Chapter 102 2017 Finals Awards
◎Dear seniors, did you see this◎
Ji Tiantian and Tang Yi performed two transitional dance steps together, then squatted together and performed the second set of twists.
They bent one leg and stretched the other leg out at the side, lowered their body, and did a squat twist. They still spread their hands flat at the side, making the petals bloom.
They spun at high speed on the ice, their skates rolling up large pieces of glittering ice flowers under them. Ji Tiantian's skirt fluttered fiercely on the ice.
The second set of five twists is completed.
"Ahhh!" They stood up together amid the audience's cheers.
Ji Tiantian and Tang Yi raised their hands together, bent their floating feet and sucked them on the knees of their sliding legs, doing the third set of twists.
They changed their positions and kept spinning, like two flowers in full bloom, falling and rising in the strong wind. But they always stubbornly spun on the ice and never fell.
The three groups of the most difficult twists were completed successfully.
"Ahhhh!" the audience cheered excitedly.
Mia and Lucas, as well as Katerin and Ivanov, who were sitting on the ice and watching, couldn't help but stand up and applaud Ji Tang's outstanding performance.
Ji Tiantian and Tang Yi performed a light waltz together, gliding out their synchronized twists.
They skated face to face. Tang Yi retreated, while Ji Tiantian moved forward. Ji Tiantian put one hand around Tang Yi's neck, and clasped her fingers with his with the other hand. Ji Tiantian looked up at Tang Yi, her eyebrows slightly furrowed, and the worry on her face was very real.
Tang Yi's face was a little pale, but as he looked at Ji Tiantian, there was always a gentle smile on his face.
The two people face each other, stretch their hands upwards at the same time, and do crab steps and bend down. They lean back together, with their bodies forming a 45-degree angle with the ice behind them. The two people form a blooming flower.
Due to injuries and time arrangements, Ji Tiantian was unable to compete with Ye Yidong in the crab step. But when she went to the ice dance school for training later, Ji Tiantian had plenty of time to practice this move.
Ji Tiantian and Tang Yi entered the second set of steps in the free dance - diagonal steps - with crab steps.
They will begin a varied set of footwork along the diagonal line that runs across the ice.
To the stirring music, they skated side by side, using the kilian grip on their hands. Then they switched to a face-to-face quickstep grip and continued skating backwards, changing their footwork.
"This set of steps is so unique..." A foreign ice fan in the audience commented, "Many of the steps are performed while skating backwards."
"Ah, I noticed it too!" Another ice fan next to him nodded vigorously, "No group would normally do that!"
"Yes! After all, walking backwards goes against biological instincts, and it is difficult to improve the speed and accuracy of the steps..."
On the ice, Ji Tiantian and Tang Yi changed their steps in an orderly manner, and the ice skates under their feet made crisp cutting sounds.
Ji Tiantian couldn't help but think of what happened a few months ago.
After her knee injury healed and she went to the ice dance school, she clearly stated her goal to the choreographer Clara. That was this season's free dance. She hoped that both sets of steps could reach level 4, so that they could complete the free dance full grade achievement. She hoped that Clara could help her with the choreography.
She and Tang Yi have been stuck at the difficulty level of one set of step-by-step movements at level three and one set at level four for a long time. She wants to make a breakthrough in this Winter Olympics season.
After Clara discussed with her husband Mark and their coaching team, they sat down for a meeting with Ji Tang and his team.
"This season, the grading rules for the step sequence are a little more stringent than in previous years. It is definitely not easy to get both sets of steps to level four. But after discussion, we feel that perhaps we can achieve your goal through a unique choreography." Clara spoke to Ji Tiantian and her group.
"The figure-eight serpentine step sequence you created in the Sochi season and have been using ever since is still very impressive, so it has always been able to maintain a stable level of four. This time, if you can come up with an equally impressive set of step sequences, you might be able to reach the full level." Clara paused and continued, "In fact, there are only a few steps and the steps of each combination are similar. The judges are tired of seeing it, so it is difficult to judge whose step sequence is better."
"We all understand the principle, but how do we come up with new and challenging steps?" Xu frowned and looked thoughtful.
"After discussing, we came up with an idea, which is backward skating." Clara looked at her husband, then spoke to Xu Chi, "In a set of step sequences, most of the difficult steps are completed by skating backwards. However, considering that the speed of backward skating may not be enough, it will affect the ice coverage rate. So the whole set of steps cannot be skated backwards. The ratio of backward skating to forward skating is about seven to three. Do you want to try it?" The last sentence was asked by Clara to Ji Tiantian.
"I do!" Ji Tiantian nodded vigorously.
"This must be quite difficult. I've never seen a pair skating backwards on the ice." Xu Chi sighed silently.
"Indeed, backward skating is more likely to cause misalignment of the blade, and it does not have an advantage in speed. If you are not careful, you may fall, so few people try it. But if you do it well, it will be very dazzling. You can stand out among a group of ice dancers skating forward. Judging from Tiantian and Tang Yi's current technical level and coordination, they should have no problem completing the backward skating transition. This is theoretically feasible and does not violate the rules of the International Skating Union. With more practice, the effect will definitely be good." Clara paused and continued, "I think Tiantian and Tang Yi may be able to use this set of backward skating transitions that most athletes dare not try to successfully challenge the full rating. You should all be familiar with similar methods, right?"
Xu Chi and Jiang Lin couldn't help but smile complicatedly when they heard Clara's words.
Yes, they are not unfamiliar. Ji Tiantian knew from the beginning that they were an Asian group that did not have an advantage in P points. To get high scores, they must continue to challenge the high technical difficulty. That's how they have come to where they are today, step by step.
But no matter what kind of difficulties they face, they will definitely overcome them. It was like this before, and it is still like this now.
"But in addition to the technical difficulty, there is another problem." Clara pondered for a moment and continued, "Technical movements actually serve the theme. We must think of a suitable free dance theme to control this unique set of step sequences. This theme... must be special enough and crazy enough." Only a crazy enough theme can control their two sets of challenging step sequences that are at the peak of difficulty.
"I've already thought of the theme for the free dance." At that meeting, Ji Tiantian seemed to be well prepared and looked at Clara with a bright smile.
She turned to look at Tang Yi, her voice lowered because of embarrassment: "Tang Yi and I have come a long way, to this point today... I think this matter itself... is quite crazy."
Victoria and William said that programs that focus on expressing emotions are easier to score points, so they can give it a try this time.
"I still remember when you first met, you didn't know what to perform in the free dance." Clara smiled in confusion, "How did you suddenly decide to be together? I can't figure it out. It feels so bizarre."
Ji Tiantian couldn't help laughing when she heard this. "Maybe this is fate." She said this at last.
It was destined that she and Tang Yi would be together to witness each other's madness.
After deciding on the theme, Ji Tang and Clara's team discussed the choreography and music selection, and the entire set of free dance was completed quickly.
Ji Tiantian quickly pulled herself away from her many memories and slid backwards side by side with Tang Yi. They clasped their hands in front of their chests and quickly changed the blades they used.
The scene around them was moving forward rapidly, but they moved backward without hesitation, their expressions and movements were extremely determined.
They are like two flowers flying against the wind.
If love tells me to go on
I will fight till the end of love
When skating in front of the referee, Tang Yi adjusted his position to face Ji Tiantian. He skating forward while Ji Tiantian skating backward.
As they slid quickly, they lifted their legs high behind them. They held one hand together and stretched the other hand high into the air. Ji Tiantian looked at Tang Yi with a bright smile. The white skirt fluttered in the high-speed gliding, like a flower, blooming to its fullest.
“Although I couldn’t understand the step sequence...but I thought they skated so beautifully!” someone in the audience exclaimed.
After completing other actions one after another, it reached the end.
Ji Tiantian and Tang Yi's final technical move was a set of choreographed twisting steps.
The choreographed twist steps require two people to do a set of at least two weeks of synchronized twists together, and then one person does at least two weeks of solo twists. The choreographed movements must be consistent with the music and theme.
Look, it's another spring breeze
When the petals leave the flower, the fragrance remains
Ji Tiantian and Tang Yi squatted together and spun quickly again, doing a five-week synchronized twist that no one else in the competition could match.
"Ahhh Tiantang is the best!" There was applause from the audience.
Tang Yi quickly retreated, slid around Ji Tiantian with his arms open.
Ji Tiantian lifted her floating leg high, stretched one hand out at her side, raised the other hand high, and performed the second set of solo twists lightly.
She raised her chin, gently closed her eyes, and spun on her skates at high speed. She was like a flower blooming on the ice, or like she was standing alone on the stage, dancing in ecstasy.
Tang Yi couldn't help but smile. In his eyes, there was only her figure.
He stared at her intently, just like the first time he watched her dancing to her heart's content on the dance school's stage. Year after year passed, but she never changed. So did he.
The light white skirt fluttered down, and the single five-week twist ended.
Amidst applause, Ji Tiantian and Tang Yi moved closer to each other, hugged each other tightly as the song ended, and completed their free dance.
Ji Tiantian wrapped her arms around Tang Yi's neck tightly, and her eyes instantly filled with tears. This free dance was full of the entanglement and love between their two lives.
Figure-8 serpentine step sequence, backward slide step sequence, five-week twist... they use extreme difficulty to express extreme love and pain.
"Everything was done very well." Tang Yi took a breath, rubbed Ji Tiantian's head, and spoke in a happy voice, "I have a feeling that we can get a high score this time."
Hearing Tang Yi's voice ringing in her ears, Ji Tiantian couldn't help crying. She wanted to ask him about his injury, but he spoke first and the first thing he talked about was the score.
She saw herself in him, so crazy, so desperate.
"I also have a hunch. Do you know what it is?" Ji Tiantian quickly stopped crying, broke free from Tang Yi's embrace, held his face, and said firmly, "We will present the most amazing work at the Winter Olympics."
Tang Yi looked at Ji Tiantian and smiled very softly: "I have never doubted this."
Ji Tiantian pursed her lips and couldn't help crying again.
She was, she thought, much luckier than she had ever realized.
She has a partner who is supportive and understanding, without whom she would not be able to fully blossom.
Tang Yi smiled and pressed his forehead against Ji Tiantian's, as if trying to comfort her in this way. But she pressed her forehead against his, tears falling uncontrollably.
In the audience, many audience members shed tears and applauded while crying.
"Aaaaah another day of crying over sweetie!"
"Woooooooooo sweet sugar... this isn't sweeter than a kiss!"
"Mom, why is it that the real ship I'm on is handing out candy, but I can't stop crying?"
Ji Tiantian held one of Tang Yi's arms and helped him slide towards the exit of the ice, trying to let him use his injured foot as little as possible.
Seeing Ji Tiantian and Tang Yi supporting each other, the audience applauded again. Chen Yusheng couldn't help but wipe her tears, and Ni Chuan also wiped his eyes quickly with his sleeves.
After getting off the ice, Xu Chi took Tang Yi from Ji Tiantian. Ji Tang and the coach went to the equal area to divide the players.
Many viewers were anxiously waiting for the scores and discussing the matter enthusiastically.
"I really like Tiantang's free dance this time! Her costume is not that fancy, and she is not playing a famous role, but I just feel... so full of emotions!"
"Yes, yes! It feels like they are not just expressing each other's company, but also their entire life."
"Wow... I don't know if the sweets can beat the goose group. The short dance is just a little bit ahead."
"I remember the scores. Big Goose No. 1's free dance technical score is 59.15, the program content score is 58.86, and the score is 118.01." An ice fan who is good at statistics opened the memo on his phone, "Tiantang's current career best score in free dance was obtained in the Four Continents last season. Technical score is 59.21, program content score is 57.91, and free dance score is 117.12... This time, the emotional expression of their free dance is obviously more mature than that of the Four Continents, and the difficulty of the transition steps has also increased! If the referee is fair enough, their results should be able to surpass the Four Continents! In this case... it is still very likely that their total score will beat Big Goose No. 1!"
"There is hope! Very hopeful!" An excited ice fan heard this and clapped his thigh vigorously. "The influence of North American referees is not that strong this season, and they treat our players and the Big Goose players almost equally, and they will not favor anyone."
"European referees are relatively neutral. Let's see what kind of scores they can give."
“I feel like there’s still a difference between Chinese and Western aesthetics…it all depends on how many points Tiantang can score with her technical moves!”
Ji Tiantian, who was sitting in the waiting area, was also a little nervous.
In both races, there were some minor flaws in their diagonal step sequence, so they only got level three.
But this time, every move they made was perfect. I wonder what the judges will grade and score them.
At this time, one of her hands was held by Tang Yi, and the other hand was held by Jiang Lin.
She felt that the temperature of Jiang Lin's palm was a little lower than hers. Although Jiang Lin didn't say it, it was obvious that the coach was more nervous than she was.
Don't be nervous, don't be nervous, Ji Tiantian closed her eyes and silently prepared herself mentally, you have created a work that you are very satisfied with, and there are no mistakes. This is enough.
You are worthy of your identity as an athlete and dancer, and worthy of all those who are looking forward to this competition. No matter what the final result is, whether the judges approve it or not, this will not change.
Suddenly, there was fierce applause in her ears. Ji Tiantian knew that this meant that their free dance scores had appeared on the score display screen.
"Ah! Sweetie!" Someone screamed excitedly, followed by intense howling.
Ji Tiantian slowly opened her eyes and looked at the score display screen.
Their technical score was 59.63, their program content score was 58.32, and their total score was 117.95.
This score exceeded all previous scores, becoming the best free dance result in their group's career and undoubtedly the best free dance result of the season.
Including the short dance score of 81.28, the total score is 199.23.
Their free dance P score was not very high, and their free dance score was slightly behind Big Goose No. 1.
However, they still relied on their short dance advantage to narrowly surpass Big Goose No. 1, which scored 198.91, and became the first in the Grand Prix Final.
Ji Tiantian subconsciously looked up and looked in the direction of Big Goose No. 1.
Although they were veterans, Dalia and Nikolai were both surprised when they saw Ji Tang's score. They seemed unable to believe what they saw.
"Ahhhh! Tiantang! Tiantang!" Chinese ice fans in the audience began to scream wildly.
"We won! We won!"
"Tiantang has been with me for seven years and won first place in the Grand Prix Final! Oh my god!"
"Oh my God..." Chen Yusheng looked at the score display screen in astonishment and couldn't react for a long time.
"We won, we won..." Ni Chuan couldn't believe his eyes and spoke incoherently, "In this case, then Jin...Jin..."
"Tiantian won the gold medal." Wang Hao, who was sitting next to her, nodded slightly.
"Sister Tiantian! Brother Yi!" Ni Chuan then jumped up and yelled loudly, "You are the best! Chinese stars! Asian miracles!"
In the waiting area, Xu Chi was comforting Jiang Lin who was crying, while Ji Tiantian and Tang Yi hugged each other tightly.
"Thank you." Ji Tiantian leaned against Tang Yi and spoke softly.
"I should be the one thanking you." Tang Yi hugged Ji Tiantian, rested his chin on her head and rubbed it gently.
"But I don't seem to have done anything for you." Ji Tiantian said sullenly.
"No, what I did for you is also what you did for me." Tang Yi's gentle laughter came to Ji Tiantian's ears, "Tiantian, you don't know, without you, I might not have lasted until this day."
"Really?" Ji Tiantian was confused. "Will you also have times when you can't hold on?" In her impression, he has always been an Iron Man.
"In my previous life, I had the idea of giving up several times. But when I thought that you were watching me from somewhere, I gritted my teeth and persevered. Before I knew it, so many years had passed." Tang Yi smiled and spoke to Ji Tiantian, "I want to see your eyes full of expectation. Although you may only like the way I look on the ice, I am still obsessed with that feeling."
"Tang Yi, you are sick." Ji Tiantian couldn't help but stretched out her hand to scratch Tang Yi's back. "There is no difference between the above and below the ice. I, and everyone else, like the real you."
"Now I know." Tang Yi's arms around Ji Tiantian slowly tightened, and his voice became deeper, "It's you who made me real."
In his previous life, he, like many European and American players, played the roles of prince, Romeo, Nutcracker, and many other kings and nobles in Western fairy tales on the ice.
He was never performing himself, and he couldn't even understand some roles. It was Ji Tiantian's choreography and performance that led him to a whole new world.
With each training session and competition, the way he appears on the ice becomes more and more like himself.
Now, what he shows on the ice are emotions that come from the heart.
Choosing to become an ice dancer in this life may be just a matter of habit. However, after holding her hand, he gradually discovered that he loved ice dancing more than he thought. It was she who made him realize this.
He held her hand and greeted the cheers from the audience.
The cheers continued like a tide. The score display showed the final ranking.
First place: China Ji Tiantian Tang Yi 199.23
2nd place Darya Nikolay of Russia 198.91
3rd place: Judy Jayne of Canada 194.03
4th place: Katerin Ivanov of Russia 189.16
5th place: Rita Thompson of the United States: 186.23
6th place: Mia Lucas of Canada 183.13
Mia Lucas and Katerin Ivanov came over to congratulate Ji Tiantian and Tang Yi.
"I cried all over my makeup while watching your free dance just now!" Katerin wiped her eyes and said to Ji Tiantian, "Fortunately I don't have to go to the podium."
"Wow, you guys are really great. You created a program that Lucas and I could never create in our lifetime!" Mia nodded in agreement, tears in her eyes. "Tiantian, you and Tang are so outstanding. You will definitely be happy in the future!" Lucas hesitated, sighed lightly, and said nothing.
"You are the ones who can perform both technical moves and emotional expressions to the extreme in this competition. Although you used Chinese songs, I believe that audiences and judges from all over the world can feel your strong emotions." Ivanov came over and shook hands with Ji Tiantian and Tang Yi. "I look forward to seeing your outstanding performance again in the Winter Olympics."
Ji Tiantian went to the information desk to get their free dance score sheet.
Except for the diagonal step sequence, all their technical moves have reached level four.
After a long time of hard work, the diagonal step sequence still did not get the ideal rating, which made Ji Tiantian feel a little disappointed. There was nothing wrong with the footwork, but the ice coverage rate needed to be improved.
However, she saw that this set of steps featuring backward skating had a high execution score.
Most referees gave a generous "+3", which is the highest execution grade. The highest execution grade is converted into the highest execution score. This can also be seen as another kind of affirmation.
In addition, their program content scores were also good this time. The connection and skating in the five items both exceeded 9.5 points, which is very close to the full score of 10 points, which shows that most of the judges recognize their solid skating skills.
The performance, music interpretation and choreography are still a little bit lacking, but they are all above 9 points, which is very good.
Among the nine judges, there were three North American judges. One of them gave them very low scores, but according to the rule that the highest and lowest scores should be removed in the final score, he was removed.
As for the other two North American judges, their scores were neither high nor low compared to other judges. Ji Tiantian didn't know whether the two were really moved by their performance or worried about being held accountable by the growing Asian ice fans in the future.
Suddenly, a quarrel was heard. Ji Tiantian looked in the direction of the sound and found that it was Big Goose No. 1 and his team arguing with the referee.
Just like the short dance queen, this time they were also arguing about the grading of the step sequence. Big Goose No. 1 was not targeting Ji Tang, but just couldn't accept the fact that they didn't get the gold medal. Besides, they felt that they had done well.
While replaying the competition video, the technical expert argued with the Big Goose No. 1 group, telling them that the difficult steps in their level 3 step sequence did not account for more than 75% of the entire set of steps.
Goose No. 1's expression gradually became depressed. Soon after, he also returned empty-handed.
"Is Big Goose Team No. 1 getting angry this time?" In the audience, some Chinese ice fans were also paying attention to the dispute between Big Goose No. 1 and the referee team.
"How can I not be anxious? This final is different from the past. It is closely related to the Winter Olympics." Someone replied, "The ranking this time is probably the same as the ranking in the Winter Olympics."
"Really? I don't think so. The score gap is so small! I feel like Big Goose No. 1 Winter Olympics is likely to be ahead of us."
"Yeah, hey, in the end it's all about who has the most stable technique, the best mentality and the fewest mistakes!"
"Compared to that... it's easier for Big Goose No. 1 to get P points, right? Oh, Tiantang, you better keep steady during the Winter Olympics!"
"But... I still think Tiantang has the strongest emotional outburst."
"No matter what, we got the gold medal this time! We won!"
"Yes, sweetie wins!"
There was a cheer in the stadium, and banners and national flags with Tiantang's photos printed on them were flying wildly in the audience.
"Next up is the Grand Prix Finals and the adult ice dance awards ceremony. Please invite the champion, third place, and second place groups to come on stage to receive their awards." Ji Tang's name began to be played on the radio.
Ji Tiantian hugged the two coaches, then helped Tang Yi walk towards the podium.
They skated onto the ice, saluted the audience, and then walked to the podium together.
The group of Judy Jayne, who won the bronze medal, and Dalia Nikolay, who won the silver medal, have already stood on their respective podiums.
Ji Tangxian hugs Judy Jayne.
"Your performance today was wonderful." Judy hugged Ji Tiantian, with admiration in her voice, "I'm afraid that only by paying a price that ordinary people can hardly imagine can we achieve such a magnificent achievement."
She looked at Ji Tiantian with a satisfied smile.
At first, she thought it was easy and even natural to beat the Asian duo, but now she knew that she had underestimated them.
She could see that the strength and ambition of this Asian duo far exceeded her imagination.
After hugging Judy Jane, Ji Tiantian came to Dalia and Nicholas. The two groups stared at each other and did not speak for a while.
Ji Tiantian took a deep breath, then took the lead in opening her arms to Dalia, smiling brightly: "We'll fight again in the Winter Olympics."
Dalia, who was originally very disappointed, was involuntarily encouraged by seeing Ji Tiantian's smile and curled the corners of her mouth.
"Well, let's work hard together." She hugged Ji Tiantian, her voice filled with high morale.
"Take care of yourself." Nicholas also hugged Tang Yi.
Afterwards, Ji Tiantian helped Tang Yi stand on the highest podium. Tang Yi's injury was not as serious as in the Japanese race, and Ji Tiantian was also more relaxed than in the Japanese race.
Ji Tiantian and Tang Yi supported each other and stood waiting for the chief referee to come and present the awards.
I must hold it in and stop crying, Ji Tiantian warned herself in her heart.
However, when the chair referee hung the heavy Grand Prix Final gold medal on her chest, Ji Tiantian's vision was still blurred.
"I am very happy to see your skills continue to improve." The chief referee smiled and shook hands with Ji Tiantian and Tang Yi. "Compared with the Sochi Winter Olympics season, the way you express your emotions has become more sophisticated. I look forward to your more outstanding performances."
"Thank you." Ji Tiantian thanked the referee with tears in her eyes, then stood up, wiped away her tears, and said to Tang Yi, "Tang Yi, tell me a joke quickly. I don't want to cry anymore."
Tang Yi lowered his eyes and thought for a while, then curled his lips and smiled, "I guess Chang Yu must be crying while watching the live broadcast in his hot pot restaurant. Can you imagine him wiping his tears while serving mutton to the guests?"
Ji Tiantian thought about the scene and couldn't help laughing.
"I guess he will lead many customers to cry with him." Tang Yi continued, "People passing by the hot pot restaurant thought something happened in the restaurant."
Ji Tiantian couldn't help laughing out loud. As she laughed, she started crying again.
She thought of Wei Xiao's injury during the Sochi Winter Olympics and the fierce competition between their two groups at the National Championships.
Wei Xiao, Chang Yu, and all the seniors, did you see it?
We're getting better.
"Please stand up and play the national anthem of the champion country." A voice came from the radio.
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