2010 Figure Skating Worlds: Pairs Short Program Review

by Yuliya Talmazan | March 24, 2010 at 11:51 am

890 views | 0 Recommendations | 0 comments

Pairs Open 2010 World Figure Skating Championships

The 2010 World Championships have taken off with pairs short program in Torino, Italy.

The World Championships finish off a hectic Olympic season for the skaters, and the fatigue definitely shows. For the most part, skaters look physically and emotionally drained. At the same time, it seems most skaters have left their jitters in Vancouver. With the most important skating event now in history books, the general nervousness has subsided and the performances are virtually autopilot at this point.

The reigning Olympic champions in pairs skating Xue Shen and Hongbo Zhao decided to miss the event, leaving the door wide open for the rest of the field. Their compatriots Qing Pang and Jian Tong, who were second at the Olympics, are currently leading the pack with a season best of 75.28, which is nearly four points better that their Olympic short program result. On Tuesday, the two looked strong with signature sky-high throwaways and elaborate step sequences. The couple’s side-by-side jump ended up being non-synchronous with a lot of distance between the skaters, but it was enough to place them first after the short program with a two-point lead over second place Yuko Kavaguti and Alexander Smirnov of Russia.

Kavaguti/ Smirnov finished sixteen points off the podium in Vancouver, placing fourth. Their Swan by Camille Saint-Saens performed in traditionally Russian style of skating earned them 73.12 this week, a point lower than at the Olympics last month. Last night, their side-by-side jumps were landed but ended up too spread apart, the throwaway was borderline too. The Russians were big on presentation marks, however, with their spectacular acrobatic lifts.

Beyond the top two finishes, the rest of the field is pretty level with just 0.32 of a point separating the next three couples, a margin that is more typical of ice dance than pairs skating. Americans Caydee Denney and Jeremy Barrett are in sixth place with 60.52. In fact, two American couples are currently in the top 10. Amanda Evora and Mark Ladwig are in ninth position after short.

Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy of Germany had a disappointing Olympics, placing third overall. A result that was below their initial ambitions. No doubt, the German duet arrived in Torino hungry for another Worlds title as a way of redemption. But, jumping problems continue to mar their performances. Last night, Szolkowy doubled on the side-by-side triple toe-loop. With a score of 69.52, the couple is currently in third place.

Like the German team, the 2006 Olympic silver medalists Dan Zhang and Hao Zhang of China came back from Vancouver Olympics disappointed. The couple failed to win any medal. They pulled off a good skate in Torino, earning 69.20 to place fifth. But, the Chinese skaters let a young Russian couple of Maria Mukhortova and Maxim Trankov slip ahead.

Mukhortova/ Trankov were spot on in their elements earning a total of 69.48, a mere 0.04 behind third place Germans. Mukhortova/ Trankov are one of only two couples to have scored better points in Torino than at the Olympics. The other couple being current leaders Pang and Tang.

Jessica Dube and Bryce Davison of Canada are in eighth place right now with a total score of 59.36. Dube fell on side-by-side jump and had trouble keeping her balance on one of the lifts. The couple was sixth at their home country Olympics.

See complete list of results after the short program.