- Overall it was a great competition by its excitement. Fournier-Beaudry/Cizeron was head and shoulders above everybody else, almost annoying, because they put the other competitors into the "second tier". It must be a difficult feeling.
The coaching teams of different couples are fantastic, because they did their best to emphasize the strength and benefit to all the couples and hide the obvious shortcomings really well. When a couple has almost "no limits", than they created a timeless masterpiece. Great job!
- The emotional an techical impact of the Smart/Dieck free made it iconic. It makes almost difficult to understand the level of their other programs in the past (their recent Rhytm dance is included). If they capable to perform a piece of art like this, GIVE them more of THAT, they can do it and it can put them on the podium!
- Gilles/Poirier is one of my sentimental favourites, being unrightfully underestimated and underscored for years. Their Rhytm dance was great, but the free was not (also 7 points!! less than their other program at the Olympics and rightfully so). It had not even the same impact on me, than it did 2 years ago. They seemed to be there to get their well-deserved new medal before retiring without any serious dedication. It was hardly in the top 5 Freedance. Their placement I am agree with.
- Zhingas/Kolesnyk is the future, that already arrived, and was my tip to get the Bronze before the competition. Their athleticism, freshness, attack and techical ability makes them the almost only team, whom they can challenge the French one (if they continued skating after this season). A lot to like on them. They are excellent , having also the "star quality X factor". Nevertheless the judges seemed to work a "bit too hard" mathematically (taking 2 points away from their rivals to provide a 0,2 point advantage) to put them on the podium, even if the result was right based on what I've seen...
- Fear/Gibson are the most entertaining show-skaters, crowd pleasers, but not a medal worthy competitors in most cases. The sport and shows need them, but cannot be permanently awarded because of their techical shortcomings. Nevertheless I love them to watch. Don't send them more to the gym, because it starts to take some negative effects on them, being short in bodysculpture and heavier in their movement!
- Reed/ Ambrulevicius. Great coaching maximalized their capacity and they executed and "sold" it well.
_ Lopareva/Brissaud. They have a personality, their own style and they are very good at it. Their future depends on the fact if they can be No1 or No2 French team in the next seasons. The material, talent, and possibility are there.
- Carreira/Ponomarenko. Dedicated "workers", but limited talents. They improved in many aspects. In some years can get close to the Podium, but cannot see how they can be somebody's "favourite". We will see that...
And finally the relative disappointments caused by different reasons:
- Lajoie/Lagha. They seemed to be the couple to be the future of the discipline some years ago. They are VERY good, but it is less and less visible. I think that the only IAM team with the wrong packaging. It is time that somebody seriously take care of their program and package individually, because in their young age they started to stagnate and loosing ground. It would be a big waste. ALARM needs to be used!
- Davis/Smolkin. Even with all the PR, changing country, going to the "best coaching" team they cannot improve. They are simply and remained to be a good average couple. I cannot see, what can make a good change. Maybe Zhulin (??).
It was a good season, and I entirely enjoyed following it. THANK YOU!
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www.scotsman.com
Christina is sooo pretty. I met Nathalie Taschler and Juulia and Mathias, who were also so sweet. Juulia and Natalie were so pretty too and so tiny! It’s crazy to me that ppl comment on Natalie’s weight because she is tiny in person.
skatingscores.com
