U.S. Pairs 2017 - News & Updates, Part VII

[SCeline]

So relieved to see Alexa smiling and happy!

This is so adorable.

 

[aftershocks]

Stage fright may be another cause. Who know.

I don't think it's stage fright. As has been brought up before, C/T may have learned different jump techniques which throws off their timing and rhythm, which then further leads to loss of confidence and uncertainty going into those jumps. They know this is their weakness, so they surely are working hard this off-season on bearing down and finding solutions to overcome their technical snafus. Marissa also needs to learn some more difficult throws, and C/T can stand to improve height on their 3-twist. There is no rest for the weary, nor for figure skating athletes!

C/L's strength are their lines, performance quality and sbs jumps. Ashley needs to work on making sure she gets full rotation, and we've already heard from C/L about what else they've been working on. They have new programs, but are keeping mum on the details.

 

[aftershocks]

S-K/K doing choreography with Chris Dean:

https://twitter.com/Scimeca_Knierim/status/859822675786686465

Looks familiar....

https://goo.gl/photos/AQyi7uNofBZQg5JVA

Dean has amazing body control. Likely Alexa is slowly rebuilding her core body strength.

And that move does indeed look similar to C/B's, but more than likely the choreo will overall be different in the sum of its parts for a pairs team vs an ice dance team.

The person who commented on Twitter about not liking Dean's FD choreo for Chock/Bates must have hated T/D's Bolero. Both of C/B's programs (SD-Rohene; FD-Dean) were a breath of fresh air for them this past season.

 

[olympic]

I don't think it's stage fright. As has been brought up before, C/T may have learned different jump techniques which throws off their timing and rhythm, which then further leads to loss of confidence and uncertainty going into those jumps. They know this is their weakness, so they surely are working hard this off-season on bearing down and finding solutions to overcome their technical snafus. Marissa also needs to learn some more difficult throws, and C/T can stand to improve height on their 3-twist. There is no rest for the weary, nor for figure skating athletes!

C/L's strength are their lines, performance quality and sbs jumps. Ashley needs to work on making sure she gets full rotation, and we've already heard from C/L about what else they've been working on. They have new programs, but are keeping mum on the details.

It looks like C/L stalked their elements in the LP at Nationals and 4CCs. I am sure that is related to being so new together and performing on a big stage for the first time.

 

[aftershocks]

^^ Yes, and they have to go through that kind of experience in order to further develop and get better. In addition, there are issues such as learning each other and trying to tackle jumping pass changes to their program, as well as Ashley indicating she was losing leg strength toward the end of the fp at Nationals (perhaps related to getting used to differences in scheduling of events from competition to competition, and also the first year for both coming back to the pairs discipline).

 

[clairecloutier]

Deleted post

 

[clairecloutier]

The World Standings list has been updated for (I think) the final time this season. So here's an update on where the senior U.S. pairs stand with their rankings from the World Championships (WC), World Standings (WS), and Season's-Best list (SB). I'm including in this list the 2 pairs who competed in juniors this year but will be seniors next year.

Knierims -- 10 WC, 16 WS, 12 SB

Kayne/O'Shea -- 16 WS (tie w/Knierims), 24 SB

Denney/Frazier -- 20 WC, 21 WS, 15 SB

Castelli/Tran -- 19 WS, 22 SB

Cain/LeDuc -- 41 WS, 25 SB

Stellato/Bartholomay -- no WS, 40 SB

Liu/Johnson -- 25 WS, 46 SB

Pfund/Santillan -- 50 WS, 51 SB

Smith/Reiss -- 77 WS, 43 SB

Calalang/Sidhu -- 46 WS, 39 SB

Fields/Stevens -- no WS, no SB

Digerness/Neudecker -- 65 WS, 66 SB


So based on these numbers, and IF the Grand Prix rules are the same this year (which they may not be), this is how our GP qualification will look:

Knierims -- 2 spots
Kayne/O'Shea -- 1 spot
Denney/Frazier -- 1 spot
Castelli/Tran -- 1 spot

According to my own calculations, and if the same rules hold as last season, most of the Grand Prix non-host pairs slots will be filled by pairs who have earned 1 or 2 spots. I don't think there will be many slots left over; maybe just 1 or 2 extra non-host pick slots. But we'll see.

Until this latest update of the World Standings, Liu/Johnson had been sitting at WS 24, which would have given them 1 GP slot. However, they've now slipped to WS 25, which probably means they won't get a spot in the initial GP selection. :-(

If I've made mistakes, let me know ....

 

[Dobre]

Was this posted already?

TJ Nyman & Sarah Feng are listed as a new pair via Jackie Wong's twitter page.
http://www.rockerskating.com/news/2...ts-coaching-changes-music-selections-and-more

I really love Sarah. It will be nice to see her skate with a partner again, even if it is not in the discipline where I fell in love with her skating.

 

[Sylvia]

^^^ Yes, @insideedgeua first mentioned it in this thread on April 19 :

Sarah Feng used to dance with Anthony Ponomarenko (they won the U.S. Novice Dance bronze medal in 2014) and she was a competitive Junior level singles skater in the deep Pacific Coast Sectional last season, while Nyman competed in Junior Men at Nationals this year - here they are landing sbs 3T in practice: https://www.instagram.com/p/BTEjTmND7of/

ETA:

Chase Belmontes has written about his switch to pairs in the latest journal entry on his site: http://figureskatersonline.com/chasebelmontes/an-update/

 

[clairecloutier]

Thanks for the Chase update, @Sylvia. I'd been wondering how he was doing. I'm glad he's so enthusiastic about pairs; hope he does well learning the elements and finds a partner soon.

 

[HeatherC]

Encouraged to see on Twitter today that Tarah Kayne was back on the ice! Hopefully all those injuries are finally behind her and she and Danny can get back to training soon. Go girl!

 

[Sylvia]

^^^ Lovely photo of Tarah that she shared on her Instagram earlier today : https://www.instagram.com/p/BT38Ymgj-5J/

Here's a clip of her young rink mates in Ellenton, Florida, Junior silver medalists Elli Kopmar & Jonah Barrett, landing sbs 3S to 2A to 2A in practice: https://www.instagram.com/p/BT1c-h2hlum/?taken-by=jpcoach

ETA:

Cali Fujimoto (turned 26 last week) & Nick Barsi-Rhyne (25) have decided to retire from competition after having skated together since 2001(?). They competed at every level of Nationals from Juvenile to Senior.
I just came across this Ellenton group photo dated 3/23/17 in which Barsi-Rhyne thanks all the people at their rink and says they plan to do show skating: https://www.instagram.com/p/BR_UUMuALMc/

Fujimoto/Barsi-Rhyne's competitive record at Nationals:
2017 U.S. Championships - 8th
2016 U.S. Championships - 10th
2015 U.S. Championships - 12th
2014 U.S. Championships, Junior - 9th
2013 U.S. Championships, Junior - 8th
2012 U.S. Championships, Junior - 11th
(Did not qualify in 2010 in Novice & 2011 in Junior)
2009 U.S. Championships, Novice - 7th
2008 U.S. Championships, Novice - 12th
2007 U.S. Junior Championships, Intermediate - 5th
2006 U.S. Junior Championships, Juvenile - 4th
2005 U.S. Junior Championships, Juvenile - 7th
2004 U.S. Junior Championships, Juvenile - 11th
2003 U.S. Junior Championships, Juvenile - 10th (QR)
2002 U.S. Junior Championships, Juvenile - 9th (QR)

 

[Sylvia]

Tarah Kayne recaps in her own words what's been going on with her/happening next in this 50-second video: https://www.instagram.com/p/BT9JveEFET9/?taken-by=usfigureskating&hl=en

 

[Sylvia]

Max Settlage shared this clip of his new partner, Winter Deardorff, landing throw 3Lo (first time, I believe): https://www.instagram.com/p/BT7oz8QBmw1/?taken-by=max_settlage&hl=en

 

[clairecloutier]

Cain/LeDuc announce new programs in this Figure Skaters Online article: http://figureskatersonline.com/news...nt-to-step-up-our-game-in-every-way-possible/

 

[Sylvia]

Marissa Castelli tweeted her and Mervin Tran's FS music on May 18:
https://twitter.com/MarissaCastelli/status/865221197415538690
https://twitter.com/MarissaCastelli/status/865221295243497472

This is the first and last time I will be writing out the full title of our long program music. "She Was Waiting For Her Mother At The...
Station In Torino And You Know I Love You Baby But It's Getting To Heavy To Laugh" by Shawn Phillips. We shall call it "Woman"

From April 23:

Here's a clip via coach Jim Peterson of Sarah Rose landing a throw 3S with her new partner, Ian Meyh: https://www.instagram.com/p/BTKRG2Qg3SU/

Meyh placed 6th in Intermediate Men at Eastern Sectionals this past season and won the Juvenile Pairs pewter medal with Jenna Gordon at 2016 Nationals, coached by Rocky Marval and Isabelle Brasseur.

Elli Kopmar/Jonah Barrett and the new Jr. pair of Sarah Rose/Ian Meyh skated their short programs at the Sunshine State Games in Ellenton, FL yesterday (includes a short interview clip of K/B after their SP): http://www.bradenton.com/sports/olympics/article151662462.html

Article about 2017 U.S. Junior Pairs silver medalists Kopmar/Barrett before the competition: http://www.bradenton.com/sports/article151166482.html

 

[Rock2]

No and no.

If any spots are returned, they are assigned to the next-in-line from Nebelhorn.

The ISU would need a change to the Special Regs to do otherwise.

This is the part of the rule I thoroughly dislike.
I'm not in favor of countries adding to current slots via Nebelhorn. That's problematic on many levels and mostly because for skating to thrive you should find every avenue to have a certain number of countries represented if they meet the standard.

But for the US to in theory qualify two via placements and not be able to grab an unused slot by a non-Nebelhorn team makes zero sense to me.

 

[Rock2]

ETA:

Chase Belmontes has written about his switch to pairs in the latest journal entry on his site: http://figureskatersonline.com/chasebelmontes/an-update/

OK this guy is pretty funny. And at 6'1" and 180+ lbs, um.....pairs? Yeah, I think so.
Looks perfect for the part.

May become my new favorite skater (mind you I say that once a month about someone completely different); regardless I hope he finds a partner and makes a go of it.

 

[kwanfan1818]

But for the US to in theory qualify two via placements and not be able to grab an unused slot by a non-Nebelhorn team makes zero sense to me.

But they would be taken by a Nebelhorn team, just one that was lower than the initial cut-off, just as if a slot was passed back because a qualified team has citizenship issues, an NOC has requirements (ex: X placement or score at Euros) that aren't met, there's an injury.

Or are you saying that other than the teams that qualify initially at Nebelhorn, the Nebelhorn alternates shouldn't get the spot before the US gets a second?

 

[Rock2]

But they would be taken by a Nebelhorn team, just one that was lower than the initial cut-off, just as if a slot was passed back because a qualified team has citizenship issues, an NOC has requirements (ex: X placement or score at Euros) that aren't met, there's an injury.

Or are you saying that other than the teams that qualify initially at Nebelhorn, the Nebelhorn alternates shouldn't get the spot before the US gets a second?

I'm saying that since US qualified 2 slots based on placements but has to sacrifice a slot due to a net qualifying quota they should be given that slot back if another qualified country gives up a spot because they can't use it for whatever reason. I don't get why an additional Nebelhorn team should get it first.

 

[aftershocks]

OK this guy is pretty funny. And at 6'1" and 180+ lbs, um.....pairs? Yeah, I think so.
Looks perfect for the part.

May become my new favorite skater (mind you I say that once a month about someone completely different); regardless I hope he finds a partner and makes a go of it.

"... Even though I was filled with donuts and burgers, I still felt empty and unfulfilled...
Even describing Chase as a unique character is an understatement.

Chase on learning to skate pairs:
"... Learning new pair elements was addicting... Since January, I have been working nonstop to improve in pairs and have been more motivated than ever... The most challenging element has been the death spiral — learning it felt like going to another country and trying to speak a language that you don’t know. However, I am definitely more comfortable with it than when I first started. My favorite pair element that I’ve learned so far (besides the side by side jumps) has been a throw lutz. It’s the most comfortable out of all the throws I’ve learned."

It's kind of cool that Chase was inspired to skate pairs after skating in the same show that Alexa Knierim skated in long ago which had also motivated her to compete pairs after her singles career ended. Chase is training with Todd Sand and Jenni Meno in California, but indicates he's willing to relocate if necessary to find the right partner.

I wish Chase a lot of luck! Hopefully he will soon find a great partner!

"I knew that I’d regret not using my young and spry body to compete while I could, and I love [skating] too much to conclude that part of my life."

 

[aftershocks]

Marissa Castelli tweeted her and Mervin Tran's FS music on May 18:
https://twitter.com/MarissaCastelli/status/865221197415538690
https://twitter.com/MarissaCastelli/status/865221295243497472

Way more than a mouthful that! It's certainly off the beaten track! I can't really imagine the choreo for this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXV98wW6I7k

Well, 'Woman' is a great shortcut name. A cool ballad. I wonder how they will cut it, and how they will end it, since the music just seems to taper off without a clearcut ending. Or maybe it was just cut off too quickly in the video clip.

I hope your ballad FS turns out baaaadass M&M.

 

[Sylvia]

Reposting here from the latest "From Russia with love" thread: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/index.php?threads/from-russia-with-love-27-summer-2017.101295/

Google translated article excerpt (Nina Mozer interview):

In June, a similar camp, however, a little in a different format, we will conduct in America, Denver, and there have already registered 27 pairs. ... Vladislav Zhovnirsky and Robin Szolkowy will have a few days with me. Experienced American coaches will come to Denver, and one of the topics that we plan to discuss is how to approach athletes in modern conditions. This is a very important and subtle point.

It's great to hear that Team Mozer will participate in USFS' National Pairs Camp (senior/junior), June 10-17, in Westminster, Colorado!

 

[jkl]

I've noticed that Austin Hale is no longer on icepartnersearch. Anyone have an update on him?

 

[aftershocks]

Ashley Cain - Catching Up With TeamUSA
https://twitter.com/USFigureSkating/status/868829221790949376

 

[AKA]

Any new pair teams?

 

[OrioleBeagle]

Does anyone know if Gretchen Donlan is still in Florida (and trying to find a partner?)

 

[Sylvia]

New in-depth interview by @clairecloutier for FigureSkatersOnline.com: Marissa Castelli & Mervin Tran: “We’re skating for us”

ETA - link in also cross-posted in Claire's "A Divine Sport" blog thread: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/index.php?threads/a-divine-sport-blog.93505/page-12#post-5081919

 

[Lizziebeth]

What a great interview from Claire. I really hope Castelli and Tran get it together. They are such likeable people. I had no idea that they would try for a future Olympics. Good for them to keep on going.

 

[kwanfan1818]

interview with Castelli/Tran, @clairecloutier