloring on the straps is so interesting
• Nice triple lutz to start off
• Triple loop-double toe
• Spiral into a double axel
• All her jumps are landed, but none of them get a lot of height and they rotate pretty slowly
• She needs to really straighten that leg on the camel spin
• Decent footwork, but I wish she'd show a little more expression on her face
• She needs to look up and out instead of down at the ice
• She needs to straighten her knee on the I-Spin

SP Score: 27.43 (TES) + 22.08 (PCS) = 49.51

2) Yretha Silete (FRA)
     Music: Black Swan

• Interesting to use this this music for the short, it's been mostly a free skate piece all season
• She can jump, but there's not much style there
• Stumble out of the double axel
• This is somebody who shouldn't be doing a Bielmann spin, if you can't do it great, then don't do it at all

SP Score: 26.60 (TES) + 21.65 (PCS) = 48.25

3) Lena Marrocco (FRA)
     Music: Minnie the Moocher

• This is a very different sort of program, grabs your attention right away
• Doubles the flip, that will hurt
• Turn out of the lutz, double toe on the end
• Nice double axel
• Her hands are very stiff, that breaks the arm line
• I appreciate her attempt at performance, she should take some acting classes to teach her how to relax her face while still expressing the music
• This step sequence showcases the nuances of the music
• The whole thing looks a little frantic to me
• Hits her last pose slightly after the music
• That was a decent outing, not terrible, not great

SP Score: 22.95 (TES) + 21.00 (PCS) = 43.95

4) Elizaveta Tuktamisheva (RUS)
     Music: Tango by Piazzolla

• Go Liza!
• Nice 3-3 combo, get it girl!
• She is looking stronger that Skate Canada, going to give those top ladies a run for their money
• Her jumps just look so easy
• This program looks more mature that at Skate Canada

SP Score: 34.99 (TES) + 27.05 (PCS) = 62.04

5) Mae Berenice Meite (FRA)
     Music: Derniere Lettre du Prince

• She always wears such loud flashy costumes
• Solid opening combination, she rotated very quickly
• I think she would have done quite well under the 6.0 system
• Did she go through a growth spurt in the off season?
• She is going through the motions really slowly in this step sequence
• Love the music by the way
• Some one of her muscular build should FLY across the ice
• Very nice stretch in the came spin
• I don't know that that costume is the best for showing off her body line

SP Score: 28.71 (TES) + 21.78 (PCS) = 50.49

6) Viktoria Helgesson (SWE)
     Music: My Funny Valentine

• What lives under that hair
• I don't like this version of My Funny Valentine, but that's just a personal opinion
• So far so clean
• She looks like a new skater today, that Skate America medal has given her so much confidence
• Interesting spin variations
• I love that she skates like a woman and not like a little girl
• I liked this program much better here than at Skate America

SP Score: 28.13 (TES) + 26.03 (PCS) = 54.16

7) Kanako Murakami (JPN)
     Music: Violin Muse

• She needs to get the confidence back that she had last year on the Grand Prix
• She is in a similar situation to Mirai Nagasu, she had a rough 1st Grand Prix so now she can skate lights out here
• Funky second landing, but hits the 3-3!
• She is carrying good speed throughout!
• She is really looking good in this step sequence
• I'd love to see her look up and out more rather than down at the ice
• She is so happy, so different from her last outing!

SP Score: 28.88 (TES) + 26.89 (PCS) = 55.77

8) Alissa Czisny (USA)
     Music: La Vie En Rose

• I love this program on her
• Triple lutz, a little shaky on the landing, let's hope that's the only bobble
• Turn out of the triple loop-double toe
• Weird swing out of the double axel
• Her jumps are not there today, but at least she didn't fall!
• This is such an elegant program
• Her PCS and the spin levels should hold her up pretty close the top even though the jumps were off
• Not her best, but she recovered from early mistakes and didn't fall

SP Score: 27.49 (TES) +  (PCS) = 57.25

9) Carolina Kostner (ITA)
      Music: Allegretto From Trio No. 2 by Shostakovitch

• Awesome speed
• Triple toe-triple toe, very tight quick rotation
• Is he underlayer of her costume different
• Was that a hand down on that triple salchow?
• A lot of ice coverage on the double axel
• Oh goodness, a fall on footwork, a simple concentration break
• She had a dear in the headlights look there for a minute and had trouble finding where to restart it

SP Score: 29.88 (TES) + 30.82 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 59.70

Pl.	Name	Nation	Points	SP	FS
1	Elizaveta TUKTAMISHEVA	RUS	62.04	1
2	Carolina KOSTNER	ITA	59.70	2
3	Alissa CZISNY	USA	57.25	3
4	Kanako MURAKAMI	JPN	55.77	4
5	Viktoria HELGESSON	SWE	54.16	5
6	Mae Berenice MEITE	FRA	50.49	6
7	Sonia LAFUENTE	ESP	49.51	7
8	Yretha SILETE	FRA	48.25	8
9	Lena MARROCCO	FRA	43.95	9

Pl.	Name	Nation	TSS =	TES +		PCS +	SS	TR	PE	CH	IN	Ded. -	StN.
1	Elizaveta TUKTAMISHEVA	RUS	62.04	34.99		27.05	6.68	6.25	7.07	6.89	6.93	0.00	#4
2	Carolina KOSTNER	ITA	59.70	29.88		30.82	7.86	7.36	7.61	7.82	7.86	1.00	#9
3	Alissa CZISNY	USA	57.25	27.49		29.76	7.50	6.93	7.43	7.64	7.71	0.00	#8
4	Kanako MURAKAMI	JPN	55.77	28.88		26.89	6.86	6.39	6.79	6.79	6.79	0.00	#7
5	Viktoria HELGESSON	SWE	54.16	28.13		26.03	6.57	6.14	6.68	6.57	6.57	0.00	#6
6	Mae Berenice MEITE	FRA	50.49	28.71		21.78	5.61	5.18	5.50	5.57	5.36	0.00	#5
7	Sonia LAFUENTE	ESP	49.51	27.43		22.08	5.68	5.21	5.71	5.61	5.39	0.00	#1
8	Yretha SILETE	FRA	48.25	26.60		21.65	5.46	5.18	5.43	5.61	5.39	0.00	#2
9	Lena MARROCCO	FRA	43.95	22.95		21.00	5.32	4.93	5.32	5.43	5.25	0.00	#3

2011 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating: Trophee Eric Bompard Pairs Short Program LIVE BLOG

1) Jessica Dube & Sebastien Wolfe (CAN)
     Music: Three Hours Past Midnight

• They had a nice debut at Skate Canada, let's hope that wasn't a fluke
• I'm cheering especially hard for them because they're on my fantasy team
• I love the exposed zipper on the back of her dress and I hate his belt
• They seem to connect very well as a pair, but she is clearly the star
• Nice split twist, but only a double
• Perfect unison on the SBS triple salchows
• This loungey music seems to suit them well
• Nice position from her in the star lift
• Good height on the throw, tilted in the air, but she straightens it out on the landing
• This is shaping up to be a really solid short program from them
• I like the level changes and position variations on the pair spin
• I'd like to see more speed overall from both and more performance and expression from Sebastien
• Great program from them, they'll be happy with that overall

SP Score: 28.23 (TES) + 25.01 (PCS) = 53.24

2) Vanessa James & Morgan Cipress (FRA)
     Music: Roxane

• Hello Moulin Rouge
• Double split twist, bent legs from her
• They are really flying around quickly, but they're cutting everything off
• Unison slightly off on the SBS triple toes, a lot of snow flying
• Very rough position changes in the lift, awkward exit
• I feel like they are really rushing everything
• Hand down on the throw, that was only a double
• They have potential, quite an athletic team, but they need to calm down and skate into the music, not over it

SP Score: 21.98 (TES) + 22.88 (PCS) = 44.86

3) Huibo Dong & Yiming Wu (CHN)
     Music: The Feeling Begins

• Is it me or did they just start before the music?
• Very clean SBS triple toes
• I believe this is another Bin Yao team
• Quick split triple twist, but she lands practically on his shoulder
• Very ugly triple throw but she gets away with only a hand down, a lot of snow flying
• That lift hit some very ugly positions and lost almost all of it's speed toward the end
• They are not a bad team, but this team will never live up to the great Chines pairs
• Her whole body is practically on the ice at the end of the death spiral
• I like that intertwined leg position on the pair spin

SP Score: 27.44 (TES) + 21.83 (PCS) = 49.27

4) Meagan Duhamel & Eric Radford (CAN)
     Music: Concierto de Aranjuez

• These two are the stars of this group for sure, and medal favorites
• Amazing speed
• Wonderful split triple twist, I love that arched position she has going into it
• Solid SBS 3toes, a little unison issue on the take off
• She holds the position in the death spiral throughout
• She is so strong, all muscle, the perfect look for a pairs skater
• She shows outstanding flexibility in the pair spin, dare I say it she reminds me a bit of Aliona Savchenko
• They started out so fast, losing a bit of speed in this step sequence
• Very nice stretch in the lift, I'd like to see her point her foot harder
• Hardly any speed going into that throw, very high wrap on her free leg, but she fights to land it

SP Score: 34.06 (TES) + 27.00 (PCS) = 61.06

5) Ksenia Stolbova & Fedor Klimov (RUS)
     Music: Bolero

• Lots of Bolero this season thus far
• So much speed right off the top
• Only a split double twist
• Huge throw, she rides that edge forever!
• Perfect unison on the SBS 3Toes, as per the Russian way
• If only they would give Bazarova/Larinov some of their technical skills and get back some elegance in return
• Oh goodness, a fall on the death spiral! Did she lose her edge, or did he lose her hand?
• This choreography still looks quite Junior-ish to me
• Ended before the music; the rest of that program after the fall on the death spiral was a mess

SP Score: 25.38 (TES) + 25.43 (PCS) -2.00 (DED) = 48.81

6) Amanda Evora & Mark Ladwig (USA)
     Music: The Man I Love

• This is a gorgeous piece that suits them so well, I could see it as a free skate too
• Really nice air position on the split triple twist, she almost stops on the landing
• Fall on the SBS triple from Amanda, the one thing that is keeping them off of podiums
• That was a gorgeous, textbook throw
• I keep saying it, they're fantastic and they have the maturity that only comes with years and years together, but if they can't hit the jumps, they won't get the recognition they deserve
• The connection between them is so real
• That lift, nobody does it better
• Fantastic position in the death spiral, she doesn't let her body position go like some other ladies do

SP Score: 29.83 (TES) + 28.86 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 57.69

7) Tatiana Volosozhar & Maxim Trankov (RUS)
     Music: Bring Me Back To Life

• You've gotta love that elaborate, chest-popping, entrance to their starting positions, at least it's in character!
• I just can't get over these two, they look like they were created to skate together
• Oh lord, she stumbles and falls exiting the split twist, he manages to pick her up right before he nearly skates over her
• Great SBS triples
• She BARELY hangs onto that throw landing, so much strength there
• I love the this step sequence
• I wouldn't mind this piece of music if it was a different arrangement that sounded less like Muzak
• Messy program, but they're fighters!

SP Score: 33.01 (TES) + 31.68 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 63.69

8) Vera Bazarova &  Yuri Larionov (RUS)
     Music: Tosca

• These two have run hot and cold since last season's Grand Prix Final
• Wow, good SBS jumps from them! Just a slight timing difference between them bu tlanded!
• Very clean catch in midair on the split twist
• They lack speed, but the body lines are where they get points
• Fall on the throw, just a really bad air position
• I think her body touched the ice when they changed the hold in the death spiral
• Beautiful lift positions individually, but some not so pretty transitions between them
• They seem rushed today
• I wish she'd be more expressive with her face, she almost looks lost
• They're lacking spark, they need a good kick in the but 

SP Score: 30.88 (TES) +29.18 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 59.06

1	Tatiana VOLOSOZHAR / Maxim TRANKOV	RUS	63.69	1
2	Meagan DUHAMEL / Eric RADFORD	CAN	61.06	2
3	Vera BAZAROVA / Yuri LARIONOV	RUS	59.06	3
4	Amanda EVORA / Mark LADWIG	USA	57.69	4
5	Jessica DUBE / Sebastien WOLFE	CAN	53.24	5
6	Huibo DONG / Yiming WU	CHN	49.27	6
7	Ksenia STOLBOVA / Fedor KLIMOV	RUS	48.81	7
8	Vanessa JAMES / Morgan CIPRES	FRA	44.86	8

Pl.	Name	Nation	TSS =	TES +		PCS +	SS	TR	PE	CH	IN	Ded. -	StN.
1	Tatiana VOLOSOZHAR / Maxim TRANKOV	RUS	63.69	33.01		31.68	8.14	7.64	7.82	8.00	8.00	1.00	#7
2	Meagan DUHAMEL / Eric RADFORD	CAN	61.06	34.06		27.00	6.93	6.50	6.71	6.86	6.75	0.00	#4
3	Vera BAZAROVA / Yuri LARIONOV	RUS	59.06	30.88		29.18	7.46	7.11	7.29	7.36	7.25	1.00	#8
4	Amanda EVORA / Mark LADWIG	USA	57.69	29.83		28.86	7.25	6.93	7.32	7.25	7.32	1.00	#6
5	Jessica DUBE / Sebastien WOLFE	CAN	53.24	28.23		25.01	6.46	5.82	6.32	6.32	6.32	0.00	#1
6	Huibo DONG / Yiming WU	CHN	49.27	27.44		21.83	5.75	5.18	5.46	5.57	5.32	0.00	#3
7	Ksenia STOLBOVA / Fedor KLIMOV	RUS	48.81	25.38		25.43	6.54	6.21	6.25	6.43	6.36	2.00	#5
8	Vanessa JAMES / Morgan CIPRES	FRA	44.86	21.98		22.88	5.86	5.50	5.64	5.89	5.71	0.00	#2

2011 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating: Trophee Eric Bompard Men's Short Program LIVE BLOG

1) Romain Ponsart (FRA)
     Music:

• This is my first time seeing Romain and I'm excited!
• Very nice 4t!
• Stumble out of the triple axel, hands down, very splayed out on the ice
• Popped the 3rd jump to a single, he didn't do a combination unless I missed it on the 1st jump
• He is a very theatrical skater and this music suits him so well
• He is so expressive and so passionate, especially in this step sequence
• Even with those jumping errors, he is a joy to watch
• I'd like to see him relax his upper body a little more to move more fluidly through some of his positions
• Very abrupt ending, if you've been reading me  you know I hate that

SP Score: 23.36 (TES) + 27.67 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 50.03

2) Chafik Besseghier (FRA)
     Music: Artsakh

• He reminds me of a mini Florent, both in looks and in style
• Took the first jump to the knee, but almost made it look intentional rather than like a fall
• Huge height and power in the triple axel, but again hand down and almost to the knee
• And we have a pop, these young Frenchmen are struggling to jump today
• He has so much energy and power through this program, but I would love to see more expression on his face

SP Score: 19.14 (TES) + 27.29 (PCS) = 46.43

3) Nan Song (CHN)
     Music: Requiem for a Dream

• This program was amazing at Cup of China, let's see if he's carried that momentum here
• 4t-3t, looked so easy for him
• He has that catlike ability to land almost anything, even if it looks awful in the air
• Huge triple axel
• Everything he does on the ice is huge
• Really low landing on the triple lutz
• He is really throwing everything he has in him into this footwork
• If he does this in the free, he may be up on the podium again!
• I hate that "butt out" spin position 
• What a short program, he laid down the gauntlet for the 2nd group of men
• He is a special talent, if he worked with a dance teacher and a top choreographer, her could really contend for medals

SP Score: 44.92 (TES) + 31.61 (PCS) = 76.53

4) Kevin Reynolds (CAN)
     Music: Chambermaid Swing

• Kevin is a little more stylish this year
• Both jumps of that opening 4s-3t looked two-footed to me
• He struggled on that axel, was that even a triple?
• I loved those steps into that triple lutz
• This choreography is a bit strange for me, I get that he's trying to show he can perform and not just jump, but this is just a bit odd for me
• Good short program outing for him overall

SP Score: 32.57 (TES) + 32.99 (PCS) = 65.56

5) Alexander Majorov (SWE)
     Music: Soul Bossa Nova

• Oh Austin Powers
• Triple axel, hand down
• This costume is very bizarre, but it fits the music at least
• I missed the jump but saw the fall, I think that was a triple axel?
• His programs still look very junior-ish to me
• That was a very abrupt ending in the music and in the choreography
• He has a lot of maturing to do

SP Score: 32.45 (TES) + 30.67 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 62.12

6) Florent Amodio (FRA)
     Music: Summertime, Jumpin Jack

• Big 3a
• He looks really comfortable over his legs today, opposite of Skate America
• Could those pants get any tighter
• Mr. Gershwin would roll over in his grave if he heard his music in combination with Jumpin Jack
• I hate that in every program, he stands at the end of the rink and gestures wildly before going into his footwork, it is the equivalent of a runner starting a spring from the blocks
• A little tight on some of the jumps, but he'll be happy with that home performance

SP Score: 36.11 (TES) + 35.31 (PCS) = 71.42

7) Adam Rippon (USA)
     Music: Korobushko by Bond

• In this costume I feel he should be skating to Trepak from Nutcracker
• Rippon lutz! I miss that at every competition he's not in
• Very low landing on the triple axel, needed more flow in the exit edge
• Very stiffled 3F-3t
• He is landing the jumps, but they look rushed today,  two-foots here and there
• He didnt' have the technical package of Song, but that was a more complete program with stronger spins, more elaborate footwork, and better performance quality

SP Score: 36.42 (TES) + 36.54 (PCS) = 72.96

8) Nobunari Oda (JPN)
     Music: Memphis Soul Stew

• What happened to Nobu's jumps? No Quad, falling out, where has he gone?
• That shirt looks like a piece of art taken off the wall at MOMA
• He usually has such long gliding edges out of his jumps but everything looks so stiffled today
• He still has the softest knees in figure skating
• I love his sit spin variation!
• There was just no life to that program

SP Score: 27.52 (TES) + 36.43 (PCS) -1.00 (DED)= 62.95

9) Michal Brezina (CZE)
     Music: Best of Kodo

• I'm not a fan of re-using programs, I find it to be cheating
• Big 4t-but only a double toe
• Nice jumping overall today
• This choreography brings out the subtle nuances of the music quite well
• Very good execution of this short, but that tends to be easier when you are using last year's short
• His spins are quite slow, probably the weakest aspect of his skating

SP Score: 36.51 (TES) + 37.81 (PCS) = 74.32

10) Patrick Chan (CAN)
      Music: Take Five

• Again with last year's program, we've seen this program now like how many times?
•  Fall on the opening Quad toe, how do you botch a program you've been doing forever? Undertraining?
• Beautiful exit from the triple axel, he could have sat on that edge for a minute and not run out of speed
• Steps into 3F-3T, equally beautiful
• I like this music because it is in a difficult time signature and it forces the skater to really listen and skate into the music rather than over it
• He has such gorgeous swing on his free leg
• I hate that its recycled, but that's how you do a complete program

SP Score: 41.20 (TES) + 43.96 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 84.16

Pl.	Name	Nation	Points	SP	FS
1	Patrick CHAN	CAN	84.16	1
2	Nan SONG	CHN	76.53	2
3	Michal BREZINA	CZE	74.32	3
4	Adam RIPPON	USA	72.96	4
5	Florent AMODIO	FRA	71.42	5
6	Kevin REYNOLDS	CAN	65.56	6
7	Nobunari ODA	JPN	62.95	7
8	Alexander MAJOROV	SWE	62.12	8
9	Romain PONSART	FRA	50.03	9
10	Chafik BESSEGHIER	FRA	46.43	10

Pl.	Name	Nation	TSS =	TES +		PCS +	SS	TR	PE	CH	IN	Ded. -	StN.
1	Patrick CHAN	CAN	84.16	41.20		43.96	8.96	8.64	8.61	8.93	8.82	1.00	#10
2	Nan SONG	CHN	76.53	44.92		31.61	6.54	5.86	6.57	6.32	6.32	0.00	#3
3	Michal BREZINA	CZE	74.32	36.51		37.81	7.64	7.18	7.71	7.64	7.64	0.00	#9
4	Adam RIPPON	USA	72.96	36.42		36.54	7.36	7.00	7.43	7.32	7.43	0.00	#7
5	Florent AMODIO	FRA	71.42	36.11		35.31	7.18	6.46	7.25	7.21	7.21	0.00	#6
6	Kevin REYNOLDS	CAN	65.56	32.57		32.99	6.57	6.39	6.64	6.64	6.75	0.00	#4
7	Nobunari ODA	JPN	62.95	27.52		36.43	7.75	7.04	7.21	7.25	7.18	1.00	#8
8	Alexander MAJOROV	SWE	62.12	32.45		30.67	6.14	5.82	6.18	6.21	6.32	1.00	#5
9	Romain PONSART	FRA	50.03	23.36		27.67	5.96	4.96	5.57	5.50	5.68	1.00	#1
10	Chafik BESSEGHIER	FRA	46.43	19.14		27.29	5.68	5.11	5.46	5.61	5.43	0.00	#2