Ice dancers Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir head to next week's world championships in Los Angeles with top-dog status, following the withdrawal of the defending world champions, France's Isabelle Delobel and Olivier Schoenfelder. Canada's reigning world silver medalists, however, said they don't feel like they have a target on their backs.Virtue, who is still recovering from the surgery she underwent on her legs early last fall, noted, "It's tough to say where we rank [globally], and being out with an injury is a tough thing. Coming back, you're never sure where you might fit in."
Moir said, "I don't know if I feel like we're the team to beat. There's a lot of good teams at the top of the world. I think it's going to be a great competition next week."
He added, "We kind of have to keep tunnel vision and worry about our skating and looking to go and skate our best and, hopefully, get some great results."
Despite their abbreviated season, Moir said that ending up on top of the podium at the Staples Center is still "a great possibility."
"We're actually sad the Pink Floyds didn't go head-to-head this year," Moir noted, referring to the fact that Delobel and Schoenfelder had also chosen the unorthodox music selection for their free dance. "It's always fun to go to a competition and know everyone is at their best. It seems that hasn't been the case for a couple of top teams this year, but obviously we wish her [Delobel] a speedy recovery and look forward to competing against them next year."
Virtue and Moir missed the 2008 Grand Prix Series after she sought relief from the debilitating pain in her legs early in the fall. When they returned to competition in January, they easily defended their Canadian title and then claimed silver at the ISU Four Continents Championships, just behind their Michigan training mates, Meryl Davis and Charlie White.
Virtue reported, "My shins are feeling much better. We've been training really well. Things are feeling really strong, and we've definitely made leaps and bounds and huge improvements since Four Continents."
Virtue said she has learned a lot about pain management through her ongoing recovery. Pain-wise, she said, her down days are not nearly as bad as they were previously, and the ups are even better.
Vaughn Chipeur finally reached the podium in his fifth try at Canadian Nationals in senior men when he earned the silver medal in 2009. Chipeur had been steadily improving since a 16th place in 2006, finishing just off the podium in fourth last season. After making the Canadian international team last season, Chipeur struggled in the ISU Grand Prix series, finishing a respectable fifth at the Cup of China, but dead last at the Cup of Russia. "Moscow was evidence that things weren't working," he confessed. "We revamped the whole training scenario."
"Last year, I was satisfied with being good instead of being great," Chipeur continued. "Now I have a point to prove. Last year I saw myself only going as far as the Four Continents and that was great. This season, I had bigger goals, making the national and world team in the second spot. I knew that it was very obtainable and I achieved it."
Rejuvenated after his performance at Canadians, Chipeur placed sixth at the 2009 Four Continents Championships in Vancouver two weeks later.
He set a personal best total score of 212.81 points and a new high mark in the free skate of 144.81 points - almost 20 points above his previous high.
"My goal was to make the top six and bang on," Chipeur noted. "I made the top six. My goal was to skate two solid performances and the long was my best ever. I can put that to my training back home."
Chipeur's short program included a triple Lutz-triple toe loop combination, triple flip and triple Axel in his short program. His long included a triple Axel-double toe loop and triple Lutz-triple toe loop combination early in his program and a triple Lutz-double toe-double toe combination near the end. He also included a double and triple Axel, triple flip, triple loop, and triple Salchow.
The 24-year-old has been working on quadruple jumps seriously since last spring. "I've tried the toe, the Lutz and the Salchow and they're all quite close," Chipeur shared. "I've landed a quad toe and a couple of quad Salchows, but the Lutz has mainly just been for fun. When summer came, my coach said, 'Let's be reasonable and put them on the back burner this season'. They're not out of my reach and I hope to have a quad in my program next season. If I add a quad, I'll drop my double Axel."
Friday Isabelle Delobel and Olivier Schoenfelder, who won the world title in 2008, officially announced that they would have to let their teammates go to the 2009 worlds without them after learning Delobel's recovery will require more time.
According Rachael Flatt, there just might be "something in the water" in Colorado Springs.
Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto accentuated the positive during their pre-worlds media teleconference Wednesday.