Qing Pang and Jian Tong were exquisite in the short program and not-so-convincing in the free. Their experience was their forte, keeping them on the first place after an inaccurate long program in Palais Omnisports de Bercy.
by Florentina Tone
Qing Pang and Jian Tong (free skating, 2013 Trophee Eric Bompard, Paris)
The Canadians Duhamel and Radford kept the silver won last year – and my favorite couple in the event, the Russians Vera Bazarova and Yuri Larionov, fell one place after the free program, ending up on the fourth place. They seemed unready and their routine, skated on the music from “Prince Igor” by Alexander Borodin, unpolished (but I do trust Nina Mozer to get them back on their feet and ready to fight during the Olympic season). With a convincing program, skated on the music from “Tosca”, the Americans Caydee Denney and John Coughlin won the bronze medal at this year’s edition of Trophée Eric Bompard.
The podium in the pairs’ event at 2013 TEB
1. Qing Pang and Jian Tong: 193.86 points
2. Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford: 190.89 points
3. Caydee Denney and John Coughlin: 184.01 points
Pang and Tong, winners of the gold medal at the 2013 Trophee Eric Bompard
Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford, silver in Paris
Caydee Denney and John Coughlin, bronze at the 2013 Trophee Eric Bompard
Vera Bazarova and Yuri Larionov were third after the short program; they ended up on the fourth place