2020 US Nationals: Pairs Short Program Recap | Golden Skate

2020 US Nationals: Pairs Short Program Recap

gsk8

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Alexa Knierim and Christopher Knierim took the lead in the Pairs’ Short Program in Greensboro, N.C., on Thursday, followed by Tarah Kayne and Danny OShea and Ashley Cain-Gribble and Timothy LeDuc.

Knierim and Knierim were solid in their performance to “At Last”, producing a level 3 triple twist, triple toes, and a very good throw triple Lutz. The lift and spin were graded a level 4 and the 2019 CS Nebelhorn Trophy silver medalists scored 77.06 points. Alexa Knierim in particular, was overjoyed, and wore her emotions on her sleeve at the end of the routine.

“I don’t care what people think or say, but for us, it’s been a long road to get here,” said Chris Knierim of their reaction after the skate. “No one sees how much work we put in from day to day and the struggles we have. The reaction after we were done skating shows how we felt about it; we conquered a few demons and hopefully, we’ll take that momentum into the free skate.”

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Share your thoughts and opinions on the Pairs SP in Greensboro!
 
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el henry

Go have some cake. And come back with jollity.
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So happy for Alexa and Chris:hap10: They have been through so much and it was great to see them get so much love from the crowd.

A little sad for Ashley and Tim, seems unfair that the entire death spiral was invalidated?
 

skylark

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Knierims. Beautiful, the best I've ever seen them skate! They really created a moment. Seeing them do the SBS triple toes was almost mystifying, particularly because I'd just watched Chris do double after double right in front of me during the warm-up! The program seemed like a miracle, so perfect.

Tarah Kayne and Danny O 'Shea. What a difference a Debussy makes. Wow. Such a transformation. K/O are a very good argument for doing (possibly?) a little less difficult elements, but doing them very well. I can't quite put my finger on why the difference was so dramatic, but it may have been inside them, just a lackluster feeliing in the GPs. A shine and an infusion of beauty may have been what they needed to be inspired.

Ashley Cain-Gribble and Timothy Leduc. Unfortunate mishap on the death spiral aside ... Ashley and Tim had the audience in the arena in a constant state of Ooooohs and Aaaahs. Literally. The effect of their program was electrifying. If you've ever been puzzled by what the judges see in them and why A/T earn such high marks, you oughta see them in person. Their height, their performing, how big and fast and passionately they skate, and their unison create this whole alternate reality.

Jessica Calalang and Brian Johnson. From the moment they began their beautiful Light of the Seven program, one word leapt into my head: Artistry. There's something about the way Jessica moves to the music that Brian is able to complement perfectly. (Aside: he looks smaller in person than he does on video.) It did seem like adrenalin of the event was responsible for the SBS fall. She has a feisty personality, but there's no sign of that in her skating, which is smooth and ethereal.

Audrey Lu and Misha Mitrofanov. They immediately brought a brand-new energy into the arena, as soon as they began their program. Their skating was sharper than anything we'd seen before, and their adherence to the accents of the music was something new from them, from what I've seen before. Especially Misha. If you've ever doubted the power of a beautiful smile on a skating performance, feast your eyes on Misha!

Haven Denney and Brandon Frazier. Lion King desperately needed ... Bring him on! Before their skate, I'd never seen such a good example of the saying "the falls took the air out of the program." They kept performing, but it was as though the sun had gone behind a cloud. Well ... the contrast between that and the LK program could be amazing.
 

Ichatdelune

Long live the Queen and her successors
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Alexa Knierim yelling "YEESSSS!!!!!!" after their skate and pounding her husband on the shoulder in the KnC was adorable :laugh: But it really was a great skate, I was immensely and pleasantly surprised when Chris Knierim landed his 3T. Their pair elements (including swoon-worthy twist) are just so great, hopefully they can continue this momentum into the free.

I am on the verge of liking Lu/Mitrofanov, they are still kinda juniorish but they do have a certain air of charm. I would like them to have better music though...

Calalang/Johnson, now here's a team that I hesitate to like. They have this quality air around them that makes them likable (and a lovely death spiral), but they're just a bit short of a clean skate every time I watch them. Granted, I haven't watched that much of them, but I have enough faves that break my heart so

Denney/Frasier... Well, they will always have their GP skates. And hopefully they can have a rebound free, their Lion King free can be a stunner (as seen in their GP skates).

Cain/LeDuc, death spiral issue aside, they seemed a bit hesitant in everything after the throw lutz. Before that everything was quality though. Mixed bag of a skate, I hope no more issues arise for them in the free (and in the future as well).

Kayne/O'Shea made the right choice in changing to Clair de Lune, everything including his shaved head looked more pleasant to the eye. And everything minus the twist was pristine. They deserve their place.
 
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