2025-26 Pairs General Discussion: Who Wants to Lift Forever?

[Tesla]

Interesting that they practically crop Han out of the 2nd & 3rd jumps of the SBS jump sequence. He clearly is only doing a 1a on the last jump while Sui does a 2a. Looks like they both are doing a 1a for the 2nd jump.

Actually, I think Sui is doing two double axels and Han is only doing single axels.

 

[Karen-W]

Actually, I think Sui is doing two double axels and Han is only doing single axels.

I think you're correct. Either way, we know they'll only get credit for a 1a if that's all Han does.

 

[Tesla]

I think you're correct. Either way, we know they'll only get credit for a 1a if that's all Han does.

She rotates very quickly. They finish at the same time, even though his are singles.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

It looks like the US could gain a third spot in the Olympics if some of these happen??

Anastasia does not get Australian citizenship

The Dutch don’t get their minimums

Uzbekistan has no replacement


Calling up team France… Les Kovs may be injured and I don’t think there is a replacement that’s has minimums

Then Ukraine would be next.

And then US third spot would be next.

 

[tony]

It looks like the US could gain a third spot in the Olympics if some of these happen??

Anastasia does not get Australian citizenship

The Dutch don’t get their minimums

Uzbekistan has no replacement


Calling up team France… Les Kovs may be injured and I don’t think there is a replacement that’s has minimums

Then Ukraine would be next.

And then US third spot would be next.

There would be a replacement available for France. Minimums are based on Euros/4CC minimums.

Golubeva is sitting out the Grand Prix season (and everything else, really) specifically to follow citizenship requirements.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Pairs seems to be getting interesting, it seems like MiNiKi are having some issues while Deana and Max seem to be not, they also had a really good short program score in Warsaw just now.

And then Georgians are usually very consistent, but their free skate in skate America…

 

[Karen-W]

So, Ekaterina Geynish and Marco Zandron are entered in Senior Pairs at a club competition in Tashkent this weekend.

https://x.com/twistandtwizzle/status/1994179026831732973?s=20

There had been a rumor the tryout had ended unsuccessfully floating around X maybe a week or so ago, but that doesn't seem to be the case after all. Of course, this also means that there's no way Uzbekistan will be able to use the Olympic pairs spot that Geynish/Chigirev earned last season if the new Geynish/Zandron partnership is still on.

 

[Belsornia]

Initial deadline for named entries for the Olympics is 12 Jan? So seems like Golden Spin would have been the last chance for a new team to sweep in and pick up the minimums to go to Milano.

 

[Karen-W]

Initial deadline for named entries for the Olympics is 12 Jan? So seems like Golden Spin would have been the last chance for a new team to sweep in and pick up the minimums to go to Milano.

No, the deadline for named entries is Jan 26th, so Challenge Cup in Tilburg NED (moved up a month earlier this season) is the last opportunity to earn CTES mins.

 

[farahfan]

No, the deadline for named entries is Jan 26th, so Challenge Cup in Tilburg NED (moved up a month earlier this season) is the last opportunity to earn CTES mins.

what's the last competition for getting CTES mins for Worlds?

 

[Karen-W]

what's the last competition for getting CTES mins for Worlds?

No idea. Deadline is 4 weeks before Worlds, so sometime in February.

ETA - just looked at the ISU event calendar. Theoretically, it's Skate Berlin Feb 17-21, 2026; but who knows if the competition will be held - I think it's been cancelled in January in previous seasons.

 

[kwanfan1818]

It’s 21 days before the first official practice, the day that final entries are due. Tuesday, February 24, 2026 according to the Announcement, but that extra week for TallinnK is only relevant to singles, since there will be no Pairs or Dance there.

 

[Karen-W]

It’s 21 days before the first official practice, the day that final entries are due. Tuesday, February 24, 2026 according to the Announcement, but that extra week for TallinnK is only relevant to singles, since there will be no Pairs or Dance there.

Actually, the ISU changed it at the 2024 Congress. For ISU Championships it's now 28 days before the first official practice.

Feb 24, 2026 is 4 weeks (28 days) before the first official practice.

 

[kwanfan1818]

I need to rename the document I have on file and download the last one. Seven days more is easier for the organizers, but could be rough for the skaters.

 

[Aaron MB Fan]

So, Ekaterina Geynish and Marco Zandron are entered in Senior Pairs at a club competition in Tashkent this weekend.

I forget, do we know what is happening with Brooke now given her partnership with Marco didn't work out?

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

So, Ekaterina Geynish and Marco Zandron are entered in Senior Pairs at a club competition in Tashkent this weekend.

https://x.com/twistandtwizzle/status/1994179026831732973?s=20

There had been a rumor the tryout had ended unsuccessfully floating around X maybe a week or so ago, but that doesn't seem to be the case after all. Of course, this also means that there's no way Uzbekistan will be able to use the Olympic pairs spot that Geynish/Chigirev earned last season if the new Geynish/Zandron partnership is still on.

So, for Spain?

 

[Karen-W]

I forget, do we know what is happening with Brooke now given her partnership with Marco didn't work out?

Haven't heard or seen anything.

So, for Spain?

Not likely since they're competing in a club competition in Uzbekistan.

 

[tony]

So, for Spain?

For Uzbekistan

 

[Sabine-Yuna]

So, no chance for them to compete this season. At least not at the Olympics and not at Worlds. That's really bad for Geinish who has qualified for both.

 

[Karen-W]

So, no chance for them to compete this season. At least not at the Olympics and not at Worlds. That's really bad for Geinish who has qualified for both.

Zandron last competed at Merano Ice Trophy on Feb 14, 2025. Theoretically, if he's been released by Spain already, he would be able to represent Uzbekistan on Feb 15, 2026. Skate Berlin is scheduled for Feb 17-21, so they could compete there and earn the CTES mins then go to Worlds in Prague representing Uzbekistan.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Anastasiia Golubeva has made a post on Instagram detailing with even been going through. Having to return immediately to australia and stay there to establish the residency requirements and also her concussion and injuries, apparently they were also in the newspaper, here is the post.

Apparently, they were all set for some challengers and their Grand Prix events, but they really needed to stay in Australia, despite the concussion.

ANASTASIA/ on Instagram: "It’s been a long time since I posted anything… But I think it’s time to share what we’ve been going through. We’ve faced many barriers along the way, and we had to overcome every single one of them. This season has been in

793 likes, 53 comments - stasya_golybeva on November 30, 2025: "It’s been a long time since I posted anything… But I think it’s time to share what we’ve been going through. We’ve faced many barriers along the way, and we had to overcome every single one of them. This season has been incredibly...

www.instagram.com

 

[farahfan]

Anastasiia Golubeva has made a post on Instagram detailing with even been going through. Having to return immediately to australia and stay there to establish the residency requirements and also her concussion and injuries, apparently they were also in the newspaper, here is the post.

Apparently, they were all set for some challengers and their Grand Prix events, but they really needed to stay in Australia, despite the concussion.

ANASTASIA/ on Instagram: "It’s been a long time since I posted anything… But I think it’s time to share what we’ve been going through. We’ve faced many barriers along the way, and we had to overcome every single one of them. This season has been in

793 likes, 53 comments - stasya_golybeva on November 30, 2025: "It’s been a long time since I posted anything… But I think it’s time to share what we’ve been going through. We’ve faced many barriers along the way, and we had to overcome every single one of them. This season has been incredibly...

www.instagram.com

I'm at a loss for pairs predictions for Golden Spin. The Aussies are my personal favorites but with the time out and the injuries who knows.

 

[Karen-W]

Olympic tech panel for pairs -

The Skating Session by Tony Wheeler on Instagram: "Not officially published or mentioned, but this will be (as of now) the technical panel for the Olympic team event & individual competition."

5 likes, 0 comments - theskatingsession on December 1, 2025: "Not officially published or mentioned, but this will be (as of now) the technical panel for the Olympic team event & individual competition.".

www.instagram.com

TC - Susan Lynch AUS
TS - Veronique Fleury FRA
TS - Whitney Gaynor USA

 

[skatingguy]

John Crafoord is retiring.

John Crafoord avslutar karriären i paråkning

John Crafoord avslutar sin karriär inom paråkning på grund av skada. Hans tvillingsyster Greta söker nu ny partner för att fortsätta sin satsning....

www.mynewsdesk.com

 

[kwanfan1818]

And his sister is looking for a new partner. The Crafoords’ last international was the Olympic Qualifier in September.

 

[Karen-W]

And his sister is looking for a new partner. The Crafoords’ last international was the Olympic Qualifier in September.

Actually, their last competition was last season - the Road to 26 test event in Milano. They weren't sent to the OQE by the Swedish fed.

 

[kwanfan1818]

Actually, their last competition was last season - the Road to 26 test event in Milano. They weren't sent to the OQE by the Swedish fed.

I don't know why I conflated that with the Olympic Qualifier, but that's better news for her, because if she finds a partner, and they want to skate for another country, they could compete in the summer, if they were at all ready.

 

[Tinycities]

I don't know why I conflated that with the Olympic Qualifier, but that's better news for her, because if she finds a partner, and they want to skate for another country, they could compete in the summer, if they were at all ready.

Their wiki says they grew up in the US. I wonder if they also have US citizenship as that would open the pool a bit for her.

 

[kwanfan1818]

In this interview John said that they moved to the US for their father's job, and that they spoke no English until they moved to Indiana at age 8. That suggests that while their father, at minimum, had a worker's visa, their parents could have become green card holders, and then, possibly citizens. If at least one parent became a US citizen before they turned 18 at the end of 2018, and they were lawful legal residents and residing under the custody of the US citizen parent, they would be granted US citizenship. .According to Wikipedia, they moved to Europe to train with Savchenko for the 2022-23 season, during which time they turned 23, but Wikipedia says they moved to train in the Netherlands, while the Figure Skaters Online article said they first trained with Savchenko in Oberstdorf, so I'm not sure of the exact timing.

https://www.uscis.gov/citizenship/learn-about-citizenship/i-am-the-child-of-a-us-citizen

There are other timing and procedural issues that I've seen in other articles, like under what additional circumstances citizenship is automatically granted.

After 18 it becomes more complicated, especially if she continues to train/be based outside the US.

 

[Sylvia]

Reposting here from the Canadian Pairs news thread - 𝘼𝙘𝙖𝙙é𝙢𝙞𝙚 𝙋𝙚𝙧𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙄𝙨𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙨' reel of clips posted 2 days ago:

Nina Ouellette and Charly Laliberte-Laurent are official. Looks like for Canada

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DR-ht6HE6mG/

Charly, 20, and Nina, 23 (2 JGPs in singles for USA in 2015 & 2016 and Senior pairs with Rique Newby-Estrella from 2022 through 2023: https://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs00114825.htm