- Joined
- Jun 3, 2009
Rochette beat Asada three out of five times in the 08-09 season. I wouldn't necessarily predict it at the Olympics though. That said, I do think that Rochette (despite the Grand Prix Final) is a stronger skater than she's been, mentally. Dick Button said something along the lines that it's only been these past two seasons where she's really realized how good she was and that she can compete with the best in the world. The question than becomes does Vancouver frighten or energize her. I'm hoping for the latter. Competing on home turf energized Manley, but we saw Kostner collapse in 2006 (or Hubert in 1992).
I understand the trepidation to predict the easy favourites for 1-2-3 at the Olympics, as there's always someone who rises to the occasion (Arakawa, Hughes), someone who falters (fill in the blank), but sometimes, the easy favourites are the winners. Looking at Turin, the ice dance medalists mirrored the Worlds 05 medalists; men had Plushenko pushing the medalists down one spot, and pairs had two of the three medalists repeating. And the thing with Kim and Asada is at their best (using the season's personal best scores) are a full 10-15 points ahead of the rest of the field (as someone else noted - they can make mistakes and still be record-beaters), with Rochette/Ando/Kostner et al clustered below them (which makes the race for bronze a great one)..
I understand the trepidation to predict the easy favourites for 1-2-3 at the Olympics, as there's always someone who rises to the occasion (Arakawa, Hughes), someone who falters (fill in the blank), but sometimes, the easy favourites are the winners. Looking at Turin, the ice dance medalists mirrored the Worlds 05 medalists; men had Plushenko pushing the medalists down one spot, and pairs had two of the three medalists repeating. And the thing with Kim and Asada is at their best (using the season's personal best scores) are a full 10-15 points ahead of the rest of the field (as someone else noted - they can make mistakes and still be record-beaters), with Rochette/Ando/Kostner et al clustered below them (which makes the race for bronze a great one)..