Free dance

[herios]

I totally agree, herios. K&N are entertaining to watch . . .for acrobats, but not dancers. Chalk up their accelerated rise to the top of the ice dancing heap to another bit of masterful politicking by Piseev.

You know, I am Canadian and our analyst, Tracy Wilson mentioned Jana reminds her a lot about Natalia Bestemianova, and I agree. Bes / Buk were very dramatic, theatrical ice dancers, but way less proficient technically than Klimova / Ponomarenko, who had to wait their turn for about 4 years before those retired.

We'll see where Kok / Nov will develop in the future, but I found Serghei quite weaker technically. But thinking of the past, like Margaglio became world champion as well, which was a joke, because in all their routines Barbara was doing all the difficulty, it could happen again...

 

[figuristka]

Nice to see all the medalist's look so pleased. PECHALAT / BOURZAT should be proud too for their great free dance that was so well recieved.

 

[icedancedevotee]

I am not sure what is this pro-Zaretki bias on this board all about, I don't find them so great as many here do??

I'm inclined to agree with you, herios. The Zaretskis do nothing for me. Perhaps this is a simple case of the judges "pushing out" a team that they feel has already reached its full potential?

 

[icedancedevotee]

The ending on that one (K&N) was a real tour de force.

The ending reminds me of Anissina/Peizerat's ending to their "Man in the Iron Mask" FD from 1999.

 

[STL_Blues_fan]

thrilled for the Kerrs, disappointed for the Zarevsky's - I am pretty sure they had to place in the top 10 in order to go the Olympics. What a bummer. But given they missed the top 10 placement by a mere 0.01 points, maybe they will be able to petition and go after all.

 

[Buttercup]

I'm inclined to agree with you, herios. The Zaretskis do nothing for me. Perhaps this is a simple case of the judges "pushing out" a team that they feel has already reached its full potential?

I don't think the Zaretskis are that good, but they do seem a bit undermarked this season. Last year, IIRC, the teams with comparable scores and placements were the Kerrs and C/L. Obviously the Zaretskis are not on their level this season (they weren't on the Kerrs' level last season, either), but I don't think they should've gotten such a low score in these championships.

 

[herios]

Nice to see all the medalist's look so pleased. PECHALAT / BOURZAT should be proud too for their great free dance that was so well recieved.

Watch P/B how they will develop under Zhulin, who will bring them to world podium, sooner or later. They just started a few months ago, their progress through the rankings in the last 4 years is spectacular. And that is what Tracy Wilson says as well, their program is world podium material. They will have to improve on those CD's.

 

[cloudkicker09]

I'm inclined to agree with you, herios. The Zaretskis do nothing for me. Perhaps this is a simple case of the judges "pushing out" a team that they feel has already reached its full potential?

NO WAY, the Zarestski's are young and full of potential, the low score and no reason deduction, I checked the Zaretski's had the same lift all throughout the Grand Prix yet never recieved a deduction before, are just political and racist.

An email campaign has already started, and phone calls have already been made, this is going to hit the presses tomorrow.

SO is it true that this year determined Olympic qualification? I thought that it was next year?

 

[Buttercup]

thrilled for the Kerrs, disappointed for the Zarevsky's - I am pretty sure they had to place in the top 10 in order to go the Olympics. What a bummer. But given they missed the top 10 placement by a mere 0.01 points, maybe they will be able to petition and go after all.

My guess is that unless they bomb completely in the coming year, they'll get sent anyway. Who else will represent Israel? The only skater with halfway decent results is Tamar Katz in the ladies, and she's never gotten into the top ten at Europeans. I'm not aware of any other successful athletes in winter sports who are from Israel, though this may be due to my lack of familiarity with anything that's not figure skating.

 

[figuristka]

Finnish YLE2 are only showing the top group now, well at least i can watch again-

 

[Alicja]

NO WAY, the Zarestski's are young and full of potential, the low score and no reason deduction, I checked the Zaretski's had the same lift all throughout the Grand Prix yet never recieved a deduction before, are just political and racist.

An email campaign has already started, and phone calls have already been made, this is going to hit the presses tomorrow.

SO is it true that this year determined Olympic qualification? I thought that it was next year?

If it were true that this year was the olympic qualification, it would indeed be very sad for the Zaretskis.

But, I have to ask you one question: Who do you think is racist and political? The caller, the technical specialist, the judges, all of them?

Racism or racist is a powerful word I just think it's wrong to throw it into a discussion just like that.

 

[Mafke]

You know, I am Canadian and our analyst, Tracy Wilson mentioned Jana reminds her a lot about Natalia Bestemianova

I'm glad I'm not the only one.
Between her skirt and his hair I was getting major B/B flashbacks (also known as post traumatic stress episodes). Next stop - ribbons on her skirts and a blonde hair for him!

 

[beep_beep]

I thought placements at worlds alone decided how many skaters/teams a country gets to send to the olympics... and then there is just one more spot for each discipline available for countries who didn't get to send anyone at Karl Schaeffer Memorial.

Does the ISU give wildcard entries to the olympics like the FIG does (for gymnasts of countries who would never get to qualify on their own) ?

 

[Alicja]

I thought placements at worlds alone decided how many skaters/teams a country gets to send to the olympics... and then there is just one more spot for each discipline available for countries who didn't get to send anyone at Karl Schaeffer Memorial.

Isn't Nebelhorn this qualifying competition for those last spots this time?

 

[beep_beep]

I'm glad I'm not the only one.
Between her skirt and his hair I was getting major B/B flashbacks (also known as post traumatic stress episodes). Next stop - ribbons on her skirts and a blonde hair for him!

AAAAHHHHHH !!!!!!!

 

[NatachaHatawa]

Great competition! I'm so happy for Jana and Sergei - they've finally stepped out of Domnina & Shabalin's shadow!

I'm delighted for the Kerrs, they were just wonderful! They were even more applauded than Jana & Sergei!

Nathalie and Fabian skated really well, so congrats to them even though they must feel fustrated at being fourth. As Philipe Candeloro put it, French skaters have signed a contract with the ISU to constantly be fourth!!!

To join the debate on the Zaretskis, I thought they were fantastic last year, but this year their programs aren't so appealing. I'm happy that they changed their costume, because the one at the beginning of the season was awful.

 

[MissIzzy]

I think the implication is that either the Israeli skating federation of the Israeli Olympic Committee won't send them because they didn't meet their standards. If they finish in the top twelve at Worlds the ISU will offer Israel an Olympic berth(which, supposedly, Israel would now refuse), and even if they don't they can compete for one at the Nebelhorn Trophy next year, though of course if Israel is refusing to send them they probably won't go there.
Though honestly, I find this news kind of weird. It was even said that Roman was likely to carry the flag in the opening ceremonies, which doesn't imply any question that they would be sent should they earn the berth. And their coach's father is head of the federation, so I suspect if she wants them there, ultimately, they will be there, unless the Olympic Committee's really against it.
And hey, if the federation really is complaining about this, maybe the officials decide this result's invalid and not disqualify the Zaretskis on its account. Though a major to-do is not a good idea; if Speedy gets mad, then the Zaretskis probably really *will* start getting marked down!

 

[sillylionlove]

That's where my father was born.

That's cool!!! See how all figure skating fans are connected somehow!! LOL

 

[Buttercup]

I thought placements at worlds alone decided how many skaters/teams a country gets to send to the olympics... and then there is just one more spot for each discipline available for countries who didn't get to send anyone at Karl Schaeffer Memorial.

I think it's that and there's a qualifying compeition, wasn't the Karl Schaeffer Memorial used last time?

The Zaretskis' problem is that their national Olympic committee or whatever it's called apparently set the top 10 as the qualifying criterion. I can't imagine they'll get it at Worlds, so I'm not sure where they stand right now. But as MissIzzy noted, it doesn't seem probable that they'll be left at home, top ten or not.

 

[figuristka]

That's cool!!! See how all figure skating fans are connected somehow!! LOL

-grandmother was also born there and her maiden name was Kerr. Iam so pleased for Britian to get a medal.