aftershocks
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Will the 5th time be the charm for Natasha?
Schultz; Arcieri; Tran; Wolfe; CHUDAK!!!
Canadian Pairs 2018/2019 Season News and Updates
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Will the 5th time be the charm for Natasha?
Schultz; Arcieri; Tran; Wolfe; CHUDAK!!!
shutterbug
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You missed one - Davin Portz. So Chudak is number 6. Impressive! 
IIRC, Bryce retired from skating not too long ago to pursue a career as a firefighter. Guess he's decided skating with Natasha will be more exciting. 
While I'm happy to have another senior pair, I'm not sure Bryce is a great match for her skills wise. Interpersonal issues aside, Natsha really is a very good pair girl. She and Drew Wolfe were an excellent match: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89aLQGZCN8A Such a waste of potential. 
IIRC, Bryce retired from skating not too long ago to pursue a career as a firefighter. Guess he's decided skating with Natasha will be more exciting. While I'm happy to have another senior pair, I'm not sure Bryce is a great match for her skills wise. Interpersonal issues aside, Natsha really is a very good pair girl. She and Drew Wolfe were an excellent match: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89aLQGZCN8A Such a waste of potential.
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aftershocks
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Yeah, I thought so too. But then Drew paired with Cami and I was drawn to their movement aesthetic. However, Drew & Cami seem to have lagged in their tech development, added to lacking consistency. How would you compare Purich/Wolfe vs Ruest/Wolfe?
Apparently, Purich wasn't with Davin Portz for any significant length of time. But thanks for the heads-up.
shutterbug
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IMO, Purich/Wolfe were significantly better technically, and decent from a style perspective. A bit inconsistent, but nothing that couldn't have been overcome with more time together. While I adore Ruest/Wolfe's look, they are a trainwreck from a technical perspective to put it bluntly. I've given up hope they will ever be legitimately competitive at the international level.
aftershocks
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I wonder how much becoming romantically involved can sometimes unavoidably and unconsciously lead to problems developing as a team on the ice? Every couple are different of course, but relationships on and off the ice are never easy, so it's certainly probable that hidden complications can arise for a new pair who are still learning at the same time when they happen to become emotionally involved. I recall that James/Cipres spoke about deciding to stop dating each other earlier in their partnership, in order to give all of their mental and emotional energies to their on-ice career.
aftershocks
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She and Drew Wolfe were an excellent match: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89aLQGZCN8A Such a waste of potential.
Whoa! Having taken a look at the video, seriously, I'd forgotten just how good Drew and Natasha were together.
And this was Drew's first time out of the gate in pairs too. My word! 
I do now recall having been flabbergasted when I heard they weren't together anymore with that amount of potential! I agree with you that Purich/Wolfe were a much more dynamic and technically proficient pairing than Ruest/Wolfe. I guess no one was able to convince them to stay together?! If they'd been able to work through Purich's communication problems, just think how far they could be by this point! Successors to Duhamel/Radford for sure. Purich/Wolfe look to have been a much better team than the steady and eager but less well-matched Walsh/Michaud. And I think P/W would also have had an advantage over M-T/M as well, but only through staying together and working hard. And they failed to make that happen.
I don't see how Purich/Chudak can come close to matching the talent and sparkling connection P/W showed in that performance at 2015 Canadian Nationals. Cami and Drew connect aesthetically, but Cami is not quite as talented technically as Purich. Plus Cami does not have the firecracker type pairs girl personality that Purich exudes. Even though her fiery personality is probably in part what has led Purich to butt heads with her partners.
Mad for Skating
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It worked for Zabiiako/Enbert, so it could be the same here.
aftershocks
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Huh? Which one had 5 partners? Plus, Z/E are not a dynamic team. They are bland, despite their matching lines and generally well-executed tech skills.
Mad for Skating
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Both of them had 5 partners before teaming up. And while they aren’t dynamic, you can’t deny they have achieved a lot. I don’t find them particularly engaging, but they have talent.
aftershocks
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Please read what I said. Did I say Z/E don't have talent? I said they are bland and boring. And they are, despite trying their best not to be (and despite having good looks, good lines and enviable technical skills). They do seem to also have nice personalities, but that doesn't come out on the ice at all. They perform mostly in a leaden fashion, without any connection to each other or to the audience. Anyway, the judges love throwing undeserved PCS points at them.
Practically out of the gate, being Russian and coached by Mozer helped them in the eyes of the judges, even when they were not as consistent and were still getting used to each other.Both having run through 5 partners each seems to say something has always been missing, eh. Good for them in finding each other finally and being coached by Mozer. Boring meets bland equals Zzzzz. Z/E can't hold a candle to the former team of Bazarova/Deputat in terms of hotness factor and vibrant chemistry. Alas, Bazarova wasted too much time with her previous boring truck driver of a partner to make a viable go of it with Deputat. More unfortunately, Bazarova and Deputat were not well-positioned with a coach who wielded political power.
Mad for Skating
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Please read what I said. Did I say Z/E don't have talent? I said they are bland and boring. And they are, despite trying their best not to be (and despite having good looks, good lines and enviable technical skills). They do seem to also have nice personalities, but that doesn't come out on the ice at all. They perform mostly in a leaden fashion, without any connection to each other or to the audience. Anyway, the judges love throwing undeserved PCS points at them.
Both having run through 5 partners each seems to say something has always been missing, eh. Good for them in finding each other finally and being coached by Mozer. Boring meets bland equals Zzzzz. Z/E can't hold a candle to the former team of Bazarova/Deputat in terms of hotness factor and vibrant chemistry. Alas, Bazarova wasted too much time with her previous boring truck driver of a partner to make a viable go of it with Deputat. More unfortunately, Bazarova and Deputat were not well-positioned with a coach who wielded political power.
Hey, this wasn’t an essay question, but I appreciate your thoughts. I do think they lack it-factor and are overscored on PCS, but we’ve been over this before. It’s not always about who is the most enjoyable, it’s about who gets the job done on that day. Doesn’t mean you have to like it - I sure as heck don’t.
I did love Bazarova though, she was a queen.
Why don’t you join me on a campaign for Stolbova/Novoselov to take over the no. 2 spot next year? That would be a better use of our time than griping about Z/E, IMO.
aftershocks
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No thanks. I haven't seen Stolbova/Novoselov together yet. And more than likely, it'll be Boikova/Koslovskii who end up surpassing Z/E and hopefully T/M to boot by 2022.
I only responded to what you said. Not an essay, but I can give you an essay alright.
Definitely, Z/E are not worth any kind of back-and-forth. They are who they are. Forgettable. If that ever changes, which I highly doubt, I would be the first to give them credit. At this point though, they have been getting more than enough undeserved credit from the judges on PCS. But what else is new(s)? Such over-crediting on PCS happens a lot.Good luck on your S/N campaign. Provide some links of what they look like together if you have any.
oleada
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I thought this thread was about Canadian pairs 
Anyhoo, for those more in the know, who will likely be in the JGP in the fall? Is Patricia Andrew still with her partner? I thought she had a real star quality and pairs girl fierceness that could really shine with the proper development but Fletcher is much older than her and their time in the JGP would be really limited.
Anyhoo, for those more in the know, who will likely be in the JGP in the fall? Is Patricia Andrew still with her partner? I thought she had a real star quality and pairs girl fierceness that could really shine with the proper development but Fletcher is much older than her and their time in the JGP would be really limited.
I thought this thread was about Canadian pairs
Anyhoo, for those more in the know, who will likely be in the JGP in the fall? Is Patricia Andrew still with her partner? I thought she had a real star quality and pairs girl fierceness that could really shine with the proper development but Fletcher is much older than her and their time in the JGP would be really limited.
Her reaction in the kiss and cry has stayed with me, devasting! I think at her age coming back from that experience would show she has a lot of mental strength. But I wouldn’t think they’d stay together.
With the age difference but also her stepping it up, adding a triple throw and triple jumps throughout the season and still devote time to singles, she was impressive.
I am not sure there are many Novice/juniors to pair her with, maybe someone from another country?? Too bad she’s not 15!
blue_idealist
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I knew Purich/Tran previously skated together, and I didn't think they did too badly.
blue_idealist
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6th time, I believe: Raymond Schultz, Sebastien Arcieri, Drew Wolfe, Mervin Tran and Davin Portz were all her previous partners.
I watched your YouTube link, definitely a better match. It’s funny Tracy Wilson and rod black were noting that there were no pairs and now lots of potential back in 2015. I guess Canada just keeps there top pairs forever and then a mad scramble for new talent. I don’t remember NP that well. She’s kind of disappeared since around 2015. I thought she was ok with mervin Tran also. Weird that she hasn’t connected with anyone for very long. She has a good pair girl quality about her. Be interesting to see what she does with Bryce. He looked fairly solid in juniors. I think now that they are both more mature they might have similar goals which will help in their success as a team?You missed one - Davin Portz. So Chudak is number 6. Impressive!
barbarafan
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She was badly injured with a long rehab which took a great deal of grit to go through....I also liked Bryce's pairing and he seems to be an all around nice guy. Hopefully things will work out. To New Beginnings!
Yes and I guess she wasn’t part of skate Canada anymore? Not sure.... which would explain no promotion or assignments during that time......I was also thinking how tired that CTV coverage is. Ha ha
JasperBoy
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I became a fan of Natasha Purich when she skated with Drew Wolfe. I was thrilled when she paired up with Mervin Tran, my dream team. I ran into them after their 2014 skate and gushed all over them. They were quite reserved in their response so I guess the split was already in the works.
From what I have gathered, reading between the lines, Natasha is not an easy partner. I hope this new team will work out well and give them both a chance to show what they can do.
Canada needs more pairs teams.
From what I have gathered, reading between the lines, Natasha is not an easy partner. I hope this new team will work out well and give them both a chance to show what they can do.
Canada needs more pairs teams.
blue_idealist
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Natasha seems to have a fiery personality. I remember her slapping her legs with a fierce look while warming up at the 2014 Canadian Nats (which I watched live), and I thought to myself, "That girl looks pretty assertive." LOL.
Yes Canada definitely needs some talent in pairs. All the areas actually. Maybe it’s skate Canada in general that needs to step up. Coverage of the events needs a revamp as they need to attract a younger demographic. I think that certain coaches have done a great job in trying to build skating back up again by making skating schools international to generate money and create stars for other countries.
me as well. I think that’s where goals come in for each person. Does one of them feel happy just being part of the team and one of them want to reach the podium. I get the feeling B/I are motivated want podium. The others.,,,,I don’t see that from the others currently.
And also talent or matched well enough to build it
Sk8mom123
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I think Canada has lots of talent for pairs. Maybe some current mismatches but it’s very difficult to find a perfect partner. Sometimes you have to work with what you have to keep gaining skills. Finding a perfect partner is not easy.
Oh for sure didn’t mean too sound harsh. Just hope it’s not a few decades before some there is some success to be seen
aftershocks
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Indeed, Natasha and Mervin performed very well together. They are both skilled pairs skaters, and it definitely shows:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXr0_kdUNZc TEB 2013
They completed all their elements, including the jumps. So they were a good team, but they were lacking in pizzazz and chemistry, which is spilling out all over the ice in this P/W performance:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89aLQGZCN8A The music choice helps, but I think P/W were physically also better matched than Purich/Tran
Purich was around 18 going on 19 when she performed with Drew. Maybe she lacked a bit of emotional maturity. Did she train with Davin Portz for a time after splitting with Drew? Or where did Portz enter into the picture? It doesn't appear that they ever competed together, at least not in any major competitions. As good as Purich is as a pairs skater, it is rather mind-boggling she was not helped to settle in and focus. I doubt talent such as she possesses would have been allowed to meander around as often, and then stay sidelined for a time, in a pairs-devoted country like China.
What exactly caused these yearly splits for Purich? Temper tantrums? Personality differences? Unreasonable demands? Diva behavior?
Cute Purich/Wolfe "Fast Facts" quickie vid with P. J. Kwong:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzWgEpC2GPM
ETA:
Okay, I see @barbarafan's indication that Purich was injured and had a long rehabilitation time-out. That answers part of why she's been away from the scene for awhile. Has she gotten any smarter though about sticking with a partnership and learning how to get along?
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Stephanie
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For Purich/Tran I think there was a lot of pressure on them, and especially her. They were paired together the summer before the Olympics with the expectation that they would make the Olympic team since he was a former world medalist. The imbalance from this alone probably created stress and tension. Maybe there were other interpersonal issues, but I think it was a tough situation for her, especially since she was only 18 at the time.
aftershocks
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Sounds logical. Mervin had also just gone through a difficult time trying to work out Japanese citizenship issues so he could continue skating with Narumi Takahashi. But it all came to a dramatic and regretful end. Narumi was said to have made the decision, but I wonder about that. She never seemed able to get it together with any other partner Japanese fed tried to make work for her. Seemingly being partnered with Mervin helped them both to shine as they matured and got better. It was a shame that five years of hard work culminating in such a delightful and unexpected victory at 2012 Worlds ended so abruptly, as if it never happened.
Did Mervin and Natasha perform poorly at 2014 Canadian Nationals? Or was it close but no cigar? Who got to go in third place over them?
ETA: Okay I checked. It was Lawrence/Sweigers over M&N by 6 points. I remember their names, and I remember Sweigers helping out Mark Ladwig at a competition once when Ladwig's boot broke down. But L/S are a somewhat forgettable team, at least for me. Still, they got to go to the 2014 Olympics and place 14th. It's too bad that Purich/Tran didn't get to have that experience. But in any case, the pairing with Drew afterward seemingly should have stuck!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_Canadian_Figure_Skating_Championships
So it looks as if Canada often goes through periods of drought in pairs. There were only 7 teams competing in pairs at 2014 Canadian Nationals.
puglover
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I was at the 2014 Canadian Nationals and my impressions were that although Purich/Tran looked good together there was a feeling of tension and frustration. They just seemed somehow anxious in their practices and not happy or relaxed. As I recall, Lawrence/Sweigers had battled injury that year and the third spot could have gone either way but L/S were clearly better on the day.
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