2019 Canadian Nationals: Ice Dance Pre-game Chat

[GS Forum Staff]

2019 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships
Harbour Station | Saint John, NB
January 14-20, 2019
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Ice Dance Pre-Game Chat
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[Mohacz]

I'm very excited about Canadian ice dance. I'm eager to see Weaver/Poje's wonderful tango and their confrontation with Piper and Paul. I am also curious about the programs, scoring and placing of the ex-Danish couple. Junior ice dance also seems interesting. I hope my favourites, ALicia Fabbri and Paul Ayer will finally have clean and fall-free two programs.

 

[SnowWhite]

I'm very excited about Canadian ice dance. I'm eager to see Weaver/Poje's wonderful tango and their confrontation with Piper and Paul. I am also curious about the programs, scoring and placing of the ex-Danish couple. Junior ice dance also seems interesting. I hope my favourites, ALicia Fabbri and Paul Ayer will finally have clean and fall-free two programs.

They did at Challenge

 

[Mohacz]

They did at Challenge

Oh, I completely missed this competition. I didn't expect it to be included within the Canadian Nationals thread (was it part of the qualifications to the Nationals?). I thought it would be in Other international competitions. Anyway, I'm glad Alicia and Paul finally performed well after those quite disappointing falls in their JGP events. I really hope they'll medal at the Nationals.

 

[SnowWhite]

Oh, I completely missed this competition. I didn't expect it to be included within the Canadian Nationals thread (was it part of the qualifications to the Nationals?). I thought it would be in Other international competitions. Anyway, I'm glad Alicia and Paul finally performed well after those quite disappointing falls in their JGP events. I really hope they'll medal at the Nationals.

Skate Canada Challenge is the final qualifier for Nationals. Other than byes, Sectionals --> Challenge --> Nationals.

They won Challenge in Jr dance by the way. Lajoie/Lagha were not there because it was right before the JGPF.

 

[SnowWhite]

Entry list: https://lamp.skatecanada.ca/results/2019cdn/2019CDNSSeniorDanceEL.pdf

Starting order: https://lamp.skatecanada.ca/results/2019cdn/2019CDNSSeniorDanceRD1SO.pdf

 

[Skater Boy]

Hoping Weapo or G and P will bring it and then medal at worlds; I like both teams but I am not overly optimistic considering the American juggernaut and of cours ethe French are destined for gold. The Italians are well liked and the Russians are moving up too.

 

[Lamente Ariane]

Really excited to see how Fournier-Beaudry/Sorensen stack up here.

 

[LadyB]

I can't wait for the ice dance duel between WeaPos and Piper & Paul. I still find WeaPos absolutely smashing, but I've been a Piper & Paul fan since I first saw them three years ago and I hope they'll give it their best shot possible. It's gonna be very exciting indeed.

 

[IceDancingQueen]

Hoping Weapo or G and P will bring it and then medal at worlds; I like both teams but I am not overly optimistic considering the American juggernaut and of cours ethe French are destined for gold. The Italians are well liked and the Russians are moving up too.

Yeah it will be really interesting to see how Weapo do here (taking into account the usual inflation at nationals) and where they might fit into the bigger picture against other teams. Hopefully they will have a chance to fight for silver in the worlds but like you said judges really still going for H/D and S/K not far behind. I would hope that Weapo would be ahead of the Italians but G/F, G/P and S/B will all be right behind battling to move up as well as C/B who we have yet to see. It’ll be interesting to see how FB/S fair too.

I love G/P too but they seem to be having some problems performing their gorgeous programmes to their best when the pressure is really on them. Kind of like S/B. Hopefully that will change. I saw them perform their Bond FD at Worlds last year and it was miles better than at the Olympics. And they finished ahead of S/B and G/F. It’s going to be an interesting last half of the season!

 

[Ice Dance]

W&P will get a crack at H&D at 4CCs before needing to worry about the European teams. I think both H&D and W&P have a lot of similarities. (Both fast, long lines, good unison, even have a similar type of chemistry at times). If they both skate well, I think it would be very interesting; but we will have to see how W&P's FD is coming along and both teams have competition at home to tackle first.

 

[Skater Boy]

Yeah it will be really interesting to see how Weapo do here (taking into account the usual inflation at nationals) and where they might fit into the bigger picture against other teams. Hopefully they will have a chance to fight for silver in the worlds but like you said judges really still going for H/D and S/K not far behind. I would hope that Weapo would be ahead of the Italians but G/F, G/P and S/B will all be right behind battling to move up as well as C/B who we have yet to see. It’ll be interesting to see how FB/S fair too.

I love G/P too but they seem to be having some problems performing their gorgeous programmes to their best when the pressure is really on them. Kind of like S/B. Hopefully that will change. I saw them perform their Bond FD at Worlds last year and it was miles better than at the Olympics. And they finished ahead of S/B and G/F. It’s going to be an interesting last half of the season!

I wish I had your optimism. I am concerned. WHile I like the Italians I do think they have been "given the benefit" of the doubt. I think Canada both GP and WEAPO might lose to them. THey have done very well agains tthe Russians as we sawe even as recent as the GP finals. The Russians espeically SK make mistake but Weapo are going to have to be on at 4CCs to show they are ready. Their earlier skate shows that they are in the range with GP and SK and SB as well as the Italians but a bit behind Hubell and Donahoe. It is going to be a blood bath after the French and Hubbell and Donaohoe. Sk, SB, Chock and Bates, the Italians, 2 Canadians and the third American team. I kind of feel for the teams in 7th and on because all of them are bronze medal contenders.

Back to Canada that third spot could be a nailbiter The Canadanes and the current bronze medallists. I will go with the Danes since the current bronze medallists have not done well internationally this year.

 

[Lester]

H/D are a lock for silver unless disaster strikes, I think, and Russian politics are going through the roof this season. To be honest I am not sure W/P have a great chance for podium unless they beat G/P here and are still seen as Canadian #1.

And I am not optimistic for Piper and Paul's chances for world podium either unless they start nailing their levels every time.

 

[IceDancingQueen]

I wish I had your optimism. I am concerned. WHile I like the Italians I do think they have been "given the benefit" of the doubt. I think Canada both GP and WEAPO might lose to them. THey have done very well agains tthe Russians as we sawe even as recent as the GP finals. The Russians espeically SK make mistake but Weapo are going to have to be on at 4CCs to show they are ready. Their earlier skate shows that they are in the range with GP and SK and SB as well as the Italians but a bit behind Hubell and Donahoe. It is going to be a blood bath after the French and Hubbell and Donaohoe. Sk, SB, Chock and Bates, the Italians, 2 Canadians and the third American team. I kind of feel for the teams in 7th and on because all of them are bronze medal contenders.

Back to Canada that third spot could be a nailbiter The Canadanes and the current bronze medallists. I will go with the Danes since the current bronze medallists have not done well internationally this year.

I totally understand your concern - I think I am more optimistic because after the Olympics last year W/P ended up taking the bronze ahead of the Italians (C/L) and C/B which I did not think would happen so I am hoping the judges will continue to see them as the Canadian number ones and keep them up there with the likes of H/D. But you are right - you can never tell with ice dance judges! Agree about the Canadanes - I think they will be third. Their Spanish caravan FD was really good in the Grand Prix season in 2017 and they’ve had plenty of time to develop it since switching nations so def think they’ll def place above S/F.

 

[IceDancingQueen]

H/D are a lock for silver unless disaster strikes, I think, and Russian politics are going through the roof this season. To be honest I am not sure W/P have a great chance for podium unless they beat G/P here and are still seen as Canadian #1.

And I am not optimistic for Piper and Paul's chances for world podium either unless they start nailing their levels every time.

Agree - I don’t think they will have a chance for the podium this year but I am hoping they move up in the world standings. They just need to tidy up their synchronicity in places and hit their levels like you said!

 

[Ice Dance]

To be honest I am not sure W/P have a great chance for podium unless they beat G/P here and are still seen as Canadian #1.

Well, yes, that would be the normal route.

It is certainly helpful to be number one for your country.

Though W&P made the World podium last year without defeating G&P at Canadians so obviously it can be done if a team is well enough established, has strong enough material, and does the job in major international competition. Ilinykh & Zhiganshin did the same by medaling in Sochi. Bestemianova & Bukin did it (winning Worlds) after finishing behind Klimova & Ponomarenko at Soviet Nationals in 1984-85. It doesn't happen often, but it does happen when countries have more than one well-established dance team.

I disagree about H&D being a lock. They've been dropping levels all season. They had quite a bit of breathing room via their previous international rankings vs. all the teams that competed at the GPF this season; but H&D do not have that much breathing room vs. W&P if W&P are ready and do their job. That's a big if when a team sits out the regular season. And I certainly don't begrudge Weaver & Poje the right to do it. I think we're very fortunate they've elected to continue at all. They could indeed face a very real battle with Gilles & Poirier at Nationals. But if W&P are at their best, then I see no reason to underestimate what they could do internationally at 4CCs and Worlds.

 

[Lester]

Well, yes, that would be the normal route.

It is certainly helpful to be number one for your country.

Though W&P made the World podium last year without defeating G&P at Canadians so obviously it can be done if a team is well enough established, has strong enough material, and does the job in major international competition. Ilinykh & Zhiganshin did the same by medaling in Sochi. Bestemianova & Bukin did it (winning Worlds) after finishing behind Klimova & Ponomarenko at Soviet Nationals in 1984-85. It doesn't happen often, but it does happen when countries have more than one well-established dance team.

I disagree about H&D being a lock. They've been dropping levels all season. They had quite a bit of breathing room via their previous international rankings vs. all the teams that competed at the GPF this season; but H&D do not have that much breathing room vs. W&P if W&P are ready and do their job. That's a big if when a team sits out the regular season. And I certainly don't begrudge Weaver & Poje the right to do it. I think we're very fortunate they've elected to continue at all. They could indeed face a very real battle with Gilles & Poirier at Nationals. But if W&P are at their best, then I see no reason to underestimate what they could do internationally at 4CCs and Worlds.

Yeah but last year it wasn't a real defeat for W/P because it was caused by a fluke mistake. W/P were still seen as the better team overall and still ranked considerably better than Piper and Paul internationally. This season they have been missing for the whole GP and if Piper and Paul had made it to the GPF and placed well there it would have been even tougher for W/P to make their case at nationals because finally Piper and Paul have a vehicle that makes everyone feel moved and cry etc etc. [Although their short still doesn't make the intended impact I think.]

H/D still get great PCS and levels and are generally scored very favourably even with lower levels; they have the GP win and the hip coaching team, and W/P look semi-retired and have been absent from competition. Unless they pull a out miracle (which I don't know... a whole autumn of touring must have been exhausting), I don't see them overtaking H/D. These top teams right now are very close and have been for a while so I think perception could very likely decide who wins. 4CC should be a good indication, but I think the podium at Worlds is almost guaranteed to have a Russian team on it the way things are going and I can't imagine H/D missing it bar great disaster.

[btw I/K go the medal in Sochi, not I/Z ]

 

[BillNeal]

Not sure why people are underestimating Weaver/Poje, look up videos from TTYCT on Youtube. They have been alternating between doing their RD and FD in each show with all their elements in place. These are full runthroughs in front of full audiences multiple times a week. They are looking strong, even when they weren't competing on the GP circuit. OTOH, the GPF teams looked lacklustre comparatively. Material-wise, W/P have H/D beat (H/D's RD pales in comparison with W/P's 2014 FD). I wouldn't be at all surprised if W/P wins 4CC.

 

[Ice Dance]

They have been alternating between doing their RD and FD in each show with all their elements in place.

Good.

 

[Roo87]

Why aren't Lajoie/Lagha skating in seniors? They seem more than ready.