My totally unrealistic fantasy wishful thinking dream podiums and those all important top 10 positions:
Men: Based on best balance of skills, interesting choreo with transitions edges, etc with jumps, spins etc., well blended into the program and music that fits the skater and just the "it" factor when these skater's are really on and in the zone!
1. Patrick Chan - I just can't give up on him he is the complete package and too great a skater when he is in the zone, but those times have been too few and far between this season but still I am hoping his perfect "I'm in the zone and flying high" awesome performances are being saved up for 2017 Worlds and 2018 Olympics next year! But reality says in men's skating it is only about the Quad jumps now... but as this is my fantasy the men with best balance of ALL the skating skills and performance quality wins on my score card's...
2. Shoma Uno
3. Javier Fernandez
special shout outs to Hanyu (would have had him on podium but despite being a great blend of tech and artistry his programs have not jelled for me this season and while still judged well he showed some sub par skating (for him) even if it beats the rest of the field, but I feel he has been gifted for it enough so Uno if he delivers to his full potential while also being Japan #1 he gets my podium nod instead of Hanyu on strength of his very engaging tango LP), then the quad kings if they deliver -- Chen, Jin, Reynolds, then the artists/showmen -- Ten, Brown, Ge...
Ladies:
1. Osmond because she has best balance of everything a ladies champion should have plus huge "IT" factor, she simply sparkles when she is in the zone, nuff said.
2. Pogo she is Russia #1 on my score card - a mature feisty skater with good material this season
3. Satako M. because she is exquisite and still such a joy to watch even if the jumps are not as high or clean as some other girls but she ALWAYS gives a performance and because she reads and then channels "Art of War"...
Special shout out's to Medvedeva for consistency and always being a pretty princess, huge welcome to the top 6 -- Daleman Mai Mihara, for both are now displaying a great balance of skills plus mental ability to deliver everything with some pizzazz when it counts, Wagner for her shimy and fab performance skills if clean, Sotskova for her jumps, then for also having that special something when they are in the zone and because they are nat #1's - Chen, Lecavelier.
Pairs:
1. Duhamel Radford Still hoping they can turn season around and show us their winning ways again and show up 3 times really is the charm...
2. Sui Han Welcome back!
3 Tarasova Morozov - for stepping up
Shout out's to Savchenko Massot (who I really secretly hope beat the young Russians because Germans keep me on edge of my seat and awake unlike robotic but more consistent T/M), James Cipres, Seguin Bilodeau, Ilyusheschkina Moscovitch, Yu Zhang, Stolbova Klimov, Scimeca Knierm
Dance:
1. Virtue Moir
2. Papadakis Cizeron
3. Shib sibs
shout out's to Gilles Poirier for 2 great programs this season and for future potential to grow even stronger, Weaver Poje getting back lost mojo and for bringing the pretty, Chock Bates for 2 good programs, Cappellini Lanote for always bringing the cute factor, as well as Bobrova Soloviev, Hubbell Donohue, Guignard Fabbri
Reality tells me that despite bags of talent on team Canada and all the fabulous potential and winning history I really expect only Gold brought home from Finland may be thanks to the dream team of Virtue and Moir who still know how to get the job done! Outside pressures, hype, pressure of expectation, and rising self doubt has led to rather bumpy ride for some this season, hope the tide will turn for those who need it and momentum will build for those who have grown stronger along the way to Finland and we will see personal bests for all of team Canada!
