My thought is that I fell in love with the skating of Hase and Volodin! I love their style - some balm to soothe my still-wounded pairs fan heart, still missing Cain/Leduc from the competition scene.``
Old champs? Stellato-Dudek/Deschamps are pretty much just starting together. They are challengers themselves. This is the first season where really, we think of them at having a shot. Last year, they were just beginning to make their mark. They didn't medal at worlds nor at GPF. They only got a bronze at 4CC. The 21-22 season was their first year on the circuit. It looks like they have been together for longer but they were not allowed to do international competitions due to covid and "release" requirements. So I think they should get some slack really.Yeah, but I really love P/M. They are the only pair that shows speed and attack I love in pairs atm...so I would trade the top qualifier, yup. Challenger>old champs, always.
Actually, they are not. The same crop of 'Russians skaters' are/were competing for Israel, Georgia, France, Germany and USA. Especially in pairs we see a ton of Russian born skaters competing for the other countries, and to single out Hungary and P/S is just not fair. Hungarian and Russian born skaters are competing for USA pairs teams, from what i'm seeing...Just for the record: the Hungarian Pairs team is two skaters who were born in Russia and train there, as well. The great majority of the "Hungarian" skaters who competed in the GP/JGP are Russian.
Exactly. It's quite unfair considering the recent moves of Efimova and Parkman to the USA and considering that Maria's former partner is Nagy who now skates with Liu.Actually, they are not. The same crop of 'Russians skaters' are/were competing for Israel, Georgia, France, Germany and USA. Especially in pairs we see a ton of Russian born skaters competing for the other countries, and to single out Hungary and P/S is just not fair. Hungarian and Russian born skaters are competing for USA pairs teams, from what i'm seeing...
I think they are the world favourites for gold. I know it is in Canada but this team has the momentum. They have room for growth in their skating and scores. I don't think the Canadians are the chosen ones and they seem to have a huge limit on their tech skills. I think without Russia these Germans are touted for gold. They have great skill already. They are nice to watch pc wise. Move over Deanna and Max there are new kids on the block and they have your number.My thought is that I fell in love with the skating of Hase and Volodin! I love their style - some balm to soothe my still-wounded pairs fan heart, still missing Cain/Leduc from the competition scene.``
If there is ONE thing I can count on Deanna for is not to be afraid by the new kids on the block and moving over. She will fight. Haase and Volodin are definitely a top team. They have incredible quality. Yet, there is a spark missing for me, something Chan and Howe indeed have. Haase and Volodin will have to win Euros against all 3 Italian teams and their compatriots to set themselves up for worlds.I think they are the world favourites for gold. I know it is in Canada but this team has the momentum. They have room for growth in their skating and scores. I don't think the Canadians are the chosen ones and they seem to have a huge limit on their tech skills. I think without Russia these Germans are touted for gold. They have great skill already. They are nice to watch pc wise. Move over Deanna and Max there are new kids on the block and they have your number.
...and let's not forget the Russian Georgians, who seem to have a shot as well.If there is ONE thing I can count on Deanna for is not to be afraid by the new kids on the block and moving over. She will fight. Haase and Volodin are definitely a top team. They have incredible quality. Yet, there is a spark missing for me, something Chan and Howe indeed have. Haase and Volodin will have to win Euros against all 3 Italian teams and their compatriots to set themselves up for worlds.
But it's clearly not all one country.I to me it's more fun when it's less of the same country. I mean, what's the point of no Russians, if it's all of some other country? Basically, as far as i am concerned, after 2 years, pros for removing Russians are zero, and cons are many. Am bored with ISU's direction. This is no longer the figure skating that impressed me so much in 2018...honestly, I am out for next season if Russians are not back.
A bronze in a 4CC with 6 teams (a couple of weeks before the Olympics) where none of the top non Europeans competed.Old champs? Stellato-Dudek/Deschamps are pretty much just starting together. They are challengers themselves. This is the first season where really, we think of them at having a shot. Last year, they were just beginning to make their mark. They didn't medal at worlds nor at GPF. They only got a bronze at 4CC. The 21-22 season was their first year on the circuit. It looks like they have been together for longer but they were not allowed to do international competitions due to covid and "release" requirements. So I think they should get some slack really.
The Hungarians are at their second season. Only one season less than SD-D. She was skating with Nagy before.
Calling Stellato-Dudek/Deschamps the old champions is not fair and could be seen as ageism which is not cool. I also love P/M. In some ways Trennt is the most experienced skater in the Canadian pairs field right now. He is the "old" dude
Their bronze at 4CC was last year, behind the Japanese and Chan and Howe. I think it's the year before that was the "covid" year. That's when Walsh and Michaud got their bronze, the first ISU championship for DS/D with a 4th place.A bronze in a 4CC which most of the top teams didn't go to because of it being an Olympic year (where they were desperate not to catch covid). As far as I understand they really didn't get much practice time at all prior to that. Hence why their scores shot up by so much in the 22/23 season.
Nation | Total points | SP | FS | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Audrey Lu / Misha Mitrofanov |
| 189.10 | 1 | 68.35 | 1 | 120.75 |
2 | Emily Chan / Spencer Akira Howe | 180.94 | 3 | 64.47 | 2 | 116.47 | |
3 | Evelyn Walsh / Trennt Michaud | 179.70 | 2 | 65.42 | 3 | 114.28 | |
4 | Deanna Stellato-Dudek / Maxime Deschamps | 172.71 | 5 | 59.07 | 4 | 113.64 | |
5 | Katie McBeath / Nathan Bartholomay | 168.18 | 4 | 59.54 | 5 | 108.64 | |
6 | Lori-Ann Matte / Thierry Ferland | 163.60 | 6 | 55.40 | 6 | 108.20 |
Oh yeah, it was fourth. But my point about their progress still stands. They're amazing.Their bronze at 4CC was last year, behind the Japanese and Chan and Howe. I think it's the year before that was the "covid" year. That's when Walsh and Michaud got their bronze, the first ISU championship for DS/D with a 4th place.
You are correct for practice times : in Quebec it was extremely difficult for pairs for the longest time.
Nation Total points SP FS 1Audrey Lu / Misha Mitrofanov United States 189.10 1 68.35 1 120.75 2Emily Chan / Spencer Akira Howe United States 180.94 3 64.47 2 116.47 3Evelyn Walsh / Trennt Michaud Canada 179.70 2 65.42 3 114.284 Deanna Stellato-Dudek / Maxime Deschamps Canada 172.71 5 59.07 4 113.645 Katie McBeath / Nathan Bartholomay United States 168.18 4 59.54 5 108.646 Lori-Ann Matte / Thierry Ferland Canada 163.60 6 55.40 6 108.20
They improved so much. Their twist now regularly gets level 4. The lifts that are not cookie cutter were often marked level 3, not anymore. The SBS toe jumps used to have weird and unmatched entries, they have fixed that as well.Oh yeah, it was fourth. But my point about their progress still stands. They're amazing.
at worlds indeed. they will be at junior gpf though this year....and let's not forget the Russian Georgians, who seem to have a shot as well.
Queen Deanna fears nothing.If there is ONE thing I can count on Deanna for is not to be afraid by the new kids on the block and moving over. She will fight. Haase and Volodin are definitely a top team. They have incredible quality. Yet, there is a spark missing for me, something Chan and Howe indeed have. Haase and Volodin will have to win Euros against all 3 Italian teams and their compatriots to set themselves up for worlds.
They have a shot to be European Champions. I'm sure they'll go to Kaunas.at worlds indeed. they will be at junior gpf though this year.
Yup... forgot about Euros how could I when I mentioned it right there..They have a shot to be European Champions. I'm sure they'll go to Kaunas.
My thought is that I fell in love with the skating of Hase and Volodin! I love their style - some balm to soothe my still-wounded pairs fan heart, still missing Cain/Leduc from the competition scene.``
I noticed H/V right away at the early Challenger events; they are remarkable for skating so much as 'one' in their first competitive year together. They appear to have great respect for each other as well as wonderful unison & elegance.I think our Ted Barton had some of the best remarks that reflect my instant love for Hase/Volodin, which happened the first time I saw their free skate this year and even went out a limb to predict their Nebelhorn win! Here's some of what Ted said about Minerva & Nikita:
they have "performance in every movement ... delivering the highest quality of movement."
"there is a marriage between the performance, the character, and the story and the difficulty of the elements."
For me, they have a spark, and are also a more complete team than Stellato-Dudek and Deschamps. H/V give more emotion to the audience. It will be an interesting competition at GPF and Worlds!