Yuko KAVAGUTI / Alexander SMIRNOV 09 world FS

[jthameschoir08]

I don't know how these skaters get up from falls like that. And to act like nothing happened? its amazing.

[borisgolovin]

Не нравятся мне, не ТТММ, ЕГСГ, не сравнить их с выдающимися парниками. Я-то думал, что она молоденькая, еще прогресс будет, а ей почти 30 лет. И зачем такие японки в сборной России?

[tavias48]

He's too big in relevance to her size. That's why her fall was so massive. This is also the reason the Germans are so good. Their size, height, and stature is so conducive to one another. Robin compliments Aliona in every way. And they always skate in time with their music and choreography. Tell the truth and shame the Devil. This music and choreography was all over the place!!!

[landof10000dancers]

@tavias48 LOL!!! He is no bigger cm wise than Robin is to Aliona, check the bios. She fell because she was rotaing 4 times vs only three times for "other" couples. This was a great program and for two years they were less than one point away from the silver medal. Aliona is nice to watch but Robin phones it in, he has zero expression, that is why they got beat last season, inlcuding at the Europeans by K/S. Look at their medal count for only 4 years of skating togther, it's very impressive.

[tavias48]

The Germans skated all these couples out of the building!!! Elvis Had Left the Building... The Chinese and Russians were a stumbling, bumbling, boring, classical MESS!!! Long Live the German Champions!!!!

[Marianna7Dreamer]

I like this skaters because they are so talented, hard-working, possessed and just pretty :)

i read an interview where Alexander Smirnov said like "it's her dream, it's our dream...to win Olympic gold medal and i should help her..."

delightful guys...

[KingdomOfJoy]

They are so good together!

Like their skating!

[MoonDemon101]

hm-hm-hm. it seems that when yuko and alexander follow a plotline (love story, the swan, etc.) they get more into the program, which raises the crowd's enthusiasm. in this program, the song was not very impression-making, and the program seemed aimless. they've done waaaay better before. =/

[flo88i]

Aljona and Robin should win the olympics... After that the time will be right for Yuko and Alexander and the others from Russia and China and etc..

Aliona and Robin have such high level. Which pair should be better at the moment?? Look at the great programm last this year??

[gvsku]

the thing is that you can't possibly achieve this coveted 90% success rate IN COMPETITION without putting the element in there over and over again)))

[ArtemisDianaSelene]

I somewhat have to agree with you. I love this couple and it's my favorite but I sometimes think that they do too much stuff that is just not needed. Just a pretty, simple skate would be better. You don't need to put in so many huge and hard elements. Then, they may take away from the general beautiful appearance since the program then looks too busy. Too much stuff going on and a higher chance of making a mistake.

[Mark3967808]

1:36 Ouch

[gwenyola]

they are soo ooo god but I mis elena and anton : (

[fadstar14]

Alexander's kinda cute...lol

[piro482]

Because yuko even nasty fall from that jump she didn't want give up and totally finished her elements, you are the best yuko !

[hongligl]

That was a nasty fall, oooouch. She's very ethletic but I hate to say that she has no talent for dancing and expressing music.

[ArtemisDianaSelene]

As if Savchenko does...........

[Stewka5]

Я патриотка, но за такое катание бронзу?!.... другие выступления не смотрела..но неужели там еще хуже были??? Боюсь, что не видать нам в ближайшем времени золотых медалей..=((

[ArtemisDianaSelene]

I agree with you that years ago if somebody fell like that, they wouldn't be near the podium. Nevertheless, I put this pair higher than the Germans who I dislike. But, on the 1998 olympics, Berezhnaya Sikharulidze got silver medal and they had some problems as well. So they got second place although I don't think they deserved it.

[Jaylalalooni]

Can I ask you something? Why do you dislike the German pair?

[ArtemisDianaSelene]

You see, some people might think Oh That Person Is Nationalistic just because I dislike the German pair. But truly, I just don't think that they have the flow and the beauty that some other pairs do. For example, I really like Pang Tong. They and the Russians have what the Germans don't. They have the beauty of the dance. They have rising action and climax. The Germans just skate. There is no change in their skating. They just skate. And they also make mistakes but are'nt punushed much at all.

[erosa1986]

I agree with you Artemis...Let me clear, I understand why Aliona & Robin win and I do feel that they are very talented skaters; however I just don't feel their skating. I'm by no means an expert and so I will allow the technicians to do the debate, but as fs fan I simply don't get that wow factor. It kind of bugs me bc I get that they are really good technically but I just can't get into it as say Shen & Zhao (sp?) I miss the days of B & S, G & G , even Ina & Zimmerman...that's just my opinion

[mk146hw]

I agree, this pair are better skaters, but not yet consistent, if they get consistent, they will beat the Germans, I also think if the other Russian pair who came in 4th (I think) are even better skaters, I hope they can pull it together this coming season

[ArtemisDianaSelene]

Agree. The other pair you're probably talking about is Mukhortova/Trankov. They came in fifth place but their problem was that they usually skated out the best short program and were almost always first after that, but they ALWAYS bombed the free skate. The problem was that they probably weren't comfortable with their long program so they couldn't do it good. Plus, Mukhortova had emotional problems. Meaning she always had in her head before she came out that she would mess up and therefore did.

[mk146hw]

I was lucky enough to be in LA for the worlds, at the start of the free you could tell she was not happy, she through both her hand up at her coach as they took the ice! Just an amazing pair. I do like the Germans, but overall found the program flat, it wasn't exciting or gripping.

[ArtemisDianaSelene]

Well, actually I was watching M/T free program at the worlds online and they were shown just before going on the ice. She was talking to her coach and she said "I can't do it". And he told her not to say that and that she can but from the beginning she told herself she can't. I don't have anything against the Germans. Their technique is usually good or fine, It's just the quality of their lines or moves and the music that doesn't make me want to watch more.

[Jaylalalooni]

@ArtemisDianaSelene Mmm.... I think a lot of pairs have a better technic.... but in my opinion they express so many emotions and I like their choreography...... but I like the Chinese Pairs too......

[ArtemisDianaSelene]

They so deserved to win. It was so beautiful. The judges are so biased that even if the Germans made like six mistakes in their program and the Russian would have made none, the Germans still would have won. How can a couple possibly be 17 points ahead of the second place. It would make sense if they won by like 4 points but not 17. Why everybody else who ranged from 2 to 7 place had more artistry than the Germans. And Kawaguchi has excuse falling from the quad. Szolk can't stand on hard surface

[bardtoob]

Maybe they were trying to discourage male partners from throwing their female partners on their heads.

17 points is not a lot under the IJS.

[ArtemisDianaSelene]

Everybody's doing quads today. The men do it and sooner or later the women will too. It's only natural to do this throw in pair skating. That's not an excuse.

[bardtoob]

Not before they learn how to skate as a PAIR. I had the same criticism of Zhang/Zhang in 2006 . . .

. . . but now all the pairs are just horrible.

[frutino82]

The lifts are beautiful but the germans have a better program, better music, better costumes, by far better jumps, by far the best death spiral - it's the whole package which is much better. So you can repeat yourself a 100 times - it will not change the fact that all these judges around the globe have another opinion. Maybe you should learn to judge by just seeing the elements and the program and not just by seeing who skates!

[ArtemisDianaSelene]

I didn't say anything about this pair's lifts. If there is something I dislike in them then it's definitely then it's the ugly positions she is in while in the air. But overall they're just better. And you can repeat yourself as many times as you like (100 if you please) but that is just my opinion. And that comment about the judges...well I haven't seen too many fair judges. They're all biased so depending on them always isn't always right.

[SunshineGirlUa]

I was always against that quad- who knows how can it end next time. All the same it was beautiful!