Delobel and Schoenfelder will stay for Olympics

[waxel]

Not really a fan. Rather wish they'd kept to the "go out on top and retire from competition" plan. Don't particularly dislike them- they've just never done it for me.

 

[cassieandcheetah]

Not really a fan. Rather wish they'd kept to the "go out on top and retire from competition" plan. Don't particularly dislike them- they've just never done it for me.

You also have to understand it from France's point of view. I know they have 2 other good teams, but I don't know if their combined efforts will be enough to ensure 2/3 spots for the Olympics and beyond. Even if they don't stay on top or anything, them staying in competition will help their country tremendously.

 

[Yennefer]

First sorry for my not good English but when I read your posts I feel that I must express my opinion too and I hope that you will understand what I want to say I don't think their gold medal at Worlds in this year was a gift at all, they deserved it more than anyone else. They always be undermarked by judges, they should be on the podium many times ago. Maybe this year they won only because the best Russian couple wasn’t there, the best American couple had fall and judges couldn't do anything with this (but they tried http://www.nationalpost.com/related/links/story.html?id=386243). And it is so so sad. At Euros judges did all to help Russians to win http://www.welt.de/sport/article1601777/Skandalsieg_fuer_russische_Europameister.html and it was successful but not this time. I cried when I saw Isa & Oliv on the top of podium. It was so wonderful just because it was so incredible but I always believed that one day I will see them there. I know that Russians and Americans are really good but many times they have better marks than they deserve just because they are Russians or Americans. It is not only my opinion and it is not good. I also think that ice dance is not only the sport, not only technique (not so important) it should be something more. I don’t know how express this with words but it is all that what you feel when you see these two people dancing together, what they want say to you throughout their dance and it should be the most important. In my opinion technically all top ice dance couples are good but in this what I describe Isabelle & Olivier are really champions and beat all other couples. Other couples are less or more artificial in their expression but Isa & Oliv are so authentic, so real. I hope that judges earlier or later (best before Olympics) understand this. Isabelle & Olivier are best couple ever, I love their every dance, every move when they dance together, when I see them dancing together my heart beats faster and I feel something nice inside. I so happy that they stay in till Vancouver. Their dances in this season were really magnific but I think that they can even do something more and will surprise us nice. And I believe that they will get Olympic medal (gold of course) because they really deserve it. Even if it would be a miracle – miracles still happen

 

[Mathman]

Thank you for joining us, Yennefer. Welcome to the forum! :agree:

 

[Buttercup]

not to knock them, but after re-watching their freedance last weekend I have to say how surprised I was they won. he stepped out of a lot of thier turns and it looked tentative at times. Virtue and Moir owned that night. I liked the French dance, but i felt they did not skate it well enough.

V/M skated a great free dance, which is why they won the night. But their CD was not as good, and their OD was (to me, at least ) underwhelming - they were lucky to get the marks they did for it. Del/Schoe skated a better competition overall, and were deserving champions.

 

[1795]

First of, cassieandcheetah, that was the best and most truthful explanation ever.
i agree 100%

V/M skated a great free dance, which is why they won the night. But their CD was not as good, and their OD was (to me, at least ) underwhelming - they were lucky to get the marks they did for it. Del/Schoe skated a better competition overall, and were deserving champions.

true dat

 

[NatachaHatawa]

That's how I felt, too. This has been my favorite team for several years. Time after time they gave the most entertaining performance of the evening, only to be left off the podium. Now finally they get their reward -- but for a performance that was far from their best.

Definitly. It's such a shame because it's such an amazing program, but I think they felt a lot of pressure, that's why they didn't interpret it to it's full potential.
However I beleive that their peformance at this year's Euos was way better than last year's, even though they had won gold, because the Bonnie & Clyde program (I thought) was dead dull. There's never any glory when they win, just victory; it's a shame.

 

[iluvtodd]

Welcome to the board, Yennefer. I am not in a position to analyze COP, but I always thought Isabelle & Olivier were undermarked (and consequently left off the podium) for so many years. I am thrilled to pieces that they finally made it to the podium and won Worlds. arty:

 

[cotillion]

Something odd about Delobel & Schoenfelder, as far as I can see they have never and I mean never won a freedance,during grand prixs or euros or worlds etc., except for Ondrej Nepela 2007, and well there wasn't any competition there! Since 2005 they have had 5 CD wins, 4 OD wins, 0 FD wins and only 4 overall wins. This doesn't compare well with even a young team like V&M or D&S Rus, they are the only top ranked team without a FD win! They have been beaten by both Russian teams and twice by V&M who also beat them once in the OD. I'm not saying this would be enough to quit on but I sure would want to think about staying any longer.

 

[eleonora.d]

I'm not really a fan of them,neither.
Plus,if they decided to retire, then our italian couple Faiella/Scali could have more serious hopes for a bronze medal at Europeans.
Well, I know one should hope their heros to deserve their medals in any case and not just because someone retired, I know , but anyways..

The point is, I think it was better for them to retire at their highest, like many skaters do. I seriously doubt they can get another world gold or even silver medal in 2009 and 2010, as Domnina/Shabalin are supposed to have a great comeback, Virtue/Moir and are getting better every season, and Belbin/Agosto still have something to say..

But I may be wrong.

 

[1795]

I'm not really a fan of them,neither.
But I may be wrong.

exactly....

Something odd about Delobel & Schoenfelder, as far as I can see they have never and I mean never won a freedance,during grand prixs or euros or worlds etc., except for Ondrej Nepela 2007, and well there wasn't any competition there! Since 2005 they have had 5 CD wins, 4 OD wins, 0 FD wins and only 4 overall wins. This doesn't compare well with even a young team like V&M or D&S Rus, they are the only top ranked team without a FD win! They have been beaten by both Russian teams and twice by V&M who also beat them once in the OD. I'm not saying this would be enough to quit on but I sure would want to think about staying any longer.

so...?

 

[nubka]

honestly who knows. and plus at this point of their careers i doubt they have extreme worries of "losing" i see it more as having fun and living the sport they love. right?

Wrong. I seriously doubt that they are staying in until 2010 because they are having fun and living the sport they love.

 

[cassieandcheetah]

Wrong. I seriously doubt that they are staying in until 2010 because they are having fun and living the sport they love.

What makes you think they aren't? As you may have noticed, I'm a huge D/S fan, but despite that I'm not 100% optimistic about their chances in 2009 or in 2010. I commend their courage for staying in the sport for as long as they did, especially after all the changes made under the CoP, but I'm not so certain about their prospect after this. And most importantly, I think they probably are aware of this too, that their time may be running out because ice dance is such a political sport. For instance, did anyone notice how V/M came out on top of Belbin and agosto despite that huge error in the twizzles by Tessa? B/A were flawless but they still got marked lower. I'm sure no one could deny at this point that no matter what V/M do they'll always remain the judges' darlings. And at this year's europeans, have you noticed how Shabalin made a huuuuuuuuge mistake in his twizzles ( I think he just gave up after a couple of turns and came to a complete stop while Domnina went on--he looked so dazed and confused), and despite that I think they were marked second, less than a point behind D/S. So I don't know, I just don't have much faith in this system anymore. But I don't know if anyone should critize or second-guess Delobel/Schoefelder's decision to stay.

 

[all that]

B&A may have been flawless, but the way they executed their elements was not as good as V&M -- that's why V&M scored better even with a mistake. You can see it in the protocols: http://www.isufs.org/results/wc2008/WC08_IceDancing_OD_Scores.pdf

Personally, I think D&S are staying in to ensure France keeps 3 spots -- heavy persuasion from the French Federation.

 

[hockeyfan228]

Who is behind Carron/Jost for whom the French Fed would need three spots?

 

[cassieandcheetah]

and I'm sorry I take back what I said about Domnina/Shabalin's performance. I just saw it again and it didn't look as bad as I remembered it. maybe I'm talking about another performance from another time? They did make a small mistake in the twizzles, but he recovered much better than I thought.

 

[Yennefer]

I don't think they stay because their federation wanted this. It was too important for them. They certainly are aware of that how there is, that the judging is political, that the many times whatever they would do they really can't do anything because everything was arranged earlier and maybe nothing depend on them. I think they sometimes may feel that and it had to be so frustrating. And if that was all and if they took to heart this they would retire much earlier. But they didn't retire and they don't retire now. I think maybe they will be trying to win an Olympic medal because this is their dream. And what's wrong with this that somebody try to realize his dream? Maybe it is so trivial but also may it be that. They skating for almost whole their live and this is their live, they love this and this is so visible. Especially Isabelle, she looks so happy so lovely when she skate/dance on ice like she could not do anything better. I think she had less doubt about continuing than Olivier because he has a wife and little son and the family is most important and this sport take you many time and I wouldn't be surprised if he would retire. It's so hard so I think he stay because he really want to stay. Yes, it's a bit risky when you could retire when you are on the top and know how there is and there is not good but you will not do blame yourself that you didn't try. Often if you don't risk - you don't win. And no matter what will happen, they always can say that they were European and World Champions, the best on the world and they don't have anything to prove anymore. And if their federation want them to stay, if their coaches want them to stay if their fans want them to stay it's good for them and it may help them but I think it's their personal decision first. People, their fans love them and whatever will happen for us they always will be the best on world and have place in our heart. I think that they know about this and it will help them however will be. So whatever they would do - it would be good. If they would retire on the top - good, if they want to stay and to try their dream come truth - good so. I enjoy with more DelSchoes, believe in them and hope I'm not alone in that
Tant qu'on rêve encore…

 

[Mathman]

I have never gone along with the argument that skaters ought to retire if they think their chances of winning at the Olympics are small. If that were the case, 99% of all skaters would retire immediately.

 

[eleonora.d]

I didn't mean it's a matter of having even a small chance of winning an oly medal.
I think it's a matter, for those few who competed for a long time and already achieved to be world champion, to decide if it's better to stop at ther highest rank ever achived or hazard a little more. Same could be said for Plushenko's comeback. Who knows..

Or maybe they yet don't feel tired enough to quit!

 

[Tinymavy15]

I have never gone along with the argument that skaters ought to retire if they think their chances of winning at the Olympics are small. If that were the case, 99% of all skaters would retire immediately.

so true. if most of us had half the chances that Delobel and Shonfelder have of winnning the OGM, we would not even want to think about stopping!