The Cup of China in Harbin kicked off Thursday with the Compulsory Dance, the Pairs and Ladies Short Programs. Harbin hosts the Cup of China for the first time. The Cup of China is the second of six events in the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating series. The skaters compete for a a global prize money of US $ 180, 000 per individual event of the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating and receive points according to their placements. The top six skaters/couples then qualify for the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final in Torino, Italy (December 13-16).
Ice Dancing, Compulsory Dance
The Compulsory Dance at the Cup of China is the Argentine Tango. “The Argentine Tango is a sinuous dance and should be skated with strong edges and considerable élan. Good flow and fast travel over the ice are essential and must be achieved without obvious effort or pushing. The many varied step sequences in this dance are complementary to the dramatic and romantic character of the music. Dancers must at all times be aware of the rhythmic timing and reflect this in the execution of steps and in expressive interpretation of the music. Prolonged free leg extension, upright, graceful carriage and good unison are needed for this dance. Where appropriate, rotations must be fast but controlled. The partners should make maximum use of the interpretive elements of the dance, including the short steps, quick turns and serpentine movements."
The Argentine Tango was created by Reginald J. Wilkie and Daphne B. Wallis. It was first performed in London in 1934.
Russia’s Oksana Domnina/Maxim Shabalin took the lead ahead of Tanith Belbin/Benjamin Agosto (USA) and Federica Faiella/Massimo Scali of Italy.
Domnina/Shabalin put out a characteristic and strong performance of the Argentine Tango to earn 38.77 points (19.88 element score/18.59 program component score), just short of their personal best of 38.99 points. “We just think that we have to give even more and have to be better tomorrow. Today was the easiest part”, Domnina commented. She had to overcome a fall in the warm up. “I can’t say what happened there, maybe we came too close, or maybe it was just bad luck. Maybe I was one percent scared after that. I tried to forget about it”, the ice dancer explained.
Belbin/Agosto skated also skated very well but seemed to lack attack a little bit. The reigning World bronze medalists picked up 35.89 points (17.72/18.17). “I felt we skated really well. It felt good. This is a good dance for us. We’ve been working hard on it all summer and it really feels like it has come a long way. We’re looking forward to the OD. I don’t like to have to make up ground after the compulsory, but it’s a situation we’ve found ourselves in before”, Agosto said.
Faiella/Scali delivered a passionate Argentine Tango and were awarded 33.54 points (17.08/16.46), setting a new seasonal best for themselves. “We skated pretty well and were happy because we did our personal best I the compulsory dance. It is a new dance for us, we never skated it together before (in competition)”, Scali revealed. “We are really pleased with our marks, too. They were much better than at Skate America."
Alexandra Zaretski/Roman Zaretski (ISR) came in fourth at 30.81 points, directly followed by Sinead Kerr/John Kerr (GBR) with 29.52 points.
Pairs, Short Program
To the delight of the home crowd in the International Conference Exhibition and Sports Center, Qing Pang/Jian Tong of China won the Pairs Short Program. Keauna McLaughlin/Rockne Brubaker (USA) and Canadians Jessica Miller/Ian Moram followed in second and third.
As the top ranked couple, Pang/Tong skated last. The 2006 World Champions landed a side by side triple toeloop, a big triple twist and a throw triple loop in their routine set to “O Doux Printemps D’Autrefois” by Jules Massenet. Pang/Tong received 65.48 points (37.08 element score/28.40 program component score), which is a seasonal best for them. “We got good scores and we are quite pleased with our performance tonight. It was better than in our previous competition (Skate America)”, Pang told the press. “We felt some pressure, because a lot of our friends had come to watch.” The couple is originally from Harbin, but now lives and trains in Beijing.
Performing to “Moonlight Sonata”, McLaughlin/Brubaker produced a high triple twist, a difficult one-armed Axel Lasso lift and a throw triple Salchow, but McLaughlin underrotated the side by side triple Salchow and fell on it. The World Junior Champions received 59.22 points (34.62/25.60). “I thought it was a pretty good performance. Yes, I fell on my Salchow, but overall it was pretty good”, McLaughlin told the post-event press conference. “It was really good for the first time out on the senior Grand Prix”, her partner added. “We both had mistakes. It is a learning experience, and it’s an honor to be here.”
Miller/Moram’s program to “Wayfering Pilgrim” by Roy Buchanan contained solid side by side double Axels, a one-armed Axel lasso lift (level four) as well as throw triple loop. They just were a little slow in their pair combination spin and wobbled in the side by side combination spin. The Canadians scored 50.46 points (30.34/20.12), significantly surpassing their previous personal best of 44.58 points. “We’re just very happy on the way we skated, and being third right now is definitely just a bonus. We’re just enjoying it”, Moram said. “I think we just had a lot of fun out there. The crowd was amazing. When we did the first lift on the warm up, the crowd started yelling, and that was the moment I knew that we’re going to skate good”, Miller commented.
Yue Zhang/Lei Wang (CHN) are less than two points away from the podium with 48.32 points. They landed a throw triple toeloop and double twist, but he touched down with his hand on the double Axel.
Marie Vartmann/Florian Just (GER) withdrew due to illness before the Short Program. Vartmann is suffering from a stomach flu.
Ladies, Short Program
European Champion Carolina Kostner of Italy grabbed the Ladies’ Short Program ahead of Caroline Zhang (USA) and Yu-Na Kim (KOR).
Kostner’s routine to “Riders on the Storm” by The Doors included a triple flip-triple toe combination, a double Axel and a level-four flying sit spin. She was off balance on her triple Lutz, but held on to it（果然3Lz又出问题了 ）. The 20-year-old Italian was awarded 60.82 points (34.10 element score/26.72 program component score). “I am very pleased with my short program today. I was very nervous going into it. I didn’t skate in the Grand Prix since 2005. So his is a small comeback for me”, she explained, referring to the fact that she missed last year’s Grand Prix series due to injury (torn ligaments).
Skating to “Spanish Gypsy”, Zhang hit also triple flip-triple toe combination and a triple Lutz , but the judges deducted from the GOE of the latter because of the wrong edge take-off. The World Junior Champion again impressed with her spins, earning a level four for her trademark layback spin and for the combination spin . The 14-year-old picked up 58.76 points (36.40/23.36), improving her seasonal best from Skate America. “I am also happy with my performance. It could have been better, but I think I held my spins this time, better than at Skate America. My jumps could have been bigger and I really was slow today, but I am pleased with my overall performance”, Zhang told the press.
Kim, who skated last, went for the triple flip-triple toe like Kostner and Zhang, but singled the second jump. She didn’t let herself distract too much by the error und completed a triple Lutz and double Axel in her program set to “Die Fledermaus”. Her layback spin, flying sit spin and combination spin were all graded a level three by the Technical Panel. Kim scored 58.32 points (30.40/27.92). “It’s my first competition of the season and I made a small mistake on a jump. I was nervous after that. Now I have one day to prepare for the free skating. I just want to forget about the mistake and want to give my best”, Kim said.
Defending Cup of China Champion Julia Sebestyen (HUN) is sitting in fourth with 55.46 points. She nailed a triple flip and double Axel and showed strong spins, but her triple Lutz (in combination with double toe) was underroated and downgraded. Alissa Czisny (USA) stumbled badly on a triple Lutz attempt, but showed strong spins, a double Axel and a triple flip-double to finish fifth (51.08 points). Susanna Pöykiö (FIN) was sixth at 48.48 points. Her program contained a triple flip-double toe and a double Axel, but she doubled her Lutz. |
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显身卡
难道真是老了？想当年她可也是两届世锦赛铜牌，最风光的时候还曾经击败Sasha而获得GPF冠军，至少06年冬奥时也差些就登上颁奖台，可现在......
争取自由滑clean一把，动作定级再高些。
