someone said check video thread.. what is that? sorry -technical idiot. would love to see their performance. can someone just give me a link?
I totally agree but I think the Canadian teams will be key in that battle. I expect they will cancel each other and neither will get three spots.
I still think both teams can outperform I/B who are new and the recovering Italians or the Germans. BUT, it is also not a stretch to think that Pavlyuchenko / Khodykin and Peng / Jin can be caught by one of SK/K or CG/L. Peng has been dealing with injuries to both feet (but she still gets the job done). Yet, it will take a really great performance by at least one of them and IDK if anyone wants to put a bet on that.
I think that's an interesting POV. There is an outside shot at MT/M snatching a bronze at Worlds competing before a hometown crowd, then I/B just need a top 10 finish. But, I/B lag the SK/K and CG/L score-wise this season, were pretty subpar at CAN Nationals and have to prove themselves at 4CCs. Della Monica / Guarise from Italy seem like they are coming back into their own based on Euros, so they will be another team that can make life tough for I/B and the Americans.
As for the Americans, they lag all 3 Russian pairs, both P/J and S/H from China and the top Canadians (I believe J/C from France won't be at Worlds), even if they give us their season's bests at Worlds, it will leave the Americans 7th and 8th, not enough for 3 spots.
I still think both teams can outperform I/B who are new and the recovering Italians or the Germans. BUT, it is also not a stretch to think that Pavlyuchenko / Khodykin and Peng / Jin can be caught by one of SK/K or CG/L. Peng has been dealing with injuries to both feet (but she still gets the job done). Yet, it will take a really great performance by at least one of them and IDK if anyone wants to put a bet on that.
If anyone is still interested in the question of why USFS uses the system of Body of Work to send skaters to Worlds each year, rather than going strictly by Nationals results, I'm copying a portion of gkelly's post in the US Ladies' thread (p. 204, post #4072). Basically, to keep Nationals judging fair and honest. The results mean just that: who performed best at that event ... not influenced by who the judges "want" to send on to Worlds. In the US, Nationals mean something besides just being a qualifier for Worlds, and it clearly means so much to all the skaters who participate. That's something that is so evident when I attend Nationals ... there's just so much exuberance and happiness, and it's not just about who will win. It's more like a Festival than a contest.
The other possibility, that of making skaters "duke it out" with other teams at 4CC or somewhere else, IMO would create a whole 'nother can of worms. And I like for each competition to have its own value and importance.
I really loved Tomoki Hiwatashi's answer in the FS Press Conference. And seeing Calalang/Johnson's reactions and happiness, first at having such a magical skate, and second, at seeing their scores come up, I can't imagine that they feel "wuzrobbed."
However, if a numerical formula is as simple as "The top placing skaters at Nationals will go to Worlds, assuming they are eligible to compete there, in order of finish, with no other considerations" puts the decisions about world team selection solely in the hands of the judges and tech panels at Nationals. That means they would have on their minds not only how the skaters are actually skating on that day, but also which skaters they "want" to send on to Worlds. Which would tempt judges to try to fudge the Nationals results in order to get the skaters considered the best bet for Worlds into the top slots, thus making Nationals itself less of a fair competition. (bolding is mine.)
Suppose you're a less decorated skater who may not be old enough for Worlds, by nationality are not eligible to represent the US this year or if not a citizen not eligible to represent the US now or for years to come, or have not earned necessary minimum tech scores perhaps because you had never yet earned or been able to take advantage of international assignments or never managed to skate well enough when you were sent out. Or maybe you do have the minimum scores but just barely and there are three or more other skaters who have much stronger resumes than you do.
If you have a breakout performance at Nationals, would you prefer/consider it more fair to be scored accurately on what you do and earn a national title or silver or bronze medal and then get passed over for Worlds, or to be intentionally held down in the scoring so that a more favored skater (including one who can go to Worlds if you're not eligible) can take the title/other medal along with a world team spot that automatically goes with it?
https://www.goldenskate.com/forum/showthread.php?81121-2019-20-U-S-Ladies-Figure-Skating/page204
A very candid interview from the Knierims:
http://figureskatersonline.com/news...d-chris-knierim-were-fighting-for-our-dreams/
They seriously considered retirement after the Grand Prix season this year, but decided to continue on to Nationals.
Oh no...they had to sell his cars? I am sad for him.
Oh no...they had to sell his cars? I am sad for him.
Also since the beginning of the season their SP has reminded me of another program, but I couldn't figure out which one. Well I found... I don't know if it was conscious or not but it's basically an updated version of Gordeeva&Grinkov's The Man I Love. Which all things considered is a great program to borrow from.
The more I watch Calalang/Johnson, the more I like them. Honestly I do find their programs boring, and I really dislike their music in the free, but they have the technical goods, and Jessica has such beautiful lines, it's a pleasure to watch.
Kayne/O'Shea are definitely not my type of skaters but their Clair de Lune SP is a very good program
in the LP. That missed spin was just a random fluke which made the score look worse than it was.
I disagree. For Chris to have to stand there for what seemed like an eternity while Alexa did the spin was about as disruptive as a mistake gets, and having it happen right after the SBS jumps were such a mess on both their parts increased the negative impact. But their good elements got good GOE and that held their scores up.
Chris seemed to buy and sell cars like hot wheels, so I don't know how attached he was to any of them.
There's no reason why they can't do well against all these top teams at 4CC. On paper they are better than Kirsten & Michael. It's a confidence/comfort thing with them and figuring out this Raf technique that may or may not be the best for them. They have a long time before Worlds.