2023-24 US Pairs Discussion - Chan you count Howe many teams we have?

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

The practice I saw of Katie and Daniil if they’re going to get the gold medal, they’re going to have to improve quickly.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

What has happened to Megan and Eduardo, I was watching them in practice yesterday and they look good. They have withdrawn from the US championships

 

[Karen-W]

What has happened to Megan and Eduardo, I was watching them in practice yesterday and they look good. They have withdrawn from the US championships

He hurt his arm/shoulder during their run-through and didn't skate the rest of the session. Not surprising they've WD.

 

[sk8nlizard]

The practice I saw of Katie and Daniil if they’re going to get the gold medal, they’re going to have to improve quickly.

I watched both practices on Peacock yesterday and in the morning practice M/P looked fairly rough. In the evening practice they looked really strong, I was shocked. They are still rough around the edges and look like a new pair, but they are one of the few US Pairs that can land jumps and throws consistently. After watching practice last night, I wouldn’t be surprised if they won, but I think for sure they will be on the podium. I can’t wait to see them next year, when they have time to gel.

My favorites overall are L/N, but I don’t know if I can deal with the inconsistent jumps. Also, I’m not sure how someone who has had that many concussions does those lifts with such abandon (and the twist for that matter). The lifts are beautiful but it makes me cringe a bit.

You can still watch the practices from yesterday on Peacock. It’s easy to jump around and just watch the skaters you are interested in.

 

[Karen-W]

McBPark (him) missed their SBS jump in the SPP run-through during the evening practice. I think the podium is pretty wide open between 5 teams - McBPark, ChanHowe, LiuNagy, KamOSh and EfiMit. They're all of a quality higher than the rest of the field. Dark horses would be PlaFern and maybe MarBed.

 

[Rukia]

Yeah I think this is really going to come down to who gets lucky with sbs jumps and throws on the day. I also expect some movement between the short and the free.

but also liu/nagy should win because i like them the most

 

[Firedancer]

Chan and Howe article- they talk about his injury and recovery.

https://www.usfigureskating.org/news/article/chan-and-howe-eyeing-podium-spot-columbus

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

I think the podium is pretty wide open between 5 teams - McBPark, ChanHowe, LiuNagy, KamOSh and MarBed.

fixed it for you

 

[Karen-W]

fixed it for you

Lmao - nope. That last team of yours is NOT on the same level as the five I said. Maybe in a couple years but not yet.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Lmao - nope. That last team of yours is NOT on the same level as the five I said. Maybe in a couple years but not yet.

they definitely are especially with the team that I replace them with

 

[Karen-W]

they definitely are especially with the team that I replace them with

No, they really aren't. Their lifts aren't even close to the same level as EfiMit. Like, seriously... Alisa Efimova has been a pairs jewel for years. Try again.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

pairs jewel

 

[skatingguy]

Chan/Howe have withdrawn from the free skate.

 

[Amy L]

My guess is that Spencer really started to feel that shoulder once the competition adrenaline wore off. I was surprised to see him go through with that one-armed lift.

 

[PRlady]

I slept funny or something and my left shoulder and back have been hurting all day. It hurt to reach for something in an upper cabinet, I can’t imagine lifting something heavy. I’m glad they withdrew and hope they get named to Worlds if ready. They’re the best pair we have.

 

[A.H.Black]

Just got to thinking. Who has/doesn't have minimums to compete at World's. For example, if McBeath/Parkman medal, do they have minimums? They are not on the 4 continents team.

 

[Amy L]

Just got to thinking. Who has/doesn't have minimums to compete at World's. For example, if McBeath/Parkman medal, do they have minimums? They are not on the 4 continents team.

Parkman doesn't have a release from Georgia yet, their season is over after the LP.

 

[Tinycities]

Just got to thinking. Who has/doesn't have minimums to compete at World's. For example, if McBeath/Parkman medal, do they have minimums? They are not on the 4 continents team.

He doesn’t have release from Georgia yet, so they’re done with their season.

 

[Karen-W]

Just got to thinking. Who has/doesn't have minimums to compete at World's. For example, if McBeath/Parkman medal, do they have minimums? They are not on the 4 continents team.

McBeath/Parkman aren't eligible because he doesn't have his release yet. Same for Efimova/Mitrofanov - she won't have her release until April.

Chan/Howe, the 3 teams going to 4CCs and the 2 4CCs alternates all have the Worlds TES mins.

 

[Karen-W]

This hasn't been posted out here yet but Chan/Howe have WD from the FS and will petition to be named to the Worlds team.

Pairs' leaders Emily Chan, Spencer Howe withdraw from figure skating nationals

Emily Chan and Spencer Howe withdrew after topping the pairs' short program.

www.nbcsports.com

I'll be really surprised if they aren't conditionally named pending USFS monitoring.

 

[peibeck]

I’m glad they withdrew and hope they get named to Worlds if ready. They’re the best pair we have.

Sorry about your shoulder, firstly.

Howe had his shoulder surgery last April? May? I fear that him skating with the tear all last year may have made the surgery help, but not necessarily allow him to fully recover. 8 -9 months later and needing to withdraw after the SP doesn't sound promising to me.

 

[Karen-W]

Sorry about your shoulder, firstly.

Howe had his shoulder surgery last April? May? I fear that him skating with the tear all last year may have made the surgery help, but not necessarily allow him to fully recover. 8 -9 months later and needing to withdraw after the SP doesn't sound promising to me.

Per reports, they only started lifting again in the past 2 weeks. His recovery definitely took longer than they anticipated but I think they're trying to do it right and not leave him open to re-injury. Let's see how they look in another 7 weeks at Worlds.

 

[peibeck]

Per reports, they only started lifting again in the past 2 weeks. His recovery definitely took longer than they anticipated but I think they're trying to do it right and not leave him open to re-injury. Let's see how they look in another 7 weeks at Worlds.

They would need to be monitored in 4-5 weeks so decisions can be made. Hard to fathom, realistically, how an extra month of rehab is going to result incredibly different results than the prior seven months did. One can hope, but...

 

[Karen-W]

They would need to be monitored in 4-5 weeks so decisions can be made. Hard to fathom, realistically, how an extra month of rehab is going to result incredibly different results than the prior seven months did. One can hope, but...

Who knows? I don't see any issue with naming them to the team conditionally. They are the best team we have even with him recuperating still.

 

[peibeck]

Who knows? I don't see any issue with naming them to the team conditionally. They are the best team we have even with him recuperating still.

I'm not saying they should be excluded from a provisional slot, just that I don't expect a big difference even if they are.

And as I understand the current political landscape at USFS, those in power aren't very open to having faith in a skater(s) who haven't competed all season, prior results or not.

 

[Karen-W]

I'm not saying they should be excluded from a provisional slot, just that I don't expect a big difference even if they are.

And as I understand the current political landscape at USFS, those in power aren't very open to having faith in a skater(s) who haven't competed all season, prior results or not.

And yet last season they named Hawayek/Baker to the Worlds team... I think that skaters/teams that have qualified for the GPF and/or finished top 6 at Worlds are in a different category than, say, a team like Smirnova/Siianytsia (to give another example from last season). I also think it's a slightly different scenario with our pairs teams since none of the ones who did compete this fall set the world on fire or demonstrated any kind of consistency.

 

[kalamalka]

I would guess that Chan/Howe's plan for this event was to do what they did - compete well in the SP to show they've still got it, withdraw so not to put too much additional strain on the shoulder doing a LP, and petition and hope that things continue to improve in the next few weeks. Or they might have thought they'd see how the SP went, and if he was feeling great, go for it - but really better not to push things too far too fast.

 

[BrightSkates]

What an awful situation. Hope Spencer feels better and is doing a 'Ziegler' for the next competition

 

[Rukia]

I would guess that Chan/Howe's plan for this event was to do what they did - compete well in the SP to show they've still got it, withdraw so not to put too much additional strain on the shoulder doing a LP, and petition and hope that things continue to improve in the next few weeks. Or they might have thought they'd see how the SP went, and if he was feeling great, go for it - but really better not to push things too far too fast.

This is kind of my thinking. I think the sp was both a bit of a test of his shoulder but also a way to show usfs that they still got it in competition and will only get better in the weeks leading up to worlds.

 

[Karen-W]

Can we take a moment to appreciate the depth that is continuing to develop in US pairs? I know the fall wasn't as successful as we'd have hoped for but we have 7 teams who easily blew past the Worlds TES mins today even with generous Nats score inflation, and 3 more teams that certainly could get the Euros/4CCs TES mins. Granted, Korytek/Chapman aren't eligible for international competition until 2025-26 but they have loads of potential.

And then there's the junior teams - Flores/Wang also aren't senior age-eligible until 2025-26 but spending another season on the junior circuit will only serve them well. I also think Williams/Lewer could use another junior international season (presuming the age max is raised for jr pairs men) - however, it wouldn't surprise me one bit to see both of these teams compete senior domestically next year like Baram/Tioumentsev did last season. They will both be competitive with the top 7 teams we saw today, I think. There's some potential in 3-4 other junior teams that needs some time and nurturing.

And the novice teams - my goodness - I can't wait to see the ones that are age-eligible hit the JGP next season! There's a 5th novice team (Finkelstein/Williams) who just missed making the cut for Nationals who also have loads of potential.

I'm choosing to believe that it's just a matter of time - maybe next season even - before we see this effort and hard work the USFS has put into its pairs program pay off again internationally.