Compulsory Dance - Virtue/Moir and Davis/White - Round 1

[all that]

V/M haven't finished growing physically yet at 18 and 20? You'd better hope she has finished growing, or their future as a team could be in jeopardy.

The thing is they were EXPECTED to win at NHK (and they expected to win as well). Go back and read some of the threads leading up to that competition. The talk was Delshoes FD scores were so low compared to V/M that V/M, even if behind in the CD and/or OD, would swamp DelShoes in the FD. It didn't happen.

They were also EXPECTED to medal at the GPF, especially since there was no CD, their weakest segment. You could see in the KnC when they got their marks for the OD that they were shocked at their score (lower than their GP events). The score for their FD was their lowest of the season as well.

The critical time will come next season. If V/M opt for still another sicky-sweet FD, they could find their upward trajectory slow to a standstill.

I think she has just finished growing (this year), and he still has a few years to go. If you can't see what I'm saying, go look at their programs from last year. You can see that both of them grew over the summer.

V/M were EXPECTED to win by skating fans, which was exactly my point. And the media, always eager to jump on "the next big thing", has been hyping the heck out of them, increasing the EXPECTATIONS. V/M did a fabulous job working on lifts, ice coverage, and speed so that when they showed up at Skate Canada, they blew everyone away. Thus the EXPECTATIONS and crazy hype began.

I agree that V/M should go in a different direction next year for their FD.

 

[dorispulaski]

chuckm, fans of V&M expected them to win NHK, but DelSchoes were the reigning European champions. I really don't think that was a fair thing to expect of them. At the GPF, they only missed the podium by one spot and beat K&N--I thought it was a great performance by a very young team.

And their score here was significantly better than for their YP at SC, where they scored 36.25. They went up about 2 points, a good improvement.

But the huge improvement is D&W whose 2 CD's this year were 30.16 and 31.74 and for whom a score of 37.36 is big improvement. I think it shows that their early scores were very affected by Charlie's injury and lost training time and that they are back on track again, and I'm glad to see it.

 

[DWfan]

I must say... I was surprised that V/M scored higher than D/W because they didn't seem like they were enjoying themselves at all! (btw.. V/M is my second favorite so I support them both!). And also... did V trip a little bit or something?

 

[PolymerBob]

I seem to be missing something here. Where are the Russian teams?

 

[Mathman]

Four Contintents = the Americas, Asia, Australia and Africa. Russian skaters compete in Europeans. I guess if you are from the Asian part of Russia, you are still a European. Israel is in "Europe" but Kazakhstan (not sure about Uzbekistan) is in Asia. I guess New Zealand is part of Australia. BTW, South Africa sent a skater.

 

[netnuts]

Four Contintents = the Americas, Asia, Australia and Africa. Russian skaters compete in Europeans. I guess if you are from the Asian part of Russia, you are still a European. Israel is in "Europe" but Kazakhstan (not sure about Uzbekistan) is in Asia. I guess New Zealand is part of Australia. BTW, South Africa sent a skater.

Uzbekistan participates in 4CC and Asian games. They have skaters in every event.

 

[PolymerBob]

Yes, I forgot Russia was part of Europe in figure skating. Evgeni Plushenko was born farther east than any part of China.

 

[cassieandcheetah]

V/M haven't finished growing physically yet at 18 and 20? You'd better hope she has finished growing, or their future as a team could be in jeopardy.

I know! Scott didn't too grow too much, but Tessa grew so much within the last year and a half. She seems almost as tall as Scott now, although in actuality I'm sure she's at least a few inches shorter. And she doesn't look like the beanpole that she was a year or two ago. She has gotten quite a womanly figure now, which is great, but I wonder if the growth spurt would end up disturbing their balance at all?

 

[chuckm]

Four Contintents = the Americas, Asia, Australia and Africa. Russian skaters compete in Europeans. I guess if you are from the Asian part of Russia, you are still a European. Israel is in "Europe" but Kazakhstan (not sure about Uzbekistan) is in Asia. I guess New Zealand is part of Australia. BTW, South Africa sent a skater.

New Zealand is NOT part of Australia. It is a separate country, far to the southeast of Australia.

 

[Mathman]

New Zealand is NOT part of Australia. It is a separate country, far to the southeast of Australia.

I meant in ISU speak. Which of the "Four Continents" do New Zealand skaters represent? Asia?

 

[fumie_fumie]

Chuckm,

Just for your reference, even the Korean commentators said the depth and the control of the edges of VM set them apart from the pack. The lady commentator said, they should win hands-down in CD.

 

[cassieandcheetah]

Chuckm,

Just for your reference, even the Korean commentators said the depth and the control of the edges of VM set them apart from the pack. The lady commentator said, they should win hands-down in CD.

I wouldn't say hands down. The scores show that the two were quite close. I wonder the commentaries are good enough to be relied upon. After all, Korea hasn't had an ice dancing team for some time, that's another thing they discussed after D/W finished performing .

 

[Mathman]

Welcome DWfan. Any friend of Meryl and Charlie is a friend of mine! Post often, post long! :agree:

 

[cassieandcheetah]

Chuckm,

Just for your reference, even the Korean commentators said the depth and the control of the edges of VM set them apart from the pack. The lady commentator said, they should win hands-down in CD.

and I don't know if it's the edge's here so much. I have to say V/M has a nice way of keeping their upper bodies steady and steady throughout, which makes them look real good on the ice. IOW, they have real nice posture.

 

[laceup]

I don't know much about Dance, that's for sure, but I will say I watched the videos and I think both teams should be proud, they both skated great to me!!!

 

[1795]

I think. a lot off people hate V/M, because they cfn take medals very soon.
And a lot off people love D/W - because they think, that this poor guys deserved more

people hate V/M because they are over scored much like the russians, silly goose.:chorus:

 

[all that]

and I don't know if it's the edge's here so much. I have to say V/M has a nice way of keeping their upper bodies steady and steady throughout, which makes them look real good on the ice. IOW, they have real nice posture.

It's also their unison. They do a better job at making their movements match than D&W. And as can been seen in the 4CC article on the GoldenSkate front page, Meryl herself recognizes that she and Charlie can improve their unison.

D&W really like the YP, and it showed in their performance. For V&M, who clearly don't like the YP, their technical skill saved them.

 

[1795]

I meant in ISU speak. Which of the "Four Continents" do New Zealand skaters represent? Asia?

geographically/technically, from what i learned is that NZ is part of the continent called "oceania" - contains random islands around the area of NZ and australia

 

[shine]

The more I see V/M's FD the more desperately I am to see them do something drastic about their choreography choices ASAP. Having seen them grow since 2004, to me they are too talented and musical a pair of ice dancers to be stuck in the rut for this long.

 

[skatingfan04]

One thing I don't get is saying that V/M are ina rut after two FD's that are just a bit similar. Did anyone say they were ina rut when they did Adison Nonino and then Malaguena the year after? I'm not saying that this FD is boring or not boring. That's everyone's personal oppinion. If they schmaltz again in 09 and then in 2010, then we've got a rut. Let's give them a little time. JMO.