{"id":9691,"date":"2016-10-05T00:54:39","date_gmt":"2016-10-05T04:54:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ice-dance.com\/site\/?p=9691"},"modified":"2018-05-13T12:34:32","modified_gmt":"2018-05-13T16:34:32","slug":"2016-ondrej-nepela-memorial-recap","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ice-dance.com\/site\/2016-ondrej-nepela-memorial-recap\/","title":{"rendered":"2016 Ondrej Nepela Memorial Recap"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em>by Anne Calder<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Two Challenger Series events were held September 28-October 1. While some skaters were competing\u00a0in Bratislava, Slovakia in Europe others were asleep\u00a0in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Personal best scores were recorded at both sites. Thirteen dancers representing nine countries participated at the Ondrej Nepela Memorial in Bratislava.<\/p>\n<p>The top four short dance leaders were the USA, Russia, and Germany. Two of the teams skated in back to back competitions, and two made their 2016 international debut. Igor Shpilband coached three of the teams and Alexander Zulin coached two of the thirteen.<\/p>\n<p>Madison Chock &amp; Evan Bates (USA) beat last week\u2019s Nebelhorn score by almost 2 points because of higher element levels. At Bratislava, the opening curve lift, twizzles, blues pattern, and not touching midline footwork were all level 4. An extended lift incurred a 1.0 deduction. The program was choreographed by Rohene Ward and used \u201cBad to the Bone\u201d by George Thorogood and \u201cUptown Funk\u201d by Mark Ronson\u00a0for the blues and hip hop rhythms. The score was a season best 72.72.<\/p>\n<p>Ekaterina Bobrova &amp; Dmitri Soloviev (RUS) danced blues and swing to Christina Aguilera\u2019s \u201cMercy on Me\u201d and \u201cSing, Sing, Sing\u201d by Louis Prima. The straight-line lift earned a level 4; the remaining elements were level 3. The score was a personal best 71.04.<\/p>\n<p>Tiffany Zahorski &amp; Jonathan Guerreiro (RUS) were third with a sultry blues interpretation of another Christina Aguilera song, \u201cNaughty Naughty Boy\u201d. They added \u201cAll Night\u201d by Parov Stelar for their swing rhythm. The twizzles, rotational lift and pattern earned level 4, while both step sequences were level 3. Their TES was 1.28 points higher than their Russian training mates, but the PCS trailed them by over 4 points. They scored 68.04.<\/p>\n<p>Germany\u2019s Kavita Lorenz &amp; Joti Polizoakis outperformed their Nebelhorn skate by three points. They increased their curve lift and not touching footwork levels and TES. The twizzles and lift were secure at level 4. The second year team captivated the essence of Michael Jackson\u2019s dance. They opened with a blues interpretation of \u201cCome Together\u201d and closed with twizzles and footwork to \u201cBlack or White\u201d remix that blended a hip hop rhythm with MJ movements. The score was 62.34.<\/p>\n<p>Natalia Kaliszek &amp; Maksym Spodyriev (POL) were a close fifth with a 60.25 score to \u201cBack to Dirty Town\u201d by Blues Mystery and \u201cSax\u201d for hip hop. The twizzles and rotational lift earned level 4; the not touching midline step sequence was level 2 and received solid GOE marks.<\/p>\n<p>The free dance and final placement played \u201capplecart turn over\u201d with multiple result changes.<\/p>\n<p>Bobrova &amp; Soloviev blended Chopin\u2019s piano Prelude No. 20 and Nigel Kennedy\u2019s riveting violin interpretation of Vivaldi\u2019s Four Seasons into a personal best 107.80 gold medal performance. The lifts and twizzles earned level 4; the diagonal and circular footwork each scored 9.30. The judges awarded the reigning Russian champions five +1.0 GOE marks; the rest were all +2 and +3. Their component scores averaged over 9.0. The total was 178.84 \u2013 another personal best score. Bobrova &amp; Soloviev compete next at Skate America.<\/p>\n<p>Americans Chock &amp; Bates won the same color medal as last week at Nebelhorn, but scored ten points less \u2013 98.20. Christopher Dean choreographed the silver medal program to \u201cUnder Pressure\u201d by David Bowie and Freddie Mercury. The reigning World bronze medalists had a rough skate including a twizzle stumble and hand down that earned level 2 and negative GOEs. The lifts and spin were level 4. The total score was 170.92. Chock &amp; Bates next compete at Skate Canada.<\/p>\n<p>Zahorski &amp; Guerreiro (RUS) won bronze for their Challenger Series debut interpretation of Valse Triste by Finish composer Jean Sibelius. The skaters invoked the haunting melody to channel the sadness of the story. The lifts, twizzle and spin earned level 4; the footwork was level 3. A highlight was Guerreiro\u2019s one-footed straight-line lift as Zahorski leaped onto his back and rested upside down. The total was 165.64. Zahorski &amp; Guerreiro next compete at Rostelecom Cup.<\/p>\n<p>Natalia Kaliszek &amp; Maksym Spodyriev (POL) placed fifth in their free dance to a Dirty Dancing medley, but finished fourth over all. The spin and lifts earned level 4; the twizzles were level 3; and the footwork was level 2. The program scored 86.62. The total of the two dances was 146.86.<\/p>\n<p>Kaliszek &amp; Spodyriev next compete at Cup of China.<\/p>\n<p>Kavita Lorenz &amp; Joti Polizoakis (GER) skated to a Spanish medley including \u201cMalaguena\u201d for an 83.98 personal best score. The lifts and spin received level 4, but a twizzles mishap earned a level 2. The free dance was sixth, but the 146.32 total earned fifth place \u2013 .54 short of fourth.<\/p>\n<p>Cortney Mansour &amp; Michael Ceska (CZE) scored a personal best 86.78 and a free dance fourth place to a Godfather soundtrack medley. The lifts, twizzles and spin earned level 4; the footwork was level 3 and level 2. The team scored a total 143.10 and moved from seventh to sixth place. Mansour &amp; Ceska next compete at the Trophee de France.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>by Anne Calder Two Challenger Series events were held September 28-October 1. While some skaters were competing\u00a0in Bratislava, Slovakia in Europe others were asleep\u00a0in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Personal best scores [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6039,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_gspb_post_css":"","_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_themeisle_gutenberg_block_has_review":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[257,186],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9691","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-2016-2017-event-recaps","category-recap-archive"],"blocksy_meta":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ice-dance.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Articles.jpg?fit=957%2C566&ssl=1","uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ice-dance.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Articles.jpg?fit=957%2C566&ssl=1",957,566,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ice-dance.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Articles.jpg?fit=150%2C150&ssl=1",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ice-dance.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Articles.jpg?fit=300%2C177&ssl=1",300,177,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ice-dance.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Articles.jpg?fit=768%2C454&ssl=1",768,454,true],"large":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ice-dance.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Articles.jpg?fit=957%2C566&ssl=1",957,566,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ice-dance.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Articles.jpg?fit=957%2C566&ssl=1",957,566,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ice-dance.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Articles.jpg?fit=957%2C566&ssl=1",957,566,true],"et-pb-post-main-image":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ice-dance.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Articles.jpg?resize=400%2C250&ssl=1",400,250,true],"et-pb-post-main-image-fullwidth":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ice-dance.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Articles.jpg?resize=957%2C566&ssl=1",957,566,true],"et-pb-portfolio-image":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ice-dance.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Articles.jpg?resize=400%2C284&ssl=1",400,284,true],"et-pb-portfolio-module-image":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ice-dance.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Articles.jpg?resize=510%2C382&ssl=1",510,382,true],"et-pb-portfolio-image-single":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ice-dance.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Articles.jpg?fit=957%2C566&ssl=1",957,566,true],"et-pb-gallery-module-image-portrait":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ice-dance.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Articles.jpg?resize=400%2C516&ssl=1",400,516,true],"rpwe-thumbnail":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ice-dance.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Articles.jpg?resize=45%2C45&ssl=1",45,45,true]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"Team IDC","author_link":"https:\/\/www.ice-dance.com\/site\/author\/idcadmin\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"by Anne Calder Two Challenger Series events were held September 28-October 1. While some skaters were competing\u00a0in Bratislava, Slovakia in Europe others were asleep\u00a0in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Personal best scores [&hellip;]","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7GOSM-2wj","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ice-dance.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9691","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ice-dance.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ice-dance.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ice-dance.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ice-dance.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9691"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.ice-dance.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9691\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9693,"href":"https:\/\/www.ice-dance.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9691\/revisions\/9693"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ice-dance.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6039"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ice-dance.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9691"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ice-dance.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9691"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ice-dance.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9691"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}