Who is/was the stronger skater of the partnership?

blue dog · Jul 24, 2015

Ina/Zimmermann-- he was the weaker of the two. He wasn't as strong a jumper, but he presented her so well. He was also a lot more artistic than she was.

Torvill/Dean-- the team before 1981 showed Jayne as the weaker skater. After 1981, they were pretty evenly-matched (and unmatched by the rest!)

Gordeeva/Grinkov-- yes, this is sacrilege, but if there was a weaker skater in this pair, it was, at one time, Katya. She caught up to Sergei, though.

Lang/Tchernyshev-- Throughout their career, Lang seemed weaker than Pyotr.

mrrice · Jul 24, 2015

With Sale' and Pelletier, I thought he was a better skater but, she was a far better performer. It seemed to me that She drew strength from Him and Vice Versa. That's what makes any pair team great.

I love the way that Scott Moir performs. He's loose and fun but, he doesn't "oversell." I think he's able to be that way because he knows that Tessa can hold her own. I've seen pairs who are so insecure that they barely take their eyes off their partner. It's actually hard to watch as you know a mistake is coming.

I have so much respect for pairs who not only skate well together but, stay together !

Babbette1 · Jul 24, 2015

Remember the Kerrs?

I always thought John Kerr was the stronger skater. I enjoyed their innovative programs (especially the robots) but Sinead would occasionally seem to fall behind John and have to catch up.

And as for Usova and Zhulin mentioned above, their performance of the compulsory dances was always top notch. Zhulin was just such a frowny face though.

evangeline · Jul 24, 2015

Averbukh >>>>>> >>>Lobacheva
Fusar-Poli >>>>>>>>> Margaglio
Trankov >>>> Mukhortova
Pelletier >>> Sale (Jamie Sale's jumps were terrible)
Sakhnovski>>>>>>>> Chait
Paul Duchesnay >>> Isabelle Duchesnay (Isabelle's skating skills....)
Domnina >>> >Shabalin (mostly because of Shabalin's knee. He was really good before the injuries.)
Navka >>>>> >Kostomarov
Khoklova >>>>>>> Novitski and Andreev
Grushina >>>> Goncharov
Agosto >>>> Belbin (though Belbin bought the perk, Agosto's the better skater)
Tchernyshev>>>>>>>>> Lang

Also, I don't think Usova/Zhulin were horribly imbalanced in skill at all.

OS · Jul 25, 2015

SkateFiguring said:
I too think they are extremely well matched. Hard to imagine either of them with somebody else.

Oh I totally agree. My comment is not any slight towards Tessa who I adore. I am just saying Scott is a very strong leading man type of skater with his ways about the ice. Part of that impression may has to do with most dancing styles have the male to lead. After Carmen, my perception totally changed.

gravy · Jul 25, 2015

evangeline said:
Averbukh >>>>>> >>>Lobacheva
Fusar-Poli >>>>>>>>> Margaglio
Trankov >>>> Mukhortova
Pelletier >>> Sale (Jamie Sale's jumps were terrible)
Sakhnovski>>>>>>>> Chait
Paul Duchesnay >>> Isabelle Duchesnay (Isabelle's skating skills....)
Domnina >>> >Shabalin (mostly because of Shabalin's knee. He was really good before the injuries.)
Navka >>>>> >Kostomarov
Khoklova >>>>>>> Novitski and Andreev
Grushina >>>> Goncharov
Agosto >>>> Belbin (though Belbin bought the perk, Agosto's the better skater)
Tchernyshev>>>>>>>>> Lang

Also, I don't think Usova/Zhulin were horribly imbalanced in skill at all.

More like:

Fusar-Poli >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Margaglio

It was super impressive to see her handle him and drag him around the ice though! She was a treasure.

WeakAnkles · Jul 25, 2015

gravy said:
More like:

Fusar-Poli >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Margaglio

It was super impressive to see her handle him and drag him around the ice though! She was a treasure.

LOLOLOLOL!!!

And yes, heaven bless Isabelle Duchesnay. Skating and skills never did quite go together comfortably for her, but she was a prime example of just how much showmanship and performing ability can hide a multitude of sins (it also helps to have a genius choreographer who can give all the tough moves to her better partner. Bless you too Mr Dean!).

Meoima · Jul 25, 2015

Skategmt said:
When Elena I. And Nikita K. skated together at Sochi, I saw Elena as the stronger parter. Her "acting" in their Swan Lake Free Dance was so captivating, while Nikita on the other hand, wasn't memorable like Elena.

My feelings were the same. Elena was so much more memorable in both SD and FD. But to give Nikita some credit, I did notice him a bit in the FD. But I still looked at Elena more.

Meoima · Jul 25, 2015

gravy said:
More like:
Fusar-Poli >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Margaglio

It was super impressive to see her handle him and drag him around the ice though! She was a treasure.

She should have skated with a broom and still won all of her medals lol.

slider11 · Jul 25, 2015

I have heard Charlie's skating skills lauded. But Meryl really up-ed her game after 2009 and developed incredible core and strength for her 100 lb size. I saw much less catch-up skating by Meryl and an ability to more than hold her own with the speed that Charlie generated. Incredible team!

Violet Bliss · Jul 25, 2015

slider11 said:
I have heard Charlie's skating skills lauded. But Meryl really up-ed her game after 2009 and developed incredible core and strength for her 100 lb size. I saw much less catch-up skating by Meryl and an ability to more than hold her own with the speed that Charlie generated. Incredible team!

Well, when they went head to head, Meryl beat Charlie............ on Dancing With The Star. :slink:

Coltrocks12 · Jul 25, 2015

SkateFiguring said:
Well, when they went head to head, Meryl beat Charlie............ on Dancing With The Star.

I think that is because Meryl is more adept at doing the emotional and vulnerable artistic performance. Charlie/Sharna were as good technically as Meryl/Maks (better than Amy and James in my opinion) but the fact that he couldn't build chemistry with Sharna and be vulnerable and sexy cost him a spot in the finals. When he competes with Meryl she can sell it. I also think that Marina did a great job of choreographing for them either giving them programs where female lead has more nuances to artistic performance (like there OGM long program) or she finds a way to tap into Charlie's protectiveness of Meryl to get emotional performance (like their 13 LP to Notre Dame de Paris.) As to Scott and Tessa I think they are both great skaters technically and artistically and match well on the ice.