2026 Olys Pairs SP PBP - Veni, Vidi, Wedgie

[Matryeshka]

Yeah, that’s probably why the USA team landed all their jumps

Sorry, not a good excuse

True, but I think there's something also to be said for expectations. The expectations for Ellie, Danny, Lia, and Trennnnt were decidedly low. Team USA and Team Canada's expectations of both their pairs teams was: try not to suck and try not to come in last place, whereas Georgia expected M/B to carry them to bronze and the Japan for M/K to help carry to the top of the podium. Win, lose, there's A LOT of emotional baggage--happiness to succeed, devastation to fail, utter exhaustion for both in the aftermath. Team USA and Team Canada didn't have those expectations for pairs--they are both in the happy-to-be-here crowd. The look, ma, I'm standing on OLYMPIC ICE! is strong with both, especially Ellie and Danny. So it doesn't surprise me AT ALL that they skated well today while the top team falters. Physical exhaustion can be alleviated by medication/rest, but emotional exhaustion takes longer than a week to process.

But I hope now that pressure is alleviated a bit as they've both made mistakes and they'll skate well in the LP.

 

[Asli]

TES still at 38 with the failed lift? Or is it about to drop 7 points?

M/K completed the rotations for the first position of the lift, but couldn't do the second. It went from level 4 to level 2 and got -2.60 GoE, so they lost 6 whole points for the lift compared to the team event SP.

ETA: Sorry, it's -2.30, not -2.60.

The judges couldn't have deducted more, unless they dropped the scores for the other elements because of the mistake in the lift.

 

[Coco]

Is Conti really skating with a torn ligament in her landing knee? That is insane!

ETA: not up to speed on pairs judging but apparently the Japanese only lost 0.8 in base value on their lift. Their GOE ranged from -2 to -5, resulting in -2.3, and average of -3.7 on a scale of +5 to -5.

 

[SkateFanBerlin]

She had a hand down on the throw so not clean tonight.

Funny, looking at the scores the GOE was 0 on the throw. Lucky for her; there was a hand down. But, they are starting to bank on how beautifully Kam skates. If they stay in it after this year they could move up. Get comfortavle with throws and SBS jumps.

 

[manhn]

Who are these Canadian skaters that are assigned with low expectations who skate so great? I am accustomed to such skaters performing to my estimations. This Olympic season is quite the departure!

 

[Cachoo]

Feel awful for the Japanese. Feel bad for Team Canada AND good for Team Canada. Feel good for the US. Feel great for the Germans. And maybe Georgia wins their first Olympic medal.

 

[Finnice]

I loved the elder H/V coach trying and failing utterly to make heart hands. So adorable.

Knut Schubert. He is a legend.

 

[peibeck]

M/K completed the rotations for the first position of the lift, but couldn't do the second. It went from level 4 to level 2 and got -2.60 GoE, so they lost 6 whole points for the lift compared to the team event SP.

The judges couldn't have deducted more, unless they dropped the scores for the other elements because of the mistake in the lift.

Thank you, I wasn't sure what level the tracker was giving the lift at the end of their program, which was why posted that question. I'm watching the Peacock venue feed where it only shows the TES score, not elements or base values. I appreciate your response!

 

[clairecloutier]

Just so stunned by that lift fail from Miura/Kihara. I would not have been surprised if they fell on a jump; that's not uncommon for them. But to have a lift mistake, when they're the best lifters in the world .... Ryuichi looked absolutely destroyed. I hope they can pull it together in the free, but it is hard to see them passing Hase/Volodin now. Happy to see the Germans score well with this SP, which is one of my faves this season, it really highlights them beautifully.

I had the feeling all along that this pairs event would be unpredictable. But even I'm surprised by this and, even more so, by Lia/Trennt being a deserved 3rd! Lovely to see them have such a clean and polished skate. What a fantastic moment for them.

 

[PRlady]

Canada having the most unexpected figure skating results of any country this Olympics. Hopefully it revives public interest and attendance at events up there.

Piper/Paul, Gogolev and P/M all exceeding expectations, Canadians have a lot to be happy about.

Pages ago I wanted to say I actually liked the Hungarians and would have had them above P/M but I was too afraid of Canadian rage….

And the Georgians look like cartoon villains. Their packaging is so blatantly awful I can’t see past it.

 

[rfisher]

Hase skated with Nolan Seegert. Blommaerts girlfriend was the reason Annika had to look for a new partner

That's right. It was Annika and the one before her. But, in the end, she ended up with the right partner at the right time.

 

[marbri]

Sandra, when discussing the lift failure M/K, said she never got her weight over her hand. A possible reason for that is if they went into it with such great speed she may not have had the chance to get into position before he started rotating.

Also Max did not trip Deanna. There is a fan video taken with the opposite view of the broadcast and there is plenty of space between their skates, it looks like her weight was too far back on her blade and down she went.

 

[kwanfan1818]

The best pair stare came from Stolbova after Klimov aborted a lift and dropped her. I wasn't sure he was going to live.

And you think that is the real Klimov in Kiss and Cry? Bwahaha.

Maxime Deschamps had a similar history to Volodin: a bunch of partnerships that didn't work out, and then The One in which he became a world elite.

Lots of things not on my bingo card, but, mostly M/K and SD/D having lift issues.

I was never sure about Conti/Macii lasting at their best for TE and individual, given the issue with her knee. Even so, it's like the skate gods decided that both ITA teams couldn't be above a specific average I'm so glad they have Olympic bronze. In my next life, if I don't look like Shizuka Arakawa, I want to look like Sara Conti.

Good for Perreira/Michaud. It's really impressive that they beat Pavlova/Sviachenko, who I'm glad are in the last group, although be careful for what you wish for, given who had to underachieve for them both to do so.

I've loved Hase forever: she reminds me of a modern Volosozhar. I'm so happy she and Volodin found each other.

 

[Private Citizen]

M/K completed the rotations for the first position of the lift, but couldn't do the second. It went from level 4 to level 2 and got -2.60 GoE, so they lost 6 whole points for the lift compared to the team event SP.

The judges couldn't have deducted more, unless they dropped the scores for the other elements because of the mistake in the lift.

Well, they could have given it -5. Seven(!) of them did not. One gave a -2, three -3, three -4, and two -5. Seems crazy to me. I'll need to look up the guidelines for the lift, but seems like a huge overscore. It may just be weird guidelines, though, that allow the judges to do whatever they want for top teams.

Also seems crazy that their twist got mostly +4s, despite the late catch. And the heavily pitched forward throw got a +3 from two judges and +2 from another. Sure seems like there was reputation judging going on.

Funny, looking at the scores the GOE was 0 on the throw. Lucky for her; there was a hand down.

Not saying it's right, but a lot of throws end up with 0 or even slight positive GOE if the only error is a hand down. E.g., if there's a lot of height and distance. It is interesting to me that this one scored marginally better (0.00 v. -0.14) than Chan and Howe's. I'd have said the reverse because Kam was also squatted while Chan had an otherwise clean looking landing.

 

[Asli]

Why wasn't Miura and Kihara's lift judged to be a more serious error?

Seems crazy to me that Stellato and Deschamps ended up with lower GOE for a gorgeous lift with a fluke trip on the exit than Miura and Kihara had for a lift that came down midway.

M/K's lift was reduced to level 2. Upto the second change of position everything was fine and he managed not to drop her, so the -2.30 GoE was only for the dismount.

They can't punish them twice for leaving out the last lift position.

I need to the scoring guidelines, but I'm really surprised this isn't an automatic -5. One judge gave it -2 and others -3.

There's a -5 reduction for a fall, which S/D got.
"Serious problems on the descent of a lift" lead to a deduction of -3 or -4, which M/K seem to have got.

OTOH Stellato and Deschamps got level 4, so scored higher on their lift.

 

[Aussie Willy]

Also Max did not trip Deanna. There is a fan video taken with the opposite view of the broadcast and there is plenty of space between their skates, it looks like her weight was too far back on her blade and down she went.

I thought she was too far back on her blade on the replay.

 

[Theatregirl1122]

Her head touched the ice - clear on the replay.

I’m not aware of that being a deduction on the death spiral.

 

[Rainbow]

I am sorry. I have not followed but could you expand a little on this? I loved them today.

To keep up with his skating white being partnerless he performed in shows for a while with Yuko Kawaguti.

 

[Asli]

Her head touched the ice - clear on the replay.

Her chignon touched the ice and going that low is supposed to be the pinnacle of good technique.

 

[SkateFanBerlin]

Piper/Paul, Gogolev and P/M all exceeding expectations, Canadians have a lot to be happy about.

Pages ago I wanted to say I actually liked the Hungarians and would have had them above P/M but I was too afraid of Canadian rage….

And the Georgians look like cartoon villains. Their packaging is so blatantly awful I can’t see past it.

Canadian rage - they don`t hold the door open for you.

 

[Alilou]

Piper/Paul, Gogolev and P/M all exceeding expectations, Canadians have a lot to be happy about.

Pages ago I wanted to say I actually liked the Hungarians and would have had them above P/M but I was too afraid of Canadian rage….

And the Georgians look like cartoon villains. Their packaging is so blatantly awful I can’t see past it.

There's Canadian rage?

 

[~tapdancer~]

If anyone has been paying attention...I like to follow Lia and Trennt on Instagram and they have been so focused and positive this season. I am not surprised that they skated like I always knew they were capable of. I mean, she wasn't even a pair girl when they teamed up and they have been committed and determined. Yes they have had skates with errors the last few years but they were gelling as a team and I think Lia has been incredible in her strive to be a pair girl. She couldn't have picked a better partner, either. I pray they can control their nerves for the FS. So glad they went back to Gladiator.

 

[marbri]

I’m not aware of that being a deduction on the death spiral.

In the final position while the Woman is performing the actual deathspiral, both the Man and the Woman must execute a minimum ofone (1) revolution with the knees of the Man clearly bent and in fullpivot position. For a possible higher Level, the Man should stay in alow pivot position. The Woman simultaneously must skate on a clean edge with her head close to the ice surface, however she must not touch the ice with her head or assist herself with the free hand or anypart of the body. The Woman’s body weight is supported by the forceof the spiralling edge and the hold of the Man. The Man must be in acentred position with a fully extended arm. Any kind of position iscounted as a feature if Skaters’ hold lasts for at least one continuousrevolution.

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This rule has been around for some time.

I heard Sandra mention it but I wasn't watching it at the time. When Kurt said it got a L4 she surmised they maybe didn't she it then.

 

[~tapdancer~]

Her chignon touched the ice and going that low is supposed to be the pinnacle of good technique.

I remember when Barbara Underhill used to be commended for having the "snow" in her hair after the death spiral.

 

[Cachoo]

I remember when Barbara Underhill used to be commended for having the "snow" in her hair after the death spiral.

I do too! Dick Button loved snow hair. Never knew it was supposed to be untouched.

 

[Private Citizen]

M/K's lift was reduced to level 2. Upto the second change of position everything was fine and he managed not to drop her, so the -2.30 GoE was only for the dismount.

They can't punish them twice for leaving out the last lift position.

The scoring system punishes twice for lots of things -- e.g., flutzes or underrotations -- with reductions in both base value and GOE.

I don't see how this isn't -3 for "serious problems in the descent of the lift" plus -1 to -3 for "poor turns by man and/or stops in rotation" plus "-1 to -2" weak landing to net out at -5 to -8 off the starting GOE, which could be a maximum of two.

I'm struggling to justify any of the positive bullets:
1) very good take-off and landing
2) good speed, flow and ice coverage
3) effortless throughout (including rotation and change of position)
4) very good air positions
5) smooth footwork of man
6) element matches the music

1, 2, 3, and 5 are out; I think it's hard to argue 4 and 6 given the collapse.

I do too! Dick Button loved snow hair. Never knew it was supposed to be untouched.

Some commentator (maybe Button?) used to say that hair can touch, but the head cannot.

 

[marbri]

Your hair touching the ice is not the same as your head touching the ice.

 

[Badams]

Kam and O'Shea have been such a breath of fresh air this entire Olympics. I know they're not going to win, but I know they're going to enjoy every second of their experience.

 

[rfisher]

I do too! Dick Button loved snow hair. Never knew it was supposed to be untouched.

Head off the ice and below the knee for the BIDS. Some skaters who can't get low enough, lift a knee in order to meet that criteria, albeit they get a lower level. Getting your head down below the knee without touching the ice is really hard and really requires the male partner to have excellent balance and control. Not many pairs get high level BIDS.

 

[Dave of the North]

Your hair touching the ice is not the same as your head touching the ice.

60's bouffant hairdo's FTW!