Skate America 2018 - Pairs Final - Skating in the Storm
The pairs' final at Skate America 2018 begins with great hopes for two underdog pairs: Alisa Efimova & Alexander Korovin, and Minnerva Fabien Hase & Nolan Seegert. However, their rankings at the end of the short programme were as much a consequence of their own performance as they were of the failures of other pairs. If those pairs manage to outperform their previous routines, we will see a different podium at the end of tonight's competition.
Evelyn Walsh & Trennt Michaud start the event with a performance that is even worse than the one in the short. She falls on the side-by-side 3Toeloop and 3Salchow, then also falls on the throw 3Toeloop. There's a very dicey moment at the very end of a lift too, when she probably would have fallen again if he hadn't caught her. Score: 84.35. Total: 129.06.
I thought Nica Digerness & Danny Neudecker were going to skate to Frozen because one of the songs is entitled Let It Go, so imagine my surprise to hear James Bay. Anyway, I like their free routine more than the short. They both make mistakes during the second side-by-side jumps, but everything else is much better. Score: 99.69. Total: 151.21.
Annika Hocke & Ruben Blommaert's free is full of awkward moments. It starts with a very dodgy landing of the 2Twist lift, then Annika double-foots the throw 3Loop, and finally both their last two lifts end abruptly and not on purpose. I'm not sure if this is injury or something else going on behind the scenes. Score: 91.17. Total: 144.53.
Alexa Scimeca Knierim & Chris Knierim are unfortunately another case of disappointing skating. Their programme is full of twists and turns; mistakes include singling a 2Toeloop, falling on the side-by-side 3Toeloop and falling on the throw 3Loop. Score: 114.25. Total: 171.56.
Ashley Cain & Timothy Leduc have definitely grabbed my attention. They skate beautifully to the soundtrack of W.E. Love the daring Group 3 Lift with him on one leg, skating backwards. The forward inside death spiral with her extending her arm towards him is also a delight. Score: 117.34. Total: 175.06.
Minnerva Fabien Hase & Nolan Seegert have lost a bit of steam since the short. He steps out of the side-by-side 3Salchows, while she falls on the throw 3Loop and double-foots the throw 3Salchow. They look quite dazed during the pairs spin too, probably because of the mistakes preceding it. Score: 102.06. Total: 162.10.
Evgenia Tarasova & Vladimir Morozov's programme is gripping from the very start. Set to The Winter, the song makes some strong musical statements at the very beginning, which make the perfect backdrop for the 3Twist lift. Evgenia doubles out of the 3Salchows and steps out of the throw 3Flip. Score: 133.61. Total: 204.85.
La Strada is a theme growing in popularity in figure skating. It makes an appearance today through the really well-interpreted version of Alisa Efimova & Alexander Korovin. From their costumes (love his fake scarf) to her cheerful wave during a lift, these two do their best to express the story. Technically, she falls on the side-by-side 3Salchows after two very messy 2Axels. Score: 116.60. Total: 178.98.
Oh wow, this final has been full of ups and downs. Unfortunately, there were more downs than ups. Going back to what I said in the beginning, the podium does indeed looks slightly different. Cain & Leduc take the bronze from the Germans, while Efimova & Korovin keep their silver, and of course, Tarasova & Morozov go home with the gold.
Quote of the competition is:
Want to know what else happened at Skate America 2018?
Evelyn Walsh & Trennt Michaud start the event with a performance that is even worse than the one in the short. She falls on the side-by-side 3Toeloop and 3Salchow, then also falls on the throw 3Toeloop. There's a very dicey moment at the very end of a lift too, when she probably would have fallen again if he hadn't caught her. Score: 84.35. Total: 129.06.
I thought Nica Digerness & Danny Neudecker were going to skate to Frozen because one of the songs is entitled Let It Go, so imagine my surprise to hear James Bay. Anyway, I like their free routine more than the short. They both make mistakes during the second side-by-side jumps, but everything else is much better. Score: 99.69. Total: 151.21.
Annika Hocke & Ruben Blommaert's free is full of awkward moments. It starts with a very dodgy landing of the 2Twist lift, then Annika double-foots the throw 3Loop, and finally both their last two lifts end abruptly and not on purpose. I'm not sure if this is injury or something else going on behind the scenes. Score: 91.17. Total: 144.53.
Alexa Scimeca Knierim & Chris Knierim are unfortunately another case of disappointing skating. Their programme is full of twists and turns; mistakes include singling a 2Toeloop, falling on the side-by-side 3Toeloop and falling on the throw 3Loop. Score: 114.25. Total: 171.56.
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| Alexa Scimeca Knierim and Chris Knierim during their pairs spin Photo: Lindsey Wasson/Getty Images North America |
Minnerva Fabien Hase & Nolan Seegert have lost a bit of steam since the short. He steps out of the side-by-side 3Salchows, while she falls on the throw 3Loop and double-foots the throw 3Salchow. They look quite dazed during the pairs spin too, probably because of the mistakes preceding it. Score: 102.06. Total: 162.10.
Evgenia Tarasova & Vladimir Morozov's programme is gripping from the very start. Set to The Winter, the song makes some strong musical statements at the very beginning, which make the perfect backdrop for the 3Twist lift. Evgenia doubles out of the 3Salchows and steps out of the throw 3Flip. Score: 133.61. Total: 204.85.
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| Beautiful interpretation of The Winter by Russia's no 1 pair Photo: Lindsey Wasson/Getty Images North America |
Oh wow, this final has been full of ups and downs. Unfortunately, there were more downs than ups. Going back to what I said in the beginning, the podium does indeed looks slightly different. Cain & Leduc take the bronze from the Germans, while Efimova & Korovin keep their silver, and of course, Tarasova & Morozov go home with the gold.
Quote of the competition is:
Want to know what else happened at Skate America 2018?
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| Men SP |
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| Pairs SP |
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