ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating: Cup of China
Day One
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 ice dancers opened the competition with the Compulsory
Dance. The Compulsory Dance at the Cup of China is the Argentine
Tango. This dance 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 well but seemed to lack
attack a little bit. The reigning World bronze medalists picked
up 35.89 points (17.72/18.17).
Faiella/Scali delivered a passionate Argentine Tango and were
awarded 33.54 points (17.08/16.46), setting a new seasonal
best for themselves.
Pairs, Short Program
To the delight of the home crowd, 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).
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.
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 of 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. 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 on her seasonal best from
Skate America.
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. 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).
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