Cup of China 2023 Pairs FS - “Last Twistmas”

[marbri]

To think it was a very short time ago Deanna squealed they made their goal of 200+ points

 

[Desperado]

Deanna has been practicing her “smiling through disappointment face”.

 

[skategal]

Deanna and Max two GP wins and onto the GPF!

 

[victorskid]

Free program results:

1​	Deanna STELLATO-DUDEK / Maxime DESCHAMPS	CAN	131.09​	63.75​		67.34​	8.50​	8.36​	8.36​	0.00​	#8​
2​	Rebecca GHILARDI / Filippo AMBROSINI	ITA	124.67​	61.59​		64.08​	8.07​	8.14​	7.79​	1.00​	#7​
3​	Cheng PENG / Lei WANG	CHN	115.15​	54.47​		61.68​	7.75​	7.71​	7.64​	1.00​	#6​
4​	Annika HOCKE / Robert KUNKEL	GER	109.89​	53.07​		58.82​	7.43​	7.14​	7.46​	2.00​	#5​
5​	Anna VALESI / Manuel PIAZZA	ITA	105.10​	54.70​		51.40​	6.43​	6.36​	6.46​	1.00​	#3​
6​	Siyang ZHANG / Yongchao YANG	CHN	102.94​	49.16​		53.78​	6.64​	6.61​	6.89​	0.00​	#4​
7​	Maria MOKHOVA / Ivan MOKHOV	USA	92.16​	45.62​		48.54​	6.07​	6.00​	6.11​	2.00​	#1​
8​	Yuchen WANG / Lei ZHU	CHN	89.40​	44.63​		45.77​	5.89​	5.39​	5.86​	1.00​	#2​

Overall results:

1	Deanna STELLATO-DUDEK / Maxime DESCHAMPS	CAN	201.48	1	1
2	Rebecca GHILARDI / Filippo AMBROSINI	ITA	191.00	2	2
3	Cheng PENG / Lei WANG	CHN	178.06	3	3
4	Annika HOCKE / Robert KUNKEL	GER	170.65	4	4
5	Siyang ZHANG / Yongchao YANG	CHN	161.65	5	6
6	Anna VALESI / Manuel PIAZZA	ITA	160.65	6	5
7	Yuchen WANG / Lei ZHU	CHN	139.35	7	8
8	Maria MOKHOVA / Ivan MOKHOV	USA	134.81	8	7

Protocols link: http://www.isuresults.com/results/s...------FNL-000100--_JudgesDetailsperSkater.pdf

 

[honey]

Yeah it’s a long slog getting there for sure.

Yeah, getting from Montreal to Vancouver is basically as far as having gone to Europe. And then a quick turn around to Asia is rough.

 

[Simone411]

Wow! 201.48! Alrighty then! What I noticed is that there wasn't one clean program because of the jumps. I loved most of the programs, however. Congrats to the winners.

 

[skategal]

Yeah, getting from Montreal to Vancouver is basically as far as having gone to Europe. And then a quick turn around to Asia is rough.

Yeah I’ve gone Montreal-Tokyo-Bangkok (and return) and it’s rough.

The second flight after the first long flight to Asia is brutal.

I wouldn’t want to compete.

 

[Skate Talker]

I like to think that Peng was conscripted to skate with Zhang and then “left over” with Jin but she finally got the status to approve her own partner and actually likes him.

It certainly was true of the way the Peng/Jin pairing came about, but after the initial outings it seemed to me that those two had a great chemistry together and I saw so many more genuine smiles out of her than we ever saw when she was with Zhang.

 

[Sally1214]

Far from perfect from Deanna and Maxime but they still deserved the win here. Congrats to all the medalists.

I still have dance and women's free programs to watch later today; but, thanks to Mark, I won't be stressed out by the suspense as to who won!! Really ... he should KNOW better than to do that!

 

[skategal]

I’m watching dance now. Glad I missed Mark’s spoilers.

 

[Simone411]

I'm not hearing any sound on Peacock with the medal ceremony. Is anyone else having that problem?

 

[honey]

China treating this event like the Olympics with the pageantry Lol. Fanciest medals and ceremony this far on the GP.

Aww Deanna seems to be fan girling a little over Shen.

 

[skatingguy]

Aww Deanna seems to be fan girling a little over Shen.

Yeah, like who wouldn't.

 

[marbri]

I can't believe how emotional I feel watching Max singing his anthem with a gold medal around his neck. This team has an uplifting story you just want to get behind them.

 

[marbri]

I hope the GFP in Beijing doesn't have those high barriers between the ice and audience.

 

[victorskid]

Far from perfect from Deanna and Maxime but they still deserved the win here. Congrats to all the medalists.

I still have dance and women's free programs to watch later today; but, thanks to Mark, I won't be stressed out by the suspense as to who won!! Really ... he should KNOW better than to do that!

Each time he did it, at least today, he warned people in advance to close their ears

 

[marbri]

Is it really Mark's job to prevent spoilers when he is doing live commentary for a live event?

I don't read the Survivors thread until i have watched the episode

 

[Wyliefan]

Today my earworm is "Sorcerer's Apprentice," which is so much better than the emo ballads that are my usual post-skating earworms. Thank you, Peng/Wang!

 

[Karen-W]

Just finished watching all the pairs. Seriously underwhelming competition overall.

Mokhovs - any bets on how many of the 10 teams at the US Pairs Final finish the weekend with a higher total score? 9 of 10 had a higher SP score... which is a polite way of saying they should be thanking their lucky stars for a travel/competition bye to Nats.

Wang/Zhu - she has potential, him not so much. Those lifts were beyond bad. Also, who puts one skater in navy blue and the partner in black & white?

Valesi/Piazza - meh. Baby steps of improvement aren't going to get them anywhere the top 3 Italian teams.

Zhang/Yang - despite the issues at the end of the program, they've really improved since last season. I also enjoyed the program itself - some nice choreo moments.

Hocke/Kunkel - threw away a perfectly good shot at medaling, which is par for the course with them. Now to wait and see if they make the GPF. I haven't done the math so maybe they're all but in with a 1st & 4th, but pairs is the most fluid of disciplines generally, so the next two events could have some wild results that change everything, lol.

Peng/Wang - this is not a team that's built to last. He's clearly the weaker of the duo, but maybe the CFSA can help him stay together long enough to make it to Milano-Cortina.

Ghilardi/Ambrosini - well, honestly, I thought they were gonna give it away like they did at GPdF last year, so I was pleasantly surprised to see them hold it together and win silver. Now, watch them wind up 4th at NHK and send the standings into chaos.

SDDes - I hate this program. That's all. But, then again, none of the top teams that weve seen so far rhis season have great programs and I can't get behind any of them for the world title. (And I have zero faith that Chan/Howe could skate cleanly enough to be in that mix.)

 

[kwanfan1818]

I like to think that Peng was conscripted to skate with Zhang and then “left over” with Jin but she finally got the status to approve her own partner and actually likes him.

With Sui/Han trying to decide if they should roll out of bed in Fall 2025 and win a second OGM, she is the last one standing.

 

[Cachoo]

Team Canada coming on strong in dance and pairs…bodes well for Montreal.

 

[peibeck]

This thread title should have been "There Will Be Blood"

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Oh my goodness between piazza and Frangi this weekend…

wow.

I’m really loving Piazza

oh, that last lift scared me as she was hanging down like a ragdoll. Oh even got a negative GOE. Oh my gosh, he is amazing. I need to create a fan club

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Valesi/Piazza - meh

 

[Karen-W]

You know perfectly well I care not a fig for your harem. In fact I'd have been tickled pink had LajLag held on for the win in ice dance.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

You know perfectly well I care not a fig for your harem. In fact I'd have been tickled pink had LajLag held on for the win in ice dance.

because I’m so busy and I know I won’t be able to watch everything tonight. I did check the dance scores without watching it first. Oh no, this Lyft came down from the Chinese team just now… wow will Italy advance in the scores? Anyways, back to dance… How did Paul and Piper barely squeak this out, I probably won’t watch that till tomorrow.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Group two

Annika and Robert yes they’ve been doing this song for two straight years and Amber only did it for one. I’m so excited to see Minerva and her hunky guy in the next two stops. I think they will be the top German team. Oh no…what did Annika just do…

oh dear, she went down again… They arent going to medal here…

If they have the funding, I think it’s time for a refresh of a new free program for the rest of the season

I love seeing Andrej , is Valentina completely out of the figure skating scene?


Peng and Wang will be interesting to see how they develop. Good program. Good ending.

Rebecca and Filippo Dracula oh okkkkk who was the Russian ice dance team that use this way back when… Or was it Anissia and B? Well, down she goes. This program is building as it goes along, which is refreshing. Very strong lifts. I remember people used to criticize his footwork on the lifts, but they are really good

OK from Dracula to vampire… I’m not mad at it. OK I need to pay attention because I did not seen a costume reveal in Vancouver. I like seeing the ambition for the jump sequence. OK I did see the costume reveal much more noticeable here, glad they made some changes to it. Oh no another lift that came down today.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Shut up to Valesi and piazza my husband, having the third highest technical score in the free program today

 

[Bunny Hop]

Well, that was a rough event for everyone (at times including those of us watching at home ).

I am still just so impressed by Deanna's motivation and determination to improve. She really does inspire me to not settle into saying "well, I'm too old for that now" (whatever 'that' might be).

 

[kwanfan1818]

The Mokhovs unison is exquisite. They, too, are hired for my cruise ship. The don't have do twists or throws unless they want to, and they're welcome to do long sequences of singles and doubles. But I would ban dressing her up like all-sugar pastry frosting.

Did I miss where neither of Yuchen Wang's costume pants were delivered, or was he intentionally dressed for a Zoom call for both programs?

And since when have the judges cared when Pairs skaters took off at different times?

Another handsome coach dude.

Valesi's lines and posture are so -- she reminds me of Zabijako -- I didn't even watch him until KnC, and now my 20-year-old-self understands his appeal. (He looks like the boys I grew up with, minus the horrific 1970's hair and pastel-colored ruffled tuxedo shirts.)

Not sure why Zhang/Yang were given middle-aged break-up karaoke music.

Yet, except for SD/D, I preferred the first group to the second.