Predictions for pairs

[sillylionlove]

Well now that we know what pairs are definitly competing...I would like to offer my predictions for pairs

1. Zhang/Zhang
2. Pang/Tong
3. Savchenki/Szolkowy
4. Dube/Davison
5. McLaughlin/Brubaker
6. Kawaguchi/Smirnov

 

[oleada]

1. Savchenko & Szolkowy
2. Zhang & Zhang
3. Pang & Tong
4. Dubé and Davison
5. Kawaguchi and Smirnov
6. McLaughlin and Brubaker

 

[sunnygirl]

1. Zhang/Zhang
2. Pang/Tong
3. Savchenki/Szolkowy
4. Dube/Davison
5. McLaughlin/Brubaker
6. Kawaguchi/Smirnov

I totally agree with you.

 

[Tinymavy15]

1. zhang/zhang
2.Savchenko & Szolkowy
3.Pang and Tong
4. Kawaguchi/Smirnov ( and she will land the quad)
5.Dube/Davison
6.Mclaughlin/Brubaker

 

[cassieandcheetah]

1. Savchenko & Szolkowy
2. Zhang & Zhang
3. Pang & Tong
4. Dubé and Davison
5. Kawaguchi and Smirnov
6. McLaughlin and Brubaker

I totally agree with you!

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

Podium Pick

Some how, some way, Kawaguchi and Smirnov will be on the podium. JMO.

Joe

 

[piano4112000]

I totally agree, Kawaguchi and Smirnov have this quality to them that I like. They are not your typical standard pairs couple and I think that is why I like them. If she can land the quad or if the can pick up speed I think they will medal. I have a feeling this pairs team will surprise us at the Grand Prix.

 

[zephyrskates]

I totally agree, Kawaguchi and Smirnov have this quality to them that I like. They are not your typical standard pairs couple and I think that is why I like them. If she can land the quad or if the can pick up speed I think they will medal. I have a feeling this pairs team will surprise us at the Grand Prix.

uh-huh. and smirnov wearing kawaguchi's face on his shirt is just too cute.

 

[chuckm]

Sorry, K/S are slow and clunky. If they get on the GPF podium, it will be because the panel of judges is stacked in their favor, as it was at Cup of Russia, where they also had the benefit of home ice.

The Pairs podium should be Zhang/Zhang, Savchenko/Szolkowy, and Pang/Tong. Pang/Tong's scores have gotten higher with each competition, and their last effort at TEB beat K/S's inflated CoR score by more than 5 points.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

I totally agree, Kawaguchi and Smirnov have this quality to them that I like. They are not your typical standard pairs couple and I think that is why I like them. If she can land the quad or if the can pick up speed I think they will medal. I have a feeling this pairs team will surprise us at the Grand Prix.

My goof. That's not what I was thinking. They will be on the podium one way or another.

Joe

 

[Kypma]

I'd honestly be disappointed to see Kawaguchi and Smirnov on the podium because of their speed, or rather lack thereof. I saw them live at Skate Canada, and I was taken aback by how slow they were when they entered elements. I'd rather see the other teams on top... and of course, as a Canadian, I'd be overjoyed to see Jessica and Bryce on the podium!!

Kypma

 

[cassieandcheetah]

I'd honestly be disappointed to see Kawaguchi and Smirnov on the podium because of their speed, or rather lack thereof. I saw them live at Skate Canada, and I was taken aback by how slow they were when they entered elements. I'd rather see the other teams on top... and of course, as a Canadian, I'd be overjoyed to see Jessica and Bryce on the podium!!

Kypma

They may end up there, but I don't think they should be. They're a prime example of how pairs can rack up points with their individual elements even though they seriously lack flow, speed, and an overall togetherness that a pair should have. This team's lack of speed is quite astonishing.

 

[KMK0902]

They may end up there, but I don't think they should be. They're a prime example of how pairs can rack up points with their individual elements even though they seriously lack flow, speed, and an overall togetherness that a pair should have. This team's lack of speed is quite astonishing.

Wow, it's amazing how differenly we can see the same thing....

The ONE thing I think D/D have is their "overall togetherness" as you put it. I find myself drawn into their story and their chemistry is so strong I feel I can almost touch it. On the other hand I can agree with people who find them somewhat slow. They need to pick up the pace a bit, but to me they are "pair skating" exemplified!

K

 

[chuckm]

I also think D/D are slow, their elements are lower-valued than the other teams, and their FS is soporifically boring. They do have 'pairness', but they are in a situation where they absolutely cannot make any mistakes, or they can be overtaken by faster teams with harder 'tricks', which is what happened at NHK.

I don't think D/D can challenge for the World podium in the near future unless they seriously step up their difficulty and their speed. With new Seniors McL/B and Bazirova/Larionov improving rapidly, and the two top Russian teams getting their acts together, D/D may find it tough to stay in the top 6 at Worlds 2009.

 

[netnuts]

K/S are an exotic pair, which is fun to watch...

They have lots of big tricks, quad throw, 3t+3t+SEQ... I don't believe the quality of their program is there, but they are fun to watch...

 

[cassieandcheetah]

Wow, it's amazing how differenly we can see the same thing....

The ONE thing I think D/D have is their "overall togetherness" as you put it. I find myself drawn into their story and their chemistry is so strong I feel I can almost touch it. On the other hand I can agree with people who find them somewhat slow. They need to pick up the pace a bit, but to me they are "pair skating" exemplified!

K

Hey, I actually meant that about the Russian Team, not about Jessica and Bryce. I actually like the young Canadians a lot, but I do however thing they need to be faster and develop more finesse in their skating. But they have a lot more of the "overall togetherness" as I described it than Kawaguchi and Smirnov, so yes, I actually do agree with you!

 

[piano4112000]

K/S are an exotic pair, which is fun to watch...

They have lots of big tricks, quad throw, 3t+3t+SEQ... I don't believe the quality of their program is there, but they are fun to watch...

Totally agree, it's a fresh of breath air for me. I enjoy more and more everytime I watch them, and I have notice that they get better and better. At Skate Canada they were really slow but at Cup of Russia I noticed that they picked up the speed a little. I give this team a lot of props for even being up their with the other couple because they have only been together for a year and a half so mad props to them.

I find Yuko and Sasha so cute, everytime I see them together like the interview espn had of them it makes me smile, especially when he looks at her almost the whole interview and smiles.

 

[netnuts]

Totally agree, it's a fresh of breath air for me. I enjoy more and more everytime I watch them, and I have notice that they get better and better. At Skate Canada they were really slow but at Cup of Russia I noticed that they picked up the speed a little. I give this team a lot of props for even being up their with the other couple because they have only been together for a year and a half so mad props to them.

I find Yuko and Sasha so cute, everytime I see them together like the interview espn had of them it makes me smile, especially when he looks at her almost the whole interview and smiles.

Does anybody know if they're becoming a couple off ice??

I'm just curious ...

there's an interview, I have no idea what they were talking about...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4xuh8qfd9Q

I have a feeling that Russian audience seems to like this pair more, which is sort of strange since they are not the classic Russian pair, very tough around the edge. They are sort of acrobatic type...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YC3VH5lE-UA&feature=related

 

[piano4112000]

Does anybody know if they're becoming a couple off ice??

I'm just curious ...

there's an interview, I have no idea what they were talking about...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4xuh8qfd9Q

I have a feeling that Russian audience seems to like this pair more, which is sort of strange since they are not the classic Russian pair, very tough around the edge. They are sort of acrobatic type...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YC3VH5lE-UA&feature=related

No, they are not a couple off the ice, just good friends but we never know. I have noticed that the Russians seem to like this pair team a lot as well, which is funny to me because they really aren't a pure Russian pairs couple

Sorry , don't know russian so can't translate for you.

 

[oleada]

Kawaguchi and Smirnov are not my cup of tea - just because they seem very stylistically mismatched. Her movements are really awkward. However, they've come a very long way for a team that's been together for only 18 months, so I give them a lot of credit for that.

I also think D/D are slow, their elements are lower-valued than the other teams, and their FS is soporifically boring. They do have 'pairness', but they are in a situation where they absolutely cannot make any mistakes, or they can be overtaken by faster teams with harder 'tricks', which is what happened at NHK.

I like D&D for the most part. But I have to agree. Well, not on the soporifically boring part (though their FS is not the most exciting of programs). But they need to start upping the ante technically. They really need to start working on a triple twist and including it in their programs - all the other top teams have them (as well as quite a few strong junior teams) and they are losing points there . Jessica also needs to start landing the triple salchow, because I think she's landed it once this season. Their lower technical value is going to keep them off the podium.

My big wish for this competition is that S&S skate clean. If they do, they will surely take the title.