Eric Radford and Vanessa James to compete in pairs together for Canada

[once_upon]

Hard to say, they aren't really meshing. I know it takes time to get it all in sync, but they're lacking chemistry. It's like they are just practicing together but not as a team.

I just think people expected this "tada" chemistry. That takes time to create.

 

[Lemonade20]

I think top-notch music choices that would make everybody sit up and take notice would have helped too. The uninspired selections they are skating to do not do them any favors.

That's so true too! The music choice is very blah.

 

[barbk]

I would think the longer you were with a previous partner, it would be more difficult to mesh with a new one, no matter what previous success you had.

Timing of spins, throws, footwork, lifts, jumps all of which was intimately known with your previous partner are totally new. If you are focused on syncing and looking for new cues on timing - you don't have enough extra effort to emote chemistry.

Since the man has responsibility for safe lifts, timing of throws, I imagine Eric is concentrating on those and may indeed look wooden.

Both have to learn different approaches to lifts - since they each have signature moves.

Personally I think it will take them another year or more to begin to show personality

It makes Savchenko's success with Massot even more impressive, as he was a fairly immature pairs skater when they began. Knierem/Frazier also seemed to click a lot quicker. Maybe they're just the exceptions and James/Radford are the norm?

 

[overedge]

I just think people Skate Canada expected this "tada" chemistry. That takes time to create.

Fixed it for you

 

[once_upon]

It makes Savchenko's success with Massot even more impressive, as he was a fairly immature pairs skater when they began. Knierem/Frazier also seemed to click a lot quicker. Maybe they're just the exceptions and James/Radford are the norm?

I think it would have been easer wit Massot - Savchenko could mold him to her style.

K/F spent some of their formative years in Sappenfield's camp. I suspect that gave/gives them a step ahead.

ETA plus I think Alexa, regardless of how much crap she gets here, can naturally learn/adapts to new lifts. Her time with Ajiona - she learned her lifts. Many of lifts she does with Brandon are ones he did with Hayden

 

[mackiecat]

I like their lines! I hope if they continue, they will take more risks choreographically. I feel they are capable of more artistically than they are doing this year.

 

[beckab81]

It makes Savchenko's success with Massot even more impressive, as he was a fairly immature pairs skater when they began. Knierem/Frazier also seemed to click a lot quicker. Maybe they're just the exceptions and James/Radford are the norm?

S/M also had over a year when they couldn't compete, so they had more time to come together.

 

[pat c]

J&R - better music. BETTER MUSIC. They aren't the only ones who skated to dismal dirges, but it helps no team. There are no musical highlights, no tada's, no look at me do this move so damned good. Nope highlights every flaw you have and when you're just starting out, timing can be off, spins not quite as pretty as they should be, it highlights every flaw. If they stick together, next year.

 

[her grace]

I think their body shapes match nicely. They have a lot of room for growth in timing, choreo, etc. They look like a first-season-together pair. It is what it is.

 

[Japanfan]

I've heard that it takes pair teams two years to gel. In the case of Eric and Vanessa, it would probably be harder, because they have gelled with previous partners.

Although I'm not wowed by this pair, it's fair to give them another year or so and see how they are then - could be much improvement.

 

[skategal]

Their Instagram today says that this may be their last competition.

 

[MacMadame]

I think their body shapes match nicely. They have a lot of room for growth in timing, choreo, etc. They look like a first-season-together pair. It is what it is.

They have room, but do they have the time? See below:

Their Instagram today says that this may be their last competition.

I am not surprised. I think the original goal was show skating and they can gel as show skaters just as much as competitive skaters and make more money too.

 

[marbri]

I've heard that it takes pair teams two years to gel. In the case of Eric and Vanessa, it would probably be harder, because they have gelled with previous partners.

Although I'm not wowed by this pair, it's fair to give them another year or so and see how they are then - could be much improvement.

The thing with this argument, which I normally would agree with, is Eric and Vanessa were never planning to skate more than this season. So it's with that lens that I judged them as a team. They may have said at some point "maybe we will continue" but that was never the plan.

 

[Japanfan]

The thing with this argument, which I normally would agree with, is Eric and Vanessa were never planning to skate more than this season. So it's with that lens that I judged them as a team. They may have said at some point "maybe we will continue" but that was never the plan.

Okay. But I really wonder what was the point, then? What did they expect in just one season?

Was it preparation for show skating, to help them gel as a team?

 

[skategal]

Okay. But I really wonder what was the point, then? What did they expect in just one season?

This is the $64,000 question as my grandmother would say….

 

[marbri]

Okay. But I really wonder what was the point, then? What did they expect in just one season?

Was it preparation for show skating, to help them gel as a team?

My best guess is when all of this was in the beginning stages and they felt they were really gelling and picking up pair elements quickly they ( and clearly SC) overestimated their potential and started seeing the possibility of medals at major ISU events. That I think would earn them a higher fee at skating shows and put them more in demand. I think there were already show opportunities with Vanessa's connections in Europe but I think they would need a title of some sort to get any foot in the SOI door. But basically yes, it establishes them as a team for show opportunities is my best guess.

That is why I kind of went off them once I saw their programs and results. I bought into the hype and really expected something amazing but the reality is that (while they are still getting GOE/PCS bump based on their previous standings) their base values in competition are pretty much on par with Walsh/Michaud. So I don't think Skate Canada really gained anything in the end with them.

On a lighter note I do think they seem to really enjoy each others company and have similar friends in common so I kind of see why Eric went looking for other opportunities that gave him the life he wants. I can separate the two.

 

[jao86]

Their Instagram today says that this may be their last competition.

What a waste of everyone's time. They brought absolutely nothing to the table. I hope they enjoyed their trip to the Olympics...

 

[miffy]

I think they were hoping for a Canadian title and a possible team medal at the Olympics. I also doubt they thought they would struggle as much as they have to get the levels on their elements I wish they would do another season, but if not I am sure we will see some great show programmes from them.

 

[Lemonade20]

Age is also a factor. I can see them doing shows together for another year or two.

 

[kwanfan1818]

I am not surprised. I think the original goal was show skating and they can gel as show skaters just as much as competitive skaters and make more money too.

IMO, they'd have gelled a lot sooner if they were focusing on the elements that came naturally and performance for shorter show programs rather than the full slate of competitive requirements and what fraction of a point you get for doing this or that. Who cares if you do one easier triple throw in a show? Who cares if you don't have three different lifts? Who cares if your SBS jumps are 1/4 turn underrotated?

This is the $64,000 question as my grandmother would say….

Perhaps quite literally, given the cost of training, costumes, choreography, costs to bring coaches to competition, lost lesson time, etc. Very few skaters even break even with prize money: that would mean being Top 5 at Worlds plus podium at 4C's/Euros, GP, and maybe 4th at GPF. Maybe with a share of the WTT money in odd years. So they lost/invested a lot of money this season, while they could have done shows, and it's very possible that had they used James' European contacts, that they'd become in demand in Japan and CSOI a year later.

 

[skategal]

For those too young or not North American may not know what the $64,000 Question refers to.

The $64,000 Question - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Coco]

What a waste of everyone's time. They brought absolutely nothing to the table. I hope they enjoyed their trip to the Olympics...

2 spots for Canada next year?

 

[mackiecat]

2 spots for Canada next year?

Or 3

 

[marbri]

2 spots for Canada next year?

Canada had two spots from last year. I mean W/M are currently sitting in 8th so they alone would get two spots
The reality has just revealed that there was no benefit in the end to Skate Canada themselves.

Funny enough if both teams hold their spots Canada could get three spots but I mean there are only 13 teams competing.

 

[karmena]

What a waste of everyone's time. They brought absolutely nothing to the table. I hope they enjoyed their trip to the Olympics...

Oh, this negativity does not help neither to you or anyone else.

And, perhaps, if there would be a real support and not negativity ( was not KMT complaining all the time that because of them it is hard for her?) it would be quite different in terms of their success, too.

Perhaps they needed a wise and an experienced coach (?), a coach with a vision; a coach who intuitively feels how to bring out their potential and let them to gel together...a choreography, a MUSIC choice. Though, even in that case one year might be too little time to find their new identity and Jullie Marcotte for sure did her best

It was a great try if this was their first and last season together and I admire they tried.Their lines are super. They have everything to be great, except their age.

 

[Willin]

Okay. But I really wonder what was the point, then? What did they expect in just one season?

Was it preparation for show skating, to help them gel as a team?

A lot of shows, especially big name and higher paying shows like Stars on Ice and the Japanese/Korean shows rely on billing. They advertise having medalists and Olympians in their cast. Therefore, if they had gone straight to show skating it may have been hard to get booked. Meanwhile, "Olympic competitors James/Radford" or "Canadian National Champions" or "Grand Prix Medalists" may get them more show bookings (if they had achieved those things). Of course they didn't get the results where they would have gotten their highest booking potential, but it still created enough of a name for them to get booked together into some shows.

 

[Former Lurve Goddess]

It may not mean much to dedicated skate fans but I know a lot of non-fans who were inspired by seeing Vanessa, a Black woman, compete for Canada at the Olympics. I'm sure that just finishing in the top 10 at the OWGs has helped with J/R's marketability.

 

[Judy]

There is only the pairs long today?

 

[Rhumba d’Amour]

It may not mean much to dedicated skate fans but I know a lot of non-fans who were inspired by seeing Vanessa, a Black woman, compete for Canada at the Olympics. I'm sure that just finishing in the top 10 at the OWGs has helped with J/R's marketability.

And having skated in the Team Event, there is still the possibility that they will end up as Olympic Bronze Medalists (Team Event), which might make them more marketable.

 

[wickedwitch]

It may not mean much to dedicated skate fans but I know a lot of non-fans who were inspired by seeing Vanessa, a Black woman, compete for Canada at the Olympics. I'm sure that just finishing in the top 10 at the OWGs has helped with J/R's marketability.

Except they finished 12th not 10th.