European Figure Skating Championships 2007

Marina wrote:

Lerka wrote:

The judges (the ISU) can't forgive France. Marie-Reine Le Gougne. French Federation, I think. Not Muriel exactly. And Marie & Patch are competing for Canada. Canadian federation is quite strong.
So...

Yes, I had forgotten the "strengh" of Canadian federation.
So... you think right.

Maybe I'm biased, but I don't think the Canadian fed is as strong as many federations. If it had a lot of power in Ice Dance, I would have thought that Bourne and Kraatz would have won a lot more medals. In my opinion, Marie-France and Patrice are a good team with a terrible FD. It would be completely unfair if that FD were to knock Albena and Maxim out of first place. But in my opinion, if Albena and Maxim don't win Worlds, it will not be Marie-France and Patrice who are the gold medalists. If another team wins, it will be Oksana and Maxim. The Russian Federation is by far the strongest federation there is. And I can't imagine the Canadian Federation overcoming that strength.

But making predictions gives me toooo much of a headache! Ice Dance is so complicated. Too many political situations. I can't keep track of all the variables. It's too much for me!!! Ah well.

I skated in the Canadian federation for four years, and I think that their strength is deceptive-- they generally choose to concentrate it on one skater, and I think right now that "skater" (okay, they are not one person) is D/L. When B/K were skating, having any success at all in ice dance was good for the Canadians, so pushing for more when they could be concentrating on Elvis Stojko instead made no sense. And then of course there was not much they could do when B/K had a few really bad years-- beyond the help even of their own federation (which, believe me, was not happy)-- which is why they were not more successful than they were. Still, they were the first really, really successful North American dance team, almost any medal they won was considered a miracle. But if Skate Canada decides they want D/L to do well at Worlds, do not mistake their capability to get it done.

That said, IMO, Worlds are still pretty open. I would not give up hope for Albena and Maxim yet, nor would I even attempt to guess at what kinds of politics are going to go on.

Lana wrote:

Maybe I'm biased, but I don't think the Canadian fed is as strong as many federations.

Sure, Canadian fed is not as strong as Russian or USA federation, but more than the French one I think, and obviously more than the BG fed.
It was something wrong when I said that.

Marina

Quote :

Sure, Canadian fed is not as strong as Russian or USA federation, but more than the French one I think, and obviously more than the BG fed.

Well, I still think that the French have more chances to get to the podium than the Canadians - D/L's second place last year was quite surprizing - they surely deserved it, but I'm not sure they will get it this year.
So, I think, A&M, Oksana&Max and either the French or the American pair will get the medals.

And - I'm a great fan of Pksana and Max and really think they are better than everybody else but for A&M. But - should they win the coming Worlds - I'll never be able to love them as much as I do now - And not only me, I believe.

Vania wrote:

I think Gwendal knows well who deserves the 1st place

Ahh..I open this subject again
I just wanted to tell you that I really wanted to ask Gwendal his opinion on the rankings after FD (not that he would tell me ) but he was in a hurry so I just couldn't bother him. But it would have been interesting to know. I think it would be comforting for all of us in a little degree.

AAahahhahahhahaha
I can't remember where was the topic about bad comments and commentators.....but I had to write this somewhere!!

The bad half of our commentators is continuing to speak completely off topic and he is making a mess out of everything! I watched the gala today...and he said that Isabel and Olivier are married and they have a one year old kid!!

Say what?!?!

Before that he called Sinnead..."Shainaid"

It's hillarious and sad in the same time

I do hope he'll stop at some point or that the other one will temper his comments!

Quote :

The bad half of our commentators is continuing to speak completely off topic and he is making a mess out of everything! I watched the gala today...and he said that Isabel and Olivier are married and they have a one year old kid!!

it's too funny! I don't think they were a topic about it I think we were just...off topic

alexandra wrote:

The bad half of our commentators is continuing to speak completely off topic and he is making a mess out of everything! I watched the gala today...and he said that Isabel and Olivier are married and they have a one year old kid!!

hahaha I wonder when, in his opinion, Isabelle gave birth to this "child", considering that they competed every season till now

Vania wrote:

alexandra wrote:

The bad half of our commentators is continuing to speak completely off topic and he is making a mess out of everything! I watched the gala today...and he said that Isabel and Olivier are married and they have a one year old kid!!

hahaha I wonder when, in his opinion, Isabelle gave birth to this "child", considering that they competed every season till now

Yes, it was an invisible pregnancy ! Or it was very short, only 2 months in Summer...

I guess that they thought that because Olivier's wife is called Isabelle too...
But Vania is right, they didn't use their brain a lot...

Marina wrote:

I guess that they thought that because Olivier's wife is called Isabelle too...
But Vania is right, they didn't use their brain a lot...

Noo... He always speaks before thinking! And than he tries to rectify the stupid things he said....or "what the hell...live it like that, the listeners don't know too much anyway!"

Ah..the other couple we have is better! The female commentator was a disaster a while ago but she is better now. She used to tell stoooories and romantic stuff...a lot! At least she didn't commited so many blunders
I hope for better&better comments

For Maria

Vania wrote:

Marina wrote:

I guess that they thought that because Olivier's wife is called Isabelle too...

Oh, I didn't know that I saw that Olivier has a ring, but I wasn't sure if it was a wedding ring

And He has a one year child, with Isabelle Pecheur