WTT predictions | Page 5 | Golden Skate

WTT predictions

TontoK

Hot Tonto
Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 28, 2013
Country
United-States
When I first heard about the Team Event, I wondered if they'd just add up the placements of the top competitor in each event... and lowest total wins.

I didn't realize there would be a separate event entirely. Who knows how this will turn out... adds to the excitement, and, not doubt, to the debate.
 

drivingmissdaisy

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 17, 2010
Honestly, I don't like that the team event is BEFORE the individual events. It's going to put those skaters who have to skate in the team event at a massive disadvantage.

I actually thought the opposite, that skating in the team event would be an advantage because the skaters can get used to the ice and arena in a competition scenario. I also would prefer to see the team event follow the individual events, but I understand the Games' marquee event is the Ladies Competition and they want to hold that as late into the games as possible.
 

Skater Boy

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 24, 2012
When I first heard about the Team Event, I wondered if they'd just add up the placements of the top competitor in each event... and lowest total wins.

I didn't realize there would be a separate event entirely. Who knows how this will turn out... adds to the excitement, and, not doubt, to the debate.

there are olympic rules against that actually. You can't use the scores from another event.
 

NMURA

Medalist
Joined
Jul 14, 2010
There's no merit for the IOC to award medals which contribute nothing for ticket sales and TV ratings.
 

mskater93

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 22, 2005
No, and as a matter of fact, if one of the countries who qualifies doesn't have a team/individual in a given event because they didn't qualify, then they can add that team/individual (say, Italy and pairs as an example)
 

dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Country
United-States
Italy, men's, or Japan, pairs are better examples.

Since Italy has a World Champion class lady, 4th place dance, and decent pair, should the Italian fed crawl on their knees to Contesti to get him to skate again?
 

wallylutz

Medalist
Joined
Mar 23, 2010
Italy, men's, or Japan, pairs are better examples.

Since Italy has a World Champion class lady, 4th place dance, and decent pair, should the Italian fed crawl on their knees to Contesti to get him to skate again?

I spoke to Contesti at the 2010 Olympics, my impression was that by then he was already ready to retire after the Torino Worlds in 2010. Frankly, it is a surprise he continued on a bit. Sadly, I don't think he has the competitive fire in him still otherwise team Italy could indeed be competitive at the Olympic Team event.
 

CanadianSkaterGuy

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 25, 2013
It's not likely to happen (given Suzuki and Takahashi's recent outings), but it would be crazy if the Japanese men and women skated lights out, getting about 21 points in each of their disciplines (ending up 1st and 4th, or 2nd and 3rd, would be sufficient), and the Reeds got their 7 points and the non-pair got 7 points... earning 56-something points and the win.

Without a pairs team - even if they didn't receive any pairs points - they would have been comfortably in 2nd last year.
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
^ Actually, that's is not unlikely at all. Takahashi and Mura could do in Japan what Chan and Reynolds did in Canada and Suziki could make the podium absent Kim and Kostner.
 

LRK

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 13, 2012
So I'm curious - what do people think of

Gabrielle Daleman/Kexin Zhang/Lenaelle Gilleron-Gorry?

I really know so little of any of these young ladies - so I hope you'll pardon me if this seems like a silly question, the answer being blindingly obvious. :) But any information/comparisons would be vastly appreciated. :)
 

rvi5

On the Ice
Joined
Apr 22, 2010
I have seen Gabrielle Daleman live at Canadian Nationals this year. The first thing I notice was her speed across the ice as she went into her first jumps. She has big jumps, however at Jr. Worlds she appeared to have difficulties with the landings. She would spin-around due to the excess rotational momentum. She didn't seem to have that problem at Nationals, hence I suspect it was just too much excitement at the time. Gabby also has nice lines/positions in her spins. She does not have the big smile and personality like Osmond, and is not at Osmond's level yet. However, she is very promising. There is a reason she won the Silver at Nationals. Here is the CTV video of her Nationals 2013 SP...

http://youtu.be/Y5i0XRJ_gLc


I am not familiar enough with the other skaters to comment or compare, so I will leave that to others.
 

LRK

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 13, 2012
Thank you! I'll be really looking forward to seeing more of her at WTT - and it must be such a fun/great experience for her as well - I'm glad she was chosen to go. :)
 

CanadianSkaterGuy

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 25, 2013
So I'm curious - what do people think of

Gabrielle Daleman/Kexin Zhang/Lenaelle Gilleron-Gorry?

I really know so little of any of these young ladies - so I hope you'll pardon me if this seems like a silly question, the answer being blindingly obvious. :) But any information/comparisons would be vastly appreciated. :)

Gabrielle is Canada's #2 lady, and has an arsenal including 3-3 in the SP and two triple lutzes in the LP. She's a gutsy, feisty skater, but still coming up from junior ranks and needs refinement. Regardless of how she places, this is a huge experience for her.

Kexin Zhang placed 7th last year at Worlds after great skates. Has a 3-3, but struggled with consistency (I believe she was injured) and was way down (23rd) at the recent Worlds. Hopefully she can bounce back and build towards next season. It's great that Zijun saved two Olympic spots, because she's also a wonderful talent.

Lenaelle I don't know too much about, but she did win French nationals over Maé Berenice Meité, who went to Worlds and placed a respectable 11th (ahead of Akiko Suzuki, mind you). Also has a 3-3, but otherwise a question mark.

Unfortunately neither of these 3 girls will get the PCS to make a splash, but if they put strong technical showings and others falter, they might shake things up. They will, of course, be instrumental to how their Teams do as a whole. Daleman in particular will probably need a top 10 finish and a good skate from Osmond to help Canada edge out Russia.
 

LRK

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 13, 2012
Thanks CanadianSkaterGuy, that is really helpful, as it gives me some notion of what to expect. Thinking of it, I wonder about the likelihood of, realistically, given all skate reasonably well - eschewing the two extremes of someone skating a total blinder or having a complete meltdown - any of them beating, say, Mae-Berenice Meite? I know - because you mentioned it :) - that Lanaelle has already done so this season, but not knowing the details, I wonder if that was a fluke, or something likely to occur again?
 

CanadianSkaterGuy

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 25, 2013
Thanks CanadianSkaterGuy, that is really helpful, as it gives me some notion of what to expect. Thinking of it, I wonder about the likelihood of, realistically, given all skate reasonably well - eschewing the two extremes of someone skating a total blinder or having a complete meltdown - any of them beating, say, Mae-Berenice Meite? I know - because you mentioned it :) - that Lanaelle has already done so this season, but not knowing the details, I wonder if that was a fluke, or something likely to occur again?

It's hard to say. Mae had a really solid Worlds. Skated a clean SP, and in her FS she landed 5 triples (almost 6, but a shaky flip), including a 2A-3T in the second half. It's a shame she wasn't able to get 2 spots for France, because she really skated just about as well as she can, and had one of the cleanest competitions technically of all the women (even though her skating is stiff and not particularly graceful, I love her athleticism). She certainly justified being sent to Worlds. Hopefully she can follow it up at WTT -- I actually think she can crack the top 6, certainly if she skates the way she did at Worlds (165 points, with PB's in the SP and FS).
 

CanadianSkaterGuy

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 25, 2013
I stand corrected, Lenaelle actually came 4th at French nationals. Anais Ventard won barely over Meite (just over half a point). And looking at their technical content, Meite is much superior (she fell twice and had UR's though).
 
Joined
Jul 30, 2012
Country
Russia
Lenaelle I don't know too much about, but she did win French nationals over Maé Berenice Meité, who went to Worlds and placed a respectable 11th (ahead of Akiko Suzuki, mind you). Also has a 3-3, but otherwise a question mark.
It doesn't mean so much.
Miyahara won Suzuki at Nationals. Gabrielle Daleman was ahead Miyahara at JrWorlds.
Does it mean that Daleman has good chance to win Susuki?
Of course no.

Lenaelle was 11th at Euro (7 place SP, 14 place FS, 143.74 total) - very good result for her. Her score at JGP Events this season - 117.03 and 124.53.
Her problem - not so good FS after better SP.

I don't wait high results from her.
 
Top