Ice Dance Observer: December 12, 2017

GRAND PRIX FINAL

Senior ice dance also crowned new champions. Gabriella Papadakis & Guilllaume Cizeron (FRA) defeated the reigning GPF gold medalists, Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir (CAN). Maia Shibutani & Alex Shibutani (USA) repeated as bronze medalists.

Short Dance
World silver medalists Papadakis & Cizeron received a personal best score of 82.07 for their salsa, rhumba, and salsa dance to Ed Sheeran’s music with Christopher Dean’s choreography.

The pattern, twizzles, partial pattern step sequence, and straightline lift earned level 4; the not touching footwork was level 3. The performance section of the PCS drew seven 10’s from the judges.

“It was a really, really good performance, the best of the season,” Papadakis said. “When we got off the ice, we were happy because we did the best we could have done. We were focused on our steps, and at the same time, we were into the performance.”

Virtue & Moir were only .54 behind the French with 81.53 points. The 2017 world champions used the music of the Rolling Stones (samba), the Eagles (rumba), and Santana (cha cha). They earned level 4 for all the elements except the level 3 side-by-side footwork that scored a 2.83 GOE.

“We are pleased with our performance,” Virtue said. “It is a step up from the Grand Prix circuit, and we are looking to build it up.”

“We want to defend, but we know how deep this field is, and we are honored to be in this group of skaters,” Moir added.  

Shibutani & Shibutani were third with 78.09 points for their mambo, cha cha, and samba dance to a Perez Prado medley. The lift and both step sequences earned level 4 and all +2 and +3 GOE marks.

The level 4 twizzles had a unison issue between the second and third transition, which lowered the GOE. The siblings also made two timing errors for level 2 on their pattern.

“Overall we think it was really strong,” Alex said about the performance. “There were a couple of things that we left on the table, points-wise. So we’ll go back home and work on that. I’m beating myself up over the mistake on the twizzle. That’s a mistake I never make.”

Only .57 points separated the fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-place teams.

Madison Hubbell & Zachary Donohue (USA) scored a 74.81 for their samba, rhumba, and samba. The pattern and curved lift earned level 4; the twizzles and both step sequences were level 3.

“Zachary and I wanted to make the rumba the highlight of the program, so that’s why in the middle that is the only part that has lyrics,” Hubbell explained. “This is the part which we feel the audience connects with the most.” 

Madison Chock & Evan Bates (USA) danced salsa, rumba, and samba to a Marc Anthony medley that scored 74.36. The lift, twizzles, and pattern were level 4; both step sequences were level 3.

“It felt a little tough out there today, but we still connected and had a good skate,” Chock said.

Anna Cappellini & Luca Lanotte (ITA) received 74.24 points for their cha cha and samba. The rotational lift and twizzles were level 4; the other elements were level 3.

“It was surely the best performance in the season, but we want to boost our score a little bit higher, like 75-80,” Lanotte said. 

Free Dance
Papadakis & Cizeron used the somber sounds of “Moonlight Sonata” to eclipse the score of their Canadian training mates and win their first GPF gold medal. The French champions glided seamlessly across the ice, stopping only to accent the ethereal performance with effortless lifts and spins.

The team’s exquisite performance was rewarded with all +2 and +3 GOE marks and 24 perfect 10.00 component scores. The dance scored 120.09; the total of 202.16 was a personal best and a new world record.

“We are happy to have won this competition,” Papadakis said. “There was a lot of pressure here with the top six teams competing. It was a good practice for the Olympic Games.”

“It was not perfect yet,” Cizeron added. “There are still some things that we can improve in both programs, technically, and also to make it more consistent.”

Virtue & Moir’s “Roxanne” and “Come What May” from the Moulin Rouge soundtrack set a different tone than Beethoven’s sonata. The character–driven program oozed with passion and intense energy as the dancers dramatically interpreted their roles.

The elements, except for the step sequences, were level 4. Their total score was 199.86, exactly the same as Skate Canada. The difference was that the GPF free dance score of 118.33 was a new personal best.

“We made a few uncharacteristic glitches, but we feel we captured the moment,” Moir explained. “We had a lot of fun out there. We were able to move the program better than at both of the Grand Prix [events].” 

A mere 2.77 in the final standings separated the third- through sixth-place teams.

The Shibutani siblings were sixth in the free dance, but hung on for a third-place overall finish. Their “Paradise” by Coldplay was the third entry in their trilogy series.

The program earned level 4 for the spin, twizzles, and lifts. The base value for the level 3 circular and level 2 diagonal step sequences plus having only 0.51 GOE on their twizzles lowered their TES and segment score to 109.91. The total was 188.00 points.

“Today was not the performance we wanted,” Alex said. “I just had issues on the twizzles this week. We have set very high goals for this season and are confident that we are going forward. We are looking forward to get home to prepare for the Nationals and Olympics.”

Hubbell & Donohue remained in fourth place with a 112.59-point sultry dance to “Across the Sky” and
“Caught Out in the Rain.” The U.S. bronze medalists had the highest base value and the only level 4 step sequence in the competition. Unfortunately, a glitch on the final rotational lift dropped them a level, lowered the GOE, and probably cost them a medal. The total score was 187.40, just .60 behind the Shibutanis.

Hubbell explained their mishap. “We just lost some footing on those quick rotations, and it really threw us off. Thankfully for our experience and our many run-throughs, we could save it.”

Chock & Bates were third in the free dance with a season best of 112.79 for their program set to John Lennon’s “Imagine.” The total of 187.15 points was also a season best.

“We will just keep going with everything we want to keep putting out,” Chock said. “We want to show emotional performances, each one better than the last.”

Cappellini and Lanotte’s Life is Beautiful free dance scored a season best of 110.99 for fifth place in the free dance. The total was 185.23 and they finished sixth overall.

“We are extremely happy with the result today,” Capellini said. “We skated the best we could.”

RECAP: GOLDEN SPIN OF ZAGREB

The ISU Challenger Series came to a close last weekend with the 50th Golden Spin of Zagreb.  

Russia’s Ekaterina Bobrova & Dmitry Soloviev captured the gold medal and finished a full 8.5 points ahead of Charlene Guignard & Marco Fabbri of Italy, who won the silver medal. Bobrova & Soloviev’s total score of 186.66 was their best score of the season and just .02 away from a new ISU personal best. Guignard & Fabbri also continued the upward trend, scoring a season best score of 178.16. Kaitlin Hawayek & Jean-Luc Baker of the United States pulled up from fourth to cap their Challenger series season by winning the bronze. Their score of 163.88 was similar to what they earned on the Grand Prix series this season.  

In third after the short dance, Sara Hurtado & Kirill Khaliavin of Spain slipped to fourth in the free dance and overall after a mistake on the twizzles. Their final score of 163.58 meant that they missed the podium by just .30.

In the national races that figure into decisions regarding the Olympic berths, Hurtado & Khaliavin finished one place and just over four points ahead of Olivia Smart & Adria Diaz. On the German side, Kavita Lorenz & Joti Polizoakis finished ninth to Katharina Müller & Tim Dieck’s 11th, but they were separated by less than a point and a half.

FINAL STANDINGS: ISU CHALLENGER SERIES

The three teams who finished at the top of Challenger Series’ leader board all competed at the final event in Croatia. The final three teams finished as follows: