2002

Skate America

Pairs Event

As the highest ranked team here, it was not surprising to find the Russian team of Tatiana Totmianina & Maxim Marinin at the top of the standings.  They gave a strong performance that was well presented, and while they deserved their placement, the marks of 5.8 and 5.9 they received were beyond generous.  They opened with a pair spin combination and circular spiral sequence.  For the major elements they completed throw triple loop, side-by-side triple toe loops, a lateral twist lift and a nice star lift combination.  Their only technical weakness was an ugly butt out entry into the forward inside death spiral.  Their presentation was sure and confident, but lacked the sophistication and intensity of a truly top team.

The Chinese team of Qing Pang & Jian Tong gave a strong technical performance, as we have come to expect from the Chinese teams in recent years.  They completed triple toe loops, throw triple loop and an outstanding lateral twist lift.   Their star combination lift was also well done, as was the death spiral.   Their spin elements, however, were less difficult than the Russians', and that may have been the difference in the first mark.  The program was energetic and well presented, but lacked the polish of the Russian team.

The Canadian team of Anabelle Langlois & Patrice Archetto were a bit of a surprise to end up third in the short program.  Up through last season this team was inconsistent and did not give the impression they had much of a future.  At the start of this season they appear more consistent and confident, and in the short program gave a performance to be taken seriously.  They landed throw triple Salchow, but on triple toe loops Langlois stepped out.  They had a decent twist lift and nice death spiral, but their spin elements do not have the necessary difficulty for a top senior team.  Despite these issues, the basic quality of their skating and the quality of the pair are much improved.

All three American teams were completely out-classed in the short program.   All three made one or two major errors in their programs, and except for Tiffany Scott & Philip Dulebohn there marks were not even of junior quality, and rightly so.

Tatiana Totmianina & Maxim Marinin skated a workmanlike program of reasonable difficulty with smooth, if cold, expression.  They had a few minor glitches, with Marinin stepping out of a triple toe loop and later a stumble in a diagonal footwork sequence.  On back inside death spiral, the element was complete, but the entry was extremely unattractive.

Langlois & Archetto, skating to Tosca, gave an expressive performance which was enthusiastically received by the audience.  They landed two triple throws and triple toe loops and ended with an outstanding forward inside death spiral with a travelling entry.  Their lifts included the rarely seen knuckle position with a transition to a flip out.  On the negative side, their triple twist was small and on side-by-side Salchows Langlois landed a single and Archetto a double.

Qing Pang & Jian Tong had some strong technical content which was decently presented, but towards the end of the routine they tired and their skating became sloppier.  They landed two triple throws, triple toe loops (he does a toe Axel) and an outstanding triple twist lift.  On side-by-side double Axels Pang fell and the entry to their forward inside death spiral was hideous.

The best placing American team was Tiffany Scott & Philip Dulebohn, who were a distant sixth.  The routine was tolerably presented but full of errors, both major and minor.  Throw triple Salchow and triple toe loops were landed, but Scott fell on throw triple loop and their triple twist had no catch.  Their best element was a side-by-side combination spin of flying camel into a sit spin, on which the unison was excellent.

Kathryn Orscher & Garrett Lucash gave a performance riddled with errors and roughly presented.  About all you can say to their credit is that they attempted a difficult program and with further time may develop.  The same could not be said for the third American team of Kristen Roth & Michael McPherson who made six major errors and gave a boring performance of sub-junior quality.

2002 Skate America Pairs Medalists