Out of these three choices:
Canada for mens
USA for Ice Dance
USA for Ladies
Russia for Pairs
So I suppose the USA
Can't a country use different skaters for the SP and FS?
For example, couldn't the US have Ashley skate the SP (her strength) and Gracie skate the FS (her strength)? I think that would maximize the US' chances of winning gold, since Ashley with a 3-3 will take the lead in the SP (even without, she won't be far behind Sotnikova and Osmond) and seven-triple Gracie in the FS can completely decimate the competition.
I also don't think Li will beat Wagner; she may or may not beat Osmond and Sotnikova, depending on what state they show up in. The US is favored in terms of dance and ladies', Japan is favored in terms of ladies and men's but falls back in pairs, Canada is strongest in men's, and Russia is strongest in men and pairs. Really, any of those could take the cake.
Also, 1000th post! Woo! :yay:
For example, couldn't the US have Ashley skate the SP (her strength) and Gracie skate the FS (her strength)? I think that would maximize the US' chances of winning gold, since Ashley with a 3-3 will take the lead in the SP (even without, she won't be far behind Sotnikova and Osmond) and seven-triple Gracie in the FS can completely decimate the competition.
Out of these three choices:
Canada for mens
USA for Ice Dance
USA for Ladies
Russia for Pairs
So I suppose the USA
"Deepest" team? There's only one entry per discipline for each country (not how it should be, but there we are). That doesn't really make any sense.
Canada should crush the U.S in mens and in pairs. The U.S at best will barely beat Canada in dance, and Osmond if she improves can even challenge the US women. Canada should win the team gold no problem if they all skate their best. It would be a huge dissapointment if they dont, as they have by far the deepest and strongest team of anyone.
... On the other hand, we know that Chan is a reluctant participant in these team competitions. ...
Has Chan commented specifically about the Sochi team event?
He certainly knows from experience that reaching the Olympic podium is easier said than done. No matter what he thinks about WTT, is it possible that his feelings about the Sochi team event are more positive because it offers the opportunity to earn an Olympic medal?
Chan hungers after the Olympic medal that eluded him as a 19-year-old in Vancouver. He’s also very excited about the team figure skating competition, which will be debuting as a new medal event in Sochi, the first event of those Olympics. He said a home Games in Vancouver felt like a Super Bowl, and his second Olympics outside Canada will feel more like a conference championship, with less media hype.
“I wish they had that in Vancouver, and I could have made that Olympics a lot more positive experience for me if I had a chance to win another medal,” said Chan. “I didn’t grasp the 2.5 minutes of my short program there, and I’ll never get that back, and I didn’t get an Olympic medal. Think of how much of a boost that could have been for me to win a team medal there. “
The results of Canada’s skaters so far at these world championships has him inspired.
“Seeing the team here, seeing extremely strong pairs, ice dance, men’s and ladies, I’m so, so pumped for the team event. I may have not been as excited before Kaetlyn [Osmond] came around, but now that I see her, we know have a whole package as a team right on time, so I’m very excited. If we win a gold medal as a team, can you imagine the energy we would create.”
Sounds like Patrick is all fired up and ready to go now that the team has a good shot at gold. I think he's read your analysis and can taste the fruits of victory already. (for what it's worth, I generally agree with it as well )I think you are right. I found this:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/spor...-chan-yearns-for-olympic-gold/article9854071/
Don't you imagine that only being responsible for one event would affect a skater psychologically? Being THE short program skater (on which the USA's!, for example, hopes are pinned) would increase the SP pressure in way that normally doesn't effect good-SP skaters, don't you think?
What? And being responsible for TWO events would be less psychologically demanding?
No, I just meant that someone who's thought to be better at one rather than the other might feel a different (but equal) kind of psychological pressure in an event in which she/he is only assigned to skate the event at which she/he is considered more capable.