Dube and Wolfe?? Comments??

[flowerpower]

Personally I think the situation is more like that of Cody Hay and Annabelle Langlois. She was experienced in senior. He had reasonable experience, but at a lower level and with less skilled partners. It took them about a year to get to matching levels, but it did eventually work out.

Yes, I agree.

[Subway]

Well I know Wolfe is new to senior and has no where near the experience of Dube but he's a 2 time Jr National silver medalist and did novice the year before that so he does have some experience. I find him lacking in technique. Hopefully Zimmerman can help that ... lord knows Annie and her camp won't.

How long had Kirsten Moore-Towers skated pairs prior to her partnership with Dylan Moscovitch? How many years of experience did she have compared to him?

[laceup]

Good point. she had 1 year of junior pair and I don't think it was a good year for them IIR. Wolfe has a lot more experience than that .....

[Rafter]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zi7-q9f7Okw

Here's their SP from Nebelhorn. Program is very simple choreographically.
Wolfe actually has a nice look on the ice and looks bigger/taller/stronger than Davison. But he clearly has a problem with the lifts. They need to go to an actual pairs coach if they're to progress, but I doubt Jessica will ever leave Barabe.

[allezfred]

Having seen them at Nebelhorn, there is certainly potential there, but as Rafterfan says he really needs to work on the lifts.

[flowerpower]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zi7-q9f7Okw

Here's their SP from Nebelhorn.

Thanks for posting. Definitely he needs coaching and practice on the lifts; I give credit to Jessica for landing that throw lutz moments after their aborted lift. Also quite decent side-by-side triple flips. Good potential IMO.

Ideally I'd love to see them with a different coach - but Bryce learned good lift technique in that coaching environment, so it's possible.

They'll need to be patient; their development may take some time. Reminds me of Cody & Anabelle when Cody came up from juniors - there seems to be a steep learning curve when it's the guy who has less experience. Rome wasn't built in a day. I hope Zimmerman's input is useful.

[Rafter]

Thanks for posting. Definitely he needs coaching and practice on the lifts; I give credit to Jessica for landing that throw lutz moments after their aborted lift. Also quite decent side-by-side triple flips. Good potential IMO.

Ideally I'd love to see them with a different coach - but Bryce learned good lift technique in that coaching environment, so it's possible.

Actually Bryce had good lift technique by the time he paired up with Dube. He learned it from his former coach Kevin Wheeler (also Ian Beharry's former coach). Kevin Wheeler himself was coached by Kerry Leitch who was a great lifting coach.

Davison also had supplementary coaching by David Pelletier. I'd credit Wheeler and Pelletier with Bryce's lift technique - not Barabe.

[flowerpower]

Actually Bryce had good lift technique by the time he paired up with Dube. He learned it from his former coach Kevin Wheeler (also Ian Beharry's former coach). Kevin Wheeler himself was coached by Kerry Leitch who was a great lifting coach.

Interesting. If Sebastien continues to have trouble in this area, they'd better get additional help stat.

[icellist]

When Dube and Davison were still partners, I always felt that Bryce was the star in the couple. He hold wonderful lines, edges, posture, and ease into most elements except for the twist and lifts. Dube didn't really have his musicality either, she was just a very technically sound partner in my opinion.

All this talk makes me hope that Bryce skate in pairs again with Caitlin Yankowskas. They'll represent whichever organization would fund them more

[Skate Talker]

Might not be that difficult. IIRC Bryce was born in L.A., wasn't he?

Just watched the FS vid and although it is not great that they aborted the lift, I didn't see anything that looked dangerous at least. If he feels there is a problem I would soooo much rather he put her down in a controlled manner than try to muscle it through, especially at this point of their partnership.

[maggylyn]

Interesting. If Sebastien continues to have trouble in this area, they'd better get additional help stat.

Are aborted lifts invariably the guy's problem?

Sebastien did have a previous partner, it's not like he's never done pairs' skating before. I'm no teknic, mostly wondering if it's the norm for the guy to get all of the blame in these cases.

[Ziggy]

Are aborted lifts invariably the guy's problem?

Sebastien did have a previous partner, it's not like he's never done pairs' skating before. I'm no teknic, mostly wondering if it's the norm for the guy to get all of the blame in these cases.

Sebastien is very short and he's not particularly muscular either.

Unless he pulls a Hugh Jackman, I don't see how this is going to work.

Which is a shame because Wolfe is lovely and I would like to see as much of him as possible (with another partner preferably ).

[DaveRocks]

Might not be that difficult. IIRC Bryce was born in L.A., wasn't he?

Just watched the FS vid and although it is not great that they aborted the lift, I didn't see anything that looked dangerous at least. If he feels there is a problem I would soooo much rather he put her down in a controlled manner than try to muscle it through, especially at this point of their partnership.

Do you have a link to their free skate vid? (Or did you mean SP)? Thanks!

[flowerpower]

Sebastien is very short

??? Are we looking at the same guy?

[Rafter]

??? Are we looking at the same guy?

I agree. He looks quite a bit taller than Davison to me.

[pair mom]

Actually Bryce had good lift technique by the time he paired up with Dube. He learned it from his former coach Kevin Wheeler (also Ian Beharry's former coach). Kevin Wheeler himself was coached by Kerry Leitch who was a great lifting coach.

Davison also had supplementary coaching by David Pelletier. I'd credit Wheeler and Pelletier with Bryce's lift technique - not Barabe.

Completely agree with this ^. And Seb Wolfe is easily 6 ft. tall, and Bryce is not. Please give him/them a chance people...great pairs can take years to develop...and he is still very young...but he has amazing singles skills and that's a great place to start building a terrific pair guy!

[4rkidz]

Completely agree with this ^. And Seb Wolfe is easily 6 ft. tall, and Bryce is not. Please give him/them a chance people...great pairs can take years to develop...and he is still very young...but he has amazing singles skills and that's a great place to start building a terrific pair guy!

very true and let's not forget when Bryce started the former relationship with Jessica he wasn't at her level, his lifts although improved he was still unsteady over the ice in the beginning and his spins and spirals but quite quickly he became excellent on the pair lifts - infact within a fairly short amount of time became the superior pair.. I really hope the same happens with Wolfe as he has all the tools..

[ltnskater]

When Dube and Davison were still partners, I always felt that Bryce was the star in the couple. He hold wonderful lines, edges, posture, and ease into most elements except for the twist and lifts. Dube didn't really have his musicality either, she was just a very technically sound partner in my opinion.

All this talk makes me hope that Bryce skate in pairs again with Caitlin Yankowskas. They'll represent whichever organization would fund them more

Yes, she was very good at all the pair elements, yet she could never land a triple sal

Anyways, seriously speaking, I think the pair has potential, lifts are a work in progress, but I have heard that many of the other teams are also having trouble with the lifts this season, because they changed some of the rules? (Not too clear on the rule changes though).

Also think it's a good starting point for their 1st season so far, they finally have gotten the sbs triple flip (strangely enough it has been Sebastien who has been missing it by doubling in past competitions), but it seems to be a smarter choice than the triple sal which Jess frequently has problems with.

[barbk]

Pairs women are either incredibly courageous or terribly foolhardy. I'm glad I'm not Dube's mom.

I don't buy the "lifts are more difficult this year" argument for this failure. First, the fail was not on a new aspect of a lift. Second, if the pair is having trouble with basic lifts, I would hope a coach would nix any attempt to put a more complex version into a competition routine until they're rock solid and steady on the simpler versions. Getting higher levels isn't supposed to be an invitation to risk your neck, or at least it is an invitation you're supposed to decline.

[shutterbug]

Wolfe is 6’1” according to the media guide from last season’s Canadians.

Some thoughts from David Pelletier on learning to lift a new partner: Bonhomme, Pelletier ready for 'Battle'

At 5'7", Bonhomme is six inches taller than Salé, but Pelletier says that doesn't pose a problem for him.

"As far as the lifting goes, I've lifted a lot of people. I've lifted guys. I remember doing something with Alexei Yagudin (a castmate on Smucker's Stars on Ice for four years) a couple of times." Pelletier said. "It's really not about the weight. Most of it is technique. I've got the technique down. I just have to teach her that.

"It's very scary to be up there," he continued. "I give her credit for that.... Because she's such a great athlete, she's got this body awareness that only athletes have. If I tell her to fix something with her leg, she knows what I'm talking about. She's got this muscle awareness."

Actually Bryce had good lift technique by the time he paired up with Dube. He learned it from his former coach Kevin Wheeler (also Ian Beharry's former coach). Kevin Wheeler himself was coached by Kerry Leitch who was a great lifting coach.

Davison also had supplementary coaching by David Pelletier. I'd credit Wheeler and Pelletier with Bryce's lift technique - not Barabe.

Kevin Wheeler does wonderful work. Ian’s partnering style reminds me so much of Bryce’s – steady feet and soft, confident hands. Les Wirtz are lucky to have him. He and Katie already have very secure lifts and a gorgeous 3twist. Good technique pays off every time.

very true and let's not forget when Bryce started the former relationship with Jessica he wasn't at her level, his lifts although improved he was still unsteady over the ice in the beginning and his spins and spirals but quite quickly he became excellent on the pair lifts - infact within a fairly short amount of time became the superior pair.. I really hope the same happens with Wolfe as he has all the tools..

While ITA that many of Bryce’s skills improved while skating with Jessica, he was always solid in the lifts, except for the one season when they were adjusting to her new size after she hit puberty. And an interesting season THAT was. But I don’t think you can compare the development of a team that started skating together at 15 & 17 to a team that started skating together as adults. Apples and oranges really.