Is the situation of Hurtado/Khaliavin and Smart/Diaz the most unfair and frustrating one there is

Fadeevfanboy

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Basically every single year since both teams were on the scene if both went to worlds they would total under 28 placings every time and both would keep going. However every single year as well the team that does go finishes just barely outside the top 10 so only 1 can keep going. It is so heartbreaking to watch keep happening. I hope this year they finally get a top 10 so both can go in the future, if both are even planning to continue, but from what I hear both are.

It is like two teams at exactly the same level. Both just barely outside top 10 caliber, but both easily and well within top 15 caliber, which would have kept both teams going each year, if they could just had 1 finish in the top 10 to send 2 next year once.
 

Fadeevfanboy

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Maybe the post Olympic Worlds in Montpellier will change their fortunes depending who shows up, and they may leap frog over Laurence/Nik and Kaitlin/JL in the process.

Given how Smart & Diaz are doing this season I could see them even coming top 10 at the Olympics. Worlds will be a weaker field than the Olympics for sure, so I could definitely see it happening there. There is no way all the teams will go to worlds.
 

clairecloutier

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I agree with the basic premise here, it's been a tough situation. But it may not matter that much after this year, if one or both teams retire. We will see.
 

Mayra

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I thought that Diaz was going to retire at the end of the season, because Hubbell is and they're engaged? I think I heard that somewhere, about both of them retiring, anyway.
TSL just posted an interview with Olivia Smart where she stated that (paraphrasing here), they were going to make a final decision after Worlds, but competing another season was not off the table.
 

Rhumba d’Amour

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I would not be surprised if both teams continue another year, rather than retiring and giving the other a free path to the title :)

As I recall the Sara/Adria split was not amicable and though years have past, there have still not been any of the usual public statements about having moved on and becoming good friends.
 

Fadeevfanboy

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I would not be surprised if both teams continue another year, rather than retiring and giving the other a free path to the title :)

As I recall the Sara/Adria split was not amicable and though years have past, there have still not been any of the usual public statements about having moved on and becoming good friends.

They follow each other on social media though.
 

lauravvv

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Maybe the post Olympic Worlds in Montpellier will change their fortunes depending who shows up, and they may leap frog over Laurence/Nik and Kaitlin/JL in the process.
Smart/Diaz beat Fear/Gibson at Europeans and were very close to Fournier-Beaudry/Sorensen (less than a point apart overall) at Skate America this season. I'd say these three teams are the most likely candidates for the remaining three places in the top 10 at Olympics, with Hawayek/Baker being the fourth (they finished quite a lot behind F-B/S and F/G at the last Worlds, even though they had good programs), and Davis/Smolkin being the outsiders. I may be wrong (about H/B), though.
 
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tony

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Smart/Diaz beat Lewis/Gibson at Europeans
A lot of people seem to only pay attention to him ;)

Anyways, Finland was in a similar situation for a full off-Olympic cycle (esp 2001-2004) back in the early 2000s with their women. Always just barely outside the top 10, and really three of them that could be deserving to go to Worlds (and finish in that 11-15 grouping). Finally, Poykio got things going in 2005.
 
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Karen-W

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Smart/Diaz beat Fear/Gibson at Europeans and were very close to Fournier-Beaudry/Sorensen (less than a point apart overall) at Skate America this season. I'd say these three teams are the most likely candidates for the remaining three last places in the top 10 at Olympics, with Hawayek/Baker being the fourth (they finished quite a lot behind F-B/S and F/G at the last Worlds, even though they had good programs), and Davis/Smolkin being the outsiders. I may be wrong (about H/B), though.
Don't forget Wang/Liu, whom we haven't seen much of this season. I expect they'll finish ahead of DavSmo, at minimum, this year.
 

Wyliefan

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When I try to guess who will be top ten at the Olympics, it's crazy the amount of teams I find myself mentally trying to stuff in there. :lol: Especially when, as @lauravvv points out, the top 7 are already set, barring injury or illness or a fluke fall or something.
 

blue_idealist

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TSL just posted an interview with Olivia Smart where she stated that (paraphrasing here), they were going to make a final decision after Worlds, but competing another season was not off the table.
Hmm, perhaps their very good results this season have encouraged them to continue! :) I like both of the teams.
 

Vagabond

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As I recall the Sara/Adria split was not amicable and though years have past, there have still not been any of the usual public statements about having moved on and becoming good friends.
For those who were out of town, not paying attention, or simply too young to remember, here is the breakup video:


Some would say it's more compelling than any of their on-ice performances. :shuffle:
 

MsZem

I see the sea
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For those who were out of town, not paying attention, or simply too young to remember, here is the breakup video:


Some would say it's more compelling than any of their on-ice performances. :shuffle:
It was not more compelling than the Picasso program. But it was much, much more exciting than any skating reality show.

Back when Hurtado and Diaz skated together, they had a section on their website with childhood pictures (it was very cute). That cohort of Spanish skaters - Sonia Lafuente, Javier Fernandez, Javier Raya, and Sara and Adrian - had all known each other since they were kids, and I think that partnership came about because it was the best option for both of them. As adults they were apparently not a good match personality-wise, so it fell apart.

I imagine that the tensions Olivia Smart talked about in her TSL interview would have been greatly reduced if there had been a second spot these last few years (I think H/K might have managed it had they been sent to 2018 Worlds). It was interesting drama for the fans, but must have been very hard for the skaters.
 

Holy Headband

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They follow each other on social media though.
I am mutuals with people I hated in school and detestable ex-coworkers on social media too. Blocking someone you fell out with is what you do if you're a TikTok celebrity or under 21 years of age. Grown-ups observe their enemies in silence while gossiping about them in group chats and praying for their lives to fall apart in a public fashion.
 

miffy

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Imagine if they finally get 2 spots and they both retire… :wall:

Has it been decided who is going to Worlds, are they splitting it like they did in 2018 or are S/D going if they won all the head to heads?
 

aemeraldrainc

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For those who were out of town, not paying attention, or simply too young to remember, here is the breakup video:


Some would say it's more compelling than any of their on-ice performances. :shuffle:
Wow. I never saw this before.
I always wonder how bad it must have been for them not to have been able to put aside their differences and make it work. They seem so committed to their goals.
And I wonder if they were arguing in Spanish(more than likely) and if Marie-France had any idea what they were saying. Lol.
 

Vagabond

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Wow. I never saw this before.
I always wonder how bad it must have been for them not to have been able to put aside their differences and make it work. They seem so committed to their goals.
And I wonder if they were arguing in Spanish(more than likely) and if Marie-France had any idea what they were saying. Lol.
Even if Dubreuil never studied Spanish, as a native speaker of French, she must understand quite a lot of that language. It isn't as if she were listening to some language such as Georgian or Korean that has no relation whatsoever to French.
 

Rhumba d’Amour

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Even if Dubreuil never studied Spanish, as a native speaker of French, she must understand quite a lot of that language. It isn't as if she were listening to some language such as Georgian or Korean that has no relation whatsoever to French.
I‘m sure she could read the body language, too

Have always wondered why Marie France didn’t try to intervene, by suggesting a timeout until after the scores were read. But, she was comparatively new to coaching at the time, maybe that’s it.
 

blue_idealist

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Imagine if they finally get 2 spots and they both retire… :wall:

Has it been decided who is going to Worlds, are they splitting it like they did in 2018 or are S/D going if they won all the head to heads?

I think S/D were also named to Worlds. I believe I read this in an article, although I don't have the link any longer.
 

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