- Joined
- Jun 21, 2003
STL_Blues_fan said:Larry thanks for the post.
Can't say I am shocked but with all the medalists being out, how on earth would Russia secure more than 1 or 2 spots for the next year?
My question is with almost all Russian Medalist retiring after this season (Pair and Dance already announced. only Irina and Plushen undecided, but most likely will), does Russian really have more than 2 to send over next worlds? Did they waste a berth in Lady this Olympics already?STL_Blues_fan said:Can't say I am shocked but with all the medalists being out, how on earth would Russia secure more than 1 or 2 spots for the next year? With the minimum number of slots for the next year, how can others not "count Russia out"? I can see them maybe getting 3 spots in pairs for next year, and only of P&T will show up (unlikely). Everybody else is a different story. Only Sokolova can get inot top 10 in tha ladies, especially with VV being out. Klimkin and whoever else gets sent (Dobrin?) will have to work really hard. I can only see the ice dancing teams (1 and 2) both possibly placing in the top 10, at the most.
Frau Muller said:Ha! Didn't I predict this weeks ago? Haven't I written on more than one occasion here of how Russian stars feel about performing at any ir less-than-fair treatment & poor audience reactions at the '03 Worlds in DC?
Any gold that is won in Calgary will be like the medals that were won at the 84 Los Angeles Olympics.
Not to forget that the top lady of the world -- Mao Asada -- won't be there, as she was not in Torino. So this Worlds will forever be known as the scramble for gold among the '2nd tier' competitors.
Just telling it like it is. Sad moment for World skating.
rain said:I completely disagree with you, and actually find slightly offensive the idea that this will be a second-rate competition. Dance will still be a great competition with the top Russians out - in fact, I can't say I'll particularly miss them now that they've retired. Pairs will also be a great fight. I've never found T/M thrilling.
And Mao Asada is NOT the top ladies skater in the world. That's just silly. She's a talented junior who may become the best, but has done nothing to earn the title so far.
I actually think worlds will be fascinating with this lot out. We get to see the up-and-comers.
Frau Muller said:Not to forget that the top lady of the world -- Mao Asada --
Mathman said:I had a slightly different take on this. To me, there is something wrong with a sport in which the top performers care so little about its World Championship that they don't bother to show up.
The Grand Prix series is already in the toilet because many of the top people don't want to skate in it.
If the athletes don't want to compete, why should the audience want to come or watch on TV?
It is as if figure skating wants to be a sport that exists only for two weeks every four years.
MM :frown2:
Red Dog said:thanks for the news...not surprising, though.
I still wonder if Arakawa is going to Worlds. If she isn't, this could be a VERY interesting competition. Cohen and Suguri would be the only top contenders to show up!
Mathman said:
Red Dog said:I think this is shaping to be a second-rate competition. Virtually no top skaters. So weird, too, it being the world championships. But then it's so close to the Olympics that there's basically no possible way the medallists can gear up in time. Even Cohen's making the media rounds and sounds as if she's only going to go back into training for a couple of weeks before the event. Now, I'd be interested to see the general reaction if she manages to pull together and win the World championship. Would that shine over her OSM?
Math, I totally agree. This reminds me of the 2002 Olympics when Alexei was one of the only medalists who went to Worlds.Mathman said:To me, there is something wrong with a sport in which the top performers care so little about its World Championship that they don't bother to show up.
Red Dog said:I think this is shaping to be a second-rate competition. Virtually no top skaters. So weird, too, it being the world championships. But then it's so close to the Olympics that there's basically no possible way the medallists can gear up in time. Even Cohen's making the media rounds and sounds as if she's only going to go back into training for a couple of weeks before the event. Now, I'd be interested to see the general reaction if she manages to pull together and win the World championship. Would that shine over her OSM?