JGP # 5 Zagreb, Croatia

[Sandra_persch]

The entry lists are available and can be found her:

http://www.isufs.org/events/fsevent00010288.htm

We have
28 men from 22 Nations
36 ladies from 28 Nations
13 dance teams from 10 Nations

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

Thanks Sandra -

I note some good skating by Partick Wong (Canada) and Austin Kanalakan and Tommy Steenberg (USA),

I also notice there is an Indian entered.

for the Ladies there is Tamar Katz (Israel) whom I think as a Sasha wannabee.
Alexe Gilles (US), whom I haven't see yet, and the dymanic Mira Nagasu (US)

Canuscio/Lorello and the Hubbles for Dance.

Joe

 

[skatingfan04]

Thanks Sandra -

I note some good skating by Partick Wong (Canada) and Austin Kanalakan and Tommy Steenberg (USA),

I also notice there is an Indian entered.

for the Ladies there is Tamar Katz (Israel) whom I think as a Sasha wannabee.
Alexe Gilles (US), whom I haven't see yet, and the dymanic Mira Nagasu (US)

Canuscio/Lorello and the Hubbles for Dance.

Joe

Does anyone know if Crone/Poirier will likely end up behind these two teams? I've never seen either one skate, so I can't judge. They scored very well in Romania.

 

[oleada]

I believe the Hubbells have withdrawn and are replaced by Tibbets/Brubaker. EDIT: And I just realized that the team competing here is not Cannuscio/Lorello but Cannuscio/Copely. They finished 3rd at US Nationals in Novice.

I think Crone & Poirier will do very well here; I can see them getting another gold or maybe silver. I haven't seen Cannuscio & Copely, but I would imagine that they are a decent team. For comparison, here are some of the top teams competing here's personal best and their position at Junior Worlds last season:

Crone & Poirier (CAN) - 159.87 (JW 9, 1st at Romania GP)
Gorshkova & Butikov (RUS) - 147.09 (JW4)
Monko & Khaliavin (RUS) - 141.33 (3rd at Romania)

I think Gorshkova & Butikov will be their main competition. They haven't had a JGP yet, but they made it to the JGP Final last season, where they were 4th. They also beat Crone & Poirier at Junior Worlds. Junior teams can change in term of abilities so quickly that it's difficult to predict how they'll fare after a season or so.

That said, it wouldn't suprise me if Russia changed their entries.

edit: realized it was Cannuscio/Copely, not Cannucsio/Lorello.

 

[chuckm]

The Russians can and do change their entries for strategic reasons. They put Gorshkova/Butikov in JGP CRO because they felt G/B would place well in this competition. But if they want to beat Crone/Poirier, they would be better off with Monko / Tkachenko, who finished 2nd in Austria to Samuelson / Bates.

They haven't scheduled M/T for a second event yet, so we'll have to wait and see.

 

[oleada]

Oh, I know, and I don't blame them. That's why I don't assume that Gorshkova & Butikov will be that team there. It wouldn't surprise me if Monko & Tkachenko were there instead!

 

[chuckm]

OTOH, we haven't seen GORSHKOVA / BUTIKOV skate yet, and it's possible that they have improved tremendously since last season and are in a good position to beat CRONE / POIRIER in Croatia. It's interesting that G/B have already been scheduled for a second event (in Germany), and Monko / Tkachenko have not.

 

[skatingfan04]

Thanks for all of the info on Crone/Poirier's chances, everyone! I've only just begun to follow the JGP series this season, so I am really out of the loop in terms of the top teams and who is returning from last season. My hope is that Crone/Poirier make the final. Canada's done so well in JGP dance the last three seasons with Virtue/Moir and then Weaver/Poje. I'd hate to see that end with talented teams (IMO) like Crone/Poirier and Lenko/Islam out there.

 

[chuckm]

Crone/Poirier's gold medal at JGP ROU should assure them of a place in the JGPF, since a medal of any color would give them a minimum of 26 points. Lenko/Islam are on the bubble with 24 points, and we probably won't know if they're in until the last event.

No Canadian ice dance team made the JGPF last season. The finalists were:
HUBBELL / HUBBELL and SAMUELSON / BATES, USA
BOBROVA / SOLOVIEV, GORSHKOVA / BUTIKOV and ZLOBINA / SITNIKOV, RUS
GRUNBERG / RAND, EST
BROUILLE / RICHAUD, FRA
SPELTA / GARAVAGLIA, ITA

1st alternate: AGAFONOVA / DUN, UKR
2nd alternate: WEAVER / POJE, CAN
3rd alternate: LENKO / ISLAM, CAN

CRONE / POIRIER finished in 13th place, overall.

 

[skatingfan04]

Crone/Poirier's gold medal at JGP ROU should assure them of a place in the JGPF, since a medal of any color would give them a minimum of 26 points. Lenko/Islam are on the bubble with 24 points, and we probably won't know if they're in until the last event.

No Canadian ice dance team made the JGPF last season. The finalists were:
HUBBELL / HUBBELL and SAMUELSON / BATES, USA
BOBROVA / SOLOVIEV, GORSHKOVA / BUTIKOV and ZLOBINA / SITNIKOV, RUS
GRUNBERG / RAND, EST
BROUILLE / RICHAUD, FRA
SPELTA / GARAVAGLIA, ITA

1st alternate: AGAFONOVA / DUN, UKR
2nd alternate: WEAVER / POJE, CAN
3rd alternate: LENKO / ISLAM, CAN

CRONE / POIRIER finished in 13th place, overall.

Lenko & Islam have beaten Crone/Poirier before. They even won the FS at the 07 nationals where C/P won gold, but based on their point totals and results not only on the JGP circuit but at the LPIDC, I don't see that happening this year, so I'm not basing anything on placements last year. I never said that a Canadian team made it to last year's final, just that we did win four medals at JGP events last season in dance. That's pretty good, since Canada hasn't exactly had a great history of unbelievable depth in ice dance. It makes me happy that we should at least match that total this year if C/P perform to potential this week, and that we have 2 dance teams that can potentially have a spot at the final. I wish both teams luck.

 

[oleada]

OTOH, we haven't seen GORSHKOVA / BUTIKOV skate yet, and it's possible that they have improved tremendously since last season and are in a good position to beat CRONE / POIRIER in Croatia. It's interesting that G/B have already been scheduled for a second event (in Germany), and Monko / Tkachenko have not.

Monko and Tkachenko just got assigned to the Sheffield JGP.
I like what I've seen of this team so far...and they've only been together for less than a year!

 

[visaliakid]

2007 ISU JGP Croatia Cup

Ladies Short Program Results

1 Mirai NAGASU USA 52.12 29.89 22.23 5.69 5.34 5.59 5.59 5.59 0.00 #33
2 Jenni VAHAMAA FIN 48.38 28.65 19.73 5.09 4.78 4.84 4.94 5.03 0.00 #12
3 Alexe GILLES USA 45.79 25.43 20.36 5.19 4.88 4.94 5.22 5.22 0.00 #8
4 Nanoha SATO JPN 43.60 24.01 19.59 5.16 4.66 4.97 4.78 4.91 0.00 #11
5 Alexandra ROUT NZL 43.05 25.79 17.26 4.53 4.03 4.38 4.34 4.31 0.00 #7
6 Na-Young KIM KOR 42.14 24.44 17.70 4.69 4.16 4.44 4.53 4.31 0.00 #29
7 Yurina NOBUHARA JPN 41.85 24.99 17.86 4.72 4.25 4.44 4.50 4.41 1.00 #10
8 Rika INODA CAN 40.82 23.02 17.80 4.66 4.25 4.53 4.47 4.34 0.00 #14
9 Ekaterina KOZIREVA RUS 39.91 21.37 18.54 4.84 4.50 4.69 4.63 4.53 0.00 #31
10 Alena LEONOVA RUS 37.05 18.45 18.60 4.88 4.44 4.63 4.63 4.69 0.00 #18
11 Denise KOEGL AUT 36.98 20.94 17.04 4.41 3.97 4.19 4.31 4.41 1.00 #28
12 Sigrid YOUNG TPE 36.43 19.42 17.01 4.34 4.03 4.31 4.28 4.31 0.00 #23
13 Tamar KATZ ISR 36.22 19.04 17.18 4.47 4.06 4.31 4.31 4.31 0.00 #13
14 Debora SACCHI ITA 35.12 18.87 16.25 4.03 3.78 4.13 4.16 4.22 0.00 #9
15 Mary Ro REYES MEX 33.35 19.37 13.98 3.72 3.16 3.53 3.56 3.50 0.00 #1
16 Katja GROHMANN GER 33.18 18.36 15.82 4.28 3.56 4.03 3.94 3.97 1.00 #22
17 Aurelia BUCHS SUI 31.15 16.57 14.58 3.88 3.44 3.56 3.66 3.69 0.00 #5
18 Maria DIKANOVIC CRO 30.53 15.30 15.23 3.97 3.63 3.75 3.88 3.81 0.00 #20
19 Francesca RIO ITA 30.30 16.65 15.65 4.28 3.75 3.69 3.94 3.91 2.00 #21
20 Amy TANNER GBR 30.28 15.74 14.54 3.84 3.56 3.50 3.69 3.59 0.00 #16
21 Mirna LIBRIC CRO 30.07 16.60 13.47 3.59 3.16 3.38 3.38 3.34 0.00 #17
22 Karina JOHNSON DEN 28.95 15.60 14.35 3.78 3.41 3.50 3.72 3.53 1.00 #27
23 Eva CIKLOVA CZE 28.83 14.97 13.86 3.69 3.22 3.47 3.53 3.41 0.00 #32
24 Emma HAGIEVA AZE 27.56 14.36 14.20 3.78 3.34 3.53 3.59 3.53 1.00 #19
25 Meri SAVOLAINEN FIN 27.22 11.84 15.38 3.94 3.69 3.69 3.94 3.97 0.00 #30
26 Yoon-Sun MOON KOR 26.62 14.32 12.30 3.38 2.88 3.09 3.06 2.97 0.00 #3
27 Alja PAHOR SLO 26.40 14.27 12.13 3.25 2.78 2.97 3.16 3.00 0.00 #2
28 Manuela STANUKOVA BUL 26.32 13.52 13.80 3.78 3.28 3.31 3.41 3.47 1.00 #26
29 Fanni FORGO HUN 25.83 14.22 11.61 3.13 2.66 2.91 2.94 2.88 0.00 #6
30 Lydia FUENTES AND 23.28 12.47 11.81 3.19 2.84 2.84 3.09 2.81 1.00 #25
31 Franka VUGEC CRO 20.58 8.53 12.05 3.25 2.88 2.88 3.09 2.97 0.00 #4
32 Jasmina UZUNOVIC SRB 19.55 9.88 9.67 2.56 2.19 2.28 2.56 2.50 0.00 #15

http://www.isufs.org/results/jgpcro2007/

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

I've got to see this Jenni Vahamaa (Finland). Did I miss her last years anywhere?

To my surprise Gilles is keeping up with the possible medals. Good for her but I doubt a silver and bronze will get her into the Finals. But, we'll see.

Good luck to all for the LPs.

Joe

 

[oleada]

You did!
She was 4th at JW. I don't think she's quite as solid as the American girls (yet) but she has very good skating skills, like most Finnish skaters have, and a great presence on the ice - balletic but strong at the same time. I really like her and I hope she does well here.

Here's her LP from last season's Junior Worlds:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNjQc2s1GPI

 

[acraven]

Results for the Men's SP:

1 Armin MAHBANOOZADEH USA 58.83 32.69 26.14 5.39 5.04 5.32 5.21 5.18 0.00 #13
2 Austin KANALLAKAN USA 56.78 29.05 27.73 5.79 5.43 5.43 5.54 5.54 0.00 #4
3 Ivan BARIEV RUS 52.27 27.31 25.96 5.36 4.89 5.14 5.21 5.36 1.00 #2
4 Vladimir USPENSKI RUS 52.16 25.45 26.71 5.57 5.14 5.25 5.32 5.43 0.00 #12
5 Dave FERLAND CAN 51.94 28.01 23.93 4.93 4.54 4.86 4.71 4.89 0.00 #7
6 Christopher BERNECK GER 49.28 26.78 22.50 4.50 4.25 4.57 4.57 4.61 0.00 #25
7 Petr BIDAR CZE 48.66 26.80 21.86 4.29 4.04 4.46 4.50 4.57 0.00 #10
8 Mark VAILLANT FRA 46.71 24.99 21.72 4.43 4.25 4.32 4.36 4.36 0.00 #20
9 Akio SASAKI JPN 46.37 21.32 25.05 5.07 4.79 5.04 5.04 5.11 0.00 #23
10 Takuya KONDOH JPN 44.99 21.86 23.13 4.82 4.32 4.64 4.71 4.64 0.00 #14
11 Christopher BOYADJI FRA 42.83 21.26 21.57 4.43 4.11 4.39 4.25 4.39 0.00 #9
12 Patrick WONG CAN 41.44 19.90 22.54 4.57 4.43 4.43 4.50 4.61 1.00 #15
13 Denis WIECZOREK GER 41.26 23.55 18.71 4.00 3.64 3.61 3.82 3.64 1.00 #1
14 Alexander MAJOROV SWE 40.77 21.41 20.36 4.25 3.86 4.14 4.07 4.04 1.00 #19
15 Evgeni KRASNAPOLSKI ISR 40.23 19.58 20.65 4.36 3.89 4.18 4.04 4.18 0.00 #22
16 Javier RAYA ESP 38.94 20.26 18.68 3.93 3.46 3.79 3.71 3.79 0.00 #5
17 Danil PRIVALOV AZE 37.87 20.80 17.07 3.61 3.21 3.43 3.39 3.43 0.00 #18
18 Nicolas DUBOIS SUI 37.84 19.87 17.97 3.75 3.43 3.57 3.68 3.54 0.00 #8
19 Jakub STROBL SVK 37.56 20.03 19.53 4.11 3.71 3.89 3.96 3.86 2.00 #6
20 Josip GLUHAK CRO 34.30 14.98 19.32 3.96 3.68 3.82 3.93 3.93 0.00 #21
21 Severin KIEFER AUT 32.12 16.98 17.14 3.61 3.29 3.39 3.46 3.39 2.00 #11
22 Marko MARTON HUN 31.89 15.64 16.25 3.43 3.07 3.21 3.29 3.25 0.00 #3
23 Maurizio ZANDRON ITA 31.39 16.26 16.13 3.46 3.07 3.21 3.25 3.14 1.00 #17
24 Vlad IONESCU ROU 29.91 14.91 15.00 3.07 2.82 3.07 3.04 3.00 0.00 #16
25 Sebastian IWASAKI POL 29.17 12.37 16.80 3.54 3.25 3.36 3.36 3.29 0.00 #24

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

You did!
She was 4th at JW. I don't think she's quite as solid as the American girls (yet) but she has very good skating skills, like most Finnish skaters have, and a great presence on the ice - balletic but strong at the same time. I really like her and I hope she does well here.

Here's her LP from last season's Junior Worlds:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNjQc2s1GPI

Thanks for the link, Oleada. She looks like Reese Witherspoon but better, and very talented she is. Hope she skates well in this year's Juniors Worlds. If so, she will be a contender for the podium.

Joe

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

Hard to believe that little whippersnapper, Mahbanoozadar is going in as the favorite here, but he is a clean performer and does everything in the books a Junior skater should do. I'll be looking for a more mature Armin next season.

Kanallakan having a bit of a problem topping armin. Let's see what happens in the LP.

Joe

 

[chuckm]

I've got to see this Jenni Vahamaa (Finland). Did I miss her last years anywhere?

To my surprise Gilles is keeping up with the possible medals. Good for her but I doubt a silver and bronze will get her into the Finals. But, we'll see.

Good luck to all for the LPs.

Joe

This was only the SHORT PROGRAM, Joe. There's still the FS to come. Alexe scored 86.44 in the Lake Placid FS, while Jenni Vahamaa scored just 77.49 at JGP AUT.

In any case, if Vahamaa did win silver and Gilles bronze, they'd be tied at 24 points and the point total tiebreak would kick in. Vahamaa would have to beat Gilles by about 5 points in the FS to edge Gilles in the tiebreaker.

 

[chuckm]

Thanks for the link, Oleada. She looks like Reese Witherspoon but better, and very talented she is. Hope she skates well in this year's Juniors Worlds. If so, she will be a contender for the podium.

Joe

She's going to have to outscore Zhang, Nagasu and Flatt, all of whom are consistently able to score over 100 points in the FS.

 

[Lumi]

I think it's only matter of time when Jenni Vähämaa will score over 100 points for lp. She had 91 points in last years junior worlds with easy jumps, only one flip and she popped the loop compleatly. This year she has 3Lz, 3F and 3F-2T planned for longprogram. That and her high-level nonjump elements should easely bring her over 100.

But of course Mirai, Caroline and Rachael are all very consistent. There is also Yuki Nishino from Japan, she already won a gold medal fron her first JPG.