Status of US Pairs This Season

[olympic]

Donlan and Speroff are gorgeous. If Gretchen can learn to land her SBS jumps, I can definitely see them being US champions next season. I hope they get senior GP assignments, they are really lovely! They almost remind me of a Russian pairs team, and their balletic style is just a breath of fresh air amongst the other top US pair teams who are more athletic.

I think D/S are first in line to get the SA slot for 2012 with their 4th place finish at Nats.


... Also, I love Evora/Ladwig, I'm just afraid that their chance for the title is gone. If they come back next year they are just going to have to have the technical content, as good as their PCS is, it won't carry them to the title without the technical. Such a lovely, lovely team, though, and it's a testament to them to have skated together so long. They deserve every accolade they get.

Amanda's inability to consistently land jumps is confounding and frustrating. I think with some good solid SBS jumps, they would be easily US #1

[Jayar]

I think D/S are first in line to get the SA slot for 2012 with their 4th place finish at Nats.

You are assuming that US Figure Skating is thinking that far ahead. I am sure that the are most concerned about 4CCs, Worlds, Junior Worlds, and the spring competition assignments. A lot can happen before the GP. Knowing that Denney/Frazier want to compete senior next season makes me think that they have a great shot at the competition as well.

[Sylvia]

Knowing that Denney/Frazier want to compete senior next season makes me think that they have a great shot at the competition as well.
Did D/F say after they won the Junior title that they plan to compete senior both nationally and internationally next season?


Amanda's inability to consistently land jumps is confounding and frustrating.
It's definitely not due a lack of effort or hard work, according to this E/L pre-Nationals article: http://web.icenetwork.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120109&content_id=26295476&vkey=ice_news

[Jayar]

Did D/F say after they won the Junior title that they plan to compete senior both nationally and internationally next season?

They said that they plan to be senior next year-- and they said that was always the plan. If they don't get GP events, I don't see them going for Senior Bs, though.

Simpson and Blackmer said that they will stay junior in both cases.

[winterone]

What the heck is going on with the SBS jumping skills of our Senior pairs. Seems really weak to me. D/S single axle and double toe? Rock missing a 2x and a sal? Man how far have we fallen?

[Sylvia]

Marley/Brubaker landed their sbs 3T fine in SP, as did Castelli/Shnapir, Denney/Coughlin and Zhang/Bartholomay (the latter 2 teams also landed 3T and 2A+2A seq. in their FS). Donlan/Speroff were credited with 3T< in SP at least.

Cain/Reagan landed 3S in SP & FS; Scimeca/Dimitrov landed 3S in SP.

Anyway, pairs is not just about the sbs jumps.

[olympic]

What the heck is going on with the SBS jumping skills of our Senior pairs. Seems really weak to me. D/S single axle and double toe? Rock missing a 2x and a sal? Man how far have we fallen?

In comparison to where we were over the past decade, when absolutely no one could consistently land any triple, we've come quite far. It's just that the World is rocking pairs at the same time!

[Sylvia]

Kloe Bautista/Tyler Harris plan to represent the Philippines starting next season (she has dual citizenship): http://www.wgbh.org/articles/index.cfm?tempid=5455

[Rochelle]

Kloe Bautista/Tyler Harris plan to represent the Philippines starting next season (she has dual citizenship): http://www.wgbh.org/articles/index.cfm?tempid=5455

Interesting, since Powers/Powers competed at Philippines Nationals in the Junior level (both are still in high school) this year, and I think they were the only pair team to compete this year. (Perhaps in recent years?).

Philippines might be a bit of a pairs power house in a few years! ;) Would be nice, given 4CC has entries from CAN, CHN, USA, and one lone JPN entry. :>/

[Rochelle]

I think D/S are first in line to get the SA slot for 2012 with their 4th place finish at Nats.

I'm with Jayar's sentiments. For the most recent years, US Figure Skating usually reserves announcing the Skate America host pick until after Indy Challenge pairs competition, which is very late July/early August... and follows pairs monitoring also at Skate Detroit, Liberty, and normally right before the CA one (Glacier Falls or Golden West? Whatever the biggie is in August there).

Just because a team had a great nationals, doesn't mean both partners are healthy/injury-free and a team is well trained by August.

I think D/S are they're definitely in the running for the host pick... but so are any of the top-8-or-so teams from Nationals, as well as any of the 3 Juniors who bring it at Junior Worlds and move up into Seniors. Therefor, check back after the late summer competitions and monitoring sessions are complete.

[Jammers]

What the heck is going on with the SBS jumping skills of our Senior pairs. Seems really weak to me. D/S single axle and double toe? Rock missing a 2x and a sal? Man how far have we fallen?

Rockne usually doesn't screw up his jumps like he did in the LP. It happens.

[olympic]

Rockne usually doesn't screw up his jumps like he did in the LP. It happens.

During the NBC telecast, it was mentioned that Rockne was focusing on Mary Beth out of concern during the SBS jumps. I don't think it's anything to worry about.

I'd like to see them return to 3t-2t and 3S jumping passes. They were doing those when they were more 'green'.

[Theatregirl1122]

I don't know what it is about Rockne and Mary Beth that causes people to decide that a problem they've had once is a reoccurring problem. When Mary Beth had problems at SA, everyone was going on about how she and Rockne should split up because she obviously wasn't good enough for him and had huge problems landing her SBS jumps. Now that Rockne messed up at Nationals and she was perfect, suddenly everyone thinks she should ditch him because he has problems with his SBS jumps. Someone having a bad day isn't a pattern. Let's see how they do at 4CC and Worlds.

[chipso1]

I don't know what it is about Rockne and Mary Beth that causes people to decide that a problem they've had once is a reoccurring problem. When Mary Beth had problems at SA, everyone was going on about how she and Rockne should split up because she obviously wasn't good enough for him and had huge problems landing her SBS jumps. Now that Rockne messed up at Nationals and she was perfect, suddenly everyone thinks she should ditch him because he has problems with his SBS jumps. Someone having a bad day isn't a pattern. Let's see how they do at 4CC and Worlds.

ITA.

[Nomad]

During the NBC telecast, it was mentioned that Rockne was focusing on Mary Beth out of concern during the SBS jumps...

That is part of the miracle that is Sandra. She can read skaters' minds.