Skate America 2018 - Pairs SP - Long Time No See
Wow, it has been a really long time since I've written a blog post about figure skating. Longer than I wanted or expected. I realised this as I was trying to update the theme of this blog and couldn't remember the settings... Oops!
Life has been busy, but life is always busy and unless you make time for the things you're passionate about, you will probably never get back to them. So I decided to stubbornly make time and bring figure skating and this blog back into my life. Let's get started then.
The season always begins for me with the Grand Prix Series and therefore, almost every time, with Skate America. This year's Skate America is being held 8 hours before my time zone, so it's proving a bit of a challenge, but hey, I'm committed to commenting on as much of it as I can.
I did mean to write a Preview post trying to predict what the podiums will be like, but life and other temporary miniature disasters got in the way, so I'll have to start my coverage with the Pairs short programme.
One of the things that made me so excited about this Skate America was seeing so many new faces on the Pairs list. The entire first group are skaters I have never seen before (that I can remember), so I was pumped up. Another development that made me excited was seeing the elements on the screen - no more confusing the Flips and Lutzes for me.
Nica Digerness & Danny Neudecker were the first newbies on ice. I agreed with their coach when she told them they did a nice job. Sure, she fell on the throw 3Loop, but overall the routine, set to Bette Midler's The Rose, was quite pleasant. Score: 51.56.
As soon as I saw Annika Hocke & Ruben Blommaert, I realised he is not a new face at all. I have seen him skate before, just not with Annika. I quite liked their interpretation of Malaguena. They both had small mistakes; she double-footed (I think) the throw 3Loop and he had a hand down on the side-by-side 3 Toeloops. Ending the synchronised spins in different positions was a nice choreographic touch though. Score: 53.36.
I got really excited when I saw Evelyn Walsh & Trennt Michaud because her costume reminded me of Ashley Wagner, and I love Ashley Wagner. Their performance was not on the same level though. Evelyn fell both on the side-by-side 3Toeloops and the throw 3Loop. The first fall looked particularly nasty, so well done to her for putting on a smile afterwards. Score: 44.71.
Minnerva Fabien Hase & Nolan Seeger were my favourite pair from the first group. Their only tiny mistakes were losing sync in the side-by-side 3Toeloops and the synchronised spins. I loved the extra touch on the backwards outside death spiral. Score: 60.04
I had an excited 'OMG!' moment when I saw Alexa Scimeca Knierim & Chris Knierim's coach is Aljona Savchenko. You can already spot her influence as they seem more daring. However, this routine needs a bit of polishing. They both made mistakes on the side-by-side 3Salchows, were not in sync for the combined spins and Alexa fell during a transition. Amazing throw 3Lutz though. Score: 57.31.
Contemporary music had its night yesterday - Alisa Efimova & Alexander Korovin skated to another recent hit, Human by Rag N' Bone. It was overall a good skate, even though she stepped out of the side-by-side 3Salchows and I think he lost his positions during the synchronised spins - I looked away for one second and when I came back, they were in completely different positions... Score: 62.38.
Ashley Cain & Timonthy Leduc were a very pleasant surprise. Their Bella Belle programme was very lively and made me dance to the song throughout their performance. He did fall on the side-by-side 3Loops and she double-footed the landing of the throw 3Lutz. Score: 57.72.
I had another low-key squealing moment when I saw Evgenia Tarasova & Vladimir Morozov's new coach is Maxim Trankov. The Russians always bring the fun to the ice and this short programme, set to I Got You (I Feel Good) was not the exception. Still, mistakes crept in: she had a hand down on the side-by-side 3Toeloops and double-footed the throw 3Loop. Their step sequence was my favourite of the night though. Score: 71.24.
Well, that didn't go as I thought it would! I still think the Knierims have an extraordinary routine, but it needs a bit more work to bring it to perfection. They'll get there, I'm sure. No surprise to see Evgenia & Vladimir finishing in first place or Alisa & Alexander after them. However, the biggest shock of the night for me was the fact the Germans Minnerva & Nolan ended up on third place. If they manage to hold onto that until the end, it will be a real feat for them.
Finally, I've decided to do a fun thing in each blog post. I'll include a quote that I think fits each competition. This quote is more about me rolling up my sleeves and making time to get back to blogging, but I hope you find it inspiring:
Life has been busy, but life is always busy and unless you make time for the things you're passionate about, you will probably never get back to them. So I decided to stubbornly make time and bring figure skating and this blog back into my life. Let's get started then.
The season always begins for me with the Grand Prix Series and therefore, almost every time, with Skate America. This year's Skate America is being held 8 hours before my time zone, so it's proving a bit of a challenge, but hey, I'm committed to commenting on as much of it as I can.
I did mean to write a Preview post trying to predict what the podiums will be like, but life and other temporary miniature disasters got in the way, so I'll have to start my coverage with the Pairs short programme.
One of the things that made me so excited about this Skate America was seeing so many new faces on the Pairs list. The entire first group are skaters I have never seen before (that I can remember), so I was pumped up. Another development that made me excited was seeing the elements on the screen - no more confusing the Flips and Lutzes for me.
Nica Digerness & Danny Neudecker were the first newbies on ice. I agreed with their coach when she told them they did a nice job. Sure, she fell on the throw 3Loop, but overall the routine, set to Bette Midler's The Rose, was quite pleasant. Score: 51.56.
As soon as I saw Annika Hocke & Ruben Blommaert, I realised he is not a new face at all. I have seen him skate before, just not with Annika. I quite liked their interpretation of Malaguena. They both had small mistakes; she double-footed (I think) the throw 3Loop and he had a hand down on the side-by-side 3 Toeloops. Ending the synchronised spins in different positions was a nice choreographic touch though. Score: 53.36.
I got really excited when I saw Evelyn Walsh & Trennt Michaud because her costume reminded me of Ashley Wagner, and I love Ashley Wagner. Their performance was not on the same level though. Evelyn fell both on the side-by-side 3Toeloops and the throw 3Loop. The first fall looked particularly nasty, so well done to her for putting on a smile afterwards. Score: 44.71.
Minnerva Fabien Hase & Nolan Seeger were my favourite pair from the first group. Their only tiny mistakes were losing sync in the side-by-side 3Toeloops and the synchronised spins. I loved the extra touch on the backwards outside death spiral. Score: 60.04
I had an excited 'OMG!' moment when I saw Alexa Scimeca Knierim & Chris Knierim's coach is Aljona Savchenko. You can already spot her influence as they seem more daring. However, this routine needs a bit of polishing. They both made mistakes on the side-by-side 3Salchows, were not in sync for the combined spins and Alexa fell during a transition. Amazing throw 3Lutz though. Score: 57.31.
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| The 1st place contenders, Evgenia Tarasova & Vladimir Morozov, during their awesome 3Twist Lift Photo: Lindsey Wasson/Getty Images North America |
Contemporary music had its night yesterday - Alisa Efimova & Alexander Korovin skated to another recent hit, Human by Rag N' Bone. It was overall a good skate, even though she stepped out of the side-by-side 3Salchows and I think he lost his positions during the synchronised spins - I looked away for one second and when I came back, they were in completely different positions... Score: 62.38.
Ashley Cain & Timonthy Leduc were a very pleasant surprise. Their Bella Belle programme was very lively and made me dance to the song throughout their performance. He did fall on the side-by-side 3Loops and she double-footed the landing of the throw 3Lutz. Score: 57.72.
I had another low-key squealing moment when I saw Evgenia Tarasova & Vladimir Morozov's new coach is Maxim Trankov. The Russians always bring the fun to the ice and this short programme, set to I Got You (I Feel Good) was not the exception. Still, mistakes crept in: she had a hand down on the side-by-side 3Toeloops and double-footed the throw 3Loop. Their step sequence was my favourite of the night though. Score: 71.24.
Well, that didn't go as I thought it would! I still think the Knierims have an extraordinary routine, but it needs a bit more work to bring it to perfection. They'll get there, I'm sure. No surprise to see Evgenia & Vladimir finishing in first place or Alisa & Alexander after them. However, the biggest shock of the night for me was the fact the Germans Minnerva & Nolan ended up on third place. If they manage to hold onto that until the end, it will be a real feat for them.
Finally, I've decided to do a fun thing in each blog post. I'll include a quote that I think fits each competition. This quote is more about me rolling up my sleeves and making time to get back to blogging, but I hope you find it inspiring:
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| Photo by S O C I A L . C U T on Unsplash |
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