2012 Worlds Preview Ice dance

Before prediction about Ice dance,

I would like to summarize the power dynamics of recent Ice Dance competitions.

Two powerhouses.

Meryl DAVIS / Charlie WHITE and Tessa VIRTUE / Scott MOIR ?

No!!!

Two larger powerhouse systems.

Marina Zoueva/Igor Shpilband vs. Angelika Krylova/Pasquale Camerlengo

Marina Zoueva/Igor Shpilband's podium monopoly with

DAVIS/WHITE,  VIRTUE/MOIR and Shibutanis

Angelika Krylova/Pasquale Camerlengo challenge monopoly
with Kaitlyn WEAVER / Andrew POJE and Nathalie PECHALAT / Fabian BOURZAT

From left: Pasquale Camerlengo, Andrew Poje, Kaitlyn Weaver, Nathalie Pechalat, Fabian Bourzat, Madison Hubbell, Zach Donohue, Sarah Arnold, Justin Trojeck and Anjelika Krylova

http://realdetective.tumblr.com/post/7837712490/backstage-at-skate-detroit-from-left-pasquale

At 2011 Worlds, PECHALAT / BOURZAT placed 4th behind Shibutanis by 0.25 scores and
Weaver/Poje placed 5th behind Shibutani by 3.47

If I have to categorized two powerhouses,
I would like to define the dual between Zoueva/Shpilband vs. Krylova/Camerlengo like this.

Both North Americanized

Russia Ice Dance   vs.  Italian/Frace + a little Russian Ice Dance

Recently, traditaional dynasty, Russian Ice Dance started to pursue them to prepare Sochi Olympics. 

but didn't keep pace with them.

In Cup of China, Reigning Russian National Champion
Ekaterina Bobrova / Dmitri Soloviev won Shibutanis in Cup of China,
but in Russia they placed 3th behind Davis/White and Weaver/Poje

At Grand Prix Final, they placed 6th.

Elena ILINYKH / Nikita KATSALAPOV
in Japan, placed 3rd behind Weaver/Poje and Shibutanis,

and did not qualify for Grand Prix Final.

In last Grand Prix Finals, there were 6 teams


Zoueva/Shpilband 3 teams
- Davis / White, Virtue/Moir, Shibutanis

Krylova/Camerlengo 2 teams
- PECHALAT / BOURZA, Weaver/Poje

Russia 1 team
- Bobrova / Soloviev

The result of GPF was

1. Davis/ White
2. Virtue / Moir
3. Pechalat/ Bourza
4. Weaver / Poje
5. Shibutanis
6. Bobrova / Soloviev

It was not upset, because Pechalat/Bourza throws away their bronze medal at last Worlds and gave it to Shibutanis just before ending of the free program due to fall.

Finally at last 4CC

Except the European team, they competed again,

1. Virtue / Moir
2. Davis/ White
3. Weaver / Poje
5. Shibutanis

Virtue/Moir won and Davis/White failed to continue consecutive wins.

What about this worlds?

Gold vs Silver  -  competition between Zoueva/Shpilband teams

Bronze vs. 4th between Krylova/Camerlengo teams

http://aldridge-eaton.ice-dance.com/blog

For the dual between Davis/White and Virue/Moir, a little mistake will decide their medals.

For dual between Weaver/Poje and Pechalat/Bourza,

let us see which will affect Pechalat/Bourza's performance, Pechalat's nose injury or home town advantage?

My prediction

1 Tessa VIRTUE / Scott MOIR (CAN)
2 Meryl DAVIS / Charlie WHITE (USA)
3 Kaitlyn WEAVER / Andrew POJE (CAN)
4 Nathalie PECHALAT / Fabian BOURZAT (FRA)
5 Maia SHIBUTANI / Alex SHIBUTANI (USA)
6 Ekaterina BOBROVA / Dmitri SOLOVIEV (RUS)

Here are video links for contender's programs.

Tessa VIRTUE / Scott MOIR (CAN)

4CC SD

4CC FD

Meryl DAVIS / Charlie WHITE (USA)

4CC SD

4CC FD

Kaitlyn WEAVER / Andrew POJE (CAN)

4CC SD

4CC FS

Nathalie PECHALAT / Fabian BOURZAT (FRA)

EC SD

EC FD

Maia SHIBUTANI / Alex SHIBUTANI (USA)

US Nationals SD

US Nationals FD

Ekaterina BOBROVA / Dmitri SOLOVIEV (RUS)

EC SD

EC FD

If you have any difficulty in watching the Video clips, please let me know by writing comments.

It will be also fun to look around other posts in my blog through Google translator.

But remember that don't trust the translator so much, because it gives you often many errors
especially from Korean into English.  

Finally, Worlds week !!! 
Enjoy!!!

- spiral9509 -
"Skating is Language"