Who Will Show Up?

sk8tngcanuck · Jan 23, 2006

I know I am jumping the gun, but I am very excited about the prospect of possibly going to Worlds (Skatersmom check your messages!)

While I am excited about Olympics, I can't help but feel a little disappointed about the chance that top contenders won't show up for Worlds. There is a good possibility that I will be taking my 10 year old to Worlds this year, and of course she wants to see Sasha and Michelle.

Who do you think will show up in Calgary in March?

My wish list:

Sasha
Michelle
Irina
the Japanese contingent
Joannie
the Georgian girl (can't remember her name)
Carolina

Who I think will show :

Joannie
Japanese contingent
the Georgian girl

Canuck

Mathman · Jan 23, 2006

Michelle is not on the U.S. Worlds team. I think Sasha will go. Why not? So it will be Sasha, Kimmie and Emily for the U.S.A.

MM

Tonichelle · Jan 23, 2006

Isn't "World Champion" one of Sasha's goals? barring illness or injury she will probably go...

Irina might also continue through to the end of the season, but who knows!

I'm pretty sure Belbin & Agosto will continue after the olys... but again this is all speculation

I think it will really depend on how much of an emotional roller coaster the skaters go through this time around...

euterpe · Jan 23, 2006

I expect to see Irina at 2006 Worlds, whether or not she wins the OGM, but that could change based on health concerns.

Sasha? Certainly not if she wins the OGM. If she wins an Olympic medal, she might go to Worlds if Irina is not there (that could be her last shot at World gold), but if Irina is there, she will probably pack it in.

Under normal circumstances, Michelle should not be at Worlds because her petition was for Torino only. However, if Sasha doesn't go and Michelle had a good result at Torino, it is possible the USFS might want to send her to replace Sasha. A team of Meissner, Hughes and Taylor would likely not hold onto the three Ladies spots for 2007 Worlds and in the worst case, might leave the US with just one.

R.D. · Jan 23, 2006

I'm not even sure if Sasha would go.

MK is not on the world team now, and I have a funny feeling she's going to retire after the Olympics. If she can't go, she may retire now.

I don't see many of the top contenders making it past Feb. I think everyone is going to be caught up in the Olys. Also, I don't think we'll be seeing the OGM at Worlds (unless it's Irina- and we all know that's 95% likely to happen, right?). Or maybe even Irina may opt not to go.

Frau Muller · Jan 23, 2006

Worlds 2006 is in Canada with a heavily pro-North American (not to say "anti-Russian") crowd. Irina will most likely not go. In fact, most of the Russian gold medalists at Olys (and this is assuming that Russians will win each of four golds) are likely to bypass a North American Worlds. T

The Russians' collective experience at the last N.Am. Worlds (Wash, DC 2003) was not very nice, crowd-reaction-wise. Even their lone gold (Plushy) was met with near-silence, as the crowd was upset that Tim Goebel was judged 2nd to Plush. Everyone who was there will surely remember that 'fiasco.' [I even had a Russian flag yanked from my hands by an angry American fan, as I tried to wave it for Plush during the medal ceremony!]

Reactions to all Russian favorites was tepid in DC. Tot/Mar even commented in an interview at the time (for a Russian newspaper) that they felt a general coldness of the audience towards all Russians. The top Russian ice dancers also commented the same - that they received almost no applause as the crowd heavily favored Bourne/Kraatz.

Tonichelle · Jan 23, 2006

considering Canada is a little more likely to just be excited about skating I doubt they'd have the same experience

skaters from all over the world love skating in Canada because the crowd recieves everyone with thunderous applause...

euterpe · Jan 23, 2006

I recall Lobacheva/Averbukh's performance at DC Worlds. They did a poorly-skated 'rock'n'roll' program in hideous chartreuse costumes and wondered why it didn't go over well with the US audience. And Ilya had the ill grace to comment that they were robbed. I think if B/A had attempted to do an FD based on Russian folk dances in Moscow, they would have gotten a similar tepid reaction and no silver medal.

And if I am not mistaken, TT/MM were doing that horrid "Cotton Club" routine. They never understood the genre and the music, and they did not skate it well. It's no wonder they didn't get an enthusiastic response.

In both cases, the teams were trying to interpret American themes and were not successful. If they had simply chosen music they could relate to, they might have gotten a better reception.

hockeyfan228 · Jan 23, 2006

euterpe said:
I recall Lobacheva/Averbukh's performance at DC Worlds. They did a poorly-skated 'rock'n'roll' program in hideous chartreuse costumes and wondered why it didn't go over well with the US audience. And Ilya had the ill grace to comment that they were robbed. I think if B/A had attempted to do an FD based on Russian folk dances in Moscow, they would have gotten a similar tepid reaction and no silver medal.

Actually, Shedritsa, which has a solid history for Russian skaters, got a very fine reception in Moscow. However, their "Green Acres" exhibition went over like a lead balloon.

T/M and N/K are retiring after the Olympics. Whether Plushenko will show up to regain his world title is still up in the air.

Joesitz (RIP) · Jan 23, 2006

It seems to me that the Russian skaters enjoy skating in North America. Their World championships are important to get these gigs.

Joe

CDMM1991 · Jan 23, 2006

I think Plushenko might show up to get one last world title. That way, assuming he has already won the Olympics, he would have equaled, if not exceeded Yagudin's accomplishments.

LBC · Jan 23, 2006

euterpe said:
I expect to see Irina at 2006 Worlds, whether or not she wins the OGM, but that could change based on health concerns.

Sasha? Certainly not if she wins the OGM. If she wins an Olympic medal, she might go to Worlds if Irina is not there (that could be her last shot at World gold), but if Irina is there, she will probably pack it in.

Under normal circumstances, Michelle should not be at Worlds because her petition was for Torino only. However, if Sasha doesn't go and Michelle had a good result at Torino, it is possible the USFS might want to send her to replace Sasha. A team of Meissner, Hughes and Taylor would likely not hold onto the three Ladies spots for 2007 Worlds and in the worst case, might leave the US with just one.

Michelle isn't even named as an alternate to the world team. I think you have to be an alternate on the list before you can replace anybody. Katy is 1st alternate, Bebe 2nd alternate.

euterpe · Jan 23, 2006

A federation can name anyone it wants to a World team, alternate or not.

millie · Jan 23, 2006

Frau Muller said:
Worlds 2006 is in Canada with a heavily pro-North American (not to say "anti-Russian") crowd. Irina will most likely not go. In fact, most of the Russian gold medalists at Olys (and this is assuming that Russians will win each of four golds) are likely to bypass a North American Worlds. T

The Russians' collective experience at the last N.Am. Worlds (Wash, DC 2003) was not very nice, crowd-reaction-wise. Even their lone gold (Plushy) was met with near-silence, as the crowd was upset that Tim Goebel was judged 2nd to Plush. Everyone who was there will surely remember that 'fiasco.' [I even had a Russian flag yanked from my hands by an angry American fan, as I tried to wave it for Plush during the medal ceremony!]

Reactions to all Russian favorites was tepid in DC. Tot/Mar even commented in an interview at the time (for a Russian newspaper) that they felt a general coldness of the audience towards all Russians. The top Russian ice dancers also commented the same - that they received almost no applause as the crowd heavily favored Bourne/Kraatz.

I strongly disagree with your assumptions that the Russian team will not be greeted with admiration and respect when they attend Worlds in Canada. That's an unfair statement. Canada has and always will respect athletes from other countries. The Russian skaters as well skaters from other countries has always recieived a glowing welcome from the Canadian fans. Please don't tar everyone with the same brush.

attyfan · Jan 23, 2006

The USFSA only has two alternates for the world team -- what if something happens to all three skaters (say, Sasha wins gold, retires; Emily and Kimmie get the flu, etc.)? I'm sure there is some "loophole" that the USFSA could use, especially if Michelle doesn't go to Torino -- and the media angle would be "1994 repeats itself", with Michelle out of Olys, but going to Worlds to earn the max allowable places for ladies the next year.

LBC · Jan 23, 2006

I just went over to the ISU site to read the rules. The entries plus 2 alternates have to be named 21 days before the event starts. Under special circumstances they can get an exception.

Michelle has to either be named as an entry or as an alternate by February 28th if I counted back 21 days right. If they don't name her as a alternate then she can't go unless there is that nightmare scenrio attyfan had.

euterpe · Jan 23, 2006

We know for certain that TT/MM and N/K will be retiring after Torino, especially if they win the OGM. So if Slute and Plushy (assuming they win OGMs) decide not to go to Calgary because they don't feel welcome, then the 2007 World team will have at best two Ladies and two Men.

The Russian federation would be cutting off its nose to spite its face.

soogar · Jan 24, 2006

Frau Muller said:
The Russians' collective experience at the last N.Am. Worlds (Wash, DC 2003) was not very nice, crowd-reaction-wise. Even their lone gold (Plushy) was met with near-silence, as the crowd was upset that Tim Goebel was judged 2nd to Plush. Everyone who was there will surely remember that 'fiasco.' [I even had a Russian flag yanked from my hands by an angry American fan, as I tried to wave it for Plush during the medal ceremony!]

Reactions to all Russian favorites was tepid in DC. Tot/Mar even commented in an interview at the time (for a Russian newspaper) that they felt a general coldness of the audience towards all Russians. The top Russian ice dancers also commented the same - that they received almost no applause as the crowd heavily favored Bourne/Kraatz.

Well the Russian skaters can blame their Federation for that. I was disgusted by the Russian Fed's actions during the ladies event in 2002 Olympics. The pairs event was already a disgusting media circus that should have never happenes. Then Irina has that crap performance in the ladies and gets 4 first place votes and the Russian Fed wants to file a protest for a second gold medal. It was ridiculous and I believed that it left a sour taste in a lot of fans' mouths.

As for T&M and the Loverbukhs, well those aren't the best people to judge audience reaction. T&M were always dead on the ice and the Loverbukhs were a sucky ice dance team. As for Plush, well Tim should have won that World title. That was Tim's shining moment and I don't blame the crowd for feeling let down that a lackluster Plush won the World title. I don't think it has anything to do where a skater is from. In 2002, Alexei and Plush were very well rec'd by the SLC audience (at least from what I could tell on TV).

Joesitz (RIP) · Jan 24, 2006

Calgary Worlds may just be the fresh air we've been waiting for.

Excidra2001 · Jan 24, 2006

Well, i'm a Canadian and I love the top Russian skaters. I remember 2001 worlds, Slutskaya was the favorite to win and Kwan was coming from behind. Even though the audience was pro-Kwan, Slutskaya still got a roar from the audience and a standing ovation in the free.
Many foreign skaters have said nothnig but good things in regards to Canadian audience. We love skating here, and when a international competition comes to town we show our appreciation.

By the way, just because the Americans are close to us in proximity does not mean we admire all their athletes. We will cheer for our own athletes first and everyone else plays second fiddle. D&L will drive the audience crazy, mark my words. :biggrin:

Who Will Show Up?

sk8tngcanuck

Mathman

Tonichelle

Idita-Rock-n-Roll

euterpe

R.D.

Frau Muller

Tonichelle

Idita-Rock-n-Roll

euterpe

hockeyfan228

Joesitz (RIP)

CDMM1991

LBC

euterpe

millie

attyfan

Custom Title

LBC

euterpe

soogar

Joesitz (RIP)

Excidra2001

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