Canadian Pairs 2018/2019 Season News and Updates

[Rock2]

And if I had to pick which team will be the next to get an olympic medal for Canada in figure skating, that would be them. Maybe in 2022 or even 2026.

I'll place my early bet on Brasseur / Bardei.

This year, they will come off a bit slow and unsure of themselves as they learn to compete. But based on their elements and how they practice, I'm told from credible sources that 2020 Canadian champion is not out of the question.

As for M/T, they are amazing for their ages - especially him at 16 is quite young for a pair boy, even in junior. Excited to see what they look like next fall. I'm optimistic.

 

[Sk8mom123]

I was expecting more comments about McIntosh/Toste! We are talking about a 14 years old girl and a 16 years old boy winning consecutively juvenile pairs, pre-novice pairs and novice pairs, moving up a category every year and finishing now second in both the short and the free in junior. They have a promising future. They are also both great in single. Good SBS. Good lifts. Good... well they are good at everything and also with consistency. I just wish they could improve in the artistic/emotion performance side.

Give them a year or two and they will be killers in ISU Jr Grand prix.

And if I had to pick which team will be the next to get an olympic medal for Canada in figure skating, that would be them. Maybe in 2022 or even 2026.

They are a very promising team. Such strong elements and so young. They have so many incredible years ahead of them. Hopefully they will continue their success as they both grow. I agree a hopeful future.

 

[Sk8mom123]

I'm really impressed by Brooke and Brandon. With them it's really about hoping he keeps a solid height advantage over her going forward.

I agree. How important is a good height advantage? Michaud and Walsh don’t have a great height difference but they are fairing well. Does it limit them for the future?

 

[Vase]

I agree. How important is a good height advantage? Michaud and Walsh don’t have a great height difference but they are fairing well. Does it limit them for the future?

I am not sure how important the height advantage is.
What’s the height between B/B? they seem like they may do well this week. And I agree W/M are doing well.
McIntosh/Toste I like to see them skate and hope they do well.
I do think there will be team changes next season. Just not sure who!

 

[jlmart]

FWIW - the Skate Canada site says it will be streaming practices starting at 9am ET tomorrow morning. I don't know if that will include pairs.

 

[mackiecat]

I agree. How important is a good height advantage? Michaud and Walsh don’t have a great height difference but they are fairing well. Does it limit them for the future?

Look at the boy’s build. Brandon has very little upper body muscles compared to Trennt

 

[Catherine M]

I'll place my early bet on Brasseur / Bardei.

Add me to the list that think Brasseur/Bardei will end up being the top team for the next quad.

And I can't get behind McIntosh/Toste as a team until she's finished with puberty. That's just the way I feel about all young teams. Once she's 16/17, like Brasseur & Choinard, then for me it will become more clear what type of career they are going to have as a team.

 

[Vase]

Add me to the list that think Brasseur/Bardei will end up being the top team for the next quad.

And I can't get behind McIntosh/Toste as a team until she's finished with puberty. That's just the way I feel about all young teams. Once she's 16/17, like Brasseur & Choinard, then for me it will become more clear what type of career they are going to have as a team.

I agree

 

[RoseRed]

Look at the boy’s build. Brandon has very little upper body muscles compared to Trennt

He's also ~5 years younger than Trennt. So of course he does.

 

[mackiecat]

He's also ~5 years younger than Trennt. So of course he does.

But if you look at pictures of Trennt when he was Novice men or pair, he was still much bigger in the upper body

 

[Sk8mom123]

But if you look at pictures of Trennt when he was Novice men or pair, he was still much bigger in the upper body

So what is more important I wonder....upper body strength or height differential between partners? Just wondering everyone’s thoughts

 

[Vase]

So what is more important I wonder....upper body strength or height differential between partners? Just wondering everyone’s thoughts

I think strength, I would size matters but strength comes first.
Watching developing junior pairs
Chionard/Ostiguy not a huge size difference, but he’s strong and has performance skills.
And seniors Walsh/Michaud he has strength, yet size don’t seem to have give them a problem.
Watching pairs I notice solid, strong guys before I judge if size is a factor.
Just like the girls, are tiny or muscular built, a performer or flexible most important, a whole package would be nice but personal preference on which is most important.

 

[ChiquitaBanana]

So what is more important I wonder....upper body strength or height differential between partners? Just wondering everyone’s thoughts

If you don't have upper body strength then aim for a shorter partner. That is physics.

 

[Chantal]

Trennt and Evelyn are doing very well. They should be good contenders for this week's 2nd place. Height diffential has never been an issue.
The French and Chinese teams are also so strong with not much height difference.

 

[Catherine M]

I agree, a huge height difference seems to be the want but it is NOT a must, IMHO.

Tall guys can be crappy partners while shorter guys can be great ones. Just depends on the skater and who they are skating with.

Edited to add

Anyone remember Samuel Morais' foray into pairs skating?!? I do, as I sat in the stands in Kingston, Ontario at Canadians like this as he tried to lift Cami around the rink. So tall doesn't mean great pairs skater.

 

[Erin]

Technique is also super important. Cong Han is small but is one of the best lifters in the world and one of a handful of men who can do a quad twist because he has excellent technique.

 

[mackiecat]

Little girls often don’t learn to correctly do lifts. The girl should be responsible in part for getting herself up and staying there. Then they grow and are very difficult to lift.

We used to work on pressure lifts on a picnic table ( that acts as your partner), then holding the position in the air by ourselves.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Canada only has 6 Senior pairs competing?

I woulda thought Canada would have more than USA... strange.

 

[barbarafan]

I agree. How important is a good height advantage? Michaud and Walsh don’t have a great height difference but they are fairing well. Does it limit them for the future?

She is very light and Michaud is so solid and strong. I think she may be done growing as well.
What is scary is when these really thin adolestants suddenly grow the legs of a top model and where the triples were flowing before their long legs seem to get all tangled up when they jump or are thrown. I am hoping they will be ok.

 

[skatingguy]

Canada only has 6 Senior pairs competing?

I woulda thought Canada would have more than USA... strange.

We usually have smaller number of competitors than the US, sometimes because of the limits (no more than 3 flights) but often we just don't have the same level of depth that the US has.

 

[mackiecat]

We usually have smaller number of competitors than the US, sometimes because of the limits (no more than 3 flights) but often we just don't have the same level of depth that the US has.

1) Canada has minimum score to move on to Challenge. This didn’t effect and pairs but there were dancers left at home
2) population Canada 35 million, US 325 million.
3) last few years Canada had a lot of splits and retirements in pair.

 

[Mad for Skating]

Trennt and Evelyn are doing very well. They should be good contenders for this week's 2nd place. Height diffential has never been an issue.
The French and Chinese teams are also so strong with not much height difference.

I love them! Their whole short program is just AMAZING! Really hope to see them get that second spot to Worlds.

Technique is also super important. Cong Han is small but is one of the best lifters in the world and one of a handful of men who can do a quad twist because he has excellent technique.

I was always amazed by that! He must really work out! And Wenjing rotates super fast in the air, which helps.

 

[Rock2]

Pairs event showed a lot of promise across all six teams. What struck me the most was everyone had a decent twist, and many a better twist than expected (Matte/Ferland).

Add Lubov and Charlie next year. Not sure if we'll have more than 7 senior teams but that's progress, anyway! Good quality across that group.

 

[Mad for Skating]

Pairs event showed a lot of promise across all six teams. What struck me the most was everyone had a decent twist, and many a better twist than expected (Matte/Ferland).

Add Lubov and Charlie next year. Not sure if we'll have more than 7 senior teams but that's progress, anyway! Good quality across that group.

Lubov and Charlie! I can’t wait!

 

[mackiecat]

The Jr Champions are not age eligible, so I assume they will move up too

 

[Vase]

The Jr Champions are not zero eligible, so I assume they will move up too

I agree, though wouldn’t be surprised if we see some partner changes, especially in Junior.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

I was WAY impressed by Broussard and Bardei! Did y'all see that twist Knierim style?

Is the Lubov Charlie thing just a hope/rumor?

 

[Vase]

I was WAY impressed by Broussard and Bardei! Did y'all see that twist Knierim style?

 

[Vase]

I liked B/B, and thought the whole event was great.
But w/M knew what they had to do and done it, their freeskate wow’d me.

 

[aftershocks]

Trennt and Evelyn are doing very well. They should be good contenders for this week's 2nd place. Height diffential has never been an issue.
The French and Chinese teams are also so strong with not much height difference.

Actually, James/Cipres do have a noticeably more significant height difference than teams like W/M and Sui/Han.

I enjoyed watching Canadian junior and senior pairs. I thnk it's clear there's a great many promising teams coming up that will simply need more time and experience to fully develop. But yes, there are quite a few good-looking and well-matched Canadian pairs teams who are obviously building for the future. In the interim, Walsh/Michaud and Kirsten/Michael will surely be able to hold the fort, if not exactly scale the walls.

Also, we have yet to discover how Charlie Bilodeau and his new partner might fare. First things first though with an official announcement still pending.