2020-21 Canadian Pairs News & Updates

Xsktrx

Active Member
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167
Since they were each with different coaches before they got together, they probably learned different techniques on the twist, so it takes longer for it to come together. Lots of teams take some extra time to figure out the triple twist, even if they have a lot of experience. I remember it was at least six months for Luba and Dylan, for example.

It’s also easy for forget how young they are since we have been watching them both for a while, but they are both still junior age-eligible. I’m willing to be a bit patient before writing them off.
Are you talking about Justine and Zach or Brooke and Ben when you say they are quite young and Jr age eligible? Justine is 19 and Zach 20, Brooke 15 and Ben I believe is also 20. Re the triple twist issue coming along time will tell. Brooke and Ben had different coaches but seem to have a decent triple twist in the works, but they have been together since spring so maybe those extra few months have helped it come along. Can someone educate me on Jr pairs eligibility. I know for pairs men it’s 21. For pairs women do you have to be 19 or under 19 Jan 1 of the current ISU season? Tried to find it on the ISU site but couldn’t locate. Thanks.
Since they were each with different coaches before they got together, they probably learned different techniques on the twist, so it takes longer for it to come together. Lots of teams take some extra time to figure out the triple twist, even if they have a lot of experience. I remember it was at least six months for Luba and Dylan, for example.

It’s also easy for forget how young they are since we have been watching them both for a while, but they are both still junior age-eligible. I’m willing to be a bit patient before writing them off.
 

Xsktrx

Active Member
Messages
167
Are you talking about Justine and Zach or Brooke and Ben when you say they are quite young and Jr age eligible? Justine is 19 and Zach 20, Brooke 15 and Ben I believe is also 20. Re the triple twist issue coming along time will tell. Brooke and Ben had different coaches but seem to have a decent triple twist in the works, but they have been together since spring so maybe those extra few months have helped it come along. Can someone educate me on Jr pairs eligibility. I know for pairs men it’s 21. For pairs women do you have to be 19 or under 19 Jan 1 of the current ISU season? Tried to find it on the ISU site but couldn’t locate. Thanks.
Found it. Unfortunately this cancelled ISU JGP season was, if I read it correctly Justine’s last season of eligibility. No doubt if they come along senior grand prix events will be in their future.
 

Xsktrx

Active Member
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167
Watched Senior pairs. Brooke and Ben should do well at this level as they keep developing their chemistry and second mark. More eye contact and interaction than we have seen in previous years from Brooke which was nice to see. Lifts, twist and throw triple loop were solid. Brain cramp for Ben on the double axel but came back with a nice sbs tripe double combo. Throw lutz was a double so likely in the works but not yet ready for competition. Given Brooke has a reliable throw triple toe, sal and loop no reason not to expect the lutz as well in the future. For their first outing together pretty respectable and glad they did both programs instead of just a short or skipping it completely.
 

Xsktrx

Active Member
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167
I was impressed by their final lift, which it seemed like they almost circled the rink.
Agree. Ben covers the ice well with his lifts. Not sure if it was everyone’s streaming or just mine but for both pairs and some of the senior men the music was several seconds ahead of the video portion so it appeared everyone was finishing late.
 

Sylvia

TBD
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79,989
Nov. 20th article with quotes from Alison Purkiss:
Excerpts:
... She also coaches novice national champions Lily Wilberforce and Aidan Wright and she is working with seniors Patricia Andrew and Steven Adcock, a new team..
Andrew and her partner from last season, Zachary Daleman, captured the national junior pairs championship but they chose to move on with new partners.
Purkiss said everyone was happy to return to the Gretzky centre when it reopened in the middle of August.
She said she’s on the ice from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., up to six days a week. A half-hour of cleaning is done between each ice session, said Purkiss, adding that the Gretzky staff – from the cleaners to managers – have been outstanding.
Early in the morning, the BSC uses the ice for its club skaters before the high-level national skaters arrive in the morning and practise until mid-afternoon.
“I think they definitely miss competing,” said Purkiss. “But they were off for a significant amount of time and so, having that taken away from you, it really puts your love of the sport into perspective.
Although no live events are planned, Skate Canada is planning to do a virtual challenge, Purkiss said.
Skating programs will be taped the week of Nov. 30. Those videos will then be sent to Skate Canada.
Purkiss said she believes the videos will be aired and judged simultaneously in January.
 

Colonel Green

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13,930
This looks much prettier, tbh.

Does anyone know when Kirsten and Michael are going to perform their free program completely. And if they already have, can someone guide me toward a link?
Unless they go to Challenge (no indications either way), not until hypothetical nationals.
 

Sylvia

TBD
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79,989
Kirsten M-T has cool Instagram story clips of her and Michael performing at the Nathan Phillips Square outdoor rink in Toronto as the clock struck midnight - this was being filmed for IllumiNATION, a virtual show that will premiere on Thursday, December 17:
 

starrynight

Well-Known Member
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3,234
Meagan posted about trying out a different throw Salchow technique for BOTB than the one she and Eric used competitively.

This looks much prettier, tbh.

Yes MUCH prettier. It looks like the classic flowing throw that we want from pairs skaters.

I always found the way Meagan had the free arm up in the air distracted from the throw, and I thought that was just how she had to do a throw salchow. Funny that on BOTB with a hockey player the throw got totally reworked into something way better.

I don't know if my memory is just affected by Meagan and Erics quads which were more assisted jumps that just went vertically up rather than out, but that jump on BOTB seems much better aesthetically.

Interesting that she says she understands why Russians and Chinese use hip hold throws as they generate more power. But as a lay person watching skating, that always seemed apparent.

Do different countries use different holds going into throws? I'm just trying to thing of the different throw techniques I've seen recently. It seems like most use the hip hold now (but more used to hold the hand in previous times).

Anyway, Meagan will make a good coach.
 
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skatingguy

decently
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18,395
Yes MUCH prettier. It looks like the classic flowing throw that we want from pairs skaters.

I always found the way Meagan had the free arm up in the air distracted from the throw, and I thought that was just how she had to do a throw salchow. Funny that on BOTB with a hockey player the throw got totally reworked into something way better.

I don't know if my memory is just affected by Meagan and Erics quads which were more assisted jumps that just went vertically up rather than out, but that jump on BOTB seems much better aesthetically.

Interesting that she says she understands why Russians and Chinese use hip hold throws as they generate more power. But as a lay person watching skating, that always seemed apparent.

Do different countries use different holds going into throws? I'm just trying to thing of the different throw techniques I've seen recently. It seems like most use the hip hold now (but more used to hold the hand in previous times).

Anyway, Meagan will make a good coach.
The Canadian throw mentality, as I understand it, is that the throw is the lady's jump, and the man provides assistance.
 

Colonel Green

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13,930
Certainly different to skate both programs, know how you skated and then have to wait 5 weeks to see how you scored and placed. Great pic. They do look happy.
Though in the specific context of senior pairs, I think the number of available spots exactly corresponds to the number of senior pairs, so they probably don't have anything to worry about.
 

Sylvia

TBD
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79,989
I count 10 Senior pairs:

Kirsten Moore-Towers / Michael Marinaro ON
Evelyn Walsh / Trennt Michaud ON
Camille Ruest / Drew Wolfe QC
Lori-Ann Matte / Thierry Ferland QC
Deanna Stellato / Maxime Deschamps QC
Natasha Purich / Bryce Chudak QC
Cassandra Leung / Paxton Fletcher ON
Brooke McIntosh / Benjamin Mimar ON (new)
Justine Brasseur / Zachary Daleman ON (new)
Patricia Andrew / Steven Adcock (new; Bye through ON Sectionals)
 

Xsktrx

Active Member
Messages
167
Though in the specific context of senior pairs, I think the number of available spots exactly corresponds to the number of senior pairs, so they probably don't have anything to worry about.
I believe there are 11 senior pairs and 8 spots available.
Based on Saskatchewan, Quebec and Ontario sectional entries it looks like there are 1, 4 & 6
Saskatchewan:
1) Caidence and Raine
Quebec:
2) Deanna and Maxime
3) Natasha and Bryce
4) Lori-Anne and Thierry
5) Camille and Drew
Ontario:
6) Kirsten and Mike
7) Evelyn and Trent
8) Patricia and Steven
9) Brooke and Benjamin
10)Justine and Zachary
11) Cassandra and Paxton
If I’m missing anyone or have listed anyone who won’t be skating I stand corrected. Looking forward to seeing the Challenge both from a performance standpoint and to see how Skate Canada handles the streaming, judging and scoring all in one broadcast.
 

Xsktrx

Active Member
Messages
167
I count 10 Senior pairs:

Kirsten Moore-Towers / Michael Marinaro ON
Evelyn Walsh / Trennt Michaud ON
Camille Ruest / Drew Wolfe QC
Lori-Ann Matte / Thierry Ferland QC
Deanna Stellato / Maxime Deschamps QC
Natasha Purich / Bryce Chudak QC
Cassandra Leung / Paxton Fletcher ON
Brooke McIntosh / Benjamin Mimar ON (new)
Justine Brasseur / Zachary Daleman ON (new)
Patricia Andrew / Steven Adcock (new; Bye through ON Sectionals)
I knew by the time I got my list together someone would beat me to it.lol.
 

puglover

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2,729
Amazing! Such great news to see so many pairs. Congratulations to the wonderful pairs coaches in Canada for fostering this interest in pairs and the legacy of those who paved the way. Regardless of the eventual results, it keeps more young people in the sport, having fun and learning so many important life and relationship skills that will help them in life outside the rink.
 

kwanfan1818

RIP D-10
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37,644
I haven't listened to it yet, but I just got a tweet from Sports Illustrated* that Meagan Duhamel is one of the guests on the From the Hack podcast:

*Hockey News and Curling News are owned by the same publisher. Hockey News already has some kind of partnership with SI, and the publisher announced that Curling News is going the same route, hence where the podcast lives.

ETA: I just finished listening to her segment. I hadn't followed Battle of the Blades, and didn't know her charity was the Sandra Schmirler Foundation or that she and her BOTB partner received a lot of audience voting support from the curling community. She explains why she chose the Foundation and was also asked a lot about her BOTB experience. And, yes, whether she'd ever curled :)
 
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Cant Skate

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Messages
518
So what's up with Wolfe/Ruest and Chudak/Purich? Since neither are on the national team, wasn't it mandatory that they compete?
 

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