ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating: HomeSense Skate Canada
International Day Two
HomeSense Skate Canada International continued Saturday in
Quebec City, Quebec with the Pairs, Ladies Free Skating and
the Original Dance. HomeSense Skate Canada International is
the second of six event of the 2007/2008 ISU Grand Prix of
Figure Skating. The athletes 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.
Pairs, Free Skating Program
The Pairs opened today’s competition in the Colisee
Pepsi. Aliona Savchenko/Robin Szolkowy of Germany skated away
with the gold medal. Canada’s Jessica Dubé/Bryce
Davison earned the silver and the bronze went to Yuko Kawaguchi/Alexander
Smirnov (RUS).
Performing to “L’Oiseau” from Cirque du
Soleil, Savchenko/Szolkowy produced a throw triple flip, a
triple toeloop-double Axel sequence, a triple twist, throw
triple Salchow in the last seconds of the program and difficult
lifts that were all graded a level four by the Technical Panel.
The only major error came on the side by side triple Salchow
which Szolkowy singled while she put her hand down. The European
Champions earned 119.19 points (61.19 element score/58.00
program component score) which added up to a total of 188.63
points. “We competed at Skate Canada in 2005 and won,
and now we won again, so Canada has good ice for us”,
Szolkowy joked. “Our program wasn’t clean today,
but it was better than in the last competition (the Nebelhorn
Trophy in Oberstdorf end of September)”.
Dubé/Davison’s lyrical program to “The
Blower’s Daughter” included a double twist, side
by side double Axel sequence, a throw triple Salchow and loop
as well as good lifts and a level-four pair combination spin.
However, Dubé went down on the side by side triple
Salchow. The Canadians scored 111.08 (59.92/52.16), which
was a new seasonal best for them. They racked up a total score
of 174.20 points and are already qualified for the ISU Grand
Prix of Figure Skating Final after a first an second place
in their two events.
Kawaguchi/Smirnov risked the quadruple throw Salchow right
out of the gate but she stumbled on it and put her hands down
on the ice. The team from St. Petersburg recovered quickly
to complete a side by side triple-double toeloop sequence,
level-four lifts and a throw triple loop, but their triple
twist was flawed and Kawaguchi missed the side by side double
Axel. Kawaguchi/Smirnov were awarded 105.19 points (58.11/48.08)
and remained in third place at 165.19 points.
Ladies, Free Skating
Mao Asada of Japan rebounded from a sub-par performance in
the Short Program to capture the title at Skate Canada. Yukari
Nakano, also from Japan, moved up from fourth to earn the
silver medal, and the bronze went to Canada’s Joannie
Rochette.
Asada, who stood in third place following the Short Program,
opened her routine to “Fantaisie Impromptu” by
Frederic Chopin with a solid double Axel. She hit a triple
flip-triple loop combination (but the second jump was underrotated
and downgraded), a triple Lutz, loop, a triple flip-double
loop combination and two more double Axels. She also was awarded
a level four for three of her four spins and a level three
for the straight line footwork, but got only a level one for
her spiral sequence. The 17-year-old picked up 119.58 points
(61.74 element score/57.84 program component score) and moved
up to first at a total of 177.66 points. “Today I was
able to perform my program and I felt relieved. Skate Canada
was very important to me to get to the Grand Prix Final. I
felt the pressure after being third in the short program”,
Asada told the press.
Nakano nailed her triple Axel for the first time in international
competition in a while and followed up with a triple flip-double
toe, a triple Lutz, Salchow, triple toe-double toe-double
toe and a triple Salchow-double toeloop combination. Skating
to “Capriccio Espagnol”, the Japanese only doubled
her second flip but earned a level four for her two combination
spins and the flying sit spin to score 113.49 points (62.53/50.96),
improving her previous personal best of 111.14 points.
Rochette’s dynamic performance to “Don Juan”
by Felix Gray featured a triple Lutz-double toeloop combination,
a triple flip, loop as well as another triple Lutz and Salchow,
but she ran out of steam towards the end, singling the second
jump in her planned triple toeloop-triple Salchow sequence
and the last double Axel. The Canadian Champion picked up
112.70 points (59.98/52.72) which added up to 168.18 points.
She moved up from fifth to claim the bronze medal.
Overnight leader Laura Lepistö (FIN) dropped to 7th after
some errors.
Ice Dancing, Original Dance
Today’s competition concluded with the Original Dance.
The Original Dance for the 2007/08 season is the Folk/Country
Dance.
Canada’s Tessa Virtue/Scott Moir strengthened their
lead ahead of Anna Cappellini/Luca Lanotte (ITA). Pernelle
Carron/Mathieu Jost of France moved up one spot to third.
Virtue/Moir put out an excellent dance to the traditional
Russian piece “Dark Eyes”, completing intricate
yet smooth footwork, a curve and rotational lift and combination
spin. They were awarded a level four for all their elements
but for the twizzles in the non-touching footwork sequence
and received 61.20 points (33.00 element score/28.20 program
component score), a new personal best for them. So far they
have accumulated 97.45 points. “Tessa and I were excited
about our performance tonight. It was a lot of fun to skate
in there in front of a very excitable crowd. We really just
enjoyed the experience and we’re hoping to build on
it for tomorrow”, Moir said.
Cappellini/Lanotte had chosen a Gypsy Dance from the Balkans
and showed fast steps, earning a level four for their circular
and the midline step sequence asw well as a straight line
and rotational lift that were also graded a level four. The
Italians scored 53.90 points (29.60/24.30) and defended their
second place with a total of 86.13 points. To the delight
of the crowd at the Colisee Pepsi, Carron/Jost had chosen
a popular Quebecois country dance named “Dégéneration”.
The Lyonnais executed a curve lift with changes of positions
and rotational lift as well as a level-three circular step
sequence and a level-four spin to collect 52.43 points (29.60/22.83),
improving their previous personal best by almost five points.
The couple now has 80.70 points so far and moved up from fourth
to third place.
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