ISU World Team Trophy 2013: these are the teams.

Update: WTT will be available on the ISU skating channel: http://livemanager.eurovision.edgesuite.net/isu/site/index.html

Photo: FB account of Yukari Moriike 

It's official; according to the ISU website these are the teams (and skaters) competing at the World Team Trophy 2013.

Canada 

Patrick CHAN	Men
Kevin REYNOLDS	Men
Gabrielle DALEMAN	Ladies
Kaetlyn OSMOND	Ladies
Meagan DUHAMEL / Eric RADFORD	Pairs
Kaitlyn WEAVER / Andrew POJE	Ice Dance

China

Nan SONG	Men
Han YAN	Men
Zijun LI	Ladies
Kexin ZHANG	Ladies
Cheng PENG / Hao ZHANG	Pairs
Xiaoyang YU / Chen WANG	Ice Dance

France

Florent AMODIO	Men
Brian JOUBERT	Men
Lenaelle GILLERON-GORRY	Ladies
Mae Berenice MEITE	Ladies
Vanessa JAMES / Morgan CIPRES	Pairs
Nathalie PECHALAT / Fabian BOURZAT	Ice Dance

Japan

Takahito MURA	Men
Daisuke TAKAHASHI	Men
Mao ASADA	Ladies
Akiko SUZUKI	Ladies
---	Pairs
Cathy REED / Chris REED	Ice Dance

Russia 

Maxim KOVTUN	Men
Konstantin MENSHOV	Men
Adelina SOTNIKOVA	Ladies
Elizaveta TUKTAMYSHEVA	Ladies
Tatiana VOLOSOZHAR / Maxim TRANKOV	Pairs
Ekaterina BOBROVA / Dmitri SOLOVIEV	Ice Dance

United States of America

Max AARON	Men
Jeremy ABBOTT	Men
Gracie GOLD	Ladies
Ashley WAGNER	Ladies
Marissa CASTELLI / Simon SHNAPIR	Pairs
Madison CHOCK / Evan BATES	Ice Dance

Some thoughts on the teams: unlike the previous edition, when everyone that mattered in figure skating was here, World Team Trophy 2013 will have its huge absentees: the recent gold and silver medalists in London (Canada) - Meryl Davies and Charlie White, on one hand, and Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, on the other. We all know Scott's opinion on WTT; last year, while waiting for the scores, he mumbled: "I hate this competition...". So, when it comes to ice dance, we'll have another duel to watch, between the French couple Pechalat&Bourzat and the European Champions (and bronze medalists at the Worlds), Bobrova&Soloviev. This will be their second encounter after the Worlds. But Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje will surely have their say in the ice dance competition; I'm curious to see whether they'll be placed between the French and the Russians or below.

Another interesting duel will be in pairs event - Tatiana Volosozhar&Maxim Trankov and Megan Duhamel&Eric Radford. I have already put my money on the Russians.

Girls-girls-girls. I believe Mao Asada will finish the season in force; but the Russian girls and Ashley Wagner are not to be underestimated. Gracie's programs are exquisite (though she's lacking consistency); as it is the free program of the Chinese wonder girl, that Zijun Li, made of porcelain.

Once again, in the men's event it will be Patrick Chan against Daisuke Takahashi. Last year, the Japanese won; and many considered the outcome as the real result of the Worlds in Nice. Mr. Takahashi pulled out an incredible performance at the World Team Trophy, achieving also his Season Best. One thing is sure: the men's event in WTT will have the characteristics of a World final, with Florent Amodio, Brian Joubert, Nan Song, the young Han Yan, Takahito Mura... It will be nice to see Jeremy Abbott and his beautiful programs in Tokyo, as it will be interesting to watch the young Mr. Kovtun performing; at the Worlds in London (Canada), Maxim was knocked down by responsability. One final word regarding Konstantin Menshov. It's a pity (and, in fact, a shame) the Russian Federation overlooked Mr. Menshov this entire season. Konstantin wasn't part of the team in Zagreb, as it wasn't in London. For him, WTT comes as a consolation prize - but, surely, this is not enough for a skater who had wonderful programs (and results) throughout the beginning of the season. Coming from a country that tries to make history by sending Evgeni Plushenko (31 years old) at the Winter Games in Sochi, Menshov should have benefited by the same treatment; he should have been allowed to compete internationally this season even if he's already 30 years old. 

Let the World Team Trophy begin. 

11-14 April 2013.

Until then, two memorable performances from last year.

CE de patinaj de la Zagreb (3): dans si perechi - programele scurte. (Foto)istoriile zilei.

Azi am tinut cu Rusia; ca sa stiti. Patrioata pana in maduva oaselor :)). Nu se putea insa sa agit alt steag; tineam cu toate perechile rusesti de la dans. Asa ca m-am agitat, ne-am agitat; ne-am agitat noi, steagurile si palmutele (zgomotoase, de plastic).

Si, sa nu-mi fie de deochi, azi am facut niste fotografii foaaaarte simpatice. Si nu, nu mi-au murit laudatorii, doar ca alaltaieri nici nu stiam prea bine toate butoanele de la Canonul asta (multumesc stim noi cui pentru acest imprumut valoros :)), iar azi, ei bine, azi stiu mai bine ce si cum; dar am facut atatea probe ca mi-au iesit ochi...

Uite-aici o fetita lipita de geam, in admiratie (desi nu-i vad fata cred ca seamana cu noi cand eram mici; doar ca eu am vazut un campionat de patinaj pe viu muuuult mai tarziu); si inca una in chip de fluturas (fluturii alcatuiti din inimile Zagrebului), gata sa adune mutunachi daca e cazul.

Si-acuma, drept sa spun, cred c-ati vazut la televizor ce s-a intamplat la dans si la perechi, asa ca nu va mai bat la cap cu clasamente; ci doar cu poze :). Va spun de-acum top trei la dans, ca sa avem un background comun; dar atat :). Ca n-am timp de mai mult. Deci:

1. Bobrova&Soloviev

2. Ilinykh&Katsalapov

3.Cappellini&Lanotte

Acuma, ce sa zic? Eu sunt fan Bobrova&Soloviev la campionatul asta (nu stiu de ce; dar mi se par atat de fluzi si gratiosi ca nu pot altfel); cred in continuare ca Anna si Luca au unul dintre cele mai dificile programe scurte ale sezonului, dar trebuie sa recunosc ca Elena si Nikita au o viteza fenomenala la twizzle-uri; care sunt, de altfel, elementele lor preferate. Acestea fiind zisem va poftesc la poze (cu minime indicatii :))

Cu fata asta am venit in avion; sa stiti :). Finlandeza Olesia Karmi. Perechea e antrenata de Margaglio. Maurizio Margaglio.

Aici e Platov cu ai lui, cu ai lui cei mici: Angelina Telegina&Otar Japaridze.

Orser e "spaniolizat" total: in treningul Spaniei, in grupul Spaniei, dand indicatii tuturor spaniolilor; aici, grupul venise sa sustina pe Sara Hurtado&Adria Diaz; adica pe ei:

Aici incep cei buni; si frumosi :) Ekaterina Riazanova e asa frumoaaaaasa, ca atunci cand a trecut pe langa noi, inspre hotel, un grup de italieni era tot un zambet: "Che bella..."

Ilinicii mei dragi.

Si uite-aici pe Katia Bobrova si Dmitri Soloviev, intr-un program scurt care mi-a ridicat parul pe mana; am zis. Dreamy.

Anna si Luca.

Si frumosii si talentatii astia, pe care i-am descoperit anul trecut la Nisa: Julia Zlobina si Alexei Sitnikov. Mana de geniu are Zhulin asta :)

Nelli si Alexander, intr-un dans scurt mi-nu-nat. Bine, v-ati prins: astea sunt poze de la cele sase minute de incalzire de dinaintea programelor efective; ca nu ma lasa inima sa nu urmaresc cu atentie programele; asa ca fac poze, multe poze, inainte.

Intermezzo cu steagul Rusiei, intre dans si perechi :).

Idora Hegel, la festivitatea de deschidere.

 

Si, gata, incepem cu perechile. Programul scurt. Clasament pe scurt:

1. Volosozhar&Trankov. (imi place teribil programul asta si spatele ei gool :)

2. Aliona&Robin (sunt siguri ei doi, cu exceptia piruetelor in pereche, dar programul nu m-a omorat)

3. Stefania Berton&Ondrej Hotarek

(si-mi pare rau de Stolbova si Klimov c-au gresit; mi se par printre cei mai interesanti/originali concurenti din proba de perechi)

Nathalie a venitsa-si sustina pe francezi :). Si m-am bucurat s-o vad! Tare mult m-am bucurat :).

Uf. Yuko si Alexander au zbarcit-o iar. Si-mi pare rau si de ei, si de draga doamna Moskvina.

Iata-i pe Tatiana si Maxim; si iata rochia :)

Si iata-i si pe germani, care, in mod traditional, sunt favoritii mei.

Norocosii de pe trei: Stefania si Ondrej.

That is a sexy-routine. Atat va spun.

Once again: Stefania si Ondrej.

Si gata, pa; maine: baietii (programul scurt) si perechi - programul liber.