Pairs Event at Worlds

[Winnipeg]

I really like the pairs team of Dube and Davison. However, they only have a double twist, not a triple. Will that preclude a chance to podium at Worlds if all other elements are skated cleanly and artistically?

 

[chuckm]

Here are the top teams who will be competing at Worlds 2008, and their Total Scores so far this season:

202.39 Savchenko/Szolkowy, Euros
199.23 Savchenko/Szolkowy, GPF
196.96 Zhang/Zhang, TEB
192.68 Zhang/Zhang, Cup of Russia
191.20 Zhang/Zhang, GPF
190.64 Savchenko/Szolkowy, NHK
188.63 Savchenko/Szolkowy, Skate Canada
186.93 Pang/Tong, TEB
185.95 Savchenko/Szolkowy, Cup of Russia
185.13 Pang/Tong, GPF
181.71 Kawaguchi/Smirnov, Cup of Russia
179.82 Mukhortova/Trankov, Cup of Russia
176.75 Pang/Tong, Cup of China
174.20 Dube/Davison, Skate Canada
173.26 Dube/Davison, Skate America
172.43 Dube/Davison, GPF
169.82 Mukhortova/Trankov, TEB
165.19 Pang/Tong, Skate America
165.19 Kawaguchi/Smirnov, Skate Canada
161.75 Kawaguchi/Smirnov, GPF
160.21 Dube/Davison, NHK

Dube/Davison's best-scoring event was Skate Canada, and they scored under 175 there. While many of the top teams improved their scores as the season went on, D/D did not improved and may have even slipped a little.

It appears that a minimum score to make the top 3 at Worlds would be 185+. I am not sure Dube/Davison can make up 10 points just by skating cleanly. They are quite slow compared to the top teams and they lack the big tricks the German and Chinese teams complete with a fair degree of consistency.

 

[silver.blades]

but D/D did up the difficulty on their throws in the LP (don't remeber about the short) and their performance at the GPF wasn't as clean as those at SC and SA and they still scored compairably to 2 cleaner performances. I'l be willing to bet that if they skate clean their score will jump another 5-6 points, which although wouldn't make them shoe ins for a podium finnish, it would put them relativly close and competative.

 

[Winnipeg]

That's helpful. At the very least it looks like they have an excellent chance at improving their finish from 7th last year.........4th or 5th seems reasonable and third if they skate perfectly and one team does not?

Too bad there is no medal for 4th - peuter? OR have the medals:

Platinum
Gold
Silver
Bronze
Peuter

 

[life684]

I think Kawaguchi/Smirnov will finish higher than D/D if they skate like the nationals. D/D may have to even worry about M/T for 5th place

 

[chuckm]

but D/D did up the difficulty on their throws in the LP (don't remeber about the short) and their performance at the GPF wasn't as clean as those at SC and SA and they still scored compairably to 2 cleaner performances. I'l be willing to bet that if they skate clean their score will jump another 5-6 points, which although wouldn't make them shoe ins for a podium finnish, it would put them relativly close and competative.

The problem is D/D have not improved their scores since the beginning of the season, while nearly all the top teams have. D/D beat Pang/Tong at Skate America by 8 points, but P/T (with a flawed performance) went on to beat D/D at the GPF by nearly 13 points. The Russian teams have definitely improved, and both have added difficulty; I'd expect both of them to be more formidable competition at Worlds than they were in the GP.

D/D would have to improve their performance by at least 15 points to be competitive for even bronze, and a clean skate isn't going to do that. IMO, 5th or 6th is a realistic placement for them.

 

[oleada]

I agree that D&D will end up around 5th. They've added a throw triple lutz, yes, but they've yet to land it. Their lack of triple twist and their inconsistent triple salchow really hurt them compared to the other teams around them. Kawaguchi & Smirnov are (IMO) not very attractive to watch, but their base value is huge. Mukhortova and Trankov are attempting two different types of triples, and appear to be getting stronger with every competition, and they have the triple twist that D&D lack (though, like D/D, they're not very consistent). So unless the top teams meltdown, I think D&D will be fighting with K&S and M&T for the top non-podium spot.

 

[SamuraiKike]

I agree with oleada. I dont think they have any chances against the top 3 teams, they could fight for the 4th place against any of the russian pairs though.

 

[skatergirl45]

I agreee with you SamuraiKike. They will get 4-5 depending on how things go.

 

[pista04]

If Pang/Tong have a poor skate, like SA, I'd say Dube/Davison could potentially steal a medal. I'd love that. And, we mustn't forget the chances of an American team blowing everyone away and have a chance to push down D/D.

 

[skatingfan04]

Im just curious...when people say that D/D haven't improved their scores while the other teams have, are they implying that the other teams deserved the score improvements? I felt that D/D had better performances as the GP season went on, save NHK, and yet their scores did not improve. How much did the top teams improve to warrant and improvement to their scores? I'm not saying that they didn't deserve the improvement. I'm honestly curious.

 

[chuckm]

Look at the protocols. They tell the story.

D/D didn't improve their scores because they kept making costly mistakes. I don't think they ever both completed the sbs 3S cleanly.

Other teams made less and less mistakes as the season went on.