- Joined
- Feb 18, 2014
Wow Astakhova/Rogonov! Was that goooood?!? It ended too quickly!!!:hap57:
2017 Ondrej Nepela Trophy Pairs SP
- Thread starter puremagic
- Start date
- Joined
- Jan 27, 2014
Huh? I didn't know they were sisters!
- Joined
- Oct 25, 2014
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Their best SP until now. They were that good. Deservedly in first place.
Both represented Finland in singles as juniors (I think Alisa was actually born in Finland, Liubov in Russia)
It was announced in the summer, I think, that also Liuba will switch to pairs (she was kinda struggling with some of her triples etc)
She and Matthew Penasse (represented Finland with Emilia Simonen last season) got a coupl of autumn assignments
- Joined
- Oct 25, 2014
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Erika and AJ started fast, but the SBS jumps did a number on them - pop and fall. Then, the throw, and they completely lost momentum. US pair teams, what do you expect...:shame:
- Joined
- Jan 27, 2014
..oh wait, you're right, they're not?
Sorry, brain fart!
Their names are different...but I thought maybe it's a cultural thing? I don't know
Yeah, well it's my brain that got everything mixed up!Their names are different...but I thought maybe it's a cultural thing? I don't know
(I've had a weird almost-flu for a couple of weeks now and it's not doing any favors for my brain's capacity for handling information such as names and basic facts, obviously)
- Joined
- Mar 23, 2014
USFS needs to start forcing any girls past the age of 16/17 without a 3-3 into pairs and any boys under 18 without quads or a 3A also into pairs.
(I'm MOSTLY being sarcastic, so don't come at me with the knives and pitchforks - but seriously, USFS needs to get some skaters into pairs who have consistent 3Ts and 3Ss.)
- Joined
- Oct 25, 2014
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I don't disagree with this, tbh. They have a lot of good qualities, but falling apart in the jumps is what holds them back every time.
- Joined
- Jul 31, 2014
I have to admit the idea of trying to force Jason into pairs due to lack of jumps sounds...entertaining. I am not sure he has the height for it, but if they found a under five foot ball of flexible energy... ohh my. A little diva trying to out perform Jason on ice... i can't decide if that sounds awesome or disasterific.
I don't mind the idea in theory... but at the same time it would be nice to get them in pairs sooner...and height is an issue on both sides. No need to make girls feel bad for being "too tall" and boys for being "too short" that just adds more layers of head games.
Offering great funding opportunities to the say Novice age pairs who are the right heights to try pairs... that might be a way to go.
- Joined
- Mar 23, 2014
I understand that pairs is not a popular discipline, and that partnerships are tough, but US pairs are, like, uniquely bad. Sure, US pair coaches don't have much experience or depth, so our pairs aren't going to be as elegant or wonderful as the Russians or the Chinese. But then even a team like Alexa/Chris, who have improved on those areas and have world-class pairs elements STILL are held back by the SBS jumps.
As I said, I understand it's hard to recruit people for pairs, but seriously, somehow we made it work in ice dance. After being an ice dance joke since the creation of the discipline, Marina Zueva came to the US, and US ice dance became relevant. Now the ice dance depth is just ridiculous - somehow, skaters and more importantly BOYS are getting into ice dance, and there are a ton of good ice dance coaches in the US coaching US teams alongside international teams.
Maybe Zimmerman's camp can do something since they're based in the US and appear to be having some success. It would be nice to see them coach a US team.
- Joined
- Mar 23, 2014
With novice-age skaters it's difficult to tell what their heights will end up being....that said, I guess if you start pairs young enough, the height thing might not be a big deal? Sui/Han are doing just fine.
(Does Aliona plan on living in Germany forever? She's got a hot British husband - maybe they'd like to live stateside once she retires and we can get her to coach? Aliona's US pairs versus Robin's Russian pairs in 2032?)
Golly if only we could see those old school Jason Brown pairs vids... Obviously it didn't work out and it's hard to say whether his career would have fared better had he chosen pairs instead.
I know it's an exaggeration, but the idea of handpicking pairs skaters from the singles, with some exceptions, is not a thing I buy into. I think the issue is that pairs is extremely high risk and you have a partner to contend with. I think it's a matter of giving people a reason to select pairs in spite of some of the inheritance risks.
Also it's worth examining why it's difficult for us pairs to make the transition to that senior/elite
content.
I know it's an exaggeration, but the idea of handpicking pairs skaters from the singles, with some exceptions, is not a thing I buy into. I think the issue is that pairs is extremely high risk and you have a partner to contend with. I think it's a matter of giving people a reason to select pairs in spite of some of the inheritance risks.
Also it's worth examining why it's difficult for us pairs to make the transition to that senior/elite
content.
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Kristina ASTAKHOVA / Alexei ROGONOV 67.18
Natalia ZABIIAKO / Alexander ENBERT 64.52
Alisa EFIMOVA / Alexander KOROVIN 61.82
Jessica PFUND / Joshua SANTILLAN 57.00
Natasha PURICH / Davin PORTZ 52.64
Erika SMITH / AJ REISS 45.86
