2015 Four Continents Pairs SP Feb 12 Seoul Time

[tulosai]

I feel the same with D/R, just hard tricks for me.

I do think you have to kind of ADMIRE D/R though. They have pulled themselves up basically through sheer athleticism and determination. They have a whole bunch of weaknesses and they MUST know that but they did not let it stop them, they just made their strengths SO strong that the weaknesses were no longer really a liability. I respect that.

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

No I agree, but I really like that short. Then again, I'm a sucker for arty and elegant. Love the music.

D/R is the opposite to me. That music is so overwrought it's like the aural equivalent of an anxiety attack. But they certainly skated it well.

I agree. D/R's SP and S/K's LP are two of the worst cases of overwrought "screamy" music. I just can't...

 

[wordsworthgirl]

Exactly right Always awesome to meet an Austen fan And my partner is also a prof so I know what you mean about it being... stuffy. He seems to enjoy it though

I always loved your skating posts, and now I know we share literary taste as well- yay! I will private message you.

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

I do think you have to kind of ADMIRE D/R though. They have pulled themselves up basically through sheer athleticism and determination. They have a whole bunch of weaknesses and they MUST know that but they did not let it stop them, they just made their strengths SO strong that the weaknesses were no longer really a liability. I respect that.

A pretty good assessment of them. You can even tell that P/T and P/Z are much more refined and pleasant to watch, but D/R make it very apparent that it's a sport and athleticism is king.

 

[WeakAnkles]

I agree. D/R's SP and S/K's LP are two of the worst cases of overwrought "screamy" music. I just can't...

Totally. They both just make me want to listen to Peggy Lee for balance.

 

[Sandpiper]

American pairs today (K/O did pretty well, though).

Canadian pairs today... :yay: (Just kidding. I'm still hoping for a Chinese sweep, even though it's not going to happen in a million years).

 

[bixby]

I do think you have to kind of ADMIRE D/R though. They have pulled themselves up basically through sheer athleticism and determination. They have a whole bunch of weaknesses and they MUST know that but they did not let it stop them, they just made their strengths SO strong that the weaknesses were no longer really a liability. I respect that.

Agree. I respect that about them. But somehow I have to agree with Trankov regarding his comment about D/R during the GPF. Of the two, I think Eric has the better presentation and presence on the ice than her. Usually it's the lady that's being watched.

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

I feel the same with D/R, just hard tricks for me.

Well, that's the thing.. hard tricks are exciting for me.

It's like when Epke Zonderland won the men's high bar at the 2012 London Olympics. His huge difficulty made the routine exciting even though his execution of the rest of the routine had line breaks and leg separations and was not as clean as the more refined high bar guys. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jm_mQXr6JL0

 

[tulosai]

I always loved your skating posts, and now I know we share literary taste as well- yay! I will private message you.

Please do!!!

Agree. I respect that about them. But somehow I have to agree with Trankov regarding his comment about D/R during the GPF. Of the two, I think Eric has the better presentation and presence on the ice than her.

Yes most definitely, and for a while I hoped she might try to rise to his level a bit, but she either hasn't or she can't and it is what it is. I'll never be their biggest fan but like I said already I admire/respect what they have been able to do and what they do well. I won't cry when they retire but I can't begrudge them their results or success (though some of these scores are maybe just a biiiiit high....)

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

Judges' scores.

http://www.isuresults.com/results/fc2015/fc2015_Pairs_SP_Scores.pdf

@ Judges 5 & 7 for Ilu/Mos

 

[Sandpiper]

To each their own. P/Z is more elegant, but D/R is more exciting and innovative to me (and obviously more ambitious technically), and they feel solid... I know when I watch them I'll see crazy difficulty, but effortless difficulty.

Of course there are many reasons to like D/R. I do admire their technical difficulty, and their consistency this season is impressive. They do deserve to be in the lead due to TES. But some of their elements look a little wild to me (for instance, I don't think their StSq was nearly as fluid as the Chinese teams). And they lack the choreographic nuances of P/Z or S/H. So just personally, I wouldn't give D/R the best PCS. But as you said, to each their own.

 

[bixby]

Please do!!!



Yes most definitely, and for a while I hoped she might try to rise to his level a bit, but she either hasn't or she can't and it is what it is. I'll never be their biggest fan but like I said already I admire/respect what they have been able to do and what they do well. I won't cry when they retire but I can't begrudge them their results or success (though some of these scores are maybe just a biiiiit high....)

Well said. I wish and hoping they would rise to Jamie Sale & David Pelletier's standard of excellence. Just brilliant partnership on the ice.

 

[burntBREAD]

Canadian pairs today... :yay: (Just kidding. I'm still hoping for a Chinese sweep, even though it's not going to happen in a million years).

Hahaha...
Actually, now that I think about it, K/O were more or less clean and S/K had great elements aside from the salchow. I just like D/F the best, and they clearly performed the worst today not just the fall but they seemed really tight the whole time too.

Can't complain too much about the Chinese teams! Two pristine programs and a very solid comeback.

 

[wordsworthgirl]

No I agree, but I really like that short. Then again, I'm a sucker for arty and elegant. Love the music.

D/R is the opposite to me. That music is so overwrought it's like the aural equivalent of an anxiety attack. But they certainly skated it well.

ETA: I'm also a huge Austen fan. I started a Jane Austen thread on the Reading/Books board you might want to check out.

Weak Ankles I will check out your Austen thread! I wrote a dissertation chapter on Pride and Prejudice and have taught all her novels. Love her so much.

 

[pandaatlarge]

I used to feel this but I think they have chosen very appropriate programs to try to mitigate this. I actually also think they dynamic between them is very sweet- like he is a much older brother. I think she is lucky to be able to draw on his experience. It is likely she will have another partner later and I think this time will TRULY have benefited her.

I agree with you that they have chosen very appropriate programs to overcome the gap being a air. In the press conference when being asked about the choreography, Peng said the story is about a magician controlling a snake, she said “I must follow everything he ordered” and then looked at Zhang and laughed, she felt the story so funny.

 

[bj80alex]

A pretty good assessment of them. You can even tell that P/T and P/Z are much more refined and pleasant to watch, but D/R make it very apparent that it's a sport and athleticism is king.

I have full respect for D/R's ambitious technical elements, given they are not young skaters. But what I don't like them and their programs is that their transitions, various and innovative as it may be, are for the sake of transitions, and they simply do not blend with the programs at all. You can easily spot the transitions, which is not the way a good progam looks like. For me their programs are like: trick, transition, trick, transition...
BTW, I can still remember their entry of the death spiral of their last year's SP. Simply outrageous

 

[Sabrina]

I respect D/R technical skills and they deserve the scores they get, but I don't like them together. They lack any chemistry and that is reflected in their artistic expression. Eric said that they don't chose sentimental stories due to his orientation. But this is figure skating! Not all pairs or dance partners are lovers! Maybe they just need some drama classes...
My favourite Canadians are I/M, even MT/M...I love I/M but I also miss the old couple MT/M.
My God, I liked all the Chinese pairs!

 

[matmuh]

after being busy with mens SP finally caught up with the thread,
i just lovee Sui and Han's, might be my favourite SP and they play the characters very well!! and they were technically great!! (not perfect but its getting there ) i would actually put them ahead of Peng and Zhang but difference isnt that much so its okay, hopefully they are gonna improve their PCS and with that TES they seem to be top pair in china, and that twist!!

i actually like Duhamel and Radford, their enthusiasm and joy, and of course their technical ability, noone is perfect but they are unique and i like that

 

[kdpair]

Yeah, starting the rewards at $100 isn't a smart idea.

You can donate any amount you like. The give backs are set by amount

 

[LittleLotte29]

i just lovee Sui and Han's, might be my favourite SP and they play the characters very well!! and they were technically great!! (not perfect but its getting there )

How can get any better technically? Sbs jumps are wonderfully synchronized, throw jump best in the field, twist is amazing, lift - simply marvellous... They don't have to improve anything, thes are judges who have to start appreciating them...

i actually like Duhamel and Radford, their enthusiasm and joy, and of course their technical ability, noone is perfect but they are unique and i like that

I totally agree