Takahashi & Tran split

[aftershocks]

^^ How tall is Andrea Poapst? What part of Canada does she hail from? -- ok, I see Toronto, posted earlier.

Ok, I checked Andrea's icepartnersearch listing and it indicates she's 5' 0"

http://icepartnersearch.com/showbio.php?i=4035

She also indicates "undecided" under the question about relocating. However, since she is Canadian, seemingly she would not be averse to moving back to Canada to train with Mervin's coaches. Andrea is fortunate in being able to have dual citizenship (or does she yet have U.S. citizenship?).

Maybe Andrea and Mervin will try out, but a lot of different things go into determining whether a partnership will work. Has Andrea ever tried out with Rockne?

BTW, I wonder what Rockne is doing these days aside from skating in shows and preparing for the holidays? I wonder if he is doing some partner searching, or if he has someone in mind that he'd like to skate with (post the usual season-end break-ups/ mash-ups)?

[Sylvia]

I think if Poapst had dual citizenship she would have listed it in her IPS profile? (last updated in May 2012)

While I enjoyed T&T tremendously (I thought they had the best SP last season), I would imagine whatever Japanese partner she acquires, his biggest asset will be the jumps. And jumps are not Takahashi's strength (understatement!). The reason T&T did as well as they did, despite their propensity to make errors, was because of the quality of their actual pairs elements. Finding a Japanese males skater who has strong pairs elements will not be easy.

It's probably more accurate to say "Finding a Japanese male skater who could learn strong pairs elements will not be easy." I don't believe any other Japanese pair teams, at any level, exist in Japan at this time?

[Anya]

I wonder if anyone one know an average time-frame to 'convert' from male single skating to pairs? I have seen girls manage this transition in less than a year on a number of occasions, but the only male skater I can think of is Ivan Bich, who used to be a Junior-level single skater and now competes with Kamilla Gainetdinova in Junior Pairs. I think it took him about a year as well (she did not have any prior experience in Pairs, either). Their pair elements are not outstanding at this point, but they do complete them. And they are 'the other' team to do side-by-side triple Lutzes in competition.

I am just curious, if a potential goal of having a Japanese pair skating team is at all reachable at this stage, even provided that the JSF would persuade any of their numerous male single skaters to switch and team up with Takahashi.

[Sylvia]

Anya, thanks for bringing up the Gainetdinova/Bich example. How quickly and successfully singles skaters transition to pairs would depend on the skills and temperaments of the skaters as individuals and how they meld together as a team, as well as the quality of coaching, of course. I don't think it's possible to predict an "average time-frame" for any newly-formed pair (male or female being new to pairs).

[kwanfan1818]

If it's a Federation goal and has Federation support to field a Pair in the team event, it should be possible if they don't expect the team to be competitive, just operational, by Sochi, and if they are aiming for the long term. By support I mean funding the Pair to train out of Japan with an expert Pairs coach -- this would be a plus for some male singles skaters and a negative for others -- unless they can convince Vasiliev, who is a master manufacturer, to set up shop in Japan. (He last sounded pretty fed up and at least he likely would be starting with two people who can skate and with sophistication: he said that he had to teach Totmianina and Marinin what brackets and counters were when they first started with him.)

The other issue besides that is whether and how much Takahashi has healed. She'd be risking re-injury learning Pairs moves with an inexperience partner, given the number and severity of falls Pairs women take on the Pairs elements.

ETA: Also, if the Japanese Fed was influential in Takahashi's decision and is interested in the Team Event -- they could be sitting back and thinking, not worth just trying to scrape into the final at this point -- they might very well have skaters in mind and have been setting the stage. They had Morozov all lined up before they faxed Richard Callahan to say that Arakawa wouldn't be back.

[skatinginbc]

Oh, no! They were a very promising pair. I assume Narumi will get full support from the Japanese federation in terms of finding another partner and all that. Will Mervin receive the same from the Canadian or will he be let alone struggling through this difficult time?

[kwanfan1818]

Considering that he is one of the three Canadian male Pairs skaters to medal at the World level in the last decade, I would hope he will not be let alone struggling.

[skatinginbc]

Considering that he is one of the three Canadian male Pairs skaters to medal at the World level in the last decade, I would hope he will not be let alone struggling.

He never represented Canada, did he? Will that be a factor regarding funding and other supports? He had helped the Japanese, not Canadian federation to earn a spot (or two, I don't know) in future major competitions. Shouldn't he be requesting some sort of severance pay from the Japanese?

[JasperBoy]

When Natasha Purich was looking for a partner I hoped that Mervin Tran would be available for her. Bad timing, I guess.

[flowerpower]

^
I guess it depends how well things are going with her and her new partner.

Purich and Julianne Seguin are both in Montreal, and could be interesting partners. Also Andrea Poapst sounds like another possibility.

[museksk8r]

Revisiting this thread . . . I wouldn't be surprised if Jessica Dube and Mervin Tran joined forces. 2 Senior World bronze medalists and both have Canadian citizenship.

[skatinginbc]

I wouldn't be surprised if Jessica Dube and Mervin Tran joined forces. 2 Senior World bronze medalists and both have Canadian citizenship.

Interesting idea. How is Jessica doing right now? Does she have a partner at this moment?

[kwanfan1818]

He never represented Canada, did he?

And that matters how? He didn't skate for Japan because he turned down skating Pairs for Canada, and he's that rarity: a truly gifted male Pairs skater with Canadian citizenship.

[flowerpower]

And that matters how? He didn't skate for Japan because he turned down skating Pairs for Canada, and he's that rarity: a truly gifted male Pairs skater with Canadian citizenship.

He didn't turn down skating pairs for Canada....he was a singles skater in Regina, Saskatchewan, and Richard Gauthier approached him to try pairs because Bruno Marcotte had noticed Mervin and thought he might look good with Narumi, who had already approached Richard to coach her. Mervin went to Montreal for a try-out (apparently because he thought a trip to Montreal would be fun, according to an interview), enjoyed the whole thing, and agreed to skate pairs with Narumi (for Japan).

Gifted male pairs skaters from Canada aren't all that rare...(well, yeah, compared to gifted Russian male pairs skaters they're rare, but not compared to male pairs skaters overall).

[figureit]

[QUOTE=aftershocks;3775095]^^ How tall is Andrea Poapst? What part of Canada does she hail from? -- ok, I see Toronto, posted earlier.

Ok, I checked Andrea's icepartnersearch listing and it indicates she's 5' 0"

http://icepartnersearch.com/showbio.php?i=4035

She also indicates "undecided" under the question about relocating. However, since she is Canadian, seemingly she would not be averse to moving back to Canada to train with Mervin's coaches. Andrea is fortunate in being able to have dual citizenship (or does she yet have U.S. citizenship?).

Maybe Andrea and Mervin will try out, but a lot of different things go into determining whether a partnership will work. Has Andrea ever tried out with Rockne?

Rockne would run into the same problem as her last partner did not eligible for Olympics...Poapst would be perfect for Tran.

[skatinginbc]

And that matters how?

He represented Japan = He didn't participate in the Canadian national. I simply assumed that in order to receive funding, he has to participate in the national and meet a certain placement requirement. I don't think he will be able to compete without a partner at this year's national. That's why I asked the question: "Will that be a factor regarding funding and other supports?" I asked because I don't know.

[Sylvia]

How is Jessica doing right now? Does she have a partner at this moment?

Jessica Dubé/Sébastien Wolfe haven't competed since 2012 Worlds. We're waiting to see if they will make their season debut at 2013 Canadians.

Re-posting an answer from another thread:

They were not at the Skate Canada high performance camp this summer and were scratched from their 2 GP assignments. They were said to have "a slow start" to the season due to injury.

[skatinginbc]

Thanks for the info, Sylvia. It seems to me that the possibility of a Jessica-Mervin union is becoming greater and greater.

[flowerpower]

Thanks for the info, Sylvia. It seems to me that the possibility of a Jessica-Mervin union is becoming greater and greater.

Thing is, Jessica is 5'2", and a shorter partner would be better for Mervin. Plus she is older than him, and may have intended wrapping up her career after 2014. Whereas at his age (22), Mervin is young for a male pairs skater, and may be aiming for 2018 and beyond.

[skatinginbc]

You are right. Partnering with Jessica might not be a "long-term" solution. Gosh, I'm making Jessica sound like a grandma.