Amelie Lacoste: Canada's best figure skater looks forward to Sochi

[Mao88]

New article on Amelie Lacoste entitled 'Canada's best figure skater looks forward to Sochi'

Article reads:-

Canada's figure skating champ is a Montrealer who has serious plans for the next winter Olympics. Amelie Lacoste, 23, wants to skate for Russian gold at Sochi in 2014......Now the best in Canada, Amelie has had to start training even harder.

So, the two questions arising out of this article are, has Amelie:

1. Now firmly overtaken Cynthia Phaneuf as Canada's best ladies skater?
2. Got a realistic chance of winning 'Russian Gold' (i.e. the Olympic title), as the article's author calls it, at the 2014 Olympics?

[pangtongfan]

New article on Amelie Lacoste entitled 'Canada's best figure skater looks forward to Sochi'

Article reads:-



So has Amelie:

1. Now firmly overtaken Cynthia Phasneuf as Canada's best ladies skater?
2. Got a realistic chance of winning Gold at the 2014 Olympics?

Answer to question 1: Yes.

Answer to question 2: when purple pigs fly through the sky

[dorispulaski]

Just saying, but Patrick Chan is clearly Canada's best figure skater

However, it's a Montreal skater being interviewed for a Montreal paper, and they didn't really say she had a chance to win the gold, just to compete for it. Hometown papers always do this. They are proud of Amelie, as well they should be.

After all the rematches Cynthia has had with Amelie this year, always losing them, I think it is fair to say that Amelie is the best ladies skater in Canada right now.

I understand that Amelie is definitely going to Worlds this year?

[Mao88]

My view is:

1. no
2. no way.

I still think Phaneuf is Canada's best ladies skater. I simply think she has had a very bad season, but that she can get back to her best fairly quickly given that she is now being coached by Brian Orser. After all, look at what he has done in terms of turning around Elene Gedevanishvili's fortunes.

[dorispulaski]

It's possible Phaneuf will turn it around. If Caroline Zhang can do it, anyone can. But this year, Amelie is Canada's best lady's skater. Next year, who knows?

In fact, I think the belief that someone is for ever and always anointed as the best, no competitions required, is very destructive to a skating program, especially when the anointed one is not guaranteed to make the top ten, let alone the top 6, at Worlds.

[sky_fly20]

Answer to question 1: Yes.

Answer to question 2: when purple pigs fly through the sky

lmao

but you never know, its still 2 more years
she could pull a Joannie Rochette and get bronze at the Olympics ?
how likely will that be

[dorispulaski]

When purple pigs fly in the sky?

Perhaps if Amelie goes to Brian Orser.

[Mao88]

lmao

but you never know, its still 2 more years
she could pull a Joannie Rochette and get bronze at the Olympics ?
how likely will that be

Phaneuf at her very best is capable of sneaking a medal should there be a number of meltdowns amongst the favourites. That is a far more likely scenario I think than Lacoste getting a medal.

[lavender]

No and no.

[ImaginaryPogue]

Firmly overtaken? No. Will be given the opportunity to be considered Canada's best lady skater? Yes.

Compete for a medal in Sochi? What ptf said. Rochette had already place top five in the Olympics by this point.

[deedee1]

1. Yes. Well, at least this season.
2. Probably no

Yes, Cynthia is probably a better skater than Amelie, but she looked 'untrained' throughout the season.

And personally, I hope Amelie will stay as Canada's No.1 skater unless Joannie decides to come back; or more precisely unless Skate Canada begs Joannie to come back.

Looking at the outcome at the Nationals, I was disappointed by her complaint (or was it Brian's?) that her PCS was too low. As the reigning National Champion, she could have just congratulated the winner, shut up and accepted whatever Skate Canada says. It's called a class act.
Besides, I did not like that 'rematch' at 4CC by Skate Canada. It would never have happened if Cynthia had beaten Amelie even by 0.01 ponit at the Nationals. Oh well, that's how things work in Canada I guess.

I hope Amelie skates lights out and make the top 10 at Worlds, and surprises everyone. Go girl!

[ImaginaryPogue]

Cynthia made the complaint, not Brian.

I too had an issue with the rematch, so I'm glad the skate gods smiled. I fully expect Cynthia to come on strong next season and regain the title, though.

[CoyoteChris]

My friends and I elected to pull for Amelie over Cynthia at 4 Conts, and we watched both closely in practice and comp. The reality is that in this point in time, there isnt much to choose from. Both looked uncomfortable and worried out there. I feel for them. And as folks have said, just as Caroline has come back, so can either of them. BTW, we chose Amelie just because we think it is only right that if one wins their country's nats, unless injured, they should be chosen for worlds, just like things are here. I am sorry if Cynth thinks she was underscored....we have all talked about a certain Canadian male ice dancer who has voiced the same complaint.....I think MK was underscored by soviet bloc judges...but I got over it....DeeDee said it a bit rough but she is correct. A class act will be remembered long after the spitting out of sour grapes is forgotten.....

[chuckm]

Cynthia will be 26 in 2014 and Amelie will be 25. I don't see that either one of them has any chance to be on the Olympic podium. If Joannie Rochette returns at 28 after having been away from competition for four years, I doubt she has much chance either.

Skate Canada needs to seriously search for, find and develop talent in their younger ladies or the outlook for Canadian ladies will continue to be grim.

[Skater Boy]

My friends and I elected to pull for Amelie over Cynthia at 4 Conts, and we watched both closely in practice and comp. The reality is that in this point in time, there isnt much to choose from. Both looked uncomfortable and worried out there. I feel for them. And as folks have said, just as Caroline has come back, so can either of them. BTW, we chose Amelie just because we think it is only right that if one wins their country's nats, unless injured, they should be chosen for worlds, just like things are here. I am sorry if Cynth thinks she was underscored....we have all talked about a certain Canadian male ice dancer who has voiced the same complaint.....I think MK was underscored by soviet bloc judges...but I got over it....DeeDee said it a bit rough but she is correct. A class act will be remembered long after the spitting out of sour grapes is forgotten.....

I know this is disparaging but the state of women's skating in Canada is not good. Clearly neither Lacoste or Phaneuf has risen to the challenge this skating season. I don't think you can say Lacoste is clearly better - she squeaked out two wins at 4cc's and Nationals and even then many can see how Cynthia could have won - and she did win the freeskate. Short of extreme Lacoste fans most people would say Phaneuf was still the best chance for top ten or a medal - although that is if she skates near her best or her best. Lacoste though is doing her best; it will take a while for her to gain some notoriety and maybe more persence on and off the ice which is sadly lacking. Top ten for her will be hard - two Americans, three Japanese, Carolina K, a Finn or two, two to three Russian not to mention a couple of other eastern european skaters. For what it is worth I thought Cynthia may have been underscore but it doesn't relieve the sad state of affairs for women's skating in Canada. Ashley Wagner has a far greater chance for gold than a Canadian in the top ten.

As for Lacoste winning gold in Sochi I will try to be diplomatic. Lacoste has quite a challenge.