World Champions in singles this year?

**slutskayafan21** · 10-08-2006, 12:14 AM

Earlier I did a poll on who the World Champions would be, but it was poorly done since I had to join people together to fit it in which made no sense. So who do you think the singles World Champions will be? I limited to the people who made the most sense I believed. Vote for one man and one women.

I included Weir over Buttle, despite their competitive records at Worlds/Olympics the last couple years, because what I hear about Buttle's summer is not promising. I exclude Takahashi as one of the top mens choices since he seems destined to be a big underachiever, and I just Oda as more of a threat right now.

**slutskayafan21** · 10-08-2006, 03:44 AM

Amazed to see 3 of the first 4 voters(3 of 3 excluding myself)vote "other" for the womens singles champion.

**antmanb** · 10-09-2006, 10:57 AM

I voted Joubert. Personally i prefer his skating to Lambiel (though only generally their competitive programs) and i think that Joubert's big albatross has been Pluschenko and without him around i think Joubert's confidence will increase he'll not be worrying so much about his rivalry with Plushcenko and will skate up a storm. I'd love to vote for Weir but i just don't think he'll get the clean full jumping pass program done.

For the ladies i'm thinking that the young guns that have all the limelight will have too much pressure and they will crumble under it. Mao already showed at last year's junior worlds that sometimes the expected winner can fall short. I think Meissner has a good chance of repeating as world champion but i just have a feeling that the kids will falter and a lady with more experience at the big events will skate to the top...i'd love it to be Rochette but i expect it more likely to be a skater like Fumie who has plugged away time and again...and what a swan song it would be to pull out the home voctory gold and retire...

Ant

**Spun Silver** · 10-09-2006, 03:12 PM

I think it is wrong to count Sasha out. Her record is too good and it ain't over till she hangs up her skates. So, I voted other ladies and forgot to vote for men. I'm torn between Johnny and Oda so it would have been a tough choice.

**attyfan** · 10-09-2006, 04:32 PM

As far as the ladies go -- Yu Na has "the lucky letter" in her name, and (at least to the best of my knowledge), Mao Asada does not.

**Spun Silver** · 10-09-2006, 11:08 PM

Lucky letter??? "n"? Then it's gonna be Sasha for sure!

**attyfan** · 10-10-2006, 12:02 AM

Originally Posted by Spun Silver

Lucky letter??? "n"? Then it's gonna be Sasha for sure!

IMO, the only way it will be Sasha is if she changes the spelling of her surname to "Kohen". Since 1991, only one lady (Chen Lu) won gold without having the letter "k" someplace in her name. I counted them out:

1991 -- Kristi Yamaguchi -- also 1992

1993 -- Oksana Baiul

1994 -- Yuka Sato

1995 -- Chen Lu -- the exception that proves the rule (?)

1996 -- Michelle Kwan -- also 1998, 2000, 2001 and 2003

1997 -- Tara :Lipinski

1999 -- Maria Butyrskaya

2002 -- Irina Slutskaya -- also 2005

2004 -- Shizuka Arakawa

2006 -- Kimmie Meissner

**CzarinaAnya** · 10-10-2006, 12:37 AM

There are quite a few common letters in that list of names.

**Spun Silver** · 10-10-2006, 01:41 AM

It's looking very good for Yu Na, Miki, Yukari, and Aki (hey - Japanese ladies have an edge), and bodes well for a Yukina comeback.

But there is that alternative line of skaters with the common letters C - H - E - N and Sasha will come whizzing in on that line... without changing her name!

Focusing just on the E - N opens the door to Elene G, which my crystal ball tells me is the correct analysis.

I'm sure Mathman or TheatreGirl could express these probabilities to a high degree of accuracy.

**antmanb** · 10-10-2006, 05:25 AM

Originally Posted by Spun Silver

I think it is wrong to count Sasha out. Her record is too good and it ain't over till she hangs up her skates. So, I voted other ladies and forgot to vote for men. I'm torn between Johnny and Oda so it would have been a tough choice.

I'm confused i thought Sasha had said that she was taking this season off?

Ant

**Spun Silver** · 10-10-2006, 03:51 PM

She is still planning to do Nationals and Worlds... or at least hasn't ruled them out.
http://www.sashacohen.com/calendar.shtml

**Vodka Shot** · 10-12-2006, 12:58 AM

For the ladies: I haven't seen Yu Na or Mao skate so I went w/ Kimmie. I think she'll hold her title at least for a year just out of pure determination b/c I'm sure she's heard how many ppl think it was a fluke that she ever won it.

For the men: I gotta go w/ Johnny b/c I love him, I wanna elope to Canada and marry him, and then adopt Russian babies w/ him. There is nothing scientific, logical, or practical to it- I just love him and I'm a very optimistic person.

Ok Ok I'll be serious...Lambiel's health imo isn't gonna make it through the season, Oda is all hype imo, and Joubert has the tackiest, cheesiest, most god awful goddy programs in history and I'm *hoping and praying* that judges will start to insist on there actually being some grace and beauty to the sport in the men's field. However, Evan I think is def. a possibility.

ok, forget what I said Joubert will win; even though I HATE his programs!

**antmanb** · 10-12-2006, 05:18 AM

Originally Posted by Spun Silver

She is still planning to do Nationals and Worlds... or at least hasn't ruled them out.
http://www.sashacohen.com/calendar.shtml

Thanks for the update - good luck to her.

Ant

**slutskayafan21** · 10-12-2006, 06:19 AM

I hate Joubert skating honestly and find him overscored grossly but alot if it personal preference in the things I dont like about his skating I guess. Most of the objective things he does very well at, when he isnt screwing up that is.