2014 Worlds: Which Skaters are not going?

[phaeljones]

For the U.S., the wildcard is of course . . . Abbott.

The United States has one of the best chances it has had in a long time to get the third spot, but a lot (perhaps too much) will depend on which way the wind is blowing inside of Abbott's head (ie from left ear to right ear or from right ear to left ear as it passes straight through). My sixth sense is that the variation in the scoring for Abbott can take him anywhere, from a really great performance to a terrible one, BUT if he nails the short, then he will nail the fs. We'll know after the short how the U.S. is going to do. (All he has to do then is nail the short. One step at a time, Jeremy. Oh, I so hope you nail it.)

Aarron's fs skate at U.S. Nationals this year is, imho, one of the more over-looked skates of the season for senior men. My sense is that his artistry is a lot better as at the time of U.S. Nationals (overlooked because of reputation) than it has ever been while his jumps were all back and intact, so whatever Hell he went through at the beginning of the season, he came out the other end of it, better all around. His trajectory is a positive one and he is likely in the zone. If I had to bet on one skater coming through with their best skate, ie a personal best at worlds, I think it would be him.

post edit comment: When I think of all the different countries in men's skating, now that Chan is not competing, the United States is probably the second strongest country (ie behind Japan) and they will be getting stronger over the next quad.

 

[Mrs. P]

Well, I don't think the skaters who are going mind having another - better since some top names are skipping it - chance of collecting some hardware.

Meanwhile, I don't think putting it off 2-3 months would be a good idea - wouldn't that be when the skaters are starting to prepare for the next season?

Also, with a post-Olympic Worlds we would have missed out on moments like this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZD_N4FY3B0

and this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkl5k9j0aNo

and this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsCZCM8AKCU

and this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjIRqYYCBkc

and this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THKubKr_NRc

For the U.S., the wildcard is of course . . . Abbott.

The United States has one of the best chances it has had in a long time to get the third spot, but a lot (perhaps too much) will depend on which way the wind is blowing inside of Abbott's head (ie from left ear to right ear or from right ear to left ear as it passes straight through). My sixth sense is that the variation in the scoring for Abbott can take him anywhere, from a really great performance to a terrible one, BUT if he nails the short, then he will nail the fs. We'll know after the short how the U.S. is going to do. (All he has to do then is nail the short. One step at a time, Jeremy. Oh, I so hope you nail it.)

Aarron's fs skate at U.S. Nationals this year is, imho, one of the more over-looked skates of the season for senior men. My sense is that his artistry is a lot better as at the time of U.S. Nationals (overlooked because of reputation) than it has ever been while his jumps were all back and intact, so whatever Hell he went through at the beginning of the season, he came out the other end of it, better all around. His trajectory is a positive one and he is likely in the zone. If I had to bet on one skater coming through with their best skate, ie a personal best at worlds, I think it would be him.

I get that Max isn't everyone's cup of tea, but I actually was impressed by his performance at Nationals, even if I'm not a huge fan of his overall. He actually did two solid programs. He skates with a lot of speed and power -- which I think can be more appreciated if you see it in person -- and I think the reworked Carmen made the most of that.

I think what we saw at the beginning of the season was him taking on too much at one time. You can't up your technical arsenal AND try to improve your artistry. Once he was back to technical content he was more comfortable with I think he was able to perform more.

As I noted earlier Max is one of just five men to score 90+ in the FS internationally this season. At Worlds, he is one of just three (Hanyu and Machida are the other two). Even adding Fernandez, who has also score 90+ in the past, still the 90+ TES club is a limited one and Max is squarely in it.

 

[snowflake]

I tried to take my younger brother skating, he was terrified he would have to dress like Javier Fernandez !

Tell your brother that the fine thing with figure skating (unlike other sports) is that he can choose what he himself likes to wear.

 

[Meoima]

Tell your brother that the fine thing with figure skating (unlike other sports) is that he can choose what he himself likes to wear.

Yup, like this : http://s3-ec.buzzfed.com/static/2014-02/enhanced/webdr02/20/15/enhanced-13868-1392927285-5.jpg

Sorry for being off topic. I just couldn't help myself...

Anyways, the good side of this is we will have chances to see new faces on the podium.

 

[Skater Boy]

With both Marlie and Voir out, it looks like it's theirs to win.

I am surprised in some way that the Canadians - Chan and V and M can give up the money so freely for a world medal. IN the case of V and M almost guaranteed gold. A the last olympics short of injury Skate Canada made them compete. I really hope we don't simply say goodbye to chan with that performance. I think P and B will win gold in dance and yes several teams especially canada will lose skaters for 2015 (Canada could be down to one guy easily. I kind of like certainty so I am a bit miffed and P and B but life is life and let's be honest they knew a medal and a world title was their's if even one of D and W or V and M didn't compete

 

[snowflake]

Anyways, why don't ISU just skip the Worlds event that happened right after Olympic? All the good skaters are exhausted at this moment, not to mention the injuries. Or why don't they move the date, like 2 or 3 months after Olympic?

Oh, those fragile figure skaters… One month not enough to recover?? when other winter olympians compete already the week after the closing: Hockey players, ski jumpers, alpine skiers, cross country skiers etc. Oh, even some figure skaters: Viktoria Helgesson and Alexander Majorov competed at Nordics the weekend after olympics.

Happy about all skaters, olympians or not and newbies, who go to world's. Anyway isn't this like their job? I always have hopes for surprises and/or a new star to rise

What about Joubert? Is he going?
I know he's kind of ancient but he loves after-olympic Worlds and who knows what's better if thinking about 2 spots for France next year?

What I've heard Brian is not going.
Problem for France is more like having two guys to attend world's next season

 

[Anna K.]

What I've heard Brian is not going.
Problem for France is more like having two guys to attend world's next season

Yeah, I thought about that :scowl:

 

[LRK]

I would have wished that this would make the French fed appreciate Brian more retrospectively - but I seriously doubt it. They'll instead find someone else to pin the blame on, and no doubt make life generally hell for the skaters they've got left.... Though I wouldn't mind to be proven wrong! I think skaters should be able to expect support from their own fed at least...

 

[KJGL]

FWIW, for the curious....here are the stats had Jason been going:

Hanyu: 293.25
Fernandez: 267.11
Machida: 265.38
Ten: 255.10
Yan: 246.20
Brown: 243.09
Kovtun: 240.34
Liebers: 238.87
Aaron: 238.36
Abbott: 237.41
Brezina: 236.98
Majorov: 224.86
Reynolds: 222.23
Hendrickx: 214.24
Amodio: 213.39

Jeremy + Max combo = 8+9 = 17
Jason + Max combo = 6+8 = 14




Per this: http://radio.cz/en/section/news/figure-skater-tomas-verner-postpones-retirement

So now:
Hanyu: 293.25
Fernandez: 267.11
Machida: 265.38
Ten: 255.10
Yan: 246.20
Brown: 243.09
Kovtun: 240.34
Liebers: 238.87
Aaron: 238.36
Abbott: 237.41
Brezina: 236.98
Verner: 232.99
Majorov: 224.86
Reynolds: 222.23
Hendrickx: 214.24
Amodio: 213.39

That's actually pretty close (to 13) for Aaron/Brown. Plus, they're both staying in and the third slot they'd be going after could conceivably end up being theirs next year, so motivation-wise they're the two that would want it more.

I don't know why I keep re-hashing this. It's a done deal, but..but...never mind :disapp:

 

[Buttercup]

What about Joubert? Is he going?
I know he's kind of ancient but he loves after-olympic Worlds and who knows what's better if thinking about 2 spots for France next year?

Joubert is done. He's said all along that the Olympics will be his final competition. Physically he's had a challenging season - he's said that his body feels much older than 29 - and he's ready to move on with his life. He was signed up for Plushenko's tour, but that's not going to happen. I'm not sure if he has alternate plans, only that he'll be in a Mishin tribute show next week and will be past of the French tour next month.

I sincerely hope for Amodio's sake that he can manage the sort of post-Olympic comeback that Joubert has in the past. He really needs a good showing, even if a medal is very unlikely.

 

[ice coverage]

I am surprised in some way that the Canadians - Chan and V and M can give up the money so freely for a world medal. IN the case of V and M almost guaranteed gold. A the last olympics short of injury Skate Canada made them compete. I really hope we don't simply say goodbye to chan with that performance. ...

At the time of Worlds 2010, Virtue/Moir said that from the beginning of the season, they always had plan to competed there, no matter what happened in Vancouver.
And why would they have wanted to skip Torino Worlds? They still were hungry for their first World gold.
Virtue in fact was battling chronic pain at the time -- which led to her second surgery in the autumn, forcing them to miss much of the 2010-2011 season.

As for Chan, just yesterday he said (I'm paraphrasing) that his competitive career is not over -- although he is not going to Worlds this year.

http://www.icenetwork.com/news/2014/03/03/68643898/davis-and-white-virtue-and-moir-chan-skip-worlds (Mar 3)​

 

[phaeljones]

That's actually pretty close (to 13) for Aaron/Brown. Plus, they're both staying in and the third slot they'd be going after could conceivably end up being theirs next year, so motivation-wise they're the two that would want it more.

I don't know why I keep re-hashing this. It's a done deal, but..but...never mind :disapp:

I am always reminded though on seeing these posts that time is on the U.S. men's side. If not this year, then next. It is going to be a great quad for U.S. men.

 

[cebi26]

Go Yulia

 

[KJGL]

I am always reminded though on seeing these posts that time is on the U.S. men's side. If not this year, then next. It is going to be a great quad for U.S. men.

Very true. And for the women as well, I think. The teams really do look well positioned to move past what's been a longer transition than we American figure skating fans are used to.

 

[Ryan O]

What about Joubert? Is he going?
I know he's kind of ancient but he loves after-olympic Worlds and who knows what's better if thinking about 2 spots for France next year?

I don't think Joubert is even on the entry list, so I'd say he's definitely retired, which I think he said he was doing after the Olympics. I will miss Joubert, but I think he realized he had gone as far as he could, and like Takahashi, he is one of the older men who is pushing 30. He had a better feeling about how he did at this Olympics than the previous ones, so I think he finished on a decent note.

 

[karne]

Not that it was ever likely, but I think Joshua Farris just dropped to the bottom of the alternate list...he posted on twitter a couple of hours ago that he just got his wisdom teeth out. The dentists don't usually like you to skate after that for a while.

 

[Ryan O]

I would have wished that this would make the French fed appreciate Brian more retrospectively - but I seriously doubt it. They'll instead find someone else to pin the blame on, and no doubt make life generally hell for the skaters they've got left.... Though I wouldn't mind to be proven wrong! I think skaters should be able to expect support from their own fed at least...

I agree. Although Brian was obviously past his peak in recent seasons and was no longer at the level he was back around 2007 when he was World Champion, he has been the most consistent French skater they have had over the past decade. He made it onto the World podium about half a dozen times in both the old and new system (although the latter proved more of a challenge).

Amodio is decent, but after all this time he has yet to get on the World podium once. The French federation will find out that it may be a while before they have another French man who can get the results that Brian did.

 

[Buttercup]

I agree. Although Brian was obviously past his peak in recent seasons and was no longer at the level he was back around 2007 when he was World Champion, he has been the most consistent French skater they have had over the past decade. He made it onto the World podium about half a dozen times in both the old and new system (although the latter proved more of a challenge).

Amodio is decent, but after all this time he has yet to get on the World podium once. The French federation will find out that it may be a while before they have another French man who can get the results that Brian did.

Joubert won one world medal under 6.0 (silver in 2004) and five, including his world title, in the current system. If you throw in the ten Euros medals, he has more ISU championship medals than anyone currently competing. So it's not just the French skaters who would have difficulty matching what he's achieved

My last post was the final one in the previous page, so I'll just repeat what I wrote there:

Joubert is done. He's said all along that the Olympics will be his final competition. Physically he's had a challenging season - he's said that his body feels much older than 29 - and he's ready to move on with his life. He was signed up for Plushenko's tour, but that's not going to happen. I'm not sure if he has alternate plans, only that he'll be in a Mishin tribute show next week and will be past of the French tour next month.

I sincerely hope for Amodio's sake that he can manage the sort of post-Olympic comeback that Joubert has in the past. He really needs a good showing, even if a medal is very unlikely.

 

[MidnightSkater]

Tell your brother that the fine thing with figure skating (unlike other sports) is that he can choose what he himself likes to wear.

He thought it was like football, you had to wear what everyone else does !.
Even though I have really enjoyed watching V/M & D/W these past five years, I'm kinda ready for the new crop of Ice Dancers to come through.
I don't think P/B will win Worlds though. I think maybe the judges will be looking to the future too.
The sentimental favourites tend never to win post-Olympic Worlds.
B/K in both 98' & 02'.
D/V in 06'.
I really hope they skate like they did in Sochi & go out on a high.

 

[tana]

It's official. Adelina Sotnikova won't compete for the 2014 Worlds. She's listed as a 3rd sub. Pogo and Lip get to go. Good for Adelina. She does need a rest from this lengthy & stressful season and there's always a next year for that world's gold medal.

Link: http://www.isuresults.com/events/cat00028068.htm