The ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final started Friday in Beijing, China, with the Original Dance, the Ladies, Men’s and Pairs Short Programs. Competing are the top six skaters/couples from the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series.
Men, Short Program
Today’s competition started with the Men’s Short Program. Three-time World Champion Evgeni Plushenko of Russia skated to the lead while Canadians Jeffrey Buttle and Emanuel Sandhu placed second and third. Plushenko, who had come to the Final as the first alternate, was first to skate. The 22-year-old hit a solid quadruple-triple toeloop combination, a triple Axel and a triple Lutz in his program to a modern version of Ludwig van Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata”. He produced also intricate footwork and strong spins to score 84.35 points (44.50 element score/39.85 program component score), which was a new personal best for him. “It was a good short program, I’m very happy with it. I finally did the combination, and it was very clean. I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s free skating, although I have a difficult program”, Plushenko commented. Buttle’s intense performance to Sergei Rachmaninov’s “Prelude in C-Minor” included a triple flip-triple toeloop combination, a triple Lutz and good spins, but he stepped out of the triple Axel. Buttle received 76.45 points (39.50/36.95). “It wasn’t perfect by any means, but just to be able to skate out there was an improvement over the last Grand Prix Final”, the Four Continents Champion said, referring to the fact that he withdrew from last year’s Final due to illness. “I didn’t feel a 100 percent out there, but I still did what I had to do, so I was happy with that. Hopefully I’ll keep skating even better for the rest of the season.” Sandhu opened his dynamic Short Program to “Xotica” and “Rise” with a quadruple-triple toeloop combination, but he two-footed the first jump. The defending ISU Grand Prix Final Champion went on to complete a triple Axel, a triple Lutz and fast paced step sequences to earn 75.60 points (40.10/35.50). “This was my best performance (of the short program) this season. I did what I had to do”, Sandhu told the press. “The performance was good, the elements had quality. My scores are high, but I thought my skating skills would be better. But I didn’t see what Plushenko did. I have to see what he did, but he is certainly beatable, and that’s what I’m here to do.”
Reigning World silver medalist Brian Joubert of France stumbled out of his quadruple toeloop and also put down his hand on the triple Axel to finish fourth with a score of 67.30 points. China’s Chengjiang Li landed a quadruple-triple toeloop combination and a triple Axel, but he doubled the loop. He explained that one of his boot laces had come loose. He is currently standing in fifth place (65.91 points). Ryan Jahnke (USA) was sixth (61.40 points). He fell out of his triple Axel and two-footed the triple Lutz.
Pairs, Short Program
The competition continued with the Pairs Short Program. Two-time World Champions Xue Shen/Hongbo Zhao of China took the lead ahead of Russia’s Maria Petrova/Alexei Tikhonov and Julia Obertas/Sergei Slavnov. As the skaters compete in the reverse order of the Grand Prix standings, Shen/Zhao skated last. They put out an inspiring performance to “Clair de Lune” by Claude Debussy, hitting the side by side triple toeloop, a beautiful throw triple loop and a double twist. The defending Grand Prix Final Champions were awarded 70.52 points (37.88/32.64). “I’m very excited about today’s performance. Our technical part went really well and there wasn’t a single mistake”, a delighted Zhao said. His partner added that they really felt the support of their home crowd. Petrova/Tikhonov are not far behind with 67.42 points (37.70/29.72). Performing to a Tango, the 2000 World Champions produced solid side by side triple toeloops, a high throw triple loop and a difficult one-armed Lasso lift with many variations. “It’s hard to skate in China as the Chinese skaters are so strong. So we need some extra power. We did a clean program and the skating in general was also very good: the choreography, the expression, the power. And we skated with our soul. It was the best short of the season so far”, Tikhonov said.
Obertas/Slavnov are competing in their first Grand Prix Final as a team and didn’t expect to finish third in the Short Program. The young Russians executed a side by side triple toeloop, a good throw triple flip and an Axel Lasso lift with changes of position, but they lost unison in their side by side spin. The couple scored 60.64 points (34.44/26.20) and set a new personal best for themselves as did Shen/Zhao and Petrova/Tikhonov. “We changed our spin, it is a new one. We just remembered at the last moment what we had to do differently, and so the mistake happend”, Obertas explained. “Except for the spin, we’re very pleased with all the other elements. We really enjoy competing here, it is a nice atmosphere, and we enjoy being in China. We’re not among the top contenders here, so it is easier for us.”
Qing Pang/Jian Tong (CHN) came in fourth after he doubled the side by side toeloop (60.34 points). Dan Zhang/Hao Zhang (CHN) were fifth after Dan Zhang stepped out of the triple toeloop (59.28 points). Rena Inoue/John Baldwin (USA) attempted a side by side triple Lutz, but he underrotated and fell out of it. They were ranked sixth (52.42 points).
Ladies, Short Program
In what was an interesting Ladies’ Short Program, Russia’s Irina Slutskaya edged reigning World Champion Shizuka Arakawa (JPN) by just 1.36 points to grab the lead. Joannie Rochette of Canada came in third. Skating to “The Lady and the Hooligan” by Dmitri Shostakovich, Slutskaya reeled off a triple Lutz-double toeloop combination, a high triple flip directly followed by a double Axel. The 2002 World Champion showed a good flying camel spin with a change of edge as well as a combination spin with many changes of position to earn 65.46 points (34.50/30.96). “I really like China. It’s my second time here and the second time I skated well. It’s a comfortable atmosphere. I beat my previous results (scores). It’s not so easy to be in first place, though”, Slutskaya commented. The Muscovite debuted a new costume, wearing trousers for the first time in competition. “Once the ISU permitted to use pants, why not?” The five-time European Champion laughed. “I like pants, and I want to keep this costume. I used a skirt in my previous events, and it’s the first time I’m using this one. I’m happy that the ISU changed the rules for clothing.”
Arakawa landed a solid triple Lutz-double loop combination, a triple flip and a double Axel in her routine to “Madame Butterfly” by Puccini. She also had good spins and a nice serpentine footwork. The current World Champion scored 64.10 points (34.10/30.00). “I felt very nervous and I let myself down a little bit, and it affected my performance tonight. So the jumps weren’t as strong as they could have been. Anyway, the other elements were good”, the Japanese analysed. Rochette’s program to “Dumsky Trio” by Antonin Dvorak featured a double Axel, a triple Lutz-double toeloop combination as well as a nice flying camel spin and good footwork, but the landing of her triple flip was somewhat shaky. The Canadian was awarded 55.68 points (29.20/26.48).”I was just a little bit mad about the triple flip, because usually it’s my best jump. But overall I did a very good job”, Rochette commented. She is excited to compete in the Grand Prix Final for the first time. “I never expected to be here this year. It’s a great experience leading up to Nationals. I’m very excited to be part of it.”
Japan’s Yoshie Onda came in fourth with a powerful performance that included a triple Lutz-double toeloop combination and a solid triple flip (52.18 points). Her teammate Miki Ando underrotated the planned triple loop in her combination with a triple Lutz and put down her hands on it, but she recovered to produce a triple flip and double Axel. She is currently ranked fifth (51.06 points). Canadian Cynthia Phaneuf appeared nervous and missed all three jumps to finish sixth (42.96 points).
Ice Dancing, Original DanceThe Ice Dancing event began with the Original Dance as there is no Compulsory Dance to be skated at the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final. The OD in the 2004/2005 season is the “Rhythm Combination”, consisting of two or three of the following rhythms: Charleston, Slow Foxtrot and/or Quickstep.
Reigning World Champions Tatiana Navka/Roman Kostomarov of Russia danced to the lead while Four Continents Champions Tanith Belbin/Benjamin Agosto (USA) came in second ahead of Galit Chait/Sergei Sakhnovski (ISR). Navka/Kostomarov had chosen the rhythms of Quickstep (“Sing, Sing, Sing”), Slow Foxtrot (“Fever”) and Quickstep. The European Champions skated with power and strong expression, showing a fast paced diagonal step sequence and nice rotational lift, but they were a little out of unison in their side by side footwork. They scored 65.30 points (23.50/41.80). “It was quite good. The audience was very warm and supportive, and that pushed us. Of course, it still wasn’t an ideal performance, but it’s getting better and better with each competition”, Kostomarov said. “We could do our elements cleaner, more accurate, and we went a little apart in the footwork.”
Belbin/Agosto produced an entertaining and solid performance to Charleston, Slow Fox and Quickstep that included intricate footwork and two nice lifts. They U.S. Champions were awarded 62.37 points (23.40/38.97), but they felt they could have done better. “I think it wasn’t our strongest performance. We were happy to have been able to perform the elements clean, but I think we held back a little bit presentationwise. So we’re a little bit disappointed that we didn’t give it a full performance, but I think it’s a great start”, Belbin explained. “I think this Original Dance is a great vehicle for us to really connect with the audience and with the judges as well, really show them how much fun we’re having, really bring eveybody into the program, really want them want to dance with us. So I think tonight we were maybe concentrating a little more on our elements than we should have”, Agosto added.
Chait/Sakhnvoski put out an energetic program to Quickstep, Foxtrot and Quickstep. They completed fast and difficult steps and a good curve-rotational lift. The 2002 World bronze medalists received 60.33 points (22.90/37.43). “In some parts of the programs it was better than in previous performances. In some parts that we changed we felt we weren’t perfect, but everything else went well. We did the twizzles, we did all the elements. It’s now first a competition of elements and than dance. We have to make sure we have the required levels”, Chait told the press. Sakhnovski explained that he felt it was really late to skate. “It’s 23.15 now”, he said after checking the time. “I never competed that late!”
Reigning World silver medalists Albena Denkova/Maxim Staviski (BUL) finished fourth (59.73 points). The two-time European silver medalists skated also well, but they seemed to be far apart in the side by side footwork line. Marie-France Dubreuil/Patrice Lauzon of Canada are currently ranked fifth (58.06 points). They danced a charming OD to “Singing in the Rain”. French Champions Isabelle Delobel/Olivier Schoenfelder were sixth (55.95 points). Schoenfelder put down his second foot on a step in the side by side footwork line.
The ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final continues Saturday with the Men’s, Pairs, Ladies Free Skating and the Free Dance.
Results Grand Prix page