2015-2016 Pairs Power Rankings

With the season fast approaching, I thought it might be a cool idea to do top 10 Power Rankings for the upcoming year. Post your top 10 going into the season for the PAIRS discipline. I might even do a points-based tally right before the start of Skate America, and do a final post listing the collective power rankings for each discipline that would be entirely made up from your lists. Who do YOU guys as a whole favour most going into the season?

You can provide short (or long!) explanations for your choices if you like, but it's ok if you just do a list. I will be doing mine shortly, hope to hear from all of you!

Link to DANCE power rankings: http://www.goldenskate.com/forum/showthread.php?56375-2015-2016-DANCE-Power-Rankings

Link to MEN'S power rankings: http://www.goldenskate.com/forum/showthread.php?56373-2015-2016-MEN-S-Power-Rankings

Link to LADIES' power rankings: http://www.goldenskate.com/forum/showthread.php?56371-2015-2016-Power-Rankings

01. Duhamel/Radford - their technical advances, combined with sufficiently good presentation, will keep them at the top of the pack
02. Volosozhar/Trankov - they aren't as hungry anymore; won't be able to keep up with the ever-increasing technical standard, but will be awarded highest PCS this season
03. Stolbova/Klimov - expect them to come back very strong and be very competitive; politics may slot them behind V/T this season
04. Sui/Han - they will continue being very competitive, but probably not regarded quite as well as the top Russian teams
05. Tarasova/Morozov - they were so good at Worlds last season and I expect them to only get better
06. Peng/Zhang - will be solid but continue to lack the "IT" factor
07. Scimeca/Knierim - did quite well last season, expecting them to be good this season but probably not move up in the standings
08. Kavaguti/Smirnov - they can be great, but don't have the consistency; deep Russian team will keep them out of Worlds unfortunately
09. Savchenko/Massot - first season competing, not expecting a miracle but they look good
10. Yu/Jin - they already managed 5th place at the GPF last season, should be steady competitors this season

A very deep field this year. Still lots of strong competitors after those 10.

1) Duhamel/Radford.
2) Stolbova/Klimov will barely edge V/T
3) Volosozhar/Trankov will try too hard to increase BV
4)Sui/Han will get higher TES than the Russians but will be held back...
5)Peng/Zhang will get more stable in SBS and get top 5
6) Marchei/ Ontarek... getting better and better... SBS help them to pass some other teams
7)Kavaguti/Smirnov. too many mistake but still make it to world team
8) Scimeca/Knierim
9) Seguin/Bilodeau edge other Canadian pairs (M/MT, I/M) for top ten at worlds
10) Yu/Jin

Savchenko/Massot are not yet competing due to refusal of French federation to release massot...fans riot on the forums and thus I give them a honorable mention

1) Volosozhar/Trankov
2) Duhamel/Radford
3) Sui/Han
4) Stolbova/Klimov
5) Tarasova/Morozov
6) Peng/Zhang
7) Scimeca/Knierim
8) Seguin/Bilodeau
9) Marchei/Hotarek
10) Moskovitch/Iliusheshkina

1. Duhamel and Radford - They have the momentum and they have the quads. Thanks to them and the teams doing quad twists we're in a new era in pairs. I also think they have the programs this year and if they go clean it's going to make it very easy to want to get behind this team.
2. Volosozhar and Trankov - They're the reigning Olympic Champs and benefitted greatly from score inflation last time they competed. I think they're going to be a little rusty this season, and their long, from what I've seen is not particularly inspired. However, they have lines for days, they skate big and they're a more traditionally classic looking team so this will be a great fight.
3. Sui/Han - This team could sneak up for an upset at any point this season and I wouldn't be shocked if when the dust settles this team is in fact on the top step in Boston. They've got a quad twist AND a great looking quad throw so they'll have a TES edge on V/T and their programs this season are just stunning - not to mention they probably have my favorite lifts in pairs. She's got a new haircut and a more mature look and they're clearly the young hungry team looking for a win every time they skate.
4. Stolbova and Klimov I was tempted to put them down lower on this list, especially because their absence at worlds was hardly felt as far I was was concerned, but there's a reason at the end of the 2014 season why many looked at them as the heirs apparent. I will say this - their new long is not very promising and leaves me wondering exactly what WERE they doing with all that extra time off. While I don't think this season is necessarily make or break for them, if we don't see them make moves fast I wonder how long before we start to wonder if this is another Russian pair fated to leave us wondering what might have been.
5. Peng and Zhang These two may have had the strongest programs overall last season and I think it contributed to a major change in the way everyone sees them. While the pairing of the two of them still feels odd at times (an age gap fit for a Hollywood RomCom :hopelessness: ) they've clearly found their voice and their elements look stronger and stronger. They still have moments where they are rough around the edges but at the very least I think this is a team we can say if any team ahead of them struggles we can trust they will be there to pick up the pieces.
6. Kavaguti and Smirnov This teams position may be more precarious than any others. When they're on, they are simply brilliant, yet they seem to be increasingly less and less reliable. They still may have a few great skates left in them, but I think overall Peng and Zhang have just recently passed them. In their last two events they also narrowly lost in the free skate to Tarasova and Morozov (worlds) and Alexa and Chris (WTT). It remains to be seen if those were flukes or a sign of things to come, but with the returns of V/T and S/K in Russia they are at risk of missing out on a spot in Boston.
7. Tarasova and Morozov This is the team K/S are going to be looking over their shoulder at all season. They had a strong showing at worlds this past season and it may come down to does Russian invest in the future or in Moskovina's last major team. Their new programs show off their classic lines but they haven't yet found their point of view or made a strong argument for why they should crack the top 5. It's still early days for this team but now is the moment to strike.
8. Scimeca and Knierim I'm honestly surprised I have this team down in 8th right now, and by the end of the season I could fully see them in 6th depending on which Chris and Alexa we see this year. The team that was at the WTT is a team that could continue to rise in the ranks, but they haven't quite shown the kind of consistency that judges love to get behind. This grand prix could prove to be a crucial opportunity to work their narrative in their favor. While it would be tough to do any better than third at both events, there's no reason they shouldn't be on the podium at both grand prix and if they really want to prove they have pulled away from the middle of the pack and deserve to be considered one of the best out there, they need to. Also here's hoping that Julie Marcotte has given them stronger vehicles this year. Both programs were fine last season, but their long in particular is not the kind of program that's going to stand well against the material of teams like Sui and Han. Skating in Boston is also the perfect opportunity for them to capitalize on crowd support and this is probably the first year they have a truly legit shot at upsetting some big players and making a top 5 finish at worlds.
9. Seguin and Bilodeau This really is mostly by virtue of their 8th place at worlds last year. The fact that in both portions of the event they actually came in 10th and happened to be 8th overall leaves one to wonder if it was less about what they did and more about what everyone else didn't do however, they are still the team that came out on top and until the teams behind them can put together two clean skates there's no reason to have them any lower on this list.
10. Marchei and Hotarek At first it was hard to figure out which team would land at number 10 for me, and then... it really wasn't. To debut at 4th in Europeans is nothing to sneeze at, and they're training in that very exciting atmosphere in Montreal. They still have a lot of growing ahead of them, but they also have great sbs lutzes and both have been to the olympics and know what it is to compete with the very best. While this isn't the only team I see with potential to make a big push this year, their 11th place at Worlds and 4th at Europeans earned them this ranking for me.

1. Volosozhar/Trankov
Duhamel/Radford
3. Sui/Han
4. Peng/Zhang
5. Tarasova/Morozov
6. Stolbova/Klimov
7. Kawaguti/Smirnov
8. Scimeca/Knierim
9. Astakhova/Roganov
10. Seguin/Bilodeau

I am going out on a limb

Sui and Han - they have it all and a bit of luck too

Voloschar and Trankov - they still have great polish and finish

Duhamel and Radford - I don't think they deserve all the hate we see on these boards

Peng and Zhang - another great Chinese Team

Scimeca and Knierm - I think they are going to bring it

Stolbova and Klimov - not sure what they are thinking about their programs or strategies

Tarasova and Morozov - good Russian team not great

Kavaguti and smirnov - kind of a mess and maybe off the Russian team. They need to be more consistent and figure something out in respect to individual jumps they would score more if they did a double axel double loop double toe than a double axel double axe seqauence if they are reverting back to that.

Skater Boy said:

I am going out on a limb

Sui and Han - they have it all and a bit of luck too

Voloschar and Trankov - they still have great polish and finish

Duhamel and Radford - I don't think they deserve all the hate we see on these boards

Peng and Zhang - another great Chinese Team

Scimeca and Knierm - I think they are going to bring it

Stolbova and Klimov - not sure what they are thinking about their programs or strategies

Tarasova and Morozov - good Russian team not great

Kavaguti and smirnov - kind of a mess and maybe off the Russian team. They need to be more consistent and figure something out in respect to individual jumps they would score more if they did a double axel double loop double toe than a double axel double axe seqauence if they are reverting back to that.

Click to expand...

The variations on her name never fail to make me laugh. Lol

Wait, do Tarasova/Morosov have a Quad Twist? I thought they did, but then when I rewatched their program at Worlds they didn't do it. Which Russia pair had the quad twist last season, I swear one of them did.

Blades of Passion said:

Wait, do Tarasova/Morosov have a Quad Twist? I thought they did, but then when I rewatched their program at Worlds they didn't do it. Which Russia pair had the quad twist last season, I swear one of them did.

Click to expand...

Are you thinking of Kavaguti and Smirnov's quad throw?

Blades of Passion said:

Wait, do Tarasova/Morosov have a Quad Twist? I thought they did, but then when I rewatched their program at Worlds they didn't do it. Which Russia pair had the quad twist last season, I swear one of them did.

Click to expand...

None of the Russian pairs did. K/S had a quad throw, as layback mentioned, and t/m have a very nice twist, but no quad.

Where would Haven Denny and Brandon Frazier rank? I've always liked them and hope they continue to improve.

mrrice said:

Where would Haven Denny and Brandon Frazier rank? I've always liked them and hope they continue to improve.

Click to expand...

Probably further back since Haven's on the rebound from a pretty serious injury.

mrrice said:

Where would Haven Denny and Brandon Frazier rank? I've always liked them and hope they continue to improve.

Click to expand...

I normally would've put them in the low top 10, but with Haven's injury, we have no idea how they're going to do. If they failed to make worlds, I'd take them out of the equation. But if they did, I'd expect a top-10 finish there (provided said injury is actually healed by then).

veneresplende said:

Probably further back since Haven's on the rebound from a pretty serious injury.

Click to expand...

Have I been living in a cave? What happened to Haven and when?

I just did some reading and it certainly appears she went to best Dr. available. Here's to a speedy recovery. I hope she takes all the time she needs as knee injuries can often be career ending if they aren't taken seriously.

mrrice said:

Have I been living in a cave? What happened to Haven and when?

Click to expand...

I don't remember exactly but something about her ankle? I could be wrong there but she needed surgery and so Brandon trained by himself in Zueva's group for a while. She's back on the ice now, I hear.

mrrice said:

Have I been living in a cave? What happened to Haven and when?

Click to expand...

In May, I think, she tore her ACL in an off-ice warm up. She had surgery and has been back on the ice about a month. They have to miss the GP but have said in interviews that they're going to Nationals with the intention of making 4CC and worlds.

That's all I know.

Thanks for responses. Knee injuries are horrible as they basically bring your training to a dead stop. I wish them the best.

Layback11 said:

Are you thinking of Kavaguti and Smirnov's quad throw?

Click to expand...

No. Maybe it was just at Russian test skate last season, but I know a team did a quad twist.

Blades of Passion said:

No. Maybe it was just at Russian test skate last season, but I know a team did a quad twist.

Click to expand...

F/M (before injury) and T/M were rumoured to be training the quad twist and V/T apparently trained it in the past but there hasn't been a Russian team who's attempted the quad twist in competition or exhibition yet.