Figure Skating

[Momto4FemaleFelines]

Bonny, I am looking forward to watching the long programs tonight! I just hope Shen/Zhao can hang onto their lead.
If it hadn't been for the 1.00 deduction that Pang/Tong got, they would've taken the lead over Shen/Zhao because their lead now is less than one point! I was looking for an explanation of their deduction all day and finally heard (and this may or may not be the real reason) that their music stopped before they did, so their program ran over the specified time restraint.
The young American skaters did well...they just need more experience and some fine tuning.
I also like the German pair a lot, the ones that skated to Send In The Clowns.
I thought this new scoring system was for preventing things like what happened last night--skaters with stumbles or falls getting ahead of those who skated clean.

[cassiesmom]

I'm rooting for the Chinese couple that got 76+ points last night, Shen and Shao or Zhao (sp? sorry) I thought their short program was just beautiful. It reminded me a little of watching Torvill and Dean's '84 Bolero program.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2zbbN4OL98
Here's Torvill and Dean. Just the two of them and Ravel's music. The house is so quiet that you can hear a pin drop until their program ends. I remember this so well.

[Grace]

Anyone remember the World's in 1973 - Rodnina & Zaitsev? The music stopped, but they kept on skating.

[Momto4FemaleFelines]

I am also rooting for Shen/Zhao, the Chinese pair. They have always been technically great but have also learned to relate to each other and show emotion in their performances.
I have seen them during their tour with Stars On Ice. They have grown so much in their performing.

Bolero by Torvill & Dean is wonderful. There will never be another dance pair like them.

I was not following skating in 1973, didn't start til '94.

[Grace]

I was not following skating in 1973, didn't start til '94.

Too bad. You missed something very special. Their music stopped suddenly in the middle of their program. They completed it without music and won the gold. That performance earned a standing ovation. Actually, they did have to skate it again, with the music. But they were perfect, with or without.

[Momto4FemaleFelines]

Their music stopped suddenly in the middle of their program. They completed it without music and won the gold. That performance earned a standing ovation. Actually, they did have to skate it again, with the music. But they were perfect, with or without.

I do believe I have seen footage of that on television as part of 'specials' about skating, or possibly it is on one of my purchased video's that tell some of the history of skating. Definitely amazing.

[smokey the elder]

I remember seeing the Rodnina and Zaitsev on Wide World of Sports, which carried a lot of figure skating back in the day.

The new system is kind of lame; it has good intentions but fails in the execution, IMO. Skating is nothing more than "tricks on ice". It might as well be half-pipe snowboarding.