Europeans 2004
Pairs’ Short Program
First
things first; this is my first time ever seeing the code of points in action
and as such, I’m not too sure how it works and how I’m going to react to it. If
I’m less than coherent, as I surely will be, I’ll apologise now. Also, there’s
a sci-fi con on in London this weekend, which I’m going to, so the ladies’
short, free dance and ladies’ free programs are being taped for me and I’ll be
looking at them, and reviewing them, early next week. So they are going to be
late, but I will get them done. I think Eurosport are showing the gala next Monday night, so that
one I’ll do live, and thus spoil the results for myself. Oh well, them’s the breaks.
Beloglazhova and Bekh UKR
And we come
in on a couple that I don’t recognise and she lands a throw triple something…
lots of lime green and purple… throw 3sal Chris says, and they fell on thedouble axels… nice lift… though somewhat ungainly on the
changes… s/s steps… into s/s camel spins to sit change sit kinda slow… but
nicely timed. Steps in a serpentine pattern… very slow. Death spiral….b/o and
not nearly low and arched enough… and into a pairs spin, starting with camels
facing each other, into combos and they’re behind the music at the end. First
euros, she’s sixteen. Nicky says speed over the ice not good, not confident in
various places… well presented he thinks. We see the throw sal
again and it was good.
Marks –
3.7-4.3 for required…4.1-4.7… presentation…and are Euros running the interim
system/ They are! Holy Mary Mother of God… all that reading for naught!
Totmianina
and Marinin
Nice cerise
and black for her, his shirt is cerise and WAY too open! Black pants, variation
on a theme of paginini… and she’s blonde. Love this
music… steps to begin… lots of hops and
turns… and into the throw triple loop very soft… s/s triple toes are perfect…
around the corner into the split where she does something funky with her arms
but it’s all good… great lift with perfect transitions and one handed dismount…
death spiral … again get lower! b/o… this is going to be a theme with me
tonight I just have that feeling… s/s camels to upright change camel and
upright with raised leg… great unison. And into the pairs spins… well centred, good
speed. And they’re done. Lovely, just lovely. Very soft from the knee, great
speed along the ice… but can someone please start a collection to buy some
buttons for his shirt? I’ll throw in a couple of euros to the cause! Chris mentions something about the
arms, she let them go before the twist, which makes it harder and also makes it
look ugly… Nicky is rhapsodising about the music…
Marks
5.6-5.8… and Nicky comments on the buttons missing! 5.7-5.9 Presentation.
Pla and Bonheur FRA
Polka dot
black on white for her, pink sash, he’s in black pants and black and white
vertical stripes…swing kids the music… first euros… andboth
down on the s/s triple toes… bie mir
bist du schoen….
Love this music! Throw triple loop almost sitting down on the landing… but she
got it… and a lift with upside down entry and exit… very difficult…. And into
the s/s spins…miles and miles apart and not great unison… split double twist
very low as we go into sing sing sing…
steps in serpentine pattern… death
spiral and someone please push her head down??? Into the pairs spins, travel
going into the first position… and slowing down as we go…and they end right on
the music. Very sharp learning curve Chris opines…a couple for the future.
Nicky thinks they were sakting as individuals rather
than a pair, and you can sing that one as far as I’m concerned… deep knee bend
on the throw, but she kept the free foot off…
Marks, with
Stanislav Leonovich their
coach… she’s 19, she’s 21… required elements are 3.4-4.5… presentation 4.2-5.0.
Second on a 5/4 split.
Break for
the warm up and we missed Handke and Wende of Germany, who are in fourth of four at the moment. Zagorska and Siudek are in the
next group.
Obertas
and Slavnov RUS
Bright pink
for the two of them and if I may be so bold as to ask… where the hell is the
rest of her??? I’m serious; she’s far too skinny and if the camera adds ten
pounds, then I shudder to think what she looks like in person! Navy blue skirt
for her and matching trousers for him. This not the guy she was with last year,
correct me if I’m wrong… and Chris tells me I’m right, Moskvina
is coaching… she’s 19 he’s 21. Music is a Spanish theme… take their time coming
to centre… chris says they are tech very good… into
jumps s/s triple toes, clean. Slow going in, or was that just me? Poss me as nicky says very
confident… huge split twist… best we’ve seen so far. Throw triple flip with a
bit of a leanin the air but she got it… s/s camels.
To sit change sit… bit out of unison at the end with a hop from her… lift goes to one handed midway through… and into
the pairs spins…. Good speed… not so sure about the positions some of them… s/s
steps the length of the rink… she’s smiling…. And into the death spiral…. Best
we’ve seen as far as depth is concerned…. Fantastic Chris calls it… I’m
inclined to agree. She 5th last year with Sokolov
and he’s been silver at jnr worlds…good height
differential nicky notes… nicky
says d/s could’ve been lower. As I note could all of them! Great presentation
from these two… Chris mentions that they have good chemistry and natural
timing.
Marks
5.2-5.7… req elements… 5.2-5.7 Straight seconds.
Lefrancois
and Blanchard FRA
Black off
the shoulder and most of the side spanish style dress
for her with yellow and orange ruffle on the left hip. All black for him… and I
loved these when I saw them two years ago, ergo they are toast. National
champions of
Marks
4.2-4.9. 4.4-5.3. And they are 3rd. She looks really disappointed.
Zagorska
and Siudek POL
All very
military looking for him, in black. Greeny blacky dress with gold sparkles for her and it’s not the
most flattering thing I’ve ever seen her in. Twice silver medallists, she’s 28.
he’s 31, fourth the last two years. He kisses her hand to begin and I go awww! Throw triple loop and she nailed that. Very soft in
the knees these two… s/s triple toes… and he nearly pitches forward on his but
saves it. And into the s/s camels to sit change sit… but of loss of unison in
the camels but they got it back nicely… into a pairs spin good speed all the
way through… and out of that we go and around the corner upside down entry into
star lift with loads of changes of position lots of turning in it and bang on
with the music… lovely! Death spiral with entry where she goes under his leg
and not too low but see earlier comments… steps along the straight of the rink,
twizzles in time with the music, picking up a
highlight… and split with arms over her head… and htye’re
done. Well now, that was great! 15th year together Chris says and
they nailed it. Now what the judges will do, we don’t know. Chris says second
or third, Nick says second. They pick on the lines, not as smooth as it could
be says nicky but overall flow and presentation he
says was excellent. I thought it was very good… but I’m not so sure that it had
the oomph or the pizzazz that the judges might be looking for,… btu it was a gorgeous program. He did well to keep a hand
off on that jump and we get a great shot from the coachcam,
Richard Gautier and I almost didn’t recognise him! Love that entry into the
lift… and flippy exit to it.
Marks
5.3-5.7… 5.4-5.8… and they’re second, 5/4 split.
Rennik
and Saks EST
Pale blue
and creamy tye dyed effect for her dress and his
top…blue trousers. She’s 18 he’s 21, 3rd euros. Blue Night Shadow
the music. She spins away from him, he follows her… and into the s/s sals and she doubles hers… his was good. Triple sal throw is hands down… /3 off for the double and .2 for htat… lift with no much rotation from him and no changes of
position… steps. Split double with no height… circular step. And I just get the
sense that their confidence isn’t where it shuld be…
s/s camels to change sit… and out. Into the death spiral, plenty of arch but
not too low. Pairs spins…. Bit of travel on those… and thye’re
done. And oh dear. Kept it going Chris tells us, kept the program alive… in
which case I rather suspect that it did
more in the arena than it did via tv because that did
nothing for me at all. Not great height differential, and nicky
is calling it at times ragged in alignment… coached by her parents…
Marks and
they’re smiling… 3.1-4.2 req elements… pres 3.6-4.5 8th
of 8th.
Break for
the ice resurface. During which we see T&M’s free
from last year which we might see again this year, and we hear that Tatiana is
nursing an injury with the left knee. We see practice footage where she does
look in pain, and see Leonovich talking about how
it’s affecting them, just doing what they can do today.
Havlickova
and Stefl CZE
Eeek….bright
pink pleather should be banned, and it’s off the
shoulder and sleeveless on one side with pink wristbands that go up to her
elbows…yetch. He’s in black, little arrow pointing
down from his adam’s apple…she’s 16 he’s 21.
Selection from Bond… start with him at crouch and her leaning over his back…
wave the arms like a butterfly…either that or they’re hyponotizing
the judges… into the s/s triple toes where he puts hand down and she galls
down… split double not very high… throw triple toe with a hell of a lean… and
she goes down hard on that. Death spiral… get down and she doesn’t hear my
screams… lift back entry into it and straight up… and down quite messily I
think…. Into s/s spins…camel to sit change sit miles apart and ok unison I
think… and to the boards… sriaght line step… unison
is fine but no much difficulty… and slide to stop and go again into apirs spins… good speed throughout…and finish as they
started. Not much height differential between the two of them I note. They did
that throw perfectly in warm up… nicky notes that he
shouts loud, chris says its’ a shame she wans’t listening; he shouted on the check out time for the
throw… she landed on the toe rake on the throw… not a hope of saving it.
Marks
3.0-3.9… 4.0-4.6 they go into 8th
Berankova
and Dlabola CZE
Lots of
flesh from her, with shiny red autumnal shade to preserve modesty…he’s all in
black with autumnal shades along the chest. 6th last year, she’s 26,
he’s 30. Start back to back… Bandita. Again. Though
if they’ve lost the day when you love me as their free, I’ll forgive them. Into
the s/s triple toes miles apart and he doesn’t get his…over rotates it… hers is
lovely.
Marks as
C&N think 4th 4.1c4.7 4.8-5.2… 4.6-5.5… lots of difference. 4th.
Brozovic
and Futas SLO
And the
sack the stylist award goes to…. Grey mostly, with sparkly sparkles. Gold
accents on neck and wrists. And billowy. Not flattering. At all. And she’s got the bare midriff of it
all, and he’s got a gold belt. She’s 20 he’s 24. New pairing. His trousers are
brown. Caravan of light the music.. and I can’t get over those costumes. Kinda
middle eastern sounding music… splti double… nicky notes speed of it… s/s toe and she doubles hers I
think? His was ok. Took off at different times. Lift,,, ooooh
and they got that all wrong. Completely lost it, never got above the shoulder.
Throw triple sal with df
step out, over rotated it… s/s camel to sit nice sit position, to change sit
and upright… steps out of it show good unison.. death spiral and that IS the
lowest we’ve seen all night! Good girl I forgive you your crime against
fashion. Well not really but almost. Straight line step, lots of hands waving… andinto the pairs spins where they literally stop on way in
before they get going again… and again stop on the change…and they’re finished,
slightly behind the music. Littered with errors Chris calls it. Nicky questions
her belief that she can do the jumps. Lift – her arms were bent rather than
locked, his arms weren’t underneath her properly… that could have been very
nasty. Loss of unison on spins… we see that on the over head.
Marks
2.7-3.7… 3.7-4.4 they’re 11.
Boguslavska
and Brovenko LAT
All black
for these two, 12th last year. She’s 21 he’s 20. Start with her
facing him… music is from Bond… arm waving again… s/s triple toes and she gets
her all wrong and goes down and he steps out of his and they take a long time
to set it up… split double twist isn’t well caught … throw triple sal with a free foot down… again, really long prep on that.
Lift straight up with her in front of him and nice exit though kinda bobble
when he sets her down… death spiral.. nice and low from her though he took a
long time to get odwn into position…s/s camel where
it looked like she lost it; to ist change sit and
unison is gone by the end of the spins, that was terrible looking. Steps and
the music seems to be over powering them more than a little…to the boards and
up again into pairs spins… good speed and position… change and they’re done. Ooooh and she’s not a happy camper at all at all. Good
speed says Chris but perhaps lack of confidence. Nicky concurs. His right hadn is bandaged I just see…. He under rotated his triple
toe… landed forwards… and crazy entry Chris tells us, they took it way around
the corner … sal was deffo
double footed. Great dismount from lift wehre she was
upside down and straight in the air, then righted herself then went down…
Marks as
Chris points out that elements were telegraphed… 2.9-3.9… 3.7-4.4. 11 of 12.
And a break
for the next warm up.
Petrova
and Tikhonov RUS
Navy blue
dress for her with sparkles on the see through sleeves. Nicky wonders about thei confidence, relates the story of the Russian nationals
and how they didn’t skate well. Chris
says are lucky to be here. Can we get her a new hairdo please, this one is muchly unflattering. As is his pale blue satin blouse with
missing buttons…what it is with Russian men and missing buttons this week? Is
there a button shortage in
Marks
5.5-5.8… 5.5-5.9… second on 2/7 split.
Shapiro and
Akolzin ISR
Pinky
dress for her with gold diamond along middle with black inserts. He’s in black trousers and a gauzy top with
flesh coloured insert on the chest, to make it look like he too is suffering
from the Great Button Shortage of 2004. Bluesy kinda music…. Split to begin….
Not much height. s/s 2a and did she single hers? Lift right up… and right down
again no changes of position and barely a turn… throw and leaning all over the
triple sal throw and down she goes, short on
rotation… death spiral and you know what I’m going to say about the length by
now… and into the s/s camle spins to sit change sit
loss of unison on the change but they get it back again. And out of that.. to
the boards… and slow step sequence to fit in with music but which is just slow…
this is classical music set to blues guitar and I could hum it for you but you
can’t hear me…into pairs spin… and change position… and we’re done. Slightly
behind the music. First Euros. Won Skate Israel last year… she doesn’t look
happy. She won bronze with Oleksei Sokolov at Jnr Worlds four years
ago… Nicky hated the music… he would scrap it. Polite applause he calls it.
There was one turn on the lift, I tell you a lie.
Marks she’s
19 he’s 21. Long wiat for the marks. 3.0-3.7…
3.6-4.4… 13 of 14
Volosozhar
and Kharchenko UKR – withdrew.
Fitze and
Rex GER
Black pants
and white shirt for him, very classy looking. She’s all in black and check that
smile of hers. She’s 21 he’s 27. Sdtk to mission
impossible. Too easy. Dancy steps to begin… and away
we go… s/s triple toes.and nailed that. Not the same
timing on them, but clean. And look at her smile! Split is nice and well caught … throw triple sal nailed that , had to work hard chris
points out… death spiral… yeah same song same verse could be lower… and into
the pairs spins, flying camels to sit change sit and she loses it on the
change… and out of kilter the whole way through then. Into camel pairs and the
crowd are getting into it… and she’s still beaming… nice eye contact between
the two of them… lift upside down with her right on his back and she spun all
around him in that, that was great! Steps… I’d clap if I wasn’t typing… and
slide to a stop… and done… and that I liked. That I did like. A llittle ungainly sometimes Chris calls it, and I can’t say
that he’s wrong, but there was lots of energy and lots of heart in it, and she
looked like she was having a ball out there; she nnever
stopped smiling, never stopped projecting. Sold it the whole way, and she just
makes me want to smile. Nicky points that he’s pulling her on the death spiral
a little and that it slowed down on the end of the lift and towards the end of
the program in general, but difficult dismount close to the barrier they tell
us. And they like her smile too and there’s Ingo in the K&C! Yay Ingo!
Marks 3.9,
4.5-5.3… wow. 4.4-5.5… where did 3.9 come from? They’re 6th. One has
them 9th. They’re happy.
So T&M,
P&T, Z&S, O&S, B&D,
F&R are the one to six.