- Joined
- Jul 11, 2003
I think an elite skater or couples skater of today is one who has been in several competitions and has proven themselves to be podium potential by talent and not by luck.
There are many competitors in each comp but only a few are elite. Those skaters are the ones challenging for podium positions. The others, and the newbies, should be reviewed as potential.
Off the bat, I would say Joubert is still an elite skater, but I would not say Fumie is. Of course, Fumie at one time was an elite skater.
Todays batch who did not retire after the Olys, and still considered to be ELITE: in addition to Joubert, would be Takahashi, Abbott, Chan, Kozuka, Plushenko(?); and for the Ladies: Kostner, Asada, Lepisto, Leonova, Kim.
For Pairs there would be: Pang and Tong, Dube/Davison, Savchenko/Szolkowy, Kavaguti/Smirnov, and maybe Zhang/Zhang.
For Ice Dance, there is Davis/White, Cappelini/LaNotte, the Shibutanis, Pechalat/Borzat, The Kerrs, Virtue/Moir(?)
There are many fine CHALLENGERS not yet Elite. Will there be changes after the Worlds?
There are many competitors in each comp but only a few are elite. Those skaters are the ones challenging for podium positions. The others, and the newbies, should be reviewed as potential.
Off the bat, I would say Joubert is still an elite skater, but I would not say Fumie is. Of course, Fumie at one time was an elite skater.
Todays batch who did not retire after the Olys, and still considered to be ELITE: in addition to Joubert, would be Takahashi, Abbott, Chan, Kozuka, Plushenko(?); and for the Ladies: Kostner, Asada, Lepisto, Leonova, Kim.
For Pairs there would be: Pang and Tong, Dube/Davison, Savchenko/Szolkowy, Kavaguti/Smirnov, and maybe Zhang/Zhang.
For Ice Dance, there is Davis/White, Cappelini/LaNotte, the Shibutanis, Pechalat/Borzat, The Kerrs, Virtue/Moir(?)
There are many fine CHALLENGERS not yet Elite. Will there be changes after the Worlds?