ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating: Cup of Russia
Day Three
The Cup of Russia concluded Sunday with the Free Dance and
the Exhibition Gala. The Cup of Russia was the fifth of six
events in the 2007/2008 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating series.
The skaters compete for 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, Free Dance
Russia’s Oksana Domnina/Maxim Shabalin danced off with
the gold medal for the first time at the Cup of Russia. Nathalie
Pechalat/Fabian Bourzat of France took the silver, their second
this season, while Ukrainians Anna Zadarozhniuk/Sergei Verbillo
pulled up from fourth to earn the first Grand Prix medal of
their career. All three medalists achieved a new personal
best score.
Domnina/Shabalin delivered a dramatic performance to “Waltz
Masquerade”, showing off their elegant lines and technical
ability. The European silver medalists produced a side by
side midline and a circular step sequence, well synchronized
twizzles, a curve-rotational lift with changes of position
and a dance spin. Seven out of the eight elements were graded
a level four, only the straight line lift was graded a level
three. The Russian Champions earned 101.99 points (52.30 element
score/49.69 program component score), setting a new personal
best for themselves and accumulated a total score of 205.24
points. They improved their previous best total score by almost
six points. “We were determined to give the very best
technically and we are pleased that we were able to pull ourselves
together after the Cupo of China and were able to show everything
technically”, Domnina said. The couple had made an error
on their spin at the Cup of China.
Pechalat/Bourzat had chosen a very modern dance they named
“Craziness” set to electronical music. The French
completed innovative lifts including a curve-rotational lift
with her almost in a headstand and a one-armed rotational
lift with changes of positions as well as a difficult dance
spin. However, both their circular and diagonal step sequences
were graded only a level two. The couple picked up 91.48 points
(47.50/43.98) which was a new personal best. Overall they
collected 184.38 points and surpassed their personal best
total score to claim the silver. “We skated very well,
but we didn’t get the levels we had hoped for in some
of our elements”, Bourzat told the press. “So
we’ll still have work to do. But we’re very happy
to have achieved a new personal best in each stage of the
competition and to have qualified for the Grand Prix Final.”
Zadarozhniuk/Verbillo’s dance to “Nostradamus”
by Maksim Mrvica featured interesting lifts, strong twizzles
and a dance spin. The Ukrainians received a level three for
their side by side midline steps and a level two for their
circular step sequence. They were scored 81.60 points (45.70/35.90),
significantly improving their previous personal best of 77.66
points achieved at the European Championships last year. Overall
their score added up to 161.64 points, and they just edged
out Ekaterina Bobrova/Dmitri Soloviev (RUS) for the bronze
medal. “It’s hard to say what I’m feeling
now, but to have won our first Grand Prix medal is a major
step for us”, Verbillo commented. “I can’t
stay that I didn’t think about it at all, the possibility
to medal was in my mind. We achieved a lot.”
The following four couples were separated by less than one
point. World Junior Champions Bobrova/Soloviev, who stood
in third place following the Original Dance, dropped to fourth
at 161.51 points after she fell on a twizzle. Katherine Copely/Deividas
Stagniunas (LTU) were ranked third with their Free Dance to
“Beethoven’s Last Night” and finished fifth
overall (161.36 points). Anastasia Grebenkina/Vazgen Azrojan
(ARM), who skated to “The Godfather”, came in
sixth with 160.72 points.
Domnina/Shabalin now qualified for the Grand Prix Final with
28 points. Pechalat/Bourzat got 26 points from their two events
and will participate in the Final for the first time. Zadarozhniuk/
Verbillo earned 16 points from their two events.
|
