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Bourne and Kraatz do it their way and win
Perhaps they should consider renaming it Meet Me at the Medal Podium. A more cynical suggestion was Meet Me at the Insane Asylum.
What is definite about the new free dance is that it is not all things to all people. One observer instantly dubbed the program elevator music on steroids. But the routine was a hit yesterday at Skate Canada with those who matter most at these competitions -- the judges.
The new routine, performed to music officially described as progressive house/techno pop by the group DA Hool, earned the couple a perfunctory standing ovation at the Riverside Coliseum and impressive scores from the nine international judges. It also earned them a cheque for $30,000 US for winning their first major competition of the year.
"We were pretty nervous and excited before skating," Bourne, a Chatham native, said. "But it was great. And it was great the crowd was right into it."
The team's marks for presentation included three 5.9s (out of a possible 6.0), five 5.8s and a 5.7. If not for a slight stumble by Kraatz near the end, the technical marks would have been just as high. As it was, the challenging and fast-paced routine earned technical scores ranging from 5.6 to 5.8.
Bourne and Kraatz, three-time defending world bronze medallists, began the 1998-99 international season as victims to their own sense of innovation. By stunning skating fans with a marvellous rendition of Riverdance last season, they put pressure on themselves to raise the bar even higher.
The win yesterday was certainly a step in the right direction. But although the funky new piece dazzled many, it left others puzzled as to what exactly the program was supposed to be about.
There is no argument that Meet Her at the Love Parade is different and that, after all, is, the popular ice dance team's trademark.
Margarita Drobiazko and Povilas Vanagas of Lithuania finished second overall, followed by Sylwia Nowak and Sebastian Kolasinki of Poland. Quebec-based Megan Wing and Aaron Lowe remained ninth.
Bourne and Kraatz will compete next weekend at the Sparkassen Cup on Ice Grand Prix in Gelsenkirchen, Germany.
With defending world champions, Anjelika Krylova and Oleg Ovsyannikov of Russia, also entered, the competition promises to be more formidable than it was in Kamloops.