2013 Skate Canada: Ice Dance Preview

I mean, is there even a question here? No, but we'll talk about it anyway. Virtue & Moir have owned this event forever and nothing will change here, but the other medals are up for grabs so let's get started!

Much like their American training mates, Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir (CAN) have tried many different styles this quad and now they are back to old faithful for this Olympic season. The Ella Fitzgerald/Louis Armstrong short should show off that Old Hollywood glam that they showed us in Funny Face and then we have the Glazunov free which should be a bit of a throwback to the Mahler program that won them Olympic Gold in 2010. I feel that Davis & White have grown more during this quad, but so much can happen before February! 

Canada's other top team, Kaitlyn Weaver & Andrew Poje (CAN) will also be here and they are a

near lock for silver. This is a huge season for them because they are one of about five teams fighting for bronze in Sochi. I can't wait to see that Latin free dance, I can only imagine how steamy it is! I, personally, prefer their more lyrical programs but I won't judge this piece until I see it.

This is a golden opportunity for Hubbell & Donohue (USA) to win a Grand Prix medal and prove to US Figure Skating that they are the real deal. I have talked a lot of crap about Madison Hubbell looking clunky and tacky, but I'm taking all of that back after Skate America. Their free is so gorgeous, lyrical, and soothing. I'm happy to stare at Zach all day, of course, but Madison is styled so well and I'm actually pulling for them over the Shibutanis for the Olympic team. They need to make that statement here at this event. If they can't medal, I think they're done.

Riazanova & Tkachenko (RUS) are the team that could play spoiler for Hubbell & Donohue. They have won Grand Prix medals before, and they could do it again, though they've never really stood out to me. I can only imagine how garish that Godfather free skate is going to be.

Stepanova & Bukin (RUS) are a dark horse to medal here, coming in as the reigning World junior champions. However, ice dance is so difficult to break into at the senior ranks and I don't think that it will happen here. Maybe it will happen in Russia

Podium Predictions:
Gold: Virtue & Moir (CAN)
Silver: Weaver & Poje (CAN)
Bronze: Hubbell & Donohue (USA)

The Rest of the Field:
Paul & Islam (CAN)
Zhiganshina & Gazsi (GER)
Guignard & Fabri (ITA)
Riazanova & Tkachenko (RUS)
Stepanova & Bukin (RUS)

2012 European Figure Skating Championships: Short Dance Results

1	Ekaterina BOBROVA / Dmitri SOLOVIEV	RUS	65.06	31.93		33.13	8.39	8.11	8.32	8.43	8.18	0.00	#11
2	Nathalie PECHALAT / Fabian BOURZAT	FRA	64.89	30.36		34.53	8.61	8.39	8.79	8.64	8.71	0.00	#13
3	Ekaterina RIAZANOVA / Ilia TKACHENKO	RUS	61.34	31.85		29.49	7.43	7.18	7.43	7.54	7.29	0.00	#14
4	Penny COOMES / Nicholas BUCKLAND	GBR	59.78	31.22		28.56	7.11	6.82	7.21	7.25	7.25	0.00	#15
5	Isabella TOBIAS / Deividas STAGNIUNAS	LTU	59.66	31.14		28.52	7.18	6.86	7.29	7.18	7.14	0.00	#12
6	Anna CAPPELLINI / Luca LANOTTE	ITA	59.62	27.51		32.11	7.93	7.82	8.11	8.14	8.11	0.00	#20
7	Elena ILINYKH / Nikita KATSALAPOV	RUS	59.49	27.01		32.48	8.18	7.96	8.18	8.25	8.04	0.00	#16
8	Pernelle CARRON / Lloyd JONES	FRA	57.40	28.92		28.48	7.14	6.82	7.21	7.21	7.18	0.00	#19
9	Nelli ZHIGANSHINA / Alexander GAZSI	GER	56.79	28.57		28.22	7.25	6.82	7.11	7.14	6.96	0.00	#18
10	Charlene GUIGNARD / Marco FABBRI	ITA	52.45	29.00		23.45	6.07	5.71	6.04	6.07	5.50	0.00	#2
11	Julia ZLOBINA / Alexei SITNIKOV	AZE	49.66	24.57		25.09	6.39	6.18	6.32	6.36	6.14	0.00	#8
12	Sara HURTADO / Adria DIAZ	ESP	49.35	25.78		23.57	6.04	5.82	6.04	6.04	5.61	0.00	#17
13	Tanja KOLBE / Stefano CARUSO	GER	49.07	25.65		23.42	5.93	5.71	6.04	5.96	5.68	0.00	#3
14	Louise WALDEN / Owen EDWARDS	GBR	48.36	25.71		22.65	5.71	5.54	5.71	5.82	5.54	0.00	#6
15	Lucie MYSLIVECKOVA / Neil BROWN	CZE	47.47	24.92		22.55	5.68	5.46	5.71	5.86	5.50	0.00	#9
16	Siobhan HEEKIN-CANEDY / Dmitri DUN	UKR	46.71	22.57		24.14	6.18	5.89	6.04	6.11	5.96	0.00	#5
17	Gabriela KUBOVA / Dmitri KISELEV	CZE	45.88	24.85		21.03	5.32	5.04	5.32	5.43	5.18	0.00	#7
18	Zsuzsanna NAGY / Mate FEJES	HUN	44.99	24.37		20.62	5.29	5.00	5.18	5.32	5.00	0.00	#4
19	Irina SHTORK / Taavi RAND	EST	44.97	22.29		22.68	5.86	5.61	5.82	5.79	5.36	0.00	#10
20	Nadezhda FROLENKOVA / Mikhail KASALO	UKR	42.60	22.07		20.53	5.29	4.93	5.25	5.21	5.00	0.00	#1

2011 Rostelecom Cup: Ice Dance Preview

The 6th and final Grand Prix of the season is always bittersweet for me. It's arguably some of the best skating of the season, but then again it's the last time we get to see most of these skaters before Worlds, unless they make the Final. It's also the one event that I won't be able to watch in its entirety because it happens to fall on Thanksgiving weekend here in the States. Ice Dance is shaping up to be a nice event in Russia, as 5 of the 8 teams have medaled in their previous Grand Prix events including two Gold medalists. The dancers skate their short Friday November 25th at 12:20 p.m. EST and their free Saturday November 26th at 12:25 p.m.

Reigning World Champions Meryl Davis & Charlie White (USA) have this title wrapped up, and as I've been saying all season, they won't face a challenge until they meet Virtue & Moir at the Final. They'll look to make technical adjustments from Skate America and up their performance quality in preparation for meeting their rivals in 2 weeks. Any color medal here will put them into the Grand Prix Final. Ekaterina Bobrova & Dmitri Soloviev (RUS) are skating at home and that, coupled with the incredibly high (too high in my opinion) scores they received winning Cup of China puts them in good stead to grab Silver. Their programs are very dramatic, which clearly appealed to the judges in China, and I suspect they'll have a similar effect on home ice. Any color medal here will put them into the Grand Prix Final. Kaitilyn Weaver & Andrew Poje (CAN) are stronger than the Russians in my opinion, but they can't seem to get out of their own way and skate perfectly. But if this is anything like last season, they'll peak at Worlds, which ultimately matters most. Because this is their 3rd event, they've already qualified for the Grand Prix Final, that is unless Pernelle Carron & Lloyd Jones (FRA) or Isabella Tobias & Deividas Stagniunas (LTU) win this event, which won't happen. Both the French & Lithuanian teams won Bronze at their first event and though they are each fine teams, they medaled in relatively weak fields and neither team is much of a podium threat. Each team needs a win to make the Grand Prix Final. The one team that has an outside chance of upsetting the top 3 is Ekaterina Riazanova & Ilia Tkachenko (RUS) though they had a weak start finishing 5th at Skate Canada. For some reason, the judges didn't take to their programs in Canada, but I trust they've made adjustments in the 3 weeks between events and will finish strong at home in Russia.

My Podium Predictions:
1) Davis & White (USA)
2) Bobrova & Soloviev (RUS)
3) Weaver & Poje (CAN)


Competitive History:


Ekaterina Bobrova & Dmitri Soloviev (RUS)-1st at 2011 Cup of China, 6th 2011 Worlds, 2nd 2011 Europeans, 4th 2010 Grand Prix Final, 1st 2010 Rostelecom Cup, 2nd 2010 Cup of China; PB: 163.52 at 2011 Cup of China


Pernelle Carron & Lloyd Jones (FRA)-3rd at 2011 Cup of China, 12th 2011 Worlds, 9th 2011 Europeans, 4th 2010 Trophee Eric Bompard, 1st 2010 NRW Trophy, 5th 2010 Skate Canada, 1st 2010 Coup de Nice, 1st 2010 Mont Blanc Trophy; PB: 140.86 at 2011 Worlds

Meryl Davis & Charlie White (USA)-1st at 2011 Skate America, 1st 2011 Worlds, 1st 2011 Four Continents, 1st 2011 Grand Prix Final, 1st 2011 Skate America, 1st 2011 NHK Trophy; PB: 185.27 at 2011 Worlds 


Ekaterina Pushhkash & Jonathan Guerreiro (RUS)-6th at 2011 Skate Canada, 2nd 2011 World Juniors, 4th 2010 JGP Final, 1st 2010 JGP Czech, 2nd 2010 JGP Japan; PB: 136.80 at 2010 JGP Czech


Cathy Reed & Chris Reed (JPN)-7th at 2011 NHK Trophy, 4th 2011 Nebelhorn Trophy, 13th 2011 Worlds, 2nd Asian Winter Games, 7th 2010 Skate America, 7th 2010 NHK Trophy; PB: 133.33 at 2011 Worlds

Ekaterina Riazanova & Ilia Tkachenko (RUS)-5th at 2011 Skate Canada, 6th 2011 Europeans, 2nd 2010 Trophee Eric Bompard, 5th 2010 Skate America, 3rd 2010 Nebelhorn Trophy; PB: 146.79 at 2010 Trophee Eric Bompard 


Isabella Tobias & Deividas Stagniunas (LTU)-3rd at 2011 Skate America, 5th 2011 Nebelhorn Trophy, 14th 2011 Worlds, 12th 2011 Europeans, 3rd 2010 NRW Trophy, 11th 2010 Nebelhorn Trophy; PB: 131.01 at 2011 Worlds


Kaitlyn Weaver & Andrew Poje (CAN)-2nd at 2011 NHK Trophy, 2nd at 2011 Skate Canada, 5th 2011 Worlds, 4th 2011 Four Continents, 4th 2010 Grand Prix Final, 4th 2010 Skate America, 2nd 2010 NHK Trophy; PB: 160.32 at 2011 Worlds 

2011 Skate Canada: Ice Dance Preview

Saying that this Ice Dance field is crowded is an understatement. 3 of these 8 teams were top 5 at 2011 Worlds and the rest are World Class as well. While Gold is pretty much locked up, we'll see a heated battle for Silver & Bronze as well as the right to place in the top 5. The dancers take the ice for their short dance Friday October 28th at 9:10 pm EST and Sunday October 30th at 12:30 pm for their free dance.

This might as well be an exhibition for Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir (CAN) because they have no competition. They are in a class of their own and this event on home ice will be their coming out party. They already stomped the field at Finlandia Trophy and won't have a real challenge until the Grand Prix Final, but oh what a joy just to watch them skate. Making their season's debut, Kaitlyn Weaver & Andrew Poje (CAN) are a medal favorite after ending 2010-2011 with a bang, finishing 5th at Worlds. Training with Pechalat & Bourzat, who have withdrawn from this event, will push them to up their game, and they have the potential to pass them this season, but either way those two should battle all year. Ekaterina Riazanova & Ilia Tkachenko (RUS) spent 2010-2011 as the 3rd team in Russia and didn't make the Worlds team, but now that Russia has 3 slots, their season is wide open. I really like their style and they are a fringe team that could capitalize on a mistake by a top tier team and snag a medal as they did last season on the Grand Prix. Anna Cappellini & Luca Lanotte (ITA) are are a team that needs a lot of individual attention in order to make a leap in the rankings and I fear they won't get that from the overcommitted Morozov. They always put together nice programs and had a good showing at Worlds. They are now a medal threat after the withdrawal of the French. Madison Chock & Evan Bates (USA) are a new team and though they made a solid debut at Finlandia Trophy, they have a lot of work to do if they hope to make Worlds this season and they won't be as focused on a medal here as they will be on getting feedback from judges and improving their levels and scores. Ekaterina Pushkash & Jonathan Guerreiro (RUS) are making their senior debut after winning Silver at the 2011 Junior Worlds and it will be great to see how they transition their style to the senior ranks. Tarrah Harvey & Keith Gagnon (CAN) are a host pick making their Grand Prix debut.

My Podium Predictions:

1) Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir (CAN)

2) Kaitlyn Weaver & Andrew Poje (CAN)

3) Ekaterina Riazanova & Ilia Tkachenko (RUS

Competitive History:

Anna Cappellini & Luca Lanotte (ITA)-8th 2011 Worlds, 1st 2011 Mont Blanc Trophy, 5th 2010 NHK Trophy, 2nd 2010 Nebelhorn Trophy; PB: 153.77 at 2011 Worlds

Madison Chock & Evan Bates (USA)-3rd 2011 Finlandia Trophy; PB: 136.88 at 2011 Finlandia Trophy

Tarrah Harvey & Keith Gagnon (CAN)-8th 2011 Nebelhorn Trophy, 9th 2010 Nebelhorn Trophy, 5th 2008 JGP Belarus

Ekaterina Pushhkash & Jonathan Guerreiro (RUS)-2nd 2011 World Juniors, 4th 2010 JGP Final, 1st 2010 JGP Czech, 2nd 2010 JGP Japan; PB: 136.80 at 2010 JGP Czech

Ekaterina Riazanova & Ilia Tkachenko (RUS)-6th 2011 Europeans, 2nd 2010 Trophee Eric Bompard, 5th 2010 Skate America, 3rd 2010 Nebelhorn Trophy; PB: 146.79 at 2010 Trophee Eric Bompard

Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir (CAN)-1st 2011 Finlandia Trophy, 2nd 2011 Worlds, 1st 2010 Worlds, 1st 2010 Winter Olympics; PB: 181.79 at 2011 Worlds

Kaitlyn Weaver & Andrew Poje (CAN)-5th 2011 Worlds, 4th 2011 Four Continents, 4th 2010 Grand Prix Final, 4th 2010 Skate America, 2nd 2010 NHK Trophy; PB: 160.32 at 2011 Worlds