U.S. Pairs 2020-21 season - News & Updates, Part XI

[peibeck]

I know they said personal reasons but it's likely an injury.

Or a sekret baby!

 

[Rhumba d’Amour]

I’m just glad they specified in the announcement that it’s not COV** related. Hearing “personal reasons” made my mind go immediately to a family member having been taken ill, not expected to survive.

this virus sure does do weird things to us. Even routine withdrawal announcements seem ominous!

 

[PairSkater12345]

A/C also did the quad twist in the 2018 Olympics LP with a +1 GOE, but did not perform it in the team event.

Or a sekret baby!

Whatttt......lol Sounds like your more than simply looking.

 

[Sylvia]

So, K/F skated / submitted their videos to the ISU yesterday, no? Any news?

Copying over from my compilation post here: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...t-event-announced.108032/page-10#post-5961455

2 U.S. pairs were allowed to submit videos to the ISU and both teams now are eligible (having met the 27 SP / 44 FS TES minimums) to be listed for 2021 Worlds entry (K/F) and alternate (C/H) status:

Alexa KNIERIM / Brandon FRAZIER USA TES Video Evaluation 22/02/2021 41.67 S TES Video Evaluation 22/02/2021 71.85 S
Emily CHAN / Spencer Akira HOWE USA TES Video Evaluation 22/02/2021 30.39 S TES Video Evaluation 22/02/2021 49.98 S

For reference, here were the teams' TES from their 2 competitions this season:

2020 Skate America TES:
K/F: 40.43 / 71.22
C/H: 28.94 / 42.45

2021 U.S. Nationals TES:
K/F: 42.10 / 76.40
C/H: 32.53 / 56.09

I'm really, really that Calalang/Johnson will miss their second consecutive opportunity to debut at Worlds. USA is very fortunate to have a pair team with previous Worlds experience -- 9th in 2019 and currently ranked 12th in the ISU World Standings (C/J are #15) -- to send in their place.

 

[peibeck]

Whatttt......lol Sounds like your more than simply looking.

Off season "sekret babies" extended all the way back to the Irina Slutskya days, at least. They are an FSU TRADITION! (Like Santa, or the Easter Bunny!) A very long standing fable here. Didn't you know Tessa Virtue has like 8 kids?

 

[olympic]

Copying over from my compilation post here: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...t-event-announced.108032/page-10#post-5961455

2 U.S. pairs were allowed to submit videos to the ISU and both teams now are eligible (having met the 27 SP / 44 FS TES minimums) to be listed for 2021 Worlds entry (K/F) and alternate (C/H) status:

Alexa KNIERIM / Brandon FRAZIER USA TES Video Evaluation 22/02/2021 41.67 S TES Video Evaluation 22/02/2021 71.85 S
Emily CHAN / Spencer Akira HOWE USA TES Video Evaluation 22/02/2021 30.39 S TES Video Evaluation 22/02/2021 49.98 S

For reference, here were the teams' TES from their 2 competitions this season:

2020 Skate America TES:
K/F: 40.43 / 71.22
C/H: 28.94 / 42.45

2021 U.S. Nationals TES:
K/F: 42.10 / 76.40
C/H: 32.53 / 56.09

I'm really, really that Calalang/Johnson will miss their second consecutive opportunity to debut at Worlds. USA is very fortunate to have a pair team with previous Worlds experience -- 9th in 2019 and currently ranked 12th in the ISU World Standings (C/J are #15) -- to send in their place.

Thank you as always for the in-depth response. Interesting to note that an ISU panel gave K/F TES scores only -0.5 lower than their Nationals scores in the SP. It's a bigger gap in the LP, but still I think it's encouraging to see their skating well-received by an international panel. I hope this portends a good finish at Worlds. I am hoping for 3 spots.

I am gutted for C/J. They are my faves obviously, but if anyone has to replace them, I'm glad it is CG/L. Ash really showed guts in the programs at Nationals. That twist was the best I've ever seen from them and she was landing throw jumps. Maybe they are on an upswing ...

3 spots ....

 

[PairSkater12345]

Off season "sekret babies" extended all the way back to the Irina Slutskya days, at least. They are an FSU TRADITION! (Like Santa, or the Easter Bunny!) A very long standing fable here. Didn't you know Tessa Virtue has like 8 kids?

That's funny, I'm too young to remember the skaters you mention from the 50's. As for tradition 26k messages Wow.Did the skaters do singles back then or just moves?

 

[Spiralgraph]

That's awful luck for C/J. I guess we may find out what those personal reasons are in time. The US needs many good pairs so I hope they are not breaking up. But I'm happy for C-G/L. Worlds isn't too far away and I'm still crossing my fingers that they actually occur safely and successfully (for the USA and everyone else)

 

[Jammers]

Well there goes whatever slim chances the US had for 3 spots at the Olympics and Worlds next year.

 

[tony]

Well there goes whatever slim chances the US had for 3 spots at the Olympics and Worlds next year.

How do you figure? There's a huge drop in scoring potential between either of CG/L and C/J and the rest of the field, except maybe Della Monica/Guarise fighting to be in 8th. But they've regressed a lot in the last 2 seasons, so Cain-Gribble and LeDuc have the same exact chance at that 8th place as C/J did.

Getting up into 7th above any of the 3 Russian teams, Sui/Han, Peng/Jin, Moore-Towers/Marinaro, and Scimeca-Knierim/Frazier is much less likely.

 

[Brenda_Bottems]

The Knierims deserve to place no worse than 4th at the World Championships. International judges are feverish to award high marks to a mature,classy team.

-BB

 

[Sylvia]

Olivia Serafini/Mervin Tran (6th at Nationals) are now listed as 3rd alternates (added afer C/J's withdrawal), bumping up Lu/Mitrofanov to 1st alternates and Chan/Howe to 2nd alternates.

 

[Karen-W]

How do you figure? There's a huge drop in scoring potential between either of CG/L and C/J and the rest of the field, except maybe Della Monica/Guarise fighting to be in 8th. But they've regressed a lot in the last 2 seasons, so Cain-Gribble and LeDuc have the same exact chance at that 8th place as C/J did.

Getting up into 7th above any of the 3 Russian teams, Sui/Han, Peng/Jin, Moore-Towers/Marinaro, and Scimeca-Knierim/Frazier is much less likely.

I think that C-G/L, on a great day, could complete with a "bad day" M-T/M. Probably won't happen but I don't think 7th is entirely impossible to imagine.

I'm just hoping for 5th & 8th but expecting 6th & 9th.

 

[skylark]

The Knierims deserve to place no worse than 4th at the World Championships. International judges are feverish to award high marks to a mature,classy team.

-BB

You're a bit out of date though. The Knierims are no longer a pairs team.

 

[Brenda_Bottems]

That's funny, I'm too young to remember the skaters you mention from the 50's. As for tradition 26k messages Wow.Did the skaters do singles back then or just moves?

It is quite unnecessary to inform us you are young,my dear, as your ignorance and aversion to writing complete sentences makes that abundantly clear. I strongly suggest you study the history of this sport before further asking asinine questions. Compulsory figures were by far the most important component of the sport until the 1970s.

-BB

 

[Sylvia]

I just came across this Alexa and Brandon interview from last month when they chatted with Marisol Paiz ("Cafecito con Masha" YT channel) on Feb. 10: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hY9JfMhX2Sw

 

[olympic]

I think that C-G/L, on a great day, could complete with a "bad day" M-T/M. Probably won't happen but I don't think 7th is entirely impossible to imagine.

I'm just hoping for 5th & 8th but expecting 6th & 9th.

I know it was a remote ISU panel monitoring K/F, but the TES given to them is encouraging. They may have a fighting chance against MT/M and P/J head to head.

Also, I have seen more than 1 post alluding to the Italians not being in the best shape. What is going on with them?

 

[skylark]

I just came across this Alexa and Brandon interview from last month when they chatted with Marisol Paiz ("Cafecito con Masha" YT channel) on Feb. 10: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hY9JfMhX2Sw

This is an amazing interview. After asking Alexa the ultimate softball question, she asked Brandon point blank, "why did you end your partnership with Haven?" He gave a long, sensitive, honest answer and at the end of that said that he considered retiring. Then he says what his motivation was/is for continuing to compete. And it's not results. Brandon is impressing me more and more. Lots of good stuff here, and lighter comments too ... like why they chose to skate to "Fall on You."

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

I just came across this Alexa and Brandon interview from last month when they chatted with Marisol Paiz ("Cafecito con Masha" YT channel) on Feb. 10: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hY9JfMhX2Sw

Hmmm.. who is she and what country?? Spain?

 

[Sylvia]

Hmmm.. who is she and what country?? Spain?

Mexico.

@olympic, I've replied to your question about the Italians in this GSD thread (since you don't have access to the Kiss & Cry forum and I assume you'd like to have a place to discuss pairs in general before Worlds ): https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...-podium-for-worlds.108078/page-2#post-5961960

 

[PairSkater12345]

It is quite unnecessary to inform us you are young,my dear, as your ignorance and aversion to writing complete sentences makes that abundantly clear. I strongly suggest you study the history of this sport before further asking asinine questions. Compulsory figures were by far the most important component of the sport until the 1970s.

-BB

Skylark made the appropriate comment. "You're a bit out of date though. The Knierims are no longer a pairs team". LOL.

"Compulsory figures were by far the most important component of the sport until the 1970s". The operative word here is WERE. The sport has moved on maybe you should as well. LOL

 

[mtnskater]

Very very disappointed in the news of Calalang and Johnson withdrawal. I really really like them and was so exited to finally see them at Worlds. Debuting at the Olympics never having skated at Worlds will present challenges...assuming they even make the Olympic team. This withdrawal could really affect their momentum going into next year. But I’m still very much behind them. And hope they aren’t splitting. Hopefully we will eventually hear what is going on. Wishing the best for them.

 

[Carolla5501]

Skylark made the appropriate comment. "You're a bit out of date though. The Knierims are no longer a pairs team". LOL.

"Compulsory figures were by far the most important component of the sport until the 1970s". The operative word here is WERE. The sport has moved on maybe you should as well. LOL

It's just easier to put people living in the past and thinking everything they say shows how "witty and sophisticated" they are while providing nothing useful on ignore!

 

[olympic]

Mexico.

@olympic, I've replied to your question about the Italians in this GSD thread (since you don't have access to the Kiss & Cry forum and I assume you'd like to have a place to discuss pairs in general before Worlds ): https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...-podium-for-worlds.108078/page-2#post-5961960

Thank you.

 

[VALuvsMKwan]

It's just easier to put people living in the past and thinking everything they say shows how "witty and sophisticated" they are while providing nothing useful pseud trolls like BB on ignore!

Or this.

 

[AxelAnnie]

USFS just announced that Calalang and Johnson withdrew from worlds for personal reasons (no injuries) and will be replaced with Cain-Gribble and LeDuc.

Oh majorly upsetting to me...probably to them too. I hope whatever problems are resolved quickly . What a sucky year.

 

[AxelAnnie]

I know they said personal reasons but it's likely an injury.

I kind of hope you are but I think they would just have said that.

 

[Coco]

Will TX 'opening up' and elimination of the mask mandate cause issues for C-G/L passing requirements to compete in Sweden?

 

[Karen-W]

Will TX 'opening up' and elimination of the mask mandate cause issues for C-G/L passing requirements to compete in Sweden?

I saw an IG post from Ashley earlier this week that said her location was Stockholm. Not sure if they are already there or not, but she also added to her story about continuing to wear masks, so I assume they are taking all the necessary precautions and limiting their exposure as much as possible.

 

[Rukia]

Will TX 'opening up' and elimination of the mask mandate cause issues for C-G/L passing requirements to compete in Sweden?

Most local businesses are continuing to require masks, and I imaging their ice rink will be the same. So practically very little should change for them.