Pechalat/Bourzat switch to Shpilband (May 20) | Golden Skate

Pechalat/Bourzat switch to Shpilband (May 20)

let`s talk

Match Penalty
Joined
Sep 10, 2009
..so, there are Russians, French, Italians... too crowded for one medal (bronze)... Therefore V/M won't medal... DRAMA.
 

Skater Boy

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 24, 2012
Desperate skaters; desperate for medals look desperately for new coaches as the panacea. They know they are in trouble; they won't say it but many were concerned with the Russians coming on, Chock and Bates, Shibutanis, the Italians and Weaver and Poje all reasonably looking to pass P and B.
 

sky_fly20

Match Penalty
Joined
Nov 20, 2011
hmmmm
not sure if this is a good move, the Igor team is getting too big already
guess they wanted to go with more technical fix for the Olympics season
C/L were ahead of them last Season, so we'lls ee how this will work for them against C/L
 

FSGMT

Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 10, 2012
I frankly didn't expect this, we don't usually see a lot of coaching changes before the Olympic season, especially the top skaters... :think: Now there will be the battle for the gold in Team Zoueva, and the battle for the bronze in Team Shpilband (+ Zhulin)... :popcorn:
 

CAS

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 24, 2010
I frankly didn't expect this, we don't usually see a lot of coaching changes before the Olympic season, especially the top skaters... :think: Now there will be the battle for the gold in Team Zoueva, and the battle for the bronze in Team Shpilband (+ Zhulin)... :popcorn:

Oh I think there will be at least one more battle involved. V&M and D&W are not, in my opinion, locks for gold and silver. I think Sochi is going to shock a lot of people.
 

tulosai

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 21, 2011
Oh I think there will be at least one more battle involved. V&M and D&W are not, in my opinion, locks for gold and silver. I think Sochi is going to shock a lot of people.

Oh I think D/W are a lock for Gold with only V/M as possible spoilers. HOWEVER I don't think V/M are a lock for Silver. If V/M 'steal' gold, D/W are a definitely silver. But a lot can happen otherwise.
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
I wonder what effect this will have on Chock and Bates. They won't be Shpilband's number one any more.
 

aftertherain

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 15, 2010
Oh I think there will be at least one more battle involved. V&M and D&W are not, in my opinion, locks for gold and silver. I think Sochi is going to shock a lot of people.

Why do you say that?

I wonder what effect this will have on Chock and Bates. They won't be Shpilband's number one any more.

Well, I'm sure they can certainly learn a lot from P/B and use that to grow past 2014.
 

CAS

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 24, 2010
Why do you say that?

Because it's the Olympics and there are always surprises at the Olympics. Politics are always greatest during the Olympics. At this point I'd say V&M pulled the short stick in the political battle between them, D&W, B&S and P&B. The only thing that will save them is another Mahler (not literally of course, but something just as powerful that cannot be denied).

Aren't C&L Igor's #1 team? I wonder how they feel about all this.
 

Skater Boy

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 24, 2012
I am confused. How did V and M get the short end of the stick other than I think the judges want to give the gold to D and W for their hard work. I would love V and M to do something amazing. as goodas D and W have been and are they always bothered me for being safe and not stretching themselves really if that makes sense.
 

Eddie Lee

On the Ice
Joined
Jan 19, 2007
Just watched 2010 Olympic OD and FD of V/M. Both were breath-takingly beautiful AND perfection. IF they can match those performances in Sochi, THEY WILL WIN GOLD. However THAT IS A BIG IF!! Their skating this 2012/13 season was a mere shadow of their 2010 Olympics perfection". Is Zoueva up to the choreographic perfection she tailored for them in 2010? If so, are V/M mentally and physically up to the task of skating it with passion AND perfection? The verdict awaits!
 

BlackPack

Medalist
Joined
Mar 20, 2013
Desperate skaters; desperate for medals look desperately for new coaches as the panacea. They know they are in trouble; they won't say it but many were concerned with the Russians coming on, Chock and Bates, Shibutanis, the Italians and Weaver and Poje all reasonably looking to pass P and B.

Desperate indeed. The P/B dance I was ever impressed with was their 2008 Flamenco. P/B have limited talent and their boring programs do them no favors. Shpilband might be able to do a few tweaks, add a highlight of interest here and there like he did with Cappelini and Lanotte, but he can't make a three-legged dog run as fast as a four-legged greyhound.
 

NorthernDancers

On the Ice
Joined
Jan 15, 2010
Wow. Can't believe the current thought process about the top dance teams here. Barring injury or some other such disaster, there is not a single team current or on the horizon that is even in the same league as V/M or D/W. Those 2 teams are going to finish 1 and 2 in some order. My personal opinion, that happens to be shared by many other experts including fellow competitors and other coaches, is that V/M are special. While Carmen may not have been appreciated by some spectators and judges, it is a masterpiece that breaks new boundaries in IJS, a true marriage of art and dance, and extreme sport. What V/M do is more difficult than anyone else, at a level of quality far above anything else. The IJS does not properly distinguish innovation, quality, variety of holds and positions, matching leg lines, matching pointed toes, depth of edge, adherence to dance, etc in GOE or PCS. The current trend is to love speed and tricks at the expense of all that. But I think there has been a lot of conversation around what V/M have done, and a ringing endorsement and respect and praise for what V/M do across the coaching community, including in Russia, and among their fellow competitors. I hope that this will be remembered by the judges when they judge competitions this coming Olympic season. If V/M skate clean, I expect they will prevail. If they aren't clean, I expect they will be 2nd. Both V/M and D/W are well loved in Russia. I think both teams will be fine.

The big question will be about the 3rd spot on the podium. There is a line-up crowding in for that spot: P/B, W/P, B/S, C/L would be my top picks. P/B may or may not benefit from this move. I think they've benefited from skating with W/P in the same way V/M and D/W push each other along. I think some further technical grounding where they are the #1 team for sure may help them. I think that W/P had an off year with injury and lousy programs. I think they will be ready to soar, and no one can question their work ethic and determination. With B/S, they made huge progress last season, have a great coaching situation, and I expect they will be inspired with Olympics at home. And don't count out C/L, who languished for a few years, but have since been making steady, real progress, and could be a spoiler for 3rd if others don't rise to the occasion and they do.
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
^ I think the feeling about Virtue and Moir is that they peaked two or three years ago and are struggling now to hold their place. The physical strains alone appear to be taking their toll.
 

herios

Medalist
Joined
Jan 25, 2004
I frankly didn't expect this, we don't usually see a lot of coaching changes before the Olympic season, especially the top skaters... :think: Now there will be the battle for the gold in Team Zoueva, and the battle for the bronze in Team Shpilband (+ Zhulin)... :popcorn:
I would certainly add Camerlego-Krylova, because you cannot discount Weaver/Poje, at least i won't
 

aftertherain

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 15, 2010
^ I think the feeling about Virtue and Moir is that they peaked two or three years ago and are struggling now to hold their place. The physical strains alone appear to be taking their toll.

I agree, but I think it's more of a physical peak. Artistically, they're still the best (though D/W are making it increasingly difficult for them), but D/W have progressed at a rate much faster than they have in all aspects (e.g. their speed is unbelievable). And personally speaking, I find D/W's programs more pleasing to watch in general.
 

TontoK

Hot Tonto
Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 28, 2013
Country
United-States
^ I think the feeling about Virtue and Moir is that they peaked two or three years ago and are struggling now to hold their place. The physical strains alone appear to be taking their toll.

Although I agree in general, a lot will depend on the programs. People can ooh and ahh over Carmen all they want, but I thought it was only OK. Notre Dame was magnificent. DF was a masterpiece; I was shocked the program didn't win a WC.

Giselle was the finest thing I've ever seen in ice dancing, and that includes T&D.

However, if we look back to D&W first WC, the tango program wouldn't win now, just two years later.

Back on topic: P/B are yesterday's news. Their time has passed. Their most recent free dance was a technical and artistic mess, and I don't think even Shpilband will be able to retool this couple. The die is cast for post Sochi. It will be the Russians, the Italians, and C/B duking it out on the podium. The bronze medal winner in Sochi will have the upper hand.

Marina's stable will need to be refilled. Only the Shibs will be left...
 
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