Piper & Paul have arrived in Russia. Lots of clips on Piper's IG Stories:
https://www.instagram.com/stories/pipergilles/
https://www.instagram.com/stories/pipergilles/
It's not the first time they make the GPF, but it's been a while!A big kudos to them for winning the silver medal and qualifying for the Grand Prix Final for the first time in their career!!! :yes2: :hap85: arty:
It's not the first time they make the GPF, but it's been a while!
Piper's tweet: 5 years later but we are going back to the final!!!!
I think speed will be the biggest factor. That and ensuring they get their levels. It will be a battle for bronze and it could come down to a lost level. I dont expect the 3-6 teams to be separated by that many points.I feel they need to get slightly higher GOEs on some elements as well as some PCS areas.. how do they close the gap in the RD? I think their RD is off the charts good this year.. the way they act out their characters and intertwine the pattern in the RD is top of the charts this season. They are getting pretty strong scores in the FD and leaping some teams that are ahead of them after the RD. I feel they could use a bit more speed at certain times, other than that I am a bit lost on and ideas on how to raise their scores. Anyone have any other ideas for improvement?
I feel they need to get slightly higher GOEs on some elements as well as some PCS areas.. how do they close the gap in the RD? I think their RD is off the charts good this year.. the way they act out their characters and intertwine the pattern in the RD is top of the charts this season. They are getting pretty strong scores in the FD and leaping some teams that are ahead of them after the RD. I feel they could use a bit more speed at certain times, other than that I am a bit lost on and ideas on how to raise their scores. Anyone have any other ideas for improvement?
I won't be able to be in Torino, but found a kind soul who will get gifts to Piper and Paul - here are flower crowns, I am in the middle of finishing cards https://twitter.com/NoNameFace10/status/1200895319044702210?s=19
And here is a short clip showing PSquared cards I came with as a complimentary gift to flower crowns posted earlier , sparkly like their skating. The gifts are already in Torino, waiting for Saturday
https://twitter.com/NoNameFace10/status/1201045171032510464?s=19
I thought about what you posted for these few days - and I think (it is ofc just my opinion) things in ID are more complex & structured in terms of identifying areas to bump scores up. For me, 'improving scores' doesn’t always equate 'improving quality of execution', however irrational that sounds - it's just about non-skating factors that simply have to be taken into consideration while looking at team's prospects regarding placement/scoring.
While I agree that GOE & PCS are indeed areas of improvement scoring-wise Piper and Paul, I don't necessarily think that they are 'improvable' through only & exclusively their own work on speed, coverage or flow. Two aspects for me - first, the politicking/'reputational push' thing that is glued by hip with ID & no can convince me otherwise; I feel that Piper and Paul could be in a better position to have more of a 'push' & hype among judges if not that RD setback last season at SCI - some will tell that it is nonsense, but I do believe that it somehow confirmed there that image of talented, creative, but not consistent skaters in judges' mind. Yes, they still got medals at GP, with Vincent FD being (ofc arguably) the best FD vehicle of the season, but I think that stumble at their first GP set that impression that the consistency to push more is not there. In general I think that in ID transition from underdog/competitor to contender is much more slower and nuanced than in singles, in a sense of non-skating factors & certain level of subjective projection playing some role in the raise of a team (and there are no quads to skyrocket the team to the top in short span of time lol ). With Piper and Paul, I saw potential last season to gain more of that 'contender' points and that sort of happened, just not in the size that would make the impact I think - lack of consistency in strong execution/tech delivery, particularly with RD at the beginning of the season & comparing to other teams they are competing against, missing GPF, but finishing quite strong with some PBs, bronze at 4CC and generally very positive response about their material, FD in particular. This season I think they managed to show a very agile mindset towards competition and growth into being a contender & feeling confident about that status, which I haven't seen previously - starting at ACI was smart to do, to show programs in competitive environment & get feedback to work steady towards SCI. I think the debut was not exactly spectacular (particularly as for FD concept), but the leap of progress shown at SCI definitely had features of being called as such. The level of nuance they managed to inject into their performances was just stunning; I truly felt a new energy radiating from them & utmost confidence in every step about their programs. Which is one of things I love about PSquared work the most - a total devotion to what they want to convey/present. This spiced with more competitive bravado & improvement shown really made a difference so far this season. I think that as long as they will continue to deliver strongly their programs, showing signs of improvement in speed/coverage/projection of 'skating big' areas, the GOE & PCS level will slowly, but surely climb. It is just not the process that usually happens quickly, especially for teams that are not exactly the main flavour of ID judges, which brings me to a second aspect, the preferences.
PSquared are not representing 'the mainstream' direction or the hyped kind of aesthetic/repetoire which imo makes them lose a bit of 'brownie points' at the start. Their work, being a very particular embodiment of them in their quirky, artistic craft, has a very distinct visual and feel to it that does not exactly resonate well/soundly with all ID judges. There's always some kind of twist injected there that sets them apart, but never above their competition. Why? My guess it is partially by their lack of consistency in delivering sorta established throughout years and judges seeking a kind of 'harmonious' image they want to see, regardless of team's own preferences. The first got definitely better (this season is probably their strongest in terms of having the high bar in scores & consistency not only comparing it to their former seasons, but also to their competitors), the later...well, not much they can do, really. Kudos to the though for conforming as much as they did - to still maintaining creative notion about repetoire/choreography/musical choices while making their work 'accessible' and 'judges-friendly' to still get decent/competitive scores is something admirable.
So I don't know the exact idee fix about improving their scores, especially at the short span of time, but for me the success will be to see them maintaining high level established from the beginning of the season, improving speed and being even more confident - just work on aspects THEY have imfluence on. And delivering it.