Your "Best and Worst" of 2009 Worlds list...

[SamuraiKike]

I remember making a similar thread for last years worlds so here I go again , my overall impressions of Los Angeles 2009 :

Best Lights Out Progam : Davis & White FD. They got the loudest applause outskating all the teams that finally ended on the podium. Meryls reaction to the booing after their scores where showed is priceless!!
Honorable mention, KawaguchiSmirnov's SP... brilliant!!.

Worst Meltdown: A no brainer, Kostner catastrophic and painful to watch LP, from silver last year to out of top 10 and losing a spot for Italy, somewhere Valentina Marchei must be crying

Most Overscored: Not one really, Joubert and D/S in terms of a bit too high numbers but I believe overall their final placements were deserved.

Most Underscored: Khokhlova/Novitski, surely they weren't at her best but they were cruelly dropped IMO. :(


Happiest Moment: Yuna Kim and Maxim Shabalin at the podium, after all the injuries,, a dream come true. bravo. Honorable mention; Leonova's reaction to her LP scores...

Saddest Moment: None that stands out (thakfully) but I will say FraserLukanins big deductions and their loss of an olympic spot.

Breaktrough of the Year: Denis Ten, nuff said.

Dissapointment of the Year: Abbott and Czisny, when was the last time the two US national champions were out of the top 10 ??and on home field!!


Soo. please tell me yours...

[screech]

Best:
Placements for the most part are right (IMO). I don't have any disagreements with how things turned out, at least with regards to ladies and mens which is what I followed most.

Another great year for Canada with 3 medals. And another year with 3 pairs teams in the top 10 (yet unlike last year, not enough to get 3 teams for next year).

Worst:
PCS marks still not being judged as individual components - just because someone might deserve a 7.5 for performance/execution does not mean they deserve in the 7-8 range for transitions or choreography.

Another worst: Patrick's comments. I love the kid, but you can honestly express your opinion in a more diplomatic way.

[Medusa]

Best
Miki Ando's triumphant return into the Top Three of the world. Way to go girl.

Worst
Brian's face after the LP. Crushed little Frenchman

[Buttercup]

Best skate: Yu-na's LP, even with the mistake; the Zhang's SP, a real breakthrough for them; Savchenko and Szolkowy's LP, even with the fall; P/B's FD, always fun. I did not watch D/W and I don't really get them anyway.

Worst: Caro, hands down. That's probably even worse than Tomas last year. I hope she can come back from this.

Underscored: Tomas Verner and Denis Ten in the SP.

Great comebacks: Miki Ando, Elene whose last name I cannot spell, and in a way, Evan Lysacek.

Really deserving of some good karma in 2010: Candice Didier.

Worst moment: Brian Joubert looking so crushed after the LP. Brian should also get some good karma, come to think of it, for being so diplomatic this week!

Disappointment: Carolina Kostner. In 2006 Valentina Marchei missed out on Olys because Sylvia Fontana decided she wanted to come back. Now Valentina won't get to go because Italy is down to one spot.

So unlucky: 1. Pernelle Carron and Matthieu Jost, 9th in the dance, will likely watch the Olympics from home. He's 28. They might not stay for Sochi. 2. Roman and Sasha Zaretski miss their Olympic committee's criterion for Vancouver by one placement - again!

[gio]

Disappointment: Carolina Kostner. In 2006 Valentina Marchei missed out on Olys because Sylvia Fontana decided she wanted to come back. Now Valentina won't get to go because Italy is down to one spot.

I'm so sorry for Valentina, but if next year she beats Carolina, she should go to Olympics, no matter what!

Regarding the 06 Olys, it's true that Silvia decided to return, but it's also true that Silvia beat Valentina. So no Federation unfair's decision that year.

[Buttercup]

I'm so sorry for Valentina, but if next year she beats Carolina, she should go to Olympics, no matter what!

Regarding the 06 Olys, it's true that Silvia decided to return, but it's also true that Silvia beat Valentina. So no Federation unfair's decision that year.

I thought Valentina wasn't at Nationals that year. Which makes me wonder, was she injured? If that was the case, she was still unlucky, but it's not the same kind of bad luck. But if both were healthy, and since neither was really a serious contender, I'd have gone with the skater who hadn't gotten a chance at the Olympics yet.

I can't imagine the Italian Federation not sending Carolina, unless she really screws up on the GP circuit. She is the one who got that one spot, after all - I guess that will count for something. Can a skater qualify through the Nebelhorn even if his/her country doesn't have enough slots for Olys?

[eleonora.d]

I thought Valentina wasn't at Nationals that year. Which makes me wonder, was she injured? If that was the case, she was still unlucky, but it's not the same kind of bad luck. But if both were healthy, and since neither was really a serious contender, I'd have gone with the skater who hadn't gotten a chance at the Olympics yet.

I can't imagine the Italian Federation not sending Carolina, unless she really screws up on the GP circuit. She is the one who got that one spot, after all - I guess that will count for something. Can a skater qualify through the Nebelhorn even if his/her country doesn't have enough slots for Olys?

I think that spots at Nebelhorn will only be available for countries with no spots.

Valentina had 2 serious injuries in a row this year. At Nationals she tried to compete. Unfortunately she ended up 4th. She had a chance to go to Euros anyway but she gave up because of another injury. She was back on the ice just less than 2 weeks ago.

[wonderlen3000]

HIGHLIGHT:
Yuna finally winning the world title that eluded her the past two seasons.
Miki come back to the top 3 with my fav SP of the year. Just adore the music.
Evan winning the world.
Candace Didier showing the whole world figure skating not all about pretty dress and tutu. It takes guts and intense physical labour.
Kudo for Yuko Kawaguchi too.

LOW:
Chan bitching toward Joubert.
Joubert getting verbal ***** slaps from Chan.
Sandara and Scott annoying comments about skaters.
Chan's fans and all the media getting riot over his placement behind Joubert and Evan.

SHOCKER:
Mao missing the podium for the first time.
Kostner bombing. I know she is notorious for erratics FS, but this is major dissater even for skater of her reputation.

[SusieH]

Highs
--Yu-Na Kim's SP and her first world title. Loved both of her performances, especially the short. Very happy for this long-awaited and well-deserved title.

--Miki Ando finishing on the podium. Hooray for her! She even thought about retirement last year after the worlds. What a great comeback

--Sarah Meier's LP. So glad to see her back. I originally thought she would not be at worlds because of injuries. She is such an expressive and elegant skater, just so very special. Very happy that she skated a touching, beautiful long program and won the two spots for Switzerland!

--Mao's new LP costume. Very elegant design and color. Suits her much better than the previous one. Especially love the design of the skirt. Why oh why did she only wear it at the last event of the year? I want to see that dress again!

--S/S's LP. They have a new fan now. Totally blown away. It's the first time I feel I can possibly be enthusiastic about pairs events again ever since Shen and Zhao retired.

--Davis and White's OD and FD. I prefer V/M and still do, but I really loved D/W's performances this time. Sorry that they missed the podium at such a close margin :(

--Kozuka and Oda managed to get three tickets to Vancouver for Japan with the magic number 13. Hmm, not sure if this belongs to the "Highs" category, but I was very happy and relieved that all three of them get to go there.

Lows
--Number one, hands down, Carolina Kostner's meltdown. Won't call myself her fan, but like her alright and felt so bad seeing her bombing like that. I almost thought I was daydreaming when she hit the 2-1-1... She was very brave and classy to manage a small smile to the audience after that disastrous skate. Hope she gets some help (maybe see a sports psychologist?) and comes back strong next season.

--Patrick Chan's comments regarding Joubert. Not against speaking one's mind out, but could he find a more polite, more mature, and less personal way to do that? I think Joubert was at fault in choosing the wrong time and place to preach his quad theories last year at worlds, but Chan was ten times more intolerable and his attacks were very personal.

--Mao's finishing off the podium :( Hope she can be more consistent in her Lutz and Triple Axel next season.

--Didn't get to see Kozuka's "Save the Last Dance for Me" It is my favorite EX program from a male skater this year. Seeing shy Kozu trying to be all flirty is simply entertaining. Totally wuzrobbed.

[sillylionlove]

Highs
Evan winning...as much as I am not his biggest fan.....he really deserved to win and I really enjoyed watching him skate. Perhaps I might become a big fan....YIKES!!
Pechalat/Bourzat (sp?) I really loved their free dance. and I am going to say the same think about the Kerrs.
Samuel Contesti...never seen him skate before...loved him!!
Elena and Elene....they were really good!!
Joubert being beaten by two guys who didn't go a quad...there I said it!!

Low
D/S winning....I hated their program... but she does look better as a brunette.
Kostner...total meltdown....and really I somehow expected it....I really did.
Yuna winning..but before you scream at me...here's why.....she was so far ahead and her score was so high that she seems like she is totally unbeatable...will anyone be able to beat her in 2010? That doesn't make the Olympics too much fun!!
D/W not medaling...they really deserved to medal.
Denny/Barrett (sp?) placing higher then McLaughlin/Brubaker.....maybe that's a high since give them about 4 years and they will probably be really good...but it's also a sad state of the pair in the US!!

[iluvtodd]

quote from Susie H.

Highs

--Sarah Meier's LP. So glad to see her back. I originally thought she would not be at worlds because of injuries. She is such an expressive and elegant skater, just so very special. Very happy that she skated a touching, beautiful long program and won the two spots for Switzerland!

Thank you for reminding me about Sarah. I was delighted that she did compete at Worlds after all.

I I also really enjoyed Samuel Contesti. I've also got to laugh at this. Did I hear someone call out "Mazal Tov" (congratulations/good luck in Hebrew) to him after his free skate?

[skatingbc]

Highs

Canadian Team pulling it together again!
Tessa and Scott defying the odds and laying down an amazing free dance!
Patrick having the courage to say how he really feels, but...(see below)
Joannie's first medal at Worlds
Evan's Gold...Love how tall he is, even with the long, windmill arms!
Candice Didier showing the World that she's a tough cookie.
Yuko Kavaguti's recovery after a nasty fall
YU-NA'S GOLD!!!

Lows

Patrick taking things a bit too far with the personal comments.
I wish B/A could have switched places with D/W. (I don't get B/A...at all...)
Carolina's disaster
Tomas Verner losing a medal. (I think Michael Huth should get some sort of sports psychologist in for Carolina and Tomas. I think they desperately need one!)

SHOCKING>>>
Mao not on the podium!

[cloudkicker09]

So unlucky: 1. Pernelle Carron and Matthieu Jost, 9th in the dance, will likely watch the Olympics from home. He's 28. They might not stay for Sochi. 2. Roman and Sasha Zaretski miss their Olympic committee's criterion for Vancouver by one placement - again!

I am a strong follower of Israeli figure skating, and I have to say I hope and pray that we will see the Zaretskis in Vancouver, but I have a feeling that we will. Galit Chalit is their coach, her father is the head of the Israeli Figure Skating commitee and there is already talk that Roman will carry the flag in Vancouver. So G-d willingly Bezrat Hasehem (with G-d's help in Hebrew) they WILL be there.


BIGGEST Disappointment: not seeing Fedor skate and Brian's heartbreak after the long program, and it was on my birthday too.

[Tonichelle]

Highlights:
Ben and Tanith coming back from injury to skate like that
EVAN WINS!
German pairs team, nuff said.
Oxygen LIVE coverage

Disappointment:
Tanith and Ben feeling they need to lose themselves in order to win.
Alissa's SP
NBC's tape delay coverage :sheesh:

[Kwanford Wife]

The Best:
Watching Yu Na snatch that gold medal with fire, passion and technical ability that had the effect of giving me something the cheer about

Miki Ando coming back once again to do more than make the podium but to show off that technical skill along with more than a little sass - loved it!

Tanith & Ben's triumphant return - no they didn't win but displayed their talent despite a several speedbumps along the way - glad to see they haven't lost thier fight

Oxygen's Live coverage. I hope skating gets smart and figures out there is more than one way to present coverage.

The Worst:
Sandra's commentary - she's so annoying! Bring back back Peggy & Dick!!!