2010-11 US Pairs

[chipso1]

U.S. Senior Pairs international scores after Cup of Russia:

1. Caitlin YANKOWSKAS / John COUGHLIN (166.72) Cup of China
2. Caydee DENNEY / Jeremy BARRETT (166.42) Skate America
3. Amanda EVORA / Mark LADWIG (162.85) Cup of Russia
4. Marissa CASTELLI / Simon SHNAPIR (159.85) Skate Canada

5. Britney SIMPSON / Nathan MILLER (145.78) Cup of Russia
6. Tiffany VISE / Don BALDWIN (141.37) Ice Challenge
7. Gretchan DONLAN / Andrew SPEROFF (135.58) Nebelhorn Trophy
8. Lindsay DAVIS / Themi LEFTHERIS (133.92) Ice Challenge
9. Felicia ZHANG / Taylor TOTH (126.70) Skate America

Both Evora/Ladwig and Simpson/Miller improved upon their previous GP scores by a large margin, and move up in the standings (S/M from 7th to 5th, E/L from 4th to 3rd).

Next week in Paris: Zhang/Toth

Golden Spin of Zagreb (Dec. 9-11, 2010):
Molly Aaron/Daniyel Cohen
Erika Smith/Nathan Bartholomay

[babbyrabbit]

Nationals is going to be AMAZING this year! Its anyones medal to take and to loose!

[stjeaskategym]

Big plummet in those scores. There's such a big drop-off between the top few teams and the rest of the list, and that's with all of the top teams counting at least one fall. But the chase for gold should be interesting since it's very realistic that a team like Y/C or E/L could win with how things have been going.

[Sylvia]

U.S. Senior Pairs' top international scores after TEB and Golden Spin:

1. Caitlin YANKOWSKAS / John COUGHLIN (166.72) Cup of China (bronze)
2. Caydee DENNEY / Jeremy BARRETT (166.42) Skate America (4th)
3. Amanda EVORA / Mark LADWIG (162.85) Cup of Russia (bronze)
4. Marissa CASTELLI / Simon SHNAPIR (159.85) Skate Canada (4th)

5. Britney SIMPSON / Nathan MILLER (145.78) Cup of Russia (7th)
6. Molly AARON / Daniyel COHEN (141.73) Golden Spin (bronze)
7. Tiffany VISE / Don BALDWIN (141.37) Ice Challenge (silver)
8. Gretchan DONLAN / Andrew SPEROFF (135.58) Nebelhorn Trophy (4th)

9. Lindsay DAVIS / Themi LEFTHERIS (133.92) Ice Challenge (4th)
10. Erika SMITH / Nathan BARTHOLOMAY (133.41) Golden Spin (4th)
11. Felicia ZHANG / Taylor TOTH (127.48) Trophee Eric Bompard (5th)

Mary Beth Marley/Rockne Brubaker scored 52.30 in their SP exhibition at Pacific Coast Sectionals. They debuted in competition at Skate St. Moritz back in September: 43.50 (SP) 85.70 (FS) 129.20 (Total).

Becky Bereswill/Trevor Young scored 136.40 at Midwestern Sectionals in November.

Yankowskas & Coughlin are featured on the front of the current issue of USFS' SKATING magazine, and their cover story now can be read online (see Current Issue): http://www.usfsa.org/About.asp?id=467

ETA: chipso1 has a list of the all 16 Senior teams' averaged scores so far this season in the "Fun with Numbers" thread in the 2011 US Nationals forum in Kiss and Cry.

[olympic]

Yankowskas & Coughlin are featured on the front of the current issue of USFS' SKATING magazine, and their cover story now can be read online (see Current Issue): http://www.usfsa.org/About.asp?id=467

Hmmm. Perused the article. Y'know, they have a certain 'hotness' factor :swoon:

[Jammers]

I wonder why the US is lagging behind when it comes to Pairs skating? We used to be terrible at Ice Dancing too but now we have more depth in that discipline then just about any other country in the world now.

[oleada]

I wonder why the US is lagging behind when it comes to Pairs skating? We used to be terrible at Ice Dancing too but now we have more depth in that discipline then just about any other country in the world now.

It's a good question, and it's probably many factors. In my opinion, though, the main factor is that the US focuses on developing individual skaters rather than partnerships, which is what successful pair skating schools like China and Russia (back during the former USSR) do.

ETA: And as Sylvia says, the belief that pairs is where single skaters go when they can't hack it. Pairs skating lacks prestige in the US.

[Sylvia]

I wonder why the US is lagging behind when it comes to Pairs skating?
There have been quite a few discussions here on this topic before. Basically, it comes down to the fact that, generally speaking, pairs is viewed in the US as the discipline to go into if you can't cut it in singles. Very untrue, but it's a perception that is hard to change. Finding compatible matches -- both at the lower or higher levels -- is another challenge, and often one partner must relocate.

ETA a list of coaches of Senior pairs at 2011 Nationals:
Bobby Martin / Carrie Wall (Boston, Mass.)
Jeff DiGregorio / Ron Ludington (Newark, Delaware)
Jim Peterson / Lyndon Johnston (Ellenton, FL)
John Zimmerman (Coral Springs, FL)
Johnny Johns (Canton, Mich.)
Dalilah Sappenfield (Colorado Springs, CO)
John Nicks (L.A. area)
Peter Oppegard (L.A. area)
Doug Ladret (Scottsdale, AZ)
Vadim Naumov / Evgenia Shishkova (Simsbury, CT)

[olympic]

^ the US is actually not too shabby this year. I can't find it but someone posted a list of the top pairs' scores in the world, and IIRC the US had 3 pairs in the top 12 - Y/C, D/B, E/L [granted they were near the bottom of that top 12] and they will probably improve on that

[Frau Muller]

Y/C have THE most beautiful Pairs LP in the world this season, IMO ("Ave Maria"). I am so happy that they've attained the highest G-P/int'l scores among Americans so far this season. (An 8th overall in G-P standings, making them the 2nd alternate team, just behind Takahashi/Tran of Japan, who ended up being the Jr G-P champs!) If Y/C skate to their potential they should make the Worlds team this year or even be the US champs.

[judgejudy27]

Can the U.S produce a medal contender in pairs though? I would like to see that again. I mean when was their last one? Ina & Zimmerman maybe but they were only bit contenders at the World level. Meno & Sand before that. They were also sort of bit contenders who went into all big events as only about 5th favorite but they still managed somehow to get 3 World medals (2 bronze and 1 silver). Inoue & Baldwin never were contenders I felt despite that they came 4th at a post Olympics Worlds once. The U.S would be happy with just a bit medal contender in pairs again though.

[oleada]

Y/C have shown a lot of improvement, but they are still far from being contenders at the international level. Same for E/L.

[olympic]

Y/C have shown a lot of improvement, but they are still far from being contenders at the international level. Same for E/L.

I think the main issue with Y/C is that they need to up their levels, no? Perhaps, Delilah Sappenfield was keeping it easier so they could go clean.

E/L - I'm not sure what the deal is

[haribobo]

If Sui/Han don't pan out and one of Pang/Tong or Zhangs retire, it *could* happen in the next few years, but semi-unlikely looking at the moment- just because S/S and the Russians are so good, and Duhamel/Radford and MT-M are coming on pretty strong. Still, US pairs are the deepest they've been in a long time, so good for that! :)

[stjeaskategym]

Can the U.S produce a medal contender in pairs though? I would like to see that again. I mean when was their last one? Ina & Zimmerman maybe but they were only bit contenders at the World level. Meno & Sand before that. They were also sort of bit contenders who went into all big events as only about 5th favorite but they still managed somehow to get 3 World medals (2 bronze and 1 silver). Inoue & Baldwin never were contenders I felt despite that they came 4th at a post Olympics Worlds once. The U.S would be happy with just a bit medal contender in pairs again though.

US teams with potential to be World medal contenders would have to stay together long enough to be able to find that out. The pairs in China and Russia have more patience, and their teams tend to stay together even when their results aren't so good the first few years. And singles skating in those countries isn't as enticing (for many reasons) as it is in the US.

Nearly all of the top pairs in the world right now like S/S, P/T, K/S, Z/Z, V/T have boatloads of World/Olympic experience (either with each other or with other partners) and know how to deliver in major competition. It will be tough for others to break through when these teams are all healthy and competing. As some of the older teams retire (or just get injured like they did this year on the GP), it may get easier for others to get to the top of the World stage.

I'm not sure if Yankowskas/Coughlin can ever be real contenders internationally, but at least they have stuck with it even after what could be considered several lackluster Nationals results. If they do what they are capable of, their Nationals finish should be much better this year, and they should be in major contention for the World team. They definitely have to focus on not bombing at Nationals and getting on the World team before they can even think about how to get great Worlds results...One step at a time. They're still relatively young and have time to improve. E/L have shown nice longevity, but I don't see them being World medal contenders any time soon either.