Cup of China 2013 Highlights (Short Programmes)
MEN
The first out of three Chinese skaters, Yi Wang skated on A Beautiful Storm. Overall, it was a good, enjoyable skate, but he double-footed the Triple Axel and singled the second Triple Flip. His score: 63.27.
As beautiful as the music was, Peter Liebers' routine lacked smoothness. The jumps were perfect though, except for the Triple Toeloop. He got 69.34 points.
China's national champion, Nan Song, brought his inner rock star on ice, skating beautifully on Guitar Concerto. Unfortunately, his Quad Toeloop was messy and the Triple Toeloop ended up being a Single. His score: 68.68.
Maxim Kovtun proves he's worth a lot to the Russian team with two perfectly landed quads and a 'spot on' interpretation. His silly fall at the end was a mistake that took us all by surprise. He got 81.84 points.
Charming, funny and in perfect control of his elements, Han Yan probably had the best skate he's had so far in his entire life. The music was Viper's Drag and the costume was exquisite. His score: 90.14.
Takahiko Kozuka had some problems with the Triple Lutz, but otherwise gave us a good routine, full of personality. If only his costume didn't look so much like a bartender's uniform...or maybe that's the point. He got 81.62 points.
Richard Dornbush sure knows how to present a story, but he couldn't jump the quad and lost control on the Triple Axel. It is a shame because the routine has quite the potential. His score: 72.58.
Florent Amodio has the perfect attitude to ace Scent of a Woman on an artistic level, but his quad jumps are not what they used to be. He got 76.75 points.
Denis Ten has an amazing Danse Macabre routine and a fabulous costume, but due to recent poor health, his technical potential didn't show today. He put his hand down on the Quad Toeloop and missed the Triple Lutz-Triple Toeloop combination completely. His score: 77.05.
PAIRS
Gorgeous costumes and impeccable interpretation of Swan for Xuehan Wang & Lei Wang. The only mistake was the fall on the thrown Triple Loop. Their score: 57.16.
A good skate for Felicia Zhang & Nate Bartholomay, despite his fall on the side-by-side Triple Toeloop. The music was Carousel Waltz. They got 50.33 points.
Cheng Peng & Hao Zhang decided to try traditional Chinese music this year and what a smart decision that was! Technically, she put her hand town at the end of the side-by-side Triple Toeloop, but their death spiral was original and very beautiful. Speaking of beauty, those costumes were a masterpiece. Their score: 64.24.
Just when you thought you'd seen the best in costumes, Anastasia Martiusheva & Alexei Rogonov came out. Unfortunately they had a big mistake during the last spin and their side-by-side Triple Toeloops were not perfectly in sync. They got 53.02 points.
It's a well known fact that Moonlight Sonata can be quite dull on ice, but Alexa Scimeca & Chris Knierim somehow managed to give it life. She touched the ice with her hand on the thrown Triple Flip and the side-by-side Triple Salchows failed in sync. Their score: 57.99.
Les Aristochats of the day, Daria Popova & Bruno Massot, had only one mistake: her fall on the side-by-side Triple Toeloop. However, the routine seemed to lack enthusiasm, which is essential if you plan to deliver a funny performance. They got 51.82 points.
Qing Pang & Jian Tong know this could be their year. Their Lady Califfa programme was so artistic, so emotional, so flawless you wished it had never ended. The costumes were breathtaking as well. Their score: 70.38.
Aliona Savchenko & Robin Szolkowy skated well, but not spectacularly. Robin put his hand down on the Triple Toeloop and their thrown Triple Axel attempt ended in a double-footed landing. If they do manage to land that perfectly, they'll be unbeatable. For now, they got 69.07 points.
LADIES
Xiaowen Guo's lack of experience was too obvious today. Although her only mistake was a double-footed Triple Toeloop, her failing to rethink the combination cost her quite a few points. Her score: 45.32.
Anna Pogorilaya's jumps were so good, you could bet she can do them on command. The tango she skated on would have benefited from a more passionate interpretation though. She obtained 60.24 points.
Kexin Zhang did a terrific Triple Toeloop combination, but music as dramatic as Paint It Black and Sympathy for the Devil needs a bit more emotion. Her score: 53.32.
A good performance for Nikol Gosviani. She skated on Beethoven's Piano Sonata no. 17, aka Storm. She singled the Triple Toeloop, but her spins are just amazing. She obtained 53.76 points.
Haruka Imai finished her routine with the same smile she started it with. What a tasteful programme that was! Lovely choreography, good elements and an elegant costume. Her score: 54.79.
Agnes Zawadzki took the epic bits from the soundtrack of a not-so-epic film and created a story all of her own. As creative as it was though, she did fall on the second Triple Toeloop of the combination and lost control of the Triple Lutz landing. She obtained 53.73 points.
Zijun Li is getting a reputation as one of the best dressed ladies on ice. Unfortunately, she made a few mistakes here: put her hand down on the Triple Toeloop and had a shaky landing on the Triple Lutz. Her score: 53.58.
Kanako Murakami's new alert music doesn't seem to fit her style very well. Either that or she hasn't practiced it enough. Technically, we saw two double-footed Triple Toeloops and a messy Triple Flip. She obtained 57.33 points.
From the costume to the attitude, Adelina Sotnikova has everything she needs to be a memorable Carmen. The only mistake here was a dodgy, but risky Triple Loop. Her score: 66.03.
When it comes to expressing classical music, Carolina Kostner turns the whole experience into something magical. When it comes to technical elements though, she's had her share of bad days, one of which happened here - she had an unexpected fall on the second Triple Toeloop. She obtained 62.75 points.
DANCE
Yiyi Zhang & Nan Wu were sharp, a bit comedic and all in all, enjoyable to watch. Their score: 41.79.
China's National champions, Xioayang Huang & Xun Zheng did not have the time of their lives here. She fell in the second half of the programme, after a sequence in which she seemed to be dragging her feet. They obtained 41.24 points.
Alexandra Aldridge & Daniel Eaton have great skating skills, but didn't sell their programme extremely well. They were simply not as brash as the music required. Their score: 52.92.
Just like the lyrics of their song, Pernelle Carron & Lloyd Jones's routine was delightful. They always seem to have genuine fun on ice, which adds to the overall effect. They obtained 50.20 points.
Madison Chock & Evan Bates did a great job in creating a 1950s atmosphere, but a not so great one on the twizzles. Their score: 56.77.
Nathalie Pechalat & Fabian Bourzat know how to put on a show! This time it was cheeky and a bit dark. The lift was incredibly fast. They obtained 62.60 points. P.S.: the exit from the lift was seen as a fall by the judges.
Ekaterina Bobrova & Dmitri Soloviev wore their Hollywood selves for this routine. Technically they were phenomenal, but on an artistic level, they should try to level up the glamour. It was a great skate though! Their score: 65.70.
The first out of three Chinese skaters, Yi Wang skated on A Beautiful Storm. Overall, it was a good, enjoyable skate, but he double-footed the Triple Axel and singled the second Triple Flip. His score: 63.27.
As beautiful as the music was, Peter Liebers' routine lacked smoothness. The jumps were perfect though, except for the Triple Toeloop. He got 69.34 points.
China's national champion, Nan Song, brought his inner rock star on ice, skating beautifully on Guitar Concerto. Unfortunately, his Quad Toeloop was messy and the Triple Toeloop ended up being a Single. His score: 68.68.
Maxim Kovtun proves he's worth a lot to the Russian team with two perfectly landed quads and a 'spot on' interpretation. His silly fall at the end was a mistake that took us all by surprise. He got 81.84 points.
Charming, funny and in perfect control of his elements, Han Yan probably had the best skate he's had so far in his entire life. The music was Viper's Drag and the costume was exquisite. His score: 90.14.Takahiko Kozuka had some problems with the Triple Lutz, but otherwise gave us a good routine, full of personality. If only his costume didn't look so much like a bartender's uniform...or maybe that's the point. He got 81.62 points.
Richard Dornbush sure knows how to present a story, but he couldn't jump the quad and lost control on the Triple Axel. It is a shame because the routine has quite the potential. His score: 72.58.
Florent Amodio has the perfect attitude to ace Scent of a Woman on an artistic level, but his quad jumps are not what they used to be. He got 76.75 points.
Denis Ten has an amazing Danse Macabre routine and a fabulous costume, but due to recent poor health, his technical potential didn't show today. He put his hand down on the Quad Toeloop and missed the Triple Lutz-Triple Toeloop combination completely. His score: 77.05.
PAIRS
Gorgeous costumes and impeccable interpretation of Swan for Xuehan Wang & Lei Wang. The only mistake was the fall on the thrown Triple Loop. Their score: 57.16.
A good skate for Felicia Zhang & Nate Bartholomay, despite his fall on the side-by-side Triple Toeloop. The music was Carousel Waltz. They got 50.33 points.
Cheng Peng & Hao Zhang decided to try traditional Chinese music this year and what a smart decision that was! Technically, she put her hand town at the end of the side-by-side Triple Toeloop, but their death spiral was original and very beautiful. Speaking of beauty, those costumes were a masterpiece. Their score: 64.24.
Just when you thought you'd seen the best in costumes, Anastasia Martiusheva & Alexei Rogonov came out. Unfortunately they had a big mistake during the last spin and their side-by-side Triple Toeloops were not perfectly in sync. They got 53.02 points.
It's a well known fact that Moonlight Sonata can be quite dull on ice, but Alexa Scimeca & Chris Knierim somehow managed to give it life. She touched the ice with her hand on the thrown Triple Flip and the side-by-side Triple Salchows failed in sync. Their score: 57.99.
Les Aristochats of the day, Daria Popova & Bruno Massot, had only one mistake: her fall on the side-by-side Triple Toeloop. However, the routine seemed to lack enthusiasm, which is essential if you plan to deliver a funny performance. They got 51.82 points.
Qing Pang & Jian Tong know this could be their year. Their Lady Califfa programme was so artistic, so emotional, so flawless you wished it had never ended. The costumes were breathtaking as well. Their score: 70.38.
Aliona Savchenko & Robin Szolkowy skated well, but not spectacularly. Robin put his hand down on the Triple Toeloop and their thrown Triple Axel attempt ended in a double-footed landing. If they do manage to land that perfectly, they'll be unbeatable. For now, they got 69.07 points.
LADIES
Xiaowen Guo's lack of experience was too obvious today. Although her only mistake was a double-footed Triple Toeloop, her failing to rethink the combination cost her quite a few points. Her score: 45.32.
Anna Pogorilaya's jumps were so good, you could bet she can do them on command. The tango she skated on would have benefited from a more passionate interpretation though. She obtained 60.24 points.
Kexin Zhang did a terrific Triple Toeloop combination, but music as dramatic as Paint It Black and Sympathy for the Devil needs a bit more emotion. Her score: 53.32.
A good performance for Nikol Gosviani. She skated on Beethoven's Piano Sonata no. 17, aka Storm. She singled the Triple Toeloop, but her spins are just amazing. She obtained 53.76 points.
Haruka Imai finished her routine with the same smile she started it with. What a tasteful programme that was! Lovely choreography, good elements and an elegant costume. Her score: 54.79.
Agnes Zawadzki took the epic bits from the soundtrack of a not-so-epic film and created a story all of her own. As creative as it was though, she did fall on the second Triple Toeloop of the combination and lost control of the Triple Lutz landing. She obtained 53.73 points.
Zijun Li is getting a reputation as one of the best dressed ladies on ice. Unfortunately, she made a few mistakes here: put her hand down on the Triple Toeloop and had a shaky landing on the Triple Lutz. Her score: 53.58.
Kanako Murakami's new alert music doesn't seem to fit her style very well. Either that or she hasn't practiced it enough. Technically, we saw two double-footed Triple Toeloops and a messy Triple Flip. She obtained 57.33 points.
From the costume to the attitude, Adelina Sotnikova has everything she needs to be a memorable Carmen. The only mistake here was a dodgy, but risky Triple Loop. Her score: 66.03.
When it comes to expressing classical music, Carolina Kostner turns the whole experience into something magical. When it comes to technical elements though, she's had her share of bad days, one of which happened here - she had an unexpected fall on the second Triple Toeloop. She obtained 62.75 points.
DANCE
Yiyi Zhang & Nan Wu were sharp, a bit comedic and all in all, enjoyable to watch. Their score: 41.79.
China's National champions, Xioayang Huang & Xun Zheng did not have the time of their lives here. She fell in the second half of the programme, after a sequence in which she seemed to be dragging her feet. They obtained 41.24 points.
Alexandra Aldridge & Daniel Eaton have great skating skills, but didn't sell their programme extremely well. They were simply not as brash as the music required. Their score: 52.92.
Just like the lyrics of their song, Pernelle Carron & Lloyd Jones's routine was delightful. They always seem to have genuine fun on ice, which adds to the overall effect. They obtained 50.20 points.
Madison Chock & Evan Bates did a great job in creating a 1950s atmosphere, but a not so great one on the twizzles. Their score: 56.77.
Nathalie Pechalat & Fabian Bourzat know how to put on a show! This time it was cheeky and a bit dark. The lift was incredibly fast. They obtained 62.60 points. P.S.: the exit from the lift was seen as a fall by the judges.
Ekaterina Bobrova & Dmitri Soloviev wore their Hollywood selves for this routine. Technically they were phenomenal, but on an artistic level, they should try to level up the glamour. It was a great skate though! Their score: 65.70.
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