All Things Ice Dance: Canadian | Page 39 | Golden Skate

All Things Ice Dance: Canadian

Not bad results for the Canadian teams - I hope it's not too much longer a wait for video of all four programs (and the evening's gala, in P/I's case). Seems as though P/I had a few more technical issues than at SLC, but R/H's results don't surprise me too much since this was really their first outing of the year, and they'll likely be sharper in a few weeks at Skate Canada. I'm also very eager to finally see the latter's free dance!

And congratulations to Kaetlyn! What a fabulous senior international debut! :biggrin:
 
And the good news keeps on coming :D Andreanne Poulin & Marc-Andre Servant (last years jr. champs) won a bronze at their JGP this year, their second of the season, and did so by seriously improving on their previous season's best. This puts them in the running to make the final, along with Edwards & Pang (who have two bronzes) and quite possibly Bent & MacKeen as well (who have one bronze, and are competing again next week). Dalmer and Firus were 6th.
 
VERY unlikely for Poulin/Servant to make the final. Only BENT / MACKEEN have a decent shot, and they would have to win at least silver in Croatia.

Here's why:

Already in the final
ALDRIDGE / EATON and PAPADAKIS / CIZERON with 30 points
likely in the final
YANOVSKAYA / MOZGOV with 26 points

In Croatia:
KOSIGINA / MOROSHKIN with 13 points are likely to win (total 28 points)
silver is up for grabs between BENT / MacKEEN and ZENKOVA / SINITSYN

If B/McK win silver, they'd have 24 points; if Z/S win silver, they'd have 26 points.

In GERMANY, STEPANOVA / BUKIN are pretty much guaranteed the gold medal, for 30 points. It won't matter who else medals in Germany, because only Morozova/Zhirnov have enough points (9) to matter and they'd still have only 22 points with a silver.

SO---you'd have

Aldridge/Eaton 30
Stepanova/Bukin 30
Papadakis/Cizeron 30
Kosigina/Moroshkin 28
Yanovskaya/Mosgov 26

leaving one spot open.

If Bent/MacKeen win silver in Croatia, they'd be in with 24 points, else Zenkova/Sinitsin with 26 points.

Both Edwards/Pang and Poulin/Servant with 22 points (2 bronze each) are behind Koch/Nuchtern who have silver and 4th.
 
It's worth remembering that by listing all JGP competitors as substitutes at almost every event that the federations have left themselves a big opening to move teams around. The Chemnitz field is so weak (and the Zagreb field so comparatively strong), it would not surprise me to see changes
 
dorispulaski said:
It's worth remembering that by listing all JGP competitors as substitutes at almost every event that the federations have left themselves a big opening to move teams around. The Chemnitz field is so weak (and the Zagreb field so comparatively strong), it would not surprise me to see changes
Click to expand...

My apologies. I made that comment under the impression that there were 8 spots to the JGP final, not 6. Did there ever used to be 8? Because I could have sworn there were at one point. :laugh:
 
There were 8 JGP finalists up until last year, when the number was cut back to 6.
 
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Only 6 in JGP dance? Why on earth for? 8 teams would not even make 2 full flights, and 6 teams is too much for 1 flight. I don't understand why the reduction in numbers. I don't like it in the SGP, but there are fewer entries at every event, and I can sort of understand it, although I think 8 teams still makes sense in SGP. But for JGP, there are so many teams that compete each week, and 8 makes total sense!

I agree that Bent/McKeen have the best shot for Canada to make the JGP. I also think they are Canada's strongest junior team right now. It should be interesting to see how the year shapes up for Worlds. There are quite a number of strong teams at Junior. Do you send the Junior Champions and Poulin/Servant, or #1 and #2 at Juniors? There is a very deep and talented field of skaters at Junior right now.

I'm also not understanding why SC would decide to send the Meng's or Desveaux/Razgulajevs to a JGP, who are so very young, when they have Cyr/Brisebois or Marrow/Mulder who both won bronze medals at Minto, who will age out of Junior much sooner. There is lots of time for the younger crew.
 
I suppose the thought is the younger ones have a better chance to win something before they age out? and is Razgulajevs the son of the coach? If so, there might be some saving for somebody there, somehow (no clue just how this is organized; I'm just spreculating).

BTW, the Paul & Islam SD Nebelhorn video has surfaced:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFYfCxjaZq4&feature=plcp
 
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NorthernDancers said:
I'm also not understanding why SC would decide to send the Meng's or Desveaux/Razgulajevs to a JGP, who are so very young, when they have Cyr/Brisebois or Marrow/Mulder who both won bronze medals at Minto, who will age out of Junior much sooner. There is lots of time for the younger crew.
Click to expand...
I'm thinking that with minimal JGP spots, Skate Canada needs to invest in its younger skaters who have more long term impact. I think both those older teams you mention age out this year so why invest in teams who could only compete for you once on the international scene. Desveeux/Razgulajevs won bronze at Lake Placid and came a close 4th to both those teams at Minto. Mengs also won bronze at Lake Placid and won a portion of Que competition this summer over Cyr/Brisebois. The BC team girls are all between 14-16 and Bent is 15 and they have all been out on circuit for 2 years now and doing well in their second years. Desveaux and Razgulajevs are both 15 and Mengs are 15/14. So I guess I would be in favour of Skate Canada spending it's limited funds on pushing the younger teams forward.
 
Just checked the ice-dance.com stats from last year's Nationals, and Brisebois does age out this year. Mulder has another year yet. He's only 19.

I didn't like this policy last year when I thought Paradis/Ouellette should have had a shot at a JGP. They did very well domestically. They are now Senior, and in a couple of years could realistically be gunning for a top 5 placement. It would have helped them to have some international exposure so the judges know them a little, and they know what it is like to compete internationally. Of the current crop of really young skaters at the JGP, I am not yet convinced they will stay for the long-term in their current partnerships. I think Bent/McKeen have staying power based on their ages, physical growth/size, years together, skating development, etc.. I'm not sure about the rest. Maybe Edwards/Pang, but I can't see at this point how the rest survive into Senior. At which point, if Skate Canada is looking to give a team some exposure, and it's not about results and making the JGPF, why not at least give Cyr/Brisebois a chance before they age out? There is lots of time for D/R and Mengs. Spread the opportunities as wide as possible, and let the results speak for themselves over time.
 
Does Skate Canada also, like USFS, place a lot of emphasis on Lake Placid IDC results in making JGP assignments?
 
No idea about Lake Placid? Is Skate Canada lowering the boys age to 20 as of next June - is that the new ISU rule - or am I dreaming?
 
Yes they most certainly do. It's why Carol Lane takes her teams down there every year.

Skate Canada requires that all team members do a summer competition for judge feedback and monitoring, at least to the point of world medalists. For the Junior skaters in line for JGP's, these competitions are critical to their receiving assignments, especially if they are on the bubble wth a number of other teams for a handful of spots, and not an established team who will get assignments based on past results.
 
I scanned down the thread thinking I had missed all of the excitement and congratulations to Gilles & Poirier for winning the dance competition in Salt Lake City. I see lots of positive stuff about Paul & Islam and their skating, and barely a mention of the gold medalists.

So let me be the first to say how exciting it was for this fan to see Piper and Paul take home the gold. Piper is really proud of her Team Canada jacket and to win her first senior competition is pretty exciting.
 
Don't forget that Paul and Islam also won bronze at Canadians (in a non-contoversial decision). Many people expected great things from them, last year, and maintained an interest throughout a very difficult season. Some of these folks became fans and cheerleaders, they take every oportunity to mention P/I, they even have a Paul and Islam thread on another board, and keep it on page one. In my opinion, both Canadian teams caught a break at SLC, but it must be noted that P/I closed a large apparent gap in marks between these two teams.

ETA: Since nobody jumped in here, I'll just add, I'm not one of those fans, but I recognize quality. This seems to be a 'catch up' season for P/I and I think it's a safe bet that they will be a world-class team in the future.
 
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slipslidin said:
Don't forget that Paul and Islam also won bronze at Canadians (in a non-contoversial decision). Many people expected great things from them, last year, and maintained an interest throughout a very difficult season. Some of these folks became fans and cheerleaders, they take every oportunity to mention P/I, they even have a Paul and Islam thread on another board, and keep it on page one. In my opinion, both Canadian teams caught a break at SLC, but it must be noted that P/I closed a large apparent gap in marks beetween these two teams.
Click to expand...

No question. I have every confidence that Chock/Bates would have won in SLC if they hadn't imploded in the FD, and deservedly so.

Speaking as one of the P/I "cheerleaders," after the trainwreck that we had to witness last season, I think we're entitled to our joy. :biggrin: It's been great to see them skating consistenty, and looking like they're enjoying themselves again, and even more satisfying to see the rediculous poin difference between them and G/P from last season diminish.
 
I think the fact that this team has fans, at this stage of the game, shows they have the "it factor". They have also shown that they are ambitious to improve, and are aiming high.
 
Sleeper team prediction: Orford/Williams just to make things interesting. Had a decent showing in Lake Placid, have 2 GPs assigned to them, have a solid coaching team out west with the Lowe's and if they are smart - the Lowe's will use Ben Agosto's experience to help this team. This team is still very young. They may surprise everyone with a fourth place finish at nationals.
Don't get me wrong, I enjoy watching Gilles/Poirier, Paul/Islam, Ralph/Hill but every team has their weakness'. Gilles/Poirier have the advantage of 2 GPs and the next time we see Paul/Islam is at Nationals. That's a long time to go between competitions and will be a big test for them. The judging at SLC and Nebelhorn was generous and it appears that we will have inflated scores during the GP season this year (like last year) and then back to reality at 4CCs and worlds. So let's enjoy the fall season and then bring out the knives in the New Year at Nationals....hahaha...
 
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