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

[haribobo]

My question for US Pairs- do both Efimova and Parkman have to wait a season before competing internationally? I know KarenW has mentioned Mokhova/Mokhov a million times but there has been radio silence about them for months so I have no idea...I guess then we will see how the rest of the pairs do at John Nicks thingy soon...spot 3 for 4CC and Worlds should be interesting assuming C/H and K/O would be top 2. Early info seems to suggest that Liu/Nagy and Plazas/Fernandez will be the best of the rest, but we shall see.

 

[Karen-W]

My question for US Pairs- do both Efimova and Parkman have to wait a season before competing internationally? I know KarenW has mentioned Mokhova/Mokhov a million times but there has been radio silence about them for months so I have no idea...I guess then we will see how the rest of the pairs do at John Nicks thingy soon...spot 3 for 4CC and Worlds should be interesting assuming C/H and K/O would be top 2. Early info seems to suggest that Liu/Nagy and Plazas/Fernandez will be the best of the rest, but we shall see.

Well, those topics have mostly been discussed in the US Pairs thread, but, to answer quickly -

Mokhovs are on the alleged John Nicks Pairs Challenge entry list, so we'll see how they're looking there.

Parkman should have his release by the end of November since his last competition with Metelkina was GP Espoo 2022 - which would mean they're likely to be sent to Golden Spin to get their TES mins.

Efimova won't have her release until next April since she competed at Worlds with Blommaert.

Theoretically, I'd say that LiuNagy, PlaFern and McBPark are the top contenders for the 3rd 4CCs/Worlds spot - but I also don't think that KamOShea are that so far ahead of those other 3 that they couldn't get picked off, especially if Ellie doesn't have two throw triples yet.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove]

I was wondering if there been any updates about Laura Barquero? Is she still with her partner and are they still practicing?

where are they with their ban? How close are they to the end of that and once they are would they be eligible for a Grand Prix assignment next season?

I just went to her Wikipedia page and this is what it states for them what they think was the substance. Something like this could not be remedied or reversed? This was actual doping?

Her team suggested that the most likely source of the substance was the Trofodermin that she applied to a cut between her fingers caused by her skate blades during the short program

 

[AngieNikodinovLove]

Holy moly, who is the coach of the Italian team Polman and Renoldi ?????

 

[AngieNikodinovLove]

So great to see pairs teams in the USA finally utilizing Natalia Mishkutonik

even though Olivia and Luke are using once upon a December for the short program, I can still only see Tara Lipinski doing this program.

so great to see Natalia in the kiss and cry. She is just amazing.

oh my gosh, the promo pieces that peacock shows during resurfacing it’s so great seeing Marie France and diva Barbara next to each other at the boards, and in Torino of all places

 

[Karen-W]

I was wondering if there been any updates about Laura Barquero? Is she still with her partner and are they still practicing?

where are they with their ban? How close are they to the end of that and once they are would they be eligible for a Grand Prix assignment next season?

I just went to her Wikipedia page and this is what it states for them what they think was the substance. Something like this could not be remedied or reversed? This was actual doping?

Her team suggested that the most likely source of the substance was the Trofodermin that she applied to a cut between her fingers caused by her skate blades during the short program

As far as I can see from her IG posts and stories, yes, they are still together both on-ice and off-ice.

I don't think we have much information about where they are in the process - and there certainly hasn't been any final ruling yet, so we don't know how long she will be prevented from competing.

The only way they would be eligible for a GP assignment next season is by 1) being on the SB Top 75 list (these can be earned at Challengers, GPs and ISU Championships) or 2) being in the WS Top 24 (right now they're sitting at 34, but they're going to lose all of their 2021-22 points at the end of this season and while there are some teams ahead of them that will certainly drop off the list completely due to retirements/splits, it is highly unlikely they could accrue enough points to get back into the top 24 unless they are cleared to compete this fall).

 

[Andrea82]

Holy moly, who is the coach of the Italian team Polman and Renoldi ?????

Luca Dematte'. He was skating in early 10s (took part to Euros 2011 and 2012).

 

[Sylvia]

I just came across this post on the "An Evening with Champions" show account, dated August 25: https://www.instagram.com/p/CwX8wGHL1cP/
Excerpt:

Gabriella “Gabbie” Izzo and Thierry Ferland recently paired up this summer as a new pair team. They train in Montreal under Julie Marcotte, Josee Picard, Eric Radford, and Vanessa James. An Evening with Champions is their first official outing as a new team.
@miss.gabbiee is a member of the Class of 2024 at Harvard in Kirkland House. Since training has relocated her, she will be completing study abroad at McGill University to finish her degree. ... She is excited to embark on this new journey in pairs.

Izzo/Ferland's first public performance together will be this weekend, Sept. 8-9, at Harvard U.:

51st "An Evening with Champions" (Harvard's Jimmy Fund benefit), Sept. 8-9, 2023

Dates: Friday & Saturday, September 8-9, 2023 at 7:00pm Venue: The Bright-Landry Hockey Center 65 North Harvard Street Boston, MA 02163 Tickets...

www.fsuniverse.net

ETA (from the Canadian Pairs news thread in GSD) that they and Fiona Bombardier/Gabriel Farand are scheduled to make their debuts at the Souvenir Georges Éthier competition in Beauport, Québec on September 23-24.

The John Nicks Pairs Challenge (Senior & Junior B international) will take place Sept. 6-7 in NYC - info here: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...-pairs-challenge-who-places-top-three.110927/

 

[Karen-W]

Lori-Ann Matte posted a pic on her IG story from Grenoble earlier today - given that the French senior teams have been Lyon for their test skates this past weekend, I'm going with a guess that the Matte/Pierre partnership plans to compete for France.

 

[Belsornia]

I just came across this post on the "An Evening with Champions" show account, dated August 25: https://www.instagram.com/p/CwX8wGHL1cP/
Excerpt:

Is Vanessa James back in Canada full time now, or just helping with coaching when she's visiting? IIRC, last season she was mostly in Florida with her family when she and Eric weren't preparing for shows.

As a powerful pairs woman (and another relatively late pairs switcher) I think she's a good person to work with Gabbie.

 

[BrightSkates]

My question for US Pairs- do both Efimova and Parkman have to wait a season before competing internationally? I know KarenW has mentioned Mokhova/Mokhov a million times but there has been radio silence about them for months so I have no idea...I guess then we will see how the rest of the pairs do at John Nicks thingy soon...spot 3 for 4CC and Worlds should be interesting assuming C/H and K/O would be top 2. Early info seems to suggest that Liu/Nagy and Plazas/Fernandez will be the best of the rest, but we shall see.

Mokhovs were at Champs camp

 

[Sylvia]

Gamez/Korovin (PHI) have been training in Montclair, New Jersey: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CwyhHfULXrG/

Their ISU bio was updated yesterday (before their season debut this week at the John Nicks Pairs Challenge) with coaches Dmitri Savin, Alexei Bychenko, Evgeni Krasnopolski, Galit Chait (latter 3 are based in Montclair): http://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs00113788.htm

ETA a clip shared by Galit Chait in early August: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CvkD6VduBPi/
And another by Krasnopolsky on Aug. 28: https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cwfksliq-yt/

 

[Karen-W]

Lori-Ann Matte posted a pic on her IG story from Grenoble earlier today - given that the French senior teams have been Lyon for their test skates this past weekend, I'm going with a guess that the Matte/Pierre partnership plans to compete for France.

And an IG Reel from Lori-Ann showing a few highlights of their weekend in Lyon at the French monitoring camp -

Lori-Ann Mɑtte on Instagram: "Quick recap du dernier weekend à Lyon 🤗🇫🇷 #figureskating #pairskating #nationalcamp #france #workinprogress #lyon #reels"

lo_matte on September 6, 2023: "Quick recap du dernier weekend à Lyon 🤗🇫🇷 #figureskating #pairskating #nationalcamp #..."

www.instagram.com

 

[AngieNikodinovLove]

oh my gosh, I just watched Sara and Niccolò short program. Their costumes and music choice… Now this is what I watch pairs figure skating for. Make them the world champions, oh my gosh that was brilliant.

 

[Sylvia]

Deanna Stellato-Dudek/Maxime Deschamps just won Autumn Classic International! 8.4 points for their opening 3Tw4 in their FS to Interview with a Vampire. Deanna after the SP "said they really focused on improving their speed this off-season. They broke down their stroking & did a lot of crossover drills. To compete with and outshine Miura/Kihara, "we have to be faster than them." https://twitter.com/ClaireCloutier/status/1702452809503801629

 

[Karen-W]

Miura/Kihara need a massive intervention. They're going to be lucky to win bronze unless they get it together. Of course, they have 6 months, but wow... they are NOT looking like repeat WCs right now.

 

[tony]

Miura/Kihara need a massive intervention. They're going to be lucky to win bronze unless they get it together. Of course, they have 6 months, but wow... they are NOT looking like repeat WCs right now.

These are top teams though and it doesn't take much to go on a completely different trajectory. People were writing off Savchenko/Szolkowy in 2009 after their meh free skate they debuted, only to show up to their second Grand Prix with a brand new program, a week or so old, and they scored a world record with it in that performance.

If they skate well or close to clean, they are still likely to pull the PCS over the other teams-- even if the programs remain a snooze. For now, I'd be happy with a new SP that isn't in the same vein as what we keep seeing, and then they can work from there.

 

[Karen-W]

These are top teams though and it doesn't take much to go on a completely different trajectory. People were writing off Savchenko/Szolkowy in 2009 after their meh free skate they debuted, only to show up to their second Grand Prix with a brand new program, a week or so old, and they scored a world record with it in that performance.

If they skate well or close to clean, they are still likely to pull the PCS over the other teams-- even if the programs remain a snooze. For now, I'd be happy with a new SP that isn't in the same vein as what we keep seeing, and then they can work from there.

I mean, yeah, I know you're right. But, both of their programs right now are just trash, plus I'm annoyed by the ridiculous PCS that gave Proft/Nadeau bronze over Liu/Nagy. Let me be salty for the next couple of hours, lol.

ETA - on the positive side, all of the teams except Gamez/Korovin earned the Worlds TES min in the FS (and GamKor already have it) and the level of skating is definitely a huge improvement from where we were at this time last year.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove]

annoyed by the ridiculous PCS that gave Proft/Nadeau bronze over Liu/Nagy

here here! That did surprise me

so far the only team I’m gaga about with the programs that I have seen thus far are Sara and Niccolò

I can’t get into the music choices again for M & K, seem like Marcotte programs again.

im interested with both top two German teams especially Minerva and new partner

 

[skylark]

I mean, yeah, I know you're right. But, both of their programs right now are just trash, plus I'm annoyed by the ridiculous PCS that gave Proft/Nadeau bronze over Liu/Nagy. Let me be salty for the next couple of hours, lol.

I'm still plenty salty. Those PCS were just stupid not to mention transparent. Seems like the bad old days when the judges just fixed the numbers for the result they wanted.

On the good side, I've re-watched Chelsea and Balazs several times, and I love their skating, their partnership. Chelsea looks very happy, performing; and Balazs maintains the quality of the pair. Wonder if Chelsea could do some extra training above and beyond the regular, on the jumps. But even if not ... I enjoy them together so much. Plus, after Chelsea's heartbreak with Danny, I'm so happy that she has this chance. She and Balazs each had thought they were finished after their last partnerships broke up. Then ... voila. New lease and all that.

Plus, their lifts are just divine!

 

[skylark]

here here! That did surprise me

so far the only team I’m gaga about with the programs that I have seen thus far are Sara and Niccolò

I can’t get into the music choices again for M & K, seem like Marcotte programs again.

im interested with both top two German teams especially Minerva and new partner

I noticed that Minerva and Nikita, and Chelsea and Balasz, are both doing Mishina/Galliamov's entry to the group 3 lift. Amazing. I've rewatched both teams and watched the lift in slow motion. Just incredible. I love all three of these teams. Very impressed with how good Minerva/Nikita and Chelsea/Balasz look as brand new teams. Chelsea/Balasz only started skating together in May.

 

[On My Own]

But, both of their programs right now are just trash, plus I'm annoyed by the ridiculous PCS that gave Proft/Nadeau bronze over Liu/Nagy.

O, Canada

(isn't this the precedent for Canadian events? lol)

 

[Karen-W]

Well, three Challengers and John Nicks IPC into the season and we've got a bunch of new teams, plus one returning from injury, who have all skated well enough to be in the mix for GP assignments next season.

Who knows if the GP Host Commission are doing what they did last season and adding any pairs teams that achieve the minimum total score at a Challenger to the Alternates list, but if they are, the following teams would have earned a spot:

Proft/Nadeau CAN 165.39 ACI
Liu/Nagy USA 165.20 ACI
Holichenko/Darenskyi UKR 156.48 Nebelhorn
Martins/Bedard USA 152.64 ACI
Vaananen/Clerici FIN 151.50 Lombardia
Schaller/Mayr AUT 150.35 ACI
Derenisky/Eberl CAN 148.02 ACI
Kucianova/Bidar CZE 142.65 Lombardia

Personally, if any spots open up on the GP, I hope Beccari/Guarise are given a 2nd assignment. They are heads and shoulders above every other team on the Alternates list and it would be a shame if they don't get a 2nd assignment.

On the other, developmental end... Keep an eye on Julia Mauder/Johannes Wilkinson of South Africa. The improvement they have made since I saw them about 10 months ago at Warsaw Cup is pretty remarkable. They are still about 5 points off the 4CCs TES mins in both the SP & FS, but I'm hoping they're going to continue to rapidly improve at IceLab and that maybe we'll see them in Shanghai in late January.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove]

Hold up a second, put it in reverse, is that queen Carolina in the kiss and cry at lombardia, with Lucretia and Mateo?????

also at Europeans is there any other way where we won’t see two Italians and two Germans in the final four? Or perhaps three Italians and a German?

Georgia?

 

[Karen-W]

Hold up a second, put it in reverse, is that queen Carolina in the kiss and cry at lombardia, with Lucretia and Mateo?????

also at Europeans is there any other way where we won’t see two Italians and two Germans in the final four? Or perhaps three Italians and a German?

Georgia?

Right now - top 7 at Euros are looking to be Conti/Macci, Ghilardi/Ambrosini, Beccari/Guarise, Hase/Volodin, Hocke/Kunkel and Metelkina/Berulava, and Pavlova/Sviatchenko. Apart from ConMac, it could be any 3 of the other 6 teams that make the final flight of the FS.

There's a good 22-point gap between those 7 teams and the next 6 teams, who are all bunched around 150-160 - Danilova/Tsiba, Vaipan-Law/Digby, Holichenko/Darenskyi, Sierova/Khobta, Vaananen/Clerici, and Schaller/Mayr. Les Kovs skated really poorly at ACI, and Osipova/Epstein haven't competed yet, but they probably should be bunched in with this group.

The real fight is going to be which team makes the penultimate flight in the #8 spot. Right now, my money would be on Holichenko/Darenskyi or Danilova/Tsiba.

 

[Karen-W]

The French Masters entries list are out and confirm Matte/Pierre will represent France.

 

[annelise]

The French Masters entries list are out and confirm Matte/Pierre will represent France.

I don't think so. They are listed as foreigner guest.

 

[Karen-W]

I don't think so. They are listed as foreigner guest.

Well, she might not have her release from Skate Canada yet, especially since they've decided to be stingy with those and make skaters sit out two full seasons. Her last competition was at US Classic a year ago, so they might not be eligible to compete internationally until September 2024.

 

[~tapdancer~]

2 pairs I am watching and rooting for this season...Kam/O'Shea and Per/Michaud. I need to check out the many more but it's slow going.

 

[Sylvia]

August 7:

New Polish pairs team in da house!!! Julia Szczecinina & Michal Wozniak - they planning training in Berlin with Nolan Seegert and also in Katowice.

PZŁF on Instagram: "🔥„Cel - Igrzyska Olimpijskie Mediolan 2026!” - przedstawiamy Wam nową parę sportową reprezentującą Polskę: Julia Szczecinina i Michał Woźniak🔥 Julia i Michał będą trenowali w Berlinie pod okiem Nolana Seegerta oraz w Katowicach,

375 likes, 7 comments - pzlf_pfsa on August 7, 2023: "🔥„Cel - Igrzyska Olimpijskie Mediolan 2026!” - przedstawiamy Wam nową parę sportową rep..."

www.instagram.com

The skater formerly known as Chtchetinina?

I was thinking I had to learn a new spelling of her challenging last name but she is listed as Ioulia CHTCHETININA with Michal WOZNIAK POL in the Budpest Trophy Senior B international. The other 3 pairs are Pavlova/Sviatchenko HUN, Hase/Volodin GER and Danilova/Tsiba NED.