WHAT HAPPENS IS A SKATER LOOKING FOR A PARTNER AND TRAINING FOR THE OLYMPICS DOES NOT FIND A PARTNER

[FSWer]

Say,the Olympics are coming up. So,I was wondering that. What DOES happen if a Ice-Dancer OR Pairs Skater in training for the Olympics,does NOT find one in time?

 

[Sylvia]

The skater would have to wait until after the Olympic season is over and hope to find a partner then. Ideally, he or she would keep training and improving their skills in the meantime.

 

[Yazmeen]

Getting a partner (and keeping one) is not an easy process. Some skaters may try out with several different potential partners but not end up with a partner, or they start skating together and the partnership doesn't work out. In just about every season, we see partnerships end and change among US and other elite skaters. In some cases, skaters move on to other partners; in others, they may retire from dance or pairs competition because they can't get a partner or may keep looking to start fresh again the next season. The pairs and ice dancers we see on television make beautiful skating look effortless, but partnerships take work, commitment, and dedication. It's a working relationship (most of the pairs/dance teams are not a couple or boyfriend/girlfriend in real life) and partners have to put in great efforts together to make the partnership work and succeed.

 

[overedge]

@FSWer it is pretty unlikely that a pairs or ice dance skater would be training as hard as you need to train for the Olympics if they didn't have a partner already.

A lot of that training involves working closely with the partner you are going to compete with. The partners do some training on their own, but it would be very difficult to train for the Olympics without also training with the partner you are going to compete with. Ice dance and pairs partners usually are thinking about going to the Olympics, and training for that, at least two or three years before the Olympics happen.

Some pair and ice dance teams break up while they are training for the Olympics. But at that level of competition, there are not that many potential partners, because the skaters have to be very good skaters. And like in any skating partnership, the two skaters have to fit together in height, looks, skating ability, skating style, and training & competitive goals.

So as @Sylvia says, a skater without a partner may keep skating on their own and hope that they can find a partner. And sadly, for some of those skaters, they might never find the right person to be their partner.