ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships 2008
Day One
The 2008 ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships
opened Wedensday in Goyang, the Republic of Korea with the
Compulsory Dance, the Pairs and Men’s Short Programs.
97 skaters/couples from 16 ISU members are competing in the
Championships.
Ice Dancing, Compulsory Dance
The ice dancers started today’s competition with the
Compulsory Dance, the Yankee Polka. Although the Polka is
a bouncy dance, the basic principle of stroking and effortless
flow must be adhered to. The partners must remain close together
to minimize the whipping action generated by the short precise
steps and rapid turning movements. The Yankee Polka was invented
by James Sladky, Judy Schwomeyer and Ron Ludington. It was
first performed in 1969.
Tessa Virtue/Scott Moir of Canada danced to the lead followed
by two U.S. couples, Meryl Davis/Charlie White and Kimberly
Navarro/Brent Bommentre. All three couples achieved a new
seasons best in the Polka.
Virtue/Moir edged out their training mates Davis/White by
less than one point. The Canadians put out a characteristic
and strong Yankee Polka to score a new seasonal best of 38.22
points (20.07 element score/18.15 program component score).
“It’s a different feeling. I suppose we had that
a little bit at Nationals”, Virtue commented when asked
how it felt to enter this event as the favourites. “There
is always pressure, the teams are amazing, and we know that
we have to skate well and have to lay down three solid performances.
It’s certainly not a comfortable position and we are
well aware who is coming up behind us. We’re just trying
to do our best and skate like we’ve been training.”
Davis/White gave a solid performance of the Yankee Polka as
well and also achieved a new seasonal best with 37.36 points
(19.48/17.88).
Navarro/Bommentre, who had been working on the Polka with
one of its creators, Ron Ludington, earned 34.36 points (18.31/16.05)
to finish third.
Pairs, Short Program
Dan Zhang/Hao Zhang of China grabbed the lead in the Pairs
Short Program with their teammates Qing Pang/Jian Tong and
Rena Inoue/John Baldwin (USA) coming in second and third.
Skating to “Piano Fantasy”, Zhang/Zhang delivered
a flawless program that included a triple twist, a throw triple
loop, a side by side triple Salchow as well as a difficult
lasso lift. The 2006 Olympic silver medalists were awarded
a level four for their pair combination spin and a level three
for their side by side spin and the death spiral. The Chinese
picked up 70.45 points (40.80 element score/29.65 program
component score). “Overall we are quite pleased with
today’s performance, but we were a little bit tired.
We did a lot of competitions this season and so we felt tired
in the second half of the program”, Dan Zhang told the
press. “Tomorrow’s free skating will be a challenge
for us. As Dan said we’re a little tired from our previous
competitions plus I also changed my boots just two weeks ago
and I’m not yet so comfortable skating with them”,
Hao Zhang added.
Pang/Tong opened their romantic routine to “O Doux
Printemps d’Autrefois” with a solid side by side
triple toeloop, a triple twist and throw triple loop. Their
Axel Lasso, their death spiral and their side by side spin
were all graded a level four by the Technical Panel. The reigning
World silver medalists scored 67.70 points (39.21/28.49),
slightly improving their previous personal best.
Inoue/Baldwin hit a double Axel, a throw triple loop, a double
twist and a level-four Axel Lasso lift in their dynamic program
to “Beethoven’s Last Night”. However, their
pair combination spin received only a level one. The current
Four Continents bronze medalists scored 57.40 points (31.86/25.54).
Men, Short Program
Daisuke Takahashi of Japan skated to the lead in what was
an exciting Men’s Short Program. Evan Lysacek (USA)
and Canada’s Jeffrey Buttle finished second and third.
All of them achieved a new seasonal best score.
Takahashi put out an inspiring performance of his popular
“Swan Lake” hip hop version short program, hitting
a triple flip-triple toeloop combination, an excellent triple
Axel and a triple Lutz out of footwork. The crowd cheered
for his spectacular footwork sequences that were graded a
level four for the circular and a level three for the straight
line. The reigning World silver medalist also earned a level
four for his change foot sit spin and his combination spin.
He racked up a new personal best score of 88.57 points (48.74/39.83).
“It’s all about the audience. They make me go
faster, they are excited and I’m feeding off their energy.
The highlight of the program is the footwork for me, because
I feel like a true dancer when I’m doing it. The short
program was good for me. For the free skating, I hope to do
two quads”, the 21-year-old said.
Skating to “The Mask of Zorro”, Lysacek gave
a powerful performance as well that included a quad-triple
toeloop combination, a triple Axel and a triple Lutz. His
fast paced footwork drew extra applause, and the defending
Four Continents Champion was awarded a level three for both
step sequences. He also had a level four for two of his spins
and scored 84.06 points (46.06/38.00), surpassing his previous
personal best of 81.55 points.
Buttle landed a triple flip-triple toeloop combination followed
by a strong triple Axel and produced three level-four spins
in his expressive program set to “Adios Nonino”
by Astor Piazzolla. The two-time Four Continents Champion
collected 83.85 points (45.85/38.00).
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