The pairs long program concluded with an upset at the 2006 World Figure Skating Championships, in Calgary, Canada.
The headlines proclaims: "Catch them If You Can," after the pairs short program March 20, 2006. Dan Zhang and Hao Zhang's scores were as high as their split triple twist. It was assumed they would be the 2006 World Champions. As the pairs long program was finishing up, it was obvious China's number would not concede a victory to their team mates so easily.
Legendary Russian coach, Tamara Moskvina watched the pairs freeskate from the stands. Tamara is responsible for coaching two decades of Olympic champions. Her simple smile changed little when top pairs used moves that she brought to the sport. The pairs spin, for example, perfected when her pupil, two times Olympic pairs gold medalist Artur Dmetriev held the stretched up leg of his inverted partner (first Natalia Mishkutenok and then Oksana Kazakova), was performed by many of the top couples. "There's Artur's move," I said. "Yes, it is nice to see this and others," she replied.
When the last couple of the night, China's Qing Pang and Jian Tong, finished their enchanting freeskate to "Phantom of the Opera", I asked Tamara which pair she liked best. "This one," she replied, "Because the Russians were strong but heavy, and the other Chinese were good but boring. In terms of artistry, interpretation, using the music and beauty, this [Pang and Tong] was the best team."
No team skated a perfectly clean program, and Dan's fall on a throw lead many to assume the Zhangs had captured the title. But the judges agreed with Tamara and awarded Pang and Tong the top spot. Fellow teammates Zhang and Zhang were more than upset off the podium; they refused to partake in the victory lap where the medalists skate around the rink greeting fans.
It was clear the other medalists are good sports and friends, though. As the pairs completed their victory laps, they joked with each other and enjoyed their fans. Two-time world pairs champion Hongbo Zhao gave his countrymen a thumbs-up as he and partner Xue Shen congratulated this year's medalists from the stands.
Third place finishers Maria Petrova and Alexei Tikhonov enjoyed winning the bronze as well. Alexei even grabbed a fellow skater from the stands and carried him in his arms onto the ice before placing him back behind the barriers. USA's Rena Inoue and John Baldwin moved up to places in the world standings to finish fourth.
