Should Sasha Cohen return to competitive skating in pairs?

[netnuts]

Sasha Cohen is probably done as a competitive skater in singles. However, if she still has fire in the belly, Sasha should definitely try pairs. Watch this clip

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=By56tHbHSGk

She will be an awesome pairs skater and can really go to the top in a rather short period of time. She has amazing flexibility, and will get very high marks for all sorts of crazy lifts, her sbs jumps are far more sufficient as a pair skater, she just needs some training in other pairs elements such as throws and twist. I don't believe she'll have any problem mastering an incredible triple twist since Sasha always rotates very fast in the air and she's so tiny...

Let's discuss Sasha's outlook as a pair skater. Who should she partner with? How fast will she be able to crack into top three in the world rankings?

 

[krenseby]

Sasha Cohen is probably done as a competitive skater in singles. However, if she still has fire in the belly, Sasha should definitely try pairs. Watch this clip

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=By56tHbHSGk

She will be an awesome pairs skater and can really go to the top in a rather short period of time. She has amazing flexibility, and will get very high marks for all sorts of crazy lifts, her sbs jumps are far more sufficient as a pair skater, she just needs some training in other pairs elements such as throws and twist. I don't believe she'll have any problem mastering an incredible triple twist since Sasha always rotates very fast in the air and she's so tiny...

Let's discuss Sasha's outlook as a pair skater. Who should she partner with? How fast will she be able to crack into top three in the world rankings?

Has any ladies Olympic medalist ever switched to pairs after winning their medal? If that has happened, probably only no more than 3 or 4 times in all of figure skating history. I don't think it's very likely. That said, she would probably make a great pairs skater.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

Sasha is still skating and performing excellently in SOA. No need for her to get into competition. There is plenty of subtle competition among professionals.

Joe

 

[jennylovskt]

For my selfish reasons, yes!!!!! I miss her very much! But with who?

 

[sillylionlove]

I actually think that Sasha would be a better ice dancer.

 

[dorispulaski]

I doubt very much that Sasha would want to do this. Her posture and positions were always lovely. I'd love to see her positions in lifts, though!

Sasha's USFS bio lists her height as 5'2" If so, she's on the tall side for a pair skater. You'd want a boy at least 6' for her. And boys that tall that can do a triple jump are few and far between. Maybe if Wesley Campbell wants to do pairs?

 

[Cal Girl]

I dont think she is too tall for pairs and she has a great body for it as well. I wish she would return but I doubt she will. She likes her acting career and seems to enjoy performing in the shows.
However, Drew Meekins would be a perfect match!

 

[chuckm]

With her delicate back (she had spinal stress fractures), Sasha would do well to stay away from Pairs. The female half of a Pair must have a strong back to absorb the force of landing throws and hold difficult positions in lifts.

Sasha's time as a competitive skater is past. She can't expect to compete with a whole flight of skaters who have 3/3s and can turn in 7-triple performances.

 

[BelleFilleYuna]

After watching her latest SOI program 'encahnted', well she was in ballerina flat shoes so it's not technically skating, but anyway I think she can creat so many beautiful moves while lifting.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

From what I am reading, her fans want her to do Pairs. There was no such publicity that she was thinking about it. The only thing I've read from Sasha is that she has not ruled out a return to competitive skating which would be Singles.

I'd like to see Sasha do what she wants at this time in her life.

Joe

 

[Kwanford Wife]

With her delicate back (she had spinal stress fractures), Sasha would do well to stay away from Pairs. The female half of a Pair must have a strong back to absorb the force of landing throws and hold difficult positions in lifts.

I was just thinking about her back when I started reading this thread... Another thought centers around my opinion of one that female pairs skaters need nerves of steel in order to compete at the highest levels. And Sasha's inability to skate clean back to back within a competitive environment, don't give me a lot of confidence that she'd have the stomach for pairs.

I do agree however that she'd be beautiful to watch in lifts and would make an outstanding ice dancer or maybe not, seeing as I don't know the mechanics of ice dancing and have never been wowed by her edging & footwork...

 

[dorispulaski]

Deep edges are totally key in ice dance, AFAIR. But flexibility & nice positions are good too. You have to have both.

 

[Tinymavy15]

I doubt very much that Sasha would want to do this. Her posture and positions were always lovely. I'd love to see her positions in lifts, though!

Sasha's USFS bio lists her height as 5'2" so she would be kind of tall for a pairs skater.

I would love to see Sasha try pairs. Her easy triples are all very solid, she lands them all the time beautifuly in shows. Sasha can always land the two or three easy triples and double axels that pairs require.

As for 5'2 being tall... no, not at all. Shen of Shen and Zhao is 5'3, Zhao is 5'9 and they are perfectly matched. Sasha is not only short, but also very petite and slender. She can't weight more than 119 pounds. 105 is probably more like it. Of course she would have to lower her spirals a little so the guy could match her extension somwhat... but I would love to see her try it.


As for that post that asked if it had ever been done before.... Naomi Nari Nam was a great singles skater before she had to quit due to injury. She is now skating pairs with Themestoclies Leftheris.

 

[Cal Girl]

Rena Inoue is also an example of an established singles skater that went to pairs.

 

[attyfan]

...
As for that post that asked if it had ever been done before.... Naomi Nari Nam was a great singles skater before she had to quit due to injury. She is now skating pairs with Themestoclies Leftheris.

NNN/L missed most of this season because NNN needed yet another surgery on her hip. So, the risk of injury is very real. I don't know if either Rena or John ever had the severe injury problems during their respective singles careers that Sasha and NNN have both had (unless you count Rena's cancer -- which I am not counting, as I am only considering skating related injuries)

If injury is not a problem -- didn't Brian Joubert once say that he wanted to skate pairs after he was done skating singles? Joubert and Sasha would make a gorgeous couple (IMO)

 

[MissIzzy]

If injury is not a problem -- didn't Brian Joubert once say that he wanted to skate pairs after he was done skating singles? Joubert and Sasha would make a gorgeous couple (IMO)

If either of their federations would ever be willing to release them...

 

[Fossi]

I read reporst that Sasha is falling all over the place in SOI and ther her saving grace, her artistry, is also regressing. IF Sasha plans to come back, she better give up the shows and start seriously training. They jump in pairs too. If she can't land the jumps she won't be competitive; even in pairs.

 

[Wrlmy]

While I think Sasha can make a great pair skater, whoever is the imaginary, unfortunate partner would be overwhelmed by her. Someone like Anton Sikharulidze would make a great pair team with Sasha, but he's such a rarity.

 

[emma]

Pairs is way scary - I can't imagine that it would be easy or even possible to develop pairs lifts/throws with preexisting back or hip or knee problems (not saying Sasha has all of these).

But, I used to fantasize that she and Rohene Ward would hook up -- or she and Sandhu (in that fantasy John Lennon's Imagine was reality...no borders or nationalities to worry about).

 

[IDLERACER]

I distinctly remember a few years back on some seasonal television special, there was an ensemble number at the end which involved all of the pairs, and all the single skaters were paired with other single skaters, thus briefly turning them into pairs as well. I don't think there were any lifts executed among the non-pair skaters, but I do recall Sasha Cohen and Michael Weiss performing a really good death spiral. It hasn't popped up on YouTube yet (I've looked for it).​