2014-15 Season Preview | Page 2 | Golden Skate

2014-15 Season Preview

flutzy13

On the Ice
Joined
Nov 12, 2012
All this talk and implying that V&T are worried about S&K is so crazy it makes me break into an uncontrollable fit of laughter each time I read it. V&T fell three times at Europeans and easily beat a 2 clean program S&K last year, even nearly winning the LP a well. S&K would have lost to Duhamel & Radford at worlds had D&R gone, and a cautious S&S easily crushed them.

I never said they were afraid. I think it's an issue of motivation and having other opportunities. I don't think they'll show up untrained and while they committed to the GP in an interview, they seemed less certain on Worlds. I also don't think they'll beat S&K with 3 falls again now that S@K are a known proven entity which they weren't yet at Euros.

Also D/R did go to Worlds. Perhaps you meant if they had gone clean but they didn't as was often the case this season
 

desertskates

Medalist
Joined
Nov 19, 2013
I mostly agree with what everyone is saying. I think Hanyu will dominate the men.
I also think that a Russian sweep of the ladies podium and Grand Prix Final and Worlds is a real possibility. I do think Gracie, Ashley and Polina will continue as the US top 3, but on a world level had better get used to the placement of 4, 5, and 6 in whatever order.
 

lbc2138

On the Ice
Joined
Mar 7, 2014
Agreed. Just saw her miss it twice on NBC's Worlds broadcast. Bronze was hers for the taking if she had completed those jumps. She looked like she was about to cry during the interview. A bronze at Worlds after her 1st National title and a 4th at the Olympics would have been a great way to end the season!

Not a huge fan of Gracie (for non-figure skating reasons) but I did feel very sorry for her when she missed them...

Agreed, if Carroll can just get her to fix up her other jumps, she wouldn't (and really shouldn't) do a triple axel. She's not getting the height that she used to on her jumps...

I really do hope that someone does incorporate a triple axel next season (whether if Mao is coming back), I know jumps aren't everything but it's just as exciting to watch when men attempt quads.
 

lbc2138

On the Ice
Joined
Mar 7, 2014
Men's
-Hanyu will continue to be the favorite but he'll end up losing the GPF to Javier who starts training with a new intensity
-Chan does not return this season.
-Ten ends up on the World podium again.
-Brown wins US Nationals and makes the GPF possibly even without a quad. He finishes top 5 at Worlds with spectacular Chan esque PCS. Rippon channels his disappointment into something great and is second at Nats. Farris beats Abbott for the third spot at Worlds. Abbott gets criticiZed when he complains to the media that he deserves the World spot as he earned it for the US. Max has a rough season and then retires.

Agreed. Though for some reason I just don't see the burning fire in Javi that I see in Yuzu. He said he had a tough time training for Worlds after the Olympics and while he is a great skater and his quads look great when he's on, I don't get this sense that he really wants to win the world title... you know what I mean?

Like with Tatsuki, the way he skates, you can just feel the desire oozing out of his skating and in a sense have something to prove. Javi has already done a lot for European men's skating so I feel like his motivation isn't enough to carry him throughout. I may be wrong though, in fact I hope I'm wrong because it would be awfully boring to watch Yuzu win everything without any contention.

I've never been into the American men's but your predictions are intriguing, I hope some junior join in the fray in 2-3 seasons.

Adding on to everyone else's predictions for men: after a disastrous beginning of last season with Denis, his bronze at Sochi gives him the morale he needs to be more consistent this season.
 

Duality

On the Ice
Joined
Jan 25, 2014
I like Jason but I don' believe that he will make GPF or get Chan esque components without a quad.
 

Silvia451

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 6, 2014
Country
Romania
There was at least one similar thread.

Yuzu's going to win again the world title and the 4S won't be a problem anymore.
Denis will win the silver medal at the WC.
Nam will have some good results (at least top 10 at WC).
Unfortunately, Machida won't repeat the great performance from this year.
S/K will beat V/T one time next season, but not at the worlds.
Elena will win the european championship.
Adelina will get a medal at the worlds, but not the gold medal.
V/M and D/W will officially retire.:cry:
No notable results for Han, Kovtun, Jason or Polina.
 

Ryan O

Final Flight
Joined
Mar 5, 2004
Country
Canada
This year was Nam's first Worlds and he almost beat Kevin Reynolds, so he could certainly move up a couple of spots into the Top 10 next year. Considering how close Nam was to Kevin, it's a warning to the latter that he needs to start skating more consistently or he will be at risk of getting dumped by the judges.
 

CanadianSkaterGuy

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 25, 2013
My prediction - Gold will make a mess of her program at worlds and Russians will have the podium sweep (Lipnitskaya - gold, Sotnikova- silver and Radionova-bronze). Poor Pogorilaya won't be sent to worlds because she will place fourth at the nationals.

I agree... considering Russia's depth of ladies' skaters, even the 4th or 5th place finisher at Nationals could claim a World medal and push others like Gold off the podium.

I do think Radionova will be a breakout star this year. She already qualified for the GPF as essentially a junior. She has the unrefined qualities that Lipnitskaia had in her first year on the GP, and after a summer of cleaning that up, she might just mirror Julia's success last year.
 

CanadianSkaterGuy

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 25, 2013
This year was Nam's first Worlds and he almost beat Kevin Reynolds, so he could certainly move up a couple of spots into the Top 10 next year. Considering how close Nam was to Kevin, it's a warning to the latter that he needs to start skating more consistently or he will be at risk of getting dumped by the judges.

I think as long as Nam doesn't have a consistent quad, Reynolds is safe. Plus if Chan's out of the way, Reynolds will be eying the Canadian title and will probably be looking to ensure he gets it. Nam shows great potential and might surprise on the GP circuit, but he's a ways away from being a threat.
 

CanadianSkaterGuy

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 25, 2013
There was at least one similar thread.

Yuzu's going to win again the world title and the 4S won't be a problem anymore.
Denis will win the silver medal at the WC.
Nam will have some good results (at least top 10 at WC).
Unfortunately, Machida won't repeat the great performance from this year.
S/K will beat V/T one time next season, but not at the worlds.
Elena will win the european championship.
Adelina will get a medal at the worlds, but not the gold medal.
V/M and D/W will officially retire.:cry:
No notable results for Han, Kovtun, Jason or Polina.

Define notable results? Kovtun will likely win Russian Nationals, a GP event, and potentially a World medal. Edmunds might threaten for the US title if she maintains consistency and has a shot at GP medals, maybe even the GPF. Brown also has a more consistent axel, so he'll get some GP medal(s) this season, likely. Han is also a threat too, if he can maintain his focus and consistency with his quad, given the GOE he gets on his elements.
 

pangtongfan

Match Penalty
Joined
Jun 16, 2010
Just because YOU think Kovtun will win a grand prix event and world medal doesnt mean others think that. Your bias and fanboyism for Kovtun is already well proven with your 200+ posts in the Plushenko-Kovtun thread, but others dont neccessarily share your views on his skating and potential. :laugh: The current top 3 are all light years ahead of Kovtun in ability so unless he improves drastically over the summer (which he could do given his youth) it would take a splatfest from one of them for him to beat any of them. 4th place at worlds usually indicates something, but in this case much less as the points chasm from 3rd to 4th show, they might as well have been 2 different events. That isnt even considering Ten who had to miss worlds but should be back next year, and on a good day will always beat Kovtun as he is now, up and coming Yan who will have worlds in his home country and is a more talented and stable jumper than Kovtun, Chan who might well come back, and Aaron, Reynolds, and Kozuka who could all come back from rough seasons.

As for Duhamel & Radford earlier, yeah that is what I meant; had D&R skated cleanly at worlds they would have beaten Stolova & Klimov. Granted S&K werent clean in the LP there, but there is no reason V&T would be remotedly afraid of them at this moment. V&T's only real worry for the time being is their own motivation. S&K could become one, but are far from it at this point. I bet V&T do hope S&K improve a ton once again in the next year or two, like they already did in the last year, and become more a threat to them. Since as things are now the most likely reason for them to discontinue is utter boredom with their big rivals S&S retired and nobody knowing yet if this Savchenko & Massot duo will be the great shakes they think they will be or not. V&T arent wimps, they love a big challenger, and they loved their rivalry with S&S the last 3 years. There is nobody to challenge V&T as things are right now, other than their own habits of the occasional meltdown here or there (which might not even cost them victory in a field without S&S).
 

sky_fly20

Match Penalty
Joined
Nov 20, 2011
and :rofl:

D/R need to improve their lines first before they can even challenge, those ugly lifts, non existing lines not to mention a terribly mismatched pair, I would bet better on MT/M future, S/H is the onl that can challenge V/T in the future
 

pangtongfan

Match Penalty
Joined
Jun 16, 2010
and :rofl:

D/R need to improve their lines first before they can even challenge, those ugly lifts, non existing lines not to mention a terribly mismatched pair, I would bet better on MT/M future, S/H is the onl that can challenge V/T in the future

I like Sui & Han but I am worried about them. Their jumps have become inconsistent, and she might end up outgrowing him and if that is the case I dont see how they can continue. I hope I am wrong since I love them and I would like to see them become a world beater or atleast a major contender. I think they are the ones I said I am on the fence most about. I could see this being the season they flourish and rise to the world podium (probably not gold yet), but could also see it being a year they decline further and their future is in jeapordy, or anything in between, but I am feeling one of the extremes in their case, not sure which it will be.

D&R probably have a cap to their potential due to her lack of extension or ability to make anything look easy. Who knows though, she is one of the most determined skaters I have ever seen and I admire that about her. I could see them winning another world medal or two, but ever being world champions or still being up there in 2018, I dont really see that.

I prefer M-T&M to D&R but I am not sure if they will reach the breakthrough or not. They lack the speed and power of the other top teams, and their tricks needs to be bigger to be taken more seriously by the judges. They especialy need that to pass D&R without D&R having a semi meltdown as D&R have so much more difficulty than them, and get similar or higher PCS (rightly or wrongly).
 

sky_fly20

Match Penalty
Joined
Nov 20, 2011
I like Sui & Han but I am worried about them. Their jumps have become inconsistent, and she might end up outgrowing him and if that is the case I dont see how they can continue. I hope I am wrong since I love them and I would like to see them become a world beater or atleast a major contender. I think they are the ones I said I am on the fence most about. I could see this being the season they flourish and rise to the world podium (probably not gold yet), but could also see it being a year they decline further and their future is in jeapordy, or anything in between, but I am feeling one of the extremes in their case, not sure which it will be.

D&R probably have a cap to their potential due to her lack of extension or ability to make anything look easy. Who knows though, she is one of the most determined skaters I have ever seen and I admire that about her. I could see them winning another world medal or two, but ever being world champions or still being up there in 2018, I dont really see that.

I prefer M-T&M to D&R but I am not sure if they will reach the breakthrough or not. They lack the speed and power of the other top teams, and their tricks needs to be bigger to be taken more seriously by the judges. They especialy need that to pass D&R without D&R having a semi meltdown as D&R have so much more difficulty than them, and get similar or higher PCS (rightly or wrongly).

S/H will be fine as long as she doesn't grow any taller, they seem to have kept their quad tricks. barring injuries or potential future natural growth beyond their control Chinese Pairs tends to have high longevity in their careers

MT/M are more consistent though, a little push in PCS and they can pass D/R, which getting higher PCS is actually a joke
 

pangtongfan

Match Penalty
Joined
Jun 16, 2010
S/H will be fine as long as she doesn't grow any taller, they seem to have kept their quad tricks. barring injuries or potential future natural growth beyond their control Chinese Pairs tends to have high longevity in their careers

MT/M are more consistent though, a little push in PCS and they can pass D/R, which getting higher PCS is actually a joke

I just have a sense Skate Canada thinks D&R at their stronger hope and are likely to push them more than MT&M. D&R winning another world medal is only likely to further feed into those hopes. I dont like the skating of D&R at all (I have mixed feelings whether to cheer for them as I love them as people), but Skate Canada probably is attracted to them since they are attempting the hardest technical programs with the highest base values in the world today and feel that is something that sets them apart and gives them a chance. MT&M dont really have one thing that can set them apart when compared to V&T, S&K, the Chinese, and that and they carry a bit of a stigma against them with their rather small twist which really stands out in this day in age. That might be why SC is more liable to backing D&R as their #1. I agree D&R's PCS especialy compared to a team like MT&M are a joke, but I think it is for this reason.
 

Ryan O

Final Flight
Joined
Mar 5, 2004
Country
Canada
I think as long as Nam doesn't have a consistent quad, Reynolds is safe. Plus if Chan's out of the way, Reynolds will be eying the Canadian title and will probably be looking to ensure he gets it. Nam shows great potential and might surprise on the GP circuit, but he's a ways away from being a threat.

It's true that the quad is an advantage Reynolds has that Nam doesn't, but Reynolds has so many mental focus issues and inconsistent skates that it's possible he can finish behind Nam at an event, like he nearly did at Worlds (and I think Nam beat him in the FS, yes?)
 

HanDomi

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 27, 2014
I think only Javier will be and can be main threat to Yuzuru (if he will not bomb :biggrin: ) next season. I also think that at least once Yuzuru will try to land quad loop instead of salchow if he will have for example gap after short program.

I wouldn't write of Kovtun of medals at GP events and europeans, but I don't think he will get next season close to Javier, Yuzuru.. I just hope he will try to rework his quads technique... I just feel pain in my body when I see how he enters quads :disapp: :biggrin:
 

pangtongfan

Match Penalty
Joined
Jun 16, 2010
Kovtun should medal in grand prix events, he was even doing that this year. He should atleast medal at Europeans too if he doesnt bomb like this year. He could win a grand prix, but it will be hard since Fernandez, Hanyu, and Machida are all way better skaters than him who would have to crash and burn badly to lose to him even skating well, and he is ensured of meeting atleast one in each of his grand prix outings. Plus all the other possible threats who werent even at worlds (or were in poor shape there).
 

flutzy13

On the Ice
Joined
Nov 12, 2012
Michelle's Spiral;913732 Other predictions for next year: Ashley continues to stay on her feet said:
I could see Ashley being 3rd at Nats or 8th at Worlds. But I really don't see her retiring end of next season. I think she's smart and knows what she's dealing with nationally and internationally. If she wanted out, I think this year would have been the time to take it- she achieved her Olympic dream finally and came home with a medal and had a moment at Worlds- maybe her best skate ever. It all would have made for a pretty nice ending. If she didn't retire this season, I think she's in until at least 2016 Nationals. She has the opportunity to skate at a home country Worlds- that may be a significant motivator. Its the same reason I doubt C&S will retire even though a second US title at home and a bronze medal would be a storybook ending for them.

And I don't think USFS will throw Wagner down the river at least for 2015 and 2016- they would be dumb to do so. There's no insane junior talent on the rise at least right now and she's a marketable, relatable already known personality and has been a solid international competitor (especially at Worlds) even if she never is US champion again. In the glory years of USFS, we always had 2-3 relevant ladies. They'll want to give the appearance of having a deep bench a la Russia even if its not really the same thing. And Wagner is money. Nike has already reupped with her for four more years and I think her infamous Olympic face may help her get more sponsors on the road to Pyeongchang than her results. There's no real show circuit and she's never expressed any major academic goals away from skating so it may make financial sense for her to stay in.
 
Top