2017 GPF Pairs FS

Just saw the best two pairs and wow. It's been a long time that I got excited by pair performances, but these two were spectacular. Would have never thought that Aljona and Bruno could still beat the Chinese after seeing them. Amazing. Aljona has such a strong will and determination, it is highly admirable. And very glad Bruno did it this time.

TCAngel18 said:

Looking at both teams, they both left something on the table, S/H a bit more, w the fall in the SP. Looking forward to the Olympics, the question is, do they add to their arsenal, or just go for Consistency? S/H can add the throw 4S, but do S/M have a Quad twist in them? They have so much height on their triple twist now, but also think they only perform it at a level 2. That could add another 2-3 points. Introduce a quad twist, and a solid flow out of that throw 3S, and that program DEFINITELY scores over 160 on Olympic ice.

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Aljona and Bruno's triple twist was a level 3 today, with a GOE of 2.10. I hope they just keep polishing what they did today, because it's the quality of everything, the elements but also every single head bow, stretch of arms and fingertips, and the quality of their connection with each other .... and with the universe, LOL ... that gives this skate its otherworldly luminescence.

After seeing her struggle over and over to land the th3Axel, in pursuit of points, I'm thrilled to see a pair dediated to quality rather than quality. (it's not that easy to add another rotation to the twist, btw, from what I've read).

They're doing what they can do well ... in fact I'd say extraordinarily well. That is what an Olympic moment is all about. Today Aliona and Bruno created a magnificent moment in pairs figure skating.

:dance:

Nika09 said:

But what about the WR and TES? Really can't get where S/H did loose it. Han's shaky 3S against Aliona's shaky throw 3S, but rest was foot perfect. And if I'm not wrong, they even got level 4 for those damn pair combo spins today. And the triple twist against quadruple for S/H.

But please ne quad throws, save it for next Olympics!

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mostly GOEs, S&M got +0.9 for their throw (some judges gave it +2 ) and S&H got -0.7 for their sbs (its weird that USA judge thought their twist was worse than S&K and T&M and gave them -2 while these 2 teams got -1 and same jugde gave +2 to S&M's throw sal)

I finally looked at the protocols. S/M only received one GOE mark under 1.0, and that was .90. No negative marks at all. Two marks were 2.0 or higher.

Quality, people. Quality!

draqq said:

They can, although their side-by-side 3S will always be a bit of a nemesis for them. The throw 4S is within their reach and they make it look quite easy when they land it. I think it may be worth it to get a possible 3.7 point buffer, but they could just play it safe. But if both them and S/M skate clean, the judges are saying that they would go with S/M.

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Isn't it possible that the judges are only saying they went with S/M today, with this in-the-moment performance?

Sui/Han looked so concentrated and fiercely focused on the elements today that their program lost some of the magic it had for me earlier, when they were able to show the emotional depth of the music.

I want Savchenko to win OGM so much that I think I will not be able to watch OG.

skylark said:

Isn't it possible that the judges are only saying they went with S/M today, with this in-the-moment performance?

Sui/Han looked so concentrated and fiercely focused on the elements today that their program lost some of the magic it had for me earlier, when they were able to show the emotional depth of the music.

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Hard to say. This is the only opportunity we'll have to see both teams under the same panel of judges until the Olympics, and here S/M was given about a point more in PCS and just as good GOEs for the most part, if not better. Now, it could be that S/M got a slight boost for going last and for being the leaders from the short. In my book, S/M has the slight edge over S/H. If S/H had landed their 3S cleanly and S/M landed their throw 3S with a better landing, S/M would still have beaten them.

At minimum, this result has cemented the view by the judges that S/M and S/H are completely neck-and-neck. And I only suggest that S/H look into the throw 4S to up the ante, as it's not outside of their wheelhouse. A safer option would be perhaps the throw 3Lo to get 1 more point in BV. At the very least, I would want them to prepare the throw 4S, in case they are again trying to make up ground after a rocky short at the Olympics.

Nika09 said:

But what about the WR and TES? Really can't get where S/H did loose it.

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Lose.

treeloving said:

I want Savchenko to win OGM so much that I think I will not be able to watch OG.

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Same here. If someone could grant me one Olympic wish, for any result in any discipline, this would be it.
I mean, to the point that I would give away one of my country's OGMs just so that Aliona could have it. THAT's how much I want it for her.

I just woke up and saw the results and WHAT HAPPENED TO T/M???????? :sad4:

ruffledgrouse said:

I just woke up and saw the results and WHAT HAPPENED TO T/M???????? :sad4:

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Their Candyman didn't give them a lucky charm. It's time for them to go back to "Music".

Just watched the Pairs and my goodness S/M program just blew me away.
Quoting Dick Buttons "they skated as one today" and for me it was glorious.

Sui/Han skated very well today and there are so many things I love about their
skating but for me today it was all about Aliona and Bruno. Bravo!

I've always felt if both teams skate relatively clean, S/M's Free could very well score higher. With the SP I thought S/H had the edge. Certainly did not expect the fall here.

Interesting result. I think it will be a close battle btw S/H and S/M for gold at the Olympics. I prefer S/H personally but it's hard not to feel like Aljona would not be a very deserving winner. It's hard to know who to root for in the end. I guess I'll just root for both of them and then I have two opportunities to be happy with the results.

D/R getting third here is a good result for them. I think their best chance for a medal at the Olympics is in the team event but it's definitely not an impossibility that they could win a medal individually.

I agree with most of you.. Ksenia needs to stop falling already.

I really like so many things about T/M but I really do not like this Candyman program. Shame about the mistakes.

I am in super minority but I think Candyman at least give T/M personality or at very very least make them more noticeable (in good or bad way up to each opinion ).

Their previous programs are super boring.

treeloving said:

I am in super minority but I think Candyman at least give T/M personality or at very very least make them more noticeable (in good or bad way up to each opinion ).

Their previous programs are super boring.

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I actually think the nasty boy part is worse than the candyman part. I can nearly take the Candyman part at this point but the nasty boy part is just... I don't know if Vlad pulled it off today but at SA he didn't look interested in what she was selling at all and for that piece of music to work he has to look interested.

I also think they need new costumes. It's just all to cutesy for Christina A.

Finally watched the programs. Thoughts:

Y/Z: I love the different colors of the music and their highlights. She is so lovely. Better than their short in that he actually has choreography, but their interpretive abilities are limited. He will totally drop character for large swaths of time and it's hard not to notice.

S/K: Wonderful skating but I feel like the first half is a throwaway choreographically and in terms of their interpretation. The second half is much spicier and I actually got a couple moments of intensity from him. I hope that by euros they get their jumps together!!

D/R: They are much better than they were going into the 2014 Olympics. They pay much more attention to music now and seem more comfortable with their style. Quality drop off from their short. Good program but not as sophisticated as the top two teams.

S/H: I think they're the most complete pair and most perfectly matched. The program has amazing moments. Quibble: some of the poses and open mouth moments feel insincere. They sometimes seem to be trying too hard to make their faces match the intensity of the music.

T/M: The program takes me out of it from the very beginning because of the cringey movement. This is not them and they're trying way too hard. Once they started making mistakes on the tech content it was done. This is not an Olympic quality program.

S/M: That is an Aljona program! Gorgeous moments, impressive lifts, and tech content and very interesting choreography. But I can't blind my eyes: there were several awkward moments by Bruno and there's this trying to be deep quality to it that tries too hard. It worked for me with Robin it doesn't with Bruno--he's not matching the drama or intensity of the music. I don't have a problem with them winning because of the two programs but I do not think it's WR quality. Rather than skating as one this is more one amazing skater and a great lifter/thrower.

Bitter note: I was cheated of my J/C. :dev2: Can't wait for Euros!

There are some performances that I love and I keep going back and watch them with tears in my eyes no matter how old they are. I may sound melodramatic but I think Aliona's and Bruno's F.S. today is going to be one of those special programs. Congratulations to all the medalists!!!

lost3iron said:

There are some performances that I love and I keep going back and watch them with tears in my eyes no matter how old they are. I may sound melodramatic but I think Aliona's and Bruno's F.S. today is going to be one of those special programs. Congratulations to all the medalists!!!

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I just watched this program and could agree more. It moved me to tears it was so beautiful and powerful

Anyone know where to watch sui and hans fs if youre in USA? Every video ive found has been blocked :/