|
 |
Pairs carve tales of love and death
Short program kicks off figure skating
By Jenifer K. Nii
Deseret News staff writer
The wait is over.
Nine days of Olympic figure skating kicks off Saturday with the pairs short program competition. And what better way to begin the event than with the lush emotions of the pairs?
Love, death, the death of love — from "Love Story" to "West Side Story" — expect to see it all portrayed on the ice. The top pairs have determined that this competition is all about telling the sweeping stories of the heart . . . with jumps, lifts and spins.
But first things first. Saturday's event is all about standing up. In their 2 minute-40 second program, teams will distinguish themselves from their competition by how well they complete eight required elements, including side-by-side jumps, throw jumps, spins and spiral sequences.à
Reigning world champions Jamie Sale and David Pelletier of Canada will try to regain their footing after an ugly win last month at their national competition. Known for their chemistry on — and unofficially, off — the ice, Sale and Pelletier had a rare public snit after Sale had a mini-meltdown a'la the 2000 World Championships in Nice. The team finished fourth in France; fans are anxious to see whether the pressure of the Olympics brings about similar results.
If there is a team that could out-romance Sale and Pelletier on the ice, perhaps it is Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze of Russia. Their programs this season seem specially designed to do just that. Berezhnaya and Sikharulidze have few weaknesses save nerves (and the effect of those nerves on jumps). When they are on, they are fondly reminiscent of the stunning Russian couple Ekaterina Gordeeva and Sergei Grinkov. As the reigning Olympic silver medalists, Berezhnaya and Sikharulidze also have valuable experience.
And with comparable difficulty packed into the top teams' programs, the gold medal may just come down to the intangibles: experience, artistry, choreography, and the ability to cope with pressure.
Three-time American champions, Kyoko Ina and John Zimmerman, have markedly improved their consistency this season and remain an outside threat for a medal. Their chances further improved this week when 2000 world bronze medalists Sarah Abitbol and Stephane Bernadis of France were forced to withdraw due to injury. Abitbol injured her Achilles tendon Saturday while practicing in Logan. The team has returned to France, and the French have elected not to name a replacement.
Russians Tatiana Totmianina and Maxim Marinin may also factor into the mix. Strong practices in Logan this week bode well for the up-and-coming team; though again, nerves may prove a dealbreaker.
Passion. Panic. And the possibility of sheer perfection. Ah, the Olympics. Let the Games begin.
E-mail: jnii@desnews.com
|
|
February 9, 2002
|
