2016-2017 State of Canadian Figure Skating

they can still go for team gold... i wouldn't think that they would drop out if they place anywhere on the podium at WC.... building block year is correct... but they probably have a plan to bring things gradually and improve to be more competitive by next year.

Sackie said:

Just wondering about Tessa and Scott! I know this is a building year towards the Olympics but can't help but wonder if they may rethink things if they do not place well at this year's worlds. I mean if they are not close to P/C and the judges therefore make it clear that P/C are the top dance team at this moment do you think they will stay in knowing they have little chance at a Gold Medal. I mean look at the year leading up to the last Olympics - the judges made it clear that no matter what D/W were going to win. Even when D/W made mistakes in their programs they were not dinged as harshly as V/M. And so far the same thing is happening with P/C - they are not dinged as harshly when they make errors.
There is also the possibility that V/M may not even medal at worlds this year - and in that case you really have to wonder if they will keep going just for the thrill of competing in another Olympics.

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Yes, I saw that...I am hoping it's a safe spot and I may have to change my predictions soon. A nice clean for Alaine, without any intrusive thoughts would be awesome!

///Update///

I have changed my predictions and now have Alaine in for the bronze position. Chant with me everyone....hummmm.

Luck be a lady tonight...well, at least at 3:00AM on Friday morn. Hey, and you know what they say about your 600th posting!

TGee said:

I've just been looking at the results of the draws in terms of starting order. :think:

Alaine has first spot for the SP. I don't know if that's a plus or minus for her. Given that she hasn't had as strong an SP this season, it might be better for her psychologically, but if she does well, it might not be as well scored as compared to skating later.

Nam on the other hand will skate last. We've seen that it can be difficult. On the other hand, it worked in Kevin Reynolds' favour in breaking people's expectations as he returns from injury.

Elladj has, I think, a good draw in the middle of the last flight before Hanyu.

Tessa and Scott also have a good spot at the beginning of the second flight.

Meagan and Eric skate second. There are so few pairs in this event, and they are so relatively strong, that I suspect this will have negligible impact...

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I am not too worried for these skating first in the SP people... it seems to me that judges have not really lowballed too much these skaters in previous GPs, probably because they only have two flights to watch back to back no break.... it's quite fresh in their memories.... It's more what the skaters do with their skate order that can be a factor... skating last can be very difficult for some... skating first too... I think Alaine will deal with it just fine and set the standard to be beat... it may be beaten but she will have a good skate. I feel it she used to be the SP queen... she's due for a good one! BTW.... some people mentioned she is only 5'1... WOW... i saw her live at ACI and she takes so much room and covers the ice so well that I never would have thought.... impressive...

Kaitlyn's posted a photo from CoC with Elena Radionova and Elizabeth Tuktamysheva....

https://www.instagram.com/p/BNJp7juF2jo/

skater85 said:

His accent is so distinct because he's from Newfoundland Fun fact, this is also where Kaetlyn Osmond is from. I believe she left there fairly early in her life, so she doesn't have much of an accent at all, but I can hear it in her a little on certain words.

Rick Mercer has done many bits on his show with Canadian skaters in the past as well.

https://youtu.be/_ZCf_o6aV6g

https://youtu.be/MokPxcLdQvU

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Holy Cow!!!! Tie Domi...........:2thumbs:

TGee said:

CBC sports posted a new short feature on Kaetlyn Osmond to YouTube yesterday....

"Training days are the hardest"

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=eXCW0DfQhiE&feature=youtu.be&a=

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Thanks for posting that clip, TGee. Wow, she looks good. I really think this is going to be her year at Nationals and Worlds. I definitely see her in the final flight at Worlds this year. How many spots does Canada have?

mrrice said:

Thanks for posting that clip, TGee. Wow, she looks good. I really think this is going to be her year at Nationals and Worlds. I definitely see her in the final flight at Worlds this year. How many spots does Canada have?

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only 2, unfortunately. The way the Canadian ladies are skating, I really hope they can bring it at worlds so as to lock up three spots at the Olympics or next year's World Championships.

Mango said:

I noticed someone mentioned Catherine Carle, novice champ at COS Sectionals. She was the only lady to do a 3-3 combo...not even the senior ladies tried. Quite a remarkable performance. Alas, novice ladies started very early in the morning. For anyone watching Rostelecom Cup it would have been impossible to go. Hope to see her do well at Challenge which is now 2.5 weeks away.

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It was quite the skate...

trains said:

Did anyone see Central Ontario Sectionals? The girl that won Novice Ladies, Catharine Carle, had 3S/3T and 3L in the short and five triples in the long including 2A/3T. This is a girl to watch. I would love to hear if anyone saw her.

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Really strong jumper!

syl20c said:

It was quite the skate...

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Welcome to GS syl20C!!!

Thanks for your contribution about COS sectionals. This thread is for all of Canadian skating from pre-juvenile up. It's on the edge, so it's not a fan thread, but we do share news, info, reports and analysis here. and we're always hungry for reports from GS members who have been to sectionals and other Canadian events.

You'll find that Patrick Chan has the most active fan fest. I'm sure you will find a warm welcome there, but we'd be thrilled if you have an interest in posting to the threads of other Canadian skaters as well.

I see that you joined today (at least as a posting member, if not a previous lurker?) Really glad to have more new folks joining in.

canadian figure skaters as anime which one is your fave??? mine is prince charming scott

Rough short for Alaine. It's a battle between gabby and Kaet now.

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She's proving that she only skates well in front of a home crowd (IMO)

Okay Alaine, it's time to change it up and bring back Pina, please! A program you love to skate, and we love to watch.

Skatergal101 said:

Rough short for Alaine. It's a battle between gabby and Kaet now.

- - - Updated - - -

She's proving that she only skates well in front of a home crowd (IMO)

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Have to disagree.....Please recall that unlike Gabby, Alaine has previously medalled in a GP... and that our increase in spots a few years back in the JPG was owed to her strong performances as a junior.

Historically, her SP was consistently very strong internationally.. It was her lyrical FS programs that were problematic.

My recollection is that she may have one rough outing the first event of the season, and usually at it's worst in front of the home crowd at Skate Canada International. [I don't think that we are seeing that she does well being placed at events with other Canadian women early in the season.]

But this year's SP has been consistently a problem. The only good outing she's had with it was at Minto Summer Skate. It's not working for her, and it's not just nerves.

Michelle Leigh seems to have been attributing it to Alaine needing to settle down for the short, but if the short is suddenly Alaine's issue, then it would seem to indicate that either the program itself, or some change in her preparatory routine at major events is the issue.

And I'm wondering, frankly, if Michelle Leigh is the best coach to support her at competitions. Michelle's first words as Alaine came off the ice were "You went into..."

Doesn't sound like it was encouraging or compassionate, rather it sounded like the critical analysis started at the gate, in range of the mic.... And we saw something similar at Autumn Classic, where Brian was trying to move forward to support Alaine, while Michelle as primary coach edged him out and gave Alaine a very firm and displeased response. This might work for another skater, but I am not sensing that it's what Alaine needs. And I recall Alaine saying that between her first place SP at Rostelecom two years ago [when Michelle was back in Toronto] and her FS, Michelle had called her from Toronto to tell her what she had to do psychologically for the FS. But Alaine did worse in the FS and ended up with a bronze.... The analysis I heard around the EO community at that time was that Alaine did better away without as intense pressure from the presence of family and coaches.

Michelle clearly has an idea of what sports psychology is needed, but it looks like she's of the stern school and it seems that putting more pressure on Alaine isn't the solution.

Whatever, it's not working and it's been proven not to work. She hasn't met her goals for the GP season.

Osmond4gold said:

Okay Alaine, it's time to change it up and bring back Pina, please! A program you love to skate, and we love to watch.

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Agree, even if this year's SP isn't the entire issue, Alaine needs to ditch the baggage from it and go back to something that she can feel confident with....

But I think that the SP black fringe costume should stay. I think that it would suit her Pina SP even better...

Leigh does not look compassionate at all in the kiss and cry ever. Brian said to her today the axel was good but leigh said nothing. Just sat there looking rotted.

Im wondering who canada is going to send to worlds, will they pick the top 2 ladies or will they go with who they think should go to gain 3 oly spots? thoughts?

To earn 3 spots for Olympics/Worlds, the two ladies' finishes have to add up to 13 or less----one has to finish top 5, and the other, 8th place or lower. Kaetlyn was 8th at 2013W and Gabby was 9th at 2016W, while Alaine was 11th in 2015 and 17th in 2016. I was at 2016 Worlds and was quite impressed with Gabby, who skated with confidence and verve, while Alaine looked like a deer in the headlights. IMO, Kaetlyn and Gabby are the best team to send to Finland this year, as both can improve quite a bit on their previous World outings.

I wanted to drop a line to say that Elladj Baldé's GP strategy, with Bruno Marcotte, to reduce the tech by pulling out the quads, and to go for clean and consistent performance seems to be working. While his NHK SP wasn't a SB, it was solid and put him in 5th going into the FS. Elladj's reaction in the KnC was positive, "I'll take it."

Elladj posted in the early fall, after a fairly awful Challenger at the US International Classic, 'After taking the day to contemplate about my experience here in Salt Lake city, I realize that this week has taught me a whole lot about myself, my career and has shed light on some of my future goals.'

Elladj spent a good deal of time in the fall doing Kings on Ice exhibitions in Russia and other former soviet countries. It sounds as though in addition to being good financially, it was helpful psychologically.

While I really hope to see Elladj back with two quads in the future, to take him up to the next level from his 2015 Nebelhorn gold, getting the consistency seems key. It's about being able to deliver at the elite level every competition, and being able to count on a solid score. Doing this so that he can place in the top 5 at nationals and get team funding seems the right approach.

I agree that since Alaine seems to be fighting this new Short she should look at going back to Pina. It also seems like the judges are really dinging her PCS when she has any sort of error.
But I must add that I would hate for her to actually end up skating lights out at Nationals again and stealing a world spot from Gabby or Kaetlyn who have proving themselves ready this year.
Think Gabby and Kaetlyn have proven themselves worthy in the international judges eyes and will get higher PCS then Alaine even with an error. Alaine has been dropping in judges favor with every bad showing.

chuckm said:

To earn 3 spots for Olympics/Worlds, the two ladies' finishes have to add up to 13 or less----one has to finish top 5, and the other, 8th place or lower. Kaetlyn was 8th at 2013W and Gabby was 9th at 2016W, while Alaine was 11th in 2015 and 17th in 2016. I was at 2016 Worlds and was quite impressed with Gabby, who skated with confidence and verve, while Alaine looked like a deer in the headlights. IMO, Kaetlyn and Gabby are the best team to send to Finland this year, as both can improve quite a bit on their previous World outings.

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If Gabby and Kaetlyn end up as the two going to world and can up they performances just a bit a combine score of 13 is possible. At the moment Kaetlyn is sitting 4th on the seasons best scores and gabby is 14th. But when you take out the RUS and JPN ladies ahead of her who can not go to worlds Gabby is #8! Now I am sure by worlds the 2nd USA lady (prob Gold) will be back in the top 6 so that would drop Gabby down. But a combined score of 13 is possible if they just keep improving as they have been. And what a feat if they can and CAN gets 3 lady for the Olympics!

4everchan said:

they can still go for team gold... i wouldn't think that they would drop out if they place anywhere on the podium at WC.... building block year is correct... but they probably have a plan to bring things gradually and improve to be more competitive by next year.

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I can actually see V/M being as low as 5th at worlds! P/C are shoe ins to win again - the judges just keep upping and upping their scores. The Shibs are still holding strong and the judges love C/B no matter what they skate to or how they skate. And lately B/S have been moving up and up the ranks and I think the judges would love to put two European teams back on the Podium leading into an Olympic year. And if that happens I can't see them dropping both of the USA teams off the podium. The world of Ice Dance has gotten so complicated over the last few years. No longer are there 3 or 4 top teams but there are actually at least 10 teams in the mix for medals if all things were equal.