Vanessa James | Morgan Cipres

[Loves_Shizuka]

So, SO happy for them

That LP was fantastic - and now they can always say they've won a big title. Good for them!

 

[Orm Irian]

Could not be happier for them - what an absolute barnstormer of a FS! And to come from fourth and take gold by a decently convincing margin is fantastic. Now if they could only avoid that wretched time violation in the final left..!

 

[cocotaffy]

Well done, such a come back, fantastic. They are really stronger mentally, there was a time that SP would have buried them and look at them now. I just hope they can finally get that European Title and at least silver at Worlds depending on what happen with Han/Sui.

 

[briancoogaert]

Amazing ! It seems they reach a high level of serenity. Their skating is a joy to watch

 

[Mad for Skating]

Absolutely beautiful! Good for them! (Vanessa’s reaction at the end is everything!)

 

[synian]

There will be a reportage about the win in the french tv tonight at 20:35 french time in "tout le sport" - it is 14:00 now
https://twitter.com/paul_peret/status/1071691189546598401[h/url]

 

[Firedancer]

So happy for Vanessa and Morgan! Their FS was amazing. They just seemed so on last night. I hope they can get more comfortable with the SP and win Europeans and worlds.

 

[aftershocks]

A huge congrats to Vanessa & Morgan! They so deserved to win and to be on top of the podium. They absolutely have the best costumes, programs and the best connection on the ice among pairs teams. Other teams are inspired by them and trying to catch up with them. I think V&M should be receiving better GOE and higher scores for transitions, composition and interpretation.

I'm happy to see how V&M believed in themselves and brought it home in the fp. It was cool seeing how the Vancouver crowd showed V&M such love. It was a great crowd for all the teams. And the camaraderie among the teams during the victory ceremony was nice to see. They all want to win, but they respect each others' talents.

Here's a John Wilson Blades interview with Vanessa & Morgan in Grenoble:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwzI14Bcnqk

Another interview, this one with IFS magazine after IDF and before GPF:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBifT-wM-CI

 

[aftershocks]

Could not be happier for them - what an absolute barnstormer of a FS! And to come from fourth and take gold by a decently convincing margin is fantastic. Now if they could only avoid that wretched time violation in the final left..!

The judges were wrong to take that violation. If you watch and listen carefully, you will hear the music still playing, so V&M did not go over this time. It was just the crowd making so much noise that the judges could not hear that the music was still playing as V&M's ending move stopped in time to it.

 

[skatfan]

The judges were wrong to take that violation. If you watch and listen carefully, you will hear the music still playing, so V&M did not go over this time. It was just the crowd making so much noise that the judges could not hear that the music was still playing as V&M's ending move stopped in time to it.

I thought the time was counted from the first intentional move by the skaters to when they stop. The problem is that they slide and they did not stop moving even after the music - she’s moving her arms, he’s fist bumping, then pointing up...

 

[aftershocks]

^^ That's what happened at Skate Canada, but J/C made sure this time that the music is still playing as they slide to a halt. It's just that the judges can't hear the music still playing because of the crowd noise. Another "With you" lyric is heard as the slide is coming to a stop. The position Vanessa is in is quite difficult for Morgan to roll her out of at the same time he's trying to stop momentum. But once again, the music has not quite ended. It's too bad the judges can't hear it over the crowd noise. Morgan raised his fist in celebration, but he also quickly caught himself, in time.

In any case, V&M knew from their debut there's a music violation issue, and they have been trying to address it. To be honest, the judges skimp on their scores to begin with. J/C's transitions are difficult and executed beautifully, and they should be receiving many more points in that area than other teams. The choreo, interpretation and GOE on well-executed elements should also be higher for J/C, but consistently tend to be kept down a tad. For this performance, I think J/C should have received a few more points in the PCS category. Their fp did receive higher PCS overall than their sp, but despite a couple of tech snafus in the sp, J/C still should have scored higher in the sp on transitions, composition, and interpretation.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

The judges were wrong to take that violation. If you watch and listen carefully, you will hear the music still playing, so V&M did not go over this time. It was just the crowd making so much noise that the judges could not hear that the music was still playing as V&M's ending move stopped in time to it.

Wait, it doesn't have to be when the music stops right? It goes from when they start moving and then the clock starts and they have to finish moving by the time the clock expires regardless if the music is still playing

 

[Orm Irian]

Wait, it doesn't have to be when the music stops right? It goes from when they start moving and then the clock starts and they have to finish moving by the time the clock expires regardless if the music is still playing

That's correct. That's why skaters who finish behind their music due to a fall or suchlike don't necessarily get a time violation call: if their music was 3:46:00 minutes long and they start moving at 0:00:00 minutes and finish at 3:49:59 minutes, they missed the end of their music but still finished within the 3:50:00 minute limit, so they're good. It's if they finish at 3:50:01 that time violation points start accruing.

In this case, counting from the moment they started moving, J/C finished moving after the time limit + grace period for a pairs free skate, so the time violation point was correctly deducted. It does seem they were trying to avoid it, though, based on Morgan's reaction in the kiss and cry.

 

[aftershocks]

It does seem they were trying to avoid it, though, based on Morgan's reaction in the kiss and cry.

Yes, of course they were trying to avoid a time violation. They'd experienced it at SC, and then they avoided it at IDF. But as they have discussed in interviews, it's difficult with Vanessa in that particular ending lift position for them both to stop their forward motion on a dime. I actually like the eel and visual look of that slide, and I wish it wasn't such a 'thing' that's considered wrong because they barely go over the time.

I was fixated on the fact I thought the music was still playing, but right I understand that they are allotted a specific amount of time for the program itself. So hopefully, without having to change the lift position, they can fix this problem. They don't want to give away any points, especially with the judges' tendency to be a bit stingy toward fully rewarding them. They may need to end with a different lift position in which Vanessa has more control over her movement. Actually, they have tried to vary the look of their ending lift, while still maintaining Morgan's kneeling feature which is difficult. I think it's a cool element and I always look forward to seeing it.

I've actually heard someone say they want to see J/C do something different now at the end of their fps, rather than this carry lift with the kneel at the end. Personally, I'm not tired of seeing it. But I understand the notion of wanting to see them change it. For skaters, it's sometimes important to go with what works that's difficult and mastered. The other point is that they always include a different mix of new moves and unique transitions in both programs each season. Unfortunately, the judges do not seem to give them enough credit for the difficulty of their elements and the transitions into those elements, which are so cool and seamless.

 

[Spun Silver]

My only problem with that kneeling lift is that I'm afraid one day it will kill Morgan right in the middle of the ice! I don't blame him for breaking the end pose to pump his fist. That lift is superhuman. Like all their other lifts in that FS. It is lift heaven! I am so, so happy for them and about them. Hope they can keep the streak going through Worlds!

 

[Mad for Skating]

I agree that the deduction shouldn't have happened, but I think the scores were fair. They literally beat Tarasova/Morozov on the skating skills mark in the free skate.

 

[Spun Silver]

Wonderful comment on Vanessa and Morgan from the Russian ice dance coach Alexander Zhulin in a recent interview:

What is your most bright impression of the Grand Prix Final, apart from your own students?

– Probably the performance of the French in pair skating (Vanessa James / Morgan Cipres). This pair has almost no weaknesses, either in programs or in performance.

https://fs-gossips.com/alexander-zh...o-be-as-close-as-possible-to-the-french-pair/

 

[aftershocks]

^^ Thanks for noticing that praise of J/C by Zhulin, which is cool to hear about. Some skating observers always seem more fixated on finding knee-jerk and exaggerated things to carp about on Vanessa and Morgan rather than simply acknowledging their many talents and strengths!

 

[aftershocks]

ISU article on Vanessa et Morgan:

www.isu.org/figure-skating/news/interviews-fsk/12398-vanessa-james-morgan-cipres-at-some-point-you-have-to-take-risks?templateParam=15

https://www.instagram.com/p/BsUhbgVAaUr/ gorgeous on-ice b&w death spiral photo
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bq0gvMhgpgA/ lift practice
https://www.instagram.com/p/BrkEcz0gL6c/ V&M showing their fave move, filmed by MDuhamel
https://www.instagram.com/p/BrhHbNDH825/ photo from a short art film by French artist Richard Orlinski, starring Gaby, Guillaume, Vanessa, Morgan
Orlinski's Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BrmfJzpAY-A/ photo of V&M from the film
https://www.instagram.com/p/BrnxUB8AsnC/ a clip from the film

https://www.instagram.com/p/Br0lir8gc_r/ V's family nickname is 'Ness

https://www.instagram.com/p/Br54S8bgaAT/ Go Vanessa & Morgan!

 

[DreamSkates]

I am SOOOOOOO glad they have kept competing! What a great team they have chosen. So excited for Worlds.

 

[Mad for Skating]

I am SOOOOOOO glad they have kept competing! What a great team they have chosen. So excited for Worlds.

And Europeans!

 

[aftershocks]

Vanessa & Morgan sp at Europeans! Belissima!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDthIrJxaPs

 

[Orm Irian]

The changes they made to the SP were worth it for helping them go clean, even if I miss that spectacular separation and sweep into the throw. And there's still room for them to improve further if they hit all their level 4s at Worlds!

 

[bbkenn]

LOVE these two!!

 

[Mad for Skating]

They did a great job! I think this was a little better at SCI, but still a solid performance.

Good luck for the free!

 

[nimi]

WOOOOHOOOO!!!!
Congrats to Vanessa & Morgan for controlling their nerves and getting their gold!

Their winning FS is already on YT: https://youtu.be/ISp5VV5pRDE

(The whole last group was pretty fabulous)

 

[briancoogaert]

Oh My God !!!!
That was fantastic. Congrats to them !
First European title for France since ... 1932 !!!

 

[cocotaffy]

Congrats to them for staying at least one more year and finally getting everything they've been wanted. So happy for them.

 

[Spun Silver]

That was stunning! They didn't let the jump jitters stop their momentum and their season continues to be solid gold! Huge congratulations to them for winning Euros and making skating history!

 

[SkateFanBerlin]

Morgan actually seemed happy. I've thought that maybe he's had enough. They've worked for a long before success came. Would love to see them win gold at world's.