- Joined
- Mar 7, 2015
seems to me that's it's just the engagement
GP France Ice Dance Predictions
- Thread starter gsk8
- Start date
- Joined
- Jan 25, 2013
Barring major mistakes? Like the fall at the GPF stopped them from coming 2nd or twizzle error at the Olympics from coming 1st? 
At this competition they can afford 2-3 falls and still come out on top, and get 9’s on homecooked PCS.
At this competition they can afford 2-3 falls and still come out on top, and get 9’s on homecooked PCS.
- Joined
- Sep 1, 2020
Yes, making mistakes, no matter how rare, is a huge factor re overall results. Otherwise, regarding programs, to each their own opinion. IMO, R/A did not have a good FD in 2024-25. It was poorly conceived in terms of concept, costume, execution, etc. It was not well-received either. There was a lot of critical commentary regarding that FD. It just did not work. Thus, if you make mistakes, the impression judges form is even worse with a poorly conceived program.
Overall, 2024-25 was not a great season for ice dance programs, not even for top teams. The best three standout FDs that season: Smart/ Dieck, Dune (choreo by Romain Haguenaer); Turkilla/ Versluis , Tango selections (choreo by Massimo Scali); Flores/ Desyatov, Poor Things (choreo by Kaitlyn Weaver).
Obviously, for the Olympic season, R/A went back to their comfortable wheelhouse to find more suitable music for their FD that fit their vibing, entertaining style.
- Joined
- Sep 1, 2020
Yes, at 2025 GPF, Laurence's fluke trip and fall due to her skate blade grabbing the fabric of her costume, kept them from winning overall. Still, the result was close because their FD is a very creative, largely well-executed masterpiece, like it or not. At the Olympics, I still feel that Piper/ Paul should have won overall, with FB/C second, and Chock/ Bates, third. But sadly, Piper/ Paul were never in the running for gold, which many in the lay audience completely could not understand. All the outraged hullaballoo over FB/C winning Olympic gold ahead of Chock/ Bates is, IMO, just noise from those who dislike FB/C, for whatever reasons, and ire from C/B fans and certain media outlets.Barring major mistakes? Like the fall at the GPF stopped them from coming 2nd or twizzle error at the Olympics from coming 1st?
At this competition they can afford 2-3 falls and still come out on top, and get 9’s on homecooked PCS.
Honestly, FB/C lost points for their three minor miscues at the Olympics. But it was not enough to take away from their other +5 elements. That's the bottom line. For me, FB/C were emotionally tight due to all the media noise thrown at them. It was not their best emotional execution of the performance, but it's still a great, highly creative program to wonderful music. I would have Piper/ Paul in first at the Olympics because they gave the best overall emotional and well-executed performance on that occasion. But once again, the judges were never considering PiPa for gold.
I had expected more from Chock/ Bates for their final Olympic season. Seemingly, the years caught up with them, plus they did not come up with a creative concept or choice of music that was organic or suitable to who they are. While they stuck to their guns with their boring, manufactured, cliche FD, and smoothed it out over the course of the season, and fixed the problems with Madi's overlong skirt, the program did nothing for me. Evan had slowed down, and he was managing back pain. It was an obvious struggle for him. Madi gave her best fierce face and sexy vibe, and they managed to pull through skating in both the team event and the individual ice dance event. They did well helping the U.S. secure team gold.
While C/B's RD was okay, the FD, IMO, never worked. Poor music selection and concept, in addition to the costume concerns and tweaks. Simply not one of C/B's best or most memorable efforts. But you wouldn't know that from the high scores they received all season, apparently due to popularity, rep stature and respect for their experience and longevity.
- Joined
- Sep 1, 2020
They are professionals and good friends. For sure, they have an engaging, spicy chemistry on-the-ice. But they have never been romantic off-the-ice, contrary to what fans may have thought. Both are in solid relationships with significant others. I don't see R/A's on-ice chemistry changing because Saul is engaged to marry his longtime girlfriend.
BTW, where did you see the marriage news? [ETA: Ah, I see @4everchan has posted in wedding, engagements, and baby news thread that Saul recently proposed to his girlfriend -- they're not married yet] Below are some interesting articles on Saul & Allison, and how their skating partnership came about. In the second article, it definitely sounds like Allison was contemplating retiring after 2026 Olympics, but hadn't made a set -in-stone decision.
What a huge compliment for Jennifer. I think she's entertaining, hard-working, and fun to watch. She has an effervescent vibe, but she doesn't remind me of fierce, sexy, sultry, commanding Madi Chock, albeit they are both petite with dark eyes and dark hair.
Jennifer turned 33 in May '26, while Ben became 30 in January '26. I don't see them 'rising' very far at this stage of their ice dance career. With steady improvement, perhaps they can hold their own in the second tier. There are way too many younger, more talented teams in ice dance who are hungry for the top to realistically expect Jen & Ben to rise very far at major championships. They could do well at smaller events, and continue to set personal improvement goals. There was some speculation about them retiring, post 2026 Olympics. It's nice that they decided to come back this season, whether or not it will lead to another Olympics.
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- Joined
- Jan 3, 2007
I stand by my comment about Jen & Ben having chemistry. Watch them give us a sultry Spanish dance. They did what I wished Madi & Evan would have given us. It would have given Madi & Evan a stronger emotional contrast compared to the more abstract theme chosen by Laurence & Guillaume. I wish Madi & Evan had gone a bit more this route for Olympics and taken advantage of their real relationship more. As much as I love them, the man /woman theme they could have given us would have worked better on them rather than the stretch of matador and bull. They did this far more successfully earlier in their career. I have felt this was a missed opportunity all season but did not want to critique a team in their most important year. I did not want to see it because I needed a romance, but because I knew they were capable of giving a stronger, more honest and less contrived performance (sorry Evan as a bull - really
, his best role is as Madi's husband). Well - now I finally was able to say what I really felt.
