This year the Bofrost Cup was no more the third station of the grand prix, but a new competition. The mode chosen by the German skating union was a jump competition similar to the Top Jump which was held in the past in France and a normal free program. It was called a technical part combined with an interpretation / choreography part. To my mind there were a few defects in this new model; first in a usual free program the technical elements play a big role what seems not to be intended, because the free program part was called choreographical part... The second point which came to my mind watching this competition was that for the free program the old system with marks up to 6.0 was used.
After the jumping contest and the original dance they had a "small victory ceremony". As for the jump part I think it's okay, but I can't say that I agreed with the fact that then there was a victory ceremony for the OD...
Another big disadvantage was the organisation. The competition was only announced short before it took place, so skaters and spectators were not able to plan early enough. In the three competition days there were only about 2500 people there and many places stayed empty. Anyway one new thing was good. ;o) They put in new chairs with backrests which made the whole thing more comfortable. (Thanks!!!)
Since I was busy with other things I only went there on Saturday, so I missed the technical competition on Friday and the free dance and exhibition on Sunday.
In the free program the competitors skated in an order determined by their placing in the technical part (i.e. the one with the last place came first and last was the best from the technical competition).
Fitze / Rex withdrew due to injury after the technical part where they only
finished last.
Handke / Wende a young couple who also competed as single skaters in the junior
level skated first. They got a warm up time all alone, because they didn't want
to have 5 couples at the same time warming up and that plan didn't change after
Fitze / Rex withdrew. To my mind this is not the best situation for such an
unexperienced couple. Their skating was quite promising, even though they made
man mistakes. He touched down with his hand on the double axel, the twist was
double, she fell on the triple toe and landed both thrown loop and salchow on
two feet.
Putnam / Wirtz had a nice choice of music with the Paganinisuite. The triple
twist wasn't clean, they made it with too much power. Then they showed up with
the good combo of triple salchow and double flip. The triple thrown loop was
fine, too. She executed the axel later only simple and fell during the entry
in the side by side spin. Then the thrown salchow was only double.
Obertas / Slavnov look good as a couple, but they need to get more routine.
I'm not sure if I liked their program, but at least they included some nice
innovations. Their elements were triple toe - double toe, triple twist, double
axel, she did it only simple, triple thrown flip (I guess this one was even
better than those I've seen last season by her and Sokolov), triple thrown loop,
that one was not clean at all. They had an interesting death spiral and some
nice lifts.
Marcoux / Buntin showed the cleanest program, but maybe it's just me, but I
didn't like their music selection, it was somehow getting on my nerves. Their
elements were triple twist, triple thrown loop, triple toe - double toe, triple
toe, which he landed on two feet, triple thrown salchow. After all Marcoux /
Buntin really deserved to win here.
Next were the men. Here the field was really not very good.
Tomas Verner had a nice free program where it was obvious that he improved presentation
wise. The triple axel wasn't clean, then he did a double toe and a double axel,
before he finally hit the first clean triple (flip with double toe), followed
by a triple loop, a simple lutz and a double salchow. I guess he was to concentrated
on his arm movements in order to focus on the jump elements.
Alexej Vasilevskij seems to try hard to skate and look like Alexander Abt, but
unfortunately a similar dress to those of Abt does not make him a great skater.
His elements were triple toe, fall on teh triple axel, double lutz - double
toe, triple salchow, double loop, another fall on the triple axel, double flip
and a bad triple lutz.
Kirstoffer Berntsson looked good in the warming up and was able to show that
he has improved even though he used an old program. His elements were triple
axel, triple flip- triple toe (shaky), simple lutz, triple axel - simple toe,
simple flip, triple salchow, triple loop (shaky), triple toe.
Silvio Smalun also used his old program, which is certainly choreographically
very strong and which he is able to perform very well, but still he has some
technical problems. His elements were triple axel, fall on the quad toe, triple
flip, triple flip - triple toe (not at all clean), triple loop, double lutz,
triple salchow, triple toe. The last spin of his program was not good.
Gregor Urbas somehow was third after the jump competition... His tango free
program did nothing for me, he seems rough in this program and it does not underline
his strenghts, but his weaknesses IMO. His elements were triple lutz on two
feet, triple axel, triple flip -- triple toe, fall on the triple axel, double
loop, triple lutz - double toe, triple salchow.
Jeffrey Buttle was certainly the skater who has the complete package in this
competition, but since he had many mistakes he was not able to win. His elements
were triple flip, quad toe not clean at all, double axel, simple axel, triple
loop, triple salchow, triple lutz - double toe (shaky).
So Stefan Lindemann was able to win both competition parts which was perhaps
a surprise. He skated his old free program which I really like, because even
though it is not as artistic as the ones of Buttle, Smalun, or even Verner,
it fits to him perfectly. For the first time he executed a quad toe in competition
which he was able to land on one foot, though he touched down with his hand.
After that he did a triple axel on two feet, triple lutz, triple loop, simple
axel, double flip - triple toe, triple salchow and fell when he tried to repeat
the flip at the end of the program.
The ladies' free program was quite interesting, because it brought some changes
after the technical program in the placings.
Denise Zimmermann fell on her first triple (sorry, I did not notice what it
was...), then came a double lutz, a fall on the triple loop, triple toe, triple
salchow, double axel -- double toe.
Julia Sebestyen showed a solid performance, but her good jump elements were
not enough to stay in front. triple salchow, triple lutz, triple loop, triple
toe- double toe, shaky triple flip, fall on the second lutz, double axel.
Joannie Rochette managed it to get in first place after all with a nice performance
including technical difficulty with nice choreography. Triple loop, triple flip
-- triple toe, triple lutz on two feet, fall on the triple flip, double axel,
triple toe -- triple salchow (not really clean). One spin was also not fine.
Some of her jumps, especially the loop looked really great, good speed and flow.
Elina Kettunen started with a good triple loop, followed by double lutz and
double flip. Then she did a triple flip, a shaky triple toe, another shaky triple
salchow, double axel - simple toe. Her new program looks nice, but she has to
improve on the jumps.
Susanna Pöykiö had a good chance to win, but for that she did not
skate well enough. Triple lutz - double toe, triple toe- double toe (this should
have been triple - triple I guess), double flip (in the run-up she stook somehow
in the ice and so she did not get the best take-off.), double axel, triple loop,
fall on the triple flip, double salchow. I didn't like her new program even
though I like her skating, but the music does not underline her strenghts.
Carolina Kostner who led sovereignly after the jumping contest totally failed
in the free program. Her choice of music (various pieces by Vanessa Mae) did
not impress me much. The final part with Nessun Dorma is too heavy for her at
the moment. She has a nice skating, but nevertheless her movements are still
a little youthful and to my mind this program does not fit yet to her skating.
Her elements were triple loop, fall on the triple flip and the triple lutz,
then again a fall on the triple salchow - triple toe combo and a double axel,
which was not clean either.
Just some short remarks about the OD (I didn't take notes...)
Winkler / Lohse have a nice OD with some music pieces they already used before
I think. Unfortunately she fell close to the end of the program.
Domnina / Shabalin improved a lot to my mind, but during their step sequence
Maxim fell.
I was looking forward to see Faiella / Scali, but I was a little disappointed.
During their step sequence they were slow and the program didn't impress me
that much.
Dubreuil / Lauzon had a good OD, but as also in the year before when I had the
same impression about them in Gelsenkirchen they again did not get the marks
they could have gotten. During their skate she lost a little of her skirt, fortunately
nothing happened.
Hoffmann / Elek looked very junior like to me, but Nora really has expression.
I saw parts of the free dance on tv and here are some short notes.
Domnina / Shabalin have a strange tango version of the Four Seasons by Vivaldi.
Again I have to say that their skating improved compared to last season.
Faiella / Scali skated to a tango. No remarks here.
Winkler / Lohse have finally a program which I liked from the first few moves.
They show the contrast of night and day and this contrast is visible in costumes
and choreography as also audible in the music. Maybe this program will bring
them on higher places, but because of a fall of both of them in the third minute
of the program they lost to Dubreuil Lauzon.
Dubreuil / Lauzon skated a good tango. It's a better program than the one of
last season, even though the music might not be that nice to listen too. (nothing
against a tango, though...)
Pairs Short Program:
-Handke / Wende (10.) had two mistakes. I did not see their program,
but heard that he fell on the triple toe. Surprisingly they came into 10th position
even though they had to skate first.
-Beloglazova / Bekh (9.) had both troubles with the side by side double axel,
the thrown salchow was okay.
-Totmianina / Marinin (1.) were to my mind by far the best couple. They improved
artistically and their short program was very clean and polished. They started
with a long and very nice serpentine step sequence, followed by the thrown triple
loop, triple toe. I don't understand how they could get two second places.
-Pla / Bonheur (8.) both fell on the toe and she landed the thrown loop on two
feet.
-Obertas / Slavnov (4.) did a triple toe and the thrown triple flip, but she
had little problems with the side by side spin.
-Lefrancois / Blanchard (7.): she doubles the triple toe, the thrown triple
salchow was perhaps a little touched with the second foot.
-Zagorska / Siudek (3.) started with a triple thrown loop, then he had little
problems with the triple toe. The deathspiral entry was innovative and their
lift as good as usual.
-Rennik / Saks (12.) did a double salchow and she touched down with her hands
on the thrown salchow.
-Havlickova / Stefl (11.): she fell on the triple toe, while he landed it on
both feet, then she fell on the triple thrown toe.
-Berankova / Dlabola (5.) started with a triple toe, which did not land clean,
the triple thrown salchow was a little shaky and the deathspiral was not so
good.
-Brozovic / Futas (15.): her toe was only double and not clean, the thrown salchow
was not clean and he did not manage to hold her up during the lift.
-Boguslavka / Brovenko (13.): she fell on the triple toe, he twofooted it, the
twist was not good and the triple thrown salchow was just so landed.
-Petrova / Tikhonov (2.) skated a clean program including a triple toe and a
triple thrown loop which was a little shaky.
-Shapiro / Akolzin (14.) started with a weak twist, followed by a double axel
which she singled and then she fell on the thrown triple salchow.
-Volosozhar / Kharchenko withdrew. I don't know why.
-Fitze / Rex (6.) showed a solid program with triple toe, a little weak twist,
triple thrown salchow, a not very well executed side by side spiral and another
little weak deathspiral.
To resume the results I can say that I completely
agree with the standings up to the seventh place. Every team which is placed
lower than 7th place was not really good and so it's just a pitty that there
weren't enough couples who did well to fill the top ten. Anyway the judges did
a good job today.
SP Men (in brackets just the short program placings, not the result after
qualification and SP):
- Nurmenkari (21.): triple lutz - double toe combo, triple flip, double axel,
mistake on the last spin. Nice presentation (tango program).
- Urbas (11.): triple lutz - triple toe, triple axel slightly touched with
the second foot, triple loop.
I guess his presentation improved, but it did nothing for me.
- Verner (10.): triple axel - double toe, triple flip, high double axel. He's
really
improving and seems to be a promising talent for the future.
- Kotov (24.): triple lutz - double toe, triple flip, double axel. Presentation
was
okay.
- Djordjevic (14.): triple axel - double toe (strange technic, somehow wild),
triple
flip, double axel. Nice program.
- Toth (26.): triple flip (on two feet)- double toe, simple axel, triple lutz.
Bad
skate.
- Davydov (7.): triple axel - triple toe overrotated, triple lutz , double axel.
Hungarian
music.
- Zivanovic (21.): triple flip - double toe, triple axel (big mistake), triple
lutz. Actually I guessed he would be better, but this really wasn't a good skate.
- Meier (19.): fall on the triple axel, triple lutz just hanging on, double axel.
He already had more convincing programs presentation wise.
- Dinev (18.): simple axel, triple flip, double axel. Nice program, but with
that mistake on the axel was no chance to place higher.
- Zelenka (19.): triple lutz - triple toe (shaky), triple flip (on two feet),
double axel. Also not very strong in the presentation.
- Murvanidze (9.): triple axel (on two feet), shaky triple lutz - triple toe
combo (but no real mistake on that), triple flip (shaky). I liked last years
SP better, this one seemed to be somehow not 'his' program.
- Vlascenko (6.): triple axel - double toe, triple lutz, double axel, later he
struggled twice a little. Strange but funny costume. He had been better in the
presentation in the past IMO, but got really good presentation scores.
- van der Perren (13.): fall on the triple axel, triple lutz - triple toe, triple
flip (not clean). Nice presentation.
- Lambiel (12.): fall on the quad toe, triple axel, triple flip (big mistake,
deduction like a fall), another fal in the step sequence.
- Danilchenko (16.): fall on the double axel, triple lutz, steps on one foot,
triple flip - double toe.
- Chiper (17.): fall on the quad toe - double toe, fall on the triple axel, triple
lutz, nice steps. Didn't like his costume.
- Berntsson (5.): triple axel, triple lutz - triple toe, triple flip (just so).
He was the surprise of the men's SP. I guess nobody expected him to place fifth.
Profitated of all the mistakes made before.
- Dambier (4.): quad salchow - double toe (the quad might have been slightly
twofooted.), triple axel, triple flip. Worst costume of the field to my mind.
Skated to that Haydn piece Denkova / Staviyski and Silvio Smalun use.
- Lindemann (8.): quad toe (touched down with the hand) - double toe, simple
axel, triple lutz. Improved presentation / choreography, nice steps.
- Klimkin (3.): triple axel - triple toe (sovereign), quad toe, double axel.
His music was Swan Lake - I guess that's not the best choice for him. It's a
pitty that he made the axel combo, so that he had to do the double axel. If he
had chosen a quad - triple combo, he had had a better technical mark.
- Plushenko (1.): quad toe (shaky) - double toe, triple axel, triple lutz, two
great step sequences. Very nice program and the overall package even with that
little mistake was better than all of the other skaters.
- Griazev (15.): fall on the triple axel - double toe, triple lutz (on two feet),
double axel, problems with a spin.
- Joubert (2.): quad toe - triple toe, triple axel, triple flip (maybe slightly
touched with the second foot??), nice steps. He skated his old short program.
Resumee: Low technical standard in these short
programs. Most of the decisions are okay to my mind. The only real surprise
seems to be Kirstoffer Berntsson on the fifth place.
Pairs FP:
Eurosport showed the African Cup of soccer and so we only got to see the last
two groups...
- Pla / Bonheur (8.): triple toe (he on two feet)... double toe, triple thrown
loop (bad fall, took them long to come into the program again.), triple thrown
salchow (not sure, maybe slightly touched with the second foot), double axel
(hers was not clean), double twist, spin not synchronous. Tarzan theme.
- Fitze / Rex (7.): triple toe ... triple salchow (he overrotated), triple twist
(not so good), triple toe, double thrown axel (just so), triple thrown salchow.
Still the same program as last year. Much concentration on the elements and
less on the artistry, but nice to see them doing well.
- Lefrancois / Blanchard (6.): triple twist (not good), triple toe... double
toe, triple thrown loop, triple thrown salchow, double salchow, nice lift, not
well done on the spin. Nice gliding and in contrast to the Germans there really
was something to watch in addition to the elements.
- Berankova / Dlabola (5.): double axel ... double toe, triple toe (he fell),
shaky triple twist, triple thrown salchow, double axel, triple thrown toe. Nice
program, good transitions and of course place 5.
- Totmianina / Marinin (1.): double salchow, triple toe- double toe (the only
couple with a direct combo), triple twist a little shaky, triple thrown loop
(also a little shaky, but even less than the twist), triple thrown salchow.
I really was impressed by their SP, but this one was a little boring.
- Obertas / Slavnov (4.): triple toe ... triple toe (he was shaky), triple twist
(the first nice one), triple toe (he was really shaky), triple thrown flip (counted
as a fall after a really bad landing), triple thrown loop, side by side spin
(he struggled with it). With Moskvina being their coach I would expect a nicer
program, this one has it's attention on some elements and the presentation is
in some parts nearly nonexisting. Anyway they had some nice ideas and can still
improve.
- Petrova / Tikhonov (2.): double axel ... triple toe, triple thrown loop (a
little shaky), triple twist, double axel, triple thrown salchow (on two feet).
Other than Totmianina / Marinin they used more entertaining music and it really
was a program the audience liked.
- Zagorska / Siudek (3.): triple thrown loop, triple toe (she was not clean)...
double toe, triple twist, triple toe (he doubled it, I think), triple thrown
salchow, side by side spin a little asynchronous. The program was good enough
to take the bronze.
Resumee: There were not many changes in the placings
and I cannot say that there was one couple where I really was completely impressed.
They all did a good job, but this was no highlight of this years Europeans.
OD Swing Combo:
- Kerr / Kerr (10.): nice transitions, good lift, a minor mistake on the lengthwise
step sequence, good presentation.
- Aureli / Vaturi (18.): slow lengthwise step sequence, they skated the fast
part of the program too slow.
- Beier / Beier (15.): nice lift and spin, sometimes a little far from each
other.
- Dulej / Janicki (21.): slow, nice lengthwise step sequence, skated far from
each other.
- Kauc / Zych (13.): nice lift and spin.
- Zatzman / Radisauskas (22.): slow, bad lengthwise step sequence.
- Petetin / Jost (12.): no real unity in the program, sometimes a little hectic.
- Grebenkina / Azrojan (14.): nice lengthwise step sequence.
- Huot / Valkama (17.): decent program, he fell in the warm up without doing
any element.
- Grushina / Gonsharov (2.): lengthwise step sequence a little slow, other elements
fine and everything cleanly done. Nice presentation, they seemed to be the only
couple in a medal position who really skated something which fit to the theme.
- Delobel / Schoenfelder (4.): she fell in the lengthwise step sequence, interesting
lift. Without the fall they could have challenged the top three.
- Gudina / Belletski (9.): nice lift, but somehow strange program.
- Chait / Sakhnovski (5.): good lengthwise step sequence, many little steps,
fast, but maybe not the best flow. Didn't like the costumes, though they somehow
fit to what they did.
- Denkova / Staviski (3.): nice lift and spin, but the first twizzle in the
lengthwise step sequence was not well executed by her and so they were for a
short moment asynchronous.
- Faiella / Scali (6.): lengthwise step sequence not so strong, many run up
steps. They skate with much energy, but their program is not so demanding as
the programs of the couples ahead of them and maybe even of some of the lower
placed couples.
- Kulikova / Novikov (8.): good lengthwise step sequence, skated a little aggressiv,
but after all convincing.
- Domnina / Shabalin (7.): in the lengthwise step sequence one twizzle wasn't
really good. They have new costumes (she's wearing trousers).
- Navka / Kostomarov (1.): nice diagonal step sequence and sovereign skate after
all. They deserved the first place and now they have to place lower then second
in order to lose the gold in the free skate.
- Hoffmann / Elek (11.): lengthwise step sequence far away from each other,
Attila does not always make a good impression. Lost many places.
Resumee: Navka / Kostomarov nearly are already
European Championships since the second placed couple already needs them to
finish two places lower in order to overtake them. I expected more from the
Swing Combo theme in the presentation, but most couples just skate their programs
to the rythm and do not try to transportate the theme of this OD.
Men's FP:
- Dinev (16.): skated his old FP. triple flip - triple toe, triple axel (not
clean) - triple toe, double lutz (disastrous landing), triple axel (not clean),
triple loop, triple lutz (overrotated and touched down with a hand), triple
salchow. Uninspired skate.
- Nurmenkari (22.): Cyrano de Bergerac. triple lutz (not clean at all), triple
flip (overrotated), triple loop (just so), triple salchow (fall), double lutz
- double toe, triple salchow - double toe, triple toe (shaky), double axel.
- Zelenka (13.): double axel, triple flip - triple toe, triple lutz, triple
loop, triple lutz - triple toe, triple salchow. Nice skate, good flow.
- Chiper (8.): skated his old FP. triple toe (just so, was planned to be a quad),
triple axel - triple toe, triple flip - double toe, triple loop (just so), triple
axel (on two feet), triple salchow, triple lutz, triple flip.
- Danilchenko (15.): Interesting program with nice choreography ('the last temptation
of Christ'). Big problems with what was meant to be a quad (?) toe, triple axel
(not clean) - triple toe, triple lutz, triple axel (not clean), triple loop,
triple flip, triple flip - double toe, triple salchow (just so).
- Urbas (12.): double axel (not clean), triple axel, triple flip - triple toe,
triple axel - double toe, triple loop, triple lutz, triple salchow.
- Griazev (7.): triple axel - triple toe, triple axel, triple lutz, triple flip,
triple salchow (just so) - triple toe, triple loop, double axel. Most of the
jumps very sovereign.
- Meier (19.): horrible cut of very different pieces of music. simple axel,
triple flip (fall), triple loop (just so), triple lutz (on two feet), triple
axel (fall), triple salchow - double toe, double flip, triple toe.
- Djordjevic (18.): double toe, triple axel, triple lutz, triple loop, simple
axel, triple flip - double toe (not clean), double flip, triple toe.
- Murvanidze (20.): old FP. triple axel (on two feet), triple lutz - triple
toe (on two feet), triple loop, simple axel, triple axel (fall), double flip,
triple salchow, triple lutz (just so), left out the triple flip for which he
run up to repeat it. Weak performance.
- van der Perren (11.): triple axel (not clean at all), triple salchow - triple
toe - triple loop (not clean, but great combo nevertheless), triple flip, problems
with a spin, double axel, triple lutz (just so) - triple toe (overrotated),
double axel, triple lutz.
- Davydov (14.): triple axel (overrotated) ... double toe, triple flip, triple
lutz (not clean), triple loop (overrotated), triple salchow - double toe (just
so), triple loop (just so)... double toe, double toe, triple toe (just so).
- Lindemann (6.): quad toe (fall), triple axel - triple toe, triple lutz, triple
loop, triple axel, triple flip - triple toe (overrotated), double salchow, triple
salchow. Good skate, improved presentation. This was his ticket to the world
championships in Dortmund.
- Verner (10.): triple axel (just so)- double toe, triple flip- simple toe,
triple loop, triple flip - triple toe, triple lutz, triple salchow, fall during
the step sequence.
- Lambiel (5.): quad toe (just so) - double toe, triple axel (fall), triple
flip (on two feet) - triple toe, great spin, double lutz, triple loop, treiple
lutz, triple salchow, another great spin.
- Dambier (4.): quad salchow, triple salchow - triple toe, triple axel - double
toe, triple axel, double loop, triple lutz (shaky), triple toe (shaky), triple
flip.
- Joubert (1.): quad toe, triple flip, triple axel, quad toe - triple toe, triple
loop (just so), triple lutz, triple salchow. A good skate, but he could have
done better with for example another triple axel or at least another combo.
He never would have won if Plushenko had been in better shape.
- Berntsson (17.): triple axel (on two feet (?), with hand), simple flip - triple
toe, missed the triple lutz (only something between double and triple and a
fall on that), triple axel (fall), double flip (fall), triple salchow, triple
loop, triple toe (shaky). Lost his top ten place.
- Vlascenko (9.): triple axel - double toe, triple salchow - double toe, triple
lutz (just so), triple flip, simple axel, double loop, triple toe (shaky). Lost
the German duell for the one spot for the world championships.
- Plushenko (2.): quad toe - triple toe - double loop, simple axel (fall), simple
axel, triple axel - triple toe - double loop, triple flip (fall), triple lutz,
triple loop, triple axel, double salchow. He tried hard to compensate his mistakes,
but because of that only seemed to run from jump to jump.
- Klimkin (3.): triple axel - triple toe (sovereign), quad toe - triple toe,
quad toe (fall), two camel spins in different directions and out of that a triple
salchow, triple flip (not clean), triple loop, triple flip (not clean). Interesting
program with lots of innovations (even though he uses most of these elements
already for years.), deserved to medal.
Resumee: Plushenko in a good shape would have easily
won that. Joubert didn't convince me that much personally, but he deserved the
title. The top four were clearly the best throughout the whole competition.
Lambiel and Lindemann showed up with good performances in the free skate. Even
though Berntsson lost many places, he still skated good championships.
Ladies' SP:
- Sokolova (6.): triple lutz - double toe (a little shaky), triple flip (heavily
twofooted), double axel.
- Poeykioe (4.): double axel, triple lutz - double toe, triple flip. Nice program.
- Dytrt (12.): triple lutz - double toe, triple toe, double axel.
- Liashenko (2.): triple lutz - double toe, triple flip, double axel. Good flow
throughout the whole program.
- Venhuizen: double axel, triple toe, triple salchow - double toe. Very nice
program, the best I've ever seen from her.
- Falotico: triple lutz (fall), triple toe, not even a simple axel.
- Timoshenko (13.): triple lutz (overrotated) - double toe, triple flip, double
axel, Biellmannspin on both feet.
- Lautowa (8.): triple lutz - double toe (somehow wild), double flip, double
axel. Good program, nice expression.
- Mikhailova: triple toe (three turns not completed in the air) - double toe,
double axel (not clean), triple flip (same problem as on the toe, not cleanly
landed). Looked somehow lost out there.
- Sebestyen (1.): triple flip, triple lutz - double toe, double axel. Good skate,
but for me not a clearly better program than Liashenko and Poeykioe.
- Kostner (5.): triple flip - triple toe (clean), missed the triple loop (ended
up in a fall, was something between double and triple), double axel. Good program,
nice flow. It's a pitty that this mistake happened she could have been first.
- Drei (10.): double axel, double lutz - double toe, triple flip.
- Babiakova (9.): double axel, triple lutz - double toe, triple flip (might
have been a touchdown with the hand), struggled short before the end. A little
slow.
- Maniachenko (7.): triple lutz - double toe (the toe was very low), triple
flip (fall), steps on one foot (very nice), double axel.
- Kopac (11.): triple lutz - double toe, double axel, triple toe. Same program
as in the past.
- Vassiljeva: triple toe (fall - double toe), triple loop (fall), double axel.
- Popovic somehow got lost. ;o) No show from her.
- Punga: double axel (fall), missed the triple salchow as well, double flip,
bad spin. Nice costume, but the program was a total disaster.
- Orlova: triple loop (not completely rotated) - double toe (long run up for
that on crossed feet, shaky landing), triple toe (fall), double axel.
- McCorkell: double lutz - double toe, triple loop (hand down), simple axel
(at least I think it was simple).
- Marchei: triple lutz (cheated) - double toe (a little shaky), double axel,
triple flip (not clean, on two feet). Powerfull performance.
- Radeva: triple toe (overrotated) - double toe, double salchow, simple axel.
- Pavuk (3.): triple lutz - triple toe, triple flip (a little overrotated),
double axel. Nice powerfull skate.
- Vostrecovaite: double axel, triple toe - double toe, triple salchow (on two
feet, struggled).
- Lukacikova: triple salchow - double toe, double axel, triple loop (not completely
rotated).
Resumee: We've seen two triple - triple combos
(Kostner (5th) and Pavuk (3rd)). Many skaters just did easy combos as triple
toe - double toe, or triple salchow - double toe. If Pavuk beats Poeykioe in
the SP why not Liashenko and Sebestyen? They seemed all three on a equal level,
performed the same elements and all had no mistake. The level of their skating
is to my mind also nearly equal.
Free Dance:
- Huot / Valkama (18.): insecure, struggled some times a little.
- Beier / Beier (16.): He fell on the backward twizzle, all the twizzles seemed
a little insecure, nice diagonal step sequence. They improved since German Nationals.
- Herzog / Matsjuk (17.): Slow and insecure skate
- Golovina / Voiko (14.): after the couples seen before they seemed to be a
lot better. Good gliding, twizzles okay, he struggled once a little bit.
- Petetin / Jost(12.): fell on a lift and needed a long time to find back into
the program. Suppressed circular step sequence. Lifts good. After all a very
nice program. They improved a lot since the last season.
- Kauc / Zych (15.): he made a mistake on a twizzle, insecure.
- Grebenkina / Azrojan (13.): slow, but not bad.
- Kerr / Kerr (10.): interesting program to 'Matrix'. Nice lifts and technically
demanding.
- Domnina / Shabalin (7.): clean, but even though there were some nice and difficult
steps, it didn't impress a lot.
- Hoffmann / Elek (11.): mistake on a lift, some steps weren't good. Attila
looks much better in this program than in the OD, here he can compete with Nora.
- Gudina / Belletski (9.): many run up steps, a little insecure in the second
twizzle sequence.
- Kulikova / Novikov (8.): attacking the program, wild, but good twizzles. Could
have beaten Domnina / Shabalin in the FP.
- Faiella / Scali (6.): many run up steps, many poses, not much gliding. Their
expression is good, but technically it was not convincing.
- Grushina / Gonsharov (3.): not much gliding. Interesting costumes and a good
program, though I think the theme could have been brought out better.
- Delobel / Schoenfelder (4.): good gliding, he had little problems with the
twizzles today, nice innovations.
- Chait / Sakhnovski (5.): nice lifts, very fast, many little steps, only one
passage where they really used the edges. Clown program, but used black dresses.
- Denkova / Staviski (2.): seemed to be a little insecure to me, but very demanding
program. Nice steps and interesting moves.
- Navka / Kostomarov (1.): many poses. Transitions were not great. After each
piece of music (they used 5 pieces, I think) they stood there in a pose and
then started to skate. Steps not so difficult. Anyway an entertaining program.
Resumee: I'm not an expert when it comes to ice
dance and I don't want to criticise the judges decision, but my order in the
free dance would have been different. I would have had Denkova / Staviski in
first place, they were innovative and showed real ice dance. In second position
I would have had Grushina / Gonsharov, followed by Delobel / Schoenfelder, Navka
/ Kostomarov would have been fourth in my order, with Chait / Sakhnovski in
fifth place. Then Kulikova / Novikov (6.) , Kerr / Kerr (7.), Domnina / Shabalin
(8.), Faiella / Scali (9.), Gudina / Belletski (10.). This is just my personal
view. I do not blame the judges for their decision, only the first place for
Navka / Kostomarov seems to be not justified for me.
Ladies FP:
- Basova (16.): triple lutz, triple flip, triple loop, double axel (just so),
double toe, triple salchow - double toe. Relativ slow, not many transitions.
- Timoshenko (13.): simple lutz, triple flip, double salchow, triple toe -
double toe, triple loop (not completely rotated), triple lutz, double axel,
Biellmannspin
on both feet. Slow.
- Oblasova (15.): double axel, triple lutz (fall), triple loop, triple flip,
triple salchow, triple flip (cheated) - double toe, triple lutz. Nice program,
was
perhaps a little undermarked.
- Meier (8.): triple lutz - double toe (shaky), triple loop, triple flip, triple
salchow, triple toe - double toe, double lutz, fall in the step sequence,
double
axel (not clean).
- Venhuizen (23.): triple flip (fall), double toe - double toe, simple salchow,
double axel ... simple loop, triple toe (heavily twofooted), double axel,
triple salchow
(turned afterwards, not so clean), double lutz. Bad performance. It's a pitty
that she wasn't able to show what she can do as she did in the SP.
- Marchei (14.): long run up then simple lutz, again long run up to the triple
flip, triple salchow, simple axel, triple lutz - double toe, triple toe - double
toe,
double axel (fall), double loop.
- Dytrt (12.): triple lutz (fall), triple salchow (on two feet), triple flip,
camel spin (not centered), double loop (was also planned to be a double), triple
toe,
triple salchow... double toe, double axel, nice and speedy circular step sequence.
- Lautowa (9.): simple lutz, triple flip (shaky), triple loop, triple toe -
double toe, triple lutz (fall), triple salchow, triple toe (shaky), double
axel.
- Kopac (18.): triple loop, triple lutz (hand down), triple toe ... triple
toe, simple axel, double salchow, double salchow.
- Maniachenko (17.): triple lutz - double toe (the toe was low), double flip,
double flip, double salhcow, triple toe, double salchow, double axel (not clean).
- Babiakova (10.): double axel (not clean), triple lutz - double toe, triple
flip (on two feet), double salchow, triple loop, triple salchow, double toe.
- Drei (7.): double lutz (turned afterwards), triple toe - triple toe, triple
loop, triple lutz (fall), triple flip (not clean at all), triple salchow, double
axel. Same program as last season, nice presentation.
- Pavuk (4.): triple lutz - triple toe (a little cheated), triple loop, triple
flip, double axel, triple lutz, triple salchow (not so clean), triple toe. Powerfull
skate, lack of choreographical transitions, but good elements.
- Poeykioe (6.): triple lutz - double toe, double flip - double toe, triple
toe, double axel, triple loop, triple flip, triple slachow (not clean). Nice
skate, but not enough technical content.
- Liashenko (3.): triple lutz - double toe, triple flip, triple toe (just so),
triple flip - double toe, triple salchow, triple lutz, double axel. Good program,
no mistake, BUT no triple loop, either.
- Sokolova (2.): triple lutz - triple toe (a little cheated), triple flip,
triple salchow - triple toe (cheated), triple loop, double lutz, double axel.
Same
program as last year, good skate. Probably the best program today even though
she had minor mistakes and her skating quality is not the beest, but she risked
a lot and her presentation was good.
- Sebestyen (1.): triple salchow, triple lutz - double toe, triple loop, double
flip (not clean), triple flip, triple toe (not clean)... double toe, double
axel. I don't understand how she could get technical marks up to 5.9 for that,
others showed much more. For me not the best program. After all her performance
was comparable to the one of Poeykioe.
- Kostner (5.): triple loop (just so), triple flip - triple toe (just hanging
on), triple lutz - double toe (not so clean), triple salchow (hand down), triple
toe, double axel. Only minor mistakes, but too many in order to finish higher
than 5th.
Resumee: Four ladies risked a triple - triple combo
(Sokolova (2.), Pavuk (4.), Kostner (5.) and Drei (7.)).
I think that Sebestyen did not show really the best program of all ladies, even
though her lutz and flip are very high. She did not have a triple - triple combo
and made two minor mistakes. However the competition was not bad, the top ladies
showed good performances, but none of them really was outstanding.