Pick the podium....

I thought I'd start off this forum since watching the grand prix series has really set up some interesting rivalries. Not many prohibitive favorites this year.... So who are your picks for the podium in each of the four disciplines? Here are mine....subject to change, of course....


Mens:
1. Jeff Buttle
2. Emmanuel Sandhu
3. Fedor Andreev

Ladies:
1. Joannie Rochette
2. Jennifer Robinson
3. Annie Bellemare
(in ladies I'm hoping to see some great newcomers I can really get behind for upcoming seasons. I seem to hope that every year, sigh.)

Pairs:
1. Langlois and Archetto
2. Putnam and Wirtz
3. Marcoux and Buntin/Wakamatsu and Fecteau
(I predict a fabulous competition in pairs this year.)

Dance:
1. Dubreil and Lauzon
2. Wing and Lowe
3. someone new?

Dance

1.Dubreuil/Lauzon
2.Lefebvre/Markov (I saw them at EO sectionals, and think they can really do well here!)
3.Wing/Lowe (I really like them. so I'm torn here!)

Pairs

1)Langois/Archetto
2)Wakamatsu/Fecteau
3)Puntam/Wirtz
4)Marcoux/Buntin
5)Lee/Faustino (I agree- this one will be exciting- any of them COULD win!)

Men

1)Sandhu
2)Buttle
3)Ferrero
4) Andreev

Ladies

1) Rochette
2) Robinson
3) Bellemare (Also waiting for a new face here!)

ITA that pairs is going to be awesome this year! Either that or its going to be a splatfest, LOL At any rate, here are my hopes for the podiums.

Ladies
1. Jennifer Robinson (I met her in Windsor and she is wicked cool)
2. Joannie Rochette
3. Annie Bellmare

Mens
1. Jeff Buttle
2. Emanuel Sandhu
3. Ben Ferriera

Pairs
1. Langlois and Archetto (This is their year, it HAS to be!! )
2. Putnum and Wirtz
3. Wakamatsu and Fecteau (Those last two could be switched and I would be fine with that)

Dance
1. Dubriel and Lauzon
2. Wing and Lowe
3. I have no third pick because I don't even know who any other dance teams from Canada are!! LOL

And thank goodness for random text messaging because I will be in Atlanta for the US Nats and won't know any results from Canadians otherwise! I have two friends who are going to let me know results as soon as they know them. Friends are good indeed, LOL

I just want to Langlois and Archetto to skate CLEAN and awesome... I don't want to predict the pairs for two reasons

I have only seen Ana and Pat's SP LOL and because I don't want to jinx them! LOL

Buttle - he's on a roll.
Sandhu - he'll pull through
Ferreiro - he's overdue

Robinson - So elegant but
Rochette - is looking gooood.
Don't know others

L&A
dont know others

Wing and Lowe - for the upset
Dubriel and Lauzon - good team.
don't know others

Ladies
1. Joannie Rochette
2. Jennifer Robinson
3. Annie Bellmare OR Michelle Currie

Mens
1. Emanuel Sandhu (this is usually where he skates his best)
2. Jeff Buttle
3. Ben Ferriera

Pairs:
1. Langlois and Archetto (they will not repeat what happened last year)
2. Marcoux and Buntin
3. Putnum and Wirtz

Dance:
1. Dubreuil/Lauzon
2. Wing/Lowe
3. Lefebvre/Markov

MEN:

1st - Emanuel Sandhu (as much as I want Jeff to win, I believe from here on to worlds he'll be on a role)

2nd - Jeff Buttle (he should be 2nd hands down, him and Eman should be a distant 1st and 2nd from the rest of the pack)

3rd - Ben Ferreira (I think he doesn't have much challenge if he nails the quad, Fedor is having a dismal season, maybe Nic Young)


LADIES:

1st - Joannie Rochette (I know I sound optimistic, but she's due for 3 great skates, and it's time for a new crown, I believe SC likes her more over Bellemare, she's young and Bellemare has had so many letdowns)

2nd - Jen Robinson (Bellemare could also beat her but I doubt they would want a previous champ to drop any lower then 2nd)

3rd - Annie Bellemare (now don't count her out, she can easily be higher, if the event is judged correctly I could see her also beating Jen)


PAIRS:

1st - Langlois/Archetto (it's there's to lose, if they don't skate well they won't win obviously, but I think it's in the bag)

2nd - Wakamatsu/Fecteau (a great international year, I can't wait to see this team, they seem very strong technically, too bad they can't go to worlds)

3rd - Marcoux/Buntin (if they don't blow their long again, they beat putnam/wirtz hands down because they have alot more difficulty)


DANCE:

1st - Dubreuil/Lauzon (again like langlois/archetto there's too lose, but I doubt to see them make major errors to cost them the win)

2nd - Wing/Lowe (I love their style, it's so exciting to watch them)

3rd - Lefebvre/Markov (another new team that has been stirring some news, also can't wait to see them)

1. Sandhu
2. Buttle
3. Ferrera

Marjaana

Men

1. Sandhu
2. Buttle
3. Shawn Sawyer

Ladies

1. Rochette
2. Robinson
3. Bellemare

Pairs

1. Langlois & Archetto
2. Wakamatsu & Fecteau
3. Putnam & Wirtz (because Lee & Faustino have withdrawn)

Dance

1. Dubreuil & Lauzon
2. Wing & Lowe
3. Lefebvre & Markov

pairs_guy said:

PAIRS:

1st - Langlois/Archetto (it's there's to lose, if they don't skate well they won't win obviously, but I think it's in the bag)

2nd - Wakamatsu/Fecteau (a great international year, I can't wait to see this team, they seem very strong technically, too bad they can't go to worlds)

3rd - Marcoux/Buntin (if they don't blow their long again, they beat putnam/wirtz hands down because they have alot more difficulty)

Click to expand...

I agree that Langlois and Archetto have the title if they skate decently (and they can probably have a few mistakes). Wakamatsu and Factueay are strong technically in terms of lifts but haven't they only landed one throw in competition all year? I think that this team is very solid technically in many areas but they seem to be iffy on the throws and sometimes the sbs jumps too.

The comment I find most interesting is that Marcoux and Buntin hands down beat Putnam and Wirtz if they skate well because of difficults. At Skate Canada both teams had one mistake and Putnam/Wirtz still won. I'm not saying that if both teams go clean M/B couldn't win, just that I think it will be very close between these two teams if both skate clean (or at least well). Good luck to all the teams though, it should be a great competition!

My picks (even though I'm not Canadian)

Note: I'm not Canadian, nor will they show the Canadian Nationals in my part of the world ...but

Men:
1. Emanuel Sandhu (GP Final gave him a boost of confidence; two of the strongest skates I've ever seen him put down)
2. Jeff Buttle (I'd love to see him in first, though)
3. Not sure; Ferreira, maybe

Ladies:
1. Joannie Rochette
2. Jennifer Robinson
3. Annie Bellemare

Pairs:
1. Langlois/Archetto (better be...their SP is great, their LP is pretty good, they made 4th at GP)
2. Marcoux/Buntin
3. Wakamatsu/Fecteau

Dance:
1. Dubreuil/Lauzon
2. Wing/Lowe
3. Piché/Denis
(I don't know much about Canadian ice dance outside of the top two, though. What about Karam/McGrath? I've heard a lot about them)

Ladies:

Jennifer Robinson: She's the most consistant we have now-Joannie could benefit with the extra year of being silver medallist

Joannie Rochette: Want her to win silver this year, the title next year. I want her to get 1 more shot at worlds without the pressure adn expectations of being Canadian Champ.

Annie Bellemare: I would love to see Cynthia Phaneuf medal here. Annie has improved greatly in terms of landing the jumps in competition, however, her presentation still has a ways to go to catch up to Rochette.


Men:

Emanuel Sandhu: He's on a roll
Jeff Buttle: Consistant in competition, but not having a quad will cost him

Ben Ferreira: From what I saw of NHK, he will be on the podium at Nationals

Pairs

Langlois/Archetto: It is their competition to lose
Putnum/Wirtz: They are the team of the future-SC really likes them, they will be second. I do hope that they change coahces for next season and work on their lifts and twists.
Watkamatu/Fecteau


Dance:
I'm going for an upset: although I think it will be D/L over W/L

Wing/Lowe: If they skate clean and fast, they will win the title
Dubreuil/Lauzon:They have been struggling all season long with their OD and FD.
Markov/Lefevbre: Too new to tell

This is going to be a very exciting National championship!!

I can hardly wait to go!!

Lise

For the


Men:

Jeff B. (So Electrifying!)

Emanuel S. (Has the Quads under his belt!)

Shawn Sawyer (Simply amazing! Best male spinner in the world!)

Ladies:

Joannie (I hear she is good)

Jennifer (She can always be "counted on")

Annie ( I love her skating style, but I don't think she has the "nerves" for competing)

Pairs:

L&A (I keep expecting great things from these two)

P&W (Love their "natural" flow. It just keeps getting better and better)


Ice Dance:

D&L (So beautiful together! Really make a "striking" team. I expect them to win.)

W&L (Have greatly improved. Expect them to be on the podium)

Who knows? There could be a surprise or two! Anything is possible!

Men

EMan
Jeff
My man Fedor


Ladies

Joannie
J-Slow
Who cares?

Pairs

L&A
W&F
M&B
P&W - my favs, but I think allthe hype will get to them

Dance

D&L
W&L
L&M...finallly someone to replace P&D....yipppppeeeeeeeeeeee

i don't care to predict the podium, but simply say who i'd like to see on them....

ladies - jennifer robinson, preferably at the top!
men - fedor andreev, on any step would be fab
pairs - wakamatsu and Fecteau, any step would be fab for them too
dance - well... there really won't be much surprise for the top 2 steps and those are the only 2 canadian dance teams i know anything about!

so on that note... i am sending good vibes to edmonton for fedor and jen tomorrow!!

I was just checking back here to see if anyone picked Phaneuf.