South Korean Yu-Na Kim performs at the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating final in St. Petersburg, 16 December 2006. Photo AFP/ Alexander Nemenov/Getty Images
The ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final continued Saturday in St. Petersburg (RUS) with the Free Dance, the Men’s, Ladies and Pairs Free Skating. The top six ranked skaters/couples of the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating series competed in the Final.
Ice Dancing, Free Dance
Reigning World Champions Albena Denkova/Maxim Staviski of Bulgaria danced off with the gold medal and Canada’s Marie-France Dubreuil/Patrice Lauzon claimed the silver. Oksana Domnina/Maxim Shabalin of Russia captured the bronze, their first medal in the Grand Prix Final.
Denkova/Stavski, who stood in second place after the Original Dance, put out a strong performance of their Free Dance to the theme of “Seven Deadly Sins”. Their dance was highlighted by beautiful lifts including a straight line lift in a low position with her balancing in front of him and a serpentine lift as well as by fluid footwork. The judges rewarded all of the elements with grade of execution in the plus range. The Bulgarians earned 101.12 points (50.80/50.32) and racked up a total score of 161.24 to pull ahead of Dubreuil/Lauzon. “We were very confident today. Yesterday we just had a slight mistake. We also know that the audience enjoys our program, and that helps. It’s easier to skate second than last in the group, too”, Denkova said. When asked about how it feels to have made history again as the first Bulgarian skaters to have won the Grand Prix Final, Staviski answered, laughing: “It means that we have to win Europeans now to continue making history”.
Dubreuil/Lauzon completed a difficult level-four midline step sequence and impressive lifts in their romantic program set to “At Last” by Etta James, receiving a level four for all four of them. However, Dubreuil stepped out of a twizzle. The Canadian Champions got 95.90 points (48.50/48.40) for this performance and collected a total of 156.34 points to add a silver medal to last year’s bronze from the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final. They had one deduction for an extended lift and were ranked third in the Free Dance. “I guess it was lack of focus”, Dubreuil commented on the error. “The mistake affected the rest of the performance, I was more cautious and holding back a little. We also had to change our signature lift at the end, so this lift was new for us and also a little cautious. All this together may have made the difference today. But overall we are still pleased, even with the little mistake today we performed very well this week. We’re looking forward to a rematch with Albena and Maxim at the World Championships in March. Our goal is to win Worlds.”
Skating to “Polovetsian Dances” from “Prince Igor” by Alexander Borodin, Domnina/Shabalin produced a level-four spin with changes of position, smooth step sequences that were both graded a level three and interesting lifts. The couple scored 96.17 points (48.10/48.07) and was ranked second in the Free Dance. Overall, they accumulated 156.14 points. “That was the best performance of the season, which makes us very happy. This season, we’ve made a big step forward and coming in third here means a lot to us”, Domnina told the post-event press conference.
Isabelle Delobel/Olivier Schoenfelder (FRA) interpreted the theme of „Bonnie and Clyde“ to the music of „The Untouchables“. The 2005 European bronze medallists performed innovative lifts and transitions, but their twizzles were not quite in unison and they were lacking speed and flow. They came in fourth at 149.00 points. Jana Khokhlova/Sergei Novitski (RUS) finished fifth with a dynamic routine to “Aranjuez Mon Amour” (141.34 points) while Melissa Gregory/Denis Petukhov (USA) were sixth with their dramatic “Adam and Eve” program (135.94 points).
Men, Free Skating
Brian Joubert of France claimed the title and the gold in the Men’s event. Japan’s Daisuke Takahashi took the silver medal and the bronze went to Nobunari Oda, also from Japan.
Joubert opened his routine to “The Unforgiven” and “Nothing Else Matters” by “Apocalyptica plays Metallica” with a quadruple toeloop-double toeloop combination, but he put down his hand on the quad. A triple Salchow, triple Axel and dynamic footwork followed. The two-time World silver medalist then went down on his second quad toe but recovered to land a triple loop-triple toe combination (he two-footed the second jump), a triple flip and Lutz. The 22-year-old picked up 152.71 points (76.51/77.20) and won his first gold medal in the Grand Prix Final at 233.46 points. Joubert had medaled in the Grand Prix Final in 2003 in St. Petersburg also, the first time in participated in the event. “I was very tired. I gave a lot of energy at the Trophee Bompard and the Cup of Russia. But I’m learning from this experience and I will be stronger for my next event. I was nervous, because I know myself and I knew I was tired. So I made the mistake on the first quad”, Joubert said. “This is my fourth competition in five weeks and I won all of them and that is very important to me.”
Takahashi, who was second after the Short Program, hit a, however two-footed, quadruple toeloop at the beginning of his program to “Phantom of the Opera” and went on to reel off a triple Axel and a triple Axel-double toeloop as well as three more clean triples. But the Japanese Champion visibly tired in the middle of his performance, struggling with his spins, stumbling in the footwork and stepping out of his triple loop. Also, the second jump in his triple flip-triple toe combination was cheated and downgraded to a double. The 20-year-old received 144.84 points (70.94/73.90) and was ranked third in the Free Skating, but held on to second place with a total of 224.83 points. “The last two days, I didn’t feel well, especially this morning in practice”, Takahashi revealed. “I think I caught a cold, and I also had stomach cramps today. I felt so bad in the middle of the program that I thought I have to stop, but I pulled myself together. I really wanted to finish the program.”
Oda rallied back from yesterday’s faulty Short Program, hitting a solid triple Axel-triple toe-double loop combination, six more triples including another Axel as well as fast and well centred spins in his program to Peter Tchaikovski’s Fourth Symphony. The only glitch was a stumble out of the double Axel, his last jump. The 2006 Four Continents Champion scored 147.71 points (75.71/72.00) and pulled up from fourth to third at 216.86 points. It was his first medal in the Final after he finished fourth last year. “Today was very good, especially compared to yesterday”, Oda told the press. “I think I was too relaxed yesterday. I don’t remember the last time I have skated so badly. But today I pulled myself together and I did everything as I should have. I worried about my jumps and I didn’t want to fall, especially on the triple Axel.”
Alban Preaubert (FRA) finished fourth. He landed six triple jumps but fell on a triple Axel and doubled the loop (201.32 points). Johnny Weir (USA) withdrew due to injury after the morning practice. He had injured his right hip in a fall in the Short Program. The American stood in fifth place following the Short Program.
Ladies, Free Skating
Yu-Na Kim of Korea captured the title in what was her first appearance at the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final. Defending Champion Mao Asada (JPN) claimed the silver medal and Switzerland’s Sarah Meier earned the bronze.
Kim, who was ranked third after the Short Program, nailed an excellent triple flip-triple toeloop combination in the first seconds of her lyrical program to “The Lark Ascending” by Ralph Vaughan Williams. She reeled off a double Axel, triple Lutz, triple Lutz-double toe-double loop combination, a triple Salchow and another double Axel and showed beautiful spins including a camel spin with changes of position and edge and a layback into Biellmann spin. The only major error came when she stepped out of the second double Axel. The World Junior Champion was awarded 119.14 points (61.78/57.36) and moved up to first at 184.20, almost beating her seasonal best from Trophee Bompard of 184.54 points. Kim repeated Asada’s success from last year, when the Japanese, too, debuted as the reigning World Junior Champion on the senior Grand Prix and won the Final. “I wasn’t expecting to win this competition because I have a back injury coming into it. This is a great result for me. I can’t believe it yet. The Japanese skaters are strong competitors and it was a great experience to compete against them”, the 16-year-old commented.
Asada went for the triple Axel, her signature move, but crashed, and the jump was downgraded to a double. This mistake obviously affected the rest of the program, and the 16-year-old seemed to have lost confidence. She did land a double Axel-triple toe and two triple flips as well as one Lutz, but the landings weren’t so solid and she also fell on her first, underrotated, Lutz. The defending Grand Prix Champion received 103.18 points (48.14/57.04) for her Czardas program, which was only the fourth-best Free Skating, but overall she remained in second place with a total score of 172.52 points. “I regret that I wasn’t able to skate as I expected. At Skate America, the triple Axel didn’t work either and I thought this wouldn’t happen again, but unfortunately it did. I now will prepare in Japan for the Japanese National Championships”, Asada said.
Meier produced a triple Lutz-double toe-double loop, a triple flip-double toe, a solo triple flip and a triple Salchow as well as strong spins, earning a level four for her two combination spins, the change-foot upright spin and the flying sit spin. However, she doubled her second Lutz and doubled and stepped out of a toeloop. The 22-year-old scored 110.82 points (56.82/54.00) and accumulated a total score of 170.28 points, slightly improving her previous seasonal best from Skate America. “I hardly can believe that I medalled. I never would have expected that. I thought I don’t have a chance to medal here. I was very tired, this was my third competition (after Cup of Russia and Swiss Nationals) in a short period of time. Now I need a break”, the Swiss Champion said.
Fumie Suguri (JPN) executed a triple Lutz-double toeloop combination, another triple Lutz and a triple flip-double toe to finish fourth at 158.78 points. Miki Ando (JPN) dropped from second to fifth after popping four jumps into singles (157.32 points). Julia Sebestyen (HUN) came in sixth with 142.69 points.
Pairs, Free Skating
Xue Shen/Hongbo Zhao of China continued their successful comeback this season by winning the gold. Aliona Savchenko/Robin Szolkowy (GER) captured the silver medal while Dan Zhang/Hao Zhang (CHN) settled for the bronze this time.
Overnight leaders Shen/Zhao skated last as the starting order was the reverse of the Short Program result. Performing to “Mediation” from “Thais” by Jules Massenet, the two-time Olympic bronze medalists nailed a triple toe-double toe combination, a double Axel, a triple twist as well as a big throw triple loop and Salchow. They also completed a rarely seen forward-outside death spiral (level four), and received a level four as well for their pair combination spin, their spiral sequence, their hand-to-hip lift and their Axel Lasso lift. The two-time World Champions earned 134.53 points (68.13/66.40) and racked up a total of 203.19 points, setting a new seasonal best for themselves. “We are so happy, tonight we showed our best and we finally cracked the 200 points (total score – this season)”, a smiling Zhao told the press. “It is exciting to have won the final in Russia, and the audience welcomed us very warmly.” His partner added: “When we saw the score, over 200 points, it was just great.” The couple won the Grand Prix Final for the fifth time.
Savchenko/Szolkowy delivered an inspiring performance to “The Mission”, producing at throw triple flip, a triple toe-triple toe sequence as well as triple twist and a triple throw Salchow. The European silver medallists also completed difficult lifts and spins, that were all graded a level four by the Technical Panel. Their only mistake came when Savchenko singled the Axel. The Germans, who had won the bronze medal at the Final last year, scored 121.85 points (62.65/59.20) and collected 180.67 points overall to move up from fourth to second place. They also surpassed their previous seasonal best score. “We just had to go out and fight. It was hard, emotionally it was hard, but we wanted to show our best”, Savchenko said. “I couldn’t stand or walk after the short program. The Russian doctor gave me an injection and a massage. I just had to skate today, I was focused on that”, went on, referring to her injuries sustained in a fall in practice last Monday when she crashed into the boards. “This was our best free program of the season so far. The goal was to skate clean finally and we came close to it”, Szolkowy continued.
Zhang/Zhang opened their program to “Offspring of Dragons” with an impressive triple twist but run into trouble after that. Dan Zhang, who was obviously not feeling well, fell on the side by side triple toe and aborted the death spiral. The couple did land a throw triple loop and Salchow as well as a side by side triple Salchow, but overall they seemed slow and hesitant. The Olympic silver medallists were ranked fourth in the Free Skating with 111.75 points (54.11/58.64) and finished third at 175.93 points. “This performance was not up to our standard, we had problems with some elements. Dan Zhang is feeling ill”, Hao Zhang explained. “She has been taken to hospital, and I don’t know what’s wrong with her. She hasn’t been feeling well in practice and she felt weak in competition.”
Rena Inoue/John Baldwin (USA) slipped from third to fourth (166.83 points). He doubled the toeloop while she missed the throw triple Axel and their planned throw triple loop never took off. Valerie Marcoux/Craig Buntin came in fifth with a solid performance that featured a side by side triple toe-double toe sequence, a throw triple loop and Salchow. The Canadians were ranked third in Free Skating and accumulated a total score of 165.83 points. Maria Petrova/Alexei Tikhonov (RUS) came in sixth after a performance marred by two falls and other errors (154.59 points).
The ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final concludes Sunday with the Exhibition Gala. Full results
