2009 Skate Canada Pairs LP Live Commentary

Start Order


Warm-Up Group 1
1 Ksenia OZEROVA / Alexander ENBERT RUS
8 40.28

2 Kirsten MOORE-TOWERS / Dylan MOSCOVITCH CAN
7 51.14

3 Caitlin YANKOWSKAS / John COUGHLIN USA
6 52.42

4 Caydee DENNEY / Jeremy BARRETT USA
5 55.46


Warm-Up Group 2
5 Anabelle LANGLOIS / Cody HAY CAN
4 55.52

6 Jessica DUBE / Bryce DAVISON CAN
3 57.90

7 Maria MUKHORTOVA / Maxim TRANKOV RUS
2 65.80

8 Aliona SAVCHENKO / Robin SZOLKOWY GER
1 74.16


12:28 CT judges being announced.
12:30 Warm-up group 1 on ice.
Denney-clean 2A
Denney/Barrett-decent triple twist
Landed 3Z throw from Ozerova/Enbert
Warm-up concluded.



Ksenia Ozerova / Alexander Enbert (Russia)
SBS 3T-fell out of his
double twist
2A+1A+SEQ-funky landing from her on 2A
Throw 3Z-fall
Positions not fully extended on lift
Spiral sequence-relatively poor
Throw 3R-double footed, possible UR, good turning transition into it
SBS Spins-off unison on transitions and on the exit, he was yelling very loudly (I know many pair skaters do that but he was yelling especially loudly; is there a deduction for that?)
Completely missed entrance on lift and aborted element
Very slow pair spin
Very poor program technically and artistically



TES: 40.16
PCS: 33.92
Ded: -1.00
Total: 73.08
Grand Total: 113.36



Kirsten Moore-Towers / Dylan Moscovitch (Canada)
SBS 3S+2A+SEQ-wobbles from both on first jump but completed; clean 2nd jump; fairly long transition between two jumps
Throw triple twist-low and closely caught
Throw 3R-low but landed
Decent pair spin
Excellent, difficult lift combo. Crowd loves it.
Spiral sequence-very weak extension from him
Throw 3S-turning transition entering element; forward on landing
SBS 3T-landed
SBS Spins-traveled noticeably but decent unison
Fairly undetailed program artistically but good technical elements.


TES: 55.21
PCS: 40.56
Total: 95.77
Grand Total: 146.91
Rank: 1




Caitlin Yankowskas/ John Coughlin (USA)
Triple twist-spiral preceding it; good
Throw 3S-slow going in; slight bobble on landing
SBS 3T-good
SBS Spins-off unison at times and hers traveled noticeably
Spiral-nice extension from her; awful extension from him
Throw 3R-fall out; slow entrance
2A+2T+SEQ-fell out of his; totally off transition going into 2T
Good lift combo but slightly rough exit
Pair spin-a tad slow but decent
Improved presentation.


TES: 50.87
PCS: 40.32
Total: 91.12
Grand Total: 143.61
Rank: 2



Caydee Denney/Jeremy Barrett (USA)
Throw triple twist-slightly wobbly on exit
SBS 3T-landed well; slightly off unison
Throw 3Z-very nice; revolutions finished well before landing
2A+2A+SEQ-completed
SBS Spins-decent unison; his spins traveled
Lift combo good but exit was awkward
Spiral sequence-relatively poor
Throw 3R-very good control on landing
Decent final pair spin
Great speed but choreography doesn't always reflect music. Flow across the ice is improving but they could emote to one another and the audience more. His shoulders are always tense and lifted. Good skate overall.


TES: 57.07
PCS: 44.56
Total: 101.63
Grand Total: 157.09
Rank: 1



Warm-up group 2 on ice.
Dube/Davison-good throw 3R (slightly forward on landing)
Davison-good 3S
Warm-up concluded.



Anabelle Langlois / Cody Hay (Canada)
Throw triple twist-slightly rough exit
SBS 3S-hand down and possible UR from her
Throw 3S-slow, peculiar entrance but well done
SBS 3T+2T-heavily double footed and possibly UR 3T from her
SBS Spin-off unison in places
Good lift combo
Spiral sequence-poor
Throw 3F-heavily double footed
Music suits their style fairly well but their choreography is very simplistic, so the overall presentation is somewhat bland.


TES: 56.67
PCS: 47.76
Total: 104.43 (Big overscore; should not be ahead of Denney/Barrett)
Grand Total: 159.95
Rank: 1



Jessica Dube/Bryce Davison (Canada)
Throw triple twist-a little low
2A+2A+SEQ-singled his 2nd jump, skaters came extremely apart from one another
SBS 3S-fall out
SBS Spins-off unison in several places
Death spiral-very low to ice
Throw 3Z-good
Good one-handed lift
Spiral sequence-relatively poor
Throw 3R-leaning to the right and hand down
Good extension from her during lift combo
Final pair spin-missed last position
Very emotional program. Nice presentation.


TES: 52.95
PCS: 56.08
Total: 109.03
Grand Total: 166.93
Rank: 1



Maria Mukhortova/Maxim Trankov (Russia)
Throw triple twist-good
SBS 2A-solid but very far apart
SBS 3T+2T-good
Good lift combo
Wardrobe malfunction-had to stop program
His boot strap apparently came off
Continuing now
Throw 3R-very nice recovery
Spiral sequence-not terrible
Throw 3S-double footed
SBS Spins-off unison in places
Final pair spin-decent but transitions between spins are a bit rough
Good presentation but interruption ruined the spark they had afterward.


TES: 63.11
PCS: 58.80
Ded: -2.00
Total: 119.91
Grand Total: 185.71
Rank: 1



Aliona Savchenko/Robin Szolkowy (Germany)
3T+3T+SEQ-scratchy landings from both on first 3T
Throw 3F-beautiful
1A-spread eagle going into it
SBS Spins-good
Pair spin-decent
Throw triple twist-decent
Good lift
Spiral sequence-best one today
Throw 3S-nice
Dramatically improved technically from their TEB disaster but the program really is not an improvement over their original one. It has some good moments (like the ending) but the program as a whole is quite bland.


TES: 66.55
PCS: 66.00 (Overscored)
Total: 132.55
Grand Total: 206.71
Rank: 1



Final Standings
1 Aliona SAVCHENKO / Robin SZOLKOWY GER 206.71
2 Maria MUKHORTOVA / Maxim TRANKOV RUS 185.71 2 2
3 Jessica DUBE / Bryce DAVISON CAN 166.93 3 3
4 Anabelle LANGLOIS / Cody HAY CAN 159.95 4 4
5 Caydee DENNEY / Jeremy BARRETT USA 157.09 5 5
6 Kirsten MOORE-TOWERS / Dylan MOSCOVITCH CAN 146.91 7 6
7 Caitlin YANKOWSKAS / John COUGHLIN USA 143.61 6 7
8 Ksenia OZEROVA / Alexander ENBERT RUS 113.36 8 8


Check back for live commentary of ladies free at 7:00 ET tonight.


That is all.

NHK Pairs LP Live Commentary

Start Order

Warm-Up Group 1

1 Narumi TAKAHASHI / Mervin TRAN JPN
8 39.80

2 Paige LAWRENCE / Rudi SWIEGERS CAN
7 47.32

3 Mylene BRODEUR / John MATTATALL CAN
6 51.10

4 Ksenia KRASILNIKOVA / Konstantin BEZMATERNIKH RUS
5 51.32

Warm-Up Group 2
5 Rena INOUE / John BALDWIN USA
4 52.52

6 Caydee DENNEY / Jeremy BARRETT USA
3 55.20

7 Qing PANG / Jian TONG CHN
2 67.30

8 Yuko KAVAGUTI / Alexander SMIRNOV RUS
1 68.90


Judges are being announced.

Warm-up group 1 on ice.

Warm-up has concluded.


Narumi Takahashi/Mervin Tran (Japan)
SBS 2A-big step outs from both
split double twist-good
Throw 3T-fall; not much height and slow entrance
SBS Pair Spins-first spin very off; second spin good
Nice transitional lift
Throw 3S-forward on landing but clean
SBS 3S-singled hers; fell on his
Death spiral very low to the ground
Amazing extension from her. Pair has some decent qualities but need more refinement and (especially) more dynamics. Program is very flat and doesn't go anywhere or change in mood.

TES: 43.16
PCS: 39.52
Ded: -3.00
Total: 79.68
Grand Total: 119.48


Paige Lawrence/Rudi Swiegers (Canada)
Clockwise pair (most are counter-clockwise)
Split triple twist-little low
3T-fall from her
2A+2T-singled his axel
SBS Spin-Not awful
Good speed in spiral
Presses his hips way too far forward on Y-scale spiral; not an attractive position but hers is OK
Throw 3R(IIRC)-shaky but landed
Lift-Scary. He fell to the ice as he was descending her but luckily she was low enough to the ice that she didn't crash
Throw 3Z-both hands down
Very rough last pair spin

TES: 44.09
PCS: 41.36
Ded: -2.00
Total: 83.45
Grand Total: 130.77
Rank: 1


Mylene Brodeur/John Mattatall (Canada)
Skating to Singin' in the Rain
Good speed
Throw triple twist-barely rotated; low
SBS 3T-doubled his
SBS Spin-Off unison in the middle of it
Throw 3R-put free leg down immediately after landing
SBS 2A+2A+SEQ-wobbled on her 2nd jump but good
Throw 3S-Low but clean
Very nice final lift
Ended right on the music
Cute program but they need to sell the fun theme of the program more. Throws, whether they be twist throws or throw jumps, need to be much higher and stronger.

TES: 52.33
PCS: 47.28
Total: 99.61
Grand Total: 150.71
Rank: 1


Ksenia Krasilnikova/Konstantin Bezmaternikh (Russia)
SBS 3S-Very off-unison, fall from her
double twist
Throw 3F-no distance, landed but possibly double footed
SBS Spin-off at start but got better as it went
SBS 2A+2A+SEQ-fell on her 2nd jump, singled his 2nd jump
Throw 2R-low and no speed
Very rough program. She looked like she was going to kill him throughout the entire skate (even though she was the one mucking up).

TES: 45.13
PCS: 43.04
Ded: -2.00
Total: 86.17
Grand Total: 137.49
Rank: 1


Warm-up group 2 on ice.
Denney and Barrett in purple and black, respectively. Barrett singled axel in warm-up. Pang and Tong in red.

Pang and Tong stunning 3R throw. Kavaguti and Smirnov in pink and black, respectively.
Kavaguti and Smirnov excellent 3R throw. K/S just did throw 3S.

Warm-up concluded.


Rena Inoue/John Baldwin (USA)
Loud crowd response
SBS 3T-looked UR on his part
SBS 2A+2A+SEQ-forward on landing of his first jump but otherwise good
Throw triple twist-low; barely rotated
Throw 3R-very nice
Throw 3A-hard fall to the side; very off in air
Awkward exit from lift
SBS Spins-off in places
A fall on the throw 3A but otherwise a good skate. They are not capable of stunning artistry but this program is somewhat pleasant to look at and their choreography is simplistic but well suited to them. They look more fit than last year.

TES: 59.14
PCS: 49.12
Ded: -2.00
Total: 106.26
Grand Total: 158.78
Rank: 1


Caydee Denney/Jeremy Barrett (USA)
Sheherezade
Throw triple twist-best one seen today; good
SBS 3T-nice transition going into it, slight wobble from him on landing; good overall
Throw 3Z-fall
2A+2A+SEQ-singled his 2nd axel
SBS Spin-pretty good
Throw 3R-very good
Last pair spin-slightly traveled
Good lifts throughout. Much more speed than Inoue/Baldwin. Some very strong points of the program, rough around the edges in places but good overall. She has sizable room for improvement with extension.

TES: 50.27
PCS: 46.96
Ded: -1.00
Total: 96.23
Grand Total: 151.43
Rank: 2


Qing Pang/Jian Tong (China)
2A+2A+SEQ-good
SBS 3T-good
SBS Pair Spin-Unison decent but traveling like mad (particularly him)
Throw triple twist-good height; slightly double footed
Throw 3S-very nice
Throw 3R-very nice
Great one-handed lift at the end
Finished slightly after music and didn't hold final pose
Great presentation

TES: 69.63
PCS: 62.72
Total: 132.35
Grand Total: 199.65 WOW!!!
Rank: 1


Yuko Kavaguti/Alexander Smirnov (Russia)
Throw 4S-hard fall; much like fall at 2009 worlds
She is injured, stopped the skate
Continuing now