Who Will Be the Favorite(s) going into the 2006 Olys? | Golden Skate

Who Will Be the Favorite(s) going into the 2006 Olys?

BronzeisGolden

Medalist
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
Here are mine, in order:

MEN: Plushenko, Joubert and Weir
LADIES: Cohen, Arakawa and Kwan
PAIRS: S&Z, T&M and Pang & Tong
ICE DANCE: Navka & Kostomarov , Denkova & Staviyski and B&A (hopefully...depends on how they do against the Ukrainians this season)
 

Kasey

Medalist
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
I think this season will be pretty telling, as for who the favorites are going to be. Next season as well, of course. But there are some people maybe 'on the bubble' who could show greater difficulty, consistency or improved artistry this year. People like that (I'm keeping it to men's, my favorite discipline) could be Honda, Goebel, Weir, Weiss, Lambiel, Sandhu, Klimkin, Buttle, Griazev, Lysacek, Li, Joubert. I would still keep with Plushenko as the "favorite" right now. But any one of those men, or someone different even, could step it up this year and start putting more pressure on. Or several of them. Also, I know that there are more "up and coming" Japanese and Chinese skaters whose names escape me! And the same is true for the other disciplines. I think it would be easier to pick "favorites" after this season.

Kasey
 

Chrystia Mee

Rinkside
Joined
Mar 31, 2004
Joesitz said:
Let's forget about the 'underdog' and pick out a favorite (or favorites);

Joe

Men:
Plushenko will be the highly favoured. Reminds me of Michelle in 2002. The only way someone else is going to take it is if he makes a mistake. But people will be watching Weir, Goebel, and Joubert as well. Possibly Lambiel

Women:
Kwan and Cohen. I think American media will hype this battle between the long time beloved Michelle verses her fiery rival. With a little bit of SHizuka Arakawa getting some attention but not nearly as much as Sasha and Michelle. But unfortunately I think there's going to be a lot of Kwan's final chance stuff happening.

Pairs:
:love: Shen and Zhao as the overwhelming favourites. But with notes of how Totmianina and Marinin are fighting for the tradition of Russia winning the event etc.
 

Fossi

Final Flight
Joined
Aug 23, 2003
In SLC it was all about Michelle, Irina, and Sasha.
I think this time it'll be all about Sasha, Michelle, and possibly Irina, Shizuka or Ando.
They won't be watching Sarah again, and she'll rock the house!
 

Eeyora

Final Flight
Joined
Aug 4, 2003
While it is too early to predict my favorites. I will predict the favorites of the American media

Ladies:
As of now definately Kwan and Cohen. Sasha may receive more attention because Michelle has already been through the publicity as being the favorite twice. However it all depends on how everyone fairs at worlds. If Shizuka defends her title she will also be considered a contender.

Men:
Definitely Plushenko As of now he is the one to beat. Im sure the media will love Joubert (the hearthrob).

Pairs:
Shen and Zhao

Ice Dance
Navka and Kostomarov
 

millyskate

Rinkside
Joined
Apr 16, 2004
Eeyora said:
While it is too early to predict my favorites. I will predict the favorites of the American media

Ladies:
As of now definately Kwan and Cohen. Sasha may receive more attention because Michelle has already been through the publicity as being the favorite twice. However it all depends on how everyone fairs at worlds. If Shizuka defends her title she will also be considered a contender.

I can't see Sasha winning. It was all staged for her this year and didn't happen. Her LP jump content is no harder than Michelles', and at least you can count on michelle for landing them. Her jumping technique doesn't hold over an LP. I the winner is a clean but not risky program, i'd go for michelle. If it's a risky combo-filled program, then Arakawa or Ando. Let's not forget that both the last olys were won with two big combos. It would be odd to go back to a safe program winning,
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
Eeyora said:
While it is too early to predict my favorites. I will predict the favorites of the American media

Maybe I wasn't clear in the post. I was looking for the odds-on-favorite(s)as sports analysts would think. Not any poster's personal favorites. And there is a world wide media too, which should be included when one is discussing the 'favorite' going into the Olys.

And yes, it is early to be predicting but I think a close watch on the coming season will give the 'bookies' a hold on who will be the favorite going into the olympics.

(While I am hoping for an MK win, I don't think it will happen. I would go with either Shizuka or Miki along with Sasha. However, this season will tell me more .)
Joe
 

soogar

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 18, 2003
Plush is going to be the odds on favorite. Even if he loses Worlds, he'll still be the man to beat.

Sasha is the favorite for the ladies. She has been for a while and she will continue to be (even if she doesn't convert).

S&Z will be favorites, but T&M will beat them (my bold prediction) and uphold Russian glory.

No clear favorite in the dance though I would go with N&K.
 

Sk8n Mama

Final Flight
Joined
Jan 23, 2004
Ladies: Kwan, Arakawa, Cohen

Men: Plushenko (no wonder he's still amateur! I think he's got the men's locked up already)

Pairs: Totmianina and Marinin vs. Zhen and Shao

Dance: ??? Honestly, I don't follow the dance much without Shae and Vic.
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
I see many posters are going with the Dortmund Worlds podiums. As I said it is early for predictions even for Moscow Worlds.

Joe
 

BravesSkateFan

Medalist
Joined
Aug 7, 2003
I think I'm one of the few that doesn't see Shizuka as a favorite for the Olympics. Perhaps if she medals at 05 Worlds then I'll agree, but as of now I don't see her as a favorite.
I think Cohen will be a favorite with the media even if she doesn't win Nats or Worlds. She's been a favorite since 02 and still is even though she has yet to win either Nationals or Worlds. I don't see that changing.
Kwan-I don't know if she'll be a 'favorite' per say, but she will get a lot of media attention, at the very least as a sentimental favorite. It will depend on how she performs at competions leading up to the Olympics
 

Vash01

Medalist
Joined
Jul 31, 2003
The favorites are not necessarily the most likely to win, based on most recent performances. I rather see them as the most hyped ones by the media, and viewed as the skater(s) to beat. All others that are very capable of winning are to be considered challengers.

With that interpretation, this is how I view it:

Men: Plushenko, unless he has a serious injury

Ladies: Cohen, regardless of how she is skating, and Kwan, because you can never count her out

Pairs: Shen & Zhao (they are the most likely of the favorites to actually win the OGM, for lack of serious competition)

Ice dance: This is the only discipline where I don't see a clear favorite. N&K and D&S may be co-favorites. However, if N&K win worlds 2005, they would be the favorites.
 

RIskatingfan

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
Considering we're one and a half years away from the Olympics and so much can happen until Turin... here's my picks based on what we know about the skaters and how they skated this past season.

Men:
Plushenko and Joubert

Ladies:
Kwan, Cohen and probably Arakawa

Pairs:
S/Z and T/M

Dance:
N/K are the only favorites. The judges have clearly showed they aren't willing to give the edge to D/S and that they will have to change their type of program if they want to be marked higher than N/K. I only hope they won't slip down in the ranks next year and be surpassed by G/G...
 

RealtorGal

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
RIskatingfan said:
Dance:
N/K are the only favorites. The judges have clearly showed they aren't willing to give the edge to D/S and that they will have to change their type of program if they want to be marked higher than N/K. I only hope they won't slip down in the ranks next year and be surpassed by G/G...

I must really understand nothing about dance because I am so totally bored by N/K.
 

Jaana

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
Country
Finland
LOL, generally speaking predictions for the Olympics are in this moment rather impossible, if I´m e.g. thinking of Ilia Kulik who won the Olympic gold in 1998. In 1996 Worlds he won silver and in 1997 he was fifth. In Olympic season Ilia came back strongly (although had an injury in August which took him from the ice for about a month). Anyway, besides Olympics he won in that season NHK, Russian Nationals and GPF.

Marjaana
 

Mrs Redboots

On the Ice
Joined
Sep 20, 2004
Don't rule out the British dancers - 2006 is a long way away, and we have some couples who are coming up through the rankings like a hot knife through butter, most notably Phillipa Towler-Green and Phillip Poole, who are likely to give the Kerrs a really hard run for their money at the British Championships. And who brought home the first British international medal (elite - we adults have won lots, but they don't count!) in many years from the Nebelhorn Trophy.
 
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