Which pair or dance team had the hardest competition during reign

[butyrskafanatic]

This poll is proof that Virtue and Moir are the best figure skaters in the history of the galaxy.

The most popular on FSU, that is for sure. I can only imagine the rage on these boards if they dont win the Olympic Gold this year, especialy if they dont have a fall.

 

[skatingguy]

The most popular on FSU, that is for sure. I can only imagine the rage on these boards if they dont win the Olympic Gold this year, especialy if they dont have a fall.

I'm not sure about that. I think the consensus is that Papadakis/Cizeron are the favourites, and have the better programs this season. Twitter is a different story though.

 

[Anyasnake]

I'm not sure about that. I think the consensus is that Papadakis/Cizeron are the favourites, and have the better programs this season. Twitter is a different story though.

P/C are the fractionnal favourites but V/M have the biggest fanbase in figure skating after Yuzuru Hanyu, so Twitter might explode in any case. The forums too, but there are more people here that care about figure skating, it's not just about the individual (or the team), so it's okay.

 

[watchthis!!]

The most popular on FSU, that is for sure. I can only imagine the rage on these boards if they dont win the Olympic Gold this year, especialy if they dont have a fall.

I'm not sure about that. I think the consensus is that Papadakis/Cizeron are the favourites, and have the better programs this season. Twitter is a different story though.

I think the writing's on the wall for a P & C win. I only expect to see V & M on the top of the podium if Cizeron does a Margoglio-type fall. And then we'll get to see if Papadakis has a gold medal-level Fusar-Poli type stare in her.

P.S. Did I spell anyone's names correctly?

 

[skatingguy]

I think the writing's on the wall for a P & C win. I only expect to see V & M on the top of the podium if Cizeron does a Margoglio-type fall. And then we'll get to see if Papadakis has a gold medal-level Fusar-Poli type stare in her.

P.S. Did I spell anyone's names correctly?

Margaglio, not Margoglio.

 

[joubertelegant]

Did Annenko & Sretenski fall in their free dance at the 1986 Worlds? I didn't know that.

I heard somewhere they did although i never saw the skate. Plus the CBS commentators basically implied before they even started Wilson & McCall only had to avoid a disaester to move up from 4th to 3rd which isnt the norm in dance at all, so I assume a huge error of some sort.

 

[joubertelegant]

I think the writing's on the wall for a P & C win. I only expect to see V & M on the top of the podium if Cizeron does a Margoglio-type fall. And then we'll get to see if Papadakis has a gold medal-level Fusar-Poli type stare in her.

P.S. Did I spell anyone's names correctly?

I think it will be a real battle. V&M were clearly stronger at Canadians than they had been at the GPF, the loss was definitely a wake up call and they fine tuned and tweaked some things, while P&C at Europeans were maybe marginally better than the GPF but not the same improvement. And V&M werent far behind at the GPF at all. I wouldnt want to bet on how this one will go.

 

[gk_891]

I heard somewhere they did although i never saw the skate. Plus the CBS commentators basically implied before they even started Wilson & McCall only had to avoid a disaester to move up from 4th to 3rd which isnt the norm in dance at all, so I assume a huge error of some sort.

I see. I have yet to see W&M's polka OSP from that season but they had an excellent free dance that had nice content. I did see A&S's OSP and FD from Europeans earlier that season and I found both programs to be very underwhelming both in terms of its artistic impact and general content.

OSP
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEV4RklzBnM

FD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6migoLnJXCU

I will say though that A&S had some absolutely glorious posture, line, and extension. This was especially evident to me during their compulsories at the 1987 Worlds.

Westminster Waltz
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGsTdKYgyd8

Yankee Polka
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9kJ7YAmFLI

Blues
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwdyuF-O7bI

But I can understand why they placed behind B&B and K&P in these dances as the patterns A&S made on the ice were kind of conservative. I might've had them ahead of W&M in the Westminster Waltz and Blues though.

 

[Red Hot Chili Keegan]

I voted Usova & Zhulin since they were included and they had an incredibly difficult and almost impossible situation. And so much bad luck as outlined. It is amazing a team like that could end up with only 1 world title and no Olympic gold somehow.

I disagree

 

[gk_891]

I voted Usova & Zhulin since they were included and they had an incredibly difficult and almost impossible situation. And so much bad luck as outlined. It is amazing a team like that could end up with only 1 world title and no Olympic gold somehow.

I also disagree although I'm not sure if they're for the same reasons as Red Hot Chili Keegan. Their programs almost always lacked content and they didn't cover the ice as well as some of their rivals. And Usova's choctaws in the compulsories were very weak. While they were artistically exquisite, they were not in the same league as some of their rivals.

 

[joubertelegant]

I see. I have yet to see W&M's polka OSP from that season but they had an excellent free dance that had nice content. I did see A&S's OSP and FD from Europeans earlier that season and I found both programs to be very underwhelming both in terms of its artistic impact and general content.

OSP
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEV4RklzBnM

FD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6migoLnJXCU

I will say though that A&S had some absolutely glorious posture, line, and extension. This was especially evident to me during their compulsories at the 1987 Worlds.

Westminster Waltz
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGsTdKYgyd8

Yankee Polka
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9kJ7YAmFLI

Blues
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwdyuF-O7bI

But I can understand why they placed behind B&B and K&P in these dances as the patterns A&S made on the ice were kind of conservative. I might've had them ahead of W&M in the Westminster Waltz and Blues though.

I agree W&P were probably better technical dancers, but that doesnt mean that A&S werent possibly slated to medal at the 86 worlds before their mistake. As you know ice dancing is very political and being Soviet in those days was always an advantage. There are some who felt Wilson & McCall should have even been better than bronze sometimes, but there was never a realistic chance of that unless 1 of the top 2 Russians fell.

I agree Annenko & Stretenski's strengths were best shown in the compulsories. Their free dance at the 87 worlds was also very interesting and original, perhaps the most of all the top teams and IMO should have scored better. However most of their programs and choreography as amateur was forgettable, as pros they had much better material and really came into their own, perhaps due to no longer being constrained by the rules.

 

[gk_891]

I agree W&P were probably better technical dancers, but that doesnt mean that A&S werent possibly slated to medal at the 86 worlds before their mistake. As you know ice dancing is very political and being Soviet in those days was always an advantage. There are some who felt Wilson & McCall should have even been better than bronze sometimes, but there was never a realistic chance of that unless 1 of the top 2 Russians fell.

I agree Annenko & Stretenski's strengths were best shown in the compulsories. Their free dance at the 87 worlds was also very interesting and original, perhaps the most of all the top teams and IMO should have scored better. However most of their programs and choreography as amateur was forgettable, as pros they had much better material and really came into their own, perhaps due to no longer being constrained by the rules.

Yes, A&S really blossomed as performers when they become pros. I remember Tracy Wilson mentioned how much she admired A&S when it came to their posture and extension and I can see why.

 

[ohashibiles]

Annenko & Stretenski were overrated. Even most of their pro wins weren't deserved. The year they won World Pros over Klimova & Ponomarenko was a joke.

 

[bardtoob]

Gordeeva and Grinkov certain had their hands full, having to beat Moskvina's pairs that were reigning World and Olympic Champions.

 

[butyrskafanatic]

Gordeeva and Grinkov certain had their hands full, having to beat Moskvina's pairs that were reigning World and Olympic Champions.

A lot of people dont remember Valova & Vasiliev much these days but they were a great team and real fighters. They certainly werent an easy team to pass and stay in front of as G&G did, when they were already established.

 

[gk_891]

Annenko & Stretenski were overrated. Even most of their pro wins weren't deserved. The year they won World Pros over Klimova & Ponomarenko was a joke.

As lovely as they were, I do agree that they were overrated. I often found almost everything they did to be very underwhelming. When I first heard that they beat K&P at World Pros, I remember being shocked. Because as nice as a team as A&S are, I can't see how they could've beaten K&P.