U.S. Pairs 2021-22 season - News & Updates, Part X

olympic

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Mary Lou had to compete against a strong Romanian team, so it wasn't quite a free ticket to the podium
Yep. ROM was the #2 team in the World. Missing were team USSR, specifically Mostepanova, Yurchenko and newcomer Shushunova. Hana Ricna from CZE had the year of her life and Maxi Gnauck was in the twilight of her career w/ dated content (that she executed well) except on the UB. Other than that, the rest of team GDR, CZE, and the BUL team weren't all that much to write home about. If you could somehow politik aside, the US may have been able to get a team bronze in L.A., and MLR may have gotten bronze in the IAAF behind Mostepanova and Ricna (she beat Szabo). Yurchenko had issues and Gnauck / Shushunova tied for bronze at the Alternative Games in Olomouc. MLR could have beaten Gnauck.

Sorry, can't help myself ....
 

Sylvia

TBD
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79,976
For those who live in the Denver area who might be interested, Jessica Calalang posted this yesterday: https://www.instagram.com/p/CcYwk4QPHm4/
In 1 week, Brian and I will be starting our last set of shows for Showtime On Ice’s 50th Anniversary! This will be a special show for us as we close our on ice partnership. We hope to see you there 💜
Ticket info is linked from here:
There are 4 shows spanning Friday to Sunday, April 22–24, 2022 at the South Suburban Sports Complex in Highlands Ranch, CO.
 
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^There have been other pairs with large age gaps that have worked, aren't there?

My point is, age gap partnerships are more often than not at a disadvantage due to lopsided maturity and experience levels. The most successful pairs today tend to be closer in age. The only similar gap in an American pair I can recall was Denney/Coughlin...and we know how things turned out with Coughlin.

Currently the only top team with a 9-yr age gap is Riku/Kihara, who teamed up around the same ages as Misha and Hazel. IMO, R/K are more of the exception to the rule and individually are MUCH stronger than Misha & Hazel. Otherwise, most current/recent past top teams are very similar in age:


Americans:
Cain/Leduc: 5 yrs (paired up at ages 21 & 26)
Scimeca/Knierem: 2.5 yrs (paired up at ages 21 & 23)
Chan/Howe: 1 yr (paired up at ages 22 & 23)

International:
T/M: 2 yrs (paired up at ages 17 & 19)
Sui/Han: 3 yrs (paired up at ages 12 & 15)
M/G: 2 yrs (paired up at 15 & 17)
Peng/Jin: 3 yrs (paired up at 19 & 22)
Savchenko/Szolkowy: 4.5 yrs (19 & 23)
Duhamel/Radford: 11 months (24 & 25)
 
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Sylvia

TBD
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79,976
I was at the [Evening with Champions] show last night, so I got a chance to see Hazel and Misha. It looks like they have a good height/size differential and decent speed together. Beyond that, I can only say that they look like a new pair. Obviously, they don't have the matching lines yet that more experienced pairs will have, nor any big elements. I think we'll have to wait and see how they look in the fall (if they continue together and compete in the fall).
Hazel and Misha officially announced as a new team by their coaches on IG. They’ve only been together two weeks.

Jordan Cowan has uploaded Collier/Mitrofanov's debut performance on his On Ice Perspectives YT channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-zU5Q_tT-c

(Links to more EWC videos are/will be posted in the "Spring/Summer 2022 Club Shows & Benefits" thread.)

ETA link to Audrey Lu's EWC solo to "No Time To Die" by Billie Eilish: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UTX9--SZhs
 
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~tapdancer~

Knees won't let me tap dance anymore
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Thanks for the vid of Collier/Mitrofanov. Lots of work to do but they look very good together physically as a team. Here's hoping!
 

skipaway

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I’m on very little social media platforms and was wondering if there was an update on Ashley Cain-Gribble?
 

Karen-W

Checking Senior Bs for TES mins...
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IG post about this past season from Smirnova/Siianytsia.

What an incredibly challenging season for them. I'm so glad they got to see some of their family after Jr Worlds! I hope Danil's health continues to improve as they look to next season.
What a beautiful post from them! I hope they're able to come back strong next season.
 

AxelAnnie

Like a small boat on the ocean...
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14,463
Sure, but negativity isn't useful for anyone. And sometimes they do succeed.
.
What definition are you using for the, and, could you please use it in a sentence.

Not being snarky. Honest question.

A negative comment could be as useful as a positive comment.
1. I thought this new program is subpar. (negative)
2. I thought that was the best program I have seen so far this season (positive)

A negative comment can be useful...........maybe I need to adjust, change, whatever. It does NOT mean that the person making is ascribing that comment is the sum total of a person's outlook.

Negativity is a noun that is not meant to be all-encompassing. No matter what your wife cooks for dinner you complain. And you, your wife, and your kids just wait for you to serve up some negativity.

Only positive comments can be made (as a rule or expectation.....you wouldn't want to say something that hurts the person's feelings. Giving only compliments can imbue an unrealistic expectation (everyone told me) I was fabulous, and here at the OLYS

i.e. All those people said I should expect to be on the podium at the OLYS>
 

skatfan

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8,372
Seems like USFS was pushing for James/O'Shea. That would have been interesting.

That would have had possibilities. Radford's revisionist timeline about when he told Meagan about the partnership is :rolleyes:. Like tell her when you are thinking just about doing shows with Vanessa because you are under contract with Meagan already..
 

skylark

Well-Known Member
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339
Seems like USFS was pushing for James/O'Shea. That would have been interesting.


I don't read it as USFS "pushing" for James/O'Shea. Just that Vanessa got a call from them to do a tryout with Danny. It doesn't surprise me that they actively tried to help Danny find a new partner. He's one of US' top pairs men.

It's more interesting to me that it wasn't until after the O'Shea tryout, which didn't work out for whomever or whatever reason, that the idea emerged that Vanessa and Eric might think about returning to competition together.
 

Lanie

the uberdom chooses YOU
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7,138
UCI is a great school - I almost went there! Instead I went to a university nearby :lol: With Great Parks right there lots of skating opportunities I didn't have living in Irvine - I had to go to Anaheim or Aliso Viejo.
 

Karen-W

Checking Senior Bs for TES mins...
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How about Calalang and Howe??? A person can dream.
Chan and Howe seem to be pretty solid, so doubtful. Honestly, while Jessica Calalang has a lot of fantastic qualities, she's never been solid on her triples and I don't see that changing, so it wouldn't necessarily surprise me if she does move on from competitive skating. But, we'll see. There are certainly some guys out there who might be interested in a tryout.
 

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