2006 Winter Olympic Games

Senior Pairs

all photos Copyright 2006 by George S. Rossano

 
Standings
Place Team NOC SP FS
1 Tatiana Totmianina & Maxim Marinin RUS 1 1
2 Dan Zhang & Hao Zhang CHN 2 2
3 Xue Shen & Hongbo Zhao CHN 5 3
4 Qing Pang & Jian Tong CHN 4 4
5 Maria Petrova & Alexei Tikhonov RUS 3 6
6 Aliona Savchenko & Robin Szolkowy GER 7 5
7 Rena Inoue & John Baldwin USA 6 7
8 Julia Obertas & Sergei Slavnov RUS 8 9
9 Dorata Zagorska & Mariusz Siudek POL 9 8
10 Jessica Dube & Bryce Davison CAN 11 10
11

Valerie Marcoux & Craig Buntin

CAN 10 11
12 Tatiana Volosozhar & Stanislav Morozov UKR 12 12
13 Marcy Hinzmann & Aaron Parchem USA 13 13
14 Marylin Pla & Yannick Bonheur FRA 14 14
15 Eva-Marie Fitze & Rex Rico GER 16 16
16 Marina Aganina & Artem Knyazev UZB 15 17
17 Diana Rennik & Aleksei Saks EST 18 15
18 Julia Beloglazova & Andrei Bekh UKR 17 19
19 Rumiana Spassova & Stanimir Todorov BUL 19 18
- Yong Myong Phyo & Yong Hyok Jong PRK 20 w

 

Short Program

 
Starting Order - Short Program
  1. Marina Aganina & Artem Knyazev

  2. Tatiana Volosozhar & Stanislav Morozov

  3. Rumiana Spassova & Stanimir Todorov

  4. Rena Inoue & John Baldwin

  5. Qing Pang & Jian Tong

  6. Xue Shen & Hongbo Zhao

  7. Yong Myong Phyo & Yong Hyok Jong

  8. Marylin Pla & Yannick Bonheur

  9. Julia Beloglazova & Andrei Bekh

  10. Marcy Hinzmann & Aaron Parchem

  11. Dan Zhang & Hao Zhang

  12. Diana Rennik & Aleksei Saks

  13. Eva-Marie Fitze & Rex Rico

  14. Maria Petrova & Alexei Tikhonov

  15. Dorata Zagorska & Mariusz Siudek

  16. Jessica Dube & Bryce Davison

  17. Valerie Marcoux & Craig Buntin

  18. Julia Obertas & Sergei Slavnov

  19. Tatiana Totmianina & Maxim Marinin

  20. Aliona Savchenko & Robin Szolkowy

 

Short Program Placements

Place

Team
1 Tatiana Totmianina & Maxim Marinin
2 Dan Zhang & Hao Zhang
3 Maria Petrova & Alexei Tikhonov
4 Qing Pang & Jian Tong
5 Xue Shen & Hongbo Zhao
6 Rena Inoue & John Baldwin
7 Aliona Savchenko & Robin Szolkowy
8 Julia Obertas & Sergei Slavnov
9 Dorata Zagorska & Mariusz Siudek
10

Valerie Marcoux & Craig Buntin

11 Jessica Dube & Bryce Davison
12 Tatiana Volosozhar & Stanislav Morozov
13 Marcy Hinzmann & Aaron Parchem
14 Marylin Pla & Yannick Bonheur
15 Marina Aganina & Artem Knyazev
16 Eva-Marie Fitze & Rex Rico
17 Julia Beloglazova & Andrei Bekh
18 Diana Rennik & Aleksei Saks
19 Rumiana Spassova & Stanimir Todorov
20 Yong Myong Phyo & Yong Hyok Jong

Tatiana Totmianina & Maxim Marinin

Dan Zhang & Hao Zhang

 

Maria Petrova & Alexei Tikhonov


As we start the first warmup, the arena is about half full. After blocking out seating for media, off duty officials, skaters and coaches, etc., spectator capacity is about 6,000. 

Warmup Group 1

Marina Aganina & Artem Knyazev, UZB

Not La Boheme as listed. Kind of tango like. 

Double Axel:ok
Throw double Axel: ok
Double Twist: ok, not too high
Straight steps: slow motion
FCCoSp: flying camel upright coe cof sit upright
Star Lift: decent, slowly turned
FIDS: ok
Pair CoSp: back entry tc upright camel sit-catch-camel

Slow, and uninteresting. Weak in transitions. Weak interpretation. 
PCs in low 4s

Tatiana Volosozhar & Stanislav Morozov, UKR

Albinoni Adagio

Throw Triple Loop: high and secure
Triple toe loop: he falls
Double twist: high, good catch +
FCCoSp: flying camel sit coe forward cof sit upright
Star Lift: one are takeoff cartwheel out
Straight Steps: slow, some ok interpretation
FIDS: decent
Pair CoSp: rtc camel sit bumps cof camel-sit

Slow, some decent moments of interpretation, limited transitions. Decent elements
PCs in the high 5s. 

Arena now about 3/4 full.   

Rumiana Spassova & Stanimir Todorov, BUL

Nautical medley

Double Twist: ok
Throw triple Salchow: cheat and fall
Double loop: ok
Star lift: change of direction, ok
FIDS: OK
CCoSp: camel sit cof forward, no features?
Straight steps: far apart, interweaved, fair speed
Pair CoSp: rtc bumps cof rtc natalia

Fairs speed. Some transitions. Interpretation and timing to music weak. 

PCs in the low 4s.

Rena Inoue & John Baldwin, USA

Albinoni Adagio

Inoue & Baldwin have planned a throw triple Axel, attempting to be the first to land that element in international competition. 

Star lift:one arm take off
Throw triple Axel: they land it!  She nails it perfect! ++ from me. 
FIDS: ++
Double Axel: ok, but only a double Axel
FCCoSp: flying camel sit coe upright cof forward upright coe
Double twist: ok, adequate height at best
Circular steps: decent speed, decent difficulty
Pair CoSp: rtc camel cof kc camel cof vertical split

Decent speed. above average transitions. above average interpretation

PCs in the mid 6s (too low!). They are in first with 61. 27 points. Not enough to vie for a medal I would expect. 

At the end of the night they are in sixth, in the midst of the pack of teams with scores in the low 60s.  Numerically they are in position to challenge for a medal, but it is a long shot, with Program Component scores in the mid 6s.  They are also limited by using double Axels instead of triples (due to Baldwin having an injured right big toe).  Two judges gave the triple Axel a +2, but one gave it a -1.  What was that person thinking?  The rest were 0s and 1s.  Crazy marks!  (An ISU judge not working the competition told me it should have been a +3.)

Warmup Group 2

Qing Pang & Jian Tong, CHN

Variation on a Theme of Paganini

Triple toe loop: ok
Throw triple loop: high +
FIDS: leg over arm entry, decent +
FCCoSp: flying camel sit cannonball coe cof camel sit forward
Star lift: one arm setdown.  +
Double twist: huge ++
Straight steps: slow, some interpretation included
Pair CoSp: leg on shoulder camel-sit upright cof rtc upright camel sit

Above average elements. Middling transitions. Above average interpretation.  Decent expression

PCs in the low 7s. They move two points ahead of I&B.  Their main strength remains their elements. 

Xue Shen & Hongbo Zhao, CHN

Piano Concerto Rach 3 (?)

Triple toe loop: she 2 hands down (but no deduction)
Throw triple loop: high ++
FCCoSp: flying camel sit vertical-split cof Urmanov
Circular steps: a pause at start, slow, lots of movements looking for features
Double twist: huge +
Star lift: lift from carry, cop and out
Pair CoSp: back entry kc bumps cof rtc splits to shoulders
FIDS: with features in and during

Above average elements. Fair speed. Above average interpretation.  Above average transitions. 

PCs in the high 7s. At this point they are in second place. Though still a good team, and will probaly end up n the top5, they are a shadow of their former selves.  They did not skate with the speed, strength and confidence they displayed at their peak as World Champions.

Yong Myong Phyo & Yong Hyok Jong, PRK

Music ???

Throw double loop: ok
Double twist: ok, not so high
Double toe loop: ok
Circular steps: slow and simple

DREADFUL MUSIC!!!

CCoSp: camel sit cof , simple, no features
Star lift: ok, just the basics
FIDS: ass out entry
Pair CoSp: rtc camel-sit cof camel-sit

Basic skating skills. Limited transitions. No expression or interpretation. A mediocre intermediate US team. 

PCs in the high 3s.  They desperately need decent music, better choreography and experience in performance and presentation of a program.

Marylin Pla & Yannick Bonheur, FRA

Blues for Klook (That's what it says!)

Triple toe loop: she falls he steps out
Throw triple Salchow: ok
FCCoSp: deathdrop sit upright coe . . .  (more but I missed it)
Double twist: decent height, +
Star lift: swing upright star, cop to horizontal position
Straight steps: mediocre speed 
FIDS: ok
Pair CoSp: tc upright cof camel-upright

Mediocre skating skills. Lots of transitions. Good expression, though weird (but then they ARE French).

PCs in the low 5s.

Resurface

Warmup Group 3

Julia Beloglazova & Andrei Bekh, UKR

Greetings to Morricone

Double twist: decent height, ok
Triple Salchow: she reaches for ice, one hand touch?
Throw triple loop: ok
Star lift: ok, twist out
CCoSp: camel sit cof, basic, ok
Straight steps: slow and simple, no expression
FIDS: ass out entry
Pair CoSp: kc upright cof camel-sit camel-upright

Boring "go to sleep" music, BORING program. Few transitions. No expression. 

PCs in the mid 4s. 

Marcy Hinzmann & Aaron Parchem, USA

The Mission

Double twist: decent height, ok
Throw triple loop: ok
Triple toe loop: he has big fall
Straight steps: a little awkward at start, got smoother, pretty use of music
CCoSp camel: coe upright sit upright coe?
Pair CoSp: kc camel-sit layback cof kc vertical split
Star lift: nice air, one arm setdown +
FIDS: she has nice position +

Above average skating skills. Lots of transitions. Good use of music. A pretty performance. 

PCs around 6.  (too low!)

Dan Zhang & Hao Zhang, CHN

Kashmir

Star lift: strong entry, multiple cops
Throw triple loop: height and strong, ++
FIDS: leg upright entry, +
Triple: Salchow ok
FCCoSp: flying camel coe sit upright cof sit cup
Circular steps: good skating, not much mileage on expression
Double twist: big ++
Pair CoSp: rtc bumps camel-upright cof rtc Natalia

Good skating skills. Strong tricks. , above average transitions.  above average performance. Interpretation just ok. 

PCs in the mid 7s.  Personal best. They move into first place. The three Chinese teams are now 1-2-3.  I&B drop to fourth.

In the past year Zhang & Zhang have unquestionably moved to the front as the best of the Chinese teams.  They are the most likely team of the three to make the podium at this competition.

Diana Rennik & Aleksei Saks, EST

Explosive

Double flip: ok
Throw triple Salchow: shakey, -
Star lift: OK, to lido, a struggle out
FIDS: major ass out entry
Double twist: weak, little height, -
FCCoSp: flying camel sit cof sit, -
Straight steps: blah, background music
Pair CoSp: rtc sit-sit cof sit-sit

Fair skating skills. Below average transitions.  They are skating to background music.  No expression.  Explosive NOT. 

PCs in the low 4s. 

I was worried it would be difficult keeping upright with the skating, but there is so much time between skaters you could write a book. But I won't. 

Warmup Group 4

Eva-Marie Fitze & Rex Rico, GER

A Gusta

Triple toe loop: ok
Double twist: middling
Throw triple Salchow: she breaks at waist on landing
Star lift: cop, one arm setdown, weak
FIDS: ass out entry, weak arch
Pair CoSp: rtc . . .  cof pair sit camel-upright
FCCoSp: flying camel sit cof upright coe
Straight steps: she missteps, slow nothing sequence

Average skating skills, average transitions, little expression. Mostly background music. Did not capture rhythm or tempo of music. 

PCs around 5.  

Maria Petrova & Alexei Tikhonov, RUS

Sarabande

Triple toe loop: he breaks at waist on landing
Double twist: ok, nothing spectacular
Throw triple loop: decent
FCCoSp: flying camel sit coe forward
Pair CoSp: camel-sit cof upright cof rtc camel-upright bumps
Star lift: swing upright entry to one arm air in lateral position and double twist out ++
Straight steps: blah, slow
FIDS: shoot the duck entry, then her butt a little out, then nice position

Good skating skills. Some minor weaknesses in the tricks. Good performance and interpretation of music. good transitions. 

PCs in the mid 7s. They move into second place.  The double twist on the exit from the lift was way cool.

Dorata Zagorska & Mariusz Siudek, POL

La Vie en Rose & Mack the Knife

Triple toe loop: ok
Throw triple Salchow: ok
FCCoSp: camel sit upright cof sit coe (didn't flying)
Double twist: decent height
Pair CoSp: camel sit-sit cof tango camel sit-sit - he stumbles in cof
Straight steps: diagonal, ok
Star lift: cartwheel upright one arm air, flip out +
FIDS: entry her leg on boot

Good skating skills.  Above average transitions. Above average interpretation but nothing special. 

PCs in the mid 6s. 

Jessica Dube & Bryce Davison, CAN

Hasta Que Conoci

Triple Salchow: she breaks at waist on landing
Star lift: with cops
Pair CoSp: rtc upright cof pair sit sit-sit variation
Double twist: ok, middling height
Throw triple loop: she breaks at waist on landing
CCoSp: back-camel sit forward cof sit cannonball
Straight steps: middling speed. uninteresting
FIDS: He enters in spread eagle

Above average skating skills, above average transitions. Above average presentation and interpretation. Overall a respectable job. 

PCs in the low 6s. Personal best. 

Resurface

Warmup Group 5

Valerie Marcoux & Craig Buntin, CAN

Hey Big Spender

Triple toe loop: she puts one hand down
Star lift: cartwheel out
FCCoSp: flying camel sit cof camel upright coe
Double twist: good height +
Throw triple loop: she fights for the landing edge and holds on
Pair CoSp: sit-sit cof rtc cof sit-sit upright
Straight steps: diagonal, like skating over tar
FIDS: nice position +

Above average skating skills, good transitions. Above average interpretation and performance. A pleasant program done fairly clean. 

PCs mid 6s. 

Julia Obertas & Sergei Slavnov, RUS

Concerto for Coloratura Soprano and Orchestra (otherwise know as the shrieking sopranos piece)

Triple toe loop: ok, she fights for the landing (a little under rotated) 
Throw triple flip: well done ++
Star lift: one arm takeoff and air, cop one arm air, one arm setdown 
Double twist: good height +
Straight steps: slow, uses the music
FIDS: ass out entry
FCCoSp; flying camel sit forward upright cof upright-side
Pair CoSp: bumps cof kc . . .  upright

Good skating skills, good+ transitions. Lovely performance, nicely done. 

PCs in the high 6s. 

Tatiana Totmianina & Maxim Marinin, RUS

Snowstorm

She is ghastly thin!!!  A snowstorm would blow her away.

FIDS: good
Throw triple loop: ok
Triple toe loop: good
Double twist: good height, late catch?
Star lift: basic, sloppy feet
Circular steps: middling speed, some use of the music
FCCoSp: flying camel sit coe upright cof sit cannonball forward
Pair CoSp: rtc bumps cof rtc 

Good skating skill, good transitions, a lovely performance, but her appearance and the little errors were a distraction for me. 

PCs in the low 8s. They are in first place by a little over 4 points.  I&B drop to sixth. 

Aliona Savchenko & Robin Szolkowy, GER

Souvenir de Click

Triple toe loop: ok, she scrapes ice with free leg on the takeoff reaching back to tap
Double twist: decent height +
Throw triple Salchow: she puts 2 hands down, should be a deduction
Star lift: with cop then one arm air and one arm setdown +
FCCoSp: flying camel sit coe forward cof forward
Straight steps: intertwined pattern, decent speed, more interesting than most
FIDS: cops
Pair CoSp: back bumps cof rtc natalia camel-sit

Above average skating skills, some interesting and varied transitions. Good performance, above average interpretation.  An interesting though not outstanding performance. 

PCs in the low 7s.

 

Free Skate

 
Starting Order - Free Skating
  1. Rumiana Spassova & Stanimir Todorov

  2. Yong Myong Phyo & Yong Hyok Jong

  3. Diana Rennik & Aleksei Saks

  4. Julia Beloglazova & Andrei Bekh

  5. Marylin Pla & Yannick Bonheur

  6. Marina Aganina & Artem Knyazev

  7. Marcy Hinzmann & Aaron Parchem

  8. Eva-Marie Fitze & Rex Rico

  9. Tatiana Volosozhar & Stanislav Morozov

  10. Valerie Marcoux & Craig Buntin

  11. Dorata Zagorska & Mariusz Siudek

  12. Jessica Dube & Bryce Davison

  13. Julia Obertas & Sergei Slavnov

  14. Xue Shen & Hongbo Zhao

  15. Aliona Savchenko & Robin Szolkowy

  16. Rena Inoue & John Baldwin

  17. Maria Petrova & Alexei Tikhonov

  18. Qing Pang & Jian Tong

  19. Tatiana Totmianina & Maxim Marinin

  20. Dan Zhang & Hao Zhang

 

Free Skating Placements
Place Team
1 Tatiana Totmianina & Maxim Marinin
2 Dan Zhang & Hao Zhang
3 Xue Shen & Hongbo Zhao
4 Qing Pang & Jian Tong
5 Aliona Savchenko & Robin Szolkowy
6 Maria Petrova & Alexei Tikhonov
7 Rena Inoue & John Baldwin
8 Dorata Zagorska & Mariusz Siudek
9 Julia Obertas & Sergei Slavnov
10 Jessica Dube & Bryce Davison
11

Valerie Marcoux & Craig Buntin

12 Tatiana Volosozhar & Stanislav Morozov
13 Marcy Hinzmann & Aaron Parchem
14 Marylin Pla & Yannick Bonheur
15 Diana Rennik & Aleksei Saks
16 Eva-Marie Fitze & Rex Rico
17 Marina Aganina & Artem Knyazev
18 Rumiana Spassova & Stanimir Todorov
19 Julia Beloglazova & Andrei Bekh
w Yong Myong Phyo & Yong Hyok Jong

Tatiana Totmianina & Maxim Marinin

Dan Zhang & Hao Zhang

Throw Gone Bad

Xue Shen & Hongbo Zhao


Abbreviations

30 minutes to go, and the arena is slowly filling.  My predictions: T&M, Z&Z, P&T.

Warmup Group 1

This is the warmup for the Juvenile and Intermediate teams.

Rumiana Spassova & Stanimir Todorov, BUL

Balkan Concept

Double Twist:  decent height +
Throw Triple Salchow:  two footed
Toe Lasso Lift:  cops, ok
Double Loop:  she weak landing edge, but they still land them, -1
Axel Lasso Lift:  one arm air, one arm setdown, slow
PCoSp:  rtc bumps cof rtc natalia, slow
Spiral Sequence:  nice positions, slow, dance lift at end
Star Lift:  to split and carry in spread eagle
Throw Double Loop:  on toe, -
FIDS:  nice position +
CCoSp:  camel sit cof sit forward, no features
2S + 2F Sequence:  ok, good unison
BODS:  ok, adequate.  This element was not scored.
Straight Line Steps:  fair speed, into closing pose

Skating Skills below average.  Transitions and poses decent at start and for first 1/3 but then not much for the rest of the program.  Interpretation weak, use of music weak.
PCs in the low 4s

Yong Myong Phyo & Yong Hyok Jong, PRK

Withdrew Monday Morning

Diana Rennik & Aleksei Saks, EST

Allegretto & Adagio, then other suff I don't recognize

Throw Triple Salchow:  ok
Throw Triple Loop:  ok
Toe Lasso Lift:  ok, middling speed, 1aa
Spiral Sequence:  nice positions from her, not so good from him
2F + 2S Sequence:  ok, mediocre height
Star Lift:  to split lido
Double Twist:  poor height, -
Double Toe Loop:  weak
BODS:  ok, a struggle for her
Axel Lasso Lift:  not sustained very long
FIDS:  ass out entry, ugly
Straight Line Steps:  middling speed, some one foot steps
FCCoSp:  flying camel sit coe cof sit, unison -
PCoSp: kc up-Biellmann cof rtc bumps rtc bumps 

Skating Skills weak to poor, transitions few and far between.  Skating to background music.  Interpretation weak.  Boring program.
PCs around 4. 

Julia Beloglazova & Andrei Bekh, UKR

Matrix

Double Twist:  ok
2A + 2T Sequence:  2S from him, a mess.  Credit for a 1S
Throw Triple Loop:  ok, skid on the toe for landing
Lasso Lift:  strong, 1aa
Double Axel:  she falls.  Credit for a single Axel.
Spiral Sequence:  mediocre positions and control
BODS:   ok
Press Lift:  reverse takeoff, no features
Throw Triple Salchow:  light hand touch -1
FCoSp:  flying camel sit, she falls out of flying, a mess -3
Lasso Lift:  spirals into, turns decent
BIDS:  shoot the duck entry, ok
Straight Line Steps:  very slow
PCoSp:  tc up cof rtc bumps

Skating Skills fair.  Transitions - not many.  Interpretation minimal.  Whole program is in slow motion and is boring.  They can't do the solo jumps but can handle the throws.
PCs in the low 4s

Warmup Group 2

Marylin Pla & Yannick Bonheur, FRA

Angel and Devil & L'Odysse de l'espece

Triple Toe Loop:  he two foots and nearly falls, tangled up in feet
Double Twist: decent height 
Throw Triple Loop:  ok +
Step In Lasso Lift:  Star to carry out
FIDS:  ok, ppor arch
Spiral Sequence:  Ok positions from her, not so good from him
BIDS:  with sop
Throw Triple Salchow:  nice, +2
Axel Lasso Lift:  strong, to one arm lateral star, +
FCCoSp:  flying sit cof sit up coe
2S + 2T Sequence:  ok -, she steps out of 2T
Circular Steps:  some use of music, middling speed, looking tired now
Press Lift:  flip up press to start positions to horizontal position and then a carry out +
PCoSp:  tc ... up cof cod up-camel

Skating Skills average.  Transitions average or a little less   Inerp inconsistent.  Some nice moments but also some big empty holes
PCs around 5.  Currently First

Marina Aganina & Artem Knyazev, UZB

Dell' Arte

2A + 2T Sequence:  ok
Axel Lasso Lift:  basic, ok
Throw Double Axel:  decent +
Double Twist:  medioce height -
Double Flip:  she poor landing -
BODS:  ok +
Throw Double Loop:  ok
Spiral Sequence:  Her positions ok, his positions weak.  Circular pattern.  She is doing all the work
Star Lift:  decent, twist out +, slow
Toe Lasso Lift:  on the toe, sloppy turning -
FCCoSp:  flying camel up cof sit up
Straight Line Steps:  difficult steps, slow, she falls, she missed many steps, they give up on this element 2/3 down the ice
FODS:  she falls off edge before she gets down into it.  In over their heads on this trick   No points for this element
PCoSp: back tc up-forward cof rtc sit-camel bumps 

Skating Skills fair, transition fair to weak.  Interpretation minimal.  Mostly background music.  Last 1/4 of program they just lose it.
PCs in the  low 4s

Marcy Hinzmann & Aaron Parchem, USA

Esperanza & Once Upon a Time in Mexico

Double Twist:  decent height +
Throw Triple Loop:  landing on toe, decent otherwise
Triple Toe Loop:  he reaches for ice 
FCCoSp:  flying camel up sit cof Urnanov

carries in here

Star Lift:  
Throw Triple Salchow:  decent +
2F + 2T Combination:  ok
FIDS:  cop
Straight Line Steps:  middling speed, some use of the music
Reverse Lasso Lift:  to lateral star, ok, looked like a bit of a struggle
BODS:  ok
Step In Lasso Lift:  1aa 1asd, a bit of a struggle turning it at first
Spiral Sequence:  nice positions, his leg a little low on some positions
PCoSp: rtc bumsps cof kc up-split 

Skating Skills above average, transition average to above average, Better than average use of music and present.  He looked a little weak in some elements, particularly the lifts, and was looking tired last 1/4.
PCs in the high 5s.  Currently in first place.

Eva-Marie Fitze & Rex Rico, GER

Braveheart

2A + 2S Sequence:  decent +
Double Twist:  decent height
Triple Toe Loop:  she doubles it
Star Lift:  strong 1aa 1asd +
FIDS:  no arch
Toe Lasso Lift:  lateral position
FCCoSp:  flying camel sit cof up coe unison - in timing and positions
Throw Double Axel:  weak throw, she falls
Spiral Sequence:  circular, blah
Throw Triple Salchow:  low, weak throw, she falls
Star Lift:  OMITTED
BIDS:  no arch
Straight Line Steps:  could not keep up with temp of music, ok otherwise
PCoSp:  rtc cof split-up cof pair sit

Skating Skills fair.  Transitions about average.  Mostly background music.  I didn't get Braveheart out of it at all.  Not enough height to land the throws.
PCs around 5.

Resurface

Mostly a full house now.  The empty seats look like they are mainly sponsor seats.  And sponsors are notorious for wasting their seats.

Warmup Group 3

Tatiana Volosozhar & Stanislav Morozov, UKR

Conquest of Paradise

3S + 2S Sequence:  2S + 2S sequence
Triple Toe Loop:  ok
Triple Twist:  nice double, +
Toe Lasso Lift:  1ato 1aa 1ads, strong +
Throw Triple Salchow:  well done ++
FCCoSp:  flying (weak) camel sit coe forward cof sit up

posing in here

Axel Lift:  cod 1aa 1asd.  He is a strong guy!
Throw Triple Loop:  high and long, but she falls
BODS:  with catch foot +
Spiral Sequence:  circular, his positions weak, she is doing all the work on this element
Axel Lift:  1ato cartwheel out
Straight Line Steps:  not really with the music
FIDS:  traveling entry, +
PCoSp:  rtc camel-sit cof bumps

Skating skills above average.  Transitions above average.  It has it's moment for interpretation and presentation, but mostly they muscle their way through the program.
PCs in the hight 5s to 6.  Currently in first place 

Valerie Marcoux & Craig Buntin, CAN

Our Song

BIDS:  catch foot entry, decent form
Double Twist: decent height, ok 
3T + 2T Combination:  she omits the double toe
Star Lift:   1aa cartwheel out
Throw Triple Loop:  
Spiral Sequence:  both have nice positions
Double Axel:  he is wild and steps out -2, scored as 1A
Lasso Lift:  1aa 1asd, good control
FIDS:   ok, nice arch +
FCCoSp:  flying camel sit cof camel up coe up sit
Axel Lasso Lift:  helicopter 1aa flip out 
PCoSp:  sit-sit rtc cof sit-sit up with splits
Straight Line Steps:  fair, speed but doesn't keep up with quick music
Throw Triple Salchow:  she falls

Skating skills above average.  Transitions above average.  Decent use of the music for presentation, but at times they can't keep up with the tempo of the fastest part of the music.  A respectable job.  Nice lift work.
PC in the 

Dorata Zagorska & Mariusz Siudek, POL

The Mission

She starts out on his shoulders upside down shoulders-to-shoulders.

2A + 2T Sequence:  of, she breaks at waist on 2t
Throw Triple Loop:  break at waist on landing
Triple Toe Loop:  she doubles it
Axel Lasso Lift:  1aa 1asd
FIDS:  foot on foot entry
CCoSp:  camel sit side cof sit coe cof sit
Triple Twist:  decent height +
Spiral Sequence:  nice positions, her free leg could be a wee bit higher
Throw Triple Salchow:  break at waist on landing
Toe Lasso Lift:  to start and carry in spread eagle then more turns and flip out
PCoSp:  sit-sit cof kc sit-sit
Straight Line Steps:  diagonal slow, simple.  Scored level 1 and rightly so.
Star Lift:  flip up 1aa flip out
BODS:  middling position, very quick element

Skating skills above average.  Transitions good.  Above average use of the music.  Not the most inspiring performance to this music (too many little mistakes and slightly sloppy movements), but still pleasant to watch and enjoyable.
PCs in the mid 6s.  Currently first.

Jessica Dube & Bryce Davison, CAN

7th Concerto by Gershwin

Double Twist:  fair height
2A + 2A Sequence:  decent, +
Axel Lasso Lift:  turns well, 1aa
Throw Triple Salchow:  ok
FCoSp:  flying camel coe sit forward
Spiral Sequence:  ok positions, a little twisted
Triple Salchow:  ok
BIDS:  travellin entry, nice arch +
Throw Triple Loop:  break on the landing, but ok
Step In Lasso Lift:  1aa 1asd-poor -1
Staright Line Steps:  slow, muddled exiting transition at end
Star Lift:  didn't go up.  This element not scored.
BODS:  ok
PCoSp:  rtc up-split cof pair sit layback-up

Skating skill above average.  Transitions above average.  Background music.  Boring  interpretation.  A sloppy performance.
PCs in the low 6s

Warmup Group 4

Julia Obertas & Sergei Slavnov, RUS

La Traviata & Rigoletto

Double Axel:  he has poor landing edge, so do she but not as bad
3T + 2T Sequence:  she steps out of 3T
Triple Twist:  decent height chest bumps -
Throw Triple Flip:  she falls stepping out
Axel Lasso Lift:  1aa to fully vertical position
FIDS:  ok
FCCoSp:  flying camel sit forward up cof sit side unison off at times

Too many headstand moves!

Throw Triple Loop:  hand touch
Toe Lasso Lift:  to carry in horizontal position then in star position
Spiral Sequence:  ok positions, slow
BODS:  ok +
Straight Line Steps:  fair use of music
Press Lift:  flip up to star then carry and flip down
PCoSp:  bumps cof kc ... up

Skating skills above average transitions average.  This performance a mess.  o much reliance on positions and posing.  Not a complete program.
PC in the mid 6s.  Too high.  This was not a "good" performance 

Xue Shen & Hongbo Zhao, CHN

Madame Butterfly

3T + 2T Combination:  she two foots the 2T (under 1/4?)
Throw Triple Salchow:  nice ++
Press Lift:  to star with cops
FODS:  a little sloppy coming out, but still +
Triple Twist:  decent height
Axel Lasso Lift:  to star and cop
FCCoSp:  flying camel sit coe side cof sit forward
Throw Triple Loop:  nice +2
Double Axel:  scored 1A
Spiral Sequence:  nice positions with entry directly into next element from spiral positions
PCoSp:  back camel sit-sit-forward cof rtc up with splits cof bumps
Circular Steps:  decent use of music
Toe Lasso Lift:  1aa
BODS:  nice +

Skating skills good.  Transitions very good.  Technically not at their finest, but still some strong elements.  Interpretation and performance very good.  A wonderful performance artistically.
PCs in the high 7s. They are currently first.

Aliona Savchenko & Robin Szolkowy, GER

Bon Voyage

Double Twist:  decent height 
3T+3T Sequence:  ok +
Throw Triple Flip:  ok
FIDS:  ass out entry
Axel Lasso Lift:  nearly collapses but they hold on -2. (she starts to collapse then pushes up again.) Scored level 1
PCoSp:  rtc bumps cof camel-sit  ... cof sit-sit
Straight Line Steps:  slow but with the music
Double Axel:  ok +
Throw Triple Salchow:  she breaks at waist on landing
Toe Lasso Lift:  1aa 1asd
FCCoSp:  flying camel (weak) sit coe forward cof forward, unison -
Star Lift:  ok with rotating positions
Spiral Sequence:  nice positions form her.  His leg a little low.
BODS:  Catch foot entry +

Skating skills above average.  Transitions good.  Presentation good.  Nice interpretation and use of connecting moves in the choreography.
PCs in the mid 7s.  They are currently second.

Rena Inoue & John Baldwin, USA

Shastakovich medley

Triple Lutz:  Scored 2Ts. He two foots it.
Double Twist:  ok, mediocre height
2A + 2A Sequence:  nice +
Throw Triple Loop:  ok
FIDS:  brief catch foot entry, ok
Star Lift:  1ato 1aa
PCoSp:  rtc camel-sit cof tc camel-sit up with split
Throw Triple Axel:  she falls
Step In Lasso Lift:  1aa 1asd turns nice +
BODS:  nice position +
Straight Line Steps:  ahead of their music at the start
CCoSp:  flying camel sit coe up cof sit side up coe
Spiral Sequence:  nice positions +
Axel Lasso Lift:  iaa 1asd

Skating skill above average.  Transitions good.  Performance good but not as good as Nationals, but still a respectable performance.
PCs in the high 6s.  They are currently third, so they could drop to seventh overall.

Resurface

Time for the big kids to play!

Warmup Group 5

Maria Petrova & Alexei Tikhonov, RUS

Fellini medley

2A + 3T Sequence:  She doubles the 3T, Scored 2A + 2T sequence
Triple Salchow: 2S 
Double Twist:  decent height
Throw Triple Loop:  Nice ++
Throw Triple Salchow:  Nice ++
Axel Lasso Lift:  1aa cop cartwheel out, solid
FCCoSp:  flying camel sit cof sit forward
PCoSp:  rtc camel-sit cof up with split cof rtc up-camel bumps
FIDS:  ass out entry, with cop
Toe Lasso Lift:  1aa, 1asd, air position -
Straight Line Steps:  nice positions, with personality
Spiral Sequence:  
Star Lift:  1aa lateral star position flip out
BODS:  nice +

Skating Skill good.  Transitions good to very good.  I find this a mindless program, but it was well presented and solidly executed so it should get good marks.
PCs in the mid 7s.  Currently second.

Qing Pang & Jian Tong, CHN

Phantom of the Opera

2A + 2T Combination:  just ok
Triple Toe Loop:  a little sloppy but ok
Triple Twist:  huge ++
Throw Triple Salchow:  huge, on the toe +
BODS:  position a little too off the ice
FCCoSp:  flying camel cannonball sit coe cof camel sit side, nice + 
Axel Lasso Lift:  strong 1aa 1asd +
Throw Triple Loop:  gig ++
FIDS:  nice positions +
Toe Lasso Lift:  pretty and effortless
Circular Steps:  nice 
Spiral Sequence:  nice positions, very secure
PCoSp:  rtc bumps cof up with splits sit-camel 
Star Lift:  swing up, +

Skating Skills very good.  Transitions good.  Wonderful performance, sustained all the way through. Secure and confident.
PCs in the mid 7s.  Currently in second place behind Shen & Zhao

CRUNCH TIME!

Tatiana Totmianina & Maxim Marinin, RUS

Romeo and Juliet

Triple Salchow:  ok
3T + 2T Combination:  nice +
Spiral Sequence:  nice positions, ++
Triple Twist:  high, chest bumps on exit
Throw Triple Loop:  good +
Toe Lasso Lift:  1aa stag air position
Throw Triple Salchow:  nice +
Axel Lasso Lift:  nicely done +
PCoSp:  rtc umps cof rtc bumps 
BIDS:  with features +
FCCoSp:  flying camel sit coe up cof sit forward
Straight Line Steps:  fair speed
Star Lift:  with flip out
FIDS:  ass out entry, with features

Skating skills very good.  Strong throughout entire porogram.  Transitions very good.  Performance clean and well done.  Interpretation good.  Choreography very good.  Overall a very good job.
PCs in the low 8s.  Currently in first  place.  Personal best

A tough act to follow.

Dan Zhang & Hao Zhang, CHN

The Offspring of Dragons  (That would be baby dragons, wouldn't it?)

Throw Quad Salchow:  A big fall with a huge split.  Scored throw 3S

The music stops. she is in major pain.  She goes to the entry door but does not leave the ice.  Now they are moving slowly around the ice.  Looks like they are going to try to pick it up from the interruption.

The music starts again.

2A + 3T Combination:  ok
Triple Twist:  huge ++
Lasso Lift:  to carry and slow cartwheel out
PCoSp:  rtc bumps camel-sit cof rtc natalia
BODS:  ok
Throw Triple Loop:  she steps out
Triple Salchow:  ok, she's a little squat on landing
Spiral Sequence:  nice positions, directly into FIDS
FIDS:  nice +
Axel Lasso Lift:  horizontal position 1asd
Circular Steps:  slow, simple
FCCoSp:  flying camel coe sit side cof sit side up, he is sloppy on cof
Star Lift:  nice +

Skating skills  good.  A courageous performance.  Transitions good.  Interpretation good.  Performance good (after the started up again - which was most of the program) .
PCs in the mid 7s .  They end up  in second place.   Personal best.

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