Olympic Figure Skating
I received an e-newsletter from the US Olympic Committee this morning detailing who they thought would shine for the Americans in Turino. I had to cock my head and wonder who exactly gave them the information contained therein. While I do agree that Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto are our best hope for a medal (should her citizenship issues be resolved), I find it interesting that they seem to think we have only two slots for ice dance. Ben and Tanith's silver at World's last year gave us three, and the skating community has known that since the moment it happens. Let's just hope that one of those slots goes to them, since we aren't going to shine in any other discipline.
Pairs skating has long been one of those places where Americans don't fare well. I have to wonder what this Olympics would look like had that whole drug test debacle not forced Kyoko Ina and John Zimmermann to go pro. I do think, though, that Rena Inoue and John Baldwin Jr. have a tiny chance to take bronze. If they have the skate of their lives, land the throw triple axel and the side-by-side lutzes, they could pull it off. Totmianina and Marinin pretty much just have to show up to win, and the Chinese pairs will battle it out for the other medals.
The Russian sweep is pretty much expected: Totmianina and Marinin, Navka and Kostamarov, Slutskaya, Plushenko. I have to say I agree.
With one little asterisk. I think, with a perfect skate, Jeffrey Buttle could beat Plushenko. I'd love to see that happen. Bronze would then go to... Stephan Lambiel? Emanuel Sandhu? Evan Lysacek? The one Japanese skater (and by that I mean the one who makes the team. Honday, Oda, Takahashi... they're all good, the question is which one the Japanese Federation decides to send)? It's so hard to call that one.
Even harder to figure out who will represent the U.S. Johnny Weir seems a lock as does Evan Lysacek. It's that third spot. I could see it being Michael Weiss, but my heart wants it to go to Matt Savoie. Savoie should have gotten the third spot for Salt Lake, but his lack of a quad held him down.
Ooo... did I forget Tim Goebel? Easily done, actually. I think my newsletter said to look for him to move up the podium. Hm. I guess whoever wrote that hasn't been watching the Grand Prix. His quads won him a medal in Salt Lake, but he hasn't skated cleanly since the end of that season. I know he's worked hard on the artistry and transitions, but he's still not up to par with the rest of the world. Without that, he has to hit his jumps, and I just don't see it happening for him in St. Louis.
And the ladies. Long a strength for the Americans. Hard to believe we might not have a medalist this year, but it could happen. Sasha Cohen is hardly known for her ability to handle pressure, and her loss to a less polished Mao Asada at Trophee Eric Bomphard shows what the judges think. Who knows what to think of Michelle Kwan? Competing only once under the new judging system is not the best plan with the Olympics looming. We all saw what happened in Moscow when she finished fourth. She failed to take into account the footwork and transitions that the new judging system require.
I can't decide who I think will make the team. Cohen for sure. Kwan should as well, though one of my friends recently voiced the opinion that she'll win Nationals, take the record, and decline her Olympic spot. If that actually happens, that leaves the battle among Hughes, Czisny, Meissner, Liang (not Jenny Kirk and Angela Nicodinov, as my newsletter seemed to think, since one has retired and one is taking the year off). My gut says Czisny. No offense, Kimmie, but go home and work on completing your jump rotations. We'll see you in 2010.
As for the podium, I see Slutskaya on top. I'm going to go out on a limb and put Joannie Rochette in second followed by Alissa Czisny. I just don't see one of the Japanese ladies pulling it off, unless it's Fumie Suguri and she might not even get to skate.
I guess we'll all know in February how it pans out. I just hope it is all free of controversy, though that's unlikely. Someone will complain. Likely fans of Sasha Cohen, since they're already complaining.
Pairs skating has long been one of those places where Americans don't fare well. I have to wonder what this Olympics would look like had that whole drug test debacle not forced Kyoko Ina and John Zimmermann to go pro. I do think, though, that Rena Inoue and John Baldwin Jr. have a tiny chance to take bronze. If they have the skate of their lives, land the throw triple axel and the side-by-side lutzes, they could pull it off. Totmianina and Marinin pretty much just have to show up to win, and the Chinese pairs will battle it out for the other medals.
The Russian sweep is pretty much expected: Totmianina and Marinin, Navka and Kostamarov, Slutskaya, Plushenko. I have to say I agree.
With one little asterisk. I think, with a perfect skate, Jeffrey Buttle could beat Plushenko. I'd love to see that happen. Bronze would then go to... Stephan Lambiel? Emanuel Sandhu? Evan Lysacek? The one Japanese skater (and by that I mean the one who makes the team. Honday, Oda, Takahashi... they're all good, the question is which one the Japanese Federation decides to send)? It's so hard to call that one.
Even harder to figure out who will represent the U.S. Johnny Weir seems a lock as does Evan Lysacek. It's that third spot. I could see it being Michael Weiss, but my heart wants it to go to Matt Savoie. Savoie should have gotten the third spot for Salt Lake, but his lack of a quad held him down.
Ooo... did I forget Tim Goebel? Easily done, actually. I think my newsletter said to look for him to move up the podium. Hm. I guess whoever wrote that hasn't been watching the Grand Prix. His quads won him a medal in Salt Lake, but he hasn't skated cleanly since the end of that season. I know he's worked hard on the artistry and transitions, but he's still not up to par with the rest of the world. Without that, he has to hit his jumps, and I just don't see it happening for him in St. Louis.
And the ladies. Long a strength for the Americans. Hard to believe we might not have a medalist this year, but it could happen. Sasha Cohen is hardly known for her ability to handle pressure, and her loss to a less polished Mao Asada at Trophee Eric Bomphard shows what the judges think. Who knows what to think of Michelle Kwan? Competing only once under the new judging system is not the best plan with the Olympics looming. We all saw what happened in Moscow when she finished fourth. She failed to take into account the footwork and transitions that the new judging system require.
I can't decide who I think will make the team. Cohen for sure. Kwan should as well, though one of my friends recently voiced the opinion that she'll win Nationals, take the record, and decline her Olympic spot. If that actually happens, that leaves the battle among Hughes, Czisny, Meissner, Liang (not Jenny Kirk and Angela Nicodinov, as my newsletter seemed to think, since one has retired and one is taking the year off). My gut says Czisny. No offense, Kimmie, but go home and work on completing your jump rotations. We'll see you in 2010.
As for the podium, I see Slutskaya on top. I'm going to go out on a limb and put Joannie Rochette in second followed by Alissa Czisny. I just don't see one of the Japanese ladies pulling it off, unless it's Fumie Suguri and she might not even get to skate.
I guess we'll all know in February how it pans out. I just hope it is all free of controversy, though that's unlikely. Someone will complain. Likely fans of Sasha Cohen, since they're already complaining.
posted by Becca @ 12:25 PM
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