PAIRS: Volosozhar and Trankov can carry some momentum into Worlds after a solid win here. Their programs looked more fluid than we’ve seen them this season and their elements looked better as well. I would’ve liked to see them compete against Stolbova and Klimov before Worlds, but the latter team withdrew due to an injury, raising some questions about the seriousness of said injury and Russia’s strategy for their pair teams heading to Boston. Both aforementioned teams will most definitely be favorites for the World title there.
What an exciting silver medal debut for Aliona Savchenko and Bruno Massot! I have say-they are so much fun to watch. They have such speed and power and their elements are really quality. Their twist is SO HIGH and their throws look really smooth. They lost points in the free skate on invalid lifts and I think he made a mistake on the side by sides, but overall, a great event for them. Aliona is such a star and she rocks that red bodysuit like no other. I actually think Bruno looks good with her and he does a good job of partnering. I’m really excited to see what the future holds for them! They could certainly make an impact at Worlds. With Kavaguti/Smirnov out of Worlds also due to injury, new European bronze medallists Tarasova/Morosov look to be the easy choice for the third pair team at Russian nationals. Their twist is the highlight of their elements, with great height and flow out of it. Their side by sides were a trouble spot in the free, but overall they had a solid competitive effort. I think this team has potential, but their programs are really lacking for me this season. The pair field is so packed in Russia that they will really need to step their content going forward. James and Cipres had a bit of a rough competition, with a fluke error on a death spiral in the short and jump issues in the long. I’m sure they weren’t thrilled with those skates, so I hope to see some fire from them at Worlds. DANCE: The long awaited return of reigning World Champions Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron happened with a splash, as they grabbed their second European title. I wasn’t sure how strong they would be, having lost so much training time due to Gabriella’s injury, but they looked very confident here. I like the modern take on their waltz costumes for the short dance, and I really do love their free dance. I know it is similar to what they did last year, but can you blame them? Last year’s free dance went over pretty well : ) Modern, lyrical music tends to bring out a crowd more than classical as well, so I think it’s a good choice. To be honest, we see so much of the same in ice dance, that it’s nice to see something that stands out. Italians Anna Cappellini and Luca Lannotte looked very strong here. Shoutout to Anna for having two of the best skating dresses I have ever seen. I’ve always loved her free dance dress, but that new short dance one is so stunning. I often have a hard time watching them because she can be a little TOO much, but I think their programs this season go well with that style. I think their free dance is perfectly suited for them, but I think they may lose out on the audience appeal factor. Bobrova and Soloviev are continuing a very successful comeback season as well, taking third here, just ahead of countrymen Sinitsina/Katsalapov. As Russia has only two dance spots for Worlds in Boston, these placements make a strong case for these two teams to make it to Boston. Whew! I think that’s it for Euros! Look for a brief recap of Canadian Nationals and the US Mens event before I start making previews and predictions for Four Continents! I can’t believe we are heading to the last event before Worlds! Where has the season gone?
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November 2017
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