2015-16 Grand Prix assignments | Page 32 | Golden Skate

2015-16 Grand Prix assignments

There is a reason not to have more than 8 pairs: you'd need an ice make because you can't have more than 4 pairs on the ice in a warmup group. But you could have 10 ice dance teams--5+5--without needing an ice make.
 
There is a reason not to have more than 8 pairs: you'd need an ice make because you can't have more than 4 pairs on the ice in a warmup group. But you could have 10 ice dance teams--5+5--without needing an ice make.

I agree this is a good point, but perhaps even more relevantly (to me anyway) at the moment there's really not actually that much depth in pairs. Frankly, I don't think more than 8 slots per event are needed. I wouldn't want to see less, either, but I think this genuinely is about the right amount... if anything it's stretching it slightly. There just are not that many high quality pairs.

This is no simply longer true of dance. The field has expanded, even exploded. More slots are at a minimum highly desirable, but actually could even be argued to be necessary if you actually want to see all the top teams get two slots.
 
This is no simply longer true of dance. The field has expanded, even exploded. More slots are at a minimum highly desirable, but actually could even be argued to be necessary if you actually want to see all the top teams get two slots.

Yes, and there really aren't eight slots for top athletes because one spot goes to a host team. The other thing that is different about dance from pairs is that the discipline is more international. We have a team from Britain, 2 from Italy, one from Israel, and--maybe--one from Denmark who could plausibly finish in the top ten at Worlds. These teams can't count on a host spot. What's more, because 4 of the host nations have high-level competitors in ice dance, these teams can't count on generosity from very many countries when open spots become available.
 
So...if Denis can't make TEB (poor guy, he looked in so much pain during the FS at SkAm)...who wants to see Brendan again? (meeeeeeee!) What do you reckon the odds are?
 
So...if Denis can't make TEB (poor guy, he looked in so much pain during the FS at SkAm)...who wants to see Brendan again? (meeeeeeee!) What do you reckon the odds are?

If he has to WD, I wouldn't mind Brendan replace him....that is IF Denis WD. I don't wish anyone to WD. I'm JUST saying.

But anyways, Brendan was fun to watch at Skate America! I can see why you're a fan!
 
If he has to WD, I wouldn't mind Brendan replace him....that is IF Denis WD. I don't wish anyone to WD. I'm JUST saying.

But anyways, Brendan was fun to watch at Skate America! I can see why you're a fan!

Yeah. I agree. Brendan had a top 20 finish at worlds, and Ivan Righini, who came 25th got 2 spots...
Also I think Brendan's performance at Skate America shows that he deserves to be more present on the Grand Prix Circuit.
 
I would like to see Mikhail Kolyada get the spot since he lost all of last season due to injury & he has been skating very well. But it will probably go to someone really obscure if the current trend continues. (Assuming Denis even withdraws...maybe we shouldn't jump the gun here)
 
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I agree this is a good point, but perhaps even more relevantly (to me anyway) at the moment there's really not actually that much depth in pairs. Frankly, I don't think more than 8 slots per event are needed. I wouldn't want to see less, either, but I think this genuinely is about the right amount... if anything it's stretching it slightly. There just are not that many high quality pairs.

This is no simply longer true of dance. The field has expanded, even exploded. More slots are at a minimum highly desirable, but actually could even be argued to be necessary if you actually want to see all the top teams get two slots.

I think there is a ton of depth in pairs, but there is a big drop-off after the top 20 or so team in the Worlds. But the quality of the 2nd tier has really improved compared to the past. Look at how great Wang/Wang were in the short at SA. And Seguin/Bilodeau in the long. Even Kayne/O'Shea had solid skates for a 6th place team at a GP event, and Astakhova/Rogonov are a strong pair despite a subpar showing there. I continue to be impressed by the international pair field moreso than any other discipline.

Conversely, I found it difficult to get through the Ukrainian and Chinese dance teams. And we're missing truly spectacular teams in the absence of Davis/White and Virtue/Moir. I think depth in the dance field is lower than it has been in a decade.
 
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I hope Amodio is okay and it's nothing serious. He did look out of sorts at Skate America.
 
Does Misha still have time to get a visa?:reye:
 
If they couldn't get him a visa with however many months' lead time, I don't think a week is going to cut it...

Hoping it was still in the pipeline, I guess.:scratch2: but I'm cool with Brendan:agree:
 
Florent's out of TEB due to an ankle injury :(

Would there be any replacement for this, or is this too short of a notice to even get anyone to replace him? And if ever, who's next in the list?
 
They don't have to fill the spot as it's less than 10 days to the start of the event. In any case, it would be considered as a host pick spot, so more likely to go to a French skater (prob Hocqueax) rather than going down the subs list.
 
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