Canadian Pairs 2018/2019 Season News and Updates

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Rock2 said:
How far apart are Sectionals and Golden Spin?
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Quebec Sectionals was this past weekend. The Golden Spin pairs event is December 6-7.

ETA that the Senior Pairs event at Challenge is November 29-30 in Edmonton.
 
starrynight said:
I'm surprised that a male partner of his quality hasn't been snapped up yet. Perhaps Russia is closing off the easier route of bringing over one of the many quality girls.

Any update on Julianne? I saw from her Instagram that she is back at the gym.
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Does anyone know who he might be trying out with? This may sound terrible (and I don't want to stir up trouble) but don't you think he'd be great with KMT????
 
IloveFS said:
Does anyone know who he might be trying out with? This may sound terrible (and I don't want to stir up trouble) but don't you think he'd be great with KMT????
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Why would Kirsten give up everything she's been through and worked so hard for with Michael at this point? I guess I should just chalk your sentiment up to fan fantasizing and over-reaching, and leave it at that. :p

I think that KMT/MM's programs last season were somewhat more exciting and impactful than this season's programs, so far. This season's programs are fine, but they are still working things through, and that's okay. Their fp the last two seasons was just very special and groundbreaking for them on their path to improving as a team. For fans, it would pay to keep in mind that KMT was injured and thus she got a late start to training in the off-season. It's always a mistake to make definitive judgments this early into a new season about skaters' results. We really do not know what will happen going forward. One thing is for sure, figure skating is full of politics, boneheaded judging, and unexpected but exciting developments on the ice. I think that tight competitions make for a lot of interesting and entertaining watching for fans.

As much as I like Peng/Jin, I'm not really feeling their programs this season. They have skilled elements and they seem to have more chemistry than Yu/Zhang, but I think P/J have been slightly over-scored politically as a result of being the only top Chinese team on the GP circuit this season. I really thought KMT should have debatably captured silver at Skate Canada, their home country. But I think the judges are still wanting to see solid, consistent improvements from them, which I don't doubt KMT/MM will manage to achieve.

This weekend, KMT/MM felt the pressure from the Knierims who performed very well, aside from their sbs jumping passes. The fact is that SK/K have explosive elements, improved skating skills, speed, superb lifts and one of the best throw 3-twists in the pairs field, along with dynamic programs this season. So those factors made the difference, in addition to the fact that K&M faltered on their jumps too. KMT/MM have had to adjust to no longer being the underdog team among Canadian pairs. At least for right now, Kirsten & Michael are Canada's top pair team. I hope they will steadily improve and for the future, eventually find another program as wonderful as their last seasons fp.
 
The Chinese pairs seem to like Canadian choreographers, too bad they couldn't help us out with the triple twists. Does anybody know why our pairs seem to struggle so much with the twist?
 
puglover said:
The Chinese pairs seem to like Canadian choreographers, too bad they couldn't help us out with the triple twists. Does anybody know why our pairs seem to struggle so much with the twist?
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Coaches... We have excellent coaches but surely the technique taught does not seem to be optimal...
 
puglover said:
The Chinese pairs seem to like Canadian choreographers, too bad they couldn't help us out with the triple twists. Does anybody know why our pairs seem to struggle so much with the twist?
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^^ I think it's an individual thing re learning 3-twists. You shouldn't generalize because historically, there are likely Canadian pairs who excelled with throw-twists. I don't recall exactly, because of course 2-twists were done before 3-twists became a requirement. I would think that Barb & Paul and Brasseur/Eisler performed top-level, explosive elements. Eric & Meghan had a good, consistent 3-twist, nothing spectacular but they made it work for them. I don't recall Seguin/Bilodeau necessarily having trouble with their 3-twist. I think theirs was good, but also not spectacular. The 3-twist that KMT/MM have doesn't strike me as poor, but of course they need to steadily improve it and make it consistent. Michael also still has work to do re making his positions and carriage look more smooth and steady on the overhead lifts. Cami & Drew have just recently learned that element, and so they are still having some troubles. Although Cami & Drew have many nice qualities as a pair, they have a lot of work to do in every aspect of their skating.

I don't think Canadian pairs are struggling more than other pairs around the world though on the 3-twist. It's a hard element to master for most pairs teams. The Knierims are simply one of the best in the world with that element. They learned from a master '3-twist whisperer' as Alexa recently, fondly termed Dalilah Sappenfield ;). Sappenfield has the advantage of being from a family of professional circus acrobats, so she has some particular 'airborne physics' secrets to share with her skaters. Even then, learning difficult pairs elements is about two people managing to adjust to each others' rhythms and learning curves.

James/Cipres spoke in an interview once (I believe with Ted Flett) about how difficult it was for them to steadily improve their throw 3-twist. It took them awhile. I think the work they did with coaches in Russia helped them turn the tide. They've also mentioned having done some work with Gauthier/Marcotte early in their career. They were certainly fearless in coming together as a team, and they have always had raw talent, so it's been great seeing their hard work pay off, and all the ingredients coming together for them over the past few seasons.

As we can see, so many factors are involved in achieving consistent success, particularly in pairs, which as someone noted recently, combines elements from ice dance and from singles, added to the unique, highly difficult throws and lifts. I really enjoy pairs the most of all the disciplines. It's probably the hardest discipline to see everything come together because at it's best, it involves two people overcoming obstacles to make magic on the ice as a unit.
 
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Re: the 3-twist, Sale & Pelletier had a solid one. Not hugely explosive, but David had such great technique. Didn't Dube & Davison go see them periodically for coaching help, particularly for the twist? I wish they, or at least David, had gone in to pair coaching. Last I heard he was still teaching NHL players to skate. Such a waste. ;)
 
puglover said:
The Chinese pairs seem to like Canadian choreographers, too bad they couldn't help us out with the triple twists. Does anybody know why our pairs seem to struggle so much with the twist?
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Apparently Cdn's have their own technique which would seem to be subpar. Julianne and Charlie's coach had them go to Lynden Johnson wherever he is in US to work on them and I believe the throws. Lubov and Dylan and coach reached agreement of doing half cdn, half russian which only produced so so results. They would have been better off if Dylan had learned the Russian technique. Lubov had beautiful twists with her former partner. I wish a pair camp would get her to work with their pairs for twists and throws. In case you haven't noticed we Cdns are kinda pigheaded.
 
Sorry - I didn't mean this to be a generalization but more a current observation. In the book written by Meagan and Eric, Meagan identifies problems with the twist and it feeling unnatural to her going back to her earliest partner, Ryan. She talks about not being able to use her own rhythm and both partners needing to have 100% accurate unison and timing or it won't work. I would have thought that a significant height difference in the pair would really help, but that doesn't seem to be a huge factor.
 
Is their book in stores or just online? I checked the stores the week before, but nada.
 
manhn said:
Is their book in stores or just online? I checked the stores the week before, but nada.
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I ordered mine from Amazon and it came through Amazon prime. I can't exactly remember the price but it was around $20.00 CDN and is a paperback.
 
puglover said:
Sorry - I didn't mean this to be a generalization but more a current observation. In the book written by Meagan and Eric, Meagan identifies problems with the twist and it feeling unnatural to her going back to her earliest partner, Ryan. She talks about not being able to use her own rhythm and both partners needing to have 100% accurate unison and timing or it won't work. I would have thought that a significant height difference in the pair would really help, but that doesn't seem to be a huge factor.
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She said having a big height difference can make it harder just like having a small height difference in some interview. Something about Eric having to get down lower.
 
Here's the link to the interview in French. They should make the announcement soon and indeed it seems like they have to arrange her move to Quebec, so it could be someone from another region or country.
Link
 
levineismine said:
Here's the link to the interview in French. They should make the announcement soon and indeed it seems like they have to arrange her move to Quebec, so it could be someone from another region or country.
Link
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I hope that there are no citizenship issues here. But the right partner is the most important thing, so if there are issues better to get moving on it right away.
 
dramagrrl said:
Ugh. I do not support this. (Feel free to all jump on me and lecture me about how it's such great news, if he gets a great partner it'll just mean better pairs skating in Canada, blah blah blah. I don't care. :p )
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So your position is that he should never have a partner again and just retire because he dared end a partnership he wasn't happy with? Or what? Or just that he's not allowed to get a new partner before Julianne?

I mean, you can not like him for the split, but it happened and it's done, so either now he gets a new partner or he just goes away.
 
RoseRed said:
So your position is that he should never have a partner again and just retire because he dared end a partnership he wasn't happy with? Or what? Or just that he's not allowed to get a new partner before Julianne?

I mean, you can not like him for the split, but it happened and it's done, so either now he gets a new partner or he just goes away.
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Exactly - I can not like him for the split, and thus not support his new partnership. I didn't say that no one should support them, nor did I say I am absolutely not going to enjoy their skating. Maybe I will, and maybe in time I will change my mind. Right now, my personal opinion is that I do not choose to support or be excited about his new partnership because I think the way he ended the last one, or at least the way he has explained it publicly, was not cool.
 
It's quite something to end a pair that has had successful results, not for another partner, but to just drift around for half a year.

It's not a 'Sorry Daria Popova, but Aljona Savchenko gave me an offer I can't refuse' situation -- which I do understand.

I know no one is locked into these partnerships. But it must be hard for Seguin's fans to maybe even see her career end like this.
 
Natasha Purich has Instagram and per it is still rehabbing in Calgary and just did her first practice throw in seven months a week ago.
 
aftershocks said:
Why would Kirsten give up everything she's been through and worked so hard for with Michael at this point? I guess I should just chalk your sentiment up to fan fantasizing and over-reaching, and leave it at that. :p

I think that KMT/MM's programs last season were somewhat more exciting and impactful than this season's programs, so far. This season's programs are fine, but they are still working things through, and that's okay. Their fp the last two seasons was just very special and groundbreaking for them on their path to improving as a team. For fans, it would pay to keep in mind that KMT was injured and thus she got a late start to training in the off-season. It's always a mistake to make definitive judgments this early into a new season about skaters' results. We really do not know what will happen going forward. One thing is for sure, figure skating is full of politics, boneheaded judging, and unexpected but exciting developments on the ice. I think that tight competitions make for a lot of interesting and entertaining watching for fans.

As much as I like Peng/Jin, I'm not really feeling their programs this season. They have skilled elements and they seem to have more chemistry than Yu/Zhang, but I think P/J have been slightly over-scored politically as a result of being the only top Chinese team on the GP circuit this season. I really thought KMT should have debatably captured silver at Skate Canada, their home country. But I think the judges are still wanting to see solid, consistent improvements from them, which I don't doubt KMT/MM will manage to achieve.

This weekend, KMT/MM felt the pressure from the Knierims who performed very well, aside from their sbs jumping passes. The fact is that SK/K have explosive elements, improved skating skills, speed, superb lifts and one of the best throw 3-twists in the pairs field, along with dynamic programs this season. So those factors made the difference, in addition to the fact that K&M faltered on their jumps too. KMT/MM have had to adjust to no longer being the underdog team among Canadian pairs. At least for right now, Kirsten & Michael are Canada's top pair team. I hope they will steadily improve and for the future, eventually find another program as wonderful as their last seasons fp.
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Because MM is not a phenomenal male pairs skater! KMT could be on top!!! She's fabulous - she just needs a partner with the same ability!
 
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