Despite a singled axel in a double axel/double axel sequence, Xue Shen & Hongbo Zhao racked up a record breaking FS score of 138.89 points for their "Adagio" programme and cruised to a sixth Grand Prix Final title. The three-time World Champions opened with side by side triple toeloops and also included a triple twist, a throw triple loop and a throw triple salchow in their routine. With a hefty total of 214.25 points, Shen & Zhao are now looking more and more like strong favourites to win gold in Vancouver in two months time.
Perhaps the winners received inspiration from the performance of their compatriots Qing Pang & Jian Tong who vaulted from fourth to second place with their "Impossible Dream" free skate. Aside from a hand down by Tong on their side by side triple toeloops, the 2006 World Champions didn't put a foot wrong in their programme which had a double axel/double axel sequence, a triple twist, a throw triple salchow and a throw triple loop to score 133.82 points for an overall mark of 201.86 points. Both numbers represent personal bests.
Things didn't start out well for Aliona Savchenko & Robin Szolkowy in their "Out of Africa" programme and even with rallying towards the end, they slipped down to third place. The two-time World Champions had to abort a planned triple toeloop/triple toeloop sequence when Savchenko doubled and stepped out of hers and then ran into more trouble when she stepped out of a throw triple flip. Their FS score of 127.24 points was only good enough for fourth on the night, but they hung on to bronze by virtue of their score in the SP.
Consistency has been Evan Lysacek's middle name recently and he continued that trend while all around him were crumbling. Apart from singling a triple axel, the current World Champion landed a triple axel and six other triple jumps in his "Sheherazade" programme to earn 159.60 points, a personal best. As was his total of 249.45 points which is also the highest overall score so far this season which gave Lysacek the first Grand Prix Final title of his career.
Nobunari Oda secured himself a spot on the Japanese team for the Olympics by placing second with his comical "Charlie Chaplin" routine. The Japanese Champion singled two axels, but otherwise completed a triple axel and seven triple jumps in the programme to score 155.71 points. This was the second career medal for Oda in a Grand Prix Final.
Even though he finished fourth in both segments of the competition, Johnny Weir did enough to win a bronze medal to retain the spot on the podium that he stood on at this event last season in Korea. It was pretty much as good as it gets from Weir with two triple axels and five triple jumps in his "City of Angels" and "Lady Caliph" programme. This was reflected in that both his FS score of 152.75 points and total of 237.35 points were personal bests.
After a shaky outing at Skate America and a ropey short programme here, Yu-Na Kim needed a solid free skate and she sort of did even if it was a little unconvincing.The reigning World Champion had to check the landing of her opening triple lutz and could only tack a double toeloop on to the end. Later on, the Korean had the second jump of a double axel/triple toeloop combination downgraded and actually only landed three other triple jumps in her Gershwin programme. However, the quality of her spins, steps and skating skills were enough to see her through to an FS score of 123.22 points and a total of 188.86 points for the third Grand Prix Final title of her career.
It could be said that this was a missed opportunity for Miki Ando as she was certainly capable of upsetting Kim at this event, but she will no doubt also be pleased with her first Grand Prix Final medal and a guaranteed place on the Japanese Olympic team. Aside from a downgraded triple salchow, the 2007 World Champion completed four other triple jumps to earn an FS score of 119.74 points and second with 185.94 points.
Akiko Suzuki probably had the skate of the competition and received a standing ovation for her "West Side Story" programme. The 24 year old performed flawlessly and included seven triple jumps into her routine to score 116.46 points for third place. Unfortunately, this still does not mean automatic qualification for the Olympics yet, but it will surely promote her cause.
Perhaps the winners received inspiration from the performance of their compatriots Qing Pang & Jian Tong who vaulted from fourth to second place with their "Impossible Dream" free skate. Aside from a hand down by Tong on their side by side triple toeloops, the 2006 World Champions didn't put a foot wrong in their programme which had a double axel/double axel sequence, a triple twist, a throw triple salchow and a throw triple loop to score 133.82 points for an overall mark of 201.86 points. Both numbers represent personal bests.
Things didn't start out well for Aliona Savchenko & Robin Szolkowy in their "Out of Africa" programme and even with rallying towards the end, they slipped down to third place. The two-time World Champions had to abort a planned triple toeloop/triple toeloop sequence when Savchenko doubled and stepped out of hers and then ran into more trouble when she stepped out of a throw triple flip. Their FS score of 127.24 points was only good enough for fourth on the night, but they hung on to bronze by virtue of their score in the SP.
Consistency has been Evan Lysacek's middle name recently and he continued that trend while all around him were crumbling. Apart from singling a triple axel, the current World Champion landed a triple axel and six other triple jumps in his "Sheherazade" programme to earn 159.60 points, a personal best. As was his total of 249.45 points which is also the highest overall score so far this season which gave Lysacek the first Grand Prix Final title of his career.
Nobunari Oda secured himself a spot on the Japanese team for the Olympics by placing second with his comical "Charlie Chaplin" routine. The Japanese Champion singled two axels, but otherwise completed a triple axel and seven triple jumps in the programme to score 155.71 points. This was the second career medal for Oda in a Grand Prix Final.
Even though he finished fourth in both segments of the competition, Johnny Weir did enough to win a bronze medal to retain the spot on the podium that he stood on at this event last season in Korea. It was pretty much as good as it gets from Weir with two triple axels and five triple jumps in his "City of Angels" and "Lady Caliph" programme. This was reflected in that both his FS score of 152.75 points and total of 237.35 points were personal bests.
After a shaky outing at Skate America and a ropey short programme here, Yu-Na Kim needed a solid free skate and she sort of did even if it was a little unconvincing.The reigning World Champion had to check the landing of her opening triple lutz and could only tack a double toeloop on to the end. Later on, the Korean had the second jump of a double axel/triple toeloop combination downgraded and actually only landed three other triple jumps in her Gershwin programme. However, the quality of her spins, steps and skating skills were enough to see her through to an FS score of 123.22 points and a total of 188.86 points for the third Grand Prix Final title of her career.
It could be said that this was a missed opportunity for Miki Ando as she was certainly capable of upsetting Kim at this event, but she will no doubt also be pleased with her first Grand Prix Final medal and a guaranteed place on the Japanese Olympic team. Aside from a downgraded triple salchow, the 2007 World Champion completed four other triple jumps to earn an FS score of 119.74 points and second with 185.94 points.
Akiko Suzuki probably had the skate of the competition and received a standing ovation for her "West Side Story" programme. The 24 year old performed flawlessly and included seven triple jumps into her routine to score 116.46 points for third place. Unfortunately, this still does not mean automatic qualification for the Olympics yet, but it will surely promote her cause.
