Now that you saw all top Russian pairs....

[icewalker08]

According to fsskate.ru there will be 14 pairs at this year russian nationals but we all know who are the top seven. Here is the name of these teams with their highest mark of this season (first domestic then international marks)

Yuko Kawaguchi - Alexander Smirnov 187.38 182.70
Lubov Ilyushechkin - Nodari Maisuradze 168.24 177.44
Tatiana Volosozhar - Maxim Trankov 201.45 dont have
ksenia Stolbova - Fedor Klimov dont have 159.79
Katarina Gerboldt - Alexander Enbert 174.70 160.42
Vera Bazarova - Yuri Larionov 184.39 183.00
Maria Mukhortova - Jerome Blanchard 173.99 dont have (its before Memorial NA Panina)

So assuming that you saw at least one performance of these teams, who are your favourites.

Here is my favs :
1-Lubov Ilyushechkin - Nodari Maisuradze Just love them specailly since they land their elements.
2-Maria Mukhortova - Jerome Blanchard beautiful to watch even with two empty programs.
3-Tatiana Volosozhar - Maxim Trankov strong team
4-Vera Bazarova - Yuri Larionov
5-Yuko Kawaguchi - Alexander Smirnov They have the best lp this year but still ....
6-ksenia Stolbova - Fedor Klimov
7-Katarina Gerboldt - Alexander Enbert

And their placement at nationals considering they do clean, their Technical ability, programs, russian federation politics:

1-Tatiana Volosozhar - Maxim Trankov
2-Yuko Kawaguchi - Alexander Smirnov
Its hard to decide between these two but somehow I think federation is more supportive towards V&T
3-Vera Bazarova - Yuri Larionov
4-Lubov Ilyushechkin - Nodari Maisuradze I am optimistic here actually they must be third but they may even put behind M&B
5-Maria Mukhortova - Jerome Blanchard
6-Ksenia Stolbova - Fedor Klimov
7-Katarina Gerboldt - Alexander Enbert
Again optimistic here!
So what are yours?

[Frau Muller]

Even though K/S showed improvements at Cup of Russia, I am really hoping that they not win Russian Nationals this year. It would be great to see I/M or B/L win. My personal faves are the elegant & quiet B/L...but I'm still saddened by their G-P Final meltdown, with I/M topping them.

[oleada]

I really want V/T to win the title! They are exciting yet elegant. If it were up to me, I/M would be 2nd and either B/L or M/B 3rd. I realize K/S are a good team but she is so awkward and ungraceful and its like limbs everywhere. Therefore, I don't like them anywhere as much as the other teams. I quite like G/E but they are not ready yet...in any country other than Russia they'd be at Worlds.

Realistically, the Euros team will more than likely be K/S, B/L and I/M, with the world team being V/T, K/S and whoever performs best at Euros of the other two

[blue_idealist]

I didn't know V&T had scored so high anywhere yet. I think they might win now! I can't wait to see more of them. I only saw their test skates, which was a long time ago, but I liked them together.

Out of the ones I've seen a lot of, I really like Gerboldt and Enbert. B/L and I/M are alright, but I'm just not totally feeling them. lol.

I haven't seen any of the others at all.

[loopey]

Here is the order I think they will finish in:
1. K/S
2. V/T
3. B/L
4. M/B
5. I/M
6. G/E
7. S/K

Here are my favorites in order:
1. V/T (although I am impatient and want more speed now!)
2. I/M (need some smoothness, but just adorable)
3. M/B (lovely to watch, I guess I am a sucker for snot)
.
.
.
The rest in any order:
4. B/L ( probably will like them more when her issues are resolved, not yet)
5. K/S (I do like the new LP)
6. S/K (they need speed, power and a personality, but they are young)
7. G/E (he needs presence, she is beautiful but overwhelming)

[Cherub721]

In order of how much I like them: V&T, I&M, K&S, G&E, M&B, S&K, B&L

Placements at Nats:
1. K&S
2. V&T
Gold definitely between these two. If V&T are clean and K&S are not, V&T would win, but you said to base this on the assumption everyone is clean. While V&T are amazing, the best they could realistically do at Worlds is bronze behind S&S and P&T. K&S have a gorgeous program that could win world gold. V&T can't go to Euros anyway, so the support through Nats and Euros would go to K&S (if they could beat S&S at Euros again, they'd have a good shot at Worlds since P&T are in terrible shape).

3. B&L - Again this is assuming everyone goes clean (which hopefully they won't ). They have been getting good scores.
4. I&M - Think that beating B&L at GPF puts them back on the radar. They still won't be judges' darlings, but they can stay ahead of M&B. The good news for them is that this placement would give them Euros, and if they could beat B&L at Euros, they would probably get the Worlds spot, which nobody really expected them to get.

5. M&B - They could do better, as high as bronze if B&L and I&M make mistakes. They're a very good team but I see them getting lost in this field. B&L and I&M have quite good results on the GP, and M&B haven't competed internationally yet, so if I were the fed I'd be more comfortable sending the other two to Euros. But we shall see if Oleg can politik them into a spot.

6. G&E - Love them, but they're not soup yet. They have difficult elements, but I always thought the Russians were more about rewarding the whole package, and that's more M&B.

7. S&K - They have nice, polished, mature skating, but no spark (actually same goes for B&L, but judges seem to like them; they have a bit more speed).

[nanigirl]

V&T cannot go to Euros but they can go to Worlds this year?

[IneZR]

V&T cannot go to Euros but they can go to Worlds this year?

Yes.

[parasolka]

For those who didn't see yet.
V/T latest skate s.p. - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EuLY0q7udUU

[PEKINGMOO]

That has to be the best 3 twist I've ever seen...it had the Rhythm, speed and softness of G&G...and the height of the Chinese...and a full split. OMG.

[alilou]

V&T cannot go to Euros but they can go to Worlds this year?

They need for Volozhozar to be out for 12 months from when she last competed for Ukraine - Feb 2011 will be 12 months after the Olys (not sure of exact date) so as a previous poster said - no to Euros (in January) and yes to Worlds (in March). However..... I thought the ISU introduced the new qualifying criteria for this season so V&T need a minimum qualifying technical score from a recognized competition sometime between the exact date in Feb that she becomes eligible to skate for Russia, and Worlds in March.

I've read (somewhere on the board in the past few months) that there are 2 such small competitions in Europe that would suffice but last year they didn't hold pairs competitions due to lack of entries or something like that. So we may not see V&T at Worlds.

[hanca]

I've read (somewhere on the board in the past few months) that there are 2 such small competitions in Europe that would suffice but last year they didn't hold pairs competitions due to lack of entries or something like that. So we may not see V&T at Worlds.

If Russia really wants V-T to be at Worlds, they will organise for them one international competition to make sure that V-T have the opportunity to qualify. Or, alternatively, all their pairs will be sent compulsory to one of those two small competitions to make it worth it to run the pairs category!

[Taso]

For those who didn't see yet.
V/T latest skate s.p. - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EuLY0q7udUU

Oh wow, every time I see them I can't even believe the improvements in every single aspect of their skating There is absolutely no way a performance of the calibre would place them out of the top 3 at Worlds, for sure...

[julieann]

Oh wow, every time I see them I can't even believe the improvements in every single aspect of their skating There is absolutely no way a performance of the calibre would place them out of the top 3 at Worlds, for sure...

The problem is not every performance of theirs has looked liked that, they still struggle with jumps in most programs and they are still somewhat slow. In one competition they didn't get credit for a pairs spin. So hopefully they can be consistent from now on.

[Kasey]

Or, alternatively, all their pairs will be sent compulsory to one of those two small competitions to make it worth it to run the pairs category!

I think Moser has already said she'll send all her pairs to whichever event to ensure that a pairs competition is held.

[Tesla]

Oh wow, every time I see them I can't even believe the improvements in every single aspect of their skating There is absolutely no way a performance of the calibre would place them out of the top 3 at Worlds, for sure...

I don't know about that. I see maybe top five. They have no connection to the music and seem rather slow. They definitely need more time.

[Taso]

I don't know about that. I see maybe top five. They have no connection to the music and seem rather slow. They definitely need more time.

I honestly can't think of four other pairs with any connection to the music though . Ah, such is the state of CoP skating...I don't expect any musical expression until they're more comfortable with skating together at all, they have to think everything through and whoever choreographed this has no musical sense anyway I do agree there would be four pairs that are faster.

[Cherub721]

I don't see four pairs with the overall package that V&T have though. Just S&S, P&T, and K&S. There's no strong American or Canadian pairs this year, and Sui/Han are not age eligible. V&T look like one of the top 2 Russians, and there aren't any other strong pairs in Europe. Takahashi/Tran are beatable for V&T.

That only leaves the Zhangs. But still I'd say if V&T skate clean, they should be 4th at Worlds.

[Taso]

But still I'd say if V&T skate clean, they should be 4th at Worlds.

Well I hope that means everyone ahead of them were also clean, otherwise that would suck

[judgejudy27]

I dont see any chance of K&S winning the World title this year the way the Germans are skating. I will go on record now as saying I will be completely shocked if the Germans dont regain their World title. So if the Russian federation decide either of the top 2 teams could medal they might back V&T over K&S thinking they are a better bet long term.