XXI Olympic Winter Games Figure Skating Pairs Preview

The Pairs are the first to hit Olympic ice a week from tomorrow, on Valentines Day actually. There are nine teams that each bring unique aspects to this competition. Experience, ingenuity, consistency, athleticism, beauty, and fearlessness are some of the many things we can look forward to in the Pairs competition.

Caydee Denney and Jeremy Barrett (USA) - Many, in fact probably most, don't expect this extremely young and inexperienced team to be a podium threat...but I think they are. The reigning U.S. Champs have three things working in their favor; their ridiculous consistency, the fact they are fearless in competition, and they have nothing to lose by going for broke. That's a recipe for success if you ask me. The one thing that will hamper them is the fact that they don't have the little details such as toe-point, line, extension, etc. mastered. At U.S. Nationals Sandra Bezic made the comment, "There's no box for magic" when discussing the scoring system. This team may knock the socks off of everyone and find themselves still playing catch-up. I hope this isn't the case.

Jessica Dube and Bryce Davison (CAN) - This team will enjoy the support of the crowd as they are Canada's best hope at a medal in this event. The 2008 World Bronze Medalists have had trouble living up to their potential. They failed to make the Grand Prix Final this season. But at this year's Canadian Nationals they turned in a stellar free skate that left everyone, myself included, speechless. When this team is 'in the zone' they are stellar. If they can recreate that magic again in Vancouver and couple it with a clean short program, this team will not only be in the hunt for a medal, it will be for Gold.

Yuko Kavaguti and Alexander Smirnov (RUS) - History is on this teams' side. When was the last time a Russian or Soviet Team wasn't on the Olympic podium in Pairs Figure Skating? 1960. And since then, a Russian or Soviet team has won every single time (they did have to share in 2002). Four of those Olympic Champions were coached by Tamara Moskvina. Sound familiar? Yuko and Alexander also just won the European Title, desperately close to cracking the highest score ever..even with some little mistakes. This team brings ingenuity and cleverness to the ice coupled with infectious personality and charisma. If this team is 100% clean...I believe the Russian legacy of Pairs Figure Skating Champions will live on.

Maria Mukhortova and Maxim Trankov (RUS) - This team is the Russian Yen to Kavaguti and Smirnov's Yang. They bring a more traditional Russian style to the ice than their teammates. This team has also been very consistent this season, taking medals in almost everything they've entered (the Grand Prix Final was the lone hiccup where they finished 4th despite a near clean performance). What this team doesn't seem to have is that extra bit of 'pizazz' that really gets the judges behind them. They've had good luck this season against some tough teams so if they can continue to be consistent they may sneak onto the podium. Hitting every element and finding a way to make their performance more transformative will be key.

Qing Pang and Jian Tong (CHN) - Part one of the Chinese juggernaut, this team has looked solid this season. Easy wins on the Grand Prix and a very solid Silver at the Grand Prix Final has them in position to be one of the main challengers for a medal, if not Gold, in Vancouver. With loads of Olympic experience to fall back on, this team will know exactly what to expect out there. Their Man of La Mancha free skate has been very well received this season. Like Mukhortova and Trankov, their biggest set back is their sometime lack of extra spunk to set them apart. If they are clean, they'll make a great case for the podium.

Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy (GER) - Along with the Chinese, these two are seen as one of the road blocks in the way of continued Russian domination of Pairs Figure Skating. The reigning World Champions have had the oddest season however. They looked out of sorts in Paris at the Grand Prix Opener winning only a bronze. They went back to the drawing board and created, I think, the most gorgeous Pairs Free Skate...ever (I know that is a big claim but it's how I feel!). They blew the competition away at HomeSense Skate Canada and set a new high score for Pairs Figure Skating. They then watched that score fall at the Grand Prix Final where their problems (and the Bronze Medal) returned. They were still not fully with it at Europeans when they lost to Kavaguti and Smirnov. What does all this mean? It means they need to get their heads together or they are going to miss their shot at Olympic Gold. They have the vehicle to win this, they just need to bring their 'A' game.

Xue Shen and Hongbo Zhao (CHN) - The veteran team comes to Vancouver looking for the Olympic Gold that has twice eluded them. When it comes to experience this team has more than any other as they prepare to compete in their 4th Olympics (Nagano, Salt Lake City, Torino, Vancouver). Part two of the Chinese juggernaut, they are the sentimental favorites and could be the team to put an end to Russian domination of this sport. At 31 and 36 respectively, it seems unfathomable that they recently nabbed the highest score ever for a pairs team at the Grand Prix Final. Even as two of the oldest competitors, they are solid as a rock technically. They are also two of the most expressive skaters on the ice. If these two win I don't think anyone would be upset and should they lose many will be heartbroken.

Tatiana Volosozhar and Stanislav Morozov (UKR) - I've said it plenty of times before and I'll say it again...this team is stuck in the zone of mediocrity. They are generally good enough to mention them here as medal contenders, but often find themselves pulling in for 4th, 5th, or 6th place. They didn't help their case at Europeans when they finished off the podium in 4th. Their free skate set to Pearl Harbor seems to labor on and on and you just wish it would end. Despite these shortcomings, they know how to construct a program to earn points and should other teams falter they might back into a medal...but I'm not holding my breath.

Dan Zhang and Hao Zhang (CHN) - Part three of the extremely powerful Chinese team, they actually have the best Olympic credentials of the three teams having won Silver in Torino. This season, however, they have been completely overshadowed by their teammates and have had really lack luster performances. Just last week in Korea, however, they put the train back on the tracks at the Four Continents Cup to win the title with two very solid performances. They didn't have to compete with their teammates in Korea and that might have given them the breathing room they needed to succeed. Trouble is, they aren't afforded that breathing room in Vancouver. Team China is exactly the same as it was in Torino yet completely different outcomes are expected of the three teams. What a difference four years makes!

Four Continents Cup in the books...next stop, Vancouver!

The Final Pre-Olympics ISU Championship, Four Continents Cup, concluded yesterday in Jeonju, South Korea.

I thought I had the Ice Dance event figured out but my predictions were mostly shot to hell (but oddly, mostly realigned?). I went about pre-placing them logically but logic went out the window with their skating and placement. What I did know all along is that Canadian's Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje were the team to beat, and, they in fact won. I was shocked to see their teammates Hann-McCurdy and Coreno with the Silver since several of the teams behind them had skated much better than them this season. I was equally shocked to see American's Hubbell and Hubbell capture the bronze since they had lost, just a week ago, to Chock and Zuerlein at U.S. Nationals who placed just fifth here. This goes to show, we can think we know what's going to happen but until the skating happens we can never really be sure.

The ladies event was the chance for Mao Asada to put herself back into the spotlight before Vancouver as a Gold Medal threat. Asada won, she did two triple axles in her free (both credited), but the program still lacked life and I don't think made her any more of a serious threat to Kim than before. I sound like a broken record with this program...I know...but I don't think she's getting the message. Axels or not, this program will have a tough time competing for Gold. There's no time to change it now so she'll have to do what she can with it...which I feel isn't much. In contrast, Akiko Suzuki, who didn't have near the technical content of Asada, lit up the room with another great performance to West Side Story in winning the Silver. Where Asada lacks life Sukuki is full of it. Caroline Zhang pulled up to nab the Bronze Medal (which means I accurately predicted the ladies podium!). She has a lot of work to do for next season but maybe this will give her a much needed confidence boost. Goal #1 for Caroline...figure out how to love skating again. There was a glimmer of the old Caroline here...keep working at it.

The Pairs event was a great opportunity for Dan Zhang and Hao Zhang to grab a little spotlight for themselves without their teammates (Shen/Zhao, Pang/Tong) over shadowing them and they delivered. While choreographically they still need a tune-up, they managed to get through a free skate clean which really helps there programs since their greatest strength is their athleticism. Americans McLaughlin and Brubaker took the Silver. While problems still prevail it was at least something at the end of their season to hang their hat on. Like Caroline Zhang...there is a lot of work to do before next season. Canadian's Duhamel and Buntin won the Bronze.

The men's event was all over the map with skaters doing the placement shuffle after the free skate. Stunningly, from 7th place, Adam Rippon pulled all they way to take the win and he did so with a gorgeous free skate. He got a monkey off his back by landing both triple axels in his free and was a good poster boy for never giving up no matter what place you're in. Japan's Tatsuki Machida won the Silver. Exactly....who? Machida medaled in a couple Junior Grand Prix's a couple seasons ago and was fourth at this years Japanese Nationals but by all means a stunning senior international debut. Canada's Kevin Reynolds, who was the leader after the short, barely managed the Bronze ahead of American Brandon Mroz despite only an 8th place showing in the free.

Four Continent Cups Results can be found here. Okay...now that all the pre-Olympic competitions are over, you can play in Jumping Clapping Man's Olympic Predictor competition!

Have a skating question? Put my knowledge to the test!

Cup of Russia Recap

My goodness! Starting with the Ice Dance, what a crazy ride that was! The OD my goodness! I gasped when Charlie missed that first twizzle sequence and my heart sunk. Then when he feel on that second smaller twizzle section I just had to turn it off! I didn't even finish watching the OD! When I returned much later and found they were only in 4th I was slightly relieved. Again the Italians had a prime opprotunity to hit the podium that just didn't pan out. The judges aren't feeling the 'Love Story' program as much as they'd like. Despite the 8th place finish in the OD Davis and White managed to get themselves back on the podium into that third position with a solid free skate that was ranked 2nd best. Had it not been for the horrible OD, they might have gone toe-toe for the title! Shockingly, well not shockingly but unexpectedly Domnina and Shabalin only got the silver after a free dance that was unispired, slow, and only ranked third best on the night. Khoklova and Novitski, who were expected to be the #2 Russian team took the title in a bit of a surprise.

On a side note, I have many issues with the judging system but it has done wonders for Ice Dance, I love hove you never know what will happen and the results aren't predetermined.

No big shocks in the Pairs but how about Kawaguchi and Smirnov becoming the second team to hit the throw quad salchow in competition! I wasn't even expecting it...it just sort of floated out of nowhere and I looked and thought to myself "I think I just saw a quad?" I rewound and thought "I did just see a quad!" Despite winning the free skate they had to settle for the silver. The bronze went to Volosozhar and Morozov who couldn't quite match their silver medal performance from Cup of China...big problems for Stanislav on the side-by-side jumps. Zhang and Zhang took the title after a healthy lead going into the free skate. Gorgeous throw jumps and overall better skating than last season...they appear to be one of the teams to beat this season (as they usually are anyway!). This is the only discipline I managed to correctly predict...drats!

I am now at a loss of words about Kimmie Meissner. After what looked like a decent short program I was shocked to see how low she was ranked. To the element sheet I went and she got little credit for what was considered a double loop and the majority of her footwork and spins were only given level ones. Then that free skate that started strong but faded fast. I just feel bad for her and hope that something can change. Czisny moved up a spot to claim fourth place after an up and down program, but the spins and spiral sequence continue to amaze me. Suguri settled for the bronze despite leading after the short program. I think the nerves crept in a bit but what she did do she did very well. Rachael Flatt simply shined in an amazing performance that, more importantly, had no downgraded jumps. I thought she was great and I think she deserved the win! Poor alas, Carolina Kostner took the title with a better performance than she turned in at Skate Canada but still some issues. However, she creamed Flatt on the component score (and I can't figure out how) and won that way. Sigh....

I was so confused by the men, I just never got my head around it. Adam Rippon had a much better skate here than he did in Everett and finished 5th. He seemed pleased with his effort. Jeremy Abbott pulled up to 4th after a great free skate. Something to note about Abbott...if he has a solid short program, watch out (ala Cup of China) because the judges are loving his programs. He actually finished second in the free to get to fourth. Alban Preaubert did it again as the frenchman earned his second bronze of the series after another fantastic skate. He managed to hold off Abbott. Tomas Verner earned the silver despite winning the free skate. He looked better than he did in China opening his program with a gorgeous quad toe. Joubert took the title despite finishing fourth in the free. He just had a big lead after the short. It's not even that he skated bad he just didn't seem to get the tech credit of the other skaters. This could be a problem for Brian later in the season. If he doesn't turn in a stellar short, he could be in trouble because his free skate lacks staying power (kind of like when Buttle won World's last season...I'm just saying).

You can check out Joubbie's Free right here:

Brian Joubert 08 Cup of Russia LP
Uploaded by fsqueen

Cup of China Ramblings

All in all a decent event. Some thoughts...

Amongst the women...some of these ladies need to get their head around attempting the harder triples. I know many of them are not comfortable with lutzes and flips but I think you need to try it anyway. You're probably not going to place well without it so why not try it, get used to it, and when you hopefully make it to bigger competitions you have that experience under your belt? I say you're probably not going to place well because apparently Laura Lepisto doesn't need them in her program to medal. I'm completely baffled at how Lepisto was ranked ahead of Ashley Wagner...completely! I'm going to scrutinize those judging sheets and try to figure it out...I may post a separate post on that. Speaking of Wagner...I just love the opening minute of that 'Spartacus' program...talk about off and running! No shock about the top two, however, I think Miki Ando needs to get her head around doing a little choreography in her program. If she continues to just focus on the jumps she won't get close to the Kim's and Asada's of the world. Again Yu-Na Kim won easily, but less spectacular this time. You get so caught into her performance that it's easy to forget she fell out of her first triple lutz and has again omitted the triple loop. Food for thought...

In the pairs I was completely impressed with the artistic strides the Dan and Hao Zhang have made in their skating. I've never been their biggest fans but I really enjoyed their skating here and very much felt they deserved the win. I was really impressed with the Volosozhar and Morozov as well. I'm a sucker for the 'Pearl Harbor' soundtrack and I thought they turned a beautiful performance for the silver. On the flip side, I'm a huge fan of Pang and Tong and I didn't like either their short or free skate. I think they should rethink the music choices...it don't think it suits them. Maybe I'll give it some time to settle in. Shout out to Evora and Ladwig for landing that gorgeous throw triple lutz!

I don't know how I feel about the Ice Dance competition. We'll I know I do feel that the Italians Cappellini and Lanotte should have won the bronze, even if their free dnace was just a little too reminiscent of Jamie and David's 'Love Story,' costumes, choreography, and all. However, I thought their dancing was far superior to Khoklova and Novitski's. I love the power the Russians exhibit and they have amazing "tricks" but I feel they really lack in the inbetween stuff. Just my opinion I guess. Very, very close at the top. But it was the Russians, Domnina and Shabalin, who got the slightly (just slightly) bigger sliver of the pie. They defeated Americans Belbin and Agosto by 0.36. That's close. But to be truthful I was unimpressed with both teams. I have come to the personal conclusion that I'm not a fan of the new Tanith and Ben. I'm reminded of Angelika Krylova who had this amazing expression and all that caked on drama worked (see 'Carmen' 1998 Olympics), it doesn't work for Tanith and I'm finding myself less and less impressed with them each time I see them...so sad for a team I love. I was also unimpressed with Domnina and Shabalin. Their 'Spartacus' bit (wow... Spartacus is in this season!) was, in my opinion, completely uninspiring. I know I'm being critical but I expect more from these top teams!

But the men really saved the day for me! For the first time this season I looked at a guy and thought, YES! Jeremy Abbott was fantastic. I don't think there was a bit of that tango music (tango's are big this season too!)that he didn't hit. Talk about working the system for every point your worth! A very much deserved win...long time in the making. I was impressed by Carriere as well! I don't think anyone, certainly not me, expected the U.S. to go 1-2 in the men's event, well done gentlemen, well done! Verner salvaged a bronze medal after an iffy free skate...nice quad though. I was so hoping Vaughn Chipeur would skate well after that great short program and that gorgeous triple axel (I mean...it was just pretty!), hopefully he can put two together soon because he has great potential.

I think we can say Belbin and Agosto and Miki Ando have made the Grand Prix Final and we can definitely say Yu-Na Kim has. Looking at the men, Lysacek now has new troubles with Abbott and Carriere's finish here and nothing definitive yet in the pairs event. Next week the Grand Prix lands in the beautiful Paris where we'll get a look at heavy hitters Asada and Joubert.

Pic of the Week

We hold our breath everytime they do the element. It's explosive, it's beautiful, it's perfect, you can't help but love Dan and Hao Zhang's split triple twist. And for that (and the fact that they have a big lead after the Pairs short program at the Four Continents Cup!) they get the Pic of the Week.

We first took notice of this team during a moment of real tragedy. Rewind back to the 2004 Skate America competition in Pittsburgh. Russians Totmianina and Marinin were forced to withdraw from a freak accident due to one of the nastiest slips from a lift I've ever seen. It was in fact the Zhangs that won the competition and made us all shake our heads in wonderment that there was in fact another team from China that could challenge the worlds best.

We can fast forward to the Olympics where their potential was realized with a silver medal (and oddly after a freak fall of their own on throw quad salchow!) and they haven't looked back, medaling at the 2005 and 2006 World Championships, and of course looking very sharp this season. They are the only team this season that has managed to defeat the German team of Savchenko and Szolkowy.

It looks like the Four Continents Cup will be easy sailing for this team barring catastrophe...look for this team to be in the thick of it in Sweden!

Cup of Russia is in the books

Cup of Russia concluded Sunday in Moscow and the end stretch for the Grand Prix Final is in sight with only one more event next weekend in Sendai, Japan. The entries for the Grand Prix Final are starting to shape up.

In Ice Dance it was a Russian fairytale. Russians Domnina and Shabalin bested their silver medal performance in China with a win at home. They showed powerful skating to their "Masquerade Waltz" program. They also clinched a spot at the Grand Prix Final with that performance. Also clinching a spot at the final were silver medalists Pechalat and Bourzat of France. It will be a crunch for the Grand Prix Final between the two Italian teams (but it doesn't look promising for Faiella and Scali) and the Russian Team of Khoklova and Novitski to see who makes the final. Expected to qualify in Japan are Canadians Virtue and Moir and French team Delobel and Schoenfelder each with a win under their belts from their home events.

In the ladies competition Yu-Na Kim showed her cool elegance and put it on cruise control to win her second event (And conviningly! Almost 25 points!). Yukari Nakano of Japan captured the silver medal and Joannie Rochette earned another bronze medal. With that, Kim makes the final, Nakano makes the final, and it doesn't look good for Rochette (two bronzes don't look to hold up). Americas' Caroline Zhang has to wait and see what Sarah Meier of Switzerland and Carolina Kostner of Italy will do in Japan, her Grand Prix fate rests upon their shoulders. Expected to qualify in Japan is World Champ Miki Ando who is from Japan.

In pairs two of the worlds best went head to head and the Zhangs from China continued their winning streak defeating Germans Savchenko and Szolkowy. Russians Kawaguchi and Smirnov captured another bronze medal. When we do the final crunch, the Zhangs are in, Savchenko and Szolkowy are in, even Kawaguchi and Smirnov look pretty good, but it will be a battle for that final spot and it won't be easy as Szolkowy and Savchenko as well as Dube and Davison of Canada are competing in the event as non scoring competition for themselves. If Americans Rockne and Brubaker can hang on to at least 5th place they can qualify, if they win a medal or finish 4th, they make it!

In the Men's event Johnny Weir continued to show the new Johnny with a big win. He is also proving that consistency between the Technical and Component scores is essential. I don't think I have ever seen him skate as well. Stephane Lambiel improved on his performance from China but still looks a bit rough around the edges. Russia's Griazev came through for the bronze. Buttle blew it and finished 4th (is the Buttle era over and the Chan sun rising in Canada?). The crunch looks like this, Weir is very in, Lambiel squeaks through, and then it's a cluster. Van Der Perren has to bit his nails and wait to see what Griazev, Davydov, and Carrierre (that's right...he's go a shot! He needs at least silver though!) can come up with to see if he makes it. Daisuke Takahashi should qualify with great ease (he can finish as low as 5th and make it and that won't happen!).

NHK Trophywill be fun to watch to see who makes it!

Where it is

Sunday brought the conclusion of Trophee Eric Bompard in Paris. Remember how Joubert's withdrawal opened the door for some skaters...well...Patrick Chan of Canada decided to walk through that doorway with a win in Paris and a guaranteed spot to the Grand Prix Final. Leader after the short, also trying to wiggle his way to the Grand Prix Final, Alban Preaubert fell to third and most likely will not have the points to go. Russia's Sergei Voronov climbed to the silver medal. Kevin Van Der Perren might have blown a chance to the final with his fourth place finish...he sits on the bubble with 22 points.

In pairs, none of the other teams could crack the Chinese juggernaut. The Zhangs are back in business after injury last season with a win in Paris. Teammates Pang and Tong, competing in their 3rd event of the season (Paris was a nonscoring event for them) captured the silver. Mukhortova and Trankov of Russia took the Bronze. Also of note are Americans Vise and Trent who finished fourth. I saw this team put down a clean performance in Canada and then they actually finished 3rd in the Free in Paris. American Pairs is wide open (and I mean Wide!) right now and I think this is a team to watch in St. Paul.

In Ice Dance Delobel and Schoenfelder started the season with a win at home despite running into a bit of a issue in the Free Dance. Russians Khoklova and Novitski, who took silver, out skated the French veterans in the Free Dance. Americans Davis and White took the bronze. I also think this team has been seriously under marked this season. Their difficulty is top notch and they aren't getting the credit for it, shame on the judges. Their scores were higher than what they had previously achieved at Skate America. Maybe the Grand Prix gods will smile down upon them and they'll eek into the final...but it doesn't look promising (sigh). Cappellini and Lanotte, who finished fourth, sit on the Grand Prix bubble with 22 points (they did get the better placement ahead of their veteran teammates Faiella and Scali who also have 22 points due to their silver in Canada...interesting).

In ladies it was Mao Asada on top...again. She defeated American Kimmie Meissner by close to 20 points even with 2 points deduction. Kimmie apparently had a less than stellar free skate as she was out skated by teammate Ashley Wagner who won the bronze. Ashley showed very high technical marks in her free skate and is among what I call "the sleeping giants" of ladies American figure skating (Zhang, Wagner, Nagasu). With that Mao Asada clinches a spot at the Grand Prix Final with the max possible points of 30. Kinmberly Meissner actually clinches a spot as well and qualifies for the first time in her career to the Grand Prix Final (hard to believe the 2006 World Champ has never been to the Grand Prix Final).

Next week skaters will be in Moscow for Cup of Russia!