2014 Rostelecom Cup Pairs Free Skate 11/15

[Mao88]

PAIRS FREE SKATE - VIDEOS & RESULT

1. Ksenia STOLBOVA / Fedor KLIMOV (RUS) - 211.97 Free Skate, 2nd Copy, 3rd Copy, 4th Copy
2. Evgenia TARASOVA / Vladimir MOROZOV (RUS) - 173.78 Free Skate, 2nd Copy, 3rd Copy, 4th Copy
3. Kristina ASTAKHOVA / Alexei ROGONOV (RUS) - 164.86 Free Skate, 2nd Copy, 3rd Copy, 4th Copy
4. Haven DENNEY / Brandon FRAZIER (USA) - 164.85 Free Skate, 2nd Copy, 3rd Copy, 4th Copy
5. Jessica CALALANG / Zack SIDHU (USA) - 157.45 Free Skate, 2nd Copy, 3rd Copy
6. Annabelle PRÖLSS / Ruben BLOMMAERT (GER) - 145.16 Free Skate, 2nd Copy, 3rd Copy
7. Narumi TAKAHASHI / Ryuichi KIHARA (JPN) - 132.60 Free Skate, 2nd Copy, 3rd Copy
8. Dee Dee LENG / Simon SHNAPIR (USA) - 128.68 Free Skate, 2nd Copy, 3rd Copy

 

[TMC]

OK. So I just watched DW's. What a nice walk down memory lane - that was quite a program. I think I'll wait to render an answer to this question until World Championships. I watched the 2013 Worlds version of DW which I'm sure was much better than their first outing of the season. I LOVE DW's version. But I also really liked S/K. Also hard to really compare pairs and dance. I will say that SK doing the throw at the end defintely brings the for the end of this program as the music climaxes!

I too think that the Worlds 2013 edition was the best outing of that program. They did that looooooong "staring into each other's eyes" spiral and it made it a million times better.

 

[gold12345]

I'm surprised people are surprised T/M finished second. All their elements were either excellent (twist, lifts, death spiral, etc) or failed (jumps). Their base value is very high. Combine that with a 13 pt lead from the SP and it's no surprise they're second. Their overall skating quality is better tha both A/R and D/F. Those two teams also had mistakes , even if they weren't falls (pops, shaky lift and/or jump sequence). Denney will be kicking herself over that jump in the SP.

I agree about T/M, they're a strong, well-rounded pair and the big SP lead helped. The only thing I was a little surprised about was how much of a margin ended up between them and 3rd place, but Astakhova/Rogonov did hurt themselves a lot by receiving zero points for their second lift. D/F lose points in a few areas like death spirals, with the most glaring errors of course being the pops/shakiness in both jumping passes in the LP in addition to their jumps in the SP. We don't know what's going on inside these skaters' heads, but perhaps the nerves of trying to finish high enough to have a GPF chance got to both D/F and T/M a bit. T/M are capable of strong execution on every element... it's uncharacteristic for them to have several big errors. But it was a good learning experience nonetheless.

Stolbova/Klimov skated quite well. I'll have to watch their LP once more to formulate more definitive thoughts on it, but I don't know why people would do much comparing of their program to Davis/White's. There are too many elements in a pair program to expect it resemble and have a similar feel of a dance program. And was their 3T+1T+2T intentional? It didn't look like it, but it would have been weird if they made the same exact mistake.

 

[3T3T]

A disappointing Free Skate, apart from S/K, it was error ridden. I loved S/K, the sharpness, the confidence, the self belief, they were not going to miss anything today. The 3STh at the end is superb it ends the programme on a great note. I like the music and the costumes. I would rank this as second to K/S so far this season. One thing I will say is the elements and their layout was vary similar to last year.

T/M were lucky that they had such a big lead after the short. This was a very disappointing skate, lots of errors. I was worried for her in the lifts as he seemed a bit all over the place starting off. The twist was superb. I like the music. When skated clean this will be a knockout programme. I don't have a problem with them being second overall, especially as those behind made mistakes as well.

Impressive GP debut from A/R, only for that botched lift they would be in second. They are a very expressive couple with two great programmes. D/F will be kicking themselves for all the little errors they made, they could easily have been on the podium. I liked C/S, they had a strong finish to their programme. The US nationals will be interesting.

From watching Takahashi skate today, it's hard to believe that she was once a worlds medallist, she is a long way of that now. Her jumps are so insecure and for the lifts and throws they still seem tentative. L/S were very disappointing, I was watching BESP and Chris was saying she was a great jumper but I didn't in both their programmes, also for a new couple I got the impression they didn't get on, they seemed a bit cold towards each other (during the programme and in the K&C)

 

[Snow63]

S/K had three 10.00 for PE and IN. Wow. They really rocked. The rest though...:disapp:

 

[Silvia451]

I wasn't at home to watch the event, but I just saw on youtube S/K's program So confident. Loved the interpretation, these two are really living the programs.

 

[Alba]

I just love S&K. I'm so happy for them and I can't wait to see them live at TEB! :dance:

 

[satine]

I just love S&K. I'm so happy for them and I can't wait to see them live at TEB! :dance:

Jealous :

 

[TCAngel18]

Jealous :

Crapppppp. By .01, Denney and Frazier just placed themselves out of the GPF. Of course there have been crazy things happen before, but if they would have finished 3rd, they most likely would have snuck in the 6th spot.

 

[cebi26]

S&K are absolutely lovely

 

[icedinn]

Jealous :

Same here.

 

[Skater Boy]

Crapppppp. By .01, Denney and Frazier just placed themselves out of the GPF. Of course there have been crazy things happen before, but if they would have finished 3rd, they most likely would have snuck in the 6th spot.

I know so so close but really this year the pairs skating is kind of rebuilding. Denney and Frazier really aren't in the top tier. Maybe not in the second tier or lost with all those billion of other "good" but not great teams. I hope we get to see K and S again.

 

[flutzy13]

Crapppppp. By .01, Denney and Frazier just placed themselves out of the GPF. Of course there have been crazy things happen before, but if they would have finished 3rd, they most likely would have snuck in the 6th spot.

The fact that D/F missed holding off a Russian sweep by .01 is the very epitome of suspect Cup of Russia judging. But I'm not crying for them too much- given that they were skating in Russia, they needed to be so good the judges couldn't deny them and unfortunately they weren't this time.

 

[Art&Sport]

Yes, too many mistakes from a lot of teams, but in figure skating these days, there is so much room for manipulation that huge mistakes from favored front runners don't seem to matter much. I just have to go myself by which teams I enjoy watching and then look at the overall tech and presentation skills. Looking at and trying to find reasoning for how ISU judges score these events is just headache-inducing, so I try to avoid that as much as possible. IMO, with one point separating the overall result between 3rd and 4th place, I think Denney/ Frazier deserved the bronze here. But, yes, it is taking place in Russia, so the edge was given to the third Russian team who obviously will not be at Worlds since only 3 Russian teams can attend Worlds. I think the third place Russians here have some good elements, but are not as good a team right now as Denney/ Frazier are shaping up to be. D/F have better programs overall on PCS in terms of refinement and presentation, regardless of the as usual PCS manipulation. Yes, Brandon still needs to work more on his posture and stretch, but I found the 3rd place Russian team a bit sloppy and ill-defined. Even U.S. Calalang/ Zidhu were more interesting to watch. Would have been interesting to see the results have C/Z and D/F went clean in both programs!

Likely going to Worlds from Russia will be Stol/Klim, Kavaguti/ Smirnov, and perhaps Tarasova/ Morosov, unless V/T intend to go.

 

[[email protected]]

D&W could deserve the bronze if they were good enough. In fact they were not. Impression wise they were weaker than all of the Russian teams. A clean skate with mistakes from A&R would bring them to the podium. But they had mistakes and they had a big disadvantage after SP. What bronze are we talking about? The placement is correct and it has nothing to do with "event in Russia". In fact I think that it was the most non-controversial event since a while. With the exception of Stepanova&Bukin who, I believe, should have been the 4th.

 

[Alba]

Jealous :

If I find a vuvuzela I'll buy one and use it there in your honour satine.

 

[satine]

If I find a vuvuzela I'll buy one and use it there in your honour satine.

NO! :shocked:

 

[Alba]

NO! :shocked:

Don't you like them?

 

[satine]

Don't you like them?

I am only thankful that they burn at such a low temperature

 

[Alba]

I am only thankful that they burn at such a low temperature

I hate them too. I couldn't stand the world cup in SA because of the vuvuzelas.