2022-23 US Pairs Discussion - Second to None!

[Karen-W]

So, since it looks like Russia's out for the upcoming season, even with a depleted field due to retirements and splits, the US pairs depth is still second to no other country! Though maybe Canada, Italy or Georgia will fight us on that, lol.

Starting off the season thread with this update from McBeath/Bartholomay who are off to Arizona to debut their SP at the Cactus Competition!

Watch this story by Nathan Bartholomay on Instagram before it disappears.

instagram.com

ETA - also copying over @Sylvia's thread from the 2021-22 US Pairs thread - the 2022-23 USFS Team Envelope selections - https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...eason-news-updates-part-x.108528/post-6271692:

TEAM A
Alexa Knierim & Brandon Frazier S-wd/O-6/W-1 (in ISP)

TEAM B
Emily Chan & Spencer Howe S4/4CC-3 (ISP)
Katie McBeath & Nathan Bartholomay S5/4CC-5 (ISP)
Valentina Plazas & Maximiliano Fernandez S6

TEAM C
Sonia Baram & Daniel Tioumentsev J1 (ISP)
Kate Finster & Matej Silecky S7 (still listed for now)
Anastasiia Smirnova & Danil Siianytsia S-wd/JW-4 (ISP)

TEAM D
Megan Wessenberg & Blake Eisenach J4
Cayla Smith & Andy Deng J5 (ISP)
Novice last season:
Margaret Church & William Church
Olivia Mendoza & Aiden Elswick
Estelle Schwab & Jaden Schwab

 

[Frau Muller]

No China in the coming season? Or have they pretty much aligned themselves in the Russia-Belarus side, albeit unofficially?

 

[Sylvia]

There are currently 6 pairs listed in USFS' ISP (more can be added during the summer competition season):

Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier
Emily Chan and Spencer Howe
Katie McBeath and Nathan Bartholomay
Anastasiia Smirnova and Danil Siianytsia

ISU Junior age-eligible this season:
Sonia Baram and Daniel Tioumentsev
Cayla Smith and Andy Deng

Cactus Classic is the first of 10 NQS competitions for pairs (leading to the U.S. Pairs Final in Lansing, Michigan, November 8-11) and Wessenberg/Eisenach are the other Senior pair team listed as competing in Scottsdale, AZ, with McBeath/Bartholomay.

In Junior Pairs, Baram/Tioumentsev and the new pair of Catherine Rivers/Nathan Rensing are listed to compete.
Ellie Korytek/Timmy Chapman (new) are listed as WD as of today.

 

[Cant Skate]

So, since it looks like Russia's out for the upcoming season, even with a depleted field due to retirements and splits, the US pairs depth is still second to no other country! Though maybe Canada, Italy or Georgia will fight us on that, lol.

I think the Japanese might fight you on that too

 

[Karen-W]

I think the Japanese might fight you on that too

Until they have more than one senior pairs team, it's not much of a fight...

 

[Cant Skate]

Until they have more than one senior pairs team, it's not much of a fight...

I didn't say it would be a long fight, lol ...

 

[shan]

It's good to see Smirnova and Siianytsia getting choreography (choreography by Adam Blake)

Adam Blake on Instagram: "Went to MN. We did a thing ⛸: @danilka_siianytsia @n_a_s__s_m_i @smirnovasiianytsia 🎓: @trudyoltmanns 👣: @icecoldcombos"

618 likes, 9 comments - adam.a.blake on July 14, 2022: "Went to MN. We did a thing ⛸: @danilka_siianytsia @n_a_s__s_m_i @smirnovasiianytsia 🎓: @trudyoltmanns 👣: @icecoldcombos".

www.instagram.com

 

[Wyliefan]

@AnythingGOE announced that Isabelle Martins has a new partner, Aaron Felberbaum.

https://twitter.com/AnythingGOE/status/1549523373755191296

(Note: @Sylvia's eagle eye already caught this! https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/threads/2022-u-s-club-nqs-competitions.109696/page-3#post-6276498 )

 

[Sylvia]

Re. Skate Detroit pairs competing this Friday & Saturday:

Chan/Howe, Plazas/Fernandez, Mokhova/Mokhov, Kam/Meyh & Fitzpatrick/Bearinger (new) are the 5 Senior pairs listed;
Isabelle Martins/Aaron Felberbaum (he’s new to pairs, competed in Jr. men last season), Beavers/Kennedy & Flores/Wang are the 3 new Junior pairs, along with Smith/Deng (in ISP), Murray/Gillette, and the Church siblings.

 

[Karen-W]

Re. Skate Detroit pairs competing this Friday & Saturday:

Chan/Howe, Plazas/Fernandez, Mokhova/Mokhov, Kam/Meyh & Fitzpatrick/Bearinger (new) are the 5 Senior pairs listed;
Isabelle Martins/Aaron Felberbaum (he’s new to pairs, competed in Jr. men last season), Beavers/Kennedy & Flores/Wang are the 3 new Junior pairs, along with Smith/Deng (in ISP), Murray/Gillette, and the Church siblings.

So tempting to pay for the live stream access just to watch these teams, but I have sewing projects that need to take priority over paying and watching US pairs summer comps skating, lol.

 

[Sylvia]

Grand Prix initial assignments today - all 4 ISU Senior age-eligible pairs currently in USFS' International Selection Pool received 2 assignments each, as expected.

Skate America: Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier, Anastasiia Smirnova and Danil Siianytsia (GP debut), TBD

Skate Canada International: Emily Chan and Spencer Howe (GP debut), Katie McBeath and Nathan Bartholomay (GP debut)

Internationaux de France (No U.S. pairs)

MK John Wilson Trophy: Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier, Katie McBeath and Nathan Bartholomay

NHK Trophy: Emily Chan and Spencer Howe

Grand Prix Espoo: Anastasiia Smirnova and Danil Siianytsia

 

[TanithandBenFan]

Really wish Chan/Howe had gotten SA. They train in Boston!

 

[sk9tingfan]

Really wish Chan/Howe had gotten SA. They train in Boston!

Not bad since Toronto is an hour or shorter flight.

 

[moebius]

So, since it looks like Russia's out for the upcoming season, even with a depleted field due to retirements and splits, the US pairs depth is still second to no other country! Though maybe Canada, Italy or Georgia will fight us on that, lol.

That's pathetic. Need the Russians and Chinese pairs teams back to make competition more exciting. US pairs dominating is a joke. I would like other countries besides the US to take advantage of the absence of the Russians and Chinese teams.

 

[Sylvia]

That's pathetic. ... US pairs dominating is a joke.

You do realize that Karen's thread title is tongue-in-cheek? (or at least that's how I read it)

ICYMI (general comment), @Karen-W has started a pairs discussion thread for the 2022-23 season here: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...a-gp-you-get-a-gp-all-of-you-get-a-gp.109797/

 

[DreamSkates]

No China in the coming season? Or have they pretty much aligned themselves in the Russia-Belarus side, albeit unofficially?

There are some competitors now listed on the ISU page.

 

[DreamSkates]

That's pathetic. Need the Russians and Chinese pairs teams back to make competition more exciting. US pairs dominating is a joke. I would like other countries besides the US to take advantage of the absence of the Russians and Chinese teams.

I'm not laughing. I think it's a good opportunity for US Pairs and am hoping they earn well-deserved medals. Competitions are about who shows up at a current event, not who is missing, retired, etc.

 

[Frau Muller]

There are some competitors now listed on the ISU page.

I saw that yesterday, a week after I asked about China’s status. Quite a nice surprise!

 

[Sylvia]

After the first 2 NQS pairs competitions, the top 3 Senior teams are:

Valentina Plazas/Maximiliano Fernandez 151.08 (102.48 FS) at Skate Detroit
Maria Mokhova/Ivan Mokhov 151.02 (101.00 FS) at Skate Detroit
Megan Wessenberg/Blake Eisenach 147.26 (94.25 FS) at Cactus Classic

Emily Chan/Spencer Howe scored 59.19 in their first outing of their SP yesterday at Skate Detroit and I'm thrilled that they brought back & adapted their 2019-20 debut season FS music to the lovely "Je crois entendre encore" (violin version) from Bizet's The Pearl Fishers! (I never got to see the program in person at 2020 Nationals because they WD.)

 

[kirkbiggestfan]

Anyone knows if the cranberry cup/open has pairs this year? I don’t see it on the schedule. They can’t find enough pairs?

 

[Sylvia]

Anyone knows if the cranberry cup/open has pairs this year?

No pairs at Cranberry International this year (not enough entries). John Nicks Pairs Challenge, Sept. 8-9 in NYC, will be held as a Senior/Junior international again this year.

 

[ice coverage]

Anyone knows if the cranberry cup/open has pairs this year? I don’t see it on the schedule. ...

Cranberry Open (non-international) tentative schedule (as of Jul 18) does show senior pairs and novice pairs on Thu and Fri.

https://scboston.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/2022-Cranberry-Open-Tentative-Schedule-7.18.2022-Updated.pdf

 

[Sylvia]

I wonder if Hazel Collier/Misha Mitrofanov might be ready to show a SP at Cranberry Open? And Chan/Howe their FS?

Side note: Audrey Lu competed at the U.S. Collegiate Championships this weekend and won the silver medal in the Senior Women's event! She landed 2A, 3Lo, 3T+2T, 3S+1Eu+2S, 3T (fall), 3S & 2A+2T - 105.22 in FS, 159.51 total.

 

[sk9tingfan]

I wonder if Hazel Collier/Misha Mitrofanov might be ready to show a SP at Cranberry Open? And Chan/Howe their FS?

Side note: Audrey Lu competed at the U.S. Collegiate Championships this weekend and won the silver medal in the Senior Women's event! She landed 2A, 3Lo, 3T+2T, 3S+1Eu+2S, 3T (fall), 3S & 2A+2T! 105.22 in FS, 159.51 total.

Fingers crossed for Cranberry!

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Valentina Plazas/Maximiliano Fernandez 151.08 (102.48 FS) at Skate Detroit

Is another new team? That wasnt his partner last year right??

I liked the team from last season. Is there a video of this team?

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

I wonder if Hazel Collier/Misha Mitrofanov might be ready to show a SP at Cranberry Open? And Chan/Howe their FS?

Side note: Audrey Lu competed at the U.S. Collegiate Championships this weekend and won the silver medal in the Senior Women's event! She landed 2A, 3Lo, 3T+2T, 3S+1Eu+2S, 3T (fall), 3S & 2A+2T - 105.22 in FS, 159.51 total.

I SURE will miss the big jumping tricks of L&M... big time.

 

[Karen-W]

Is another new team? That wasnt his partner last year right??

I liked the team from last season. Is there a video of this team?

No, they're not new. They competed at Nats last year where they finished 6th. I believe it's their 3rd season together.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

No, they're not new. They competed at Nats last year where they finished 6th. I believe it's their 3rd season together.

Totes! I forgot her name... I think they have good potential!!!

 

[Sylvia]

No, they're not new. They competed at Nats last year where they finished 6th. I believe it's their 3rd season together.

Yes, they teamed up in Florida in 2020 and moved to Canton, Michigan with Peterson & Evora.

Plazas/Fernandez's team Instagram account has clips & photos: https://www.instagram.com/vmskates/

 

[haribobo]

SENIOR PAIR

SP
Baram/Tioumentsev 63.66
Chan/Howe 59.19
Wessenberg/Eisenach 53.01
McBeath/Bartholomay 52.89
Mokhova/Mokhov 51.70
Plazas/Fernandez 48.60
Kam/Meyh 45.32
Fitzpatrick/Bearinger 40.88

FS
Baram/Tioumentsev 115.98
Plazas/Fernandez 102.48
Mokhova/Mokhov 101.00
Wessenberg/Eisenach 94.25
Kam/Meyh 87.40
Fitzpatrick/Bearinger 68.33

OVERALL
Baram/Tioumentsev 179.64
Plazas/Fernandez 151.08
Mokhova/Mokhov 151.02
Wessenberg/Eisenach 147.26
Kam/Meyh 132.72
Fitzpatrick/Bearinger 109.21

JUNIOR PAIR
SP
Baram/Tioumentsev 56.17
Korytek/Chapman 53.25
Rivers/Rensing 39.01
Church/Church 36.06
Black/Black 35.69
Murray/Gillette 32.00
Delis/Schwab 26.70

FS
Baram/Tioumentsev 102.17
Korytek/Chapman 89.38
Rivers/Rensing 75.79
Delis/Schwab 66.34
Murray/Gillette 62.83
Black/Black 59.30
Church/Church 52.38

FINAL
Baram/Tioumentsev 158.34
Korytek/Chapman 142.63
Rivers/Rensing 114.80
Black/Black 94.99
Murray/Gillette 94.83
Delis/Schwab 93.04
Church/Church 88.44