Chris Knierim to retire - Alexa to seek new partner

[aftershocks]

Am saying that they did not need to up the drama.

And neither do you!

 

[honey]

IMO calling Family Emergency was dramatic and insincere.

According to Alexa the problems with Chris were ongoing and had been for a while. An emergency is an unexpected and often dangerous situation requiring immediate action.

Their situation was known to them and they were managing it.

Not saying they should have taken different action. Am saying that they did not need to up the drama.

Just to clarify, the initial tweet said “family illness”. Nothing about emergency.

 

[Barbara Manatee]

To clarify even more, it was the USFS that blamed family illness, not Alexa and Chris. I guess USFS panicked a little when they got the news and tweeted something they quickly realized they should not have.

 

[overedge]

Just to clarify, the initial tweet said “family illness”. Nothing about emergency.

It would be an emergency if Chris didn't feel well enough to compete, or didn't feel well enough to compete safely with his partner/wife. Depression can be an emergency too.

 

[aftershocks]

^^ Semantics, semantics. The fact remains, whether or not it was seen as an emergency or can be defined as an 'emergency' well after-the-fact, it was not a dire life-threatening emergency, nor was it a sudden injury of emergency proportions.

Moreover, as @honey accurately points out, the initial reason given for the withdrawal was not specified as 'an emergency,' which further discredits AxAnnie's needless whining and instigating.

 

[Rhumba d’Amour]

Just my opinion but I'm betting Alexa already has someone they've approached in regard to her continuing and trying for 2020. Otherwise, they'd have just announced they are retiring. I would expect an announcement after Worlds especially if the guy is in a current partnership. We've seen this scenario many times before.

i agree. The wording of the USFS announcement seems very carefully chosen. It‘s not some vague statement that the non-retiring partner will be “evaluating options” or whatever; it sounds like they are pretty sure she will continue.
I would not be a bit surprised to hear of a partner becoming available due to another split or retirement within the US pairs community in the very near future.

 

[Lizziebeth]

Just my opinion but I'm betting Alexa already has someone they've approached in regard to her continuing and trying for 2020. Otherwise, they'd have just announced they are retiring. I would expect an announcement after Worlds especially if the guy is in a current partnership. We've seen this scenario many times before.

I'm with you on this. They took their time making the announcement and there is some kind of plan already in place. I think it is good to say no more until after Worlds.

 

[MacMadame]

It would be an emergency if Chris didn't feel well enough to compete, or didn't feel well enough to compete safely with his partner/wife. Depression can be an emergency too.

What they said was "family illness". That implies someone in their family was ill. If a competitor is ill, then they normally say "due to illness." The whole thing was weird and I am guessing someone at USFS screwed up. Hence the tweet being deleted.

 

[honey]

It would be an emergency if Chris didn't feel well enough to compete, or didn't feel well enough to compete safely with his partner/wife. Depression can be an emergency too.

I was making zero judgement about whether it was an emergency or not. I was just clarifying the facts of the situation. Which is that the tweet never said anything about an emergency.

 

[Orm Irian]

What they said was "family illness". That implies someone in their family was ill. If a competitor is ill, then they normally say "due to illness." The whole thing was weird and I am guessing someone at USFS screwed up. Hence the tweet being deleted.

Well, he's a member of their family, and he was ill. Works for me.

 

[Perky Shae Lynn]

IMO calling Family Emergency was dramatic and insincere.

OMG who cares?

 

[misskarne]

I hadn't heard that Harley split with his Russian partner.

Harley and his Australian partner Katia had to split because her injury is bad enough she won't be able to compete any more Harley is looking for another partner, but for a variety of reasons I wouldn't think it would be Alexa.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

^^^^ Say what, when did this happen?

I just asked 3 weeks ago why they weren't on the roster at 4CC and I was told she was injured.....

 

[misskarne]

^^^^ Say what, when did this happen?

I just asked 3 weeks ago why they weren't on the roster at 4CC and I was told she was injured.....

Harley posted it on insta the other day. Actually, around the same time the Knierim split was announced.

 

[Wyliefan]

IIRC, the news was posted in the Australia thread. But then the Alexa and Chris news came out and grabbed everyone's attention.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Oh I so doubt it would be Harley. The only plus I can think of is his height

He’s relatively sort of new out of juniors and she’s been senior for over a decade

I also feel her skating skills and all of her experience are in a whole different level than his

What was Katias injury?

 

[misskarne]

What was Katias injury?

It has not been disclosed. I know it is the same injury she picked up before Australian Nationals in December.

 

[aftershocks]

Harley and his Australian partner Katia...

Thanks for the information about Katia and Harley having to split. Granted that Katia became an Australian citizen in 2017. Still, her ancestry is Russian, as we all know. She was born in Moscow in January 2000. So, Harley's partner, Katia!

I wonder whether Kailani Craine would ever consider switching to pairs? She'd also make an excellent ice dancer, IMO.

 

[misskarne]

Granted that Katia became an Australian citizen in 2017.

Which makes her Australian. End of story. And her gritty courage and never-say-die fight certainly meant she had the spirit of one born here.

I wonder whether Kailani Craine would ever consider switching to pairs? She'd also make an excellent ice dancer, IMO.

I doubt it. And we have two Worlds-TES ice dance couples already, so that's not our issue right now.

 

[Simone411]

Okay, I'm just going by what was stated in the article.

Chris Knierim, 32, said that his passion for skating had waned while injuries had mounted and said that forced him to consider his future. He also said he's been receiving treatment for depression.

Sending thoughts and prayers Chris's way. Also wishing Alexa the best in her endeavor for finding a new partner.

 

[aftershocks]

Which makes her Australian. End of story.

It matters not. Yes, I was wrong to say 'Russian partner, since Katia no longer has Russian citizenship.' What punishment would you enjoy devising for my error? TBH, despite Katia having Australian citizenship, her ancestry is obviously still Russian. And surely she continues to speak Russian.

Nitpicking much in this thread...

 

[AxelAnnie]

OMG who cares?

Me.

 

[skatfan]

Me.

Must be lonely picking at such small stuff that no one else cares about.

 

[yeslek]

IMO calling Family Emergency was dramatic and insincere.

According to Alexa the problems with Chris were ongoing and had been for a while. An emergency is an unexpected and often dangerous situation requiring immediate action.

Their situation was known to them and they were managing it.

Not saying they should have taken different action. Am saying that they did not need to up the drama.

Grow up.

 

[AxelAnnie]

Grow up.

Can't

 

[Carolla5501]

IMO calling Family Emergency was dramatic and insincere.

According to Alexa the problems with Chris were ongoing and had been for a while. An emergency is an unexpected and often dangerous situation requiring immediate action.

Their situation was known to them and they were managing it.

Not saying they should have taken different action. Am saying that they did not need to up the drama.

Well in the opinion of most posters, who had previously responded on here your post is dramatic and insensitive.

And it's amazing that you have this OUTSTANDING ability to read "emergency" into "family illness" and ever more amazing that you KNOW it wasn't an emergency. Just because someone has been dealing with depression doesn't mean it can't become an emergency condition (ever hear of a depressed person trying to kill themselves?? )

GROW UP! And if you can't "grow up" then keep your fingers off a keyboard!


(Edited. Apparently some people agree with you )

 

[Carolla5501]

Just my opinion but I'm betting Alexa already has someone they've approached in regard to her continuing and trying for 2020. Otherwise, they'd have just announced they are retiring. I would expect an announcement after Worlds especially if the guy is in a current partnership. We've seen this scenario many times before.

This really makes sense... and makes the drama much more interesting.

The 2 that make the most sense to me from the top teams are Brandon and Danny. Since both of these teams are "alternates" for Worlds you wouldn't want to break them up now.

And while I know Brandon has said he would retire with Haven, I also think they are not ever going to get back to where they were. She's not popping her triples, she is just doing double jumps. At Nationals I felt like that she went into her jumps planning a double! And the fact that Tarah and Brandon already announced music would seem to be that this is not the pair that might be the "USFSA find Alexa a partner" target.

I don't see Tim leaving Ashley, they seem to have a real connection and vision of where they want to take their skating. I also don't see Brian and Jessica changing as they are really starting to take off and for Brian it might be a step down on the podium next year to change partners. But of course I have no real idea if my view is what they think

The other name being thrown around is Nate, but why wait to announce if he's the new partner?


And I think after you leave the top 4 it's less likely that the man is ready for that top step on the podium. And let's get real they are going to have to hit the podium NEXT year to really make a good case for the 2022 Olympics. Finish 12th next year and..... it's a LOT harder!

 

[kirkbiggestfan]

You want to have tryouts before announcing a new partnership. It is not going to be easy to keep the tryouts secret in this environment. I actually would love to see Alexa as a Carmen.

 

[insideedgeua]

IMO calling Family Emergency was dramatic and insincere.

According to Alexa the problems with Chris were ongoing and had been for a while. An emergency is an unexpected and often dangerous situation requiring immediate action.

Their situation was known to them and they were managing it.

Not saying they should have taken different action. Am saying that they did not need to up the drama.

You’re assuming that they made the call on the first Tweet that US Figure Skating put out. Remember, this was the tweet that was deleted shortly after.

Alexa and Chris were totally off social media after that short program, it wasn’t them ‘upping the drama’.

US Figure Skating knew exactly what was going on behind the scenes.

 

[casken]

Well in the opinion of most posters on here

Don't speak for other people. You have no idea what my or most peoples' opinion is.

Must be lonely picking at such small stuff that no one else cares about.

People care, it's just useless trying to have that type of discussion in the "US Pairs are perfect in every way" thread.