2015 Cup of China Pairs Free Skate

[sses1]

I've no idea who that Carol Lane woman is but her commentary was indeed completely useless.

She's Gilles and Porier's coach.

 

[NAOTMAA]

After watching both programs its pretty crazy that S/H apparently only lost the PCS mark by .35 :shocked: Sorry, but it really should have been much more then that but I guess its not that surprising considering they were the World silver medalist, their country's #1 and skating at home

Their program despite for the most part hitting the elements felt lifeless. Their interpretation of the music was bland and not very engaging. I think in the last two years they have made improvements artistically but perhaps not enough to pull off this heavy of a program. Their not fully matured yet as skaters and it really showed when skating right after K/S who displayed far more command of the music and ice.

They weren't terrible, rather good for a first outing of the season, but K/S should have won the LP by a bigger margin.

 

[Blades of Passion]

Just curious how would you mark them in short and long?

The scores in the SP were pretty accurate to me. S/H have the better program there, so just the small mistake of a hand down on the 3Toe is enough for them to stay ahead of K/S in that segment. I think do S/H were a little overscored on the death spiral, she's too high up! There was also a strange little moment after the throw 3Flip where she looked confused/tense. Wasn't sure what to make of that. It's a really great program, though.

In the LP I think K/S deserved to be a few points ahead on PCS, but it appears they just barely edged them out there. The section after the jump combo for S/H was too much of a mess. She's tripping on the ice and their choreography is so far apart/detached. I hope they look at that more closely in the future. Most of the performance was a little less energetic and on point than what they are capable of.

She's Gilles and Porier's coach.

She might want to stick to doing that. Good to know, though!

 

[Tastetherainbow]

There was also a strange little moment after the throw 3Flip where she looked confused/tense.

Since Sui was injured, I'm sure landing those throws must have hurt A LOT. This is the first time I've seen her land her throws with her fists clenched... poor girl :sad21:

 

[Violet Bliss]

After watching both programs its pretty crazy that S/H apparently only lost the PCS mark by .35 :shocked: Sorry, but it really should have been much more then that but I guess its not that surprising considering they were the World silver medalist, their country's #1 and skating at home

Their program despite for the most part hitting the elements felt lifeless. Their interpretation of the music was bland and not very engaging. I think in the last two years they have made improvements artistically but perhaps not enough to pull off this heavy of a program. Their not fully matured yet as skaters and it really showed when skating right after K/S who displayed far more command of the music and ice.

They weren't terrible, rather good for a first outing of the season, but K/S should have won the LP by a bigger margin.

Don't take this as S/H's standard. She is injured and has been taking pain pills for days now and didn't practice throws. As well, they decided not to do any quads because of her condition. Expect quads as well as higher performance level when she is healthy and her sassy self again.

 

[solar]

Don't take this as S/H's standard. She is injured and has been taking pain pills for days now and didn't practice throws. As well, they decided not to do any quads because of her condition. Expect quads as well as higher performance level when she is healthy and her sassy self again.

I didn't know her injury was that bad! Best wishes for a speedy recovery in time for GPF.
And I agree, their standard is much higher than at COC. I can't wait to see their programs performed to their full potential (with a quad throw too hopefully!)

 

[Skater Boy]

After watching both programs its pretty crazy that S/H apparently only lost the PCS mark by .35 :shocked: Sorry, but it really should have been much more then that but I guess its not that surprising considering they were the World silver medalist, their country's #1 and skating at home

Their program despite for the most part hitting the elements felt lifeless. Their interpretation of the music was bland and not very engaging. I think in the last two years they have made improvements artistically but perhaps not enough to pull off this heavy of a program. Their not fully matured yet as skaters and it really showed when skating right after K/S who displayed far more command of the music and ice.

They weren't terrible, rather good for a first outing of the season, but K/S should have won the LP by a bigger margin.

ITA I and many had written off K and S as maybe being off the Russian team and they usually make errors but I forget just how beautiful their skates can be and really interesting choreography and all.. sure I hate Smirnov's hair (I must not like attitudes (ponytails) - something about flattening the hair I think) and usually even hate Yukas but I like it now but it isn't about hair. Really K and s delivered. I do have an issue with the throw quads. I think they are undervalued for he risk and difficulty compared to the twist and the lifts. It isn't really fair - they all should be worth when they get into the quads about a point and a half more or at least point. I thought Sui and Han have shown far greater chemistry and flow - I would have had them around 137 points in the free. But maybe that is the home inflation - soon it will be in Russia.

 

[Violet Bliss]

Since Sui was injured, I'm sure landing those throws must have hurt A LOT. This is the first time I've seen her land her throws with her fists clenched... poor girl :sad21:

The injury is on her landing leg.

 

[Meoima]

Poor Sui, I hope she will be ok asap for GPF.

 

[Violetti]

I am happy for Kavaguti/Smirnov. Their program touched my heart again like they nearly always do.

 

[4everchan]

well… K/S…. the problem isn't that they aren't good and worthy of winning pretty much any event they enter…. the issue in my humble opinion, is that perhaps the Russian fed has lost hope on them in the sense that nationally, they haven't placed on top of the podium in so many years…. probably because their SBS jumps are weaker…. so I am glad that they are working on quad throws but until they are allowed in the SP, they better nail their 3T otherwise they will be held down after the SP…. in the LP, they do have some room to catch up teams but when the field is deeper like at worlds, it gets tough… but all this being said, kudos to them for winning! best wishes!!! PS I much prefer them to any other Russian team in the current field this year

 

[moriel]

I dont think russian fed lost their hope in them. After all, they are still a top 3 russian team for now - they may be behind V/T, but around same with S/K, and a bit above T/M.
So i dunno, russian fed kept supporting Liza for 2 lame seasons, and keeps supporting Lip after she messed up last season. Keeps supporting Anna, despite her Worlds disaster. I don't think they would just ditch one of their top pairs teams just because whatever. It is still a top 5 team at worlds after all.

 

[4everchan]

i don't know… since 2010, they haven't won the national title… it's quite a while…

2010 Saint Petersburg Yuko Kavaguti / Alexander Smirnov Maria Mukhortova / Maxim Trankov Vera Bazarova / Yuri Larionov [2]
2011 Saransk Tatiana Volosozhar / Maxim Trankov Yuko Kavaguti / Alexander Smirnov Vera Bazarova / Yuri Larionov [3]
2012 Saransk Vera Bazarova / Yuri Larionov Ksenia Stolbova / Fedor Klimov Anastasia Martiusheva / Alexei Rogonov [4]
2013 Sochi Tatiana Volosozhar / Maxim Trankov Yuko Kavaguti / Alexander Smirnov Ksenia Stolbova / Fedor Klimov [5]
2014 Sochi Ksenia Stolbova / Fedor Klimov Vera Bazarova / Yuri Larionov Maria Vigalova / Egor Zakroev [6]
2015 Sochi Ksenia Stolbova / Fedor Klimov Evgenia Tarasova / Vladimir Morozov Yuko Kavaguti / Alexander Smirnov [7]

 

[Meoima]

It's because of their inconsistency, and their elements aren't big to get huge GOE to begin with. They have the difficulty but not consistency. There is no way to change judges' mind because they're often seen like that anyway.
They still can medal at WC, but only when the top team with bigger twist and throw faltered.

 

[moriel]

Yeah, but they are still good enough to not be ignored by fed. No title, yes, but how many times they show up as 2nd / 3rd in that list? On how many international podiums they have been over those years? I just cant imagine the fed ditching a team like that and then supporting Pogo this year, for example.

 

[4everchan]

however, showing up to competitions without being russians #1 team causes prejudice… especially when another russian is there…. i never understood why S/K got so much attention as K/S were always a special team for me…

 

[icedinn]

^^ S/K are a special team and their fed thankfully knows that.

 

[silverfoxes]

i don't know… since 2010, they haven't won the national title… it's quite a while…

2010 Saint Petersburg Yuko Kavaguti / Alexander Smirnov Maria Mukhortova / Maxim Trankov Vera Bazarova / Yuri Larionov [2]
2011 Saransk Tatiana Volosozhar / Maxim Trankov Yuko Kavaguti / Alexander Smirnov Vera Bazarova / Yuri Larionov [3]
2012 Saransk Vera Bazarova / Yuri Larionov Ksenia Stolbova / Fedor Klimov Anastasia Martiusheva / Alexei Rogonov [4]
2013 Sochi Tatiana Volosozhar / Maxim Trankov Yuko Kavaguti / Alexander Smirnov Ksenia Stolbova / Fedor Klimov [5]
2014 Sochi Ksenia Stolbova / Fedor Klimov Vera Bazarova / Yuri Larionov Maria Vigalova / Egor Zakroev [6]
2015 Sochi Ksenia Stolbova / Fedor Klimov Evgenia Tarasova / Vladimir Morozov Yuko Kavaguti / Alexander Smirnov [7]

They had to withdraw from 2012 Nationals and they missed the entire 2013-14 season because of Sasha's injuries. So who knows how they might have done if they were healthy and able to compete. You don't know that "the Russian fed has lost hope in them," that's just conjecture on your part.

 

[4everchan]

you are correct... i will rephrase my post.... i don't know... i just have a feeling and i don't like it i like K/S better than the other teams so maybe i get a bit frustrated.

They had to withdraw from 2012 Nationals and they missed the entire 2013-14 season because of Sasha's injuries. So who knows how they might have done if they were healthy and able to compete. You don't know that "the Russian fed has lost hope in them," that's just conjecture on your part.

 

[3T3T]

An amazing skate from K/S for a well deserved victory. I really love this programme, they work so well with the music, the stomping must be least worth a few points in PCS alone. The only thing that worries me is can they keep this up all season long? I think the ran out of steam as the season went on last year. I didn't expect them to beat S/H on home soil but the two quad throws were fully rotated, the lifts were great, the sbs jumps were among their best, I was surprised in the end it was so close. Yuko was extremely happy coming of the ice which is always nice to see.

I enjoyed S/H, they have come on so much in the last two seasons, and now are the Chinese number ones. I like this long are really like the choreo of the programme, I would have them a few points behind K/S on PCS but if D/R can get 70+ I don't see why S/H can't. Maybe K/S should have got higher marks. I also enjoyed Y/J and A/R.

This was a high level Pairs competition where everyone performed well.