The Sochi 2014 Olympics have started and we have already been treated to a preview of the individual figure skating competition during this year’s inaugural team event. One of the disciplines to look forward to is ice dancing, and more specifically the growing rivalry between Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir from Canada and their American rivals, Charlie White & Meryl Davis.
Olympic Ice Dancing: Canadians and Americans Resume Rivalry
Over the past couple of years, ice dancing has grown into a phenomenal sport. It has been taken to a new level from what was seen even ten years ago. And part of what has fueled the interest in the growing sport is the heated rivalry between the teams from Canada and the US, each winning many accolades and medals. With no disrespect meant to other competitors, the only real question fans are waiting to be answered is: which one will win gold?
Each of Moir & Virtue and Davis & White have been skating together for 17 years. Over the past seven or so, we have been seeing both couples go head to head in ISU and World events – and even the Vancouver 2010 Olympics. In Vancouver, the first event was the “original dance”. Virtue & Moir recorded a 68.41 in the dance while second place Davis and White scored 67.08. These two were just over 1 point apart and the results could have went either way. To make sense of the scoring separation, the third place team from Russia, Domnina & Shabalin, scored a 62.84 – 5 points behind the first place Canadians.
The freestyle events followed and the tie between Virtue & Moir and Davis & White was close, and would have been closer had the Americans not made a minor mistake that cost them a deduction (1 point). Virtue & Moir scored 110.42 while Davis & White scored a 107.19 (would have been 108.19).
The result was that Canada earned a gold medal on Canadian soil, though the competition between the two couples was not over. Over the next four years, the ice battle went back and forth between them, and every time they went head-to-head, one of them won first place.
Unfortunately, there have been reports of corruption amongst some judges, who have been accused of taking steps to assure the Canadian duo do not win the gold. Are the accusations true? Of course you will recall the rigged judging happening back in 2002 at the Salt Lake Games, when the pairs figure skating was fixed. Canadians Jamie Sale and David Pelletier, who should have won first according to all the announcers, came second, with the Russians finishing in first. After a long drawn out battle, the ISU Judging Committee cracked under pressure and revealed there was rigged judging.
If it were to happen again this year, many fans would lose hope in the sport.
Make no mistake, barring an unbelievable collapse, there will be very few marks separating the two North American teams. As caught up in the hype as many of us are, we mustn’t forget that in sports, anything can happen. Who knows; perhaps a new team will be crowned champions, ushering in the next wave of ice dancers.
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