2023-24 US Pairs Discussion - Chan you count Howe many teams we have?

[ice coverage]

Announcer… What is so freaking hard about ma-ra-vee-ya?

And now, the hardest working guy this week. Jon Ma-ra-vee-ya. Not Maraviliar!

Belated FYI/follow-up re pronunciation of Jon Maravilla's last name:

I don't belong to Kiss and Cry, so only now have come across the quoted comments in Nats threads.

I spoke directly to Jon in Columbus. He politely requested that announcers use the pronunciation of: "mah-rah-vill-ee-ah."

He specifically did not want announcers to say: "-vee-ya" or "-vill-ah."​

 

[Sylvia]

U.S. pair skaters listed on IPS as of today (March 9) who competed Novice or higher this season:
-Michael Chapa, 21 (Novice Pairs silver medalist at 2024 Nationals; based in Chicago area)
-Nathan Rensing, 26 (based in Irvine, CA)
-Taisiya Shapovalova, 13 (7th in Novice at the U.S. Pairs Final last November; based in Irvine, CA)
-Tallulah Tanner, 14 in June (8th in Novice at the U.S. Pairs Final)

Competed at 2023 Nationals in Junior:
William Church, 20
Lilianna Murray, 18

William Church's profile is no longer on IPS.

March 16:

Ashley Fletcher/ Aaron Felberbaum (Jr Pairs) Split. He is on IPS as of today
https://www.icepartnersearch.com/showbio.php?i=7588

Felberbaum had a recent tryout with Addyson McDanold (Novice level singles skater from MN) in Irvine, CA, according to her, his and Chris Knierim's Instagram stories.

Carter Griffin, 18, has an IPS profile as of today (April 11): https://icepartnersearch.com/showbio.php?i=7619

Last week Deanna Alston posted a clip of a throw 3S with Griffin at Great Park Ice: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C6MTQVCRjo4/
Alston's IPS profile: https://icepartnersearch.com/showbio.php?i=7458

BTW, I normally only post about tryouts that the skaters themselves have publicized via their social media accounts.

Nickolai Apter, 17 (3rd at Novice Nationals with Milada Kovar, 14) listed himself on IPS yesterday: https://icepartnersearch.com/showbio.php?i=7637

 

[Sylvia]

Jessica Calalang (a student at UC Irvine) posted an Insta story yesterday captioned "Congrats to UCI's newest Anteater" Isabelle Martins - it was in reply to this Barrington (Illinois) high School Class of 2024 post confirming Isabelle's college decision: https://www.instagram.com/p/C6XCkQWOcQk/

 

[marshallpond]

Watch out for this junior pairs team coming out of Boston (unless they decide to do novice pairs as the girl is only 10 but has her triples)! Will be very exciting. Zach Lopinto is aiming to do a Maravilla this year competing both in junior pairs (if they do junior) and junior men

𝐎𝐥𝐠𝐚 𝐆𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐯𝐚 & 𝐀𝐥𝐞𝐤𝐬𝐞𝐲 𝐋𝐞𝐭𝐨𝐯 on Instagram: "🚨Beginning of a New Pair Team Journey ⭐️💪🏻🙌🏻🚨 • • • • • #figureskating #pairskating #pairteam #newpairteam #usfigureskating #tripleflip #iceskating #fyp #viral #iceskater"

856 likes, 10 comments - olgalexcoaching on December 20, 2023: "🚨Beginning of a New Pair Team Journey ⭐️💪🏻🙌🏻🚨 • • • • • #figureskating #pairskating #pairteam #newpairtea...".

www.instagram.com

 

[Karen-W]

Watch out for this junior pairs team coming out of Boston (unless they decide to do novice pairs as the girl is only 10 but has her triples)! Will be very exciting. Zach Lopinto is aiming to do a Maravilla this year competing both in junior pairs (if they do junior) and junior men

𝐎𝐥𝐠𝐚 𝐆𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐯𝐚 & 𝐀𝐥𝐞𝐤𝐬𝐞𝐲 𝐋𝐞𝐭𝐨𝐯 on Instagram: "🚨Beginning of a New Pair Team Journey ⭐️💪🏻🙌🏻🚨 • • • • • #figureskating #pairskating #pairteam #newpairteam #usfigureskating #tripleflip #iceskating #fyp #viral #iceskater"

856 likes, 10 comments - olgalexcoaching on December 20, 2023: "🚨Beginning of a New Pair Team Journey ⭐️💪🏻🙌🏻🚨 • • • • • #figureskating #pairskating #pairteam #newpairtea...".

www.instagram.com

Who is the girl?

 

[Wyliefan]

"Check out our new pair! We're not going to tell you their names!" is certainly a take.

 

[Sylvia]

"Check out our new pair! We're not going to tell you their names!" is certainly a take.

I believe she is 10-year-old Deborah Liu (3rd in Juvenile at Eastern Sectionals last November): https://www.instagram.com/reel/C1fG9JrrrpT/
It’s a bit early to hype her/a beginning pair team that young, IMO.

 

[Karen-W]

I believe she is 10-year-old Deborah Liu (3rd in Juvenile at Eastern Sectionals last November): https://www.instagram.com/reel/C1fG9JrrrpT/
It’s a bit early to hype her/a beginning pair team that young, IMO.

Agreed! I do think it's great that she's willing to and interested in starting pairs so young but she's 2-3 years from being old enough to even compete on the JGP, lol.

 

[Sylvia]

I previously mentioned young Deborah in the U.S. Women's news thread here: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...n-the-dance-floor.111091/page-21#post-6558233

ETA:

Sofia Jarmoc (Novice pairs champ with Luke Witkowski) was a member of SCoB's Act I Theatre on Ice Junior team that won the gold medal in Bordeaux, France last week.

 

[Sylvia]

2024 U.S. Pairs Bronze Medalists Sydney Cooke (will be 22 in late July) & Matt Kennedy (23) skate to "Tiny Dancer" by Florence + The Machine at the Patriot Figure Skating Club's 3rd Annual Ice Show, "Music Legends" in Newark, DE. Filmed April 27, 2024 by Jordan Cowan of On Ice Perspectives: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Q7FMnUwLmU
They have a new team account: https://www.instagram.com/team_cooke_kennedy

 

[Sylvia]

Congrats to Drew Meekins, Natalia Mishkutionok & Danny O'Shea on winning the the 2023-24 USFS/Professional Skaters Association joint EDI Award for Developmental Coaching Team of the Year - announced on PSA's Facebook page earlier today: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=959305169532613&set=pb.100063594161394.-2207520000&type=3
The presentation of these awards will take place on Wednesday, May 15, at the 2024 U.S. Figure Skating "Access to Excellence Reception" in Colorado Springs, CO.

 

[ice coverage]

A hint today of things to come at Detroit Skating Club , plus a training clip of Carpenter/Maravilla:

"... Saya and Jon are training hard in the off-season and we are having so much fun at DSC! We have some new pair teams to show off soon! Keep your eyes open! The pairs program is growing!!⁠ ..."​

​

Athlete Centered Skating on Instagram: "ACSkating | DSC⁠ Saya and Jon are training hard in the off-season and we are having so much fun at DSC! We have some new pair teams to show off soon! ;) Keep your eyes open! The pairs program is growing!!⁠ ⁠

29 likes, 1 comments - athletecenteredskating on May 3, 2024: "ACSkating | DSC⁠ Saya and Jon are training hard in the off-season and we are having so much fun at DSC! We have some new pair teams to...".

www.instagram.com

(Garrett Lucash/Athlete Centered Skating moved to DSC from SCOB in March.)

ETA:​

IIRC, according to DSC and/or ACS Instastory within the last few weeks, they offered a "tryout"-type event for both ice dance and pairs. For skaters new to the discipline(s) of interest, IIRC ... and maybe also for some already searching for a partner? Maybe that event had some good outcomes??​