Skate Canada 2014

Skate Canada, held in the Orchard City, aka Kelowna, British Columbia, is going to be a treat this year because none of the former gold medalists are competing. Even more, except for Julia Lipnitskaia, all of them have either withdrawn or broken up. That means that winning is anyone's game.

Vanessa James/Morgan Cipres, France's top pair
Photograph: Atsushi Tomura/Getty Images Asia
This might not be good news for the hosts, who are used to keep the men's gold in Canada thanks to Patrick Chan. With him "taking a break" and Kevin Reynolds having had to withdraw due to skates problems, it is likely that they won't even have a skater on the podium. But the Canadians are such fans of figure skating that I'm sure they won't let their disappointment shine through. Instead, you can bet they'll cheer their hats off for every and any of these four favourite contenders: Javier Fernandez, Takahiko Kozuka, Michal Brezina and Konstantin Menshov.

Canada does, however, have Meagan Duhamel/Eric Radford competing in the pairs' event and with the thrown quad Salchow they've been pulling off lately, they're a given for the gold. Vanessa James/Morgan Cipres have high chances of snatching any of the other two medals, but I'm having a hard time deciding on a third top pair. Normally I'd say Kirsten Moore-Towers/Dylan Moscovitch, but since she's now competing with Michael Marinaro, I've no idea what they can do together.

Speaking of together, the host has the ice dance gold in their back pocket as well, thanks to Kaitlyn Weaver/Andrew Poje. Nelli Zhiganshina/Alexander Gazsi might squeeze their way through and onto the podium, but only if they get past Four Continents Champions Madison Hubbell/Zachary Donohue.

Finally, we can only hope the ladies' competition will be every bit as good as the one we saw at Skate America. Coincidentally enough, we have the same formula (Russia, Russia, USA), but with different skaters. This time it's Alena Leonova versus Anna Pogorilaya versus Ashley Wagner.

So, with all these possibilities, who do you think will go home with this year's gold medals?

Comments

  1. Anonymous30 October 2014 at 10:28

    -Ladies single: I'd go for Pogorylaya, of course ) I've followed her ever since last year's Lexus cup of China, where she defeated SOtnikova :v (initially, I watched her only because she participated in the Bobrova/Soloviev's same event :))))) but after watching her last "Kiss of fire" I admire her triple loop immensely, she also has beautiful 3S-1/2Lo-3Lo (even better than Radionova :v ), beautiful spin (her donut spin makes me go like O______O) This year also features another "fire", the "Firebird", and do you know that Anna means "glory" and "fame? It suits her well :3 I also love Wagner (more than Gracie Gold), wish her good luck :3
    - Pairs: I don't like any of the pairs, I even dislike Duhamel/Radford (don't ask me why, I myself don't know either :)))) but... Vanessa James / Morgan Ciprès are enjoyable, they are - at least - not lame, and Van has beautiful figure :3
    - Dance: I think the dance result is quite transperent now :))) of course Weaver/Poje will win. Though honestly I thnk they're quite boring +_+ they do the same liffts, the same spin, the same step sequences every year. Of course technically they are good, but... er... you know... @_@ the same everything set in different music can't quite bring a good programme.
    -Men: Javier for the win!!!!!!! :v (at least I hope so :v )
    _The Gothiceme_

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Skaters We'll Miss, Part 5: Daisuke Takahashi

Image
October 31, 2008: It's a few days before the start of the 2008 Cup of China and for Japanese superstar, Daisuke Takahashi, it's the day disaster strikes. He's just torn a ligament in his right leg, which will take him off the ice for the entire season. What's even worse is that this is the type of injury that might just abruptly end the career of one of the most promising skaters of the decade. Long before becoming a superstar, Daisuke began his life in the ice rink by choosing between hockey and figure skating. He became a senior skater at the age of 16, but couldn't cope with the pressure and didn't become Japan's National Champion until four seasons later. Phantom of the Opera Photograph: Koichi Kamoshida/Getty Images Sport In 2005/2006, at the age of 19, he almost lost the National title, and the chance to participate at the Olympics, when it was accidentally given to Nobunari Oda due to a miscalculation. The error was corrected though and Daisu
Read more

Skate America 2015 Preview

Image
That wonderful time of the year is here again! No, I'm not talking about Christmas, but the start of the figure skating Grand Prix series. I've been waiting for this event since the last day of the 2015 World Team Trophy, and I know I'm not the only one, so let's get started. The logo of Skate America 2015 Photo: www.isu.org Skate America will open the Grand Prix series, as usual. It is held this year in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Milwaukee is not known for anything related to figure skating, but for its beer and festivals - beer festivals, I assume. In fact, the logo for Skate America this year looks so much like a beer label that I wouldn't be surprised if the party favours proved out to be small bottles of beer with the logo as labels. Wouldn't that be cool? As creative as the marketing of the event is, the logo isn't what it's going to make this event spectacular. That task is given to the skaters, and judging by the big names competing, they
Read more

Internationaux de France 2018 - Ladies Final - What Great Skaters Are Made Of

Image
Bradie Tennell took home a surprising bronze medal The ladies' competition in Grenoble started as most do these days - with Japanese and Russian skaters going against each other for the top three positions. At the end of the short programme, Japan was winning (by less than a point), but the possibility to see Russia on the podium in the form of Evgenia Medvedeva was very much real. Stanislava Konstantinova  began the event with a flawless performance of Anna Karenina . I loved the costume, the way her hair matched the era the story is from and the neckline detail that made her look as if she was wearing a pearl necklace. Score: 134.76  -> 189.67 . Laurine Lecavelier  followed with a sexier routine, set to I'll Take Care of You . Her performance was for the most part alright despite doubling out of both the 3Flip and Salchow, but then at the very end, she fell on the 3Loop. Score: 105.58  -> 157.24 Laurine Lecavelier of France I thought Matilda Algotsson 
Read more