US Pairs 2012-13 news & updates

[icelover]

I just watched and cannot wait to see this fully trained later on in the season. It's a beautiful program, IMO.

It is beautiful and sophisticated. Yes, it should be spectacular later in the season!

[dinakt]

I love Mary Beth/ Rockne new LP, as well.

[lmarie086]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfMIopayN4c

Yankowskas and Reagan at Skate For Hope.

Many thanks to legjumper for this video of Marley/Brubaker's new FS to "Umbrellas of Cherbourg" (their exhibition at L.A. Open) that was originally posted in the U.S. Club Competitiions thread in Kiss and Cry: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ALGTtcu93U

ETA: Doug Mattis tweeted from L.A. Open that M/B's SP music is "Hernando's Hideway."

Thank you for the links! Very excited about Y/R-sooo much potential there. And great chemistry already! I can't wait to see what they look like further into their partnership.

And M/B get better and better. I'm really pulling for them this year.

[Lacey]

Mary Beth has grown up, how old is she now? She really looked in that clip to have a lot more style. Exciting!

[Ziggy]

Re: M/B's program.

The upper body movement is elegant but limited and they just keep doing cross-overs all the time. Ice coverage could be a bit better as well. Meh.

[olympic]

Re: M/B's program.

The upper body movement is elegant but limited and they just keep doing cross-overs all the time. Ice coverage could be a bit better as well. Meh.

They've been together less than 2 yrs., and this is July, so the program was really a test drive bound to be full of cross-overs. They need to hit the elements, but I think viewers' impression was that they made another leap forward from last season.

[kirkbiggestfan]

Her posture and lines have improved. They have all the qualities to hit the big tricks, but it is the small details that need to be addressed. It is gutsy to put that throw so late in the program.

[legjumper]

Mary Beth is now 17.

M/B's performance at the L.A. Open was clearly meant to be a first-time public walkthrough of their new program. During the warm-up, they didn't do any SBS jumps and mostly concentrated on lifts. That said, I don't expect the program to suddenly be all transitions by Nationals. Mary Beth and Rockne have only been together for about two years at this point, which is also the length of time Mary Beth has been doing pairs, or skating at the senior level, period. That they've come this far, this quickly is a testament to their talent and hard work. It's unrealistic to expect World medal-caliber programs at this stage of their partnership.

Besides, I'm sure any criticism of M/B will be small potatoes once everyone sees what Denney/Coughlin are doing.

ETA: kirkbiggestfan, I keep wondering if the throw will be moved up in the program. Trying a throw triple lutz that late seems to be just asking for a fall.

[hippychick]

Donlan and Speroff have a new website on FSO. Loved their story!

[aftershocks]

Re: M/B's program.

The upper body movement is elegant but limited and they just keep doing cross-overs all the time. Ice coverage could be a bit better as well. Meh.

To your "meh," I say "More please" from Mary Beth and Rockne, and Kudos for all they've accomplished in such a short time.

They've been together less than 2 yrs., and this is July, so the program was really a test drive bound to be full of cross-overs. They need to hit the elements, but I think viewers' impression was that they made another leap forward from last season.

Thank you, olympic!

Her posture and lines have improved. They have all the qualities to hit the big tricks, but it is the small details that need to be addressed. It is gutsy to put that throw so late in the program.

I think it is both the small and large details that they and their coaches are constantly addressing and working hard on.

Let's wait and see how the program progresses during the season. Putting in the throw at the end is like training a "Quad." To improve and be competitive, you've got to go for what those who are winning championships and medals are going for and accomplishing, no?

Mary Beth is now 17.

M/B's performance at the L.A. Open was clearly meant to be a first-time public walkthrough of their new program. During the warm-up, they didn't do any SBS jumps and mostly concentrated on lifts. That said, I don't expect the program to suddenly be all transitions by Nationals. Mary Beth and Rockne have only been together for about two years at this point, which is also the length of time Mary Beth has been doing pairs, or skating at the senior level, period. That they've come this far, this quickly is a testament to their talent and hard work. It's unrealistic to expect World medal-caliber programs at this stage of their partnership.

Thanks, legjumper.

Besides, I'm sure any criticism of M/B will be small potatoes once everyone sees what Denney/Coughlin are doing.

ETA: kirkbiggestfan, I keep wondering if the throw will be moved up in the program. Trying a throw triple lutz that late seems to be just asking for a fall.

About the throw at the end, see my above comment in response to kirkbiggestfan -- what's wrong with working on what's going to make you more competitive with the top teams?

[legjumper]

There's nothing wrong with working on elements that make you more competitive. I just don't see many teams attempting throw jumps that hard, that late in a program, and have regular success with the element. I don't want to see this element turned into a Hail Mary,especially when the team hasn't proved it's a no-brainer element for them.

[Ziggy]

They've been together less than 2 yrs., and this is July, so the program was really a test drive bound to be full of cross-overs. They need to hit the elements, but I think viewers' impression was that they made another leap forward from last season.

Yeah fair enough, they even wore their practice outfits after all.

In terms of their posture, lines, unison, pair elements, etc. they definitely do look improved and I guess the program has potential if they add some more detail to it.

[aftershocks]

There's nothing wrong with working on elements that make you more competitive. I just don't see many teams attempting throw jumps that hard, that late in a program, and have regular success with the element. I don't want to see this element turned into a Hail Mary,especially when the team hasn't proved it's a no-brainer element for them.

But they haven't performed it yet in competition, so trying it out in exhibition during the offseason means just that at this point ... trying it out and seeing how it feels and whether they might eventually be comfortable attempting it in competition, or perhaps moving the jump to earlier in the program. I really haven't been keeping tabs, but I believe it is Savchenko/ Solkowy who in the CoP era were the first to attempt a difficult throw jump (3flip, I believe) as the last element in their fp? Correct me if I'm wrong. S/S as I recall from memory have had a great deal of success performing that final difficult throw, altho' once again I haven't checked their stats re consistency landing that jump as a final element. Kudos to Mary Beth and Rockne for mixing things up (going for a throw 3lutz) -- they are showing that they are hungry and planning to be competitive.

ETA:

I doubt that Jenni and Todd are going to coach Mary Beth and Rockne to do anything as a "Hail Mary." And neither do they have to make "Hail Mary" efforts in any case. They are just simply that talented, and with hard work and the right decisions combined with other intangibles, including luck but mainly their hard work, the possibilities are what dreams are made of ... GO Marley/ Brubaker!

Thanks Ziggy for pointing out that the difficult jump S/S perform at the end of programs is the 3Salchow, and with great success.

[Ziggy]

Savchenko/Szolkowy have been performing throw 3salchow as the last element in their program for a number of seasons now.

[olympic]

...
Besides, I'm sure any criticism of M/B will be small potatoes once everyone sees what Denney/Coughlin are doing. ...

Something in regards to POTO? Do tell

[Ziggy]

Something in regards to POTO? Do tell

Something in regards to walking over the ice hunched, I bet.

[legjumper]

Don't know anything, other than that this is FSU, where D/C have received such a warm reception.

(I'm attending An Evening on Ice on Saturday, though, so I'm hoping they'll skate a new program rather than an exhib.)

[shan]

Donlan and Speroff have a new website on FSO. Loved their story!

Me too!! I'm so excited to see their new sp to Lady Caliph.

[BittyBug]

Me too!! I'm so excited to see their new sp to Lady Caliph.

It's pretty bold of them to pick a piece that is so associated with Berezhnaya & Sikharulidze, but I think D&S can do the music justice. I look forward to seeing their program.

[hlp728]

Donlan and Speroff have a new website on FSO. Loved their story!

Agree. I love them even more after reading that and their personal info. They seem to have a wonderfull skating relationship. Interesting that Tanith helped choreograph their short program.