ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating: Skate America Day One
The 2007/2008 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating kicked off
Friday with the first day of competition at Skate America
in Reading, Pennsylvania. Skate America returns to Reading
for the second time since 2003.
Skate America is the first of six events in the ISU Grand
Prix of Figure Skating Series. For the first time, the skating
order at the Grand Prix will not be determined by a draw.
The skating order in the Compulsory Dance and Short Program
is according to the ISU World Standings. For the Original
and Free Dance as well as for the Free Skating, the athletes
will perform in the reverse order of the Compulsory/Original
Dance or Short Program respectively.
Ice Dancing, Compulsory Dance
The ice dancers opened today’s competition at the Sovereign
Center with the Compulsory Dance. The Compulsory Dance for
Skate America was the Austrian Waltz. The Austrian Waltz is
characterized by elegance of line combined with the typical
lightness of the Viennese Waltz. It should be skated with
strongly curved edges, bending of the skating knee and wide
extended movements of the arms and free legs while maintaining
a soft flow throughout the waltz. The Austrian Waltz was created
by Susi and Peter Handschmann. It was first performed in Vienna
in 1979.
World bronze medalists Tanith Belbin/Benjamin Agosto (USA)
danced to the lead ahead of Nathalie Pechalat/Fabian Bourzat
of France. Italy’s Federica Faiella/Massimo Scali came
in third.
Belbin/Agosto put out a solid performance of the difficult
Waltz with strong timing and good flow. The U.S. Champions
earned 36.03 points (17.86 element score/18.17 program component
score). “The dance felt really strong. We tried to make
a lot of improvement to the tightness of our positioning and
extensions. The greatest critique we can have at this point
is – it can be more waltz. It was a little conservative.
But it was very solid, it was a good start”, Belbin
commented.
Pechalat/Bourzat skated a strong Austrian Waltz as well and
received 34.56 points (17.36/17.20). Faiella/Scali turned
in a good performance of the Waltz to score 31.43 points (16.30/15.13).
Pairs, Short Program
In the Pairs Short Program, Canada’s Jessica Dubé/Bryce
Davison upset reigning World silver medalists Qing Pang/Jian
Tong of China to take the lead. Vera Bazarova/Juri Larionov
(RUS) finished third.
Dubé/Davison opened their program to “Galicia
Flamenco” with a side by side triple Salchow, but stepped
out of it. The two-time World Junior silver medalists went
on to complete a double twist, a difficult one-armed Axel
Lasso (level three) and two level-four spins. Dubé
only touched down with her hand on the throw triple loop.
The Canadian Champions were awarded 60.80 points (35.28 element
score/25.52 program component score). “It was pretty
good. Our goal was the mark of 60 and we did that. It wasn’t
perfect, we had some shaky spots”, Davison admitted.
Tong stepped out of the side by side triple toeloop in their
romantic program to “O Doux Printemps d’Autrefois”
but the Chinese completed a high triple twist, a throw triple
loop and a level-three Axel Lasso lift. However, there side
by side spin was graded only a level one and the pair combination
spin was only a level one. Pang/Tong got 60.32 points (32.56/27.76).
Competing in their first senior competition, Bazarova/Larionov
produced a fine routine that contained a high triple twist,
a throw triple toeloop and a side by side double Axel. The
current World junior silver medalists earned 56.76 points
(32.64/24.12).
Men, Short Program
Daisuke Takahashi of Japan won the Men’s Short Program
ahead of Evan Lysacek (USA) and Patrick Chan (CAN). Takahashi
delivered an exciting performance to an unsual hip hop version
of “Swan Lake”. The reigning World silver medalist
hit a triple flip-triple toe, a triple Axel and triple Lutz
and produced difficult spins and funky footwork to score 80.04
points (43.04 element score/37.00 program component score).
The crowd really appreciated his performance and gave him
a standing ovation. “The audience was very excited,
and so I was very excited. I was happy to perform today”,
Takahashi told the press. “I tried for the first time
to compete with this short program, and I am happy with the
finish today. Being second (at Worlds) gave me a lot of confidence.
I wanted to skate like a medalist here.”
Lysacek fell on his quadruple toeloop attempt but landed a
triple Axel, a triple Lutz and showed fast and well centered
spins in his routine to “The Mask of Zorro” and
“Legend of Zorro”. The two-time World bronze medalist
received 67.70 points (33.30/35.40).
Chan opened his program to “Exile to Snowy West”
and “In the Bamboo Forest” with a solid triple
Axel, but he touched down with his hand on his triple flip
and added only a double toe for the combination. He also completed
a triple Lutz and got a level four for both the combination
and change foot sit spin. The reigning World junior silver
medalist was awarded 67.47 points (36.12/31.35).
Skate America continues tomorrow with the Original Dance,
the Ladies Short Program, the Pairs and Men’s Free Skating.
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