O'Brien and Merriman Find Silver Lining | Golden Skate

O'Brien and Merriman Find Silver Lining

GF2445

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 7, 2012
Six Time national Ice Dance Champions of Australia, Danielle O'brien and Gregory Merriman will for the first time since competing at the senior level in the 2007-8 season not be able to compete at this weeks World Championships this year. Despite a great season, including a bronze at the Nesquik Cup and a 8th place finish at the 2013 Four Continents, they were unable to qualify for the competition due to missing the Technical Minimums for the SD by 0.5pts.

For O’Brien and Merriman it’s been a tough pill to swallow having placed ahead of nine qualified dance teams this season, some up to four times, but now all they can do is watch.

Since then, they've moved on and have worked hard creating new programs and have taken steps to ensure they get the maximum levels for next season's finnstep SD. This article gives optimism that they will be a team to watch in Oberstorf in September and become the first Australian Ice Dancers since 1988 to compete at an Olympic Gasmes. They will be serious contenders for the 5 remaining spots.

http://www.owia.org/sport/figure-skating/news/disappointment-aussie-ice-dancers-has-its-benefits
 
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dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Country
United-States
It just makes me ill that O'Brien & Merriman will not be at Worlds. I just hope they get their TES at Nebelhorn, and get one of those 5 spots to the Olympics.
 

skatel80

On the Ice
Joined
Nov 12, 2012
This kind of thing happening with the minimum scores really angers me!:scowl: but I really like their attitude and I will be pulling for them to get one of those five spots next year :)
 

gsk8

Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
Country
United-States
O’Brien and Merriman find silver lining

The ice dance team have made rapid progress up the world and season’s rankings with an international bronze medal, two fourth places and 8th in the Four Continents Championship, but have been held out of the 2013 World Championships after failing to record a minimum technical score in the Short Dance.

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dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Country
United-States
I'm glad that this injustice is getting more stories written.

I'm hoping that Aussies in general will get behind their great ice dancers and get more generally interested in skating because of it.
 

colleen o'neill

Medalist
Joined
Nov 3, 2006
Hear,Hear!

It's especially annoying because they've made such strides. I hope their attitude and all their hard work pays off for them next year.
 
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