{"id":38162,"date":"2024-11-18T19:08:05","date_gmt":"2024-11-19T00:08:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ice-dance.com\/site\/?p=38162"},"modified":"2024-11-18T19:08:05","modified_gmt":"2024-11-19T00:08:05","slug":"recap-2024-finlandia-trophy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ice-dance.com\/site\/recap-2024-finlandia-trophy\/","title":{"rendered":"Recap: 2024 Finlandia Trophy"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

by Anne Calder | Photo by Robin Ritoss<\/em><\/p>\n

The Finlandia Trophy was held at the Helsinki Ice Hall November 15-17, 2024. Ten ice dance teams from seven countries competed at the fifth Grand Prix series event.<\/p>\n

RHYTHM DANCE<\/b><\/p>\n

The highest Rhythm Dance five partnerships included: Piper Gilles & Paul Poirier (CAN), Lilah Fear & Lewis Gibson (GBR), Juulia Turkkila & Matthias Versluis (FIN), Natalie Taschlerova & Filip Taschler (CZE) and Oona Brown & Gage Brown (USA). These teams skated in the second group in the Free Dance. Three teams earned season best scores.<\/p>\n

Gilles & Poirier danced to the 1960\u2019s Beach Boys\u2019 \u201cI Get Around\u201d and \u201cCalifornia Girls\u201d plus \u201cWipe Out\u201d an instrumental\u00a0by the Surfaris. The \u201cKen and Barbie at the Beach\u201d themed program scored 84.65. The Canadians wore another one of their many surf party costumes, they are alternating this season. Their Choreo Rhythm Sequence earned an impressive 6.21 GOE. The team had fun playing with the supportive audience.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe need to enjoy what we\u2019re doing in order to continue to skate. By choosing music that we really love and really believe in makes for performing and doing our job just that much easier,\u201d Gilles said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere were a few things we had to think about throughout the performance, but overall, for me, it felt better than Skate Canada. I felt we leveled up with the performance, but I know we have more to do for tomorrow,\u201d she noted.<\/p>\n

Fear & Gibson strutted their stuff to \u201cLe Freak\u201d and \u201cSuperstition\u201d and were rewarded with 82.03 points. The reigning European silver medalists scored level 4 twizzles and rotational lift. Each earned a level 2 for the Midline Step Sequence.<\/p>\n

Actually, the \u201cDisco Brits\u201d as they\u2019ve been dubbed, were not sure they would compete in the event. At practice the previous day, Fear fell after being accidentally hit on her leg by Gibson who then carried her off the ice to the awaiting medical team.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe mistimed our revolutions in the twizzle, and then intercepted one another. Then that took me off my feet. The pain was from the impact of the kick, but I was super lucky that it wasn\u2019t a blade,\u201d <\/i>Fear explained.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt meant that I couldn\u2019t really bear weight until last night, but we took really good care of it. I\u2019m so happy to be in skates and skating today. I\u2019m just so grateful and really excited for tomorrow,\u201d <\/i>she acknowledged.<\/i><\/p>\n

Turkkila & Versluis treated their hometown crowd to an upbeat skate to \u201cI Got You\u201d and \u201cLand of 1000 Dances\u201d.<\/p>\n

The Midline Step Sequences were both level 2, while the team\u2019s rotational lift and Turkkila\u2019s twizzles were level 4. The segment scored a personal best 78.31.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were very happy and pleased about our skate today and feel the performance is growing from the start of the season,\u201d <\/i>Versluis said. \u201cTo skate in front of the home crowd is always special for us. We can feel the love and support. It really helps us in the performance.\u201d<\/p>\n

Two sets of siblings scored season best scores and placed fourth and fifth. Taschlerova & Taschler used songs by Donna Summer to earn 75.50 points. Brown & Brown added a third Brown (James) to the team and scored a 73.35 with his song \u201cGet Up Offa That Thing\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

FREE DANCE<\/b><\/p>\n

The Finlandia Trophy Free Dance had all the excitement of a thriller novel including a surprise ending.<\/i><\/p>\n

The introduction of the opening group of ice dancers was greeted with supportive applause. The teams included Mariia Pinchuk & Mykyta (UKR), Hannah Lim & Ye Quan(KOR) Yuka Orihara & Pirinen (FIN). Eva Pate & Logan Bye (USA) and Emilea Zingas & Vadym Kolesnik (USA).<\/p>\n

After the last performance, the spotlight was directed back to center ice where the five highest Rhythm Dance scorers were presented. The teams competed in reverse order of their previous day\u2019s results.<\/p>\n

Later at the victory celebration, Fear & Gibson (gold), Gilles & Poirier (silver) and Turkkila & Versluis (bronze) stood on the podium for the playing of \u201cGod Save the Queen\u201d.<\/p>\n

Great Britain\u2019s National Champions Fear & Gibson danced to a\u00a0blended genre of Beyonc\u00e9\u2019s \u201cHalo\u201d, \u201cEnd of Time\u201d and \u201cCrazy in Love\u201d and scored 121.19 points. The total was 203.22, which at the end of the Free Dance became the gold medal score.<\/p>\n

The Montreal based ice dancers\u2019 second gold medal victory guaranteed them the top spot at the GP Final.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe just enjoyed our free dance today,\u201d Gibson noted.\u00a0\u201cWe took it step by step and just let it build itself.<\/p>\n

Referring back to the practice accident two days earlier when Fear injured her leg, he added, \u201cWe were just both so grateful to be able to compete here, and skate the way that we did as well.\u201d\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n

Gilles & Poirier took to the ice last with a 2.62 lead over the British team. After opening with a combination rotational lift to Bach\u2019s\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cAir on the G String\u201d that earned all 4 and 5 GOEs, the music seamlessly moved between \u201cA Whiter Shade of Pale\u201d by Annie Lennox and \u201cTango On The G String\u201d for their remaining elements<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, the SCI gold medalists had an unusual fall at the end of the twizzles that resulted in a fourth place 116.14 segment score.<\/p>\n

The twizzle itself was very comfortable, but I put my second foot down and in the exit I didn\u2019t grip into the ice,\u201d Poirier explained about the fall. Today was definitely a more disappointing performance for us. There were several moments where we just didn’t move together,\u00a0 <\/span>and we made several costly mistakes. We have to come out of this competition treating it like a learning opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThese are the things that we learned from practicing a program and skating together for so long. We learn how to get back together and let it affect the program as little as possible.\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n

The Canadians finished the competition with a 200.79 total score and the silver medal.<\/p>\n

Turkkila & Versluis performed a sophisticated tango to \u201cBewitched\u201d and \u201cObcv Astronom\u201d (Remastered 2021) for a second place 118.29 season best free dance score. The total 196.60 earned the reigning Finish National champions the bronze medal.<\/p>\n

We were happy with today’s performance and maybe a bit holding back, a bit too chilled<\/i>,\u201d Versluis said.<\/p>\n

Next week, the team heads to Asia for the Cup of China – the last event in the 2024 Grand Prix series.<\/p>\n

Our goal in China is to get those levels, which we didn’t get here, and to give our all energy and skate to our maximum,\u201d\u00a0T<\/i>urkkila emphasized. <\/span><\/p>\n

Siblings Taschlerova & Taschler (CZE) totaled 190.43 and dropped a spot in the free dance, but remained in fourth place by a thin margin. Zingas & Kolesnik (USA) scored a third place 116.76 segment score and 189.48 total and moved up to 5th place.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe most unpredictable season in the ice dance world\u2026ever?\u201d –<\/i> <\/i><\/b>Mark Hanretty, Peacock commentator<\/p>\n

Coming Attractions
<\/b>The Grand Prix series heads to Chongqing, China November 22-24 for its final competition and selection of the remaining GPF qualifiers. Christina Carreira & Anthony Ponomarenko (USA), Charlene Guignard & Marco Fabbri (ITA) and Marjorie Lajoie & Zachary Lagha (CAN) who all have silver medals with 13 points will go head-to-head. Olivia Smart & Tim Dieck (ESP) and Juulia Turkkila & Matthias Versluis (FIN) with 11 points are long shots.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Finlandia Facts<\/b><\/p>\n