At least two of the guys can already skate pretty well. Very well by DOI standards.

The women have no chance. They will, as usual, spend too much time on lifts and not enough of learning to skate; they will be slagged off for being unable to skate well without holding on to their partner; they will lose in the votes; and it will be a nightmare trying to defend them.

I am going to wait til next week to make that sort of assumption.

By all accounts several of the girls are very good already

They would have to be astonishingly good to stand much chance, though I hope you are right.

However, I can't help thinking that they will make the usual mistake of concentrating too much on lifts and not enough on skating. That nearly derailed Susan last year, but fortunately some of the judges' comments clued her in in time.

The lift criticism will happen as always, which is sometimes fair enough (like in Bonnie's case, though she was incredible for lifts), but we don't know there isn't a good skater yet. Though the chances of them being close to Ray seem slim.

I really think they'll have to be something special to be as good as Ray though and Ellery really surprised me with how good he was.

I really hope the girls show us their stuff.

I'm not making any judgements until i've seen the girls skate.

This is like last year all over again. Chris was going to win, the women had to give up...

Ehh, have you heard of Suzanne Shaw Veri?

R I D I C U L O U S !


even by the normal standards of DS this thread is exceptional - the women have not even performed yet!

I've just said something along these lines in another thread, so apologies for repetition, but I think because the skills required of the celebrity female skaters is different to that of the men, a good female skater who is skilled and dance and gymnastic type things (like Suzanne) can compete against a male who appears to be much better. As they get to the later stages, and flasher moves are expected, a woman who can hold herself well in lifts might find herself at an advantage to a smaller man who might struggle to do anything flash.

In DOI, the female celebrities always do much fancier lifts than their male equivalents, and in that respect, that gives them an advantage. It's definitely harder to compare the skill level between sexes, and that can be used to make everything appear more even. It's easier to compare the women with each other and men with each other, but it becomes very subjective when it's men vs women.

Yes. See for example post number 3. (Though for some reason I called her "Susan". )

Besides, she was competing against last year's guys. I wouldn't have made a thread like this last year. (And I didn't.)

Don't give up just yet - there's Jessica and her Strictly Ice Dancing experience to come yet


I always think the final 'spectacular' of the flying is better suited to the women skaters as well. A solo man flying routine just doesn't seem to gel at all, somehow.

Yes, I agree; however, I think the women's lifts are a net advantage only if they can skate pretty well on their own, and how well the men and women can skate on their own is one comparison that's sure to be made.

BTW, it's not only Rollerblading Ray, though his lead over the other men is large. The rugby guy skating with Frankie could skate too. And maybe some of the others as well. (My Freeview box was acting up, so for some of it I just saw a random hash of coloured rectangles.)

What rubbish.

We know that from what we have heard Jessica is as good as Ray is. Gemma is apparently very good as well.

What an absoloutley absurd statement to make before seeing the women peform.

If I'm wrong, I'll be glad.

If I'm right, I'll at least be able to say "I told you so".

Please provide source of information about Ellery ?

Try to find me saying this last year.

ooooh I really hope so as I love Andrei

Is there a female Ray ?

I tend to go for whoever gives me most "joy" (for want of a better word) on the icerink/dancefloor, and who seems pleasant off it. I didn't want Graham to go out, but Ellery may do the trick for me. I'm not sure about the women, they will have to do more to convince me. Colleen Nolan is the only one who appeals off the dance floor, but I suspect she won't stay in very long.

God, what a thought to start my day!

I mean that in terms of looks, obviously: I'd be delighted if a girl emerged who was as good as Ray.

I don't think we should be writing anyone off just yet; well, apart from Todd Carty, obviously.

Give them a chance to skate!!

What a strange thread! I can't see how anyone can make that assumption without seeing how the women perform! Weird, they could be brilliant, and completley outshine the men! I think the most sensible thing to do, is wait and see next Sunday, before writing them all off!

I am! Colleen to go

Coleen to win