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Cat's Lair 2001 U.S. Worlds Diaries

21-Mar-2001

Index	21-Mar-2001
Updated: 30-Mar-2001 Cover Page Pre-event We will be driving up to Vancouver on the 16th & 17th. The diary entries will start after that. 18-Mar-2001 Getting Started 19-Mar-2001 Pairs Short 20-Mar-2001 Men's Short 21-Mar-2001 Ladies Qual, Group B Pairs Free Ladies Qual, Group A 22-Mar-2001 Men's Free 23-Mar-2001 Ladies Short 24-Mar-2001 Ladies Free	2001 Worlds Pairs Oh my gosh!! This was an amazing evening. Before I ever left the USA I said it would be so incredible to see Sale & Pelletier win Worlds in Canada. And it was absolutely incredible. The building exploded, it was great to be there and be a part of it. And all the skating was so great! All three of the teams on the podium were sensational, they really all gave performances worthy of a world title. It was just so heavily contested tonight that merely being great wasn't enough, you had to be magic. And Sale and Pelletier were magic! Canada - Kristy Wirtz & Kris Wirtz They did very well, hitting all their elements. I think he put his hand down on one of their side by side jumps. The did a romantic program to Far and Away and had really great death spirals, with her extended very well and grazing the ice with the top of her head. They pulled up to 8 and Canada gets to send three teams to the Olympics. Needless to say the crowd was bananas. Czech Republic - Katerina Berankova & Otto Diabola They hit the side by side triple toes and double axels. One throw was fine and one was two footed. They had a bit of scary landing on a twist where she kind of crashed into him. The program noticeably slowed at the end. They did a lot of flexible spins with her holding her leg up by her side. 12th Japan - Yuko Kawaguchi & Alexander Markuntsov They did a beautiful death spiral with her very well extended and lovely arch in her back. They had perfect union when they both fell on their side by side triple toes, but then went right on and did a fine throw. Program was to Spartacus and included an adagio lift in which she was upside down with her legs split. 15th Germany - Mariana Kautz & Norman Jeschke The twist had a crash instead of a catch. The side by side triple toes were good then she fell on the first throw and the side by side double axels. Second throw was two footed. They did a nice lift with her lying back over his head, and their death spiral had nice line. 16th Ukraine - Aliona Savchenko & Stanislav Morozov The side by side triple toes were good, and they went right into good side by side triple toes again. Great twist lift, good height caught with hands. Both throws were good and they did side by side single axels. They had a ton of technical content all well done. Pulled up to 9th and earned the Ukraine two spots in the Olympics. Azerbaijan - Inga Rodionova & Andrei Kroukov Skated to Bolero. When you aren't Torvill and Dean, this music just makes you look slow and monotonous. They did side by side double axels, he stepped out of it, did one throw and popped another. They had a pretty star lift and a pretty pair spiral into a stag lift. Nice spin positions and a death spiral brushing the ice. 13th China - Qing Pang & Jian Tong They had a very scary crash during the six minute warm up. She fell on a throw and crashed into the boards. I was on the opposite side of the arena and I could hear the thud when she hit the wall. Then they went out and skated great! They hit all their elements, but they had some problem with their side by side triple toes. Adagio lift with him in a spread eagle. Very clean and crisp performance, much improved over last year. They finished 10th and got China three spots at the Olympics. USA - Tiffany Scott & Phillip Duelebohn We won't be sending three teams to the Olympics, and the way our teams skated, we don't deserve better. I think Tiffany might be injured, I hope there is a logical reason to the fact that she could not land anything last night. My notes just are a list of her falling down. I don't think she landed a single jump or throw. They ended up 11th. Poland - Dorota Zagorska & Mariusz Siudek They skated lovely, and hit all their elements well. They had a lot of really daring and interesting dismounts from their lifts, including a face smashing dismount a la Meno & Sand. The crowd gave them a standing ovation. Their elements weren't as clean as the Russians ahead of them, but their skating really touched the crowd with their passion. 6th USA - Ina & Zimmerman I was busy with Marshall during Ina and Zimmerman I understand Ina fell on a throw and a jump. Seems to me that 7th place was better than they deserved. Russia - Tatiana Totmianina & Maxim Marinin Wow! They bored me silly skating to West Side Story at Skate America, but my gosh how they have improved. They really skated well to the music and put more feeling in this program than I thought they could. They hit all their elements and were fast and moved up to 5th Russia - Elena Berezhnaya & Anton Sikharulidze They had one mistake, and it was not a night for mistakes. In their twist lift they had a crash instead of a catch. The rest of their elements were great, especially their side by side triple toes which had amazing flow. Their Chaplin program was beautifully done, and I don't like Chaplin so that is really saying something. They were a little slow for them, which is not to say they weren't fast, it is just they are usually very fast. When they finished they got a standing O and I thought they had won, but they got the silver, because of how great Jamie and David were. 2nd Canada - Jamie Sale & David Pelletier WOW! The electricity before, during and after their skate was amazing. They too skated brilliantly with just one mistake, she singled the side by side double axels. But their program had so much more passion and feeling, their line and edges are amazing and they truly are two who skate as one. When I saw their tech marks and saw they were ahead of the Russians I kept saying "Oh my God" When they were put ahead of the Russians the whole arena exploded. What a great experience to be here in Canada when Canadians win the World Title! 1st Russia Maria Petrova & Alexi Tikhnov Sometimes the random draw is the cruelest invention. After the incredible emotion of the last two pairs, Petrova & Tikhnov barely got noticed. They skated clean but boringly and we all waited for the Chinese to finish up. 4th China Xue Shen & Hongbo Zhao It is hard to imagine a program this good only getting the Bronze medal, but it was an amazing night. Shen & Zhao skated better than I had ever seen them. Not just their usual incredibly high throws and twists, but with amazing feeling. They skated with joy and abandon and really captured the audience, which given the night it was, was no easy task. They hit everything but then she stumped out of the last lift of the evening. I don't think that really affected the outcome, because they still won the technical mark, but they lost it in the presentation mark. 3rd The best pairs event I have ever been to, no question about it.

Index

21-Mar-2001

Updated: 30-Mar-2001

Cover Page

Pre-event

We will be driving up to Vancouver on the 16th & 17th. The diary entries will start after that.

18-Mar-2001

Getting Started

19-Mar-2001

Pairs Short

20-Mar-2001

Men's Short

21-Mar-2001

22-Mar-2001

Men's Free

23-Mar-2001

Ladies Short

24-Mar-2001

Ladies Free

2001 Worlds Pairs

Oh my gosh!! This was an amazing evening. Before I ever left the USA I said it would be so incredible to see Sale & Pelletier win Worlds in Canada. And it was absolutely incredible. The building exploded, it was great to be there and be a part of it.

And all the skating was so great! All three of the teams on the podium were sensational, they really all gave performances worthy of a world title. It was just so heavily contested tonight that merely being great wasn't enough, you had to be magic. And Sale and Pelletier were magic!

Canada - Kristy Wirtz & Kris Wirtz: They did very well, hitting all their elements. I think he put his hand down on one of their side by side jumps. The did a romantic program to Far and Away and had really great death spirals, with her extended very well and grazing the ice with the top of her head. They pulled up to 8 and Canada gets to send three teams to the Olympics. Needless to say the crowd was bananas.
Czech Republic - Katerina Berankova & Otto Diabola: They hit the side by side triple toes and double axels. One throw was fine and one was two footed. They had a bit of scary landing on a twist where she kind of crashed into him. The program noticeably slowed at the end. They did a lot of flexible spins with her holding her leg up by her side. 12th
Japan - Yuko Kawaguchi & Alexander Markuntsov: They did a beautiful death spiral with her very well extended and lovely arch in her back. They had perfect union when they both fell on their side by side triple toes, but then went right on and did a fine throw. Program was to Spartacus and included an adagio lift in which she was upside down with her legs split. 15th
Germany - Mariana Kautz & Norman Jeschke: The twist had a crash instead of a catch. The side by side triple toes were good then she fell on the first throw and the side by side double axels. Second throw was two footed. They did a nice lift with her lying back over his head, and their death spiral had nice line. 16th
Ukraine - Aliona Savchenko & Stanislav Morozov: The side by side triple toes were good, and they went right into good side by side triple toes again. Great twist lift, good height caught with hands. Both throws were good and they did side by side single axels. They had a ton of technical content all well done. Pulled up to 9th and earned the Ukraine two spots in the Olympics.
Azerbaijan - Inga Rodionova & Andrei Kroukov: Skated to Bolero. When you aren't Torvill and Dean, this music just makes you look slow and monotonous. They did side by side double axels, he stepped out of it, did one throw and popped another. They had a pretty star lift and a pretty pair spiral into a stag lift. Nice spin positions and a death spiral brushing the ice. 13th
China - Qing Pang & Jian Tong: They had a very scary crash during the six minute warm up. She fell on a throw and crashed into the boards. I was on the opposite side of the arena and I could hear the thud when she hit the wall. Then they went out and skated great! They hit all their elements, but they had some problem with their side by side triple toes. Adagio lift with him in a spread eagle. Very clean and crisp performance, much improved over last year. They finished 10th and got China three spots at the Olympics.
USA - Tiffany Scott & Phillip Duelebohn: We won't be sending three teams to the Olympics, and the way our teams skated, we don't deserve better. I think Tiffany might be injured, I hope there is a logical reason to the fact that she could not land anything last night. My notes just are a list of her falling down. I don't think she landed a single jump or throw. They ended up 11th.
Poland - Dorota Zagorska & Mariusz Siudek: They skated lovely, and hit all their elements well. They had a lot of really daring and interesting dismounts from their lifts, including a face smashing dismount a la Meno & Sand. The crowd gave them a standing ovation. Their elements weren't as clean as the Russians ahead of them, but their skating really touched the crowd with their passion. 6th
USA - Ina & Zimmerman: I was busy with Marshall during Ina and Zimmerman I understand Ina fell on a throw and a jump. Seems to me that 7th place was better than they deserved.
Russia - Tatiana Totmianina & Maxim Marinin: Wow! They bored me silly skating to West Side Story at Skate America, but my gosh how they have improved. They really skated well to the music and put more feeling in this program than I thought they could. They hit all their elements and were fast and moved up to 5th
Russia - Elena Berezhnaya & Anton Sikharulidze: They had one mistake, and it was not a night for mistakes. In their twist lift they had a crash instead of a catch. The rest of their elements were great, especially their side by side triple toes which had amazing flow. Their Chaplin program was beautifully done, and I don't like Chaplin so that is really saying something. They were a little slow for them, which is not to say they weren't fast, it is just they are usually very fast. When they finished they got a standing O and I thought they had won, but they got the silver, because of how great Jamie and David were. 2nd
Canada - Jamie Sale & David Pelletier: WOW! The electricity before, during and after their skate was amazing. They too skated brilliantly with just one mistake, she singled the side by side double axels. But their program had so much more passion and feeling, their line and edges are amazing and they truly are two who skate as one. When I saw their tech marks and saw they were ahead of the Russians I kept saying "Oh my God" When they were put ahead of the Russians the whole arena exploded. What a great experience to be here in Canada when Canadians win the World Title! 1st
Russia Maria Petrova & Alexi Tikhnov: Sometimes the random draw is the cruelest invention. After the incredible emotion of the last two pairs, Petrova & Tikhnov barely got noticed. They skated clean but boringly and we all waited for the Chinese to finish up. 4th
China Xue Shen & Hongbo Zhao: It is hard to imagine a program this good only getting the Bronze medal, but it was an amazing night. Shen & Zhao skated better than I had ever seen them. Not just their usual incredibly high throws and twists, but with amazing feeling. They skated with joy and abandon and really captured the audience, which given the night it was, was no easy task. They hit everything but then she stumped out of the last lift of the evening. I don't think that really affected the outcome, because they still won the technical mark, but they lost it in the presentation mark. 3rd

The best pairs event I have ever been to, no question about it.

Updated: 22-Mar-2001