I think it will be Ando or Nagasu for bronze. Flatt will be in there too. Of course, someone could take the silver from Mao. She's not a complete lock.
At this point, I'd say the bronze will be a three-way fight between Ando, Nagasu, and Flatt, with the outside chance of Suzuki, Lepisto, or Kostner sneaking in there. Alena and Ksenia are good, but I don't think they will get the PCS needed to be up that high. Most likely I think Ando will win the bronze, then after that I'd say Mirai, then Rachael. I just wonder where both Rachael and Mirai have skated so well at their past two competitions in a row, if they will be able to match performances of that calliber here in Torino. I hope so, but it's hard to know. Where Miki was not stellar at Japanese Nats or the Olympics, I'm wondering if she is poised to peak at the right time and skate her best performances of the season here. I guess we'll know soon enough.
ITA and have pretty much nothing else to add to Silverlake's assessment
Except this: It can't have escaped the attention of Rachael and Mirai that they have a very good chance of medaling with Joannie out of the picture. I hope that doesn't knock their focus too much. Probably Lepisto is thinking the same.
Miki would have been disappointed with finishing off the podium with or without Joannie.
Maybe Ando was too much of an afterthought in this preview. I mean, before the Olympics people were talking about her the being the surprise gold medalist if Kim faltered ... Just cuz she faltered at the Olys doesn't mean she should be dismissed as an afterthought behind nagasu and flatt just yet.
Other than that ITA with everything written.
I hope Chukum does an analysis of the Judges and Tech Panel once they are known which should be tomorrow.
I think with a new set of judges, Miki and Rachael may very well join the group battling for a bronze.
I don't think anyone doubts that.
With a new set of judges if Miki and Rachael skate SP's like they did in Vancouver they could find themselves with much lower marks. I thought their SP scores were quite generous in Vancouver.
I think Mirai will be fine. Pressure? What pressure?
It would be interesting to see if the judges will continue to give huge +GOE to Yuna and if Mao and Yuna will get over 67+ PCS mark. If they get it, I think Marai definitely deserve at least 64-65 PCS mark. Laura probably 62-63, Ando 61-62 and Flatt under 60.
That's what I was wondering. I expect Yu-na to get huge GOE like always (it wasn't a one-time thing), but I do wonder if the gigantic PCS marks from the Olympics will stay.
If Yuna got huge scores in Vancouver there was a reason for it - it was the best she ever skated. It is completely justifiable that the world record holder - skating better than she ever has before would get higher scores than before.
The fuss over scores puzzles me at times because it is placement that matters. Yuna was close to perfect and the others were not.
Game, set and match to Yuna. Oh yea, and the OGM! The score is just icing on the cake and people will remember years from now that Yuna was the 2010 Olympic champion. Her scores will most likely be forgotten
I'm thinking along the same line. Her score may not be remembered but people will remember that she skated two very clean program with a lot of artistry and that she won the gold medal going away. I heard that she's in a more comfortable state of mind as she arrived in Torino for the World Championship. I think she will perform two wonderful programs at the world. It could be her swan song so I'm hoping that she'll finish her career on a high note.