CBC's "Battle of the Blades" Returns for a fifth Season. | Page 5 | Golden Skate

CBC's "Battle of the Blades" Returns for a fifth Season.

siberia82

Addicted to Canadian men's singles skating
Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 18, 2008
Country
Canada
CBC's YouTube links for the Episode 2 performances (1080p):

Violetta Afanasieva & P.J. Stock: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCTnoTahBa8

Ekaterina Gordeeva & Bruno Gervais: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uifKVqOtTvs

Vanessa James & Brian McGrattan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jjmug26IdEE

Natalie Spooner & Andrew Poje: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbUFDd_B35A

Kaitlyn Weaver & Sheldon Kennedy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCZvMdeypjM

Amanda Kessel & Eric Radford: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzAYQ7qt8LE

Amanda Evora & Colton Orr: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7G5RI7MWY0
 

Osmond4gold

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 27, 2013
So amazing these athletes were/are long before this show, but Shellie and Kaitlyn are still favourites for me. Mind you, Natalie and Bruno are really showing their diversity from hockey and willingness to take risks. Plus their partners (Ekaterina and Andrew) are not too shabby, as we know. "Royalty", as Bruno said regarding his opinion of his partner, Ekaterina.
 

siberia82

Addicted to Canadian men's singles skating
Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 18, 2008
Country
Canada
I can't believe Vanessa & Brian and Ekaterina & Bruno ended up in the bottom 2! :eek: I like those teams much more than Amanda & Colton.
 

Colonel Green

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 3, 2018
Country
Canada
Vanessa & Brian being in the bottom 2 was expected, I thought. Ekaterina & Bruno being there, on the other hand, was a big surprise; evidently not a lot of audience support for them, since their judges' scores last week were good.
 

withwings

On the Ice
Joined
Jan 5, 2014
I do feel sad for Vanessa and Brian. I guess it might not be good for Vanessa's confidence (?) but she handled this as a pro:2thumbs: !
 

Skater Boy

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 24, 2012
I think Amanda and Colten were a bit lucky. In part, she isn't as good as some of the other pros. But that being said a big surprise Gordeeva and her partner were in the bottom 2. It seemed like CBC was trying to push Vanessa and her partner. What was noticeable though is that Vanessa's skating skills weren't so great on this show. Her edging and stroking really did not look like a future world champion which we assume she will be or could be. I am impressed with Spooner and Poje though she probably will always look a bit clunky. good for Andrew for doing ice dance lifts or mini lifts. This show is very Canadian oriented - the music, the hockey players and a lot of the skaters arent well known Violetta, Amanda come to mind. At least Radford, Weaver, Poje, Gordeeva, James, have world and or olympic medals.
 

4everchan

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 7, 2015
Country
Martinique
katia and gervais are harder to sell in ontario or english cbc canada... the show is not watched in quebec where gervais may get more attention... it is a popular vote after all...until the judges keep praising them on and the crowd finally gets it :)
 

Ic3Rabbit

Former Elite, now Pro. ⛸️
Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 9, 2017
Country
Olympics
I think Amanda and Colten were a bit lucky. In part, she isn't as good as some of the other pros. But that being said a big surprise Gordeeva and her partner were in the bottom 2. It seemed like CBC was trying to push Vanessa and her partner. What was noticeable though is that Vanessa's skating skills weren't so great on this show. Her edging and stroking really did not look like a future world champion which we assume she will be or could be. I am impressed with Spooner and Poje though she probably will always look a bit clunky. good for Andrew for doing ice dance lifts or mini lifts. This show is very Canadian oriented - the music, the hockey players and a lot of the skaters arent well known Violetta, Amanda come to mind. At least Radford, Weaver, Poje, Gordeeva, James, have world and or olympic medals.

I would say that Violetta is less known than Amanda in the skating world. She's a former Moscow Circus on ice performer, hula hoops on ice and such.
Amanda should be more well known, medalling in multiple GP's with her former partner Mark Ladwig. She's also a coach for some well known teams, and she's the season 4 Battle of the Blades champ.
 

withwings

On the Ice
Joined
Jan 5, 2014
Vanessa & Brian being in the bottom 2 was expected, I thought. Ekaterina & Bruno being there, on the other hand, was a big surprise; evidently not a lot of audience support for them, since their judges' scores last week were good.
?
If Ekaterina was on the show once why to ask her to do this second time?? I have not seen these shows before but, if I would have voted, I never would have voted for those who are on the show second time. I rather would have voted for the hockey player ( and fs skater) who makes the utmost progress during the show. Aside from that, the show truly is a wonderful idea- thank you, Sandra Bezic! (and it WAS great to see Great Gordeeva!).
 

4everchan

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 7, 2015
Country
Martinique
a lot of the skaters have done it multiple times .... over the years... not just katia or amanda
 

Fluffice

Rinkside
Joined
Mar 23, 2018
a lot of the skaters have done it multiple times .... over the years... not just katia or amanda

Off the top of my head:

This is Violetta's 4th season on the show. Marie-France and Shae-Lynn have participated 3 times each.
Jamie Salé has participated 2 times as a contestant and once as a permanent judge.

Those are only names that are more well known, too.

Also, RE: Quebec not voting - it`s a real phenomenon whenever there is a french hockey player. Quebec just... tends to not watch CBC. A lot of the times, the french hockey player is actually one of the better skaters, it's just that the audience he needs just isn't watching... i have watched every season (except season 1) at least once and honestly i don't get shocked anymore when skates that judges marked high don't receive fan support. It happens more often not only with french-canadian players, but also american, russian, or really anyone that is not anglo-canadian.
 
Last edited:

Skater Boy

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 24, 2012
I should say it is impressive how these non figure skaters can do so much so fast. they really are trying and going out of their comfort zones. Nothing against those not known as well skaters but it is really exciting to see former world and oly medallists. In respect to the comment about Evora being a former GP medallist - I agree though sadly to the average fan she will not be remembered especially in a large number of middling American pairs. Maybe I am being influenced a bit by The Skating Lesson and Dave Lease's comments about Evora falling - like she did as a competitor - ouch. Still wow - lifts, some interesting edging - you have to give them all credit. I would love to see it more globally oriented - I think it could be a great show in the US as well if they made it a North American focus. I think Europe and Asia would have to have their own.

Weaver, Gordeeva and Poje and their partners are my faves so far. It was sad to see Vanessa in tears. O Canada - this is wonderful and fun.
 

4everchan

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 7, 2015
Country
Martinique
Off the top of my head:

This is Violetta's 4th season on the show. Marie-France and Shae-Lynn have participated 3 times each.
Jamie Salé has participated 2 times as a contestant and once as a permanent judge.

Those are only names that are more well known, too.

Also, RE: Quebec not voting - it`s a real phenomenon whenever there is a french hockey player. Quebec just... tends to not watch CBC. A lot of the times, the french hockey player is actually one of the better skaters, it's just that the audience he needs just isn't watching... i have watched every season (except season 1) at least once and honestly i don't get shocked anymore when skates that judges marked high don't receive fan support. It happens more often not only with french-canadian players, but also american, russian, or really anyone that is not anglo-canadian.


100% agree...especially with Gervais who was never a super star of the sport... and spent most of his life in the USA and a few years in Germany for hockey..... i find this sad this year as her is truly the best hockey player or at least in the 2 or 3 best hockey players on the show... the judges will need to keep him going if the public doesn't
 

NanaPat

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 25, 2014
Country
Canada
Because the figure skaters are like the pros on Dancing With The Stars. Experience is a good thing.

Exactly. The hockey players are the contestants. They're the ones we're supposed to be watching and judging. Of course people on this board (and the TSL guys) know the figure skaters better, but THEY ARE NOT THE CONTESTANTS.

I wonder what will happen if it looks like Violetta and PJ are going to win? PJ is a repeat CONTESTANT. He was chosen at the last minute because of an injury, and he had the time set aside because he was scheduled to be a JUDGE. They have gone out of their way to emphasize that it was 6 years ago, and his prior experience is offset by his lack of training time, but still....
 
Top