Blast from the past...or present?

Interesting comparison: 2007 GPF and 2013 Worlds Ladies medalists.

Carolina, 2007 GPF

2013 Worlds:

Mao, 2007 GPF

2013 Worlds

Kim, 2007 GPF

2013 Worlds

Choreography

I just stumbled upon this performance from the 2002 Campbells competition by Sasha Cohen. I have always loved this program in all of its forms - it's one of my favorite Sasha programs ever. However, this version has to take the cake. The attention to detail, the line, the right amount of in betweens, the classic skating... Oh I could go on and on. This deserves a 10 for transitions. There are transitions between each element that are actually meaningful and ADD to the program in a way that makes it watchable and brings the viewers in. Sorry I don't want to watch someone do 15 turns down the ice in both directions and sloppily vault themselves up into the air. Yes, this was a 6.0 program, but it was one that would have done very well under the IJS system. After watching the craptacular programs at worlds with choreo and steps these skaters use over and over to different music (I wonder if Osmond could physically do 4 back cross-overs, step forward, set, and do a mowhawk triple flip. I bet not - she does all those sloppy quick turns going into it so many times that the "difficult" transition going into it is probably easier for her than a standard set-up.)

Anyway, I digress. This program is a masterpiece, as are all of Sasha's performances from the 2002-2003 season, even with the mistakes.

Also, check out that 3Toe/3Sal combo! Go Sasha! You're fabulous!

2013 Worlds

Now that it's over, I thought I'd write down a few thoughts before I forget.

10 Things From 2013 Worlds:

1. Men's competition - what a mess. I don't really have anything new to add to all the discussion. It was a horribly skated event, redeemed only by Denis Ten's 2 personal best programs.
2. V/T's free program was wonderful and Canada is really coming up in the ranks in pairs - they could be on the podium at Sochi. US pairs are hopeless for Sochi...No comment on the Germans...
3. Kim needs a more dynamic SP. If she wants to break her own record she set back in 2010, she needs a better program. This vampire program reminded me of her 2007-08 SP for some reason, and she is a much better and different skater today. Please have a more powerful, dynamic program the brings the judges and the audiences in.
4. No more Carmen. Please. Enough is enough. Although I feel like Kostner will be given a Carmen LP for the Olympics (dare I say she is the only skater who I think could pull it off...?).
5. The rivalry between D/W and V/M is hotter than ever, and will only get worse. The number of articles calling them "friends" has dwindled; articles calling them rivals have shot up. Now, they truly are rivals, where in 2010 V/M were the far better team.
6. Li is a force to be reckoned with in the future. The British Eurosport guys said she had potential to become a World Champion back in 4CC, and I couldn't agree with them more. Her LP was just amazing.
7. Murakami is continuing on a gradual upward trajectory. All of the attention has been on the Russians and Gold, but Murakami, just 1-2 years older than those other teens has delivered when it counted at these past two world championships. No, her ascent to the top has not been as fast and commanding as Asada's or Kim's in 2007, however, I can see her sneaking onto the podium in the next couple of years and really establishing herself as Japan's number 1 post Sochi.
8. Chock/Bates and Weaver/Poje were my favorite teams to watch (after D/W and V/M) in the Free Dance. I love C/B's long lines and power over the ice, and their rise in the ice dance world has been fast enough (but not too fast like the Shibutanis...) that I see them setting themselves up nicely to challenge for podium positions in 2014-15.
9. The Shibutanis have officially been dumped by the judges. It's too bad, and unless they do really well next fall I don't see them reversing this downward trend.
10. Speed is key. The judges have rewarded, across all disciplines, skaters who use the entire ice surface and move quickly across it. Those who skate around in the middle (Elizaveta) are getting lower scores than skaters who push out their patterns (Sotnikiva, Aaron, Gold, Kim, Kostner...)

Overall, a great Dance and Ladies event, an okay Pairs event, and a horribly judged men's event.

2013 Worlds Predictions

Here are my predictions for the 2013 World Championships

Ladies:

I think we will see a repeat of the podium from 2008 worlds - but I am still unsure of the order.
If I had to guess, I'd say Yu-Na wins the short, Carolina wins the long, and Mao places second in both. Potential spoilers: Wagner (LP), Sotnikova could be 3rd in the short, Suzuki

Overall:
1.) Mao
2.) Carolina
3.) Yu-Na
4.) Wagner
5.) Sotnikova

Men:

The men's championship is really up for grabs, but if Fernandez keeps on the upward trajectory he's been on, I could see this really being his year. I really like Hanyu's SP, but his LP is blah. Chan's LP is great this season, but he doesn't excite me this year the way Fernandez does. I really wish Takahashi will skate well, but his programs are no Cyber Swan or La Strada.

Overall:
1.) Fernandez
2.) Chan
3.) Hanyu
4.) Takahashi

Dance:

I really like Davis and White's programs this year, and hope they can skate them to their full potential when it counts. Tessa and Scott's SD is great, especially with the changes. However, I am not a fan of 2/3 of their FD. With P/B being injured, I could really see B/S sneaking in for that bronze medal. Also, W/P are a wild card, as we have not seen them since the fall.

Overall:
1.) D/W
2.) V/W
3.) B/S
4.) P/B
5.) W/P or C/L

Pairs:

Not my favorite discipline...I think it will go to the Russians this year (based on judging).
I really hate IJS pairs programs...

Good luck to all the skaters!!