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Ilinykh/Katsalapov not splitting after Sochi :no shake:
Also agree on MT-M
Also agree on MT-M
Actual pairings with amazing potential
- Thread starter Skater Boy
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Dylan committed to 2018 but KMT wanted to go all the way to 2022 and needless to say he didn't. Of course she might be a bit optimistic to think that she will stil be near the top of Canadian Pairs in another six years.
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Exactly, even in the present tense she was probably assuming she and Mike would automatically become Canadian Pairs Team #2 like she was with Dylan, but then we have the rise of S/B, coupled with Dylan's success with Lubov. Lord knows what the domestic competition will be like in 2022.
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Julianne is a much stronger skater at least in SBS than any of the pair girls in Canada, even Meagan. She was still skating singles until recently and had all triples I think. Dylan is probably one of the best partners in the world right now. His lifts are amazing. I think that Michael is weaker than Charlie and of course Dylan and Eric, and Kirsten is only stronger than Lubov in jumps and throws.... but the other two girls are better already or have more potential. So, it would be surprising that they qualify for the Olympics. At least Kirsten has an Olympic silver for the team in sochi.
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Don't forget that Lubov doesn't have citizenship yet, so if she doesn't get it before 2018, the Olympic team will probably be D/R, S/B and MT/M instead.
I feel naseous just thinking about the fall Kirsten had at nationals this year on the twist attempt in the short program.So brutal. It's amazing she recovered so quickly.
I feel she didn't expect Dylan to find a partner and become a team that could challenge her for that worlds and Olympics spot. She probably also didn't think Julianne and Charlie would progress as much as they did and also become top competitors. You can pretty well bank on having three spots for Canadian pairs for worlds and Olympics ... But when there are four good teams vying for those spots, it gets tricky. Somebody is going to be very dissapointed in 2018.
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I still can't fathom why they split up despite all of these statements. That was so anticlimatic and illogical after their best season together with steady improvement. Now neither Elena or Nikita are able to come close to those heights with their new partners, they seem quite laclustre by comparison.
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she's been here long enough to get fast tracked... not a worry in my opinion.
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Oh, yes MT-M really had a potential. They were a perfect match.
I do not like Dylan with Lubov, neither Kirsten and Michael. Kirsten disappears with Michael, while with Dylan...it really was a pair joy to watch! They always warmed a heart of audience, gave a pure joy; where authentic and capable to be a pair without loosing their own distinct personalities. Lubov and Dylan...I do feel sad to watch them.... Lubov seems to skate rather with her mind and there is not that mysterious "something", no pair ( yet).
I do not like Dylan with Lubov, neither Kirsten and Michael. Kirsten disappears with Michael, while with Dylan...it really was a pair joy to watch! They always warmed a heart of audience, gave a pure joy; where authentic and capable to be a pair without loosing their own distinct personalities. Lubov and Dylan...I do feel sad to watch them.... Lubov seems to skate rather with her mind and there is not that mysterious "something", no pair ( yet).
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I don't see a greater future for I/K than their Olympic bronze at the home ice even if they would stayed together unless Katsalapov starts carefully paying attention to his partner and trying to keep balance with his partner on ice. He's tried to be a sole hero on ice, so I've always felt anxious about his executions on twizzles. He is like a runaway engine not caring his partner's pace at all. Catch me if you dare...this is my impression on Katsalapov. He is a good looking skater with great SS, but ice dancing needs harmony created by "two skaters" on ice.
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Tiffany and Johnnie Stiegler. At ages 11 and 13, their presentation, posture, positions, and charisma were unbelievable. She ultimately grew too tall for the pair to continue. Broke my little ol' pairs-lovin' heart. They had ballet and eventually some Russian coaching/choreo, although here, Peter Oppegard did an outstanding job in both coaching and choreography.
In the commentary for the SP below, Scott H. says jumps may come and go, but the strength of the program and presentation will always be there.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-WUOzOq9XE
In the commentary for the SP below, Scott H. says jumps may come and go, but the strength of the program and presentation will always be there.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-WUOzOq9XE
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That's almost exactly how I feel about Castelli and Tran, in reverse. I don't know if I'd say Marissa has tried so be the sole hero, but I think she's always been the spark of the pair with either partner, and I'm sure she's heard people say that about her so she may feel it's up to her to provide it. But Pairs skating also needs balance and harmony. Also, I think it may have been Johnny Weir, or maybe TSL, who mentioned that in competition, Marissa skates faster, while Mervin "stubbornly" doesn't speed up to follow. In my view, he's right to keep the rhythm and pace, for artistic beauty in keeping with the choreography.
But I understand the speeding up effect performance excitement can bring; it's the same in music. I taught piano to my daughter till she was 9 or 10 and then got her another teacher; later, when she was jr. high age we played some duets. My sister-in-law remarked that it sounded like we were racing to see who could get to the end of the piece first. Not the effect you want! She was right. I waited until my daughter learned from another teacher the value of slower tempos before I played any more duets with her.
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I just hope the Canadian curse doesn't continue where an international partner gets their citizenship fast tracked and then they don't place high enough at Canadian nationals to qualify for the Olympics, a la Kaitlyn and Andrew in 2010 and then Piper and Paul in 2014. I hate to see that happen. :sad21:
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Yeah, that did stink, with Piper and Kaitlyn both missing their respective teams by one spot.
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well if they don't place in top three it will be because duhamel radford, seguin bilodeau and MTM 2.0 are ahead.... in other words, it will be because they didn't land their SBS jumps...
however, here is some food for thought... with their placement at worlds, if V/T follow up on not doing the GP series, Lubov and Dylan would be seeded... it may allow them to qualify for the GPF. You never know what can happen when you get in the judges good books. Confidence can build up for them, especially on SBS jumps... I think they have a higher potential than MTM2.0
I would also not be surprised if they did much much much better this year, to the point of even getting ahead of Seguin Bilodeau.... we will see.
however, here is some food for thought... with their placement at worlds, if V/T follow up on not doing the GP series, Lubov and Dylan would be seeded... it may allow them to qualify for the GPF. You never know what can happen when you get in the judges good books. Confidence can build up for them, especially on SBS jumps... I think they have a higher potential than MTM2.0
I would also not be surprised if they did much much much better this year, to the point of even getting ahead of Seguin Bilodeau.... we will see.
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I do not believe they ever match Sequin/Biledau.
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I think Lubov/Dylan can beat Seguin/Bilodeau if they skate well.. honestly, I'm not that impressed with MT/M, although they're alright.
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I agree. I think Seguin and Bilodeau are a great team, fun to watch and full of energy. They placed ahead of many teams this year mostly because they are steady and strong while others falter. But if everyone skates well, then it becomes hard to separate the teams. Dylan and Lubov's FP was exquisite this year. Her flexibility and his strength bring amazing lifts. However, none of the teams have a strong weapon yet.
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If Lubov can get those triples stable, I think she and Dylan could easily pull ahead of S/B to number two. I love both teams. Dylan's lifts, especially the one where he starts from a lunge, and Lubov's cantilever are the coolest pair elements out there today. :yes: I can't ever seem to enjoy a MTM2.0 performance because I'm always worried that Mike is going to drop Kirsten, and that was before it actually happened at Canadian nationals. Now that it's actually happened, I find myself cringing out of fear when I watch them skate live. His lifts just don't look stable to me.
His lifts just don't look stable to me.If Lubov can get those triples stable, I think she and Dylan could easily pull ahead of S/B to number two. I love both teams. Dylan's lifts, especially the one where he starts from a lunge, and Lubov's cantilever are the coolest pair elements out there today. :yes: I can't ever seem to enjoy a MTM2.0 performance because I'm always worried that Mike is going to drop Kirsten, and that was before it actually happened at Canadian nationals. Now that it's actually happened, I find myself cringing out of fear when I watch them skate live.
Yeah his lifts are just terrible. He also invalidated a lift on the GP series, I thought that Kirsten was going fall off for a second.
I love Dylan and Lubov but I don't see them pulling ahead of Seguin/Bilodeau. While I think Lubov is very lovely, the SBS jumps, her weaknesses on spins and generally she doesn't look very secure sometimes.
I really think that if Seguin/Bilodeau improve their speed on lifts and up the technical content, they'll be contenders in the future. I also really hope China and Russia start getting their junior pairs programs together, China has been weak this year despite their previous success and it seems like the top junior Russian pairs change every time.
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