ISU World Synchronized Skating Championships

[thumbyskates]

Synchronized Skating boards are few and far between these days, so I thought I would post here in my own anticipation of this event. Synchro is an under appreciated discipline of this fantastic sport so I thought I'd share a bit here to perhaps get a few more viewers. Perhaps the delayed regular World Championships will draw a few extra in who are in skating withdrawal? :D

Date:
April 8 and 9

Location:
Helsinki, Finland

Event Website:
http://www.stll.fi/2011_synchro_worlds/en/

Schedule:
Friday, April 8 - Short Program
Saturday, April 9 - Long Program

Participants:
Total 21 teams with approximately 500 skaters participating from 16 countries:
Australia
Austria
Belgium
Canada x2
Croatia
Czech Republic
Finland x2
France
Germany
Great Britain
Italy
Japan
Russia x2
Sweden x2
Switzerland
United States x2

Please feel free to ask questions, add discussion, predictions, etc

[kwalker]

thumbyskates do you know if there is going to be a live feed of the event?

[thumbyskates]

Rumours are that it will be shown either:
http://areena.yle.fi/live (may only be available in Finland) or
http://www.stll.fi/2011_synchro_worlds/en/webtv/ (from Official Site).

I'll update if I find anything concrete. Short programs begin at 7:40 a.m. PST on Friday morning (10:40 EST).

Starting Orders are up here.

[kwalker]

Thanks a lot! I was having a heck of time trying to find it. Hopefully I find time to watch at least the short program with school exams starting soon. Who do you think with be on the podium this year?

[thumbyskates]

Hard to say as any of the top teams will be ready to medal, but I'd say there's a good shot for both:

Finland 1 and 2 (defending World champions and silver medalists respectively)
Sweden 1 (missed the podium last year for the first time since Worlds started in 2000)
Canada 1 (missed the podium last year after winning the year prior and 2 bronzes before that)
USA 1 (first time for a bronze last year after coming 4th 6 times)

It's a hard sport to follow in terms of predicting medalists as the top teams don't even ever really come close to competing each other throughout the year. I'm going to wager that one Finland team will hit the podium, Canada 1, and Sweden 1.

Can't wait to get up and watch

[kwalker]

I haven't really seen any of the european teams this year except Marigold but they and the Rockettes always seem to flip flop at their qualifiers. So hard to predict which of those two will beat the other. Out of the Canadian teams I find Les Supremes programs so much more exciting than NEXXICE its such a shame that Supremes did not have a good skate at nationals. I always find myself wanting NEXXICE to change it up a bit since they always seem to skate to the same kind of music.

Only 20 more minutes!

[thumbyskates]

Sigh - doesn't look like the live links work outside of Finland. Searching for an alternative....

Unfortunately, even if Les Supremes had a better skate, NEXXICE is quite a bit beyond them in terms of skating ability and especially in interpretation - while Les Supremes has the audience appeal, NEXXICE is that much stronger. I love their style and that kind of music in the way they express it!!!

[kwalker]

I agree NEXXICE has better skating skills but I have to disagree with you on the interpretation. I think they are both at equal footing in that PC. But its too hard to predict if they will be on the podium. As junior worlds proved, Canadian nationals grossly overscore their teams.

[thumbyskates]

Going into the definition of interpretation, NEXXICE is definitely stronger - where Les Supremes can have the illusion and appeal is in Performance/Execution. NEXXICE had the widest spread of PCS in the short program - report cards are up - they're one of the hardest teams to judge I think because of the way they've chosen to utilize their music and their music choices.

Biggest shock after the short program for me was Sweden 1 - can't believe they haven't pulled themselves up into top 3 form again this year - I know they had a rebuilding year last year, but shocked that they haven't completely pulled it off yet. The other teams in the top 4 right now don't surprise me at all - long program will be anyone's game in the top 4!

[kwalker]

We'll just have to disagree regarding NEXXICE and Supremes. I think my biggest beef is they utilize the same type of music continually same with juniors. I know the music suits their skating qualities but change it up a bit sometimes. I would love to see them step out of their comfort zone once in awhile like Edward Scissorhands. But since then they refuse to do so and as a spectator it gets boring watching the same thing year after year.


And I'm not shocked about Surprise. I've always wondered how they got their steps called since CoP came to be. They were always quick and unsustained edges. But they have been slowly falling down the ranks since worlds in London. I thought their jungle program that came 3rd was kinda a gift and last year they tanked in the long program with skaters dropping everywhere. I truly believe it will be finland going one/two with Hayden, NEXXICE and even Surprise fighting for 3rd. Its hard to tell which finnish team will be first since they are closer than they were last year after the short program.