Worlds 2016 - Beating the Odds (Pairs' Final)
The pairs' short programme left us all a bit dazed. The Olympic champions, Tatiana Volosozhar & Maxim Trankov finished on third place despite a great (albeit not flawless) routine. Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford exceeded expectations and finished ahead of them, but the biggest surprise were Wenjing Sui and Cong Han, who did a terrific Spanish Romance, which got them the first place. Will they be able to hold onto it?
Alexa Scimeca/Chris Knierim skate to one of the most beautiful soundtracks ever, that of Elizabeth: The Golden Age. It's glorious music, but a flawed performance. She falls both on the thrown triple Salchow and the side-by-side triple Toeloop, as well as steps out of the triple Flip. The side-by-side spins are not entirely in unison either. Their score: 118.69. Overall: 190.06.
Ksenia Stolbova/Fedor Klimov are not a lot better off than the Americans, but the quality is clearly higher. She singles out of the third triple Toeloop and falls on the side-by-side triple Salchow. Love the start of the routine with her acting like his shadow, and the very low death spiral. They get 140.50 points. Overall: 214.48.
Believe it or not, this is my first time seeing Lubov Iliushechkina/Dylan Moscovitch together. I like their chemistry, there's a softness to it, They have daring lifts with her in difficult positions and him on one leg. She singles out of the side-by-side triple Salchow. The music is Symphony no. 2 by Rachmaninoff. Their score: 131.35. Overall: 199.52.
Evgenia Tarasova/Vladimir Morozov barely have a moment to breathe in this routine, and the exertion shows. He puts a hand down on the side-by-side triple Salchow and she loses hold of her skate during the level 5 reverse-lasso lift. The side-by-side spins are not in sync. They get 134.27 points. Overall: 206.27.
Wenjing Sui/Cong Han do not block the way to the gold with this performance. She falls on the thrown quad Salchow and doubles out of the side-by-side triple Salchow. Presentation-wise, I like their energetic routines more, but I have no complaints about this Samson & Delilah programme. Their score: 143.62. Overall: 224.47.
It's madness in the stands as the entire TD Garden stands up to cheer for Meagan Duhamel/Eric Radford. How appropriate to skate on Adele's Hometown Glory because although they're not in Canada, it sure feels otherwise as everyone gives them their support for an astounding performance. They not only ace the thrown quad Salchow, but also the Lutz jumps. They get 153.81 points. Overall: 231.99.
I'm not a big fan of Aliona Savchenko/Bruno Massot's music. Entitled Sometimes and performed by Wax Tailor, it just doesn't have the same impact as the concepts of their rivals. Technically, a couple of mistakes: she doubles out of the side-by-side triple Salchow and double-foots the landing of the thrown triple Flip. Their score: 141.95. Overall: 216.17.
Tatiana Volosozhar/Maxim Trankov...a shame. He steps out of the side-by-side triple Salchows, which causes trouble for the Toeloop, the triple twist doesn't have the best catch and she double-foots the thrown triple Flip. They get 128.68 points. Overall: 205.81.
Another final over, another unexpected defeat. However, we shouldn't let that steal the spotlight from the winners as I'm sure the Russians will be back next season with renewed strength. As for Duhamel & Radford, what a way to hold their ground and win the gold medal for the second year in a row. I had a feeling this might happen all along, knowing their technical prowess. Sui & Han have to settle for the silver, but that's nothing to be sad about. Finally, Savchenko and Massot, who, let's admit, we sort of wrote off for the podium, manage to get the bronze. Great Worlds debut, guys!
Alexa Scimeca/Chris Knierim skate to one of the most beautiful soundtracks ever, that of Elizabeth: The Golden Age. It's glorious music, but a flawed performance. She falls both on the thrown triple Salchow and the side-by-side triple Toeloop, as well as steps out of the triple Flip. The side-by-side spins are not entirely in unison either. Their score: 118.69. Overall: 190.06.
Ksenia Stolbova/Fedor Klimov are not a lot better off than the Americans, but the quality is clearly higher. She singles out of the third triple Toeloop and falls on the side-by-side triple Salchow. Love the start of the routine with her acting like his shadow, and the very low death spiral. They get 140.50 points. Overall: 214.48.
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| The US champions, Alexa Scimeca and Chris Knierim Photograph: Maddie Meyer / Getty Images North America |
Evgenia Tarasova/Vladimir Morozov barely have a moment to breathe in this routine, and the exertion shows. He puts a hand down on the side-by-side triple Salchow and she loses hold of her skate during the level 5 reverse-lasso lift. The side-by-side spins are not in sync. They get 134.27 points. Overall: 206.27.
Wenjing Sui/Cong Han do not block the way to the gold with this performance. She falls on the thrown quad Salchow and doubles out of the side-by-side triple Salchow. Presentation-wise, I like their energetic routines more, but I have no complaints about this Samson & Delilah programme. Their score: 143.62. Overall: 224.47.
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| Russia's Volosozhar/Trankov during a lift |
I'm not a big fan of Aliona Savchenko/Bruno Massot's music. Entitled Sometimes and performed by Wax Tailor, it just doesn't have the same impact as the concepts of their rivals. Technically, a couple of mistakes: she doubles out of the side-by-side triple Salchow and double-foots the landing of the thrown triple Flip. Their score: 141.95. Overall: 216.17.
Tatiana Volosozhar/Maxim Trankov...a shame. He steps out of the side-by-side triple Salchows, which causes trouble for the Toeloop, the triple twist doesn't have the best catch and she double-foots the thrown triple Flip. They get 128.68 points. Overall: 205.81.
Another final over, another unexpected defeat. However, we shouldn't let that steal the spotlight from the winners as I'm sure the Russians will be back next season with renewed strength. As for Duhamel & Radford, what a way to hold their ground and win the gold medal for the second year in a row. I had a feeling this might happen all along, knowing their technical prowess. Sui & Han have to settle for the silver, but that's nothing to be sad about. Finally, Savchenko and Massot, who, let's admit, we sort of wrote off for the podium, manage to get the bronze. Great Worlds debut, guys!
1 word: AHHHHHHHH <3
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