Pairs Discussion Thread 2021-22

[Sylvia]

ICYMI, @clairecloutier spoke to Bruno Marcotte at Worlds in Montpellier "to get his take on Miura/Kihara, Moore-Towers/Marinaro, and the issues facing Canadian pairs" among other things:

Bruno Marcotte: "Miura/Kihara are very special" - A divine sport

“I have mixed emotions,” coach Bruno Marcotte confessed Thursday night, after his students Riku Miura, 20, and Ryuichi Kihara, 29, won the silver medal at the ISU World Championships in Montpellier, France. Seeing Miura/Kihara reach the World podium–less than three years after they first teamed...

adivinesport.com

With this season ending, Marcotte’s own thoughts are turning to the next quad, and how to prepare his students Miura/Kihara for continued success. He expects to see some rules changes (although nothing momentous) announced after the ISU Congress in June.
“After every quad, typically, there are rules changes,” Marcotte said. “I like this, because it challenges the athletes. I work with them on meeting the demands of the new rules. I do think we will see more side-by-side jump combinations in pairs in years to come. I don’t think we will see any more throw quads until they change the point values [of quads]. Until then, the risk isn’t worth the reward.”
Marcotte said that Miura/Kihara have already started working on some new jump combinations. “Because we don’t want to be behind the pairs who are leading the way,” he explained.

ETA link to the ISU's Junior Worlds pairs recap (April 15, 2022): https://www.isu.org/figure-skating/...nior-pairs-title-for-georgia?templateParam=15

 

[Karen-W]

Zukova/Bidar are with Benoit Richaud this week. New programs for next season, perhaps?

Watch this story by Martin Bidař on Instagram before it disappears.

3,756 Followers, 1,593 Following, 72 Posts

instagram.com

 

[AYS]

ICYMI, @clairecloutier spoke to Bruno Marcotte at Worlds in Montpellier "to get his take on Miura/Kihara, Moore-Towers/Marinaro, and the issues facing Canadian pairs" among other things:

Bruno Marcotte: "Miura/Kihara are very special" - A divine sport

“I have mixed emotions,” coach Bruno Marcotte confessed Thursday night, after his students Riku Miura, 20, and Ryuichi Kihara, 29, won the silver medal at the ISU World Championships in Montpellier, France. Seeing Miura/Kihara reach the World podium–less than three years after they first teamed...

adivinesport.com

ETA link to the ISU's Junior Worlds pairs recap (April 15, 2022): https://www.isu.org/figure-skating/...nior-pairs-title-for-georgia?templateParam=15

Nice article @clairecloutier !

 

[AxelAnnie]

You know, when you think about it, all retirements should be sent to FSU for both our opinions and advice before they even THINK of retiring.

 

[Karen-W]

From the Russian news thread in GSD:

Quoting myself, it seems that Kostiukovich/Sviatchenko did not work out, because another gossip says that Sviatchenko went to Sochi to skate with Marie Pavlova. She was skating for Hungary. I wonder if she already received citizenship. If she did, Pavlova/Sviatchenko could skate for Hungary.

Sounds like Pavlova/Nagy are no more, which I sort of suspected when they weren't sent to Worlds. That's a real shame since they showed a lot of promise this fall and at Europeans.

 

[Sylvia]

@hanca posted this earlier today in the Russian news thread in GSD:

Quoting myself, it seems that Kostiukovich/Sviatchenko did not work out, because another gossip says that Sviatchenko went to Sochi to skate with Marie Pavlova. She was skating for Hungary. I wonder if she already received citizenship. If she did, Pavlova/Sviatchenko could skate for Hungary.

Sounds like Pavlova/Nagy are no more, which I sort of suspected when they weren't sent to Worlds. That's a real shame since they showed a lot of promise this fall and at Europeans.

Cross-posting here - Maria Pavlova obtained Hungarian citizenship back in February, according to this post of hers: https://www.instagram.com/p/CZuQ8oHI-N8/

 

[hanca]

@hanca posted this earlier today in the Russian news thread in GSD:


Cross-posting here - Maria Pavlova obtained Hungarian citizenship back in February, according to this post of hers: https://www.instagram.com/p/CZuQ8oHI-N8/

At least Hungary will have a pair, if the gossip about Pavlova/Sviatchenko is true. The situation with pairs at worlds looked a bit sad, so the more pairs the better! (Though it is just a gossip, it may be just a tryout and it may not work out.)

 

[Sylvia]

Canon (ISU sponsor) has published an interview with Riku Miura & Ryuichi Kihara, conducted in Tokyo in April 2022, in Japanese:

キヤノンスポーツ総合サイト

キヤノンのスポーツ関連情報をまとめたスポーツ総合サイトです。

global.canon

Google translated excerpt:

Kihara: We want to simply deliver the joy of skating. The judge once said, "Pair competitions always have a painful face and slip, but you guys are always laughing, so I like it." I wasn't aware of the value of, but I thought it was wonderful. Pairs use their physical strength for each technique, so it's tough, and their seriousness is easy to see on their faces. That's why it seems that we are laughing freshly, and I don't want to erase this smile.
Miura: Many people say, "It seemed fun to slide with a smile, and I was impressed." I want to continue this smile.
Kihara Yes. Everyone likes skating, so I do it, but when it comes to competition, it's easy to forget that feeling. I want to continue to convey the pure feeling of "I'm doing it because it's fun" as a smile.

Sounds like they're aiming to skate 8 more years together!

 

[Karen-W]

Here is a video from Denys Strekalin & Oceane Piegad, who have been skating together about 2 months, talking about their goals for next season. In it, they specifically mention coming to the US for a pairs training seminar this summer and working with Vanessa James during the coming year. While it's no official announcement, it does seem to confirm what most of us suspected would happen regarding James/Radford being a one-season-and-done wonder.

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CclVRn3A-Xc/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

 

[hanca]

The gossip is that Artemeva/Nazarychev split up.

 

[Karen-W]

The gossip is that Artemeva/Nazarychev split up.

Well, that's a shame if true. They were one of my favorites of the young Russian pairs teams.

 

[Sylvia]

Grace Hanns (8th in Senior Pairs at 2021 U.S. Nationals with Jim Garbutt & currently listed on IPS) was at the Bercy rink near Paris with coaches Bruno Marcotte and Bruno Massot, both of whom had teams at last week's Junior Worlds in Tallinn (2nd photo shows Hanns with a group of French pair skaters, including the Kovalevs): https://www.instagram.com/p/CciztVmr7FL/

ETA that the new team of Piegad/Strekalin and Coline Keriven also are tagged in the group photo but not Tom Bouvart (is he there?) with whom Kerivan announced a new partnership back in March: https://www.instagram.com/p/CbX4QMmorOJ/

ETA #2 - Bouvart's Instagram 2 days ago has a photo of him training with Keriven: https://www.instagram.com/p/CcidG6GIaqW/

 

[Karen-W]

Grace Hanns (8th in Senior Pairs at 2021 U.S. Nationals with Jim Garbutt & currently listed on IPS), was at the Bercy rink near Paris with coaches Bruno Marcotte and Bruno Massot, both of whom had teams at last week's Junior Worlds in Tallinn (2nd photo shows Hanns with a group of French pair skaters, including the Kovalevs): https://www.instagram.com/p/CciztVmr7FL/

Wonder if she's there for a tryout. Isn't Noel-Antoine Pierre also listed on IPS?

 

[kirkbiggestfan]

There were 7 French pairs: Piegad/Strekalin, Hanns/Pierre, Kerriven/Bouvard, Kovalev/Kovalev, Faula/Belmonte, Vouillamoz/Giniaux and Ehrard/Pellegris.

 

[Sylvia]

Knierim/Frazier article by @Jayar (April 20, 2022):

Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier Celebrate Golden Season - U.S. Figure Skating Fan Zone

It was a moment more than four decades in the making—Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier are the 2022 World champions. The duo, in only their second season together

usfigureskatingfanzone.com

Excerpt from the end:

Once the [SOI] tour is over, Knierim and Frazier plan to take some time away from skating to enjoy a well-earned vacation. When they finally return home, they plan to discuss what their future may hold as a team and as individuals.
"Alexa and I really haven't circled around to discussing our future, we've really been living in the moment," Frazier admitted. "We've spent the last two years working and building up a plan, and now after achieving a lot of things we had hoped to achieve, we both we just want to enjoy the tour and when we get back in June, I know we'll circle back around and talk and see what our interests are."
Knierim added, "I think we'll just listen to our hearts. I believe a huge reason Brandon and I have been able to be successful is because we are vulnerable and honest with each other, and I think that's what has propelled us forward. When it comes down to it, we'll just listen to our gut and intuition on what is next for us individually and will be able to express that without concern."

 

[UMBS Go Blue]

Random news sighting: looks like Sui Wenjing was honored in early April on center stage inside the Great Hall of the People by Xi Jinping and Li Keqiang. (gifted non-paywall link below; scroll down for picture)

Inside China’s Zero-Covid Fortress, Xi Admits No Doubts (Published 2022)

As the lockdown of Shanghai and outbreaks in Beijing and elsewhere batter the economy, China’s leader keeps a distance from the politically charged issue.

www.nytimes.com

 

[Sylvia]

There were 7 French pairs: Piegad/Strekalin, Hanns/Pierre, Kerriven/Bouvard, Kovalev/Kovalev, Faula/Belmonte, Vouillamoz/Giniaux and Ehrard/Pellegris.

Grace Hanns updated her IPS profile after she returned from France; Noël-Antoine Pierre is still listed on IPS.

From Piegad/Strekalin's IG (3rd one is a clip): https://www.instagram.com/p/CdWZ_GWoJ69/
"Our month ended with the chance of a collaboration with@guillaume_cizeron. Your experience shared with us is priceless. We can't wait to work with you again!"

Bruno Massot recently posted a group photo of his skaters on the one year anniversary of his school in Caen: https://www.instagram.com/p/CdJVISQMmK_/
L to R:
Keriven/Bouvart (new)
Vouillamo/Giniaux (10th of 10 at 2022 Junior Worlds)
? & Lucas ?
Ben Jalovick (competed as a Sr. singles skater in U.S., incl. at 2019 Nationals) & Pauline ? (new)
Faula/Belmonte
Noah, a pair skater from Spain

 

[Sylvia]

Grace Hanns updated her IPS profile after she returned from France

And here is Hanns' post today, officially partnered with Danny Neudecker (he and Sasha Fakhroutdinov split recently): https://www.instagram.com/p/Cdd3hWzrUxc/

 

[Sylvia]

Ruben Blommaert is "Happy to announce we [he & Alisa Efimova] are able to represent @deutsche_eislauf_union " in the 2022-23 season: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cdk2ae2u3gV/

Isabella Gamez & Alexander Korovin plan to make their debut for the Philippines in 2022-23 (her April 6th post - eta - that was originally posted in the OAS news thread in GSD): https://www.instagram.com/p/CcA3TiQvIjH/

April 8th: https://twitter.com/phskating/status/1512295727875035139
"Our PHSU President Nikki Cheng welcomes our pair skating team Isabelle Gamez and Sasha Korovin to the Mall of Asia Skating Rink [in PHI]. They will be staying for a few weeks to help jumpstart competitive pairs skating in the country."

 

[miffy]

I am really pleased that both Efimova and Korovin will be able to compete internationally. I was such a fan of theirs and I think it was a shame they couldn’t switch countries together (as they weren’t going anywhere in Russia), but I am glad they have at least found partners and got a release.

 

[Sylvia]

Sui/Han article, published on May 12, 2022 based on China Daily's May 3rd interview:

Golden figure skating pair sets a shining example of hard work and dedication

Chinese figure skaters Sui Wenjing and Han Cong hope that their story will attract more people to winter sports.

asianews.network

The Chinese pair won their second world title in 2019, but their preparations for the Beijing Games were interrupted when Han underwent hip surgery in April 2020. But they kept waiting and supporting each other throughout the injuries and setbacks, and eventually conquered the biggest stage together.
“I just felt so lucky to meet Han, and together we achieved something incredible,” says Sui. “And we set great examples. Before us, it was hard for skaters of our physical stature to reach such a high level in pairs skating, but we showed the possibilities.”

On Feb 19, their gold-winning performance to the song at the Beijing Games wowed the world－and Sui burst into tears in Han’s arms after finishing. For the pair, the rhythm and the lyrics of the song is the perfect match of their stories of dedication and the support of each other, especially during the hard times.
“We have great communication, and we feel that song is just like our story,” Han explains. “And we used the song just twice and both times achieved success.
“The song [Bridge Over Troubled Water] is really famous. And, as the world faces the challenges of the pandemic together, through the song, and our performances at the Olympics, we hoped to build a golden bridge in the hearts of people to connect the world.”

Sui and Han have started a new chapter of lives, seeking new possibilities. Sui is learning public speaking, as well as English and Japanese. She has also started writing her autobiography.
“I just feel people need to continue to explore. And through the process, we can earn the recognition of people from different sectors. I think that’s a way of gaining more confidence,” says Sui.

ETA that this article is based on a video interview - link is posted here: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...d-to-beijing-2022.100886/page-49#post-6258474

 

[Sylvia]

Translation of a matchtv.ru interview with Alina Efimova, now representing Germany with Ruben Blommaert (they have been named to the 2022-23 national team along with Hase/Seegert, Hocke/Kunkel & Roscher/Schuster - link is in the German news thread in GSD):

Alisa Efimova: “For more than six months I was looking for options to continue skate for Russia, but I never found. My patience reached its limit and I decided: either I use the chance to skate with Blommaert, or that’s it.”

Interview with former Russian pair skater Alisa Efimova who now represents Germany and skates with Ruben Blommaert.

fs-gossips.com

 

[Sylvia]

Safina/Berulava article by Tatjana Flade (May 25):

Georgia's Safina and Berulava: 'We did it.'

When pair skaters Karina Safina, 17 and Luka Berulava, 19, teamed up in March 2021, they could not have imagined that one year later they would have competed at the […]

www.goldenskate.com

The team started out in Perm, Russia, where they were training under coach Pavel Sliusarenko. Both are Russian-born: Safina comes from Tcheliabinsk in the Ural mountains, while Berulava is originally from Moscow. However, he has Georgian ancestry and has competed for Georgia since the 2019-20 season.
“When we had the idea to pair Karina and Luka, we thought that it would be difficult to take them to a level that makes it possible to get out of Russia,” Sliusarenko said. “At first, we had plans for Junior competitions and everything went well.”

“It has been a difficult season, but the main goal when they were paired was to get to the Olympic Games,” Sliusarenko explained. “This is not only the dream of the athletes, but also the dream of the coach. As the coach, I realized that they could make it and that they would not look out of place there.”
“When we started, we just worked very hard and hoped for the best,” Safina noted. “We mastered the elements quite quickly. It was harder to skate the whole program with all elements.”
The skaters and their coach were only disappointed with their result at Worlds. The team did well in the Short Program, but there were some small mistakes in the Free Skate.

 

[Sylvia]

21-min. interview in Russian with Galina Pachin, Hector Giotopoulos-Moore and Anastasia Golubeva in Australia (May 23):

'There are many challenges, but we hope to represent Australia at the Olympics'

Interview with figure skaters Hektor Giotopoulos Moore and Anastasiia Golubeva, and their coach Galina Pachin. The pair represented Australia and won Silver at the Figure Skating Junior World Championships in Tallin in April. Now they are starting their 4 year campaign to represent Australia at the…

www.sbs.com.au

Machine translation of the text on the Russian language version:

Coaches Galina and Andrey Pachin have been in Australia for almost 30 years. For all the time, only three pairs of figure skaters from Australia have won international competitions, two of these pairs are students of Galina and Andrey.

The most recent achievement is silver at the [world] junior competition in Tallinn, where Hector Giotopoulos-Moore and Anastasia Golubeva won silver.

Hector was born in Melbourne, grew up in a Greek family, but speaks good Russian. Nastya came to Australia for the first time, she has yet to finish school in Russia, but she has a dream to represent Australia at the next Olympics.

ETA: Can anyone here provide a summary?

 

[Sylvia]

Cross-posting here from GSD threads:

Interview with Karina Akopova & Nikita Rahmanin (interesting to learn that she had planned to skate with Hektor Giopoulos Moore in 2017 but she said the federation would not release her):

СÑаÑÑÐ»Ð¸Ð²Ð°Ñ Ð¶Ð¸Ð·Ð½Ñ Ð² СоÑи и наÑÑÑой на пÑокаÑÑ Ñ Ð¿Ð¾Ð¼Ð¾ÑÑÑ ÐµÐ´Ñ. Ðкопова и РаÑманин ÑаÑкÑÑваÑÑ ÑекÑеÑÑ

Ðдна из ÑамÑÑ Ð¿ÐµÑÑпекÑивнÑÑ Ð¿Ð°Ñ Ð Ð¾ÑÑии о попÑÑке ÑмениÑÑ Ð³ÑажданÑÑво, ÑкÑпеÑименÑÐ°Ñ Ð¸ поÑледнем междÑнаÑодном ÑÑÑниÑе. ÐолÑÑое инÑеÑвÑÑ Â«ÐаÑÑ Ð¢Ð».

matchtv.ru

Looks like Austria will have a new pair team - Drew Meekins & Lorenzo Magri both shared an Instagram story clip of Luc Maierhofer and Italy's Giorgia Ghedini (5th in the Junior Women's event at Merano Ice Trophy in Feb. 2022) doing an off ice lift in Egna, Italy.

Skate Austria's video a few days ago: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CeJnIUgMO0r/

A weekend in the spirit of Pair Skating
With many participating pairs, Drew Meekins, Miriam Ziegler & Severin Kiefer shared their knowledge and new insights at the Pair Skating Impuls Days 2022 in Gmunden! ⛸
Special thanks to these coaches for an exciting weekend full of Pair Skating!

 

[Sylvia]

Article for Father's Day today:

Ashley Cain Has Her First Pairs Partner – Her Dad – With Her On and Off the Ice - U.S. Figure Skating Fan Zone

When Ashley Cain and partner Timothy LeDuc headed to China for their Olympic debut at the Olympic Winter Games 2022 Beijing, Cain had one huge advantage over nearly every other athlete.

usfigureskatingfanzone.com

Excerpt from the end:

It was an environment that facilitated a father/daughter relationship that has been infused with joy.
"We're able to be in a competition or a camp or something like that, and we could finish the day and then go have dinner together," Ashley said. "No matter how the day went or how the competition went, we were always able to come back together and go out to dinner and just be enjoying each other's space."
They still spend plenty of time together outside of skating, and Ashley is now part of the Cains' coaching team full time. As Ashley has stepped away from the ice, both father and daughter admit that it's odd moving into a new chapter and Ashley hopes to find new ways to learn from and spend time with her parents.
"I'm trying to get her to pick up golf, but y'know," Peter said, laughing.
"I find it so boring," Ashley said, laughing as well. "Maybe one day. We'll get there."

 

[Sylvia]

Re-posting here from the Italian skating news thread:

Alyssa Montan, 19, is listed on IPS as of 6/17: http://icepartnersearch.com/showbio.php?i=7195

She and Filippo Clerici placed 8th at 2022 Junior Worlds.

Of note... Filippo Clerici has been tagged in quite a few of Milania Vaanenen's IG posts - she's been training in Italy at YGA. Not 100% they've partnered, but it seems a strong possibility.

Link to @Karen-W's compilation of skaters likely eligible for GP selection, including pairs: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...n-do-they-come-out.109729/page-2#post-6267037

 

[Sylvia]

As posted in the German news thread today, Minerva Hase & Nolan Seegert have parted ways after 8 years together.
Minerva plans to look for a new partner (10 photos spanning their career): https://www.instagram.com/p/CfBnTanIuF2/
Machine translated excerpt:

A heartfelt thank you to Nolan for the past 8 years. Together we achieved our goals, many of which we didn't even think possible.

Nolan: https://www.instagram.com/p/CfBrK9CoXEl/
Excerpt:

Probably the hardest moment of my life...
As of today, Minni and me are not are pair team anymore.
I wished for a later ending of our partnership, but Minni wants to go for a new chapter in her skating career.
There is nothing left for me then to wish her all the best for her future, and I am rooting for her success.

Their ISU bio: http://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs00034724.htm

 

[Sylvia]

The Finnish news article linked from this tweet says "Milania Väänänen (FIN) has teamed up with Filippo Clerici (ITA) [for Finland]. They will train in Bergamo, Italy, and will have to sit out one season. Väänänen competed at 2022 Europeans representing Finland, and Clerici at Junior Worlds representing Italy." https://twitter.com/Ritti9/status/1538937532972507140

So @Karen-W was correct!

 

[Sylvia]

Re-posting what @Trillian just wrote here for discussion:

I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again - I think pairs is dying as a discipline. There’s no country outside Russia with a robust program and I’m not sure why other countries would want to invest a ton in trying to build one.

Opinions?