What you loved and what you didn't of the World Championship?

[Bennett]

Love x 3:
Jeff comfortably leading the SP.
Jeff completed a clean SP.
Jeff completed a clean LP without a fall.
Jeff completed 2 lutzs.
Jeff completed 2 3As.
Jeff appeared so calm and happy on ice right after seeing the audience response to Joubert.
Jeff skated with happiness and joy. He was there to enjoy himself!
Jeff having two clean programs.
Jeff wore a great LP costume.
Jeff had a new hairstyle that he had at 2005 when he did well. It is said that that brought his luck.
Jeff's smiles
JEFF WINNING THE TITLE
I am overjoyed and flying to the moon.

Love x 2:
Mao's gorgeous SP with class and elegance. that was really fantastic.
Caro's fabulous SP and great presentation with a cool costume.
Mao's winning (finally!).
Caro's fabulous 3-3 and 3-3-2
Mao's plus GOE on 3F-3T
Caro's medaling.
Johnny's 2nd at SP.
Johnny's medaling!!!
Johnny's clean SP and nearly clean LP
Johnny's costumes.
Johnny's beauty as always

Love
Yuna's stunning 3-3 in SP
Yuna's completing good performances after the injury
Yuna's medaling
Yukari's magical performance at LP. She put everything together!

Nice
Joubert's sound recovery from ill health and good performances with better connections with music and more sophisticated in-betweens than before. LP cosutme looked a bit nicer than the last year as well.

Surprise
Johnny's quad downgraded

???
Joubert's comment. He made him sound a bit silly here. Study the protocol!!

Bad
Yuna and Miki were not healthy.
Evan not even here.

Worst moments
Tomas Verner's LP (I didn't know what happened)
Daisuke's LP and not winning (so sad; so so sad; neither the zayak rule violation nor not medaling even mattered; just so sad that he couldn't do what he could usually do)
Lambiel's LP and not medaling (I thought that he was at least above Daisuke; but 5th...sigh)
Mao's spectacular fall (My heart stopped beating)
Miki's sad withdrawal (No words....)

 

[Mathman]

And...not that this was televised or was witnessed in the arena, but here is a pic from the worlds that made me smile: 4 Japanese skaters joined by Berntsson.
http://iceblue.cocolog-nifty.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/2008/03/24/snfp1000659.jpg

 

[1795]

love:
http://d.yimg.com/eur.yimg.com/ng/sp/ap_photo/20080322/all/l3084587.jpg

 

[Spun Silver]

Even though I am beyond happy about Jeff doing a clean FP and winning , I am also distressed that Brian did NOT win after coming back from his illness and skating such a fabulous FP with such great improvement in presentation. Well - anger can be a great goad to brilliance, so we'll see him back on top soon! Way to go, both of you guys.

I am also thrilled with Mao's win! Finally she was rewarded as she should be. To me she is in a class by herself.

Also D&S!!!!!

I feel the same as everyone else about Miki.

And Johnny. May he have some real rest and fun now, eat some real food, and come back next season with exciting choreography and music!

 

[Skye]

I agree she was underscored, but I'm not sure if it was a flip. But it does look like she's worked on making sure she's not taking off on an outside edge. It looked more like a flat edge. Maybe by next season she'll have it on the inside edge. However, I'm not sure if it should have been downgraded. It wasn't the highest jump in the world, but was it more than a quarter turn cheat? I didn't really think so.

The triple flip wasn't downgraded. I agree with you that Kimmie's flip looked much better than before, but I can also see why the technical specialist is not willing to give her the benefit of doubt. It still isn't on the inside edge, and once you get that dreaded "e" mark you have a hard time escaping it. (And she bounced right back to lipping in the FS.) What held her down in the SP is the low levels of her spins, because she never gets high GOEs on them. I don't remember Kimmie having such low levels either this season or last season except for her laybacks so this came off as a surprise.

 

[christinaskater]

LOVED

Jeff winning the gold! At last, living up to his potential! The best skate since a long time! He's amazing

Yukari Nakano, a champions performance indeed! She is so brilliant! Hope she wins the worlds or the olympics or get a medal! She's improved so much, her exhibition was wonderful

Johnny winning his first medal and salvaging the us team from humiliation

Mao winning the gold and coming back ( i didn't like the hue of her medal, but she fought for it), her sp was brilliant

yU-NA's amazing free skate, she could've won it, but a great performance from a phenomenal skater, who just came back to the ice only 3 weeks ago

Laura LEPISTO-Her LP is amazing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GDnH90lZ_0

Laura Lepisto-pure brilliance

Brian doing great with his LP

DOWN

Miki withdrawing

Daisuke and Verner failing to deliver and live up to the expectations

Yukari not winning the gold, or silver or even a bronze! Poor judging!!!!!!!! SHe should have won the whole event! SKating indeed is a political sport......she still doesn't have the superstar hype...or clout with the judges...but she rocked it!

Lambiel why oh why......horror!

 

[Buttercup]

The Good:
Dube-Davison LP. Gorgeous, my favorite performance of the championships. Hope they can get a triple twist for next season.
The men's SP. I refuse to pick just one or two.
The Kerrs OD – and not just because of the kilt.
Brian Joubert looking healthy and getting on the podium, plus I really enjoyed his LP.
D/S free dance, and their obvious emotion during the medal ceremony. Well-deserved win.
Johnny Weir's medal (am also happy for Buttle, but he's not among my favorites).
The organizers having the men skate at the end of the week.

The bad:
Verner's awful LP.
Miki Ando having to withdraw.
Much of the underwhelming ladies' event.
The Kerrs being undermarked in the OD.
The music deduction for Joubert.

Looking forward to seeing next year:
Dube/Davison continuing to improve.
S/S winning the pairs with clean performances.
Verner coming back from that awful LP to have a great season.
Takahashi not doing his hip-hop Swan Lake. I'm sorry, he's a great skater, but I don't like the program at all.
Joubert staying healthy all year and skating well.
Kostner skating two mistake-free programs in the same competition. I know she can do it.
The Kerrs finally getting the marks they deserve.
CoP being reworked. It's still not working like it should.

 

[Kinga]

I didn't like those WEIRD pink & blue feather-thingy bouquets. Maybe the winners should have put them on their heads and worn them as hats...??

I would not be so picky on such a small detail as bouquets. Feathers on the birch or willow branches is Easter tradition in Sweden, that is why bouquets looked like that.

 

[Kinga]

The worst parts of this Worlds for me were:

K&N, the 2nd ranked Russian ice dance team, flying up the standings with D&S not there.

They did not get high marks out of nowhere. They skated great CD and OD. In general, before WCh there was a lot of rumor in this forum how the panel for ice dancing is already set for Russians, how unfair the judges will be, that it is impossible that V/M get ahead of K/N. Nothing of that happened. The judging in ice dance was very good this year in spite of so called 'Russian judges' (gosh, I hate when people say that!).

 

[JewelInTheSun]

Stunned:

S/S won the gold with such a sloppy skate. Way overmarked in both SP and LP and not deserved. They are good skaters but not at this world.

But which pair do you think than deserve the gold medal? Dubé/Davison aren't good enough and Zhang/Zhang are the most overmarked pair at the event! Savchenko/Szolkowy made mistakes but the comprehensive package was the best and they totally deserve the world title!

 

[Kinga]

I will stick to what I liked:

Pairs:
D/D, no doubt about that. Their LP was awesome, and I will remember it for a long time.
P/T LP (I wish they could get to podium instead of Z/Z)

Ladies:
Sarah Meier SP and LP
Yukari!!!!!! She was a star, she was brilliant. It has been a long time in ladies competition since someone charmed the audience so much, that someone was so genuine, pure and beautiful on ice. She caught my heart! I want to see her programmes over and over again. I don't feel the need to watch the programmes of medalists, although they skated well (except Kostner), and are good skaters. But nothing more than that.

Dances:
Wow, what a great competition. I loved Kerrs and I loved V/M softness and flow.... Oh, that was taking me to heaven! I felt so peacefull!
C/L - the future of ice dances. I like them so much more than overated F/S

Men:
WINNIG WITHOUT THE QUAD!
I wish it was possible in ladies competiton to win without 3-3...... But I guess that is not going to happen....

Bad things: that is sport, so without sad events it looses its drama....
But what was really bad was the cameras coverage!!!!!! It made me soooo mad!!

 

[Kinga]

I was really disappointed by the ladies competition overall. Nothing really inspiring, from the performances to the programs on display. I actually can't think of a ladies FS that I've enjoyed (in terms of choreography and presentation) for several seasons. It's become the discipline I'm least interested in watching.

I agree with you 100%! It has been several seasons that ladies programmes became so alike, a bit dull... Fake and stiff. Steps and upper body movements look the same in every programme. I find men performances so much original and, I must say, guys are also much better in interpretation, feeling of the music, rythm. It was not like this in 90s-00! I remember every single programme that Kwan did when she was winning titles. I can name them now, year by year. I can watch them whenever. The same with Arakawa. The same with Cohen's programmes (even when she was falling). I still remember Lu Chen... But frankly, I won't remember next year how Mao's 2008 programme looked like and what she was skating to. I dont remember what she was skating to last year. I dont remember Ando's programmes from last year either. They just don't leave that feeling... They are very good skaters...They are nice.. But not more than that. At least not yet. (Maybe Yu Na in near future, when she is in shape). For me, Mao just throws her arms in the air without the connection to the music. The same concerns her steps. I looked at the sequence from last year LP and from this year LP and from this year SP.. Almost the same. Nice footwork. But upper body movement - chaotic and fake.
The only ones who make me thrilled are Sarah Meier and Yukari. I hope that one day these girls will be rewarded for what they do to ladies competition.

 

[iluvtodd]

Loved:

Jeff skating beautifully and winning gold!
Delobel & Shoenfelder finally winning a World medal (and I am so glad that it was gold)
Mao and Yuna on the podium
The Kerrs' OD (loved their FD too).
Dube & Davison's free skate
The FD performances of all three US dance teams
Kimmie feeling better about herself and having a clean SP. Johnny winning bronze and securing three spots for the US team next year (together with Stephen Carriere's
10th place finish)
KVP's free skate, Brian's free skate
Uncle Dickie, Terry, and Peggy joking around
Great crowd reaction
medal ceremonies with choral singing of each (thanks, youtube)
I was glad that Aliona & Robin won the pairs event. I know they weren't perfect, but I think they're a fabulous team.

Disappointments/Sad moments:

Zhang & Zhang placing higher than Pang & Tong. Pang & Tong not medaling
US coverage not showing Stephen Carriere's FS and Sarah Maier's
Tantih's fall during the CD and B&A not medaling
Judges' decision re: Carolina's performance - Yukari should have been on the podium instead
Miki's injury and withdrawal
Tomas Verner's FS, Daisuke and Stephane's problems in their free skates
End of an era - ABC sports - Terry, Dick, & Peggy

 

[alekzu]

Dislikes:
- Miki withdrawing (that was so sad...)
- S/S winning pairs (that FS is so boring, I would have prefered any other pair to win)
- Tomas Verners breakdown in his FS (I was so sad for him...)
- Kristoffer Berntsson not being able to do a clean FS (poor thing, he never really is able to pull off two "perfect" skates...)
- Lambiel not being able to skate his best (although he did far above expectation on his FS, after seeing his practice)
- Daisuke Takahashi not making the podium

And worst of all: it all ended...

Likes:
- Mao winning gold in ladies (that little girl is so amazing)
- D/S winning (I love their FD, it is so beautiful, they truly deserved it)
- Johnny Weir finally getting a medal (I'm no fan, but even I've been waiting for it)
- Our swedish men securing two spots for the next worlds (in reality that was thanks to Tomas Verners breakdown, but I really don't want to put it that way)
- Kristoffer Berntssons SP (love the music and the choreography)
- KVDPs FS (it didn't look to good during practice, but man did he deliver!)
- The audience (what I wouldn't give to be able to be a part of that again...)
- Daisuke Takahashis SP (best SP ever made, I can't stop watching it)
- Seeing Daisuke live (you can really tell I'm a fan can't you?)
- The grande finale (that was so cool! And for the first time during the whole week I was glad that we had Team Surprise there)

I had the time of my life. Anyone got a timemachine?

 

[Mathman]

Welcome, Alekzu! Thanks for your comments, and thanks for joining us.

 

[Tinymavy15]

Even though I am beyond happy about Jeff doing a clean FP and winning , I am also distressed that Brian did NOT win after coming back from his illness and skating such a fabulous FP with such great improvement in presentation. Well - anger can be a great goad to brilliance, so we'll see him back on top soon! Way to go, both of you guys.

I am also thrilled with Mao's win! Finally she was rewarded as she should be. To me she is in a class by herself.

Also D&S!!!!!

I feel the same as everyone else about Miki.

And Johnny. May he have some real rest and fun now, eat some real food, and come back next season with exciting choreography and music!

agree with both of you. I was happy for jeff, but I felt that it was Brian's night. His freeskate was my favorite 4 and 1/2 minutes of the entire competition. That was the happiest I have been watching men's skating since evan's "carmen" at the 2007 nationals.

 

[blue dog]

ITA with alekzu. The worst part was that it was over in an eyeblink. What a worlds! (And I will rave on and on for the rest of my life with the treat I was given when I saw it on Eurosport in London--15 FD's!!!).

 

[Eevun]

Dislikes:
- Miki withdrawing (that was so sad...)
- S/S winning pairs (that FS is so boring, I would have prefered any other pair to win)
- Tomas Verners breakdown in his FS (I was so sad for him...)
- Kristoffer Berntsson not being able to do a clean FS (poor thing, he never really is able to pull off two "perfect" skates...)
- Lambiel not being able to skate his best (although he did far above expectation on his FS, after seeing his practice)
- Daisuke Takahashi not making the podium

And worst of all: it all ended...

Likes:
- Mao winning gold in ladies (that little girl is so amazing)
- D/S winning (I love their FD, it is so beautiful, they truly deserved it)
- Johnny Weir finally getting a medal (I'm no fan, but even I've been waiting for it)
- Our swedish men securing two spots for the next worlds (in reality that was thanks to Tomas Verners breakdown, but I really don't want to put it that way)
- Kristoffer Berntssons SP (love the music and the choreography)
- KVDPs FS (it didn't look to good during practice, but man did he deliver!)
- The audience (what I wouldn't give to be able to be a part of that again...)
- Daisuke Takahashis SP (best SP ever made, I can't stop watching it)
- Seeing Daisuke live (you can really tell I'm a fan can't you?)
- The grande finale (that was so cool! And for the first time during the whole week I was glad that we had Team Surprise there)

I had the time of my life. Anyone got a timemachine?

Hello darling! Glad you joined us Of course I agree with most of what you said (except for the Daisuke-parts But since you said something nice about Tinkerbelle, I will have Dai in my list as well )

Wiie!
- A week-long party!! Man, what an atmosphere!! It still gives me goose bumps! I've cheered myself both dumb and deaf. It was huge privilege to be a part of that great audience!!!
- Meeting

• Johnny ,
• the Kerrs (I don't think anyone can be any sweeter than they. Sinead is kindness itself ),
• D/S
• and our boys, Adrian & Kristoffer

- D/S winning Worlds. FINALLY!! That FD almost makes you weep...
- KvdP AWSOME FS!! Yay! Like alexzu said, he didn't perform very well at the morning practice and looked quite unhappy but really pulled himself together.
- Brian kissing the ice of joy after his FS He also did a great shake-up and it was fun to see him that happy http://www.goteborg.com/27261.epibrw
- Brian and Tomas flirting with eachother trough the jumbo screen after Brians SP. Hilarious, priceless I can watch over and over again ROFL
- Johnny taking his first medal!! So well deserved! <3
- Kerr's OD. I stod in the exit and cheered so much that the security lady after their performance asked me in english if they were English or Scottish, cos to her it was obvious that I in some way was Brittish due to my cheering (Swedish TV asked John what he was wearing under the kilt. And he showed them... Black shorts! )
- Adrian's growing confidence from SP to FS. If I had known that he was so freaking scared to hear us cheer, I would've been quiet... But he manage it well! Hugs Adrian!
- Kristoffer's PERFECT SP. That programme becomes better and better the more I watch it. IMO one of the best SP, all competitors included. La Valse D'Amelie and red braces
- Mao winning the gold. Was not a fan of her before Worlds, but during this week she has really captured my heart.
- Daisuke's skating. (alekzu, I'm not writing this to please you, it's actually true ) I think I have to admit he's one of the skater who's most plesuring to watch. He, likes Mao, makes it look so easy.
- The whole event beeing in my hometown. When will it be back??
- Last group in Mens FS. I've never felt so much excitement in my whole life! Jumped between hope and despare from second to second! Now I know I have a strong heart

Boo...
- Alban Preauberts WD. Met him Fri and Sat and spoke to him. He looked so sad, poor guy. I really hope his back are not done... Be back!!
- Tomas' totally meltdown I thought the oxygen would be out when the whole audience gasp for breath when his tecnichal score was announced.
- Stéphane very pale during this whole Worlds. Not the one I'm used to see.
- My over-all favv, German Stefan Lindemann not at Worlds :'( Was through a surgery in Nov and will hopefully be back 08/09. I cried a whole day when I found out he was not coming to Göteborg, since I'd looked forward to it in over a year. (But we will be going to Helsinki, right alekzu? )
- Me suffering from the worst cold in over a year due to very little sleep and too much anxiously during the week. It was totally worth it
- The whole thing's over... I have to watch recordnings and photo's and read about the skaters, not to become totally broken. How will I survive the low season?!?!

 

[alekzu]

Hello darling! Glad you joined us

Oh, thank you darling.

- Brian and Tomas flirting with eachother trough the jumbo screen after Brians SP. Hilarious, priceless I can watch over and over again ROFL

I totally forgot to mention that! That really was something. Thank you SVT!

But we will be going to Helsinki, right alekzu?

You bet. :agree:

Meeting John Baldwin was extremly fun as well. Or rather, watching everyone else meeting him was fun. He really likes getting his picture taken, doesn't he? It was cool sitting just about 10 rows above him when he joined up with the americans on the O section during... Which final was it again Eeevun? The ladies?

Also forgot to mention that I tottaly loved Kristoffers and Lambiels exhibition programs. The first one hilarious, the second one beautiful. But where on earth were K/N when they were introduced? :scratch:

 

[Eevun]

Meeting John Baldwin was extremly fun as well. Or rather, watching everyone else meeting him was fun. He really likes getting his picture taken, doesn't he? It was cool sitting just about 10 rows above him when he joined up with the americans on the O section during... Which final was it again Eeevun? The ladies?

Yeah *looking through all my pics* No, the ice dancing FD. Just remembered I called my mum and asked if she saw him