She was injured, the program was not polished, they were slow and tentative, but there were some nice moves there. I say, give them some time. Last season they had a mediocre GP showing, placing below Mukhortova/Trankov at the GPF but then they took the European title.
Pairs - Short Program
- Thread starter MikiAndoFan#1
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- Nov 22, 2009
Competently done, and I'm sure they can keep making improvements, but this music is almost too big to skate to. I'm not getting into the mood with this vehicle. I also think it's not going to help them against the other top 2-3 pairs.
What home field bonus? Gerboldt/Enbert got 54.10 points in France at Coupe de Nice with a FALL. In Russia they appear to have been cleaner yet received a slightly lower score. So if anything, G/E got a home ice deduction.
http://www.nice-baie-des-anges.fr/images/stories/docs-coupe/resultats2010/html/SEG011.HTM
- Joined
- Nov 22, 2009
^ Now now, you know you can't compare scores across competitions easily--different panels/judges and all that. Perhaps more important than the home field bonus is the Moskvina coaching bonus.
Maybe it was my feed, but Yuko Kavaguti looks skinnier than ever, which is scary because she was already too thin. She has good stretch on some of her moves, but the extreme skinniness wrecks it for me completely.
Their triple twist has poor technique and had a collision, she barely held on to the 3T, and the throw triple loop wasn't landed that great, but compared to the overall weakness of the field, first place seems justified. I like their music somewhat... it's different.
Mark Ladwig seemed off on the SBS spins and Amanda's SBS 3T may have been underrotated... That may have put them behind G&E.
Their triple twist has poor technique and had a collision, she barely held on to the 3T, and the throw triple loop wasn't landed that great, but compared to the overall weakness of the field, first place seems justified. I like their music somewhat... it's different.
Mark Ladwig seemed off on the SBS spins and Amanda's SBS 3T may have been underrotated... That may have put them behind G&E.
- Joined
- Jun 24, 2003
I am SOOOO happy Amanda & Mark skated clean! 
That's held them back in the past (skating bad in the SP) so for them to finally be skating clean short programs...wow, that's going to really help them a lot. I read somewhere else that they may have not gotten some levels on their elements (along with the downgrade on the triple toe) so if they can fix that for US Nats, they'll be in great shape and I'm sure Jim Peterson is all ready looking at it. They usually do that sort of thing during their summer competitions but they only did one of those this year due to the longer season last year. Skating clean here is a great first step though and hopefully they can skate great tomorrow and sneak in there for a medal! That would be AWESOME. 
That's held them back in the past (skating bad in the SP) so for them to finally be skating clean short programs...wow, that's going to really help them a lot. I read somewhere else that they may have not gotten some levels on their elements (along with the downgrade on the triple toe) so if they can fix that for US Nats, they'll be in great shape and I'm sure Jim Peterson is all ready looking at it. They usually do that sort of thing during their summer competitions but they only did one of those this year due to the longer season last year. Skating clean here is a great first step though and hopefully they can skate great tomorrow and sneak in there for a medal! That would be AWESOME. - Joined
- Feb 27, 2009
Yes, they got -GOE for SBS spin and their 3T got "<" (that's what commentator said, he saw protocols).
G/E did clean throw 3F after all. Beautiful couple! I like them and their program so much! So light and positive, good job! Can't believe she is skating in pairs only several months
Also, the difference between 4th and 3rd is about a point. I wouldn't worry too much about it. I think the key thing, as everyone said, that E/L skated clean (albeit imperfet). I expect better things for them in the LP, that seems to be where they shine.
That is a point I am in agreement with. Not a good choice of music, nor the choreography.
There is a reason why there are only 7 elements in pairs, to give you a chance to use the space with something you could stand out with in choreography and footwork. They didn't make good use of it.
- Joined
- Nov 22, 2009
40 years of watching Russian skaters being judged.
- Joined
- Mar 24, 2010
I think E/L are too low and G/E are too high. It shouldn't even be close.
I think K/S are not given enough credit. She had major shoulder surgery 6 months ago. He had groin problems all of last year and just got over the injury before he sprained his ankle bad and was off the ice for 7 weeks. They didn't start serious practice until the beginning of September. I think their scores a tad to low but with all they went though this summer, they look great.
I don't like the last lift/ending pose I hope they change it.
I think K/S are not given enough credit. She had major shoulder surgery 6 months ago. He had groin problems all of last year and just got over the injury before he sprained his ankle bad and was off the ice for 7 weeks. They didn't start serious practice until the beginning of September. I think their scores a tad to low but with all they went though this summer, they look great.
I don't like the last lift/ending pose I hope they change it.
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I don't like kavaguti smirnov program at all...I honestly hate the music...the swan program from last year was so gorgeous, but this year's one doesn't work for me..
I liked the japanese team a lot!!!!
Really good performance by the italian team...short time ago stefania had a surgery for an infection and they decided at last minute to go to russia! really good job from them!
I liked the japanese team a lot!!!!
Really good performance by the italian team...short time ago stefania had a surgery for an infection and they decided at last minute to go to russia! really good job from them!
- Joined
- Jun 3, 2009
Kavaguti/Smirnov: this music is HUGE and you can see them straining to it a little. However, the program is nicely spaced and the lift climax could be stunning. The triple twist is really poorly timed, though. I don't think any other team has a chance of skating to this music successfully, so I'm looking forward to seeing where this program peaks.
Evora/Ladwig: What is with this pair getting deep-sixed overall? They are probably the best American pair out there. Lovely program. Needs a little more fire, but this is probably my favourite pairs SP of hte season.
Gerboldt/Enbert: Ho hum, boring program. Ho hum, loads of potential. Ho hum, another intriguing pair into the Russian convoy.
Takahashi/Tran: I LOVE this short program. Mysterious, seductive, alluring - it's a gorgeous program and I like seeing them skate to it. Overall, something was missing but they're a deserving second
Lawrence/Swiegers: Opening a little too cutesy for my taste; last half much better choreographically but they seemed to lose a lot of energy.
Evora/Ladwig: What is with this pair getting deep-sixed overall? They are probably the best American pair out there. Lovely program. Needs a little more fire, but this is probably my favourite pairs SP of hte season.
Gerboldt/Enbert: Ho hum, boring program. Ho hum, loads of potential. Ho hum, another intriguing pair into the Russian convoy.
Takahashi/Tran: I LOVE this short program. Mysterious, seductive, alluring - it's a gorgeous program and I like seeing them skate to it. Overall, something was missing but they're a deserving second
Lawrence/Swiegers: Opening a little too cutesy for my taste; last half much better choreographically but they seemed to lose a lot of energy.
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- Feb 25, 2006
I usually don't like K&S, but they're the only team this season in pairs who has really DELIVERED.
Some Russian dance teams are overscored, true, but Russian pairs? See how Iliushechkina/Maisuradze were dumped at Cup of China after winning Skate Canada. Even at Skate Canada they were a bit underscored, getting lower PCS than Moore-Towers/Moscovitch is just fishy. Moore-Towers doesn't even come close to Iliushechkina. Generalizing a bit but Russian pairs tend to have the lines, the elegance and style that happens to be rare in pair skating, that's why they tend to get good scores. Besides some Russian teams, there's Savchenko/Szolkowy and Takahashi/Tran who are very polished but most pairs look a bit sloppy.
Anyway before you criticise the scoring for Russian pairs perhaps you should look at the scoring for pairs from your own country. Pang/Tong: unextended lift positions, their spins also don't have great positions and unison needs work, and she has wierd posture. And I've also seen it mentioned that their skating is scratchy although I'm not in a position to judge. In any case, they get huge PCS scores as if there's nothing they need to work on. I'm sorry but a great smile is not enough to justify those kinds of presentation scores. Same thing with Shen/Zhao. 2004 Worlds, they botched a lift yet got a stream of 6.0s. At the Olympics they again botched a lift and had poor spins and again got scores as if they'd been perfect.
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- Joined
- Jun 16, 2010
Decent start for K/S in their first event back. Good to see. Hopefully they can improve from here with more training time and more events.
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