Free Dance Final...Houston, We Have a Problem

So our first final concluded tonight with the Ice Dancers putting on a magnificent show. Really all of them where great but things got really good in the second half.

But if you will let me harp on the first half for just a moment...I want to say how special Kharis Ralph and Asher Hill are and I'm beyond pissed that the judges don't give them the scores they are worth. They are so organic and natural, it's amazing. I think they should have been about 5 or 6 placements higher and if I were Skate Canada, I'd launch an inquiry and call for the judges' heads!

Back to the second half. Maia and Alex had a rough go. Alex totally missed his twizzles and it was hard to get the energy back after that. After winning the bronze last season they finish down in 8th. They have the skills to be on the podium, I just think this season was particular tough for them...but they fought all the way to the end which was commendable. I was really surprised and in love with Cappellini and Lanotte's 'La Strada' Free Dance. I thought it was gorgeous and I'm not sure why they didn't beat out Ilinykh and Katsalapov for 5th place?!?!

The top four where all amazing! Davis and White opened up with their best performance this season (I'll get back to this in a moment) and skated lights out and brought the crowd roaringly to their feet. Next up was Weaver and Poje and they had the crowd eating out of the plam of their hand with their 'Je suis malade' program. Another stirring ovation as they slip behind Meryl and Charlie. There was no quieting the crowd as Pechalat and Bourzat took the ice...the whole building was shaking from thunderous applause and I say the crowd support elevated their performance. The crowd cheered amazingly and seemed to appreciate the fact they placed a strong 2nd just behind Meryl and Charlie. Finally, Virtue and Moir, solid as ever...just a wee little slip mid dance from Tessa, nothing very major. When they finished they got a good ovation, but nothing near what Pechalat and Bourzat and Davis and White got...the scores go up...half politely applaud their win while the other half boo's...Houston, we have a problem.



On Twitter this already quite a little controversy over this brewing. I'm not going to try to break down the scores...I'm kind of with Phil Hersh...at this level it's preference less than actually difference...but from sitting in the audience in person and watching both programs, Meryl and Charlie certainly had the best skate. I felt that was easily Davis and White's best skate all season, the judges didn't give them a season's best however. And then you have the unfortunate situation where the technical specialists is from Canada...it could get a little tricky. I'll let bygones be bygones and let this one go...but I think the judges missed this one just a bit.