Worlds Preview article

[gsk8]

The 2007 World Championships will take place from March 19 - 25 in Japan, a country on the verge of redefining figure skating. Phenoms Mao Asada, Miki Ando, Yukari Nakano, Daisuke Takahashi, and Nobunari Oda are all legitimate medal contenders in what is arguably the most talented singles team at Worlds. Yet, to date, none has won a World or Olympic medal. Tokyo is the perfect platform for that to change.
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[slutskayafan21]

I just submited my win picks. I picked Stephane Lambiel, Marie-France Dubreuil and Patrice Lauzon, Xue Shen and Hongbo Zhao, and Kimmie Meissner. I dont really believe Kimmie Meissner and Marie-France Dubreuil and Patrice Lauzon will win, but I picked a couple of what I consider less likelies to give myself a better shot to be one of the rare winners should they all turn out right.

 

[temperboy28]

Your article is bizarre at best. Dubreuil/Lauzon will not finish out of the medals in dance, they will definitely win a medal of some color.

Your comments on Lysacek suggest to me you are an american and have U.S bias. Perhaps you need a refresher on reality on how Evan really compares to skaters like Oda and Lambiel. Evan can still win the bronze with a poor short, and has a great shot at gold if he does a clean short, while Oda cant medal without a quad unless others make mistakes, and Lambiel cant even hope to medal without a triple axel you suggest? Well let me break some reality to you-Oda even with no quad will beat Lysacek with his 1 quad in the free skate, if both do a clean short and clean free skate, no question. In the hypothetical Oda with no quad really could not medal unless others make mistakes, then Lysacek even with a clean short and free skate with his 1 quad could not top 5 unless others make mistakes. If Oda without a quad could not medal unless others make mistakes, then Lysacek with a poor short would be at the top bottom of the top 10 unless others make mistakes. Under your hypothetical Evan has a great shot at gold with a clean short and clean free skate with 1 quad, Oda is a near lock for gold with a clean short and clean free skate even with no quad.

As for Lambiel not being able to even hope for a medal without a triple axel, Lambiel with no triple axel in short and free skate but doing everything else will definitely beat Lysacek with a clean short and clean free skate with his 1 quad. So again under your hypothetical if Lysacek has a great shot at gold with a clean short and clean free skate with 1 quad, then Lambiel would be a near lock for gold with a clean short and clean free skate outside of no triple axel. If Lambiel cant hope to medal without a triple axel, then Lysacek cant hope to be in the top 5 with even a clean short and clean free skate with 1 quad. If Lambiel cant hope to medal without a triple axel, then Lysacek with a poor short and clean free skate with 1 quad would barely make the top 10.

Now moving onto your other ahem "predictions", the Shen/Zhou and Savchenko/Szowkoly battle is nowhere near as close as you make it out to be. Shen/Zhou can make mistakes and still beat them. Do not be fooled by a score at Europeans, continental events like Europeans and Four Continents always receive higher scores then global and other GP events. Savchenko/Szowkoly will even be in a serious fight for the silver with the Zhangs, that will be a bigger fight then any gold medal battle. Trying to create false drama does not work since skating fans are not stupid, I appreciate to attempt to do so, but thought I would point that out to you.

Lastly the French dance team will not medal. The judges will never let them win a world medal. Even Belbin/Agosto have a better chance to make the podium then them. The French are always destined to be a 4th or 5th place team and that should be figured out by now, but apparently not by some.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

Lambiel without a 3A but with a Quad. Oda without a Quad but with a 3A. How does one conclude that the 3A is a must?

Joe

 

[Snowgirl]

Costly mistakes in his short program at both of his Grand Prix events, the Grand Prix Final (from which he later withdrew), and the Four Continents, have put him at near-insurmountable deficits.

Actually, Evan made no mistakes in the short in Grand Prix Final, because he withdrew before it started

 

[temperboy28]

Actually, Evan made no mistakes in the short in Grand Prix Final, because he withdrew before it started

Lets run down her 3 "Costly mistakes in his short program have put him at near-insurmountable deficits" shall we:

Skate America-would not have won anyway since the best he can hope for in the short is something like a 76, if at U.S Nationals his only clean short was only worth a 78.99. The long was almost a tie and Oda got a 81.80 in the short.

GP final-did not even skate the short due to injury.

Four Continents-came back to win anyway.

3 strikes and out, as they say in baseball.

 

[Spun Silver]

Miki Ando is 19, not 20. It might have been mentioned that she had the flu at the GPF, hence her "disastrous" performance, and injured herself skating at Japanese nationals, hence her "uneven" performance (she still got the silver in the world's deepest ladies' field). Hopefully she has recovered from both.

Glad to hear that Yu Na is in good shape!

Can Nakano really be said to have a reliable 3A?

I'm excited that you think French D/S may actually have a shot at the Gold. I voted for them using SF21's reasoning. Along with Takahashi, Ando, and S/Z.

I hope Temperboy is right about the size of S/Z's edge because I will have conniptions if they don't get gold (even though German S/S are fantastic.)

 

[slutskayafan21]

When was the last time Nakano did a 3 axel cleanly that was not downgraded to a double?

Count me as one who also believes Shen/Zhou have a 2 fall cushion or so. The Germans are closer to challenging them in the free skate then short program based on their scores from Europeans, but both programs count towards the total. I love the Germans and hope they put it together and get that medal they were picked by many to win at Olympics and Worlds last year, preferably the silver, but Shen/Zhou are still the class this year IMO. They are probably the safest bet of any of the 4 events.

 

[chuckm]

I believe that of the 5 top Dance teams, only Domnina / Shabalin have a lock on the podium, and they could even win gold. They are the only possible Russian medal at Worlds this year, and the RFSF will be politicking like mad to push them as high on the podium as possible. The other 4 teams will fight for the remaining medals, and not one of them is guaranteed a spot on the podium: not Denkova / Staviiski, not Dubreiul / Lauzon, not Belbin / Agosto, not Delobel / Schoenfelder. But not one of those 4 are a lock NOT to make the podium, either.

 

[slutskayafan21]

I agree on Domnina/Shabalin. These are the safest bets for worlds IMO:

-Shen/Zhou winning gold
-Domnina/Shabalin winning a medal of some color
-atleast 2 medals out of somebody for Japan in singles(the potential for as many as 4 though)

 

[iloveaxel]

Skate Gods

Seems to me the tone of this article is going to anger a couple of Skate Gods!

I like the hype. Skate Gods will definitely seek revenge and punish those...

Let's not forget GS's recent prediction vs. reality on Jr. worlds.

Predictions:

LADIES:

1. Zhang USA
2. Nagasu USA
3. Wagner USA

MEN:

1. Carriere USA
2. Mura JPN
3. Halverson USA

PAIRS:

1. Krasilnikova/Bezmaternikh RUS
2. McLaughlin/Brubaker USA
3. Moyle/Seitz USA

DANCE:

1. Hubbell/Hubbell USA
2. Samuelson/Bates USA
3. Bobrova/Soloviev RUS


GS's accurate rate is a mere 41%. Ladies' prediction was relatively easy since American team had a huge technical advantage. The other disciplines, I'm not that impressed with the so-called expert GS's predictions.

Skate Gods are definitely going to lash out. I will be very humbled and won't make lots of predictions until the situation i absolutely ceretain. The only exception is Mao Asada. I feel she is so special and Skate God will shower her with unconditonal love.

 

[Kwanford Wife]

I feel she is so special and Skate God will shower her with unconditonal love.

Well, as long as you feel she's special... then that's all that should matter...

As for me, I think this worlds will quite interesting to see... with so many newbies on the scene - we fans should be in for a real slug fest with lots o' drama...

I'm not sold on Stephane or Carolina being ready for Worlds just yet, so that should be interesting.

I'd also love to see the German team shake up what is looking to be a Chinese sweep of the podium.

Wow. I'm actually excited about a skating event for the first time all season. This should cool to see how it all plays out...

 

[slutskayafan21]

I really think a medal at the Worlds this year for the Germans is theirs to win or lose. I dont see any chance of a Chinese sweep if the Germans skate as they did at Europeans or even the GP final. Their biggest obstacle could be the demons from their failures last year at the two biggest events, but they were dealing with alot of ice issues with their coach at the time which probably took away from their focus at the time.

 

[Mathman]

Temperboy, why are you so angry? You seem to think that people write articles just to see if they can pull your chain. (No, that's just a pleasant if trivial side-effect.)

 

[antmanb]

I don't understand what all the lashing out at the articles is all about. One person wrote an opinion in an aritcle and backed it up to explain his/her thinking? Everyone seems to have a different opinion on the potential of various skaters to make the podium in every discipline. Al this says yo me as that worlds is wide open for anyone who steps up. Usually we can same at least one or two "dead certs" for teh podium in each category but this year there's much less certainty...it's going to be a great competition, i can't wait.

Ant

 

[dutchherder]

Well, his name *is* Temperboy...

 

[amber68]

I just submited my win picks. I picked Stephane Lambiel, Marie-France Dubreuil and Patrice Lauzon, Xue Shen and Hongbo Zhao, and Kimmie Meissner. I dont really believe Kimmie Meissner and Marie-France Dubreuil and Patrice Lauzon will win, but I picked a couple of what I consider less likelies to give myself a better shot to be one of the rare winners should they all turn out right.

Your opinions really change radically. Didn't you say a week or two ago that Lambiel does not stand a chance to win gold?
What did he do so special, within the past few days, to make you change your mind?

 

[gsk8]

From antmanb: I don't understand what all the lashing out at the articles is all about. One person wrote an opinion in an aritcle and backed it up to explain his/her thinking?

Some people have this bizarre behavior where they feel they have to berate another in order to make themselves feel good. They evidently haven't reviewed the Forum Guidelines, in particular, the area that covers "bashing".

But hey, no worries. I have tough skin. I never claimed to have ESP or own a crystal ball.

In addition, while some typos and mistakes are brought out in public instead of privately by email, at least I can catch and correct them.

What would be nice is if these folks could take the time to contribute their own predictions in article form in the forum instead of wasting space attacking another's opinion(s).

There is nothing wrong with disagreeing with someone else's opinion, but to be malicious about it, is quite another - and downright uncalled for. I hope this behavior is corrected before they do it to another forum member who will inevitably report them.

 

[La Rhumba]

If it wasn't for you Paula, there wouldn't be a Forum, or a Goldenskate website. I appreciate being able to read about Skating on the internet, and keep up to date with everything. :agree:

 

[gsk8]

From Snowgirl: Actually, Evan made no mistakes in the short in Grand Prix Final, because he withdrew before it started

From Spun Silver: Miki Ando is 19, not 20

Thanks for pointing these errors out. They have been corrected.