The free dance just finished up at the world championships, and Tanith and Ben missed gold by the tiniest of margins.

Considering where they were at this time last year–4th place at worlds after a fall in the CD. Considering where they were at the beginning of the season–many doubting they’d ever make a major podium again, and many thinking they’d maybe be around 5th at worlds. Considering where they were just a couple of months ago–not even able to compete because of a back injury to Ben… I should be thrilled right now. If it hadn’t been so very close, I would probably be thrilled. Instead, I’m feeling a bit gutted for them because when it was all said and done, they should have had that gold medal tonight.

It’s not that I wasn’t expecting this to happen. I’m not one to normally believe in the many ice dance conspiracy theories that surface all the time in figure skating fandom land. I like to think that, for the most part at least, that most of the judges really care about getting the right medals to the right people. I’ve had a nagging feeling all week though that no matter what happened, it was going to be silver for B/A and the Russians would get gold. Russia/The Soviet Union has dominated the dance event for practically forever. That said, the last time a Russian team won world’s was in 05 when Navka/Kostomorov took the title. The Olympics are coming up next year, and the Russian dancers hadn’t had a single title this whole Olympic cycle. It was inevitable, and I saw the writing on the wall, and I knew this was coming, but that doesn’t make it any easier for this fan. I was still hoping against hope that they’d somehow get it anyway.

Tanith and Ben were their usual class acts in the interview that followed with NBC–no one can ever deny their good sportsmanship, but you could tell they were disappointed. Tanith looked like she might start crying any second, and for some reason, that made me want to cry. The last time I cried over figure skating results, I was 14 years old.

I’m a big believer in karma though. B/A have done a lot of hard work this past year, and they’ve come such a long way. I hope they take the big prize next year.

At the other extreme, and perhaps maybe a little ironically, I’m thrilled for Pechalat/Bourzat from France who finished in 5th! Alexander Zhulin may be something of a philandering dog when it comes to his personal life, but he was a heck of a skater (He and Maya Usova are still my favs from any discipline ever), and he’s a helluva coach. What he has done with those two in less than a year is just incredible.

Also, in other ice dance news, Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, who won bronze, totally made me a fan tonight. They skated to Pink Floyd and it was awesome.