Skate America Free Dance Results

Free Dance

Pl.	Name	Nation	TSS =	TES +		PCS +	SS	TR	PE	CC	IT	Ded. -	StN.
1	Meryl DAVIS / Charlie WHITE	USA	112.53	53.92		58.61	9.71	9.68	9.82	9.82	9.89	0.00	#8
2	Anna CAPPELLINI / Luca LANOTTE	ITA	98.61	47.00		51.61	8.57	8.39	8.64	8.79	8.79	0.00	#7
3	Maia SHIBUTANI / Alex SHIBUTANI	USA	93.21	47.00		47.21	7.86	7.75	7.93	7.96	7.93	1.00	#6
4	Madison HUBBELL / Zachary DONOHUE	USA	92.27	44.21		48.06	8.00	7.79	8.11	8.21	8.11	0.00	#5
5	Cathy REED / Chris REED	JPN	81.85	41.58		40.27	6.82	6.46	6.82	6.79	6.82	0.00	#3
6	Pernelle CARRON / Lloyd JONES	FRA	81.60	40.90		40.70	6.82	6.54	6.86	7.00	6.86	0.00	#2
7	Isabella TOBIAS / Deividas STAGNIUNAS	LTU	81.50	40.27		41.23	6.89	6.68	6.89	7.04	7.00	0.00	#1
8	Julia ZLOBINA / Alexei SITNIKOV	AZE	79.23	37.93		41.30	7.00	6.75	6.89	6.96	6.89	0.00	#4

Total

FPl.	Name	Nation	Points	SD	FD
1	Meryl DAVIS / Charlie WHITE	USA	188.23	1	1
2	Anna CAPPELLINI / Luca LANOTTE	ITA	168.49	2	2
3	Maia SHIBUTANI / Alex SHIBUTANI	USA	154.47	3	3
4	Madison HUBBELL / Zachary DONOHUE	USA	152.98	4	4
5	Cathy REED / Chris REED	JPN	136.13	6	5
6	Pernelle CARRON / Lloyd JONES	FRA	135.70	7	6
7	Isabella TOBIAS / Deividas STAGNIUNAS	LTU	134.67	8	7
8	Julia ZLOBINA / Alexei SITNIKOV	AZE	133.76	5	8

Skate America Short Dance

Group 1

Reed/Reed, JPN: 28.85 TES + 25.43 PCS = 54.28 and into 1st place

• A little off on their twizzles toward the end of the sequences
• Not a lot of flow and a bit choppy in the opening part of the Finnstep they seem to really be concentrating through the changes of hold and are very cautious with their arm changes
• Great unison through the non touching step sequence but her arms were a bit floppy in places and she could have stronger arm positions
• Rotational haircutter lift with her up on his shoulder
• Overall just a little stiff and choppy

Tobias/Stagniunas, LTU: 25.85 TES + 27.32 PCS = 53.17 and into 2nd place

• Twizzles very choppy but decent unison
• Choppy on the Finnstep and the changes of hold don't all look very secure; nice big pattern close to the boards though
• I'd like to see her channel Marilyn a bit more as she seems too over the top smiley for this program
• A loss of unison at the end of their non touching step sequence
• Upside down split lift--interesting variation but she needs more stretch through her positions
• Fun program but they seemed to be racing to keep up with it the whole time

Hubbell/Donohue, USA: 30.79 TES + 29.92 PCS = 60.71 and into 1st place

• Much smoother through the Finnstep, a little more secure in their changes of hold and more extension through their free legs
• Nice entry to their twizzles with good changes of position and transitions between the sets
• Great lift with a nice flip into his arms before the exit
• Nice deep edges on their non touching step sequence and good unison 
• Nice transitional move with her lifting him in a spin into their ending pose

Carron/Jones, FRA: 26.36 TES + 27.74 PCS = 54.10 and into 3rd place

• Nice edges in their non touching step sequence; a little close to the boards; some of their arms are not in unison and a few of the turns are bobbly
• Cartwheel up to a spread eagle lift with her upside down and balancing on his shoulder
• Very far apart on the twizzles, slow and big unison problems
• She's a bit stiff in the Finnstep hold and the whole sequence seems a bit slow

Group 2

Zlobina/Sitnikov, AZE: 26.43 TES + 28.10 PCS = 54.53 and into 2nd place

• Love the speed, flow and playfulness in the opening to this program
• Nice stretch through their free leg and overall good unison throughout the non touching step sequence; a few places where the arms were a little off
• Really slowing through the twizzles and they seem a bit unsteady
• Very playful take on the Finnstep, secure in the holds, nice speed and flow and strettch through the free legs
• Flip around to a rotational lift wrapped around his neck

Shibuani/Shibutani, USA: 30.30 TES + 30.96 PCS = 61.26 and into 1st place

• Nice unison through their twizzles and good distance between them
• The use of her hands throughout their transitions is to die for
• Good ease through the position changes in the Finnstep, nice fast footwork and good extension through their free leg with matching leg heights
• Nice edges and use of their music throughout the non touching step sequence; great unison 
• Nice one arm lift from behind--very unique

Cappellini/Lanotte, ITA: 36.50 TES + 33.38 PCS = 69.88

• Super nitpicky but if you're going to wear a white satin top there can't be a stain on your back
• Nice unison on their twizzles but they drop their smiles during their twizzles, pick it back up in between and then drop them again a little thing that can effect their PCS
• Great bouncy feel in the right places in the Finnstep with good flow and edges in the rest
• Nice one foot section in their midstep sequence and it's really evident here how nicely matched they are as partners as he has exception posture and performance as well
• Great split lift with her arched back over her leg
• Really nice program with great energy, flow and choreography throughout

Davis/White, USA: 37.43 TES + 38.27 PCS = 75.70 and into 1st place

• So much speed through their opening sequence
• Great flow and edge control in their non touching sequence with perfect unison
• Excellent twizzles with good distance between them, speed and unison
• Nice touches added to the Finnstep to carry the character of the program through
• Great ease in the changes of holds and really nice flow across the ice in the Finnstep--they truly make it look easy
• Nice split rotational lift into a falling leaf lift

Pl.	Name	Nation	TSS =	TES +		PCS +	SS	TR	PE	CC	IT	Ded. -	StN.
1	Meryl DAVIS / Charlie WHITE	USA	75.70	37.43		38.27	9.50	9.36	9.64	9.57	9.71	0.00	#8
2	Anna CAPPELLINI / Luca LANOTTE	ITA	69.88	36.50		33.38	8.25	8.04	8.43	8.39	8.54	0.00	#7
3	Maia SHIBUTANI / Alex SHIBUTANI	USA	61.26	30.30		30.96	7.89	7.64	7.71	7.82	7.64	0.00	#6
4	Madison HUBBELL / Zachary DONOHUE	USA	60.71	30.79		29.92	7.54	7.29	7.54	7.46	7.54	0.00	#3
5	Julia ZLOBINA / Alexei SITNIKOV	AZE	54.53	26.43		28.10	7.14	6.82	7.07	7.14	6.96	0.00	#5
6	Cathy REED / Chris REED	JPN	54.28	28.85		25.43	6.39	6.11	6.36	6.50	6.39	0.00	#1
7	Pernelle CARRON / Lloyd JONES	FRA	54.10	26.36		27.74	6.96	6.64	6.93	7.14	6.96	0.00	#4
8	Isabella TOBIAS / Deividas STAGNIUNAS	LTU	53.17	25.85		27.32	6.79	6.54	6.93	6.96	6.89	0.00	#2

Skate America Dance Preview

If there's one sure thing at this event it is that Davis and White will claim the gold medal.  The duo won every event they entered last season and are competing for their 4th consecutive Skate America gold medal.  They've also won the last four Grand Prix Finals.  Their Scheherezade free skate is very nuanced with lots of attention to detail along with some mindblowing lifts that had the crowd on their feet at the US International Figure Skating Classic.  They set a very good early season score at that event and look to break some of their own records this season.

Cappellini and Lanotte almost pulled off a major upset at Skate Canada last season and kept rolling from there.  They won the bronze medal at Europeans and finished just off the podium in 4th place at Worlds.  They are definitely in contention for a medal at the Olympics but should still be well behind Davis and White here.

The Shibutanis showed such promise in their freshman season winning medals at both of their Grand Prix events and winning the bronze medal at Worlds however they haven't been able to replicate those results.  Plagued with injuries and illnesses along with some lackluster choreography, they even dropped to 3rd place at US Nationals last season.  They withdrew from the US International Figure Skating Classic earlier this season due to a neck injury to Alex and are fighting an uphill battle to regain their place as the 2nd best US Ice Dancing team.  Regardless of their performances here, their twizzles are not to be missed and are some of the best in the world.

Hubbell and Donohue had a strong but disappointing season last year.  After finishing just off the podium at both their Grand Prix outings, they placed 4th at US Nationals and were left off the Worlds team in their sophomore season.  They've vowed to fight for an Olympics spot and started off their season with a come from behind win at Nebelhorn Trophy.

My podium predictions:
Gold: Davis/White
Silver: Cappellini/Lanotte
Bronze: Shibutani/Shibutani

Bios of the competitors:
Zlobina/Sitnikov, AZE: They placed 16th at Worlds and 7th at Europeans.  They finished 6th at Skate Canada and 5th at Trophee Eric Bompard last season.  Their personal best is 144.83.  She is 24 and he is 27.

Carron/Jones, FRA: They placed 12th at Worlds and 10th at Europeans.  They finished 7th at Skate Canada and 8th at Trophee Eric Bompard last season.  Their personal best is 145.98.  She is 27 and he is 25.

Cappellini/Lanotte, ITA: They placed 4th at Worlds and are the reigning European Bronze Medalists.  They won silver at Skate Canada and at Trophee Eric Bompard last season to qualify for the Grand Prix Final where they finished 4th.  Their personal best is 168.04.  She is 26 and he is 28.

Reed/Reed, JPN: They placed 20th at Worlds and finished 7th at Four Continents.  They finished 5th at NHK Trophy last season.  Their personal best is 141.75.  She is 26 and he is 24.

Tobias/Stagniunas, LTU: They placed 15th at Worlds.  Their personal best is 141.64.  She is 22 and he is 28.

Davis/White, USA: They are the reigning World Champions and Four Continents Champions.   They won gold at Skate America and gold at NHK Trophy last season to qualify for the Grand Prix Final where they won gold.  They are the 2010 Olympic Silver Medalists, 2011 World Champions, 2010 and 2012 World Silver Medalists, 2009 and 2011 Four Continents Champions, 2008 and 2012 Four Continents Silver Medalists, and 2006 World Junior Bronze Medalists.  Their personal best is 189.56.  She is 26 and he is 25.

Hubbell/Donohue, USA: They placed 5th at Skate Canada and 4th at Trophee Eric Bompard last season.  Their personal best is 147.11.  She is 22 and he is 22.

Shibutani/Shibutani, USA: They placed 8th at Worlds and 4th at Four Continents.  They finished 4th at Rostelecom Cup and won bronze at NHK Trophy last season.  They are the 2011 World Bronze Medalists, 2011 Four Continents Silver Medalists and 2009 World Junior Silver Medalists.  Their personal best is 163.79.  She is 19 and he is 22.