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

[Karen-W]

I think they both will be.

I mean, if you want to offer up revisionist history to your own posts, go right ahead.

But just so we're clear... MarBed are not likely to be named to SkAm outright, IMO. They finished behind TWO intact teams (EfiMit and McBPark) at Nats who have a much higher scoring potential than MarBed currently. My thinking was that the USFS would leave two SkAm host spots as TBD on the initial assignments list but now that EfiMit have her release, I expect they will be assigned to SkAm outright and there will be 1 host TBD spot. If McBPark get his release before the initial GP assignments are made, I will not be surprised to see them also named and for the USFS to fill all 3 SkAm host spots (the other one will go to either Kam/O'Shea as Nat Champs or to Chan/Howe).

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

I mean, if you want to offer up revisionist history to your own posts, go right ahead.

But just so we're clear... MarBed are not likely to be named to SkAm outright, IMO. They finished behind TWO intact teams (EfiMit and McBPark) at Nats who have a much higher scoring potential than MarBed currently. My thinking was that the USFS would leave two SkAm host spots as TBD on the initial assignments list but now that EfiMit have her release, I expect they will be assigned to SkAm outright and there will be 1 host TBD spot. If McBPark get his release before the initial GP assignments are made, I will not be surprised to see them also named and for the USFS to fill all 3 SkAm host spots (the other one will go to either Kam/O'Shea as Nat Champs or to Chan/Howe).

LMAOOOO “But just so we’re clear”. I feel like we’re signing an NDA for top talent in Hollywood.

Oh, Karen never change

 

[marshallpond]

They've made changes to the list

Added Reagan Moss and Jakub Galbavy in Pairs
Removed Eckert/Cui in Ice dance

 

[Karen-W]

They've made changes to the list

Added Reagan Moss and Jakub Galbavy in Pairs
Removed Eckert/Cui in Ice dance

It's as if they have people reading FSU who realize the updates weren't accurate/complete, lol.

 

[Sylvia]

11 Pair teams are listed now in the ISP as of today - 2023-24 Junior Grand Prix Final/U.S. Pairs Final/Nationals/ISU Championships placements included below:

Saya Carpenter and Jon Maravilla PF-J4/J5
Emily Chan and Spencer Howe (Nationals SP 1st before WD)/W12
Nica Digerness and Mark Sadusky PF-S5/S7
Alisa Efimova and Misha Mitrofanov PF-S2/S2
Olivia Flores and Luke Wang JGPF5/J1/JW2
Ellie Kam and Danny O'Shea S1/4CC3/W11
Ellie Korytek and Timmy Chapman PF-S4/S8 - she turned 16 on March 29 but the ISU Senior minimum age is going up to 17 in 2024-25, correct?
Isabelle Martins and Ryan Bedard PF-S3/S6
Reagan Moss and Jakub Galbavy PF-J5/J6
Valentina Plazas and Maximiliano Fernandez S3/4CC9/W13
Naomi Williams and Lachlan Lewer J2/JW3

Sept. 3, 2023 in the John Nicks Pairs Challenge thread in the Trash Can:

Turns out Reagan Moss' new partner "Gal" is a typo for Slovakia's Jakub Galbavy, 17, whose only has 1 junior singles international (October 2021 Budapest Trophy) listed in his ISU bio: http://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs00108053.htm
According to this 7/31 tweet that includes a link to a Slovak federation document: https://twitter.com/AnythingGOE/status/1686015386464952321
"Jakub Galbavy is released from the Slovakian federation at the request of USFS, he can compete from the 24/25 season."

 

[Karen-W]

Adele Zheng seems bound for UCLA this fall. No idea what that means for her partnership with Andy Deng.

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Adele’s public high school’s post includes her declared major as “Pre Business Economics”: https://www.instagram.com/p/C5Pc7n1trFl/
Good for her! UCLA appears to attract pair skaters!

ETA: https://usfigureskatingfanzone.com/sports/figure-skating/roster/-nbsp--adele-zheng-and-andy-deng/897
Andy Deng "Currently attends Kelley School of Business at Indiana University and is pursuing a Finance BSB while working on the prerequisites for applying to medical school"

They split.

Well, that's a bit of a bummer for them, but... there is one really promising pairs girl at Oakton who is looking for a partner. I'd not mind seeing Andy Deng and Baylen Taich give it a try together. He might not be interested though since she seems to have as exuberant a personality as Cayla Smith had.

 

[ice coverage]

11 Pair teams are listed now in the ISP as of today - 2023-24 Junior Grand Prix Final/U.S. Pairs Final/Nationals/ISU Championships placements included below:

... Ellie Korytek and Timmy Chapman PF-S4/S8 - she turned 16 on March 29 but the ISU Senior minimum age is going up to 17 in 2024-25, correct? ...

If(???) USFS proposal to "freeze" senior pair minimum age requirement at 16 were to go thru, then Flores/Wang would be age-eligible for senior internationals. ...

And if(???) USFS proposal were to go thru, then E Korytek would be age-eligible for senior internationals too.

I don't remember whether USFS proposal was discussed here on FSU, but GoldenSkate's owner posted in Feb 2024:

" I can confirm through correspondence with USFS that they have put forth a proposal to "freeze" the age at 16 for women in junior pairs only.
In July 2023, the ISU already said that they would use a "working group" due to "exceptional circumstances" as the age limit would affect partnerships. "
So, USFS is not asking to "lower" the age; rather to "freeze" it at 16 to prevent pairs from splitting up. "

USFS proposes lowering the age limit in pairs skating to 16

I cannot believe one of the important countries in figure skating is proposing to lower the already inadequate age limit of 17 to 16, therefore exposing children to two more years of danger, potential physical and psychological harm competing as children in adult competitions. Not to mention...

www.goldenskate.com

My wording is different than hers, but I think it is what she meant?

 

[Karen-W]

And if(???) USFS proposal were to go thru, then E Korytek would be age-eligible for senior internationals too.

I don't remember whether USFS proposal was discussed here on FSU, but GoldenSkate's owner posted in Feb 2024:

" I can confirm through correspondence with USFS that they have put forth a proposal to "freeze" the age at 16 for women in junior pairs only.
In July 2023, the ISU already said that they would use a "working group" due to "exceptional circumstances" as the age limit would affect partnerships. "
So, USFS is not asking to "lower" the age; rather to "freeze" it at 16 to prevent pairs from splitting up. "

USFS proposes lowering the age limit in pairs skating to 16

I cannot believe one of the important countries in figure skating is proposing to lower the already inadequate age limit of 17 to 16, therefore exposing children to two more years of danger, potential physical and psychological harm competing as children in adult competitions. Not to mention...

www.goldenskate.com

So, the USFS must think this proposal has a good likelihood of passing.

But your post says "junior pairs" - wouldn't this affect senior pairs instead since the junior age minimum is 13?

I also wonder if this is just a temporary freeze for the next season only so that the teams that have been most impacted/affected by the senior age minimum increase are allowed to compete internationally.

 

[kwanfan1818]

I think it means if you are already a woman in a junior pair, they'll hold the age minimum at 16, instead of raising it to 17, so that you can skate senior. Or maybe it's not gender-specific, and it could also apply to a male pairs skater.

 

[Karen-W]

I think it means if you are already a woman in a junior pair, they'll hold the age minimum at 16, instead of raising it to 17, so that you can skate senior. Or maybe it's not gender-specific, and it could also apply to a male pairs skater.

Okay, but that wouldn't help Ellie Korytek as she has never competed internationally as a junior because Timmy Chapman was too old for juniors by the time she was old enough for juniors.

I guess we just have to sit tight until the ISU releases the proposed legislation and then we can figure out what the exact wording and, hopefully, intent of it is.

 

[zebobes]

Won't be surprised. Rumors of their split have been swirling around since the US Pairs Finals in Tacoma

No wonder when I watched them skate live at Junior Worlds, it was strange how they skated separately for most of the warm-up. I knew nothing that they were splitting, but it clearly felt like they were doing as little together as possible. They matched each other so well, however, when performing in program, that I wondered if I was just imagining it.

 

[Frau Muller]

Efimova/Mitrofanov… for a glimmer of US pairs hope.

 

[Sylvia]

Nice to see Moss/Galbavy get the opportunity of participating in the ISU’s Pair Skating Development Seminar in Berlin, Germany - link to their team Instagram post with 4 photos (have corrected my URL typo ):
https://www.instagram.com/p/C5Wbvr7rxnD/

Peter Grütter is with them in M/G’s first photo.

More info on the annual seminar is here: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...ouble-salchow-club.110748/page-9#post-6583529

 

[Karen-W]

Nice to see Moss/Galbavy get the opportunity of participating in the ISU’s Pair Skating Development Seminar in Berlin, Germany (link to their team Instagram post with photos was removed after I had posted).

Still there as far as I can see...

Reagan Moss & Jakub Galbavy on Instagram: "Day one of the 2024 ISU Pair Seminar in Berlin. Thanks so much to @usfigureskating and @isufigureskating for such a cool opportunity and experience. Learning so much from so many wonderful coaches and meeti

141 likes, 6 comments - reaganandjakub on April 4, 2024: "Day one of the 2024 ISU Pair Seminar in Berlin. Thanks so much to @usfigureskating and @isufigureskating for such a cool opportunity and experience. Learning so much from so many wonderful coaches and meeting skaters from around the...

www.instagram.com

 

[Sylvia]

My new story about Efimova/Mitrofanov:

Efimova/Mitrofanov: Finding the Right Fit - A divine sport

What happens when you’re an elite pairs skater, you’ve just achieved your biggest success at an ISU championship … and your partnership ends right afterward? It’s a scenario that Alisa Efimova, 24, and Misha Mitrofanov, 26, both faced over the past two years. In 2022, Mitrofanov won the ISU...

adivinesport.com

And via MatchTV.ru, Alisa Efimova spoke about her first season training in the USA: https://matchtv.ru/figure-skating/m...echtoj_podvodit_itogi_pervogo_goda_za_okeanom

“I definitely learned something during my stay here.” I reconsidered my views on many things and my horizons expanded. After all, the more new things you learn, the broader your thinking and perception becomes. For example, how to deal with situations where it seems that everything is over, and then again - everything falls into place and you move on. If I can add some specifics: when you decide to make big changes in your life, you take on great responsibility and learn to cope with it. This is growing up.

— What are the charms and pleasures of life in the USA? What do you like overseas?

— Joy and pleasure from your work, the feeling that you are doing exactly what you are doing. If you have your own craft, work, then there is an opportunity for self-realization. This is probably true everywhere, but especially here. In the USA people work a lot, it's obvious.

 

[Sylvia]

Cross-posting here from the Canadian Pairs news thread:

Split after placing 9th of 9 Senior teams at 2024 Nationals - Ashlyn Schmitz/Tristan Taylor. He is 21 and posted an IPS profile after Nationals (mentions he has dual USA/Canada citizenship): https://icepartnersearch.com/showbio.php?i=7524
Here he is in Colorado Springs landing side-by-side 2A+3T with 2024 Junior Nationals singles competitor Jessica Jurka (will be 14 in June) in her post today: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C5owkz8rw8S/ (also landed sbs 3T & 3Lo in her Instagram stories)

I’ve always thought Jurka had the potential and small size to give pairs a try (ETA) although I know pairs is not for everyone and doing sbs jumps with a pair guy does not necessarily mean it was an actual tryout (she currently trains in Colorado Springs).

Carter Griffin, 18, has an IPS profile as of today (April 11): https://icepartnersearch.com/showbio.php?i=7619

 

[Sylvia]

Happy 24th Birthday today (April 18) to Valentina Plazas!

After great Worlds experience, Valentina Plazas and Maximiliano Fernandez ready to get back to work – Figure Skaters Online

 

[ice coverage]

News from Plazas/Fernandez (including interdisciplinary collab):

We are beyond excited to announce our program music for the 24/25 season​

​

Short Program from “The Greatest Showman” “Never Enough” performed by Kelly Clarkson • Choreographed by Jim Peterson​

​

Freeskate program from the “Dune Saga” by Hans Zimmer• Choreographed by our Team USA teammates Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko​

​

Instagram

www.instagram.com

 

[Sylvia]

News from Plazas/Fernandez (including interdisciplinary collab): ...

​

Short Program from “The Greatest Showman” “Never Enough” performed by Kelly Clarkson • Choreographed by Jim Peterson​

Whew, NOT Loren Allred's original version - thank you Jim Peterson!

 

[Rukia]

holy what i almost gave up after reading "Never Enough" and would have missed the BIGGEST NEWS

 

[mtnskater]

We were in the bar at the Fairmont Hotel (official hotel at Worlds Montreal) later in the evening after the Gala skate. Sitting next to us were Plazas, Fernandez and Anthony Ponomarenko all dressed up after the closing banquet. They were deep in conversation. I wondered how they had a relationship. Just thought it was curious to see the three together and no other skaters in the bar. Maybe they were cooking up the choreography relationship at the time??!!

 

[ice coverage]

... I wondered how they had a relationship. ...

I can think of plenty of previous opportunities for them to get to know each other: in Canton when C/P were transitioning btwn Novi and IAM; at quite a few internationals where all four have competed; Champs Camps; etc.
They all seem to have friendly personalities.

But yes, working together on choreography came as a surprise to me.

 

[LeafOnTheWind]

News from Plazas/Fernandez (including interdisciplinary collab):

We are beyond excited to announce our program music for the 24/25 season​

​

Short Program from “The Greatest Showman” “Never Enough” performed by Kelly Clarkson • Choreographed by Jim Peterson​

​

Freeskate program from the “Dune Saga” by Hans Zimmer• Choreographed by our Team USA teammates Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko​

​

Instagram

www.instagram.com

Is this our first Dune program or have I missed some announcements?

 

[Wyliefan]

Niina Petrokina is using it for her free.

 

[Sylvia]

Is this our first Dune program or have I missed some announcements?

Niina Petrokina is using it for her free.

@Wyliefan's post (#8) in the Programs & Chorographers thread (time to update it again! ): https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...music-and-choreographers.111696/#post-6584315

 

[Wyliefan]

@Wyliefan's post (#8) in the Programs & Chorographers thread (time to update it again! ): https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...music-and-choreographers.111696/#post-6584315

I'm working on it as we speak.

 

[Karen-W]

Emily Chan shared a post of a girl in a pretty blue skating dress and the following comment on her IG story "beautifully done dress, mom" with a link to her mom's skatewear IG account - https://www.instagram.com/mary_skatewear?igsh=dTBwb25jOGpweHNk

Did we know that Mary Chan is the designer behind Emily & Spencer's costumes?

 

[ice coverage]

Emily Chan shared a post of a girl in a pretty blue skating dress and the following comment on her IG story "beautifully done dress, mom" with a link to her mom's skatewear IG account - https://www.instagram.com/mary_skatewear?igsh=dTBwb25jOGpweHNk

Did we know that Mary Chan is the designer behind Emily & Spencer's costumes?

I remember seeing previous Instastories from Emily about her mother's costume-making (in general) -- Instastories over maybe the last couple of years (although my memory of the timeframe is fuzzy). IIRC, the Instastories once in a while have alluded to mom's costumes specifically for Emily and Spencer.
(And on Emily's Instagram account, some perma-photos of C/H in costume are tagged with her mother's costume account.)

Don't remember whether the topic has come up in a longer interview before, but here are comments on video from Emily at 2023 Nats:

7.2K views · 126 reactions | Emily Chan's mom makes her figure skating costumes | Made by mom 🪡 Emily Chan's mom crafts her and Spencer Howe's costumes. #ToyotaUSChamps | By Team USA | Facebook

Made by mom 🪡 Emily Chan's mom crafts her and Spencer Howe's costumes. #ToyotaUSChamps

www.facebook.com

 

[Sylvia]

Did we know that Mary Chan is the designer behind Emily & Spencer's costumes?

Spencer’s Elvis shirt: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C0W2uNKr83d/

 

[Sylvia]

Anna Kellar ("I’ve been thinking a lot about pair teams with a big age gaps and whether it’s an issue. I really appreciate that Ellie and Danny were willing to talk about it so frankly with me!") - Kam/O'Shea article published today (April 22):

Focusing on the Process and Learning from Experience with Ellie Kam and Danny O'Shea

For reigning US Champions Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea, their second trip to the World Championships was "bittersweet"

anythinggoe.com