Omaha or bust: Let’s go, ladies January 22, 2013

No lady has defended her U.S. title since Michelle Kwan last did it … in 2005. There were a few who could have. But, pressure, injuries, and rising young stars have kept the roller coaster going strong.

Once again, though, the current ladies champion is in prime position to be the first back-to-back champion in seven years. But, we’ll get to Ms. Wagner in a moment.

The rest of the field provides some seriously interesting possibilities.

With Alissa Czisny forced to withdraw after dislocating her hip in her late-season debut, Mirai Nagasu becomes one of the most notable “veterans” in the field. And yet, her own personal roller coaster has been no secret. After parting ways with Frank Carroll after last season’s disappointing end, she has taken on more responsibility in her skating, it seems. And, she’s happy again.

But, happy and mature are only part of the equation — she still has to prove she can put down back-to-back clean (read: no underrotations!) programs that are filled with elite-level transitions and in-betweens. Her average scores on spins this season top the field of U.S. ladies, and her program component scores keep her in the hunt.

Technically, Christina Gao can put up a good fight. We saw it at Skate America, where she took home silver behind Ashley Wagner. As Gao’s season progressed, she struggled more and more. But, she is averaging the highest free skate base value of the American girls … even if only by less than a point over Wagner.

For Gao, her program components go as the technical elements do — when she’s on, she’s glorious. But when she’s not, things fall apart across the board.

Then there’s the battle between the girl still trying to claim her elite spot and the girl with the potential to snatch it all away.

That would be Agnes Zawadzki — last year’s bronze medalist — and newcomer Gracie Gold, the future of American ladies skating.

Zawadzki is another skater with all the talent in the world. She has jumps that are larger than life, but all too often she misses in just enough ways to take herself out of the running. Meanwhile, Gold has no doubts about where she sees herself in the national mix. Despite missing the Grand Prix podium in her first senior season, she believes, according to her comments to reporters last week, that she’ll “fit right in” with the country’s best senior ladies.

It may not be quite that easy, though. She’s struggled mightily in her long programs this season, changing the content as she goes sometimes in order to make up for a miss earlier in the skate. The one thing that hasn’t changed? Her triple lutz-triple toe combination. She’s raking in more than 11 points on average for that element alone in the free skate.

But, then there’s Wagner.

Gold at Skate America. Gold at Trophee Eric Bompard. Silver — despite a nasty fall in the free skate — at the Grand Prix Final.

In a world of inconsistencies, she’s been as consistent as anyone. In fact, her short program scores actually went up by roughly three points each event. Her free skate totals have been within a few points of each other (except for the Final …).

Despite the fact that she’s only doing a triple-double combination in the short, she still has the highest average score on that element in the short, compared to the other top U.S. ladies who are doing triple-triple combinations. Her grade of execution scores, coupled with much improved program components, make everything she does, even if it’s not as technically difficult, extremely valuable.

The reality is, this title is hers for the taking.

Now, she has to go out and do her job. That hasn’t changed. But if she does, one of the World Team spots is as good as hers. A more interesting story, perhaps, is the other spot.

Is this the year Mirai makes her comeback? Does Agnes avoid the little bobbles? Can Christina regain her early-season form? Or will Gracie prove she belongs on the world stage?

What do you think?

Here’s my prediction:

Gold: Wagner
Silver: Zawadzki
Bronze: Nagasu
Pewter: Gold

Be sure to follow me on twitter (@FromTheBoards) for updates from Omaha. And, if you’re an instagramer, give me a follow at tarabethw for photos from the week.

A Look Ahead: The Ladies of the GP Series May 24, 2012

Let’s hear it for the ladies!

Last year, the women made this event ever-unpredictable and, as always, a premiere event to watch. Looking at the lineup this season, I expect to see much of the same! Here’s how it breaks down.

Skate America: 

Mae Bernice Meite (FRA)
Sarah Hecken (GER)
Valentine Marchei (ITA)
Haruka Imai (JPN)
Alena Leonova (RUS)
Adelina Sotnikova (RUS)
Viktoria Helgesson (SWE)
Rachael Flatt (USA)
Christina Gao (USA)
Ashley Wagner (USA)

Okay, lots of goodies here. First, we see US and Four Continents champ Ashley Wagner’s Skate America debut. We all know the season she put together last year, but this will be an even bigger test — living up to these new expectations.

Speaking of expectations, Rachael Flatt will be interesting to watch this year. There’s no doubt she adores the sport and the challenge of training to compete. But, will she be able to shake off last season’s disappointments and the weight of college academics to be competitive again?

Personally, I adore Christina Gao. Her carriage over the ice is almost regal. If she can stay healthy, look for a much better GP season from her in 2012.

The Russian return to the top in ladies skating has been coming on for some time now. Many think Adelina Sotnikova is the strongest hope for the podium in Sochi. If that’s the case, she needs to make great use of the next two years in order to build her stamina and consistency to compete with the best of the best.

Don’t overlook Alena Leonova, though. She’s not quite ready to give in to the budding youngsters — and you don’t have to look further than her World medal for proof of that!

On To The Springs! Four Continents — Ladies Preview February 7, 2012

In talking with some twitter friends, we determined this may be the most wide-open ladies fields in years, without a clear-cut, untouchable favorite. That will reflect in the competition in Colorado Springs, as well as the World Championships in Nice, France.

The openness provides exciting and intense competition, but it also makes predictions even harder than usual! That said, without a dramatic shake up, the top three seem fairly clear here.

If Asada skates as "free" as she has all season, she'll head to Nice the 4CC champ.

Gold: Mao Asada

No, she still isn’t back to 2009-2010 form. But, she’s making great strides, and perhaps more importantly, she’s happy. When Mao is happy, she is relaxed. When she is relaxed, everything comes more easily. After retooling her technique, the majority of her jumps are secure and smooth. Her footwork is better than ever. And her program composition is among the best in the world. If she skates anywhere close to her potential, she’ll win handily.

Silver: Ashley Wagner

Wagner would like to consider herself a gold-medal contender here. And, if Asada struggles, it’s possible. But, even Ashley herself was realistic in knowing she has to up the ante to compete on the world stage. Losing the proverbial “monkey on her back” by winning a national title just over a week ago will help her skate confidently. But, as the National Champ, the pressure is on.

Fortunately for Ashley, it’s a position I expect her to handle well. Even in her Nationals exhibition, she was already skating with a new heir — one that says she is ready for the next challenge.

If she can match or exceed her Nationals performances, she will easily take the silver. 

Vlog: Dancers and Ladies Strike Gold … & Silver & Bronze & Pewter! January 29, 2012

Recorded this just after the events ended last night. Knew I wouldn’t have time to get the recap done before today’s events got underway!

Congrats to the medalists!

Find COMPLETE results here: usfigureskating.org

Tweet all about it, San Jose style! January 24, 2012

With titles already being decided in San Jose, senior competitors are getting their Nationals on, twitter style. Keeping up with all the buzz is tricky, but here are some of the latest and greatest!

Some of the crew has already arrived.

Others have just arrived, giving us visuals to confirm.

And others can’t wait to join in the action!

Can you feel the buzz?! I sure can. Ahh, Nationals!!

Breaking it down: Rostelecom Cup November 28, 2011

It seems impossible, but the Grand Prix series for 2011 is over, save the Final in a few weeks. We’ve seen a little bit of everything this year, so I continue to expect the unexpected as we go forward through the GPF, Nationals, Europeans, Worlds, Four Continents … they’re really not as far off as they seem! In fact, the US Nationals competitors list was just released, if you’re interested.

I’m getting ahead of myself.

Let’s take one last look back at the sixth and final GP event of the season.

Meryl and Charlie … and everyone else

One of the more tender moments of their FD.

To be fair, Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje were fantastic. But there’s just no comparison to what the World Champs are doing.

Their free dance this year is, in its purest form, exactly what ice dance should be. It’s a waltz. And while there are times it could have a more waltz-y feel, what they do in this program is brilliant. I’ve said I don’t believe Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir’s FD shows off their strengths, but the opposite is true of Davis and White. Their polish is evident despite the complexity of this skate. And the crazy thing? There’s still room for improvement. I expect come Worlds, this program will be stunning. I’m excited to watch it develop. (And that’s not even mentioning their sizzling short dance! Charlie stumbled in this event, but they have the samba mood down pat.)

Weaver and Poje have one of my favorite free dances of the year. Yes, the falling strap can be a tad distracting, but you’d be hard pressed to find any dance team who pours as much emotion into a dance as these two. You almost feel like your heart is breaking along with Kaitlyn’s by the end! That’s powerful stuff. Plus, they skated it really well. They have always seemed to struggle to get the high marks from the judges, but they’re coming into their own and their confidence shows.

Ekaterina Bobrova and Dmitri Soloviev were quite the home crowd pleasers, but finished a distant third.

Nix the triple axel, take the gold

Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy got me again. In their first match up with Yuko Kavaguti and Alexander Smirnov (at NHK Trophy), I figured they had the upper hand. Problem was, they were determined to try their latest trick — that

Every element is sharp and clean and, well, perfect.

throw triple axel. It cost them when they couldn’t hit it cleanly.

I assumed they would continue that daring here, thus I picked Kavaguti and Smirnov. But no. The reigning World Champs went the “safe” route and stuck to more manageable throws. (You know, like the lutz and loop. “Easy” stuff!) The result?

Gold.

Good for them. They skated a fantastic free skate that gave them the top international score of the season from the other Russian stars, Tatiana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov.

When these three end up at the same event (like the GPF), watch out. There will be fireworks!

It’s a wrap! Junior Worlds Results March 5, 2011

Well, the Junior World Championships from Korea are complete. Due to the time difference and lack of available coverage, I saw all of 3 skates thus far. More are making their way to Youtube, I’m sure, but here’s a quick look at how things shaped up.

 

The Pairs title was the first one handed out, and, as expected, Wenjing Sui/Cong Han took it easily. Their 7.41 victory, though, doesn’t show off the kind of success they had on the senior circuit this season. Some wondered if they would be distracted by their involvement in the Chinese age controversy, but they managed just fine.

Ksenia Stolbova/Fedor Klimov topped Narumi Takahashi/Mervin Tran in the free skate to take the silver. Takahashi/Tran, then, took bronze.

Americans Ashley Cain/Joshua Reagan finished a distant fourth, scoring a 135.40 overall, but have put themselves in good position for next season. I like this team, from their long, elegant look on the ice, to their positive-but-always-competitive attitudes. I hope the off season is good to them and they come back strong next year, as the teams ahead of them are already on their way to strong senior careers as well.

Find complete Pairs results here.

The Russians continued their resurgence in Ice Dance, taking the top two spots.

Ksenia Monko/Kirill Khaliavin won the title by nearly 10 points over their fellow Russians Ekaterina Pushkash/Jonathan Guerreiro.

Charlotte Lichtman/Dean Copely of the US pulled up from fourth in the Short Dance to a bronze medal overall, while the other Americans, Anastassia Cannuscio/Colin McManus finished in 7th.

Find compete Ice Dance results here.

The biggest shake up between the short and long programs came courtesy of the Junior men.

American Keegan Messing led after the short program by 5.31 points over the eventual winner from Canada, Andrei Rogozine.

Japan’s Keiji Tanaka pulled from sixth in the short to second overall, and Alexander Majorov from Sweden moved up a spot to land on the podium.

Messing fell to fourth, followed by teammates Max Aaron and Jason Brown in fifth and seventh respectively.

Find complete Men’s results here.

Continuing to push to the top, the Russians took gold and silver for the ladies, as well.

Adelina Sotnikova won the title, as expected. This girl is one to watch. She has some incredible jumps that remind me of the height and strength of Irina Slutskya’s jumps at times. But she has an artistic edge that Slutskya didn’t. Adelina will give some big names a run for their money if she keeps it up.

Elizaveta Tuktamisheva took home the silver.

Americans Agnes Zawadzki and Christina Gao flip-flopped places after the short. Agnes landed on the podium after a strong free skate, and taking bronze over Gao by 5.8 points. The third American, Courtney Hicks, had the fourth-best free skate of the event, however, and pulled up from 10th to 6th overall.

Find complete Ladies results here.

With all the buzz lately between Junior Worlds and Senior Worlds, I was curious…how much does Junior world success translate to Senior world success? I’ve been researching/studying this for the last few days, so look for a post early next week with all the details! Some interesting stuff came up…and, as I always do with research, I had trouble finding a place to stop! But I think I’m done compiling, now I just have to put it all together for you to see! So stay tuned.

 

Until then…

Showdown at the Coliseum – Greensboro 2011 January 28, 2011

Remember when I said the ladies event this year could be the best in a long time? So far, so good.

The short programs were last night, and boy did this ladies come to play! So many clean skates, it was very enjoyable to watch. Of course, the top contenders were scattered throughout the night, so there may not have been as much tension as there will be tomorrow for the free skates, but every one of them knew they had to step up if they wanted to put themselves in position for gold, and a spot on the World Team.

Alissa Czisny was the first of the “favorites” to skate. She has such a new confidence about her…there’s no fear in her eyes when she skates. No fear, just joy – pure joy. She hit her jumps, nailed the spins, and floated through her step sequence like it was as easy as a walk in the park. There’s so much flow in between every move with Alissa. Everything is connected, meaningful, emotional. She didn’t react wildly after the performance or even after the event was over, but you knew she was relieved to have the short out of the way and to be sitting in prime position for a run at the title. She’s just .85 behind the leader going into the long, and knowing the kind of points she’s capable of making up with this season’s free skate, she’s in perfect position.

Agnes Zawadzki came out with attitude, attack and confidence. Now, her short programs have been brilliant all season long. In her Grand Prix events, she was right up there with the leaders after the short, but falling apart in the long cost her the chance to medal. Here, if she wants to move up from 4th, she’s going to have to nail it in the long.

Mirai Nagasu came in, much like the rest of the top girls, with something to prove. She’s been the national champ before, but not since her mental collapse a few years back. She’s come so close, had a brilliant Olympics, won the short at Worlds last year, but she doesn’t seem to handle the pressure of expectation very well. Well, she certainly had expectation on her here, and while she claims she was “freaking out” prior to striking her opening pose, once the music started, she was on fire! She skates with the most speed of anyone in the competition, and she ticked off her jumps without doubt. Her story-telling ability is stronger than ever, and her spins and footwork really rake in the points. Thanks to her level 4 layback spin (the only one of the top 3), she took over first from Czisny.

Christina Gao has been one who many expected to do well here. She came out and skated an elegant, well executed short program, complete with triple flip-triple toe, and did coach Brian Orser mighty proud. We’ll have to see if her technical content can match up with the leaders in the long, but she sits in 5th place after the short.

The 6th place finisher after the short surprised nearly everyone! Vanessa Lam step on the ice, nailed each element with ease, felt the music, captured the moment, and earned a standing ovation from the crowd at the Coliseum in the process. She was brilliant! She doesn’t quite match up with the top three just yet, but look out for this one. I can’t wait to see her in the long.

Ashley Wagner came into this competition looking for redemption. She was tired of finishing just on the outskirts of greatness, just beyond World and Olympic teams, and she was ready to prove she belonged at the top. Then came the flu that’s making its way through Greensboro. She struggled with the elements a bit last night, turning out of what was supposed to be a triple flip-triple toe combination. She did tack a double toe on to the triple lutz so she didn’t miss the required combination, but everything was a little bit shaky. She did, however, skate with much more emotion and tension throughout her movements that was nice to see. I wish we’d have seen a full-strength Ashley skate, but hopefully she’ll be stronger in the long.

Rachael Flatt, too, had a lot to prove. After a dismal Grand Prix Final where she skated through injury and a short program that just wasn’t working, she went home, rested up, and oh yeah, created a brand new short program only one month prior to Nationals. No big deal. She and choreographer Lori Nichol worked on a program to an iconic piece of music (one Lori once used for none other than Michelle Kwan) that left many people fearing she’d never live up to what that music had once been. Well, Rachael, you killed it, girl! Skating to East of Eden, Rachael didn’t just skate through the elements. She didn’t just tell a story – she painted a picture with every emotion from her face to her finger tips. I’ve never seen Rachael so in the moment, so in tune to the music and the emotion. It was refreshing and a bit surprising, but she really pulled it off. A missed position on her layback dropped it to level 1, which kept her from taking over the lead. She went into third, but just barely.

Only 1.03 points separate 1st-3rd after the short. Nothing like a Free Skate showdown, eh?! I knew it would be tight. Even with Ashley Wagner in 7th, she’s got a chance at a medal. But it’ll take some help from the girls at the top who, after tonight, look determined to give us the first repeat National Champ since Michelle Kwan. Now the question is, which one will it be??

 

With only two spots on the World Team, who would you pick if you were to choose two to send to Worlds? Which two will stand up to the international competition best?

 

More to come as the week continues!

 

Until then…

Skating for Gold – Nationals 2011, the Ladies January 12, 2011

January 12, 2006.

7:30 p.m.

Section 102.

Row U.

Seat 8.

Never was there a more bittersweet moment than sitting Plaza Level at the Savvis Center for the Olympic Qualifying Ladies Short Program, knowing that the person I was there for – the person who is to blame (or praise!)  for my figure skating fascination – was in the program, but not on the ice. I figured that was my one and only last chance to see the legendary Michelle Kwan compete live, and it was over before it ever began.

The loud speakers started booming, ‘Let’s get it started…in here…”

The emcee called the first group of ladies to the ice, and I cried a little inside.

Then, I was witness to a beautiful night of skating, fueled by the same Olympic spirit that inspired so many of my own dreams. Despite the less-than-happy Michelle Kwan fan in me, I made memories that will last a lifetime, and I got to share those memories with my dad. I couldn’t really complain.

This year, January 12 just another day in the journey to Greensboro…thanks to an unusually late start to the 2011 edition of the event. Still, 10 days out, I can only imagine what the attendees will be able to admire for this year’s short programs.

So, without further ado, the ladies.

Here are my contenders.

• Alissa Czisny
• Mirai Nagasu
• Rachael Flatt
• Ashley Wagner
• Agnes Zawadzki
• Caroline Zhang

If you’ve read my other preview blogs, you may have noticed that this is my longest “Contender list.” You also may have seen in my last post that I think this season’s ladies event may be the most exciting since 2005. As promised, here’s why.

This field has it all – the maturity and elegance of a renewed Alissa Czisny, the youthful exuberance and potential brilliance of Mirai Nagasu, the consistency and personal expectations of Rachael Flatt, the determination and improved technique of Ashley Wagner, the technical abilities and the untapped artistic potential of Agnes Zawadzki, and finally the emotional roller coaster and hopeful return of Caroline Zhang.

See? Everything, I tell you.

Alissa Czisny is, in my opinion, the class of the field this season, thanks in part to her valiant return to the international scene. Now, I know there are many out there who continue to say, “I want to root for her, but she’s just too inconsistent.” And you may be right. But there’s just something about her that I believe in, now more than ever. Maybe it’s the fact that I feel like she believes in herself more than ever before. Maybe it’s because she believes in her training and her coaches. Maybe it’s because she really is a natural competitor after all, and the criticism after last season gave her the fire she needed to succeed. And maybe she won’t reclaim her title. But I believe she can. And if she can complete the jumps, the rest of her skating is by far the best of the American girls. She’s got all the pieces. It’s just a matter of putting it all together at the same time. I believe she can do it.

Mirai Nagasu has been an emotional favorite of mine since 2008 (when, I’d like to point out, I accurately predicted her Nationals win…just sayin’). I was crushed by her breakdown the following year, and thrilled with her brilliance at the Olympics last February. I’m afraid her programs this season aren’t as special as last year’s, but she still has the technical content in her footwork and spins, and the emotional connection to her music to bring the audience in…she, like Alissa, has all the pieces. If both skate perfectly, I feel Alissa’s programs give her the edge. But if one or the other falters, it’s anyone’s game.

Speaking of anyone’s game, it would be simply ignorant to exclude Rachael Flatt from the list of potential winners. She has been the most technically consistent of the American girls for the past few seasons, but this year she’s battled. Before you jump me for calling her out, I know she was fighting an injury in the Final. But even before that, things just looked a bit off for her this year. With Alissa, Mirai and the others stepping it up, she’s going to have to pull it all together in Greensboro if she wants to repeat as National Champ.

Ashley Wagner is a skater that has been dealt a few hard blows in her Nationals career. She’s more than once been the girl just outside the spotlight, just off the podium, just off the World/Olympic team. She’s made herself known for coming back in the long program with strength and determination, but she will need a spectacular short program to not fall too far behind. She doesn’t seem to get the levels on some of the footwork and spins, and her program components can’t compare to Alissa’s, but if she brings her A-game, she’s certainly got a shot. And let me tell you, she wants it.

Agnes Zawadski is the new fascination with skating fans this season. She came into her Grand Prix assignments as the ultimate unknown, then skated brilliant short programs that made the world sit up and pay attention. She lacks consistency in the long, and that could be a problem for her if she puts herself in contention with the short. But she’s definitely one to watch, especially if the favorites falter.

The question mark in this event could be Caroline Zhang. This girl was touted as the second coming of Michelle Kwan, combined with the flexibility of Sasha Cohen…and then she collapsed. She struggled more than anyone would have ever predicted. She came back this season hoping to reclaim some of that glory (and more importantly that joy), but she’s still struggled. She has just recently changed coaches yet again, and is now training along side Yuna Kim under the guidance of Peter Oppegard. This could be interesting, but I fear it’s a bit too late. She ran into some serious technique problems that she just hasn’t been able to correct while continuing to compete. And yet, she’s the story that tugs at your heartstrings because you hate to see someone with so much potential so sad about her career at such a young age. My head is telling me she’s out of the running for this season, but my heart would love to see her come out and skate two programs she can be proud of, no matter the result.

Now, those are my “contenders” for the ladies. However, there are plenty of other girls more than willing to break up the party: Christina Gao, Alexi Gilles, Amanda Dobbs, Melissa Bulanhagui, Kiri Baga…the battle will be tight all the way down the list, which will make for some spectacular moments for those lucky enough to be in attendance!

With so many girls with the potential to win it all, who are your choices for the podium? And, since the US only has two World spots, who do you think finishes top two?

There are still 10 days before anything gets started, but that’s the perfect amount of time to get all set to go. Looking forward to hearing what you think!

Thanks, as always, for reading. Follow me on twitter for more (@FromTheBoards).

Until then…

Rostelecom, shmostelecom…It’s Cup of Russia time, people! November 18, 2010

Whether they call it by this new fangled name or not, it’s that time again! But before we get started, how about a quick story? Yes? Okay, good.

Once upon a time, my coworkers and I were having “one of those days.” You know the kind – everything you touch breaks, every time you think you’re a step ahead you learn you’re five behind, you have a headache the size of Texas, no matter what you do you can’t make anyone happy, and it seems like life’s just flying by without you.

You with me? Good.

So, it was that kind of day, and one of the afore mentioned coworkers was trying to describe the day by comparing us to fish trying to swim upstream…only instead of relating the comparison to salmon in a way that we’d know where she was going with it, she simply exclaimed, “Don’t you just feel like a trout?”

After we caught our breath from laughing, we decided that would essentially become code for “I’m having one of those days.” So now when we feel like we’re swimming upstream, someone just says, “Today feels like a trout day” and we all understand!

Well…this has been a trout week for me! Nothing particularly dramatic, but just always swimming against the current, not quite able to get a grip on the time flying by me! So excuse me while I take a quick, deep breath….

*sigh*

Okay. Now that that’s out of the way, let’s get to the Rostelecom Cup preview (which I will be referring to as Cup of Russia…since that’s what it’s always been, and it’s even labeled that way on the ISU event page! It’ll be #CofR for you twitter bugs this weekend).

Last week’s format seemed to go over well, so we’ll be using it again, this time looking for the draw, the dark horse, and the darling (can’t have it exactly the same now, can we?!).

Let’s pick up with ice dance this week.

The draw: Federica Faiella and Massimo Scali (ITA) – reigning World bronze medalists, 3rd at Cup of China, they have the experience to correct their early-season mistakes here in Russia.

The dark horse: Ekaterina Bobrova and Dimitri Soloviev (RUS) – actually beat out Faiella/Scali at Cup of China a few weeks ago after capitalizing on mistakes from the Italians. They could very well do the same here, despite the experience of Federica and Massimo.

The darling: Alexandra Paul and Mitchell Islam (CAN) – the up-and-coming Virtue/Moir 2.0…they are just lovely. Such visually stunning elements and a charm that can’t be taught! I can’t help loving them.

Who do you like for pairs? I’ve got it down like this.

The draw: Yuko Kavaguti and Alexander Smirnov (RUS) – another pair of reigning World bronze medalists, this is their only Grand Prix of the season. However, they should have the fire power and experience to stand out here.

The dark horse: Narumi Takahashi and Mervin Tran (JPN) – they took 3rd earlier this season at NHK Trophy, and they’ll no doubt be aiming to improve on that here. Without some of the pairs power-houses skating in Russia, they might just do it.

The darling: Amanda Evora and Mark Ladwig (USA) – the joy they have when they are on the ice is infectious. Plus, they bring a level of genuineness and class to any room they step into!

The men’s competition, as all season long, could get very interesting.

The draw: Toss up! Jeremy Abbott (USA)/Patrick Chan (CAN) – after Chan’s PCS scores from Skate Canada, he would seem to be the favorite. But his technical skills abandoned him in the short. If Jeremy skates clean and gets credit for all of his elements (i.e. all his required spins!), he could give Patrick a run for his money, especially if Jeremy hits the planned quad in the long.

The dark horse: Tomas Verner (CZE) – armed with probably his best short program to date, he has everything he needs to fight for the top spot. It will come down to how clean he is with his jumps and if he’s improved the PCS in the long. He’s been known to surprise people before…

The darling: Samuel Contesti (ITA)*– his programs just make me smile. He often reminds me of Ryan Bradley in his ability to get the audience on his side, and I love to see him skate well!

*Okay, I’ll admit it…my personal favorites this week also happen to be the skaters drawing most of the attention. My “co-headliners,” Jeremy and Patrick are where my heart really lies. I do, however, have a soft spot for Samuel, so it works out anyway!

And of course, the ladies.

The draw: Miki Ando (JPN) – she’s skated, perhaps, the cleanest competition thus far in the ladies competition in the Grand Prix Series. If she maintains that technical prowess, she should have the edge. Watch out, though – her PCS won’t keep up with some of the rest of the world, including a few ladies here.

The dark horse: Oh boy…so many options to look at! Ksenia Makarova (RUS)/Ashley Wagner (USA)/Agnes Zawadzki (USA) – Ksenia is coming off of a very successful senior Grand Prix debut in Canada where she placed 2nd, and looked very solid. Ashley finished 5th at NHK, but she’s a skater you can never count out. And Agnes, well, she nearly pulled off the upset in her senior debut at Skate Canada. If she skates her long as well as she did her short in Canada, we could be in for a treat.

The darling: Akiko Suzuki (JPN) – once again, some favorites have already been mentioned. Still, there’s something very special about Akiko that has me constantly pulling for her. She skates with great speed and she has a very strong instinct to make each movement important to the overall performance. That is something I love to see.

And once again we’ve made it to the end! I hate making any kind of predictions (especially with Grand Prix Final spots on the line for some of the top skaters), but this is far less restrictive…anything could happen, but with simply the list of names in front of me and some knowledge of how things have gone for them in the past (plus a little bit of “gut-feeling!”), this is how I see things stacking up.

We’ll begin to see how right – or how wrong! – I am in just a few hours!

If you’re keeping track of my fantasy picks, check the video below. If you’re not, that’s fine too! It seems just when I think I’ve got it going right, one event goes and messes it all up! But that is, I suppose, the fun of fantasy sports…you just never quite know how things will go down!

Sadly, I won’t likely be able to tweet live play-by-play this weekend, due to my “trout week” schedule, but I’ll be posting comments here and there as I get updates on how things are coming along. And of course, a blog here and there in review.

Just a few more hours now. Good luck to all in Russia!

Until then…