Tired, Retired, or Full Steam Ahead (2019-20)

missing

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I love the threads that announce who is retiring from competitive skating, who's taking a season off (or planning to compete only in selected events) and who is plunging forward with a full competitive slate. So I figured I'd start a thread with the hope that as people learn about skaters' plans, they would share them.

Thanks in advance!
 

Sylvia

TBD
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79,989
Sweden's Alexander Majorov was quoted immediately after his FS at Worlds on March 23, 2019 (published in ISU's Quick Quotes document):
That was my last competition in my life. I am retiring. I have no idea what I will do next. At first I want to rest a little bit. I have a physical therapy diploma, and I can get a work as a physio. I want to go to some summer camps as a coach. I want to start a normal life. I have been doing this for 21 years, and it has been a long period of my life. My body feels tired, because it has endured a lot of jumps, a lot of spins, a lot of efforts. I want to enjoy my life now. I may have one more competition, the Swedish nationals in two weeks [added note: he's referring to the Elitseriefinalen in Gothenburg on April 12-14], but I do not think I will go there. I feel it is enough. I want to thank all the fans for their support on the rink and through their messages online, Twitter, Instagram, everywhere. Japanese fans, arigato.
I just looked, but didn't find, anything posted about his retirement on Majorov's own social media accounts or official website.
 
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Tinami Amori

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20,156
Russian skaters usually announce status changes in May, or in August, so not much official yet. But judging by her interviews and family plans, Anna Pogorylaya is not likely to compete in the upcoming future. Same for Sotnikova probably, given how many people are calling on her to "make it official and to stop wasting time". Bobrova said she has not yet decided, but already looking into other careers besides skating.
 

Sylvia

TBD
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79,989
I know it has been mentioned in other threads but Rachel Parsons has decided to leave the sport and focus on her health.
I missed this.
https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/threads/rachel-parsons-i’ve-decided-to-take-a-step-back-from-skating.105490/

ETA:

Two-time Worlds competitor (2016 & 2018) and 3-time GBR men's champion Phillip Harris wrote a gracious message of retirement on March 16, 2019: https://www.instagram.com/p/BvFR_jzHlU2/
 
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nimi

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1,682
The ISP thread that Sylvia made is relevant to this thread: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...nal-selection-pool-isp-list-published.105504/
Notably missing (no public announcements yet, AFAIK):
Deanna Stellato & Nathan Bartholomay S3
Caroline & Gordon Green J1
Eliana Gropman & Ian Somerville J3 - ETA: Gropman has shared her side of the story on IG (as posted Friday evening in the U.S. Dance thread) linked from here: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...ason-news-updates.104092/page-26#post-5571034

Tim Dolensky S6 posted 2 photos on his IG 2 days ago along with the caption "Cheers to new adventures": https://www.instagram.com/p/Bvyu0a2nx7L/
It's sad if Stellato/Bartholomay indeed have split. I was rooting for them... :(
But maybe there's hope of Deanna staying in the sport?
USFS recently sponsored a pairs tryout camp in Dallas and here is a group photo from Katie McBeath's IG: https://www.instagram.com/p/BvpQrlbHXRU/

Deanna S. is there (4th from the right) so hopefully this means she may be continuing? Danny O'Shea and Brandon Frazier also were there - presumably to assist the female skaters who are new to pairs.


The U.S. dance thread has more info on the state of the junior teams:
So from junior nationals we have:

GOLD Caroline Green/Green, Washington FSC 172.54 NOT in ISP
SILVER Nguyen/Kolesnik, SC of Novi 171.06
BRONZE Gropman/Somerville, Washington FSC 155.46 SPLIT
PEWTER Brown/Brown, SC of New York 153.67
5 Cesanek/Yehorov, Peninsula SC 144.23
6 Haines/Koszuta, Glacier Falls FSC 136.64 SPLIT, she retired
7 Ales/Tsarik, SC of Novi 132.24
8 Elder/Elder, Louisville Skating Academy 131.94
9 Wolfkostin/Zhao, Detroit SC 127.63 SPLIT
10 DelCamp/Gart, All Year FSC 121.52 SPLIT
11 Efimova/Petrov, Hershey FSC 119.73 SPLIT
12 Purnell/Purnell, Louisville Skating Academy 108.10 SPLIT
13 Udell/Udell, All Year FSC 53.96

Lots of room for new pairings and up-from-novice teams to get a JGP assignment.
 

Foolhardy Ham Lint

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Instagram

Joe Johnson and Karina Manta joining Cirque du Soliel for new project. I was hoping to see them at Skate America but this should be a good fit for them.

Awesome news for them. Great to see them capitalise on getting some great media attention last season at Skate America and US Nationals. Their programs were audience favourites, too.
 

Plusdinfo

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314
Tim Dolensky and Angela Wang have joined the cast of the skating show on the Symphony of the Seas (Royal Caribbean Cruise Line).

https://www.instagram.com/p/BwQkh8CFnId/

So I would say it's a safe bet that they are not competing at least this year;)

Thanks for sharing that. I saw them compete in San Jose in 2018 at Nationals, and they were two of the more memorable performers. I really found Angela underrated that competition.
 

missing

Well-Known To Whom She Wonders
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  • IFS Magazine

    @ifsmagazine


    Maia Shibutani/Alex Shibutani will not compete in the 2019-20 season. “We’ve continued to skate a lot, and we feel like we’ve benefited from some time away to create in different environments and focus on experiences that can help us grow,” Alex said.
 

Sylvia

TBD
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79,989
Alexander Majorov's retirement interview thread: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/threads/alexander-majorov-retires-from-competition.105546/

Kaetlyn Osmond's retirement was announced on May 2: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/threads/kaetlyn-osmond-retires-from-competition.105589

Larkyn Austman announced her retirement on May 10: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...r-retirement-from-competitive-skating.105613/

Camilla Gjersem's retirement thread (twin sister Anne Line retired last year): https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...iring-goodbye-norwegian-skating-twins.105628/

Not competing in 2019/20:

Maxim Kovtun (article dated April 27): https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...irement-from-competition.105560/#post-5579705

ETA press release titled MAIA AND ALEX SHIBUTANI TO TAKE OFF 2019-20 SEASON (5/24/19): https://www.usfsa.org/story?id=92436&type=media
 
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Spun Silver

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12,130
Han Yan is back. Didn’t I read somewhere on FSU last season that Daisuke Takahashi was planning to return to competition, what happened to that?
He did return but so far has only competed on the national level (he won silver at Japanese Nats). IIRC he hasn't decided whether to compete on the GP circuit in 2019-20 but he's in the highest tier of the Japanese team. Hope I got all that right, I'm relying on my bad memory.
https://edgecallskating.com/daisuke-takahashi-returns/
 

Sylvia

TBD
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79,989
Joining Cirque du Soleil's new skating tour called AXEL (skaters who competed this past season) are Karina Manta & Joe Johnson, Erika Choi Smith & AJ Reiss, Miyu Nakashio: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/threads/cirque-du-soleil-on-ice.101309/page-4#post-5589607
2014 Olympian Soyoun Park has announced her retirement on IG (just posted in the Korean news thread) and also will be joining the AXEL tour: https://www.instagram.com/p/ByjS59BHPoV/

2018 Olympian Joti Polizoakis (in ice dance with Kavita Lorenz) announced his retirement from competitive skating on June 7: https://www.instagram.com/p/Byaa9EBpcKO/
 

skatingguy

decently
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18,397
Aimee Buchanan announcing her retirement.

aimee_buchanan
I’ve been contemplating writing this post for a long time now, and have been putting it off as I was not quite ready to let it go. In the past year and a half I’ve had 3 ankle surgeries and 2 different types of injections to help fix injuries that I was just putting temporary bandaids on to allow me to accomplish my dream of skating in the Olympics. After all that has been done to my ankle, doctors have advised me that training at a competitive level again and landing on my bad ankle is against their judgement to protect my ankles longevity. I am realizing that the doctors are right, and that I need to step away from competitive skating, as my landing ankle can not withstand that much pounding. My joy of skating is still as vibrant as ever, but I need to attack it on a different level. I will still skate for myself, and the sheer enjoyment it provides me with. I have turned to full time coaching to use my love of skating to help the future generation grow in any way they can and to teach their potential. I have been coaching through every surgery and love it. I will never forget all the memories I made, goals I achieved that I never thought possible, and friends I made. I will forever be deeply involved with skating as it is my one true passion. There are many people to thank for their help with my career but the few special ones-you know who you are!! I would also like to thank the Israeli federation for everything as well as all my coaches, rinks and especially good ole mom and dad! See you all on the other side of the boards at competitions!
 

suki

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515
Does anyone know what Poilna Edmunds is doing these days? I know she was attending college. I assume she's not planning on training or competing.
 

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