kwanfan1818
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I think V/M were selfish to announce their return before 2016 Worlds, so that W/P were already dumped to Canada #2 before the competition started, but that has nothing to do with their actual return.
Canadian Ice Dance 2016-17 season news & updates
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They were asked to made announcment during Nationals. but they didn't want to take attention from Canadian champions.
And how could you know WP become number 2 if they were number one in Canada, but didn't show clean skating?
The main problem is that in 2014 WP start talking about "now is there time", but some young teams become better in past two years and this team couldn't compete against them.
It's SC fault, that so many interesting young teams retier, they didn't gave them chance, didn't try to give them chance to made team Canada over GP, PI, WP, who are not unuique and never could won over PC.
kwanfan1818
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VGThuy
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Well, they did have Paradis/Ouellette beat P/I and even with a two point deduction. And the other teams scored well, such as Orford/Hill. I don't know when you think SC should have dropped W/P, G/P, and P/I last season after WeaPo won every competition they entered in the fall (and have beaten P/C in the past), and G/P had the second best results. Sure P/C are almost impossible to beat nowadays, but does that mean WeaPo shouldn't have won nationals or made the Canadian team in favor of a lower tiered team? I'm a little confused by your post, actually.
Yes, there's a whole lot of assumptions going on in this thread. I know it's easier to have specific people to blame for a result you don't like but it's amazing the power VM apparently have. WP were underscored at 2014 worlds, was that VM's fault? What about their tentative skating at 2015 worlds? Maybe VM's announcement didn't help matters but WP simply did not skate well enough to deserve to be on the podium at worlds. And judging from previous years' results, they wouldn't have made it even without a VM comeback.
Skate Canada did a terrible job of supporting both VM and WP these past few years. If they know the game they're not very good at it.
Orford and Hill were lovely, but I really don't think they had much of a chance to podium in Canada without mistakes or injuries over P and I.
P and O, W and P, and G and P.
I could see them getting fourth at best with mistakes or injuries of other teams.
I agree it must be sad and frustrating for these teams to feel they have to quit because V and M are coming back.
But like someone said its sport.
I'm not sure why V and M chose before Worlds to announce their return, but I'm not sure It had much to do with W and P loss. They didn't skate the best when everyone else did.
I'm pretty sure it was a battle for silver and bronze for them if they skated their best.
P and C are unbeatable right now.
P and O, W and P, and G and P.
I could see them getting fourth at best with mistakes or injuries of other teams.
I agree it must be sad and frustrating for these teams to feel they have to quit because V and M are coming back.
But like someone said its sport.
I'm not sure why V and M chose before Worlds to announce their return, but I'm not sure It had much to do with W and P loss. They didn't skate the best when everyone else did.
I'm pretty sure it was a battle for silver and bronze for them if they skated their best.
P and C are unbeatable right now.
Bent & Razgulyaevs will compete as seniors this year. She has aged out of juniors. Their Season's Best is currently ranked eighth on the GP replacement list so they may get one, but Skate Canada would be wise to sign them up for a couple Challenger events. Ditto with Sales & Wamsteeker--also aging up.
I don't know who made the decision for announcing V&M's return mid-season; but if it was Skate Canada, it was poorly played.
barbarafan
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aftershocks
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Everyone posting is speculating unless some are privy to 
sources, insider knowledge, or have heard pertinent comments directly from the horses' mouths.
I personally think it's sad for fans not to be able to see teams they enjoy continuing to compete. In particular, I truly was hoping to see more from Orford/Hill. I'm sad that I only have a few Youtube videos left to enjoy:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1UMVE-icFY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQvavaMNDf0 "We may never meet again, but then, it's not for me to say" prophetic lyrics
O/H are lovely together, and their connection/unison on the ice came together very quickly. O/H made the Canadian National Team this year, coming in 5th at recent national championships. I feel that O/H performed quite beautifully and are comparable/ very competitive with Paradis/Oulette and Paul/Islam (who placed 3rd, 4th respectively). For my money, I liked O/H better than P/O and P/I at 2016 nationals, although I enjoy watching them all. O/H have expressed gratitude for their second chance at competing in ice dance. While they surely were happy with making the national team (I suppose funding comes with that?), seemingly it was not enough for them to be able to sustain their partnership financially for another two years. This, especially with the knowledge that V/M would be returning, thus probably kicking O/H to 6th place in the eyes of TPTB. Sometimes, it becomes too much to continue fighting the uphill battle only to be met with diminishing returns. And keep in mind, there could be a variety of reasons leading to a team's ultimate decision to retire/ break-up.
None of the skaters are at fault for the state of affairs. More-so IMHO, fault should largely be attributed to the antiquated, limiting way that the sport is structured.
Nicole and Asher posted instagram announcements of their retirement. Asher's gracious words are currently still up:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BGu7cQrg9j1/
sources, insider knowledge, or have heard pertinent comments directly from the horses' mouths.I personally think it's sad for fans not to be able to see teams they enjoy continuing to compete. In particular, I truly was hoping to see more from Orford/Hill. I'm sad that I only have a few Youtube videos left to enjoy:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1UMVE-icFY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQvavaMNDf0 "We may never meet again, but then, it's not for me to say" prophetic lyrics
O/H are lovely together, and their connection/unison on the ice came together very quickly. O/H made the Canadian National Team this year, coming in 5th at recent national championships. I feel that O/H performed quite beautifully and are comparable/ very competitive with Paradis/Oulette and Paul/Islam (who placed 3rd, 4th respectively). For my money, I liked O/H better than P/O and P/I at 2016 nationals, although I enjoy watching them all. O/H have expressed gratitude for their second chance at competing in ice dance. While they surely were happy with making the national team (I suppose funding comes with that?), seemingly it was not enough for them to be able to sustain their partnership financially for another two years. This, especially with the knowledge that V/M would be returning, thus probably kicking O/H to 6th place in the eyes of TPTB. Sometimes, it becomes too much to continue fighting the uphill battle only to be met with diminishing returns. And keep in mind, there could be a variety of reasons leading to a team's ultimate decision to retire/ break-up.
None of the skaters are at fault for the state of affairs. More-so IMHO, fault should largely be attributed to the antiquated, limiting way that the sport is structured.
Nicole and Asher posted instagram announcements of their retirement. Asher's gracious words are currently still up:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BGu7cQrg9j1/
jenji124
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Exactly. I wonder what else people will come up with that they can blame VM for with the use of assumptions and hearsay.
NorthernDancers
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It is ridiculous to "blame" V/M for coming back to competition. They are the best ice dance team that Canada has ever produced, and they are also still very young. It used to be normal to ice dance competitively well into one's 30's. These "kids" are still mid-20's. It used to be that a team's best work usually came when the team was older, more mature, and more able to interpret dance with nuance and real substance. The fact that V/M were able to accomplish what they did so young is testament to their incredible talent. We can disagree on program choices post 2010, but V/M certainly grew and improved between Olympics in terms of interpretation and maturity in their skating. They got better. And that was despite dealing with significant injuries. Now that they have had a bit of a break, and are fully healthy, why wouldn't they come back for more? With a new training environment, health, maturity, I'm really excited to see what they will bring to the world of ice dance. It could be truly amazing over the next couple of years.
As for the retirement of so many teams, we cannot blame V/M for this. Except for maybe O/H who I feel had a shot at an Olympic spot even with the presence of V/M, none of these teams had much of a chance of making world or Olympic rosters prior to 2018 even before V/M decided to come back. Their shot would come post 2018. The blame lands squarely on the shoulders of Skate Canada. They should be using this time, where we have a few really strong teams going to GP and Worlds and Olympics winning full number of international spots, to really build the next generation so they can be ready to take on the mantle. They have completely failed. Right now, the top 10 at Senior is full of teams that have 1 or both partners who have competed internationally as juniors at the very least, and many who have been junior Canadian champs. They are given some attention as Juniors, and perhaps even a little funding, but when they age out into Seniors, it's a huge let-down. There is simply no where for these teams to go, and there are even fewer funding opportunities. So they go back to their rinks to train, compete a few times a year, perhaps at Lake Placid and Barrie, and a few others along the way before the run to Nationals, they spend a lot of time, effort, and money over many years, only to find themselves fighting continually for spots 3 to 5 in a competition structure that is stacked against them by breaking up Nationals into essentially separate competitions (only 3 flights go to Nationals, but the FD competition is split into 2 lower flights, and then the final flight later in the day), and is full of teams that are very close to the same development level. Skate Canada has failed to create proper development plans for the "up and coming" teams, find them adequate funding so they can stay in the sport, and give them meaningful opportunities to compete and grow. It is not a surprise to me that today, really good teams who could be very successful in a few years, are choosing instead to "get on with life" in university, med school, career and so on. At a certain point, with no clear plan forward, the cost/benefit to stay in the sport is simply not there. We are missing out on a lot of really great talent
This problem of extreme lack of funding for developing teams, casting a wide enough net throughout the lower levels and right up to Senior to keep more skaters in the sport (ie. we need to account for those who bloom later), and creating an environment where there are meaningful development opportunities is having a real impact at the lower levels as well. We are losing a lot of quality skaters at younger ages. In tough economic times, and with so many choices, fewer and fewer parents are willing or able to make the crazy sacrifices required to keep a child in skating. It's a hard life for the whole family, unless the family already has a lot of income or money. Lack of money has chased out too many really talented skaters. Then there is the push to put greater physical demands and higher technical difficulty at lower and lower levels. This is not always in the best interest of the young skater. A juvenile skater having to push level 4 lifts and level 3 twizzles and level 3 spins in order to win means that very young kids are pushing themselves to do things that do not line up with their physical development. It promotes a certain body type that achieves results at lower levels, and even at Junior, but suddenly doesn't translate to the same results at Senior where what makes them special before is now seen as "juniorish" or "immature". And there are times where teams that were a great fit early on, then outgrow each other as they physically grow up. V/M are by no means big people. But their small size was once an anomaly. Now it is the preferred norm, and we are missing out on the next generation's Poje. Skate Canada and coaches in general have no concept on how to develop kids who are going to grow and bloom later. Some of these boys are not ready to really be good until they are 20 or 21. But in a day and age where girls are generally taller, finding and keeping some taller boys would likely result in better long-term results right into Senior. We need to re-think LTAD programs from the bottom up, and develop a matching funding program. At the moment, post 2018 is not looking so good for Canadian ice dance.
As for the retirement of so many teams, we cannot blame V/M for this. Except for maybe O/H who I feel had a shot at an Olympic spot even with the presence of V/M, none of these teams had much of a chance of making world or Olympic rosters prior to 2018 even before V/M decided to come back. Their shot would come post 2018. The blame lands squarely on the shoulders of Skate Canada. They should be using this time, where we have a few really strong teams going to GP and Worlds and Olympics winning full number of international spots, to really build the next generation so they can be ready to take on the mantle. They have completely failed. Right now, the top 10 at Senior is full of teams that have 1 or both partners who have competed internationally as juniors at the very least, and many who have been junior Canadian champs. They are given some attention as Juniors, and perhaps even a little funding, but when they age out into Seniors, it's a huge let-down. There is simply no where for these teams to go, and there are even fewer funding opportunities. So they go back to their rinks to train, compete a few times a year, perhaps at Lake Placid and Barrie, and a few others along the way before the run to Nationals, they spend a lot of time, effort, and money over many years, only to find themselves fighting continually for spots 3 to 5 in a competition structure that is stacked against them by breaking up Nationals into essentially separate competitions (only 3 flights go to Nationals, but the FD competition is split into 2 lower flights, and then the final flight later in the day), and is full of teams that are very close to the same development level. Skate Canada has failed to create proper development plans for the "up and coming" teams, find them adequate funding so they can stay in the sport, and give them meaningful opportunities to compete and grow. It is not a surprise to me that today, really good teams who could be very successful in a few years, are choosing instead to "get on with life" in university, med school, career and so on. At a certain point, with no clear plan forward, the cost/benefit to stay in the sport is simply not there. We are missing out on a lot of really great talent
This problem of extreme lack of funding for developing teams, casting a wide enough net throughout the lower levels and right up to Senior to keep more skaters in the sport (ie. we need to account for those who bloom later), and creating an environment where there are meaningful development opportunities is having a real impact at the lower levels as well. We are losing a lot of quality skaters at younger ages. In tough economic times, and with so many choices, fewer and fewer parents are willing or able to make the crazy sacrifices required to keep a child in skating. It's a hard life for the whole family, unless the family already has a lot of income or money. Lack of money has chased out too many really talented skaters. Then there is the push to put greater physical demands and higher technical difficulty at lower and lower levels. This is not always in the best interest of the young skater. A juvenile skater having to push level 4 lifts and level 3 twizzles and level 3 spins in order to win means that very young kids are pushing themselves to do things that do not line up with their physical development. It promotes a certain body type that achieves results at lower levels, and even at Junior, but suddenly doesn't translate to the same results at Senior where what makes them special before is now seen as "juniorish" or "immature". And there are times where teams that were a great fit early on, then outgrow each other as they physically grow up. V/M are by no means big people. But their small size was once an anomaly. Now it is the preferred norm, and we are missing out on the next generation's Poje. Skate Canada and coaches in general have no concept on how to develop kids who are going to grow and bloom later. Some of these boys are not ready to really be good until they are 20 or 21. But in a day and age where girls are generally taller, finding and keeping some taller boys would likely result in better long-term results right into Senior. We need to re-think LTAD programs from the bottom up, and develop a matching funding program. At the moment, post 2018 is not looking so good for Canadian ice dance.
greenapple
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I agree @NorthernDancers - you hit the nail on the head with your synopsis.
O/H did not quit because of V/M's return. They quit because they did not see any point in continuing. After winning the Autumn Classic one would have thought that Skate Canada would have given them another international assignment. But they did not offer them anything. They had one domestic competition (SC Challenge) between October and January. They found it hard to justify investing the $$$$ in another year when it was obvious to them that they were not being supported. I heard that their coaches begged them to reconsider their decision and were/are extremely disappointed about this whole situation.
O/H did not quit because of V/M's return. They quit because they did not see any point in continuing. After winning the Autumn Classic one would have thought that Skate Canada would have given them another international assignment. But they did not offer them anything. They had one domestic competition (SC Challenge) between October and January. They found it hard to justify investing the $$$$ in another year when it was obvious to them that they were not being supported. I heard that their coaches begged them to reconsider their decision and were/are extremely disappointed about this whole situation.
jmtfti
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At the risk of self-promotion, this analysis of Skate Canada's stated minimum scoring criteria for 2016-17's international senior assignments might be relevant: Canadian Ice Dance's New Benchmarks
Not noted directly in the piece, but the shift upward from a baseline of 130 to 140 cuts out two teams who would have quite deservedly merited more opportunity in Andreanne Poulin & Marc-Andre Servant and Lauren Collins & Shane Firus. This looks like a short-sighted requirement, to say the least, and I wonder how many exceptions may be introduced.
Not noted directly in the piece, but the shift upward from a baseline of 130 to 140 cuts out two teams who would have quite deservedly merited more opportunity in Andreanne Poulin & Marc-Andre Servant and Lauren Collins & Shane Firus. This looks like a short-sighted requirement, to say the least, and I wonder how many exceptions may be introduced.
puglover
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I am so sad about the retirement of O/H. He has always been one of my favorite Canadian male dancers. He had a great partner in Nicole and they looked like a real team from the get go. Somehow he managed to keep himself in top competitive shape and seemed to fit right in as a top senior without missing a beat. Why on earth would they not get all the support that they could possibly get? I, for one, will enjoy watching their programs from last year and dream of what could have been. I felt they had a chemistry that many only dream of - sorry Skate Canada - I don't understand all the issues but I think you let a great team slip away.
overedge
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@NorthernDancers your analysis is right on. I agree that it's not V/M's fault that all these teams are retiring or splitting up, and I agree that most of the teams who have done that would have had their "turn" after 2018.
However, V/M's return might have made the dire situation you describe so well seem even worse for those teams. As in, there being even less possibility for movement up the ranks or for development or progress than whatever slim possibility existed before. I am sure that was the farthest thing from V/M's minds in making their decision. I completely agree that Skate Canada has done a terrible job of providing developmental opportunities and funding for the up-and-coming teams, and that's where the problems are originating.
I suspect if many of those teams with post-2018 potential had the support to hang in there for the next two or three years, they might have done that. But V/M coming back might make it appear that there is going to be a lock on one of the top three spots, at least, for the next little while. And if Skate Canada is not going to help those teams hold on until that changes - that's not V/M's fault at all, but that situation might be an indirect result of their decision to return.
However, V/M's return might have made the dire situation you describe so well seem even worse for those teams. As in, there being even less possibility for movement up the ranks or for development or progress than whatever slim possibility existed before. I am sure that was the farthest thing from V/M's minds in making their decision. I completely agree that Skate Canada has done a terrible job of providing developmental opportunities and funding for the up-and-coming teams, and that's where the problems are originating.
I suspect if many of those teams with post-2018 potential had the support to hang in there for the next two or three years, they might have done that. But V/M coming back might make it appear that there is going to be a lock on one of the top three spots, at least, for the next little while. And if Skate Canada is not going to help those teams hold on until that changes - that's not V/M's fault at all, but that situation might be an indirect result of their decision to return.
Moustaffask8r
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Nothing official....fact is they're not registered at any competitions this summer....the word around is that they're not training this summer... maybe they're not saying anything because they're thinking about what to do....
Thank you for information. Hope they will return.
As for Canadian ice dance future. After Korea GP and PI will fight for number one in Canada, so all other teams will not have any chance in future and this is sad.
I think OH have better skells, then GP and i think SC made big mistake to let them retire. But who knows, maybe they made it on personal reason.
VGThuy
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I wonder what would have happened to P/O if they had a better result at Worlds, or at least qualified for the FD. Not qualifying for the FD may have seemed like a kiss of death for them.
kwanoverrated
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It is sad if Paradis & Ouellette retire. They are such a lovely and promising couple. If Gilles & Poirier become Canadian #1 after Korea that is a sad state of affairs for Canadian dance.
CassAgain
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They also had a really unfortunate wardrobe malfunction during their free dance at 4CC, that they actually recovered from quite brilliantly, but must have shaken them up. I hope they decide to continue as to not have to end their competitive career on their Worlds results. (I think not qualifying was the result of a bad draw much more than their actual skating.)
Skate Talker
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My thoughts exactly. Of course I am not a dance teknic so I can't be sure but it seems to me they out-skated a few teams that finished ahead of them. Hopefully they have just decided on a short break.
2015-2016 SD Protocols for Paradis & Ouellette
U.S. Classic-4, 3, 3, 2, 2
Skate Canada-3, 3, 3, 2, 0
Four Continents-4, 4, 4, 3, 3
Worlds-4, 4, 3, 2, 2
Paradis & Ouellette's placement at Worlds came down to their levels in the SD. They placed higher than all the other dance teams with two level 2's, except Wang & Liu. W&L did skate later, but as neither team made the FD; it's generally a mute point.
P&O's overall international SD scores throughout the season were the following:
U.S. Classic 51.58
Skate Canada 47.77
Four Continents 60.15
Worlds 51.94
I saw them skate live twice last year, at Skate Canada & Worlds. P&O need more speed & attack. Personally, I think they were overmarked at 4CC's and were called tight at Worlds. Their performances at U.S. Classic and Skate Canada both had obvious errors so I can see P&O meriting higher scores at Worlds; but the competition is much deeper and the judges were right to keep a reign on things in the SD with so many great teams to come. (Look what happened when they didn't during the FD). Late skate order in the SD also didn't stop the judges from sinking the Chinese and Korean teams right out of the FD.
Anyway, P&O defeated Muramoto & Reed at 4CC's and M&R really outdid themselves to finish 15th at Worlds. So somewhere between 15th and 23rd. (Actually, I would throw Kim & Minov into the mix as well). P&O's FD scores have been hovering in the mid 80's all season. A similar FD score would have put P&O around the area of the Germans in 17th place. And the Germans did very well. The international dance field is deeper and more fluid these days. I quite love it.
I hope that fluidity isn't destroyed by the +5, -5 system coming into play in the future. I think it will have a big impact on dance. On the one hand, it will help separate some of the teams who are taking more serious risk on individual elements (like Stepanova & Bukin and Maia & Alex's twizzles). OTOH, the judges have not been the difference in movement this season. Teams have moved up or down based on technical levels first, and then the judges' marks have trailed behind in later competitions. And movement in dance is a PLUS.
U.S. Classic-4, 3, 3, 2, 2
Skate Canada-3, 3, 3, 2, 0
Four Continents-4, 4, 4, 3, 3
Worlds-4, 4, 3, 2, 2
Paradis & Ouellette's placement at Worlds came down to their levels in the SD. They placed higher than all the other dance teams with two level 2's, except Wang & Liu. W&L did skate later, but as neither team made the FD; it's generally a mute point.
P&O's overall international SD scores throughout the season were the following:
U.S. Classic 51.58
Skate Canada 47.77
Four Continents 60.15
Worlds 51.94
I saw them skate live twice last year, at Skate Canada & Worlds. P&O need more speed & attack. Personally, I think they were overmarked at 4CC's and were called tight at Worlds. Their performances at U.S. Classic and Skate Canada both had obvious errors so I can see P&O meriting higher scores at Worlds; but the competition is much deeper and the judges were right to keep a reign on things in the SD with so many great teams to come. (Look what happened when they didn't during the FD). Late skate order in the SD also didn't stop the judges from sinking the Chinese and Korean teams right out of the FD.
Anyway, P&O defeated Muramoto & Reed at 4CC's and M&R really outdid themselves to finish 15th at Worlds. So somewhere between 15th and 23rd. (Actually, I would throw Kim & Minov into the mix as well). P&O's FD scores have been hovering in the mid 80's all season. A similar FD score would have put P&O around the area of the Germans in 17th place. And the Germans did very well. The international dance field is deeper and more fluid these days. I quite love it.
I hope that fluidity isn't destroyed by the +5, -5 system coming into play in the future. I think it will have a big impact on dance. On the one hand, it will help separate some of the teams who are taking more serious risk on individual elements (like Stepanova & Bukin and Maia & Alex's twizzles). OTOH, the judges have not been the difference in movement this season. Teams have moved up or down based on technical levels first, and then the judges' marks have trailed behind in later competitions. And movement in dance is a PLUS.
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aftershocks
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^^ Interesting @Dobre. Where do you think the lovely Orford/Hill might have been placed/ judged at Worlds based on their last season's showings up through Canadian Nationals? How do you assess O/H, P/O, and P/I at 2016 Canadian Nationals?
Thanks for your knowledgeable and thoughtful post @NorthernDancers which sheds more light on the complexity of the situation! Thanks for detailing the need for Skate Canada to take a long overdue, very different approach to developing and supporting up-and-coming talent in ice dance (and all disciplines), especially as skaters transition into the senior ranks. Competition structure among federations and throughout the entire sport is antiquated and needs to be seriously reassessed and rethought. The sport's structure is still stuck in the Victorian era.
No skater should ever be blamed for wanting to continue competing as long as their bodies allow. Skaters are the hardest hit victims of the current structure. Plus as has been noted repeatedly, there are not enough options available for veterans, both young and old (lack of a dedicated, profitable senior professional competitive tour, mainly because TPTB are afraid a healthy pro-tour would take interest and revenue away from eligible events -- I'm not sure that would have to be the result). Eligible skaters coming up in the ranks who make it to the top are gifted and fortunate. But as you indicate, there are so many talented and gifted eligible skaters who for a variety of reasons and circumstances, including lack of financial/ political support, and antiquated competition structure, get left by the wayside as they make effort after effort to succeed at the highest level in the sport they love. It is a bottleneck at the top.
I appreciate your explanation @NorthernDancers re some of the specific problems with Canada's competition structure, and Skate Canada's ongoing dropping of the ball in paying attention to developing and supporting their young talent. I think problems exist globally, as well as specifically among all federations. I don't have any solutions, but there have been threads here debating different problematic aspects of the sport's scoring system, and to a lesser degree it's competition structure. The sport should convene officials in power positions together with skater reps and knowledgeable/ local level participant fans to study the problems and come up with the beginnings of a way out of the difficult dilemmas the sport faces (instead of TPTB continuing to bury their heads ever deeper in the sand). Vision and new ideas are needed, and the time is now.
As far as V/M, they should not be blamed for wanting to return to competition to further explore what they can contribute to and gain from the sport at the highest level. They have proven talent and a deserved reputation for competitive excellence, so of course Skate Canada and the sport as a whole welcomes them back. On the basis of their reputation, politics may be in their favor, but they will have to train and work as hard as every other skater. There will surely be fierce rivalries, but also much respect among the skaters. They all have to deal with the dearth of opportunities that exist and get on with pursuing their dreams the best they can (or decide to move on, often for financial reasons). Sometimes the glory is in achieving what you know is a great performance and your best effort, no matter where the judges decide to slot you. It's when you know you have fallen below what you are capable of that you have to look deep inside and decide if you can pull out victory from the jaws of defeat. And you have to not care what naysayers think, or where the politics of the situation places you in the view of fans and officials. Yes, I am talking about Weaver/Poje. And I hope they won't settle for less than their best. No matter what happens, if they give their best they can be proud.
Thanks for your knowledgeable and thoughtful post @NorthernDancers which sheds more light on the complexity of the situation! Thanks for detailing the need for Skate Canada to take a long overdue, very different approach to developing and supporting up-and-coming talent in ice dance (and all disciplines), especially as skaters transition into the senior ranks. Competition structure among federations and throughout the entire sport is antiquated and needs to be seriously reassessed and rethought. The sport's structure is still stuck in the Victorian era.
No skater should ever be blamed for wanting to continue competing as long as their bodies allow. Skaters are the hardest hit victims of the current structure. Plus as has been noted repeatedly, there are not enough options available for veterans, both young and old (lack of a dedicated, profitable senior professional competitive tour, mainly because TPTB are afraid a healthy pro-tour would take interest and revenue away from eligible events -- I'm not sure that would have to be the result). Eligible skaters coming up in the ranks who make it to the top are gifted and fortunate. But as you indicate, there are so many talented and gifted eligible skaters who for a variety of reasons and circumstances, including lack of financial/ political support, and antiquated competition structure, get left by the wayside as they make effort after effort to succeed at the highest level in the sport they love. It is a bottleneck at the top.
I appreciate your explanation @NorthernDancers re some of the specific problems with Canada's competition structure, and Skate Canada's ongoing dropping of the ball in paying attention to developing and supporting their young talent. I think problems exist globally, as well as specifically among all federations. I don't have any solutions, but there have been threads here debating different problematic aspects of the sport's scoring system, and to a lesser degree it's competition structure. The sport should convene officials in power positions together with skater reps and knowledgeable/ local level participant fans to study the problems and come up with the beginnings of a way out of the difficult dilemmas the sport faces (instead of TPTB continuing to bury their heads ever deeper in the sand). Vision and new ideas are needed, and the time is now.
As far as V/M, they should not be blamed for wanting to return to competition to further explore what they can contribute to and gain from the sport at the highest level. They have proven talent and a deserved reputation for competitive excellence, so of course Skate Canada and the sport as a whole welcomes them back. On the basis of their reputation, politics may be in their favor, but they will have to train and work as hard as every other skater. There will surely be fierce rivalries, but also much respect among the skaters. They all have to deal with the dearth of opportunities that exist and get on with pursuing their dreams the best they can (or decide to move on, often for financial reasons). Sometimes the glory is in achieving what you know is a great performance and your best effort, no matter where the judges decide to slot you. It's when you know you have fallen below what you are capable of that you have to look deep inside and decide if you can pull out victory from the jaws of defeat. And you have to not care what naysayers think, or where the politics of the situation places you in the view of fans and officials. Yes, I am talking about Weaver/Poje. And I hope they won't settle for less than their best. No matter what happens, if they give their best they can be proud.
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ITA. I was convinced that after 2018 Orford/Hill would be the team to fill the void after V/M`s and W/P`s retirements. For me, they were clearly the future of Canadian ice dance. Skate Canada should pray that a talented junior team pops somewhere up, otherwise they will find themselves in the same situation as Russia has been since the retirement of Navka/Kostomarov.
aftershocks
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Absolutely a shame, and I truly wonder re the apparent lack of full encouragement and support for Orford/Hill. TBTB in Skate Canada will have only themselves to blame if Canadian ice dance struggles post-2018. I suppose SC views talented skaters and wonderful partnerships as a bottomless pit/ dime a dozen.
overedge
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The problem isn't a lack of talented junior teams. The problem, as @NorthernDancers so clearly explained, that Skate Canada is not providing financial support and competitive opportunities for the up-and-coming teams. It's no good having talented junior teams if they don't get the help they need to develop into contenders at the senior levels.
aftershocks
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So bottom line, SC shouldn't take their talented teams for granted at any level (nor should any federation). What will it take for federations individually and collectively to come to this realization?
breathesgelatin
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Honestly, I am crushed about Orford/Hill not continuing. They just had "it." They really, really did. I can't help but think what if. Like others I feel like if they'd been given a good run on the international circuit this year they really might've had a shot at the third Olympic spot. 
The situation in Canada is not all that dissimilar to that in the USA right now. Major differences:
1. Davis/White have shown no indication as yet that they plan to return or make a run at the 2018 Olympics
2. USFSA seems to (be able to?) support more senior teams traveling to Challenger series/Senior B competitions
3. More of the up and coming US teams have not aged out of juniors (including veterans like McNamara/Carpenter where many fans are impatient for them to move up)
4. USFSA has no rule about a team who wins junior nationals having to move up to senior nationals. This is a big deal for affected teams, who must contemplate two different SDs.
5. There has been more movement at the top with the US teams, with Chock/Bates and the Shibutanis duking it out for US #1. Maybe that keeps things feeling more overall competitive for everyone? And makes everyone feel like they have a chance?
The situation in Canada is not all that dissimilar to that in the USA right now. Major differences:
1. Davis/White have shown no indication as yet that they plan to return or make a run at the 2018 Olympics
2. USFSA seems to (be able to?) support more senior teams traveling to Challenger series/Senior B competitions
3. More of the up and coming US teams have not aged out of juniors (including veterans like McNamara/Carpenter where many fans are impatient for them to move up)
4. USFSA has no rule about a team who wins junior nationals having to move up to senior nationals. This is a big deal for affected teams, who must contemplate two different SDs.
5. There has been more movement at the top with the US teams, with Chock/Bates and the Shibutanis duking it out for US #1. Maybe that keeps things feeling more overall competitive for everyone? And makes everyone feel like they have a chance?
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