Roster Changes

[chuckm]

Drobiazko / Vanagas have dropped out of the GP and will be replaced at Skate Canada by Grunberg/Rand (Estonia).

That makes SIX new-to-Senior-GP dance teams on the SC roster:
Virtue/Moir
Mikhailova/Sergeev
Davis/White
Platonova/Maksimishin
Pratt/Gilles
Grunberg/Rand

Of course, V/M has beaten all these teams on the JGP, JGPF and JW last season. In addition, they have beaten Yu/Wang and LeFebvre/Markov, and Yu/Wang beat Romanovskaya/Grachev. That means V/M can finish no lower than 4th at SC, and if Navarro/Bommentre and Faiella/Scali don't skate well, they could finish as high as 2nd.

[Joesitz]

Keep your eyes on Navarro/Bommentre at Skate America. This is a much improved team out to beat Matthews/Zavosin. If they do, they will give Virtue/Moire a run for the podium at Skate Canada. JMO

Joe

[chuckm]

There is also the very outside possibility that Davis/White could outskate V/M. They gave V/M a run for the money last season a couple of times, and D/W really burned up the ice at Lake Placid last week, winning every event they entered. I think the US has another young up-and-coming dance team, and one that has stuck together through thick and thin for years.

[slutskayafan21]

Looking at the new lineup I could see a 3rd place finish possably for Virtue/Moir.

[4dogknight]

As of 8-29 ISU Ice Dance entries roster on ISU:

Grete Grunberg / Kristin Rand (Est) out, replaced by
Kamila Hajkova / David Vincour (CZE)
This team placed 19th at Euros in 2006, other than this piece of information I know nothing about this team.

Anyone have further information?

[4dogknight]

Silvio Smalun is listed as Retired on the 9/6/06 ISU Men's Entries roster. Silvio was also slated to compete in the NHK.

Does anyone have anything further on Silvio's retirement? I must say that I'm very surprised and was looking forward to seeing him compete this season.

4dk