Delobel and Schoenfelder Withdraw from Worlds

[herios]

I disagree. I think it is unlikely that they will keep three spots, but I can certainly see P/B finishing higher than sixth, since they will come in as the top French team and have a high-scoring FD. C/J might finish as high as 8th or 9th - they would need to beat the NA teams to do so, but they are capable of it; theoretically they could also finish ahead of C/L - they came close to doing so at Euros. It seems unlikely that both will happen, but it is a possiblity. And I believe both of the French teams are better than you give them credit for. Also, we still need to see if there will be any other WDs, before or during the event.

I agree with you as well. Most liekly France won't retain the 3 spots, and that is sad if a strong team like C / J won't be able to participate at the Olympics should Del / Sch return healthy next year, but to make bold prediction regarding how the teams will place in the end is like playing roulette. There is no certainty how the 3 iinjured teams Dom / Sha, Bel / Ago and Vir / Moi will show up and if they will be skating as well as they were when they were injury free and regarding the rest of the top teams, they are quite tightly bunched as far as capability.
About Pechalat / Bourzat, they got better every time they skated this season and despite their FD was scored as well as 2nd at the Europeans, there is still room for improvement as Nathalie said in an article after the euros:

"Obviously, we need to change every element that did not get a Level 4. So we changed our combined lift in the free dance, which got a Level 2, and one of our step sequences. Nowadays, you need to be completely sure that your elements all get a Level 4. In fact, it may be rather detrimental to ice dancing and to creativity as a whole. "
Also, the protocols are not as carved in stone in ice dance as they used to be, so you never know what kind of surprises you may see.
So, in other words, this event is unpredictable imo.

[mycelticblessing]

I can't find the article right now, but they said that they won't keep their FD. They already have a lot of ideas for FDs that will look even more like "them".

I'm glad they'll be changing their FD. The Pink Floyd one was good, but they'll likely come up with something even better for the Olympics. I love their Carnival of Venice program from the previous Games!

Such a pity they had to withdraw. They really did have such a great chance to defend their title too!

[dorispulaski]

This is too, too sad.

Everything is so jumbled in dance, with so many injuries, that I can only stand and watch.

I would definitely not make any predictions.

[all that]

i will be at 2010 OLYMPIC FD.....i will kill 10 babies if i have to.

I hope all 10 babies are either yours or related to you.

[1795]

I hope all 10 babies are either yours or related to you.

understand sarcasm and satire

[evangeline]

It's a pity they have to withdraw, but perhaps Delobel will avoid a Shabalin-type situation next year when she's recovered properly.

I was looking forward to a Pink Floyd smackdown at Worlds this year, but I suppose this is for the best.

[Joesitz]

Sad, I think that gold title would have made them more of gold in the Olys.

As for three teams: I can see (or am I hoping?) - Pechalat/Borzaut as podium 3rd and Carron/Jost as top 10, probable 10th. It adds up for three in Vancouver.

[Audrey19]

Oh no...this is so sad...I feel so sorry for them
But olys are not far...the gold is gonna be theirs

[chuckm]

As for three teams: I can see (or am I hoping?) - Pechalat/Borzaut as podium 3rd and Carron/Jost as top 10, probable 10th. It adds up for three in Vancouver.

That would be a miracle.

P/B didn't even make the podium at Euros, being passed by the Kerrs, K/N and F/S. When you add in DomShabs, B/A, V/M and D/W, that could push P/B down 4 more places. Carron/Jost were 6th at Euros, and adding in the same top skaters plus possibly Samuelson/Bates would put them out of the top 10.