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.