2025-26 US Pairs Discussion - Milano-Bound By Way of Beijing & St. Louis

Still in the summer doldrums. Watching old pairs competitions which are not really my thing. But, really taken by Alexa on the throws. Both with Chris & Brandon she always hits. I`m sure there are plenty of times she didn`t but in the skates I saw she ws on the money. Even if her partner gave her a dodgey start she finds a good position and makes a lovely landing. Is she one of of those skaters "who just do an ugly_____________"?
 
Audrey Shin and Balazs Nagy USA
SP: Speak Softly Love (from The Godfather ll soundtrack) by Nino Rota/Speak Softly Love by Yao Si Ting/The Godfather Suite by Drew Tretick
FS: Two Men in Love by The Irrepressibles
choreographers listed: John Kerr, Sylvia Fontana, John Zimmerman

from their ISU bio https://isu-skating.com/figure-skating/skaters/pairs/audrey-shin-balazs-nagy

No more Julie choreography for them
 
TanithandBenFan said:
On the TWIS podcast interview with Misha and Spencer, Misha sounded hopeful about Alisa getting citizenship. He said, "We're working on the passport situation. We have a lot of people working on it, helping us with it." He talked about wanting to be on the Olympic team with Emily and Spencer.
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literally every thing they say about this leaves me more and more baffled hahahaha
 
farahfan said:
Hope USA skating is ready for the PR fallout when Trump signs that bill.
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Eh, with the right spin & approach, there wouldn't be much fallout. Especially for Christina & Vadym, given how long they've been here and representing the US - for pretty much their entire international competitive careers & beginning as minors - not many people will be bothered by it. I'd guess that there may be more blowback for Alisa & Daniil, but if they have stronger results during the fall than the other US pairs teams, that may silence a lot of would-be critics. Also, if it's not just figure skating-specific, but includes other aspiring Winter Olympians then, again, much less potential PR fallout.
 
Karen-W said:
Eh, with the right spin & approach, there wouldn't be much fallout. Especially for Christina & Vadym, given how long they've been here and representing the US - for pretty much their entire international competitive careers & beginning as minors - not many people will be bothered by it. I'd guess that there may be more blowback for Alisa & Daniil, but if they have stronger results during the fall than the other US pairs teams, that may silence a lot of would-be critics. Also, if it's not just figure skating-specific, but includes other aspiring Winter Olympians then, again, much less potential PR fallout.
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I don’t think Christina and Vadym would be the problem. They’re on track to get citizenship through the ordinary processes. It’s the Russians skipping the line that would be the problem.
 
I'm pretty impressed with Shin/Nagy. I was impressed that they didn't break up after a bad edit:4cc like a lot of pairs do - credit to Bruno Marcotte for setting realistic expectations on a 3 year timeline. But for them to come back and get 170 in their first run out in the summer? That's great! It's not world or GP podium material, but that's a score right on track with where they need to be in the summer of their second season.
 
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Willin said:
I'm pretty impressed with Shin/Nagy. I was impressed that they didn't break up after a bad worlds like a lot of pairs do - credit to Bruno Marcotte for setting realistic expectations on a 3 year timeline. But for them to come back and get 170 in their first run out in the summer? That's great! It's not world or GP podium material, but that's a score right on track with where they need to be in the summer of their second season.
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Both programs had a 0 element, so the score is pretty good all things considered. They also had a lift come down early in the free. Their triple twist is so improved I thought it was a double haha. But yeah, I think their pacing looks pretty good right now. If they can keep improving through the season they could really be going somewhere.
 
Willin said:
I'm pretty impressed with Shin/Nagy. I was impressed that they didn't break up after a bad worlds like a lot of pairs do - credit to Bruno Marcotte for setting realistic expectations on a 3 year timeline. But for them to come back and get 170 in their first run out in the summer? That's great! It's not world or GP podium material, but that's a score right on track with where they need to be in the summer of their second season.
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Shin and Nagy didn't go to Worlds; they didn't even have the minimums to do so.
 
Willin said:
I'm pretty impressed with Shin/Nagy. I was impressed that they didn't break up after a bad edit:4cc like a lot of pairs do - credit to Bruno Marcotte for setting realistic expectations on a 3 year timeline. But for them to come back and get 170 in their first run out in the summer? That's great! It's not world or GP podium material, but that's a score right on track with where they need to be in the summer of their second season.
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Their SP is good. Their FS is crap. I can't believe they paid Zimmerman & Fontana for Julie Marcotte music & choreo.

Their 3tw is significantly improved. Balazs had issues with both of the elements they got 0 points on - lost his pivot in the death spiral in the SP; and lost his edge/re-centered his weight over the blade on the 1st change of position in the pairs combo spin in the FS.

Honestly, I expected better from them. 170 at a summer domestic comp isn't great. That's chump change. The mistakes made are rookie errors that shouldn't be happening - not especially by an experienced pairs guy.
 
Karen-W said:
Their SP is good. Their FS is crap. I can't believe they paid Zimmerman & Fontana for Julie Marcotte music & choreo.

Their 3tw is significantly improved. Balazs had issues with both of the elements they got 0 points on - lost his pivot in the death spiral in the SP; and lost his edge/re-centered his weight over the blade on the 1st change of position in the pairs combo spin in the FS.

Honestly, I expected better from them. 170 at a summer domestic comp isn't great. That's chump change. The mistakes made are rookie errors that shouldn't be happening - not especially by an experienced pairs guy.
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I assume we will see them at John Nicks. We will see how they look in another month. I think we could see a lot of improvement in that time
 
happycamper2554 said:
I assume we will see them at John Nicks. We will see how they look in another month. I think we could see a lot of improvement in that time
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One would hope. I'm more curious to see how Plazas/Fernandez and Chan/Howe are looking. McBeath/Parkman struggled in the SP and WD from the FS (but they may not have intended on competing in the FS).

Word on the street is that the USFS is inviting most of the Jr pairs teams we have to compete at John Nicks, and I would assume the same is true for the Sr teams, especially the ones with just one GP assignment or hoping for the OQE assignment.
 
Karen-W said:
One would hope. I'm more curious to see how Plazas/Fernandez and Chan/Howe are looking. McBeath/Parkman struggled in the SP and WD from the FS (but they may not have intended on competing in the FS).

Word on the street is that the USFS is inviting most of the Jr pairs teams we have to compete at John Nicks, and I would assume the same is true for the Sr teams, especially the ones with just one GP assignment or hoping for the OQE assignment.
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Eh. 170 might be chump change for an early season comp. But your darlings Plaz/Fern have only scored above 170 once and it was internationally (Worlds 2024). It was a solid first outing for S/N considering their disaster at 4CCs. They were close to Lea/Trennnnnnnnnnnt on PCS in both segments, and would have been closer had they not had the two elements invalidated.

Let's be realistic. It's early in a long season and US pairs are gonna US pairs. Teams like P/F have been out for over a season, so we don't know if they've learned how to land their jumps finally (which can be said about any US pairs team for the most part).

We're all looking forward to what the season brings.
 
SidelineSkater said:
Eh. 170 might be chump change for an early season comp. But your darlings Plaz/Fern have only scored above 170 once and it was internationally (Worlds 2024). It was a solid first outing for S/N considering their disaster at 4CCs. They were close to Lea/Trennnnnnnnnnnt on PCS in both segments, and would have been closer had they not had the two elements invalidated.

Let's be realistic. It's early in a long season and US pairs are gonna US pairs. Teams like P/F have been out for over a season, so we don't know if they've learned how to land their jumps finally (which can be said about any US pairs team for the most part).

We're all looking forward to what the season brings.
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LMAO. I like PlaFern but I'm well aware of their limitations. They're NOT my darlings. Anyone who knows me at all well here on FSU knows my heart lies with ChanHowe this Oly quad for US pairs. ;)

I realize it's early in the season, but I have my doubts about a team that imploded so dramatically at their first ISU Championship and came out at their next comp over 5 months later and two pretty basic elements invalidated. I give them a bit of leeway with a lift coming down early and only getting a base level, because that happens, but a death spiral pivot and an edge on a combo spin? C'mon. You handwave away those kind of issues with a junior pairs team with two relatively inexperienced partners, you don't handwave that away for a senior team with a partner as experienced as Nagy. Sorry.
 
those pivots they do in death spirals are extremely difficult and it's a wonder more of them aren't botched tbh I hate that pivot and think it should die so i will never fault someone for losing a pick in it
 
Private Citizen said:
Y'all have very high expectations for pairs in July / early August. Just getting through the program is a victory. Anything that doesn't involve an ER visit is a win.
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Only one prematurely dropped lift is sometimes a lot to ask at the first Grand Prix - in October.

Just look at how many skaters withdraw for the FS or straight up don't compete this early in the season because they can't make it through both programs - if both programs are even done at this point.
 
LMAO at you too. I knew you’d take the bait. Thanks for playing.

Karen-W said:
LMAO. I like PlaFern but I'm well aware of their limitations. They're NOT my darlings. Anyone who knows me at all well here on FSU knows my heart lies with ChanHowe this Oly quad for US pairs. ;)

I realize it's early in the season, but I have my doubts about a team that imploded so dramatically at their first ISU Championship and came out at their next comp over 5 months later and two pretty basic elements invalidated. I give them a bit of leeway with a lift coming down early and only getting a base level, because that happens, but a death spiral pivot and an edge on a combo spin? C'mon. You handwave away those kind of issues with a junior pairs team with two relatively inexperienced partners, you don't handwave that away for a senior team with a partner as experienced as Nagy. Sorry.
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SidelineSkater said:
LMAO at you too. I knew you’d take the bait. Thanks for playing.
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Look, I've never been anything but honest with everyone who is drooling over this partnership thinking they're the next best thing with sooooo much potential. Sure, they've got potential, but we've all been down this road too many times with US pairs teams for me to have much confidence in any of them. They have their flaws and I wish that people would be more honest with themselves about those flaws.

One of which being they PAID Zimmerman & Fontana for FS music & choreo that they could have gotten from Julie Marcotte. That sort of poor taste is something a team has to work very hard to overcome with me.
 
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