Skate Canada Virtual Program - Ice Dance

[dorispulaski]

The Skate Canada competition will be rather sad, since Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir had to withdraw from competition. However, that really opens things up for Pechalat and Bourzat and Davis and White to go head to head.

The paso doble is the CD picked for Skate Canada. For those who'd like a refresher on the steps and would like to view some videos of the great dancers of the past dancing the paso doble, here's my reference file:
http://www.goldenskate.com/forum/showthread.php?t=22951

1 Andrea CHONG / Guillame GFELLER CAN 1

This is a rather new team that had their international debut this summer at Nebelhorn and Lake Placid International Dance Competition. I haven't seen them skate yet, except on youtube.

Coaching History: Julie Marcotte
Training Town: Ste-Julie, QC
Former Partners: Chong & Barnes, McKenzie & Gfeller

OD: Minnie the Moocher
FD: Hymne à l'Amour

They are a new couple, so there are no international "personal bests yet." However, they did well and finished fourth at Nebelhorn.
CD: 6th 29.35 (Viennese Waltz)
OD: 4th 46.24
FD: 4th 75.83, deduction for an extended lift (Samuelson/ Bates won)

Recent Results:
First place Quebec Summer Competition OD 47.36 (over Mee/Lamoureaux)
First place Quebec Summer Competition FD 77.23
2008 Lake Placid IDC FD 69.39 5th (Crone/Poirier were 2nd)
2008 Lake Placid IDC OD 41.83 6th (Crone/Poirier were 2nd)
2008 Lake Placid IDC Senior CD - skated 1 paso, 1 viennese and withdrew.
2008 Nebelhorn Trophy 6 4 4 4 (151.42)
2008 Canadian National Championships 10 9 8 9 (153.65)
2008 Senior Challenge 9 7 6 6 (138.45)

Videos:
2008 Quebec Summer Competition OD
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmMJ4GGhjQY&feature=related
2008 Quebec Summer Competition FD
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fXke-KOOQU&feature=related

Articles:
Chong and Gfeller finish fourth at Nebelhorn
http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5g2Eo2Wag_leqi_3Hhma-F9XWcDcg
Ice-dance.com reports on the FD at LPIDC

"Andrea Chong & Guillaume Gfeller – "Hymne à l'Amour"
This music has not been used for ice dance before, so Chong & Gfeller have a wonderful opportunity to make this program their own. They already have a great start -– the choreography is seamless and the elements are well timed to the music. They had great lifts, including a rotational lift right on the peak of the music and a curve lift to close the program. The expression of the program is an area where they can improve, skating with more passion at the end of the piece. They also can work on their basic skating -– their blades were a bit scratchy throughout the dance. Overall, this is a lovely program, and with it, they jumped over Lamoreux & Mee, whom they had finished behind last year at the Canadian Championships. "

Ice-dance.com reports on the OD at LPIDC

Andrea Chong and Guillaume Gfeller
"A slow and sexy burlesque number changed to a fun jitterbug foot sequence. They were very close and skated well. A few unusual elements and a real crowd pleaser."

http://lpidc.ice-dance.com/2008/reports-seniorod.html

Photos:
LPIDC Initial Viennese Waltz
http://photography.ice-dance.com/20...-VienneseWaltz/Sr-CD2-VW-ChongGfeller.jpg.php
LPIDC Initial Paso Doble
http://photography.ice-dance.com/20...Round-PasoDoble/srpasochonggfellerKW3.jpg.php
LPIDC OD
http://photography.ice-dance.com/20...ior-Original Dance/srod-chong-gfeller.jpg.php
http://photography.ice-dance.com/20...ior-Original Dance/srod-crone-poirier.jpg.php
LPIDC FD
http://photography.ice-dance.com/20...Senior-Free Dance/srfd-chong-gfeller2.jpg.php
http://photography.ice-dance.com/20.../Senior-Free Dance/srfd-chong-gfeller.jpg.php

Website:


2 Vanessa CRONE / Paul POIRIER CAN 1

Vanessa and Paul are an able, although very young couple, technically. They scored all level 4's in both their FD and OD at various times last year.
I'm glad to see them be less pedestrian in their choice of music this year. Last year they had a Gypsy OD and a Tango FD. They were second at Junior Worlds to Samuelson & Bates.

Coach: Carol Lane
Choreographer: Carol Lane, Juris Razguliaevs

Training Town: Scarborough, Ontario

OD: The Sting (soundtrack) Scott Joplin Ragtime
FD: "A Perfect Day" by Yo-Yo Ma (cello)

Personal Best Total Score 178.09 World Junior Championships 2008
Personal Best Score Compulsory Dance 33.71 World Junior Championships 2008 (Cha Cha Congelado)
Personal Best Score Original Dance 57.52 World Junior Championships 2008
Personal Best Score Free Dance 86.86 World Junior Championships 2008

Reigning Junior World Silver Medallists
First Qualifiers for the 2008 Junior Grand Prix Final

Recent Results:
2008 Lake Placid IDC Senior OD 50.01 2nd (behind Summersett/Gilles)
2008 Lake Placid IDC Senior FD 73.86 2nd (again behind S/G)
2008 Lake Placid ID Senior CDs (1 pasos, two viennese) 95.42 1 2 1 (2nd overall)
2008 World Junior Championships 3 2 2 2 (178.09)
2008 Canadian National Championships 6 4 2 4 (172.95)
2008 Junior Grand Prix Final 5 4 4 4 (156.88)
2007 Croatia Cup [JGP] 2 2 1 1 (169.04)
2007 Harghita Cup [JGP] 1 1 1 1 (159.87)
2007 World Junior Championships 9 11 10 9 (136.09)
2007 Canadian Junior National Championships 1 1 2 1 (145.46)
2007 Junior Eastern Challenge 1 1 2 2 (130.09)
2007 Central Ontario Junior Sectionals 1 1 2 1 (133.69)
2006 Chinese Taipei Cup [JGP] 5 4 5 5 (132.57)
2006 Spin of Norway [JGP] 4 3 1 3 (138.06)
2006 Canadian Junior National Championships 4 7 5 6 (129.78)
2006 Central Ontario Junior Sectionals 2 1 1 1 (134.87)
2005 Andorra Cup [JGP] 7 5 7 7 (118.33)
2005 Junior North American Challenge Skate - Pierrefonds 3 2 4 3 (109.38)
2005 Canadian Novice National Championships 3 1 1 1 (76.56)
2005 Novice Eastern Challenge 4 1 3 3 (68.35)
2004 Canadian Novice National Championships 14 14 10 12
2004 Novice Eastern Challenge 8 6 5 6

Videos:
2008 World Junior Championships CD Cha Cha Congelado
http://www.youtube.com/v/utOPe8W0qG0
2008 Canadian Nationals OD Romanian Gypsy Dance
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PbpKfOyVBQ

Articles:
Ice-dance.com's LPIDC report on the OD:

"Vanessa Crone and Paul Poirier
This bartender and bar keep in black and white checks and hat delighted the crowd with their routine to piano music reminiscent of “The Sting.” It was fast and fun with a touch of comedy and very entertaining."

Ice-dance.com's LPIDC report on their FD:

"Vanessa Crone & Paul Poirier – "A Perfect Day" by Yo-Yo Ma
Crone & Poirier began their first full season on the senior level by performing a gentle free dance to lyrical cello music. Last year, their opening stationary lift became a trademark for them, and this year they open their program with a new stationary lift. Their twizzle sequence is ambitious, performing the first set in a sitting position and then going immediately into a catchfoot variation. Unfortunately, they lost control of the sequence at the very end. Their spin was smooth and melted into the program's choreography, but their most impressive elements were their lifts, which are overall much more dynamic than last year. With this program, Crone & Poirier made a statement that they are ready for the senior Grand Prix. "

2008 May Golden Skate article and photo by Barry Mittan
http://goldenskate.com/articles/2007/051708.shtml
Ice Dance.com interviwe with Vanessa and Paul
http://www.ice-dance.com/articles/interviews/interview-crone-poirier-7608.html
2008 Golden Skate Jr Worlds Report. Their CD is covered extensively, and they are interviewed. Scroll down.
http://goldenskate.com/articles/2007/jw_1.shtml
2008 Golden Skate Jr Worlds Report. Their OD is covered extensively, with interview (scroll down):
http://goldenskate.com/articles/2007/jw_3.shtml
2008 Golden Skate Jr Worlds Report. Their FD is covered extensively, with interview (scroll down):
http://goldenskate.com/articles/2007/jw_4.shtml

Photographs of this year's costumes:
Paso Doble pictures from LPIDC:
http://photography.ice-dance.com/20...Round-PasoDoble/srpasocronepoirierKW2.jpg.php
The cape in pink is a different touch.
http://photography.ice-dance.com/20...lRound-PasoDoble/srpasocronepoirierKW.jpg.php
Viennese Waltz LPIDC
http://photography.ice-dance.com/20...-VienneseWaltz/Sr-CD2-VW-CronePoirier.jpg.php
LPIDC OD - I think the pencilled in mustache was a bad idea for their Sting OD
http://photography.ice-dance.com/20...or-Original Dance/srod-crone-poirier2.jpg.php
LPIDC FD
http://photography.ice-dance.com/20.../Senior-Free Dance/srfd-crone-poirier.jpg.php
http://photography.ice-dance.com/20...Senior-Free Dance/srfd-crone-poirier2.jpg.php

4 Nathalie PECHALAT / Fabian BOURZAT FRA 2

I really liked their 4 Seasons program in 2006 with Nathalie in the cottonball dress. And last year, their Flamenco OD was truly spectacular. This year, I can't help it--I don't like clown FD programs. And I hope they are quieter on the blade than they were last year at Skate America, where their blades wer so loud that it sounded like they were dragging a bag of cutlery behind them.

Don't miss the Egyptian mummy exhibition program below in the videos. Pechalat and Bourzat always have very unique programs with interesting moves. But sometimes they are a little too innovative for my conservative tastes.

Coach: Alexander Zhulin; Former Coach: M. Zazoui, R. Haguenauer,A. Druet, P. Camerlengo
Choreographer: L. May, S. Olive (OD), J. Cottereau (FD)
Training Town: Moscow

OD: It Don't Mean a Thing by Puppini Sisters
FD: La Notte di Favola by Nicola Piovani; La Marche des Gladiateurs; Jonglage by Maime Rodriguez

Personal Best Total Score 190.51 World Championships 2008
Personal Best Score Compulsory Dance 34.87 Cup of Russia 2007
Personal Best Score Original Dance 60.67 World Championships 2008
Personal Best Score Free Dance 95.02 World Championships 2008

Fifth Qualifiers for the 2008 Grand Prix Final

Recent Results
2008 Masters de Patinage 2 2 2 (152.91)
2008 World Championships 6 6 7 7 (190.51)
2008 European Championships 5 6 5 5 (185.26)
2008 Grand Prix Final 6 6 6 (140.82)
2007 Cup of Russia 2 2 2 2 (184.38)
2007 Skate America 2 2 2 2 (181.84)
2007 Masters de Patinage 2 2 2 2 (179.99)
2007 World Championships 14 13 10 12 (162.05)
2007 French National Championships 2 2 2 2 (167.91)
2006 Trophée Eric Bompard 4 5 8 7 (153.30)
2006 Skate America 3 3 4 3 (167.28)
2006 Masters de Patinage 2 3 2 2 (177.50)
...
2003 Winter Universiade 3 3 3 3 3
2003 French National Championships 3
2002 Trophée Lalique 8 8 9 9
2002 Skate Canada 9 11 11 11
2002 World Junior Championships 7 7 5 6 6
2002 Junior Grand Prix Final 7 6 7 7
2001 SBC Cup [JGP] 2 2 2 2
2001 JGP The Hague 4 4 4 4

Videos:
2008 Masters de Patinage FD - Clowns
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfvwWUCyD3Q
2008 Masters de Patinage OD - It Don't Mean a Thing by Puppini Sisters
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6W1zOsw07w&feature=related
2008 Worlds OD - Flamenco with the fan as a prop (really good)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdUsW0llYQE&feature=related
2008 Worlds FD Madness
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmOOB2plkrA
2008 Worlds CD Argentine Tango
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teHomZC4PLs&feature=related
2008 Europeans Exhibition The Egyptian Mummy (unwrapping Nathalie)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjKNvfizJ1s
2007 Four Seasons by Assen Merzouki FD done as an exhibition (Star Sur Glace 2007 Bercy)
She has on the infamous cotton ball dress.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NiHVskdjQE
2006 Courchevel Noël Exhibition The Majorette by Benabar
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yO6Dtir-Ow&feature=related
2002 World Jr Championships Spanish Medley OD (Flamenco and Spanish Waltz) 6th place
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vl2G6CswEUs&feature=related

Articles:
They now train in Moscow with Alexander Zhulin and like it
http://web.icenetwork.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080716&content_id=49353&vkey=ice_news

Website
Currently under construction
http://www.pechalat-bourzat.com/

5 Ekaterina BOBROVA / Dmitri SOLOVIEV RUS 3

Ekaterina and Dmitri had probably the best version of Kalinka for last year's folk OD.

Coach: Elena Kustarova, Svetlana Alexeeva
Choreographer: Natalia Ulianova
Training Town: Moscow

OD-"Mac the Knife"-implied to be the original Threepenny Opera version
FD: Romeo and Juliet

Personal Best Total Score 164.72 World Championships 2008
Personal Best Score Compulsory Dance 35.52 World Junior Championships 2007 (Silver Samba)
Personal Best Score Original Dance 54.13 World Junior Championships 2007
Personal Best Score Free Dance 82.72 World Championships 2008

2007 World Jr Champions
First Qualifiers for the 2007 Junior Grand Prix Final
Seventh Qualifiers for the 2006 Junior Grand Prix Final

2008 World Championships 16 12 13 13 (164.72)
2008 Russian National Championships 4 3 3 3 (178.35)
2007 Cup of Russia 3 3 6 4 (161.51)
2007 Skate Canada 6 4 6 5 (151.97)
2007 World Junior Championships 1 1 1 1 (161.89)
2007 Junior Grand Prix Final 1 3 3 3 (149.69)
2006 JGP Budapest 1 1 1 1 (159.61)
2006 JGP Courchevel 1 1 2 1 (155.96)
2006 Junior Grand Prix Final 7 7 8 7 (133.96)
2005 Gdansk Cup [JGP] 2 2 2 2 (152.11)
2005 JGP Montréal 2 2 2 2 (137.51)

Articles:
Golden Skate on their 2006 win of the CD, Silver Samba with long interview (articles by Rosaleen Kaye)
http://goldenskate.com/articles/2006/022807_cd.shtml
Golden Skate on the 2006 OD
http://goldenskate.com/articles/2006/030307_fd.shtml
Golden Skate on their 2007 FD and overall gold medal performances
http://goldenskate.com/articles/2006/030307_fd.shtml


Videos:
2008 Worlds CD Argentine Tango
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPdztzdQ7E8&feature=related
2008 Worlds OD Kalinka (BBC) Nicky & Simon love this!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Up2GOQTn5SU&feature=related
2008 Worlds FD
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXm4lzAuHQs&feature=related
2008 Russian Nationals Exhibition Tango (they love tango!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yOS9lPQYBc

6 Kristina GORSHKOVA / Vitali BUTIKOV RUS 3

We have a rematch of the silver and bronze medallists from last year's Jr Worlds. Gorshkova & Butikov will be squaring off for 'best rookie at Skate Canada honors'. Golden Skate has a nice article on Kristina and Vitali. You should read it if you would like to know more about them. They finished a very strong third at Finlandia this summer.

Coach: Elena Tchaikovskaia, Ksenia Rumiantseva; Former Coach: Tatiana Kuzmina
Training Town: Moscow

OD: Too Many Years
FD: The Godfather by Nina Rota

Personal Best Total Score 172.85 World Junior Championships 2008 Cha Cha Congelado
Personal Best Score Compulsory Dance 33.84 ISU JGP Croatia Cup 2007
Personal Best Score Original Dance 55.46 World Junior Championships 2008
Personal Best Score Free Dance 83.87 World Junior Championships 2008

Recent Results

Reigning Jr Worlds Bronze Medallists, behind Crone/Poirier
Fourth Qualifiers for the 2008 Junior Grand Prix Final
Fifth Qualifiers for the 2007 Junior Grand Prix Final

Recent Results
2008 Finlandia 158.86 2 3 3 3
2008 World Junior Championships 4 3 3 3 (172.85)
2008 Junior Grand Prix Final 2 3 3 3 (168.63)
2007 Junior Pavel Roman Memorial 1 1 1 1 (172.44)
2007 Pokal der Blauen Schwerter [JGP] 1 1 1 1 (164.26)
2007 Croatia Cup [JGP] 1 1 2 2 (168.84)
2007 World Junior Championships 3 8 5 4 (146.84)
2007 Junior Grand Prix Final 4 4 4 4 (139.13)
2006 Spin of Norway [JGP] 2 2 4 2 (138.91)
2006 Harghita Cup [JGP] 1 1 1 1 (147.09)
2005 Croatia Cup [JGP] 3 2 3 3 (146.58)
2005 JGP Slovakia 8 5 5 5 (135.42)
2004 Skate Long Beach 6 5 5 5 (123.07)

Videos:
2008 Finlandia CD Viennese Waltz
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2gQaWKK8x8
2008 Finlandia OD Too Many Years (costumes very black and white for ice dance) Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen (instrumental charleston)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8nETtgDxWg&feature=related
2008 Finlandia FD http://stll-fi.directo.fi/finlandia_trophy/video/kristina_gorshkova-vitaly_buti/
Future Stars 2014 Exhibition
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7-csXuVqls
Total Eclipse of the Heart FD
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sdxuUDLvHU&feature=related

Articles:
http://goldenskate.com/articles/2008/091408.shtml

7 Meryl DAVIS / Charlie WHITE USA 4

They've skated together forever, especially considering how young they are.
I really enjoy their skating, particularly when they are doing fast stepping, cheerful numbers.

Coach: Igor Shpilband, Marina Zueva; Former Coach: Seth Chafetz
Choreographer: Igor Shpilband, Marina Zueva
Training town: Canton, Michigan

OD: (a subject of great discussion )
FD: (a subject of great discussion )

Personal Best Total Score 199.45 Four Continents Championships 2008
Personal Best Score Compulsory Dance 37.36 Four Continents Championships 2008 (Yankee Polka)
Personal Best Score Original Dance 61.93 Four Continents Championships 2008
Personal Best Score Free Dance 100.16 Four Continents Championships 2008

Third Alternates for the 2008 Grand Prix Final
Fourth Qualifiers for the 2006 Junior Grand Prix Final

Recent Results
2008 World Championships 7 7 6 6 (191.19)
2008 Four Continents Championships 2 2 2 2 (199.45)
2008 U.S. National Championships 2 2 2 2 (206.82)
2007 Trophée Eric Bompard 4 3 3 3 (176.21)
2007 Skate America 5 4 4 4 (168.79)
2007 World Championships 10 8 7 7 (179.14)
2007 Four Continents Championships 3 4 4 4 (179.69)
2007 U.S. National Championships 2 4 3 3 (184.11)
2006 NHK Trophy 4 4 4 4 (159.49)
2006 Skate Canada 8 3 4 4 (162.66)
2006 World Junior Championships 3 4 2 3 (167.20)
2006 U.S. Junior National Championships 1 1 1 1 1 (178.86)
2006 Junior Grand Prix Final 3 2 2 2 (160.85)
2005 Sofia Cup [JGP] 2 1 1 1 (164.65)
2005 Andorra Cup [JGP] 2 2 2 2 (171.21)
2004 Harghita Cup [JGP] 3 2 3 3 (162.20)
2004 JGP Belgrade 3 3 3 3 (164.57)
2004 World Junior Championships 6B 6B 13 12 13
2004 U.S. Junior National Championships 2 2 2 2 2
2004 U.S. Midwestern Junior Sectionals 1 1 1 1 1
2003 Junior Grand Prix - SBC Cup 3 4 4 4
2003 Czech Skate 4 4 4 4
2003 U.S. Junior National Championships 6 7 7 6 7
2003 U.S. Midwestern Junior Sectionals 2 2 2 2 2
2002 Pokal der Blauen Schwerter [JGP] 10 8 7 8
2002 Belgrade Sparrow [JGP] 8 6 6 6
2002 Novice Helmut Seibt Memorial 1 1 1 1
2002 U.S. Novice National Championships 1 1 3 2
2002 U.S. Midwestern Novice Sectionals 1 1/1 1 2

Videos:
2008 Worlds FD Eleanor Rigby and Eleanor's Dream
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-n6-EWTr0Hs
2007 Skate America FD Eleanor's Dream FD (first version of this dance)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZp3mhRLfWM
2008 4C's CD Yankee Polka (Korean coverage) They like the polka and it shows!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=386QWS6DcUk
2007 Worlds CD Rhumba (British Eurosport really liked them)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3_2fvQOQIo
2007 4C's OD Tango (British Eurosport coverage again--who really like them here)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xi02SuSSsPI
2007 4C's CD Golden Waltz (Japanese coverage)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7I86Bq8yc
2008 4C's Exhibition Beyond the Sea
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGgVl7XmR24
2007 Worlds FD Polovetsian Dances
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Odrn-svt_do
2006 Jr Worlds FD Sarabande (Prayer in the Night)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBJjrf6Z2Jc
2004 Jr Worlds OD Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYh8guTWOGU

Articles:
2008 Ice Network bio with links to a 2 part video interview (right side of page), their
2008 US Nationals CD Yankee Polka (Great job Guys)! OD, and FD. You have to be an icenetwork member to see the videos.
http://web.icenetwork.com/skaters/detail.jsp?id=38007&mode=P
2008 Golden Skate US Championships OD report
http://goldenskate.com/articles/2007/us_5.shtml
2008 Golden Skate 4 Continents FD report w/ interview
http://goldenskate.com/articles/2007/4cc_3.shtml
2008 Golden Skate 4 Continents CD report w/interview
http://goldenskate.com/articles/2007/4cc_1.shtml
2004 Golden Skate article which proclaims "Davis and White in Long Term Partnership" by Barry Mittan (cute photo!)
http://goldenskate.com/articles/2004/071504.shtml

Website:
Note that they got the Professional Skaters of America Dance award for their Kalinka OD!
http://www.ice-dance.com/davis-white/

8 Kimberly NAVARRO / Brent BOMMENTRE USA 4

Navarro and Bommentre do lovely gliding movements and tend to be a little short on difficulty but very long on performance and style.

Coach: Robbie Kaine, Cheryl Demkowski Snyder
Choreographer: Louis van Amstel (OD), Barry Lather (FD)
Training towns: Philadelphia and Aston, Pennsylvania

Previous Partnerships: Frisch & Bommentre, Goodwin & Bommentre, Navarro & Shmalo

OD: Swing: Hey Pachuco; Slow Foxtrot: Why Don't You Do Right by Sinead O'Conner; Swing: Hey Pachuco
If you're wondering what Hey Pachuco is, Kurt Browning skated to it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cLPNeqvGcU
FD: Weapon of Choice by Fatboy Slim; The Rockafeller Skank (Mulder's Urban Takeover Remix) by Fatboy Slim; Soul Surfing by Fatboy Slim
Weapon of Choice song (start about 30 sec in)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMZwZiU0kKs
The Rockafeller Skank
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvnHtO6daQM&feature=related
Soul Surfing (about 30 sec in)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AosoAohWIIc

Recent Results
2008 World Championships 12 13 14 12 (165.90)
2008 Four Continents Championships 3 3 3 3 (180.65)
2008 U.S. National Championships 3 3 3 3 (187.94)
2007 NHK Trophy 6 6 6 6 (156.08)
2007 Skate America 6 6 6 6 (159.93)
2007 Four Continents Championships 6 5 5 5 (157.82)
2007 U.S. National Championships 4 3 4 4 (175.68)
2006 Skate Canada 6 6 6 6 (152.57)
2006 Skate America 8 6 6 6 (152.78)
2006 Karl Schäfer Memorial 2 3 2 3 (149.09)
2006 U.S. National Championships 5 6 4 5 (173.76)
2006 U.S. Eastern Sectionals 1 1 1 1 (160.79)
2005 Karl Schäfer Memorial 7 5 4 5 (146.06)

Videos:
2008 Worlds CD Argentine Tango
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvpVIsRKcuo
2008 Worlds FD Since I've Been Loving You by Corinne Bailey Rae
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X70roJ6X6jk
2008 4CC's OD African Harvest Folk Dance
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHGpTJ3e8N8&feature=related
2007 US Nationals FD Abbey Road
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4OYZTkLTCY
2006 US Nationals FD How Sweet It is to Be Loved by You; I'm Feeling Good (they got the PSA award for this performance)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=664k3L1ym3E&feature=related

Articles
Philadelphia Inquirer video interview
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/multimedia/16620076.html

Website
Official website
http://www.ice-dance.com/navarro-bommentre/

9 Jennifer WESTER / Daniil BARANTSEV USA 4

She made her own Texas Line Dance OD outfit last year. And she makes costumes for other dancers as well, so I hear. They are married.

Coach: Anjelika Krylova, Pasquale Camerlengo; Former Coach: Nikolai Morozov
Choreographer: Anjelika Krylova, Pasquale Camerlengo
Training Town: Bloomfield Hills, Michigan

Previous partnerships: Romaniuta & Barantsev, Wester & Harris

OD: Blues: Too Darn Hot by Cole Porter; Lindy Hop
For those who have never seen a Lindy Hop, I am so excited to see this OD!
1941 Hellzapoppin' Lindy Hop
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTg5V2oA_hY
FD: Requiem for a Tower (used in many movie trailers. I hope that this isn't going to be a reprise of L&A's 2003 FD )
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iW781hzo8Tk

Personal Best Total Score 174.37 Four Continents Championships 2008
Personal Best Score Compulsory Dance 30.95 Four Continents Championships 2008 (Yankee Polka)
Personal Best Score Original Dance 55.44 Four Continents Championships 2008
Personal Best Score Free Dance 87.98 Four Continents Championships 2008

Recent Results

2008 Four Continents Championships 4 4 5 4 (174.37)
2008 U.S. National Championships 5 6 5 5 (169.37)
2008 U.S. Midwestern Sectionals 1 1 1 1 (152.15)
2007 Nebelhorn Trophy 1 1 1 1 (157.03)
2007 U.S. National Championships 6 6 7 6 (153.34)
2006 U.S. National Championships 9 7 8 7 (161.89)
2006 U.S. Midwestern Sectionals 1 1 1 1 (167.23)


Videos from Nebelhorn last year, which they won!
2007 Nebelhorn OD Cotton Eyed Joe; Country Waltz
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wcevG9lsKo
2007 Nebelhorn FD Singin' In the Rain soundtrack
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X49_-_0du3I&feature=related

Articles
http://www.ice-dance.com/articles/interviews/interview-wester-04212008.html
http://web.icenetwork.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080904&content_id=51474&vkey=ice_news

Websites
Official website (including photos of their wedding)
http://wb-on-ice.com/Practice_gallery.html

 

[Tonichelle]

thanks Doris

random guess, but is Ice Dance your favorite?

 

[dorispulaski]

Of course!

 

[fumie_fumie]

Hey Doris,

Thanks so much for your research and you help me enjoy ice dance even more. Two thumbs up for you..

 

[lmarie086]

Doris...you rock.
That's all I can say. Love your ice dance previews; I can't even imagine how much time you must put into them. Makes me appreciate them all the more.
Looking forward to a D/W vs P/B battle; should be exciting.

 

[oleada]

Thank you Doris, wonderful as usual!
I hope Bobrova and Soloviev can snag the bronze Their Kalinka was the best last year.

ETA: I wanted to add that both Bobrova & Soloviev and Gorshkova & Butikov are excellent compulsory dancers. For G&B, it usually is the strongest phase of their competition.

 

[chuckm]

I think it will be very tight for bronze with several teams in the hunt: Navarro / Bommentre, Gorshkova / Butikov, Bobrova / Soloviev and Crone / Poirier. I think of those four, G/B is the least likely to win bronze. Their 3rd place showing at Finlandia was not that impressive: 158.86 (31.11, 51.52, 76.23), only a little over 2 points higher than Summersett / Gilles scored at Skate America, and they were 7th.

I also feel that Crone/Poirier have a good chance at the bronze. They finished a reasonably close second to Samuelson/Bates at JW 2008, and S/B won Nebelhorn, defeating the Zaretskis, and were 4th at SA (3rd in the FD).

 

[luckyguy]

Does anyone know why only two couples from Canada participate there? I think the Canadian Federation has the possibility to nominate three couples. There are many interesting couples in Canada:

Mylene Girard / Liam Dougherty
Siobhan Karam / Kevin O'Keefe
Mylene Lamoureux / Michael Mee
Lauren Senft / Augie Hill

They were all placed ahead of Chong / Gfeller at Canadian Nationals.

 

[chuckm]

I believe Girard/Dougherty and Senft/Hill have split

 

[dorispulaski]

Karam and O'Keefe and Mee and Lamoureaux haven't AFAIK, though.

Have they?

 

[chuckm]

No, Karam / O'Keefe and Lamoureux / Mee have not split. Skate Canada knew since the end of September that V/M weren't going to be able to compete in Ottawa, and they could have chosen a replacement team, but they did not. Maybe they were less than thrilled with Hann-McCurdy/Coreno's last place finish at Skate America and didn't want two Canadian teams finishing at the bottom in Ottawa (which would likely happen, given the relatively strong and experienced teams invited to SC).

That is not a intended slap at Chong / Gfeller, but the reality is if Weaver / Poje and Hann-McCurdy / Coreno couldn't beat Navarro / Bommentre and Wester / Barantsev at 4CC, then it's very unlikely that C/G would be able to do so. The Russian teams Bobrova / Soloviev and Gorshkova / Butikov aren't pushovers either.

 

[nadster]

That is not a intended slap at Chong / Gfeller, but the reality is if Weaver / Poje and Hann-McCurdy / Coreno couldn't beat Navarro / Bommentre and Wester / Barantsev at 4CC, then it's very unlikely that C/G would be able to do so. The Russian teams Bobrova / Soloviev and Gorshkova / Butikov aren't pushovers either.

Chuckm , the fact is that Hann-McCurdy/Coreno is going down at nationals this year and might not even make the national team ( top 5 ). And it is not just Crone/Poirier that will pass them this year.

If you look at the summer results you would see that Chong/Gfeller's scores ( Lake Placid and Quebec ) were much higher than Hann-McCurdy/Croeno's ( Thornhill) Furthermore in Thornhill Hann-McCurdy Coreno with no major slipups lost the FD in Thornhill to Karam/O'Keefe. Karam twice had problems having her skate blade caught in her dress during that performance.

Asher/Hill is another pair who could pass them at nationals , but most likely the CD's will keep them behind Hann-McCurdy as Asher/Hill have been focusing on the junior CD's all year. The CD's were the only reason Hann-McCurdy/Coreno beat Crone/Poirier ( who competed junior internationally last year ) at the last nationals.

There is a very good chance Chong/Gfeller could get the bronze medal at nationals this year. They will be in competition with Weaver/Poje for that medal.

It is fairly safe to assume that Virtue/Moir will be first and Crone/Poirier will be second. After that it will be a bloodbath from 3rd to 7th with Chong/Gfeller likely to be leading the way and Hann-McCurdy/Coreno bringing up the rear.

 

[chuckm]

There are still other reasons why Chong/Gfeller are unlikely to finish above most if not all of the teams at skate Canada.

At Nebelhorn, C/G finished nearly 12 points behind Summersett / Gilles, who were 7th at Skate America. S/G skated very well at SA, but didn't score nearly as high as they did at Nebelhorn (156.62 vs 163.53), which suggests either Nebelhorn's scores were slightly inflated, or that the judges at SA held back on S/G's scores because it was their first GP. C/G scored 151.42 (29.35, 46.24, 75.73) at Nebelhorn and may possibly get a lower score at SC for the same reasons S/G did. How does that stack up against the other teams' recent scores:

178.09 33.71 57.52 86.86 Crone / Poirier, JW 08
172.85 33.52 55.46 83.87 Gorshkova / Butikov, JW 08
165.90 31.48 52.10 82.32 Navarro / Bommentre, Worlds 08
164.72 29.12 52.88 82.72 Bobrova / Soloviev, Worlds 08
160.27 32.44 47.65 80.18 Wester / Barantsev, Pha Challenge Cup (9/04)
159.98 35.50 47.18 77.30 Navarro / Bommentre, Pha Challenge Cup (9/04)
158.86 31.11 51.52 76.23 Gorshkova / Butikov, Finlandia
151.42 29.35 46.24 75.73 Chong/Gfeller, Nebelhorn Trophy

 

[backoutsideedge]

Chuckm , the fact is that Hann-McCurdy/Coreno is going down at nationals this year and might not even make the national team ( top 5 ). And it is not just Crone/Poirier that will pass them this year.

If you look at the summer results you would see that Chong/Gfeller's scores ( Lake Placid and Quebec ) were much higher than Hann-McCurdy/Croeno's ( Thornhill) Furthermore in Thornhill Hann-McCurdy Coreno with no major slipups lost the FD in Thornhill to Karam/O'Keefe. Karam twice had problems having her skate blade caught in her dress during that performance.

Asher/Hill is another pair who could pass them at nationals , but most likely the CD's will keep them behind Hann-McCurdy as Asher/Hill have been focusing on the junior CD's all year. The CD's were the only reason Hann-McCurdy/Coreno beat Crone/Poirier ( who competed junior internationally last year ) at the last nationals.

There is a very good chance Chong/Gfeller could get the bronze medal at nationals this year. They will be in competition with Weaver/Poje for that medal.

It is fairly safe to assume that Virtue/Moir will be first and Crone/Poirier will be second. After that it will be a bloodbath from 3rd to 7th with Chong/Gfeller likely to be leading the way and Hann-McCurdy/Coreno bringing up the rear.

You really think Chong/Gfeller will beat Weaver & Poje at Nationals? I'm not so sure about that.

I do think at this time that Crone & Poirier are the front-runners for the second spot to worlds, but I think they'll be battling it out with Weaver & Poje. I could see Chong & Gfeller placing 4th, ahead of HM&C.

I don't understand why SC didn't assign Karam & O'Keefe to Skate Canada, unless like Chuckie said maybe they don't want another Canadian team to finish last.

I wonder if Girard and Dougherty are regretting splitting now? I also wonder if Dougherty is regretting dumping Terra Findlay who has a lot of potential.

Getting back to Weaver and Poje - I worry about this team's coaching situation. Personally, I don't think Bourne and Gates are the answer for them. They need help with choreography and Kaitlyn needs a coach who will really address her posture and leg line issues. Last year's OD was OK after David Wilson reworked it but their FD was totally forgettable. I think they need to get to Russian coaches like Shpilband or Linichuk.

 

[nadster]

There are still other reasons why Chong/Gfeller are unlikely to finish above most if not all of the teams at skate Canada.

Not disagreeing here. I am just saying that Skate Canada could have picked teams that were likely to outscore ( if not outplace ) Hann-McCurdy/Coreno.

I ignore Karam/O'Keefe's low Nebelhorn score since they fell in a lift in the FD rendering the lift illegal. They fell in the first part of an attempted combination lift and since the first part of the attempted combination was the same type as a lift they did in isolation earlier in the program. That is why the lift was rendered illegal and they lost oodles of points ( the fall deduction, 0 points for lift and the illegal element dedcution) They were in fact ahead of Chong/Gfeller ( by 0.1 points ) going into the free at Nebelhorn. I still think based on summer skates Chong/Gfeller would have beaten Karam/ O'Keefe but it would have been a lot closer.