Grand Prix of Espoo 2023 Pairs FS: “(D)Espairs”

[Gris]

Peng / Wang's 3T was called < which made the difference. I had hoped to see them at home GPF.

 

[honey]

Peng / Wang's 3T was called < which made the difference. I had hoped to see them at home GPF.

They also literally could have done a single toe after either of the jumps and had a medal. Maybe silver if they’d gone wild and done a single axel.

 

[skatingguy]

Seems Peng & Wang and team plan on putting the combo with the 3toe, but they're just not there yet. They're focusing on clean skates and gelling it seems like, and so far so good?

Anyway, I love this program. Definitely one of the better one this season.

Their planned program content had the combo on the triple toeloop, and last week he fell on the first jump, but she did the 3T+2T. This week they both seemed a bit off on the landings, and just skated through the second jump.

 

[peibeck]

I'm sure that P/W will learn from this going forward. It's their first season together as a pair, their goal should be more towards 4CC and then Worlds.

 

[honey]

Shame me if you want, but this song from the 2017 worlds they are playing after the medals is a damn bop and I enjoy it . And every time I hear it I see the image of Medvedeva belting it with the medal around her neck .

 

[jennysk8oboe]

Just venting here. I cannot stand the “knee to face” lateral lift position that nearly all of pairs are having the ladies do. It does not look nice on anyone! I get that it is a very challenging position to get into, but it is just FUGLY!

 

[honey]

Sorry for the double post, but just wondering about something.

Conti/Macii got a sbs 3T+seq called, and then sbs 3S. Was their first jumping pass called a sequence because there was clear intention to try a sequence or combo? She did the 2A and he after fallen on the 3T did not attempt it at all.

Just thinking through how it’s different than the Chinese who clearly made no attempt at a combo or sequence and thus the +Rep on the 2S.

Just wondering on what the actual rule there is. The Italians were not credited with the 2A in the sequence obviously, but they avoided a +rep reduction in base value on the second jumping pass. Just curious on what the rules say. I assume they were given +seq because she did make the effort to try the sequence?

 

[victorskid]

Sorry for the double post, but just wondering about something.

Conti/Macii got a sbs 3T+seq called, and then sbs 3S. Was their first jumping pass called a sequence because there was clear intention to try a sequence or combo? She did the 2A and he after fallen on the 3T did not attempt it at all.

Just thinking through how it’s different than the Chinese who clearly made no attempt at a combo or sequence and thus the +Rep on the 2S.

Just wondering on what the actual rule there is. The Italians were not credited with the 2A in the sequence obviously, but they avoided a +rep reduction in base value on the second jumping pass. Just curious on what the rules say. I assume they were given +seq because she did make the effort to try the sequence?

From the TP handbook as posted on X (formerly Twitter) https://twitter.com/allonsycapjack/status/1725881187539751041

 

[skatingguy]

Just venting here. I cannot stand the “knee to face” position that nearly all of pairs are having the ladies do. It does not look nice on anyone! I get that it is a very challenging position to to into, but it is just FUGLY!

And then Peng/Wang said hold our beer, and added the bent free leg to make it even worse.

 

[Finnice]

Shame me if you want, but this song from the 2017 worlds they are playing after the medals is a damn bop and I enjoy it . And every time I hear it I see the image of Medvedeva belting it with the medal around her neck .

Good that someone is happy for that.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

OK I just watched the first group of the pairs free skate, and I think I am done. I think there’s no need to watch the second group. I don’t have the stomach, my nerves are shot… What is going on

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Is Tim Leduc the coach of Brook and ben

tee-hee

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

So team Germany has two teams with Grand Prix gold medals, will they start to increase funding for them?

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

I’m loving Hase and Volokin, she reminds me totally of Savchenko, and he reminds me of Chris Knierim strong and everything but jumps can be wobbly

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

He doesn’t want to answer anything, that’s adorable. I love them.

 

[Andrey aka Pushkin]

Well, I don't see any reason to go into the details of this competition and only want to say it's about time the Russians realize they are not going to be back at the international competitions for a while, and start lending their A-teams to Azerbaijan.

 

[znhurston]

I’m loving Hase and Volokin, she reminds me totally of Savchenko, and he reminds me of Chris Knierim strong and everything but jumps can be wobbly

think nerves got the best of him here because he nailed his sbs jumps in their previous competitions

 

[Karen-W]

Finally got around to watching the Pairs FS this afternoon...

Vaananen/Clerici - well, the jump elements were weak, but what's new in international pairs skating? Lifts were decent. I've read a few vague spoilers that this event was skaaaary when it comes to lifts, especially the 1st group, but there was nothing horrifying here, so onto the next team...

Les Kovs - I hadn't noticed before (but we all know I'm not really a fan of them, so how much attention do I ever pay to them?), but I really like how their death spiral is choreographed to the music and then transitions into their combo spin. One aborted lift, but nothing super-scary about how it sort of went up and came down.

KamOSh - I should just combine the notes from the first two teams, right? Terrible on the jump elements and an aborted lift that wasn't super-scary, it just wasn't anything. Nats will be interesting, since there are at least 3-4 teams who can easily outscore them.

McMim - ho-hum, hate this program. gasp okay, that was a skaaaary lift fall! How neither of them wound up injured is beyond me! Girl is a baller for standing up that throw 3z right after, though. Last lift was really labored, same with the crap combo spin to end. But, they made it, so, uhm, yay?

PavSvia - this program is just horribly boring. They could be skating to anything, yet they chose this dreck and end on a combo spin that ignores the knife sound effects which could be really effective if they were changing positions at the same time. Meh. I'm going to pray for maximum chaos in the results at NHK next week to bump them from qualifying for the GPF.

HaseVol - Good Lord, that was some bland skating to some bland music. I'm already spoiled for the results and this program only solidifies my prayer for maximum chaos in the results at NHK next week. They'll probably still make the GPF, but meh. Also, congrats Nikita on getting your team into the SBS Double Salchow Club!

ConMac - did they lose levels somewhere? I don't understand how their TES is so much lower than HaseVol (I'll look at the protocols later, lol). Clear winners in my eyes. Hmph.

PengWang - well, intentional SBS 2S and no jump combo won't win you any medals except in a really watered down field like CoC last week and I don't think they're really going to be fighting for a 4CCs medal if both MiuKih and ChanHowe are back by then (along with SDDes, PerMich, and also GoluGM). But, they do have massive potential and I like this program.

 

[Karen-W]

Oh dear.

Whatever Ellie's health issue was, they might have been better off skipping this one.

Mark is saying her injury is a concussion? I understand the need to compete, but I don’t think it was best for her.

I really have to question some of the coaching decisions from the WASA Pairs group, based on some of the rumors floating around about Hanns/Neudecker and now KamOSh competing here less than 2 weeks after she suffered a concussion.

Mark on crack. Kam/OShea being US Nationals Champions should not be a goal.

Just making the 4CCs and Worlds teams should be their goal at this point. And I'm not even sure how realistic that is. There are 3-4 teams with a realistic shot of beating them at Nats.

Ferland is now available. Just saying.

Brooke is one of the tallest pair girls competing, she needs a partner on the taller end of pair guys, which Ferland definitely isn't.

Plus, she would probably need to move to Montreal...

Just venting here. I cannot stand the “knee to face” lateral lift position that nearly all of pairs are having the ladies do. It does not look nice on anyone! I get that it is a very challenging position to get into, but it is just FUGLY!

And then Peng/Wang said hold our beer, and added the bent free leg to make it even worse.

At least Peng's other leg was parallel to the ice! It bugs me a LOT more that all of the IceLab teams are tilted on that lift and the air position makes me worry about the stability of the lift every time. It's just terrible technique all-around.

 

[skatingguy]

Peng / Wang's 3T was called < which made the difference. I had hoped to see them at home GPF.

Even if that jump was fully rotated they still would have needed help from teams at NHK to make the final. We'll see where they finish in the final standings after next week, but I think even two clean jumping passes wouldn't have been enough.

 

[Miezekatze]

So team Germany has two teams with Grand Prix gold medals, will they start to increase funding for them?

No, the funding issue doesn't really have anything to do with good results during the season. This is mostly about state-funded sport promotion from the government. This always gets decided for one whole season in advance.

AFAIK the public funding for the German skating would improve again if Russia was ripped off their Team medal and Germany would move up to 8th in the Olympic team event. The 9th place at the Olympics led to cuts, 8th place would have meant more funding.

But I think they get price money for good GP results? which should help too.

I think Hase & Volodin have so much potential! They can work on more interesting programs in their 2nd season together , they've got so much time.

 

[SkateFanBerlin]

Ah, my new husband - Nikita Volodin. But, what to do with Guarise, my old husband?

 

[Finnice]

Ah, my new husband - Nikita Volodin. But, what to do with Guarise, my old husband?

I am sure someone here volunteers to take him!

 

[PRlady]

I am sure someone here volunteers to take him!

If I didn’t have a good one already….

I met Guarise in Grenoble. Nice guy.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Ah, my new husband - Nikita Volodin. But, what to do with Guarise, my old husband?

have you read my tutorial? I also have a YouTube video.

And lastly, Nikita is spoken for as well

 

[Theatregirl1122]

Ah, my new husband - Nikita Volodin. But, what to do with Guarise, my old husband?

Are you only allowed one? That would be unique around here.