US Pairs 2012-13 news & updates

[NadineWhite]

Yeah I know that, and automatically *assumed* that he is where he is now because Gretchen Donlan's from Boston, et al. And one of the deals of the partnership I'm *assuming* once again is that he had to move where she was, and that included her coaches, etc. In fact he stated on his facebook page that he used to live with Gretchen and her family.

Btw, I enjoy reading your site, Sylvia.

[Sylvia]

Updated from an earlier post (#521) in this thread:

^^^ Scores and competitions can be found at: http://unseenskaters.wordpress.com/s...-pairs-scores/

Denney/Frazier's only international was the JGP in Lake Placid (they withdrew from their 2nd JGP due to injury and haven't competed since; they also changed coaches/training locations this fall), while Yankowskas/Reagan only competed a SP at Skate Detroit in July and later changed their SP music for Champs Camp.

I've bolded and identified the team's most recent competition (Donlan reportedly wasn't feeling well at Ice Challenge; their best international score was at Nebelhorn Trophy):

Senior Pairs at 2013 Nationals (down to 11 teams):

Denney/Coughlin 179.21, CoR 178.90 (172.16) - out of Nationals at least
Castelli/Shnapir 174.86 174.51, NHK (165.74)
Scimeca/Knierim 163.10, NHK 156.00 (158.63)
Donlan/Speroff 145.35 135.43, Ice Challenge (150.00)
Davis/Ladwig 143.70, NHK 122.26 (144.35)
Vise/Baldwin 143.34 143.15, CoR (138.68)
Zhang/Bartholomay 143.32, Salt Lake Sr B (150.05) [Note: Felicia skated injured at Eastern Sectionals to qualify for Nationals]
Kayne/O'Shea (150.50) (137.72, Easterns)
Denney/Frazier 127.33*, JGP (150.08)
Baga/Toth (119.41) (106.73, Mids)
Leng/LeDuc (113.44, Mids)
Yankowskas/Reagan (no full competition score available)

* = Junior score

[olympic]

*sigh* Sad for D/C

It looks like C/S and S/K are most likely world's team, unless D/C are magically ready in time or D/S pull themselves together ...

[Spiralgraph]

I must've missed the latest on Yankowskas/Reagan. What's their injury and how long are they out for?

(The very cynical side of me wonders if Caydee Denney will still be skating with Coughlin after US Nationals 2013.)

[Sylvia]

According to a USFS press release dated November 9th, Caitlin Yankowskas/Joshua Reagan "were forced to withdraw from both of their Grand Prix assignments, Cup of China and NHK Trophy, after Reagan sustained a rib injury in practice last month."

[kwanfan1818]

Y/R were out for entire GP season. They had been assigned to CoC and then from the alternates list to NHK.

[NadineWhite]

Just a side note, but I can't believe how much Caitlin Yankowskas reminds me of Oksana Baiul, not just in looks, but more importantly how they skate, WOW!

[aftershocks]

... For example, I'd like to see D/C skate to something like Bald Mountain (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmztA5iMUSA, minus the flexi moves) where the emphasis would be on energy, instead of trying to make her into a pwetty pwincess...

Yes, I agree Denney/ Coughlin might benefit from using high energy dramatic music to highlight their strengths, rather than soft, lyrical traditional ballet-type music/ choreo.

Best of luck to John for a full and safe recovery, and I look forward to seeing him and Caydee back on the ice when he's fully healed!

[Sylvia]

Here's a Boston Globe article on Castelli/Shnapir that includes quotes by their coach Bobby Martin and by Simon on working with choreographer Julie Marcotte: http://www.boston.com/sports/other-s...iNI/story.html

[Skittl1321]

Wow- I hope John Coughlin has a full recovery and is in top shape for the Olympic season.

The pairs event at nationals should be interesting. The scores show there are definitely top teams and lower tier teams, but really- it seems like this is anybody's ball game, no one really has a big enough reputation to hold them up if they don't skate great. I can't wait to see how it plays out.

[NadineWhite]

My ultimate dream for pairs is that the two that go to the Olympics do good enough in the *Team Event* to earn the USA a medal, because I think it's going to come down to pairs in the end. Dance no problem. Ladies 80% chance of doing good. Men 50/50. Then comes pairs Whomever skates pairs' for the USA is going to have the biggest burden/albatross.

Which is why they have to kick it up a notch! The bronze will be between them and Canada...

[hlp728]

Found a video of Caityln and Josh skating at the Dallas Galleria. They skated to Music from Nutcracker Ballet, Waltz of the Flowers I think. http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dTAzVFJcbjk. You can skip towards the 6:55 marker. I can't wait to see more from them!!

[Proustable]

My ultimate dream for pairs is that the two that go to the Olympics do good enough in the *Team Event* to earn the USA a medal, because I think it's going to come down to pairs in the end. Dance no problem. Ladies 80% chance of doing good. Men 50/50. Then comes pairs Whomever skates pairs' for the USA is going to have the biggest burden/albatross.

Which is why they have to kick it up a notch! The bronze will be between them and Canada...

Who is gonna win silver and gold?

[TwizzlerS]

I've been wondering that too (who will win silver & gold in the Team Event). Perhaps there should be a separate thread for this but Japan has the pairs and dance deficits (do they have a pairs team that can compete in the Olympics?). Canada has strengths in 3 disciplines and maybe ladies will be better if Osmond continues to do well (but they'll need another lady). Russia has strengths in all four disciplines unless Plushenko doesn't skate. Italy needs some men. I'd say the US may be on par with or perhaps a bit stronger than France.

[Proustable]

Right now, I'd argue it's Russia, Canada, France and USA for the podium.

[Sylvia]

I've been wondering that too (who will win silver & gold in the Team Event). Perhaps there should be a separate thread for this

I've bumped up an old thread for you and copied over your post above (as well as other posts related to this topic): Team event in Sochi

ETA: Marissa Castelli tweeted yesterday that she was "Heading up to the great white north tomorrow" so it sounds like she and Simon are going back to work with Julie Marcotte et al. in Montreal.

[kwanfan1818]

Canada has strengths in 3 disciplines and maybe ladies will be better if Osmond continues to do well (but they'll need another lady).

I'm curious -- why? Do you mean to be safe? They can only enter two skaters/teams in up to two disciplines, one each skating the short and the free, but there's not requirement to have more than one from each discipline. If Canada is bent on winning, they wouldn't split Dance or Men, unless there is a miracle between now and Sochi or Chan and/or V/M requested it.

Unless the Canadian Ladies skater earns more than one spot at Worlds in London, Canada can't have more than one Ladies entry. (That's technically true of all disciplines, but barring disaster, Canada should easily have at least two in every other discipline, since everyone who finishes the SP gets a maximum of 16 points, which means the second skater has to be, at worst, in the top 12.)

[johndockley92]

Didn't see much from that video of Ashley and Josh, but nice star carry!

[Sylvia]

Found a video of Caityln and Josh skating at the Dallas Galleria. They skated to Music from Nutcracker Ballet, Waltz of the Flowers I think. http://youtube.com/watch?v=dTAzVFJcbjk. You can skip towards the 6:55 marker.

It's "Pas de Deux" from The Nutcracker. This video is filmed from high above the small rink!

Didn't see much from that video of Ashley and Josh, but nice star carry!

You mean Caitlin and Josh. They are the only pair with no competition videos online so far this season, so it's difficult to assess how they will fare at Nationals.

[Vash01]

You mean Caitlin and Josh. They are the only pair with no competition videos online so far this season, so it's difficult to assess how they will fare at Nationals.

I don't mean to jinx them, but if they win the US nationals, it would be quite fitting because Coughlin won it with his new partner (Denney) after he split from Yankowskas.