The Cup of China opened Thursday with the Compulsory Dance, the Pairs and Ladies Short Programs. The Cup of China is the third of six events in the 2006/2007 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating series. Nanjing hosts the event in the Olympic Center for the first time.
Ice Dancing, Compulsory Dance
The Compulsory Dance at the Cup of China was the Rhumba. The competition started with a surprise when Oksana Domnina/Maxim Shabalin of Russia edged favourites Tanith Belbin/Benjamin Agosto by 0.11 points to finish first. Jana Khokhlova/Sergei Novitski (RUS) came in third.
Domnina/Shabalin delivered a very precise Rhumba, showing off their strong edges and extension. The Russian Champions earned 36.86 points (18.82 element score/18.04 program component score). “We think we had a good performance today and we’re pleased with the way we skated”, Domnina commented. “We aren’t too excited about the placement, because this is just the compulsory dance, just the first day and everything is still to come.” Her partner added: “We were well prepared and we showed what we can do at this point.”
Belbin/Agosto also turned in a solid Rhumba, expressing the character of the dance very well, but they lacked the precision of the Russian team. The reigning Olympic silver medalists received 36.75 points (18.26/18.40). “After the long tour where we were performing, it’s nice to come back and to be in competitive mode again”, Agosto told the press. “It (the Rhumba) is a pretty good dance for us and we felt like we did a decent job with it tonight, and we’re looking forward to the Original Dance tomorrow which is going to be even better, I think and we’ll have fun with it”, he continued. “We just need to get back on the ice. We had no expectations of ourselves except of just getting the competition started. We feel glad that this is done and now we can look forward to the future. We use this competition as a good tool for building on this season”, Belbin explained.
Khokhlova/Novitksi skated a fluid Compulsory Dance, scoring 31.61 points (16.16/15.45). “Overall we liked everything here, the ice quality is great, and it was easy to skate”, Khokhlova said. “We skated well, but it’s just the beginning and we can’t say much now.”
“The Rhumba is not our favourite dance, I can’t say that I really dislike it, but it’s just not my dance”, Novitski revealed.
Alexandra Zaretski/Roman Zaretski (ISR) finished fourth at 30.20 points, while Anastasia Grebenkina/Vazgen Azrojan (ARM) were fifth (29.19). Grebenkina skated with a bandage on her left leg. She had cut herself with her blade on Tuesday during practice and the injury required stitches, but the ice dancer was determined to compete.
Pairs, Short Program
The competition continued with the Pairs Short Program. To the delight of the home crowd, China’s Xue Shen/Hongbo Zhao and Qing Pang/Jian Tong finished first and second. Aliona Savchenko/ Robin Szolkowy (GER) are currently standing in third place.
Shen/Zhao gave an inspiring performance to “Romanza”, landing easily a side by side triple toeloop, a big throw triple toeloop and a one-armed lift, but the catch of their triple twist was a bit messy. The two-time World Champions were awarded 68.90 points (37.18/31.72). “This was our first competition, and we skated quite well for it, but tomorrow’s free skating is even more important”, Zhao said. “I’m 80 to 90 percent recovered from my injury, but it is still not like it was before”, he explained, referring to his ruptured Achilles tendon.
Perfoming to “O Doux Printemps d’Autrefois” by Jules Massenet, reigning World Champions Pang/Tong produced a triple twist, beautiful throw triple loop and a hand-to-hand lift with changes of position. However, Pang underrotated the toeloop, and received credit only for a double, and the side by side spin was out of sync. The couple was awarded 62.00 points (32.00/30.00). “We skated really well today considering the circumstances”, Tong told the post-event press conference referring to the recent illness (nephritis) of his partner. “I am fine now, but a little bit tired. I’m not yet at my best”, Pang added. Pang/Tong had withdrawn from Skate America due to her illness.
Savchenko/Szolkowy opened their performance to “Once Upon a Time in Mexico” with a throw triple flip, but then Savchenko underrotated the triple toeloop and stepped out of it. The European silver medalists got 58.64 points (29.96/28.68). “We are disappointed with our short program, because we did a mistake that we usually don’t do. Tomorrow in the free skating we will skate without any pressure”, Szolkowy commented.
Valerie Marcoux/Craig Buntin (CAN) were fourth with 56.68 points after she fell on the throw triple loop. Dorota Siudek/Mariusz Siudek (POL) are sitting in fifth place at 50.74. They struggled with the side by side triple toeloop and the throw triple loop.
Ladies, Short Program
In the final event of the day, Emily Hughes (USA) captured the Ladies Short Program ahead of Japan’s Yukari Nakano and Julia Sebestyen (HUN).
Hughes’s dynamic performance to “Carmen” by Georges Bizet included a tripe flip-double toeloop combination, a tripe flip and double Axel as well as interesting spins. The 2005 World Junior bronze medalist received a level four for her combination spin and a level three for her flying sit spin. She picked up 56.74 points (29.90 element score/26.84 program component score).”I came into this competition with a little different kind of mindset than at Skate America, because I already did this program once and I knew which parts had to really focus on”, the 17-year-old said. “I was really happy with the way it turned out. I’m just hoping to do a similar (free) program as I did today.”
Nakano underrotated the Lutz in her opening triple Lutz-double toeloop combination, but then hit a triple flip and double Axel in her elegant routine to “Memories of a Geisha”. The Grand Prix Final bronze medalist had a level-four spiral and a level-four combination spin. Nakano scored 54.90 points (28.50/26.40). “I felt a lot of pressure today”, the Japanese admitted. “The Japanese skaters are so good now and had good results at Skate America and Skate Canada, and that put pressure on me.”
Sebestyen doubled her opening flip but recovered to produce a triple Lutz-double toeloop combination, a double Axel and strong spins to collect 52.82 points (27.70/25.12). “It’s getting better step by step. I’m happy with my elements except for the first one, the flip”, The 2004 European ‘Champion said. “My jumps are ok now, I don’t have problems with them in practice. I tried to forget about it (the mistake) immediately. It shows that I am in a good shape now, because I was able to pull myself together and to focus on the rest of the competition.”
Aki Sawada (JPN) was fourth at 49.98 points with a good performance that contained a triple Lutz-double toeloop and a triple loop. Beatrisa Liang (USA) fell on her triple Lutz and is currently standing in fifth place (49.72 points).
The Cup of China continues Friday with the Original Dance, the Men’s Short Program and the Pairs Free Skating.
Results
