GP Final - Surprises and Disappointments

[Joesitz (RIP)]

What were your surprises and disappointments?

SURPRISES[/U]

For me it was the two gold medalists, although I kinda thought Fumie could do it. Eman, I haven't seen yet.

Sasha's 3 gold medals in the new system (A pleasant one.)

Elena L's still going strong as the oldest competitor!

Bebe's debut in the seniors and looking good.

Yukina's debut in the seniors and looking good.

Shizuka's presentation so much improved.

Kevin van der Perren - rocking the men's boat.

Buttle - Finally, skating so well to his own style.

The battle between G&G and B&A.


DISAPLPOINTMENTS

Jenny - not making the Finals

Kostner; Maniachenko; Poykio; Rochette - not quite there yet.

Tim - with all his problems.

Joubert - what's wrong?

Innoue and Baldwin - not in Finals.

Langois and Archetto - not getting bronze.


Do you agree and can you add some others?

Joe

 

[euterpe]

Surprises:
Inoue/Baldwin doing so well, even if they didn't make the Final

Belbin/Agosto winning bronze in Ice Dance at the GPF - I didn't think they'd finish that high, because of the uneven finishes in their events (1st at SA, 4th at Lalique, 2nd at CoR). Now it's plain that Lalique was the oddly scored event.

Scott/Dulebohn winning a medal at Lalique

Sasha's second meltdown in two weeks in the GPF.


Disappointments:
Scott/Dulebohn skating so poorly at CoR right after medaling at Lalique.

Arakawa's poor SP in the GPF.

Alexander Abt's FSs.

Zhang/Zhang and Pang/Tong finishing 5th and 6th at the GPF. I thought maybe one of them would medal.

 

[Antilles]

Surprised about B&A doing so well (very happy though). Surpsied about Buttle and Sandhu-especially Sandhu!

Disappoinments-D&L not doing better at GPF, and D&S not winning.

 

[bleuchick]

Great topic!

GPF Final - Suprises:

1. Pairs - that Langlois & Archetto - beating P&T in the LP. This is the first time they have beaten one of the top 3 in a skate. So big news to me. I know they came in 4th overall, but what a suprise.
2. Men - Doctor Sandhu. I never saw this coming so soon!

GPF Final - the Good Stuff:

Japanese gals - if there ever was one who I wanted to win, it is Fumie
Sandhu - putting together two programs in one competition.

GPF Final - diasppointment:

No MK, Timmy etc.

 

[Ladskater]

My biggest surprise was Sandhu - honestly - I was sort of losing confidence in the guy! It was frustrating to see him do so well at Nationals and then crumble on the international scene. Really great to see. I hope he can keep it up.

I am also thrilled Jeff B. is getting his jumps under his belt and coming along to nicely. I just love his skating. I look forward to seeing him at Nationals. It's going to be a real battle in the men's field.

Disappointed D&L did not make it to the podium. Oh well, there is next year.

A little disappointed L&A have not "hit one out of the ball park" yet. I still think they have it in them. They had kind of a rocky start last leason at Nationals. I look forward to seeing them again.

Really surprised how well the Japanese ladies are coming along!! They are dynamite! They are producing skater after skater - I wonder what they are feeding them - maybe Canada better find out. Whatever it is we need it!

 

[berthes ghost]

Surprises:

- ANYONE beating Plushy!
- it being Sandu of all people. I probably would have predicted 5th or 6th place for him. Just goes to show ya!

Disapointments:

- Tim bowing out
- Jubert declining

 

[BravesSkateFan]

Belbin/Agosto winning bronze in Ice Dance at the GPF - I didn't think they'd finish that high, because of the uneven finishes in their events (1st at SA, 4th at Lalique, 2nd at CoR). Now it's plain that Lalique was the oddly scored event.

I don't know how you could say that Lalique was an oddly scored event when they finished only one spot behind where they finished at the GPF. It seems to me that SA would be the oddly scored event. But thats JMO

 

[euterpe]

I don't know how you could say that Lalique was an oddly scored event when they finished only one spot behind where they finished at the GPF. It seems to me that SA would be the oddly scored event. But thats JMO

It was oddly scored because the results were way out of whack with their other GP events AND the GPF.

B/A won gold at SA, silver at CoR and bronze at the GPF. In winning gold at SA, they beat both G/G and DelShoes, and they also beat them at the GPF. Then how is it that DelShoes and D/L, last place finishers at the GPF beat B/A at Lalique. Lalique is an oddball result.

If you compare the scores at all 3 of B/As GP events, SA and CoR are comparable in every segment, while the Lalique scores are significantly lower across the board. After watching all three events, I could see no reason for such a disparity.

So I find B/A's bronze medal at the GPF a confirmation that the SA and CoR results were correct, and Lalique was the anomaly.

 

[Tonichelle]

definate disappointment was L/A's whole series... they so totally could have been on the podium at some of those events if they hadn't had the costume problem... and they hadn't switched training methods

 

[chuckm]

I don't know how you could say that Lalique was an oddly scored event when they finished only one spot behind where they finished at the GPF. It seems to me that SA would be the oddly scored event. But thats JMO

???

A. At the GPF B/A finished ONE spot ahead of G/G, TWO spots ahead of DelShoes and THREE spots ahead of Dubreuil/Lauzon.

B. At SA, B/A finished ONE spot ahead of G/G and TWO spots ahead of Delshoes.

C. At Lalique, B/A finished ONE spot behind DelShoes and TWO spots behind Dubreuil/Lauzon.


Which of the above does not fit the other two?

Answer: C

 

[mzheng]

Dissapoints:
-- would be Arakawa didn't win a gold.

Supprise:
-- Sanduh beat Plush

 

[Rgirl]

Surprises:
That the whole GP series, including the GPF, was actually interesting! And had some great skating in it to boot.

Sandhu over Plush--whoda thunk it? But I love it!

Liashenko getting a new lease on her eligible skating with the COP, which may have had the effect of increasing her confididence and indirectly allowing her to improve her skating. I've never been a big Liashenko fan, but this is the tbest she's ever looked, IMO--and at 26. I love that, too!

Song Gao. Finished last at the GPF, or 5th if you want to put it that way, but for his first season on the GP circuit, I was very impressed by this guy. Some style in the SP, none in the LP, but flow out the wazoo and a 4t/3t that is gorgeous. Moved up from 6th to 3rd at NKH. You never know, but I hope this is a Chinese male skater who can really move up.

Jeff Buttle. Loved his skating from the git, but now he's refined things and matured. Up and down in the GP series, but I'm thrilled to see Buttle able to skate so well.

Surpises Yet To Happen:
Michelle's short program. Anybody got any clues?


Disappointments:
Poor Tim with this boot, sushu, and other problems. I hope they are behind him for Nats and Worlds.

Joubert. What happened to Baboo?! (I think it's the sophomore slump.)

AP McDonouagh. She looked so ready to kick it last spring, but it just hasn't happened.

Jenny sort of betwixt and between. Great 3/3, and that great performance at SA. But then...? She's said she and Andreev are definitely going to start skating pairs next season, so perhaps she's either torn or not quite sure where her full commitment is going to go yet.

Sokolova. I know she's been injured, but to go from the heights for last seasons Worlds to her condition and skating thus far, that's got to be tough on her psyche. I thought she'd come out guns blazing this season, but alas...

But by far the biggest disappointment is Irina, and please don't mistake me, I'm not disappointed in her--her condition is not her fault--I just feel so BAD for her and her family. First she couldn't get into things after the Olympics and winning Worlds; then her mother got sick; now Irina. Whether you're a fan of Irina or not, I think most would agree she's been such a terrific athlete in figure skating for so long. I certainly hope this isn't the end of her career, but it's going to be hard to come back. I just wish her the best.
Rgirl

 

[show 42]

Totally shocked that Pang and Tong did not medal......clearly, in my layman's eye, out-skated Petrova and Tikhonov (I'm still trying to figure out their appeal)......42

 

[mzheng]

Totally shocked that Pang and Tong did not medal......clearly, in my layman's eye, out-skated Petrova and Tikhonov (I'm still trying to figure out their appeal)......42 [/QUOTE

ITA. Over all in LP, Pang&Tong made less mistakes (He singled an double axel, she touched down hand on a throw) than P&T and L&A. But they placed behind both of the team. They lost in TCS, I think in judges' eye they can beat P&T and L&A only if they skated clean and the other two made mistakes.

 

[Kasey]

Pleasant surprises...
Well, of course, Emmanuel Sandhu holding it together finally! Also, I think finally being "introduced" to Van Der Perren was nice, and seeing Jeff Buttle start to live up to the hype I'd heard of him last year. AND...witnessing the rise of the Japanese ladies! I have loved Fumie's skating for a few years now...but now, seeing what Arakawa, Ota and Onda are all capable of too....It's official, I'll be rooting for the Japanese ladies from now on (since I am decidedly NOT a fan of Sasha C.) It was nice seeing Jenny Kirk having some nice moments...I'm just afraid she'll be someone like Nikodinov or Bobek...Someone I like so much to watch, but who's consistency in competition will be rare. I hope she proves me wrong, I really enjoy her style.

Disappointments....
Baboo!! not skating up to par, and then declining the chance to go to the final? (Maybe a good choice, since he won French Nat's again, but really, he may have been able to do that while still going to the GPF).

Um, how about "splatfest 2003", aka the Grand Prix Final??? Yikes! Seeing a bunch of elite athletes bent over holding their guts and trying to catch their breath at the end of their routines, NOT my idea of "must see tv"!!

Kasey

 

[Matt]

GP & GPF Surprises

Surprises:
-Sandhu, obviously. He was due for a good skate and a win, but wow, who predicted that one?

-Buttle. Great year; can't wait to see him at Worlds

-Fumie's spark; wow, that's the best I've seen her

-Arakawa; great season, really improved from the few times I've seen her

-van der Perren, definitely. 11th to 5th at SC, 4th to 2nd at Lalique. Belgium?? , there's a new one for you.

-Was it just me, or was everyone skating to Emmerich Kalman music?

Disappointments:

-Joubert (Baboo? I hadn't heard that one!); he skated well, but was kinda lackluster

-Kirk not making the most out of the silver at SA

-Pet&Tikh at the GPF. Yeuch!

-Except for Song Gao, no other Chinese skaters (what happened, Li?)

-No Slutskaya. I'm not a fan of hers, but there was something missing without her

-And finally, where was Honda? I know he had mixed programs at SA and SC, but not attending NHK? That was weird. I totally pegged him for the GPF