2023-24 Pairs General Discussion - Join the SBS Double Salchow Club!

[Karen-W]

Time to start a new thread! Refresher & Update of potential GP assignments:

*Last season, the GP Host Commission moved all skaters/teams up to seeded status if teams ahead of them at Worlds retired/split post-Worlds.

Worlds Results
Seeded 1-3
Miura/Kihara
Knierim/Frazier*
Conti/Macii
Stellato-Dudek/Deschamps

Seeded 4-6
Chan/Howe
Pereira/Michaud
Pavlova/Sviatchenko

Guaranteed 2 Assignments 7-10
Golubeva/Giotopoulos Moore
Hocke/Kunkel
Efimova/Blommaert*
McIntosh/Mimar
Kam/O'Shea

Pairs WS Top 24 (unseeded from Worlds & not at Worlds) - guaranteed 1 GP (excluding junior teams, split teams and likely retired teams)
Ghilardi/Ambrosini (3)
Danilova/Tsiba (9)
Tarasova/Morozov (10)
Kovalev/Kovalev (11)
Plazas/Fernandez (15)
Mishina/Galliamov (17)
Osipova/Epstein (19)
Roscher/Schuster (20)
Caldara/Maglio (21)
Laurin/Ethier (22)
Valesi/Piazza (23)

These two teams are likely to move to the WS Top 24 once the split teams are removed (Safina/Berulava, Efimova/Blommaert, & Metelkina/Parkman)
Boikova/Kozlovskii (25)
Vouillamoz/Giniaux (27)

Pairs SB Top 24 (unseeded from Worlds & not at Worlds) - guaranteed 1 GP (excluding junior teams and split teams)
Ghilardi/Ambrosini (8)
Kovalev/Kovalev (14)
Smirnova/Siianytsia (15)
Kam/O'Shea (16)
Danilova/Tsiba (17)
Roscher/Schuster (18)
Plazas/Fernandez (19)
Laurin/Ethier (20)
Osipova/Epstein (21)
Beccari/Guarise (23)
Caldara/Maglio (24)

48 spots total -
20 guaranteed from Worlds results (MiuKih, ConMac, SDDes, ChanHowe, PerMich, PavSvia, GoluGM, HocKun, McInMim, KamOShea)
12 spots likely to 6 teams (GhiAmbr, Les Kovs, PlaFern, LaurEth, SmirSiia)
7-10 spots (DanTsi, TarMor*, MishGal*, OsiEp, RoSchu, CalMag, ValPia, BoiKoz*, VouGin, BecGuar)
3-6 host spots - 1 SkAm TBD, 1 SCI TBD, 1 GPdF (PieStrek), 2 CoC (ZhangYang, Peng & Possible New Partner), 1 Espoo (Vaananen/Clerici)

Obviously, some things could change if KniFraz decide to stick around, but it seems pretty certain that there are a lot of teams who will be on the GP Alternates list, hoping for even 1 assignment:

SB Top 75 (only the top 45 have achieved the min total score of 133.29 and given how substantial this list is compared to last season, I don't think we'll see teams added unless they win a Challenger, like the other disciplines)
Danilova/Tsiba
Roscher/Schuster
Osipova/Epstein
Beccari/Guarise
Caldari/Maglio
McBeath/Bartholomay
Mokhova/Mokhov
Zhang/Yang
Vouillamoz/Giniaux
Valesi/Piazza
Vaipan-Law/Digby
Gamez/Korovin
Piegad/Strekalin
Panetta/Thrasher
Simioli/Zarbo
Alteryd/Farand

New pairs team updates! Notable skaters looking for new partners include: Karina Safina, Luka Berulava, Danill Parkman, Anastasia Metelkina, Alisa Efimova, Hyejin Cho, Harley Windsor (maybe?)

Switzerland's new Senior pair of Pauline Irman and Ben Jalovick, who train in Colorado Springs, are officially on the national team after passing their Swiss Senior Gold Test last weekend: https://www.instagram.com/p/CqRAytDLzHP/

Skate Austria's photo today: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cqx6FgvIGFz/

Raphaela & Jonathan ASCHL competed in Basic Novice Pairs at Austrian Nationals in Dec. 2022: http://skateaustria.vs91-250-98-130.cloud-he.de/img/competition/8.2022_23/060/CAT010RS.htm

Alina Mayer Virtanen's photos frrom the ISU Development Seminar in Berlin 2023 for Pair Skating: https://www.instagram.com/p/CqxxDw_I2DK/
With her young Finnish pair, Lilja Laakko and Lauri Linnakorpi at the beginning of the camp: https://www.instagram.com/p/CqlCQXjoJ5c/
Photo on their club's website: https://pesal.fi/ryhmat-ja-toiminta/kilparyhmat/pariluistelu/

Israel's national team has a new junior pair: Nikita Kovalenko and Sophia Enkina.

Pair skating

iisf.org.il

Barbora Kuciánová / Martin Bidar teamed up (CZE)

https://twitter.com/AnythingGOE/status/1654911197404078080?t=t0LnsHraBO-sBdRzhYZl_w&s=19

 

[Karen-W]

From the German news thread -

Looks like Mimi Hase is back in business!

DEU erhält Startfreigabe für neues Top-Paar Minerva Hase/Nikita Volodin

Die Deutsche Eislauf-Union e.V. ist nationaler Spitzenverband für Eiskunstlaufen, Eistanz und Synchroneiskunstlaufen und einer von nur 7 olympischen Wintersportverbänden.

www.eislauf-union.de

Nikita Volodin has been release!

 

[miffy]

From the German news thread -

That’s good news. Now where are we on your idea of Efimova and Seegert?

 

[Karen-W]

That’s good news. Now where are we on your idea of Efimova and Seegert?

I'm crossing my fingers! She's back in Obertsdorf and he was doing his mandatory army training last I saw on IG.

 

[Sylvia]

Minerva Hase made her own announcement today re. her partnership with Nikita Volodin: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cs9D3Gro-M1/

I am happy to announce that I found a new partner. @nikivolod2 just got the release and clearance, which is everything we needed to represent Team Germany from the upcoming season on!

Stay tuned for further updates and maybe some insides of our practice!

 

[happycamper2554]

Harley Windsor’s latest insta story shows him in what looks to be off ice training Karina Safina. Wonder if this is a new team.


Edited for spelling

 

[Karen-W]

Harley Windsor’s latest insta story shows him in what looks to be off ice training Karina Safina. Wonder if this is a new team.


Edited for spelling

If so, it begs the question who gets released? If this is a new partnership and they want to compete next season then he would need a release from Australia, but if he doesn't want to represent another country then they wouldn't be able to compete until the 2024-25 season since she represented Georgia at this year's Worlds.

 

[Karen-W]

About an hour ago, Harley posted this on his IG story, in response to a Russian figure skating fan social media account asking if the video was the soft launch of a new partnership -

"Hello to all the people and haters who love to sit at home and write terrible things about myself

No Karina and I are not skating together, we just so happen to be 2 adults that are training in the same location so please relax"

Which answers that question neatly and quickly, lol.

 

[Sylvia]

Ellie Kam & Danny O'Shea spent the week in Oakville training with Bruno Marcotte and his pair skaters - Miura/Kihara, Kuchianova/Bidar, Sophia Schaller/Livio Mayr and Gabriel Farand were tagged in O'Shea's Instagram story.

 

[Karen-W]

In other Georgian skating news...

Georgian Figure Skating Federation

საერთაშორისო საციგურაო კავშირის წესების თანახმად, ფიგურულ ციგურაობაში ოფიციალური საერთაშორისო ტურნირები აგვისტოს ბოლოს, იუნიორთა შორის გრან პრის ეტაპებით იწყება. ყველა ქვეყნის ეროვნული...

www.facebook.com

Metelkina and Berulava have paired up.

Not a surprise in any way whatsoever.

 

[raruki]

It is now official that Peng and Jin is split and Peng is now skating with Wang.

 

[Karen-W]

It is now offical that Peng and Jin is split and Peng is now skating with Wang.

Can you tell us where they are in this screenshot? I don't think I've ever seen Wang before, so I wouldn't know him from Adam.

 

[Gris]

Can you tell us where they are in this screenshot? I don't think I've ever seen Wang before, so I wouldn't know him from Adam.

Lei Wang is the guy right behind Cheng Peng (Cheng is third from left).

 

[tony]

About an hour ago, Harley posted this on his IG story, in response to a Russian figure skating fan social media account asking if the video was the soft launch of a new partnership -

"Hello to all the people and haters who love to sit at home and write terrible things about myself

No Karina and I are not skating together, we just so happen to be 2 adults that are training in the same location so please relax"

Which answers that question neatly and quickly, lol.

His vibe is so much along the lines of Bilodeau with the ‘so many people follow my every move, I must make an announcement about all of it’. I’m sure one or two people simply asked if it was a new pairing and somehow that equates to haters.

 

[Karen-W]

His vibe is so much along the lines of Bilodeau with the ‘so many people follow my every move, I must make an announcement about all of it’. I’m sure one or two people simply asked if it was a new pairing and somehow that equates to haters.

100% agree. The original IG story asking if this was a new partnership was innocuous. Not sure where he gets the "haters" notion, TBH.

 

[miffy]

It is now offical that Peng and Jin is split and Peng is now skating with Wang.

I’m in mourning for my Penguins I won’t miss my phone autocorrecting their names but I’ll miss them a lot.
But I hope for great things for the new partnership.

What is Jin doing now, will he coach?

 

[raruki]

I’m in mourning for my Penguins I won’t miss my phone autocorrecting their names but I’ll miss them a lot.
But I hope for great things for the new partnership.

What is Jin doing now, will he coach?

He was spotted 2 months ago standing alongside Zhang Tianci, Peng’s former partner and a coach now, in domestic competition.
But I am not sure he is working as a coach because he is not officially retired yet and still constantly uploads his training videos in his vlog.

 

[Sylvia]

Tilda Alteryd, 25 (from Sweden who skated with Gabriel Farand for Canada last season) and Finland's 36-year-old Dr. Valtter Virtanen! https://www.instagram.com/p/CtcF9d-r7Z6/

A new chapter begins!
We are excited to start this pair skating journey together and we are looking forward to our first season.
Thank you to our great team and all who made this possible so far.

ETA link to Alteryd/Farand's 2022-23 ISU bio (CS Warsaw Cup was their only international; they were based with Bruno Marcotte's group in Oakville, Ontario): http://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs00115032.htm

 

[happycamper2554]

Tilda Alteryd, 25 (from Sweden who skated with Gabriel Farand for Canada last season) and Finland's 36-year-old Dr. Valtter Virtanen! https://www.instagram.com/p/CtcF9d-r7Z6/

ETA link to Alteryd/Farand's 2022-23 ISU bio (CS Warsaw Cup was their only international; they were based with Bruno Marcotte's group in Oakville, Ontario): http://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs00115032.htm

Any guesses about what county they will represent?

 

[Karen-W]

Tilda Alteryd, 25 (from Sweden who skated with Gabriel Farand for Canada last season) and Finland's 36-year-old Dr. Valtter Virtanen! https://www.instagram.com/p/CtcF9d-r7Z6/

ETA link to Alteryd/Farand's 2022-23 ISU bio (CS Warsaw Cup was their only international; they were based with Bruno Marcotte's group in Oakville, Ontario): http://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs00115032.htm

So, is Valter going to continue in singles?!

 

[tennellicious]

So, is Valter going to continue in singles?!

the man has a wife, kids, is a practicing physician, and is starting a brand new discipline at the age of 37. I can't believe he has the time or desire to continue in singles. Plus he just had a career-best result at his home Europeans. I think the answer is clear.

 

[kwanfan1818]

I think the "haters" that Windsor is referring to are people who allege that he breaks his Russian-born partners or, at least, ignores how their coaches break his partners. He's been like Rockne Brubaker that way: people seem to be torn between thinking he's a good guy with horrible luck or an abuser/enabler.

 

[Amy L]

I think the "haters" that Windsor is referring to are people who allege that he breaks his Russian-born partners or, at least, ignores how their coaches break his partners. He's been like Rockne Brubaker that way: people seem to be torn between thinking he's a good guy with horrible luck or an abuser/enabler.

Harley does/has followed Andrew Tate and incel accounts on his social media. More than Rockne Brubaker, he doesn't keep great company online. So that definitely doesn't help.

 

[Alilou]

Harley does/has followed Andrew Tate and incel accounts on his social media. More than Rockne Brubaker, he doesn't keep great company online. So that definitely doesn't help.

plus supported John Coughlin IIRC

 

[Seerek]

Article on Tilda Alteryd/Valter Virtanen

Konståkaren Valtter Virtanen gör en oväntad vändning – sadlar om till paråkning

svenska.yle.fi

 

[Wyliefan]

Efimova coming to the U.S.??

US-Verband bittet um Freigabe für Efimova - Eiskunstlaufblog

Der Eiskunstlaufverband der USA hat um die Freigabe von Alisa Efimova gebeten. Mit wem sie dann laufen wird ist nicht bekannt. Die DEU wird den Antrag prüfen.Efimova hatte erst vor rund einem Jahr, nach zweijähriger Wartezeit, die Freigabe für die DEU erhalten. Trotz guter Ergebnisse zog ihr...

eiskunstlaufblog.com

Machine translation:

"The US Figure Skating Association has asked for Alisa Efimova's release. It is not known with whom she will then run. DEU will examine the application.

"Efimova only received approval for the DEU about a year ago, after a two-year waiting period. Despite good results, her partner Ruben Blommaert pulled the plug due to a different approach to training and ended his career."

 

[Karen-W]

Efimova coming to the U.S.??

US-Verband bittet um Freigabe für Efimova - Eiskunstlaufblog

Der Eiskunstlaufverband der USA hat um die Freigabe von Alisa Efimova gebeten. Mit wem sie dann laufen wird ist nicht bekannt. Die DEU wird den Antrag prüfen.Efimova hatte erst vor rund einem Jahr, nach zweijähriger Wartezeit, die Freigabe für die DEU erhalten. Trotz guter Ergebnisse zog ihr...

eiskunstlaufblog.com

Machine translation:

"The US Figure Skating Association has asked for Alisa Efimova's release. It is not known with whom she will then run. DEU will examine the application.

"Efimova only received approval for the DEU about a year ago, after a two-year waiting period. Despite good results, her partner Ruben Blommaert pulled the plug due to a different approach to training and ended his career."

Mitrofanov? He has been partnerless for awhile.

 

[jkl]

Mitrofanov/Efimova is what I am hearing.

 

[Amy L]

That could be interesting. Efimova still can't jump, but she may be able to emote enough for the both of them.

 

[Karen-W]

Mitrofanov/Efimova is what I am hearing.

Which means they wouldn't be eligible to compete at all next season since Efimova/Blommaert's last competition was Worlds.

That could be interesting. Efimova still can't jump, but she may be able to emote enough for the both of them.

Well, that's a low bar considering the complete lack of on-ice chemistry we got from LuMit, lol.