- Joined
- Feb 5, 2012
Let me start by saying that I am not a trained skater or technical specialist. I simply enjoy watching figure skaters be at their very best and root for those that I deem most special and talented. Hopefully, those of you that are trained or have a much more clinical eye can help me see the error of my ways. Please ignore the typos and know that this took forever to type. Thank you and I look forward to reading your thoughts on this season's top ice dancers!
The Judges' Numbers so Far:
Short Dance:
1. Davis/White 75.70
2. Virtue/Moir 73.15
3. Weaver/Poje 70.35
4. Cappelini/LaNotte 69.88
5. Bobrova/Soloviev 65.70
6. Pechalat/Bourzat 63.60
7. Shibutani/Shibutani 61.26
8. Hubbell/Donohue 60.92
9. Riazanova/Tkachenko 59.79
10. Chock/Bates 56.77
Free Dance:
1. Davis/White 112.53
2. Virtue/Moir 107.88
3. Weaver/Poje 104.88
4. Pechalat/Bourzat 102.08
5. Cappelini/LaNotte 98.61
6. Bobrova/Soloviev 97.72
7. Chock/Bates 93.76
8. Shibutani/Shibutani 93.21
9. Hubbell/Donohue 92.28
10. Riazanova/Tkachenko 85.77
Total:
1. Davis/White 188.23
2. Virtue/Moir 181.03
3. Weaver/Poje 175.23
4. Cappelini/LaNotte 168.49
5. Pechalat/Bourzat 165.68
6. Bobrova/Soloviev 163.42
7. Shibutani/Shibutani 154.47
8. Hubbell/Donohue 153.20
9. Chock/Bates 150.53
10. Riazanova/Tkachenko 145.56
My Predictions:
Short Dance:
1. Virtue/Moir - romance sells.. rivalry set up
2. Davis/White - they are always the chasers..
3. Weaver/Poje - they are attractive, both their style and skating
4. Cappelini/LaNotte - technically superb but not enough pull
5. Bobrova/Soloviev - they are fast and Russian...
6. Pechalat/Bourzat - too slow, not enough pull
7. Shibutani/Shibutani - better than countrymen below
8. Hubbell/Donohue - better than countrymen below
9. Riazanova/Tkachenko - young better than the Americans that follow.
10. Chock/Bates - bland, not in the spotlight, will not make the Olympic team
Free Dance:
1. Davis/White - undeniably greater than the rest
2. Weaver/Poje - stylish, taking over as top Canadians
3. Virtue/Moir - enough pull and style to win over others that are technically superior
4. Pechalat/Bourzat - sentimental favorites, unique
5. Cappelini/LaNotte - superb technically
6. Bobrova/Soloviev - Russian pull
7. Shibutani/Shibutani - better than countrymen, better coached
8. Hubbell/Donohue - Carmelengo magic
9. Chock/Bates - better than most non-headliners, will not make Olympic team
10. Riazanova/Tkachenko - young and capable enough to make the top ten
Total:
1. Davis/White lose the SD to VM, win by large margin due to superior FD
2. Virtue/Moir win the SD, win silver by fairly small margin
3. Weaver/Poje win bronze
4. Pechalat/Bourzat off the podium by a fairly 'large' margin
5. Cappelini/LaNotte
6. Bobrova/Soloviev
7. Shibutani/Shibutani
8. Hubbell/Donohue
9. Riazanova/Tkachenko
10. Chock/Bates - will not make the Olympic team
My Preferences/Wish List:
Short Dance:
1. Davis/White: Airy and light but not forceful/fast enough for skaters as I am used to seeing them be. The substance and crispness is there but I feel more is needed. So graceful one forgets that they are flying on ice and how difficult the content is. Best Twizzles but where are the great lifts?
2. Virtue/Moir: Style is superior, smooth and velvety moves. Have less substance than the Italians but are more captivating.
3. Cappelini/LaNotte: Superior substance, speed and skills. Lighter costumes would really help them
4. Weaver/Poje: Skating in between elements is fast but the tricks are not there - the highlights are not that exciting. The 'it' factor is not there.
5. Bobrova/Soloviev: uncontrolled, trying too hard to fly but have technically difficult program.
6. Pechalat/Bourzat: very mature and polished but, despite interesting final lift, too slow and not as original as I hoped.
7. Shibutani/Shibutani: Execution is excellent in all aspects of their skating. They do not captivate me.
8. Hubbell/Donohue: mature chemistry, athletic but heavy
9. Riazanova/Tkachenko: light, fun juniorish...
10. Chock/Bates: Nothing is outstanding or memorable
Free Dance:
1. Davis/White: Astoundingly beautiful, superb technique, incredible lifts, amazing twizzles, great music choice, most exciting choreography and speed. They are capable of performing more crisply and faster plus with something more special - I expect them to, come the Olympics. At this point, unsurpassed in all aspects.
2. Cappelini/LaNotte: Technically proficient and fluid - boring and forgettable but their speed makes performance exciting. Their program is packed, hard to breathe watching them because it seems all difficult and almost impossible for them to finish..
3. Pechalat/Bourzat: Quirky, special with amazing and breathtaking lifts but slow and the twizzles and spins and skating in between are not as great as others'.
4. Virtue/Moir: The music is not good. Their program feels empty and they are not that fast. The lifts are labored and the overall 'it factor' is just not there. Mushy, lacking in style and unoriginal.
5. Weaver/Poje: Very stylish, choice of music is perfect. Substance is not there - lifts, twizzles and speed are not as great or athletic as others'
6. Shibutani/Shibutani: Stylish and technically superb, and their style and performance are catchy. Their substance goes unnoticed because of their campiness. They deserve higher scores and more accolades.
7. Bobrova/Soloviev: They are so unattractive - their expressions and skating that is. There are some interesting moments, including their great lifts, but their darkness is not captivating. It is almost as if they are posing as artistic.
8. Chock/Bates: Great lifts and spin - did not really care about anything else. And they commit the sin of being boring.
9. Hubbell/Donohue: heavy and labored and slow but great attention to detail and well choreographed/constructed programs.
10. Riazanova/Tkachenko: Light and fairly fast - room to grow but still forgettable
Total/Standings:
1. Davis/White: win SD and FD by at least five points at the GPF, Olympics and World Championship.
2. Cappelini/LaNotte: win silver by a couple points.
3. Virtue/Moir: 2nd after short, 3rd after free
4. Pechalat/Bourzat: Climb standings after free
5. Weaver/Poje: solidified as Canadian number one on account of their FD and retirement of V/M
6. Shibutani/Shibutani: Should make Olympic team with final GP results
7. Bobrova/Soloviev: Stop rushing SD and look more coherent/polished during FD
8. Hubbell/Donohue: On the Olympic team
9. Chock/Bates: Miss being on the Olympic team, not wishing them ill-will because they seem lovely but I think the other Americans surpass them this time around
10. Riazanova/Tkachenko: Get better
What are your predictions and your hopes for the Ice Dancing teams this season?
The Judges' Numbers so Far:
Short Dance:
1. Davis/White 75.70
2. Virtue/Moir 73.15
3. Weaver/Poje 70.35
4. Cappelini/LaNotte 69.88
5. Bobrova/Soloviev 65.70
6. Pechalat/Bourzat 63.60
7. Shibutani/Shibutani 61.26
8. Hubbell/Donohue 60.92
9. Riazanova/Tkachenko 59.79
10. Chock/Bates 56.77
Free Dance:
1. Davis/White 112.53
2. Virtue/Moir 107.88
3. Weaver/Poje 104.88
4. Pechalat/Bourzat 102.08
5. Cappelini/LaNotte 98.61
6. Bobrova/Soloviev 97.72
7. Chock/Bates 93.76
8. Shibutani/Shibutani 93.21
9. Hubbell/Donohue 92.28
10. Riazanova/Tkachenko 85.77
Total:
1. Davis/White 188.23
2. Virtue/Moir 181.03
3. Weaver/Poje 175.23
4. Cappelini/LaNotte 168.49
5. Pechalat/Bourzat 165.68
6. Bobrova/Soloviev 163.42
7. Shibutani/Shibutani 154.47
8. Hubbell/Donohue 153.20
9. Chock/Bates 150.53
10. Riazanova/Tkachenko 145.56
My Predictions:
Short Dance:
1. Virtue/Moir - romance sells.. rivalry set up
2. Davis/White - they are always the chasers..
3. Weaver/Poje - they are attractive, both their style and skating
4. Cappelini/LaNotte - technically superb but not enough pull
5. Bobrova/Soloviev - they are fast and Russian...
6. Pechalat/Bourzat - too slow, not enough pull
7. Shibutani/Shibutani - better than countrymen below
8. Hubbell/Donohue - better than countrymen below
9. Riazanova/Tkachenko - young better than the Americans that follow.
10. Chock/Bates - bland, not in the spotlight, will not make the Olympic team
Free Dance:
1. Davis/White - undeniably greater than the rest
2. Weaver/Poje - stylish, taking over as top Canadians
3. Virtue/Moir - enough pull and style to win over others that are technically superior
4. Pechalat/Bourzat - sentimental favorites, unique
5. Cappelini/LaNotte - superb technically
6. Bobrova/Soloviev - Russian pull
7. Shibutani/Shibutani - better than countrymen, better coached
8. Hubbell/Donohue - Carmelengo magic
9. Chock/Bates - better than most non-headliners, will not make Olympic team
10. Riazanova/Tkachenko - young and capable enough to make the top ten
Total:
1. Davis/White lose the SD to VM, win by large margin due to superior FD
2. Virtue/Moir win the SD, win silver by fairly small margin
3. Weaver/Poje win bronze
4. Pechalat/Bourzat off the podium by a fairly 'large' margin
5. Cappelini/LaNotte
6. Bobrova/Soloviev
7. Shibutani/Shibutani
8. Hubbell/Donohue
9. Riazanova/Tkachenko
10. Chock/Bates - will not make the Olympic team
My Preferences/Wish List:
Short Dance:
1. Davis/White: Airy and light but not forceful/fast enough for skaters as I am used to seeing them be. The substance and crispness is there but I feel more is needed. So graceful one forgets that they are flying on ice and how difficult the content is. Best Twizzles but where are the great lifts?
2. Virtue/Moir: Style is superior, smooth and velvety moves. Have less substance than the Italians but are more captivating.
3. Cappelini/LaNotte: Superior substance, speed and skills. Lighter costumes would really help them
4. Weaver/Poje: Skating in between elements is fast but the tricks are not there - the highlights are not that exciting. The 'it' factor is not there.
5. Bobrova/Soloviev: uncontrolled, trying too hard to fly but have technically difficult program.
6. Pechalat/Bourzat: very mature and polished but, despite interesting final lift, too slow and not as original as I hoped.
7. Shibutani/Shibutani: Execution is excellent in all aspects of their skating. They do not captivate me.
8. Hubbell/Donohue: mature chemistry, athletic but heavy
9. Riazanova/Tkachenko: light, fun juniorish...
10. Chock/Bates: Nothing is outstanding or memorable
Free Dance:
1. Davis/White: Astoundingly beautiful, superb technique, incredible lifts, amazing twizzles, great music choice, most exciting choreography and speed. They are capable of performing more crisply and faster plus with something more special - I expect them to, come the Olympics. At this point, unsurpassed in all aspects.
2. Cappelini/LaNotte: Technically proficient and fluid - boring and forgettable but their speed makes performance exciting. Their program is packed, hard to breathe watching them because it seems all difficult and almost impossible for them to finish..
3. Pechalat/Bourzat: Quirky, special with amazing and breathtaking lifts but slow and the twizzles and spins and skating in between are not as great as others'.
4. Virtue/Moir: The music is not good. Their program feels empty and they are not that fast. The lifts are labored and the overall 'it factor' is just not there. Mushy, lacking in style and unoriginal.
5. Weaver/Poje: Very stylish, choice of music is perfect. Substance is not there - lifts, twizzles and speed are not as great or athletic as others'
6. Shibutani/Shibutani: Stylish and technically superb, and their style and performance are catchy. Their substance goes unnoticed because of their campiness. They deserve higher scores and more accolades.
7. Bobrova/Soloviev: They are so unattractive - their expressions and skating that is. There are some interesting moments, including their great lifts, but their darkness is not captivating. It is almost as if they are posing as artistic.
8. Chock/Bates: Great lifts and spin - did not really care about anything else. And they commit the sin of being boring.
9. Hubbell/Donohue: heavy and labored and slow but great attention to detail and well choreographed/constructed programs.
10. Riazanova/Tkachenko: Light and fairly fast - room to grow but still forgettable
Total/Standings:
1. Davis/White: win SD and FD by at least five points at the GPF, Olympics and World Championship.
2. Cappelini/LaNotte: win silver by a couple points.
3. Virtue/Moir: 2nd after short, 3rd after free
4. Pechalat/Bourzat: Climb standings after free
5. Weaver/Poje: solidified as Canadian number one on account of their FD and retirement of V/M
6. Shibutani/Shibutani: Should make Olympic team with final GP results
7. Bobrova/Soloviev: Stop rushing SD and look more coherent/polished during FD
8. Hubbell/Donohue: On the Olympic team
9. Chock/Bates: Miss being on the Olympic team, not wishing them ill-will because they seem lovely but I think the other Americans surpass them this time around
10. Riazanova/Tkachenko: Get better
What are your predictions and your hopes for the Ice Dancing teams this season?