Meissner's Out of Nationals...and Pt. 2 of Predicting Parellel Championships

Some breaking news to report before I get to the rest of my Euros predictions:

+ According to a very brief blurb on IceNetwork.com, Kimmie Meissner has withdrawn from next week’s U.S. Nationals “due to injury”. I can’t find anything else on this as I go to post, but more info will surely be available tomorrow. What an unfortunate way to end a surely disappointing season for Meissner. May time help her heal not only her body, but any lingering abrasions on her spirit…

+ Now for news that you may already know, especially if you’re reading from the Great White North: Canadian Nationals have come to a close, and congratulations are in order for Joannie Rochette (5 times champion), Patrick Chan (2 time champion), Dube & Davison (World bronze medalists; 1st-time National champs), and Virtue & Moir (World silver medalists; 2nd time National champs).

OK, back across the Atlantic…

For LADIES:

Gold- Carolina Kostner (ITA)
Silver- Laura Lepisto (FIN)
Bronze- Susanna Poykio (FIN)

Personal taste aside, I don’t see how Kostner can lose this, even if she blows it as badly as she did as Skate Canada. She simply has too much on her side technically speaking—compared to other European ladies at the moment, at least—and they seem to love to lavish the presentation marks on her no matter where she is, so… the math is there.

With Sarah Meier out with a herniated disc, silver and bronze get a lot tougher this year. I found myself re-watching all the top Finnish women, trying to make a choice. I’m going with Lepisto because she seems the most solid. I know Korpi is back from injury, but the free skate I saw of hers seemed void of non-edge triples. I LOVED her music (which put me in the mind of the Delobel/Schoenfelder “Bonnie and Clyde” program of a few years ago), but again, the technical just doesn’t seem good to go yet. If she shows up at Euros with a full plate of jumps, though, I might be eating my predictions…

For MEN:

Gold- Brian Joubert (FRA)
Silver- Alban Preaubert (FRA)
Bronze- Tomas Verner (CZE)

I keep putting Joubert on top this year, with mixed results: a total blow-up at TEB, at total turn-around at Cup of Russia, and a withdrawal at the GP Final. Still, I’m going with him here… if only because I think he comes seeking vengeance from last year. Speaking of last year—I’d really like to have higher hopes for Verner, as I find his Tango program plenty appealing. But he seems to have left his confidence in Sweden at last year’s Worlds, and it only get sent back to him in bits and pieces. He just doesn’t seem “back” yet. Which, hopefully, leaves the silver spot open for Preaubert—someone I think I’ve been underrating up to this point.

OK, one down, one to go… U.S. Nationals predictions coming very soon!

Kiira Korpi’s FS from the recent Finnish Nationals is the Clip of the Day.