2001

Skate Canada

Pairs Event

Following up on their win at Skate America last week, Jamie Sale & David Pelletier gave another commanding performance here in the short program.  It was a clean, well executed performance with throw triple loop, triple toe loops and double twist.  They received marks of all 5.8s from all the judges, except for one 5.9 from the Canadian judge.

The Russian team of Tatiana Totmianina & Maxim Marinin, who won the bronze medal at Skate America, also had a clean skate and seem poised to win the silver medal here.  They also landed throw triple loop, triple toe loops and double twist.  The unison in their side-by-side combination spin was excellent and their overhead lift included a nice one-arm setdown.  In their circular footwork sequence they tended to skate too far apart, however, and their presentation while decent was a bit sluggish.

Third place was taken by the Chinese team of Qing Pang & Jian Tong, who placed tenth at the 2001 World Championships.  On opening triple toe loops Tong had a poor landing but stood up on the jump.  Throw triple Salchow was successful, though Pang tends to take off on two feet, and their double twist was well done.  In general, however, their spins were sloppy as was the entry to the deathspiral, and their circular footwork sequence did not close.  Their presentation was better than most here, and continues to improve.  If they skate clean, they have the opportunity to move up in the world standings this season.

Except for the jumps, Stephanie Kalesavich & Aaron Parchem skated moderately well.  The program, however, lacks the difficulty, sophistication and speed needed to be competitive at the world level.  On an opening throw triple Salchow Kalesavich put her hands down and on subsequent side-by-side triple Salchows she two footed the jump.

Danielle & Steve Hartsell had an even weaker skate here than at Skate America.  Their double twist was adequate and throw triple Salchow was successful.  On triple toe loops Danielle two footed the jump and Steve stepped and turned out.  Their overhead lift omitted a change of positions and overall the program was just too too simple.

The Russian team of Tatiana Totmianina & Maxim Marinin held second place with a meticulous skate that was also stronger than their performance at Skate America.  There were no major errors in their elements but neither their technique nor their presentation were a match for the Canadians.  They landed throw triple loop, throw triple Salchow, and a triple toe loop - double toe loop combination.  The catch on their triple twist was poor but not disastrous and among their other lifts was a nice lasso list to one-arm position with a one-arm setdown.

Skating back-to-back in the starting order, the Canadian team of Anabelle Langlois & Patrice Archetto moved ahead of the Chinese team of Qing Pang & Jian Tong to capture the bronze medal.  Neither team skated clean but the Canadians had the edge in technique and were clearly superior in presentation.

Skating ahead of the Canadians, Pang & Tong opened with a throw triple Salchow which Pang stepped out of.  Triple toe loops were successful but sloppy and then on triple twist Pang hit her partner's shoulder and then after a delay, fell.   The remaining elements were free of major errors but nearly were flawed in minor ways and two of their lifts were nearly identical.

Langois & Archetto gave a strong performance that was mostly well done, though sloppy in a few places.  They completed throw triple Salchow, throw triple toe loop, double Axels, and a triple toe loop - double toe loop sequence.  Their triple twist had no catch and on triple Salchows Archetto singled the jump.

Stephanie Kalesavich & Aaron Parchem had a decent skate despite a few errors.  Their triple twist had no catch, on triple Salchow Kalesavich two footed the jump and on throw triple Salchow she put her hand down.  They completed throw triple loop, double Salchows into double toe loops, and double flips.

It didn't seem possible that the Hartsell's could skate worse than they did at Skate America, but somehow they did.  There was no catch on their triple twist, they doubled throw triple loop, murdered a toe loop combination and both fell on double Axels.   They managed a triple toe loop into double toe loop sequence and also throw triple Salchow.  Their liftd were a struggle and the performance a lifeless strain.    Given their performances at Skate America and Skate Canada, the Hartsells seems poised to slip into oblivion while Kalesavich & Parchem look on the move up in the U.S. standings.

2001 Skate Canada Pairs Medalists