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Sports | November 20, 2009

Savchenko and Szolkowy back on track in the short at Skate Canada

Jackie Wong's photo
Figure Skating Examiner

Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy
(GER) skate a personal best short program
at Skate Canada.
Photo: AP/The Canadian Press/Paul Chiasson

A week after three-time World champions Xue Shen and Hongbo Zhao had a world record short program score at Skate America, current World champions Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy came close with their short program effort at Skate Canada.

There were a few question marks coming into the final Grand Prix event before the final as to how well Savchenko and Szolkowy have been able to recover from their disappointing free skate in Paris five weeks ago. But they proved their resiliency with a flawless short program that featured their trademark intricate transitions and powerful elements. Their 74.16 was a personal best, just a few tenths behind Shen and Zhao’s score at Skate America. The Germans are traditionally strong short program skaters, and it will be interesting to see how they fare with a brand new free skate tomorrow.

Russian silver medalists Maria Mukhortova and Maxim Trankov skated a nearly clean program, with their only mistake in their throw triple loop, with Mukhortova putting both hands down on the landing. Still, their score of 65.80 was almost as high as their short program score at Trophee Eric Bompard, and it will put them in a good position to secure a spot in the Grand Prix Final during their free skate.
In third place are reigning Canadian champions Jessica Dube and Bryce Davison, who had some errors in their short. Dube singled her solo triple salchow and later had a rough landing on her throw triple loop. But their overall program components were strong, allow them to stay ahead of the next few pairs who had fewer errors than they did.
U.S. silver medalists Caydee Denney and Jeremy Barrett had troubles with their side-by-side triple toes but were otherwise strong in their short program. With their score of 55.46, they are 0.06 behind Anabelle Langlois and Cody Hay and 2.44 behind Dube and Davison, putting them in strong contention for a medal.
The second American pair, Caitlin Yankowskas and John Coughlin, skated a clean short to put themselves right behind their teammates in sixth place, fewer than six points from the bronze medal.
PAIRS (after the short program)
1. Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy GER – 74.16
2. Maria Mukhortova and Maxim Trankov RUS – 65.80
3. Jessica Dube and Bryce Davison CAN – 57.90
4. Anabelle Langlois and Cody Hay CAN – 55.52
5. Caydee Denney and Jeremy Barrett USA – 55.46
6. Caitlin Yankowskas and John Coughlin USA – 52.42
7. Kirsten Moore-Towers and Dylan Moscovitch CAN – 51.14
8. Ksenia Ozerova and Alexander Enbert RUS – 40.28
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Figure Skating Examiner

Jackie Wong covers all things figure skating and provides the latest results and analysis throughout the season. You may contact Jackie with your...

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