Hubbell & Donahue aren't assigned to Finlandia (though it would be a more interesting match-up). Hawayek & Baker are the U.S. team there. IMO, the real competition is at Ondrej Nepela, where I&Z were originally scheduled to compete before they withdrew. Hubbell & Donahue were originally listed for Ondrej Nepela--along with the Shibs, Gilles & Poirier, and Coomes & Buckland; but H&D aren't on the list anymore. Apparently they weren't ever listed there on the U.S. assignment site so I'm not sure if they withdrew or should have been listed as substitutes from the start.
I have a lot of respect for teams that go out and face high-level competition early in the season. I also think it's smart to get out there and get real feedback on your programs before a GP debut. Just don't think doing it internally is wise for a federation with two teams gunning for the same high rankings. If I was B&S, I wouldn't want to go up against the Shibs as Russia's number 2 and likewise for I&Z facing C&L in China. No matter how temporary that number two position. I'm not saying it wouldn't be insurmountable. The programs and performance are always more significant. But this is dance. All things not being equal, it helps to be your country's number one.
It could help one of these two teams to hold those bragging rights early in the season. But I don't see it helping the strength of the larger Russian team in general. (Just as I don't see that it helped USFSA last season. They had Chock & Bates designated #1 right off the bat; and when C&B had problems at the GPF--where both teams should have met, the Shibs seemed to have no chance of outscoring them. Even though C&B had a fall and the Shibs outscored everyone else in the short throughout the season). These are two teams who finished back to back at the Olympics the season before so I think the comparison is a reasonable one for B&S and I&Z. Why not send both teams out into the field & see where they land? And--as I said--make the judges work.
The Shibs did have higher levels in the short at Four Continents than Chock & Bates. Didn't place above them. (The Shibs and I&Z both had higher levels in the short than P&C at Worlds, and neither team placed above P&C there).
Yeah, I know. I would've placed both couples Shibs and I&Z above P&C in the short myself.
I might have as well. The free dance has always had more weight in the final standings than the short, which is fine. But it always drives me nuts when a strong short is overlooked because another team has a stronger free (and when a weakness in a short is ignored because a team has a strong free). I know many people disagreed, but I felt Worlds in 2014 was one of the best judged dance competitions because the short programs were truly scored according to the level of performance & quality.
I am glad, though, to see changes in rankings between the short & the free programs in many of the competitions since the Olympics.
Only 9 ladies (single):scratch: competing there?
In Graz they are 35 on the list ...
you'd have to be very brave (or have little to lose) to volunteer to challenge Russian ladies on their home turf, I think.
Only a little easier - there will be charter flight from Moscow to Saransk before and from Saransk to Moscow after competitions.Probably a little easier to travel to Graz for most people outside of Russia...and you'd have to be very brave (or have little to lose) to volunteer to challenge Russian ladies on their home turf, I think.
Only a little easier - there will be charter flight from Moscow to Saransk before and from Saransk to Moscow after competitions.
Three Russian Ladies in Saransk or two and Nagasu in Graz - it makes no difference for mid-level European Ladies.
Yes. Info from announcement.Wow a charter flight before/after the competition ... really? :yes: ... organisation .
Yes. Train from Moscow (9:34 PM) to Saransk (7:05 AM). One night. From Saransk to Moscow - about the same times.Usually a long train ride (by the way I to travel with Russian night trains) would do the job.
Any word on what her diagnosis is?