Figure skatingIce dance front and centre at Cup of China

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Russia’s Jhana Khokhlova and Sergei Novitsky, the 2008 world bronze medallists, and Oksana Domnina and Maksim Shabalin, the 2008 European champions, will go up against Skate America and 2006 Olympic silver medallists, Tanith Belbin and Benjamin Agosto of the United States.

This is the Grand Prix debut this season for the Russian teams and it will be interesting to see if they can each keep their respective choreographic shenanigans at bay in the original and free dance segments.

The same could be said for Belbin and Agosto whose skating missed the mark for me with the same overdone quality in both their programs at Skate America two weeks ago. This is a real shame as this team’s charm has always been evident in their skating.

With the withdrawal of Japan’s Daisuke Takahashi, the competition in the men’s will be a little soft.

The surprise front runner last season, European champion Tomas Verner of the Czech Republic, should be the one to beat here. With huge jumps and improved style Vaughn Chipeur of Canada and 2008 world junior silver medallist Artem Borodulin from Russia could also be contenders for the podium.

The pairs event should be a one-two finish with the Chinese teams of Qing Pang and Jian Tong and Dan Zhang and Hao Zhang. I believe the steady team of Pang and Tong will be the ones to take it here. Over the course of many years, their consistency and stability has allowed them to rise to the top of the pairs world as champions in 2006. The team of Zhang and Zhang can offer heart-stopping excitement if they are “on” so they cannot be discounted.

In the ladies field, there really is only one competitor and then the rest of the field.

Korea’s Yu-Na Kim is head and shoulders above the rest in terms of quality of skating and programs. It would be a big surprise if she didn’t win here as she did at Skate America. The rest of the field includes 2007 world champion Miki Ando of Japan as well as the 2008 European silver medallist Sarah Meier of Switzerland looking for spots on the podium.

If you’re anything like me, you’ll be glued to your computer screen to see live streaming of the free programs on CBCSports.ca Friday and Saturday.

Pj’s picks:

Men: Tomas Verner (CZE)
Ladies: Yu-Na Kim (KOR)
Ice dance: Oksana Domnina and Maxim Shabalin (RUS)
Pairs: Qing Pang and Jian Tong (CHN)

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