2022 Worlds: Pairs' FS - Thoughts?

[moonvine]

LOL. Not sure what you mean by "one stroke of luck." That's definitely not how K/F found themselves in the position to be able to claim a World championship win. It took years of hard work together and with their former partners; overcoming injuries and illnesses (in Alexa's case, a serious life-threatening illness); blood, sweat and tears; setbacks, obstacles, losses; loyalty; trust; self-belief; prayer; ingenuity and initiative; talent; blessings; huge tests and difficult decisions; uncertainty and doubt; risk-taking; conviction; small triumphs; moments of embarrassment and defeat; loss of momentum; coaching changes; relocations; pairing after splitting with long term partners and working as a new pair team during a pandemic; fitting together beautifully but having to learn how to adjust to each other under challenging competitive situations; facing an unexpected lawsuit after skating brilliantly at the 2022 Olympics; working hard to be ready for Worlds after the Olympics and taking in stride the opportunity to move up quickly at Worlds, without allowing anything outside of themselves to distract them from achieving their highest goals and dreams.

Put that in your pipe and smoke it. You and anyone else being dismissive of K/F's talent should be so 'lucky.'

Have the Olympic team medals turned gold?

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

Have the Olympic team medals turned gold?

I haven't heard anything about that decision yet. I don't think a decision has yet been arrived at.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

update on Ashley from USFS:

https://twitter.com/USFigureSkating/status/1507297244000636932?cxt=HHwWiMCq-e-2_-opAAAA

i don't know what exactly happened on that fall, but the fact she could not get up when she tried is very troubling and signals head injury/concussion to me. i hope she makes a full recovery.

if she decides she no longer should do pairs anymore, could she return to singles? With the possible retirements of Karen and Mariah and Bradie's return/condition up in the air, it might be a good time. she'd have to regain a 3+3 but i think she could be relatively successful, especially now with the reputation of a 2x US champ and olympian.

I would be completely shocked if Ashley Cain-Gribble turned back to singles. I can't see that happening, unless Timothy is planning to retire and Ash still wants to continue.

 

[lariko]

I hope Ashley will be okay.

Overall, I thought 4CC pair event was not that great, but this one was a complete wash.

 

[macy]

I would be completely shocked if Ashley Cain-Gribble turned back to singles. I can't see that happening, unless Timothy is planning to retire and Ash still wants to continue.

i don't expect her to, but just a thought.

 

[Sabine]

If Ashley has been released from the hospital overnight (as USFS is reporting) it doesn't seem to be a concussion, which is good news I would say.

 

[Zora]

What happened to pairs skating? Everyone skated to these boring pop songs, creativity is dead. I wanted to watch the last two groups, but I basically skipped every performance and only managed to watch the full program of the gold medalists, because the music choices were unbearable to me. Unless something changes, I guess I'm out of pairs for a while. I think this sports desperately needs a pair like Savchenko/Szolkowy again.

 

[labgoat]

update on Ashley from USFS:

https://twitter.com/USFigureSkating/status/1507297244000636932?cxt=HHwWiMCq-e-2_-opAAAA

i don't know what exactly happened on that fall, but the fact she could not get up when she tried is very troubling and signals head injury/concussion to me. i hope she makes a full recovery.

if she decides she no longer should do pairs anymore, could she return to singles? With the possible retirements of Karen and Mariah and Bradie's return/condition up in the air, it might be a good time. she'd have to regain a 3+3 but i think she could be relatively successful, especially now with the reputation of a 2x US champ and olympian.

Thank you for the update on Ashley. I am so very glad to hear she has been released from the hospital. She has a kind soul and is always among the first to respond to others in need of support. I hope Timothy is able to relax a bit now as well.

 

[labgoat]

What happened to pairs skating? Everyone skated to these boring pop songs, creativity is dead. I wanted to watch the last two groups, but I basically skipped every performance and only managed to watch the full program of the gold medalists, because the music choices were unbearable to me. Unless something changes, I guess I'm out of pairs for a while. I think this sports desperately needs a pair like Savchenko/Szolkowy again.

Hang in there. A lot has happened since these skaters chose the music for this year. Covid killed a lot of spirit. Given the events of this year alone, I believe we will see some different choices for next year.

 

[SnowWhite]

If Ashley has been released from the hospital overnight (as USFS is reporting) it doesn't seem to be a concussion, which is good news I would say.

I don't think that's conclusive. People with concussions don't necessarily stay overnight at the hospital.

 

[el henry]

I don't think that's conclusive. People with concussions don't necessarily stay overnight at the hospital.

In the US, at least in my experience, concussion patients are released from the hospital as long as they have someone to monitor their symptoms.

 

[moonvine]

I haven't heard anything about that decision yet. I don't think a decision has yet been arrived at.

I was just curious because someone said Alexa was OGM. Unless I misread something.

 

[mrrice]

I haven't heard anything about that decision yet. I don't think a decision has yet been arrived at.

I don't either and I think that's unfortunate. Between the Olympics and Worlds this is the perfect time as skating won't be back in the headlines for months. The decision to disqualify Russia had already been made so, I don't understand the holdup.

 

[pearly]

It was not a similar fall. The fall at 2018 Golden Spin happened during a lift dismount. This fall happened after a sbs jump went awry. As well, Ashley got up and continued to skate in 2018, even though she briefly looked dazed. This time, she was unable to get up.

Sadly, I remember. I was in the arena in 2018. Yesterday she remained lying on the ice just like she did for a while in 2018 Terrible.

 

[Allikat]

My main thoughts about this Pairs event are that there were far too few Pairs even here! I enjoyed what there was of them--but am wondering now what is going to happen to the Grand Prix Pairs competitions--aren't there supposed to be 48 spots? For 24 pairs, assuming each pair skates in 2 events? Even so, we need 26-30 viable pairs (extras due to illness, failed Covid tests, injuries, etc) in order to make Pairs work at this level! Where are they going to come from?

 

[Sabine]

My main thoughts about this Pairs event are that there were far too few Pairs even here! I enjoyed what there was of them--but am wondering now what is going to happen to the Grand Prix Pairs competitions--aren't there supposed to be 48 spots? For 24 pairs, assuming each pair skates in 2 events? Even so, we need 26-30 viable pairs (extras due to illness, failed Covid tests, injuries, etc) in order to make Pairs work at this level! Where are they going to come from?

I think you don't need all GP events if Russia does not take part, which is very likely. I would skip GP Russia and GP China and everything will be fine.

 

[Seven Sisters]

I think you don't need all GP events if Russia does not take part, which is very likely. I would skip GP Russia and GP China and everything will be fine.

Are you suggesting that next year‘s Grand Prix might be more like the Challenger Series, where some events include a Pairs competition and others do not? That’s an interesting idea!

 

[chuckm]

There probably won't be a Rostelecom, and maybe not even a CoC. But perhaps we could have an Estonian event or an Italian or Korean one.

 

[chuckm]

update on Ashley from USFS:

https://twitter.com/USFigureSkating/status/1507297244000636932?cxt=HHwWiMCq-e-2_-opAAAA

i don't know what exactly happened on that fall, but the fact she could not get up when she tried is very troubling and signals head injury/concussion to me. i hope she makes a full recovery.

if she decides she no longer should do pairs anymore, could she return to singles? With the possible retirements of Karen and Mariah and Bradie's return/condition up in the air, it might be a good time. she'd have to regain a 3+3 but i think she could be relatively successful, especially now with the reputation of a 2x US champ and olympian.

Ashley originally skated singles and competed internationally beginning in 2011. She teamed up with Joshua Regan in Pairs, and they were 4th at JW 2011. When Joshua quit the partnership in 2012, Ashley returned to singles skating, but with limited success. She teamed up with Timothy Leduc in 2016.

She had a limited technical repertoire as a singles skater and her best result was at the Nebelhorn in 2013 where she finished 3rd. She competed in the 2014 GP and had an 8th and a 10th place finish.

Ashley turns 27 in July, and it doesn't seem likely that she could return to singles after a 6-year absence, especially since the competition has grown a lot tougher since 2014.

 

[noskates]

I think worrying about next season in any of the disciplines is kind of ridiculous - unless you have nothing else to do today. Who knows who's lurking in the wings or who will step up. This has been a long season preceded by 2 years of uncertainty. I'm sad the season is over but I hope all the skaters get a good long rest and are prepared for next season.

For the record, I didn't find the music boring. I liked some pieces better than others but I'm a bit tired of the techno zippity do-dah stuff that the skaters can't adequately interpret.