I think this is the best FD Gilles and Poirier have done to date, while last year's Hitchcock program on the surface may have had broader fan appeal mostly for its quirkiness, voids and great costuming, this new FD is the most technically demanding and difficult they have attempted, and if performed well with speed and interpretation to the music, they could really score well! This FD could be taking a page out of the Virtue & Moir playbook by taking a FD from slow start, snooze fest in the summer, to it being breathtaking and jaw dropping by the end of the season, it is all in the interpretative details, both their programs this season, simply need some tweaking and more miles on them. I just hope G/P or to lesser extent P/I are not going to be held back in the standings this year, due to the remote possibility of a V/M comeback and all the Cdn fed politicking going to support W/P...
I love, love Dubreuil's choreo for P/C and they have 2 great vehicles that have been well rec'd and have so far been skating them very, very well, but the FD is still a relatively simple straightforward program, beautiful, emotionally convincing yes, but not all that demanding technically... The French now the are French #1, are likely slotted for a top 6 finish by worlds, esp., based on current season's scores. They could finish as high as 3rd in the world, as they are seemingly in the race for bronze with a number of other teams still in hot pursuit, who were ranked ahead of them last season. Contending for bronze, even a top 6 -10 finish would still be quite the leap up the leader board from 13th where they finished last season. They have lots of momentum from early season wins along with politiks from being French #1. The only thing that could derail the French, is if the Russians manage to keep a team in the race for world Bronze. Or, maybe the Shibs, the Brits, Canada#2, or yikes, the current world champs (Italy) can all somehow mount better late season challenges to hold the now mighty hot French team, off the world podium. Still believe that world Gold and Silver is pretty much a toss up tween Canada # 1 and USA #1 this year at least given that each have about 10pt scoring lead buffer over those contending for bronze. Euros will likely tell the Bronze tale as to whether it will be Russia, France, or France, Russia, this being more of a building year, but still important enough in terms of who will have the most momentum going forth in this new Quad -- history shows us that the Russians are very, very skilled in playing the long game, esp., well in Dance! Those folks that get to call the shots might allow the French to win the short game and get a wee bit ahead of the Russians this year thanks to the GP momentum, but likely the scores down the line will be kept very, very, close, then the Russians will likely spring ahead in the Oly year if the past is any indicator, LOL!
TEB scores will be very telling as mid course corrections much like we saw for the Shibs at COC, and I/Z at COR. The French will likely be moving on to the GPF, even if a disaster strikes and French wind up 2nd, 3rd or even as low as 4th at TEB, which is all pretty unlikely given their winning ways this season. Raising their score means their path to bronze is a really good bet, while status quo means Russian team or Shibs, could still squeak in, while a wee lower score at TEB likely means everyone in the hunt still has an even shot and judges are still making up their minds on exactly who to back - the big questions "competence, as well as which team will ultimately sell the most seats" perhaps those teams being given the green light status. My own top 6 preference this season would be W/P, C/B(US), G/P, P/C, (B/S if they remain Russia #1, and C/L, but only if these 2 teams can both bounce back very strong by Euros, otherwise they will drop way,way down my personal rankings and I remain not overly impressed by any of the other remaining Russian teams as they all seem somewhat messy, or under cooked so far, or their programs are not all that note worthy so I would personally keep them out of top 10, but I know that will never ever happen as pretty sure there will be 2 Russian teams in top 10 barring disaster, for me though I see them more in the 11-13 range.)
I have very mixed feelings about the rest of the field, I truly hate H/D's FD, but have to overlook that as their skating is still powerful and think they will still wind up as USA #3, and are still a solid bet for my top 10. Shibs as USA #2, also deserve to be in the top 10 World mix, but programs are still not as strong or memorable for me personally, as they could be, or have been in the past, still they are strong technical skaters so they definitely make my cut. The Brits -C/B, seem to be on the rise, and at least their programs this season are more memorable, so they do make my top 10. Canada #3 and my bet is it will still be P/I in which case they still definitely make my top 10, or at worse case remain just outside at #11. I like the voidy Germans, the uber cute Spain #1, and the quickly rising Danes who have a lovely SD this season, pretty neutral or blah, blah, on the rest, as teams like AZE, SVK and Italy #2 have not made much of an impact on me yet this season.
Gilles/Poirier have the GPF # 6 slot, esp if they place 2nd or 1st, or perhaps still can squeak in even if 3rd, but would need P/I in 2nd, not H/D in that scenario. With Italy out of the GPF running, things are still in flux, esp., in terms of who ultimately gets the nod for GPF 5 and 6 spots, as C/B with 2 golds and Shibs are in with their 2 silver. This week could see French and Canada's G/P making it as well, Leaving only 2 GPF spots left with W/P a pretty big bet for nailing 1 of them, and a decent odds for C/B-UK for the Final one, unless both Russian teams make the podium at NHK. Betting all the Russian teams will have their voodoo on and are all hoping Canadians - G/P, get beat big time at TEB, by both P/I and H/D, and C/B get beat at NHK, to ensure either I/Z or S/K make it to GPF!
On the 4CC side it is also a very slippery slope tween USA and Canada, so I also expect scores to be kept close. Since dance PCS is pretty much decided in backroom deals, we will just have to wait and see how it all shakes out, with TES being the ultimate trump card based on how everyone in the new race for Bronze actually skates at 2015 worlds...
about having no connection, and I am sure has put a lot of thought into what and how to do dances that don't require a connection.
I thought so. and of course it's true.
