Skate America: Predictions

[Spun Silver]

No, I wasn't being sarcastic--but I'd forgotten about the smile tirades. Same poster, really? :think:

ETA: Maybe I missed his (sarcastic) point. hwell:

 

[Bluebonnet]

Ever since Evan Lysacek took my crystal ball away at 2010 Olympics (like I had had a crystal ball), my prediction has been a mile away from the reality. So I stopped predicting. But I think that Kozuka doesn't have competition here. Wish all skaters do their best!

 

[dorispulaski]

Both of the programs last season of D/W and S/S weren't any good. S/S also has a bad program this season. It is just that their technical skill is guaranteed to gain points and their programs weren't and aren't being punished.

When the rules change, D/W and S/S will change the style of program they are doing. There is nothing that either team is doing that deserves to be punished.

OTOH, having both team members fall during a critical skill has always been "punished", either under the old system or the new system. For example, B&K falling at the 2002 Olympics during their final required lift. So P&B would have been dropped like a stone at Worlds in either rules regimen. In COP, the Shibs benefited. Under the old regime, probably Bobrova & Solviev, who finished fifth last year, would have benefited, because they were not rookies like the Shibutanis, and the old system very seldom rewarded teams in their rookie season.

 

[Nena]

I think quads in the SP will be included by Brezina, Razzano, Amodio, Murakami. I assume LP all will except Contesti, Mahbanoozadeh and Ten.

Mahbanoozadeh will be attempting a quad in the LP. In his summer competitions, he attempted quads in both the SP and LP but I'm not sure if he'll try it in the SP here. We'll have to wait for practice reports.

 

[TelmoFe]

I hope Ksenia Makarova places 3rd, at least. I like her skating, but here few people looks for her with good predictions. Why???

I hope too a good skating from Alissa, bit it's a little bit early in the season, no?

S/S will win, of course, I am looking forward for their news programs.

 

[gmyers]

When the rules change, D/W and S/S will change the style of program they are doing. There is nothing that either team is doing that deserves to be punished.

OTOH, having both team members fall during a critical skill has always been "punished", either under the old system or the new system. For example, B&K falling at the 2002 Olympics during their final required lift. So P&B would have been dropped like a stone at Worlds in either rules regimen. In COP, the Shibs benefited. Under the old regime, probably Bobrova & Solviev, who finished fifth last year, would have benefited, because they were not rookies like the Shibutanis, and the old system very seldom rewarded teams in their rookie season.

D&W program in the free skate did not work and PCS should have been down in CH and IN and PE. But it went up all season as the program got worse.

On the other hand you had a major fall of F-P/M and they did medal.

Mahbanoozadeh will be attempting a quad in the LP. In his summer competitions, he attempted quads in both the SP and LP but I'm not sure if he'll try it in the SP here. We'll have to wait for practice reports.

Had no idea - thought I had been paying close attention!

I hope Ksenia Makarova places 3rd, at least. I like her skating, but here few people looks for her with good predictions. Why???

s.

Lack of lutz and basic inconsistency on flip?

 

[mskater93]

I hope Ksenia Makarova places 3rd, at least. I like her skating, but here few people looks for her with good predictions. Why???

Because she already withdrew from an event due to injury (Nebelhorn)

 

[Nena]

Denis Ten did a quad in practice. Kozuka is struggling with his quad

 

[silverlake22]

Ladiezzz
1) Kostner (is she doing flip and lutz again?)
2) Czisny (can win if Kostner falters)
3) Gede (she seemed to be in good form at Nebelhorn)
4) Makarova (has she gotten her flip and/or flutz consistent yet?)
5) Imai (love her, but she's usually inconsistent)

No clue how Zhang will do but I'm guessing she doesn't medal.

Dance
1) D/W
2) P/B
3) M/K
4.) H/B

Pairs
1) S/S
2) Z/Z
3) B/L
4) MT/M
5.)M/B
6.) D/C

Places 3-6 are really up for grabs and could change.

Men
1) Kozuka (if he's in anywhere near as good form as last season, should win easily)
2) Amodio (put up big score at Masters, should benefit from high PCS)
3) Dornbush
4) Brezina (don't like his new FS, but if he hits his quads could knock Ricky off the podium)
5) Mahbanozedeh
6.) Murakami

 

[gmyers]

You know with Kozuka that he will try a quad no matter how is is practicing. Always his first jump in a free skate .I doubt if Ten will put in the program- though if he wants to he has to start somewhere. So I guess the only one left is Contesti but at his age he really should have some history of doing it and he really doesn't.

 

[blue_idealist]

MEN

1) Kozuka
2) Amodio
3) Hmm.. Brezina?

LADIES

1) Kostner
2) Makarova
3) Czisny

PAIRS

1) Savchenko/Szolkowy
2) Zhang/Zhang
3) Bazarova/Larionov

DANCE

1) Davis/White
2) Pechalat/Bourzat
3) Paul/Islam??

 

[burntBREAD]

Saw this article in the Free Press today, and it confirms that Haruka Imai has switched to the Sato/Dungjen camp (it says Detroit FSC next to her name when listing the local skaters going to Skate America)

http://www.freep.com/article/2011102...ason-kicks-off

 

[lavender]

Off topic...

How they switched Skate America back to the beginning of the season?

 

[dorispulaski]

They're rotating the events, year over year. So now it has come back around.

 

[Violet Bliss]

Do they just rotate the timing of the events or do they switch up the order regularly? As long as they keep the same order, the top skaters, who skate at the home events, will repeat the same locations often as they avoid back to back competitions, depriving both the athletes and the fans of exciting new experiences.

 

[dorispulaski]

I think they do juggle them, as NHK was always last and Skate America first. NHK is 4th of 6th this year, and Skate America has come round to first.

 

[Mathman]

We'll see if they continue to switch up the schedule. They changed the traditional order (Skate America first) in 2009 to accommodate the U.S. television network (NBC), which wanted to wrap Skate America and U.S. Nationals in with their Olympic coverage.

 

[cornell08]

Ice Dance:

D/W

P/B

H/D

 

[kwanatic]

Ladies Predictions!

http://thenakedice.blogspot.com/2011/10/skate-america-ladies-preview.html

 

[KKonas]

no matter what kind of pathetic drivel Davis and White vomit as a program like last years tango they get all 8's and 9's and even some 10's in PCS. So they have a huge lead already.

Fortunately the judges understand an Argentine Tango and the difficulty of their transitions and the speed with which they accomplished the routine.