WORLDS WEEKEND

It’s the happiest time of the Figure Skating Year! It’s World Championship time. Events will air as follows:

• Tonight: 7:30-11 Pairs short & long and the Original Dance on ESPN
• Friday: 7:30-11 Ladies short & Free Dance on ESPN
• Saturday 3-6 Men’s Short and Ladies Long on ABC
• Sunday 4:30-7 Men’s Long ESPN

I am super excited and here’s my rundown.

Men’s: The best event in Skating.
From what I hear Evan Lysachek (US champ) is out with an injury, US almost champ Johnny Weir could certainly be in the running for a medal. As usual the men’s field is deep and depending on how everyone skates it could go a number of ways. French powerhouse Brian Joubert but he has been sick and looked awful at the European championships. Swiss champ Stephan Lambiel has had a rough season. Czech and European champ, Tomas Verner, has been skating very well and could certainly be a contender. However, I’m going to predict this one goes to Daiske Takahashi of Japan. I’m crossing my fingers on this one because I think he is my absolute favorite skater of the moment.

Ladies: What people think is the best event in skating
This is going to be a rough one for the US team. Since only one of the top three finishers from US nationals was old enough to compete at Worlds and former champ Kimmie Miesner has had a most embarrassing season I don’t see a medal for any US athletes. Kimmie did change coaches and it did wonders for Weir so anything could happen. The best female skater in a long while, Yu-na Kim, from South Korea, has been out with an injury and that could possibly hurt her skating. Then again, she could be fine. Her chief rival, Mao Asada has been having an up and down season but has been on fire recently. She has a good shot at the title. Then again, so do her teammates Miki Ando reigning world champ but she has been imploding recently and Yukari Nagano who I almost always forget about but is great. Italy’s Carolina Kostner will probably be in good standing after the short program but typically struggles in the long. She will still be in the running. My prediction is that Asada will take it all.

Pairs: Can the Chinese reign be broken?
In this event I’m putting it all on German Pair Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy. I absolutely love them and I don’t think a person of African descent has ever stood atop the World Podium. I gotta cheer for the Brother. Not to mention that they are absolutely fantastic, innovative, and all around awesome. The Zhang’s and Pang and Tong of China will probably put up a good fight but don’t count out the upcoming Russians and Dube and Davidson of Canada (you may remember them from the amazing blade to the face spin injury of a few seasons past it's just below if you want to see it again).

Dance: It’s almost gotten interesting again
I don’t know or care enough about dance to put too much into this category. Belbin and Augusto will probably be the best chance the US has for a medal this year. I just hope to see that one team whose costumes look like straight jackets and skate to DJ Shadow.

1. Identity/ Identity is the crisis you can’t see/ Identity/ Identity

2. Did I/ See a moment/ With you/ In a half-lit world

3. Ghost, ghost I know you live within me/ Feel as you fly/ In thunderclouds above the city/ Into one that I

4. I’m tired of wasting gas living above the planet/ Mister show me the way to earth/ The boys from quadrant 44 with their vicious metal hounds don’t come round here no more.

5. Downtown/ We’ll drown/ We’re in our never splendor/ Flowers/ Showers/ Who’s got the new boy gender