Countries that will be impacted the most by retirements? | Golden Skate

Countries that will be impacted the most by retirements?

Jammers

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 4, 2010
Country
United-States
Japan. Ando, Mao and Suzuki are done for sure. And Kanako has said she might be done as well after Sochi but even if she comes back Japanese women won't be the dominate force they were for the last decade.
 

npavel

On the Ice
Joined
Nov 3, 2008
Italy isn't going to WTT in the next years and Korea will be back with one skater at ladies worlds (at most
Russia will be back with 3 skaters and USA will have 3 skater as this year. THis twi nations will dominate ladies events
 

sky_fly20

Match Penalty
Joined
Nov 20, 2011
Japan will be heavily impacted so is Italy ( all their skaters are getting old even C/L and B/H )
then USA and Canada ( ice dance and pairs but not for long ) and Russia Pairs ( but not for long )
China will shift to singles and will ony have one or two lukewarm competitive pairs
 

pingu

Rinkside
Joined
Jul 27, 2013
Italy in two or three seasons when Kostner, Marchei, Cappellini/Lanotte and Berton/Hotarek will have retired. Alas.
 

hanca

Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 23, 2008
Japan - ladies a lot, men a little bit but there will still be decent skaters left in men's category
Italy -ladies
Germany - pairs
Korea -ladies
When Korpi retires, also Finland ladies
Russia not that much, there will be still plenty of good pairs left
USA not much, I am sure the other dancers will step up
Canada not much, they have other decent dancers
 

LRK

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 13, 2012
What about France? After Brian retires, they'll really only have Florent - I don't follow junior's, so it may not mean a lot, but I haven't even heard of any up-and-coming juniors? Are there any?

And I don't follow ice dance, but if P/B retire, are there any other dance teams to come after them?
 

hanca

Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 23, 2008
To be fair, Joubert was great in the past but I don't think he was serious contender in the last season, so there won't be that much difference when he is gone.
 

gmyers

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 6, 2010
What about France? After Brian retires, they'll really only have Florent - I don't follow junior's, so it may not mean a lot, but I haven't even heard of any up-and-coming juniors? Are there any?

And I don't follow ice dance, but if P/B retire, are there any other dance teams to come after them?

France could have sent Chaffik Besseghier to 2013 worlds but he didn't meet French standards for worlds which just seemed idiotic shooting country in the foot!!
 

LRK

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 13, 2012
France could have sent Chaffik Besseghier to 2013 worlds but he didn't meet French standards for worlds which just seemed idiotic shooting country in the foot!!

Perhaps, but I don't really see him placing higher than either Brian or Florent - do you? What little I've seen of him he seems mildly likeable to me - but I've never actually seen him doing really well.
 

LRK

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 13, 2012
To be fair, Joubert was great in the past but I don't think he was serious contender in the last season, so there won't be that much difference when he is gone.

Well, he was 4th in 2012, and top ten (9th?) this year at Worlds' (and he beat Florent) - is there anyone else, other than Florent, who is likely to even duplicate that much? Meaning, is there anyone - some promising youngster - who is likely to equal even a declining Brian? It might not matter to the world at large, but the question was about the countries in question - and I imagine it would matter to France. That's all. (Also, I am genuinely curious - I haven't heard about any young really promising male French skaters - are there any?)
 

gmyers

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 6, 2010
Perhaps, but I don't really see him placing higher than either Brian or Florent - do you? What little I've seen of him he seems mildly likeable to me - but I've never actually seen him doing really well.

He definitely would've been lower than amodio and Joubert but he's a third french man that could have gone to worlds and been getting seen and so even though he would've been third why not send someone! He qualified? Probably would have done better than maxim kovtun Russia's only!!! Man!!
 

LRK

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 13, 2012
He definitely would've been lower than amodio and Joubert but he's a third french man that could have gone to worlds and been getting seen and so even though he would've been third why not send someone! He qualified? Probably would have done better than maxim kovtun Russia's only!!! Man!!

Oh, I agree that the decision was silly - and to me completely incomprehensible. I can't imagine what they thought they'd gain by not sending him. As you say, he'd at least gain some international exposure - and some experience. I'm not sure he'd have done better than Kovtun - but it really doesn't matter. He would surely have done better being there, than he did by not being there!
 
Joined
Aug 16, 2009
Japan will be heavily impacted so is Italy ( all their skaters are getting old even C/L and B/H )
then USA and Canada ( ice dance and pairs but not for long ) and Russia Pairs ( but not for long )
China will shift to singles and will ony have one or two lukewarm competitive pairs

I am interested in your comment that China will shift to singles. It certainly looks as if their well of pairs skaters has dried up. It's a bit surprising that they didn't make the commitment to sustain this program, considering how well it did. After all, once they made the move into gymnastics and diving, they built quite a long-lasting dynasty in both sports. Does anyone have any concrete information on this?

I do feel sorry for Japan especially. They seemed to have an inexhaustible field of singles skaters, and suddenly just about all of the ladies are standing by the exit, waiting to depart. Korea at least is not a surprise, though it's equally sad. After all, no one could have expected YuNa to last forever. She's been skating at a senior level internationally for nearly two Olympic cycles. I hope Korea doesn't have to wait too long for another top-ten or top-five (or top-one!) skater.
 

Mirunna

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 12, 2009
And I don't follow ice dance, but if P/B retire, are there any other dance teams to come after them?

Yes, there are current World junior silver medalists, Gabriella Papadakis/Guillaume Cizeron who made a huge progress last year and their FD was amazing. I have huge hopes for them.
Are they turning seniors? I would love to see them at Sochi, I think they can pass Pernelle Carron/Lloyd Jones for that second spot.

Japan's loss will be the greatest, because they are not loosing their lead lady skater (like South Koreea, Italy, Finland), but because they loose 4 amazingly talented and accomplished skaters who dominated since 2007 (they managed to have at least 1 lady on the podium since then and won 4 world titles)
 

sky_fly20

Match Penalty
Joined
Nov 20, 2011
I am interested in your comment that China will shift to singles. It certainly looks as if their well of pairs skaters has dried up. It's a bit surprising that they didn't make the commitment to sustain this program, considering how well it did. After all, once they made the move into gymnastics and diving, they built quite a long-lasting dynasty in both sports. Does anyone have any concrete information on this?

because competitive pairs in China only started in the late 1990s and had their peak in the early 2000's
it wasn't that long compared to the soviet and russian dynasty who still have good present and upcoming pairs
 

hanca

Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 23, 2008
I do feel sorry for Japan especially. They seemed to have an inexhaustible field of singles skaters, and suddenly just about all of the ladies are standing by the exit, waiting to depart. Korea at least is not a surprise, though it's equally sad. After all, no one could have expected YuNa to last forever. She's been skating at a senior level internationally for nearly two Olympic cycles. I hope Korea doesn't have to wait too long for another top-ten or top-five (or top-one!) skater.

I wouldn't feel sorry for Japan. They will have some decent men even after Takahashi and Oda leave. Results of Japanese men (without Oda and Takahashi) from the last season:
Hanyu - 1st and 2nd at GP, 2nd at GPF, 2 at 4CC, 4th at worlds
Kozuka - 1st and 2nd at GP, 5th at GPF
Tatsuki Machida - 1st and 3rd at GP, 6th at GPF, 1st and 2nd at some B competitions
Takahito Mura 1st at GP, 8 at 4CC, 8th at worlds

I think men will definitely do just fine even without Takahashi and Oda.

With ladies it is a bit complicated. Kanako Murakami suggested that she may or may not retire because she wants to experience the 'normal student's life' However, when she is Japanese lady number 1, she may change her mind.
Kanako Murakami 3rd and 4th at GP, 3rd at 4CC, 4th at worlds.
Satoko Miahara has slightly struggled with underrotations and has been heavily deducted for that, but she has the full set of jumps and with a bit of work on the jumps she has the potential to be pretty decent. Her results even with the downgrades are not bad at all - 7th at junior worlds and 5th at JGPF. She needs a few years but she will be there pretty soon.

Then there is a few "average" skaters, such as Haruka Imai (8th and 5th at GP, 2nd and 3rd at B competitions), Risa Shoji was good the previous season in juniors but the last one was struggling (still in juniors), Rika Hongo (also still in juniors) could be promising (5th and 2nd in JGP and 9th at junior worlds).

So ladies will not be same as until now, there won't be 3 ladies in the first 5 or 6 at worlds, but they will retain one in first five for sure (Murakami), one with quite a lot of potential (Miahara) and any of the ones I mentioned above (Shoji, Hongo) may turn out to be reasonable too. Perhaps not the first 5 at worlds, but decent standard. I think that's still more than other countries (except of Russia and USA) will have.
 

minze

Medalist
Joined
Dec 22, 2012
Japan will be afected. Losing their superstars skaters Mao and Dai. The reteirement of Mao Asada will hit them financially no doubt about that. Korea it wilk take them years to have a world class skater like Yuna Kim. Italy has the same issue as Korea. The countries whi will benefit from the reteriments of the top 3 are US and Russia they have the talents to stand in the world podium
 
Joined
Aug 16, 2009
And I think Canada will benefit. But I will miss Japan's bevy of spectacular ladies, and of course the glorious Daisuke. And I hope that Korea is able to remain an important part of skating--if not right away, then in the near future.
 
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