Replay Lounge 2026 Four Continents: Recaps and Discussion

[FlyingFeather]

Predicted the Browns for bronze here, but was more of a hope. So happy it happened! Rough for Bratti/Somerville, as it affirms USFS's decision to keep them off the 4CC team. One reason the Browns' FD is so impactful is because they avoid lyrics and voiceovers in the music--all the drama comes from their skating. G/P--rough season, glad they were able to keep the silver. Programs were not as strong this year as last year. F/A--love their FD! I was not sold on it at the beginning of the season, but this performance was amazing. I was a huge Hubbell/Donohue fan, and I think I read somewhere that Zach Donohue did their choreography. It definitely reminds me of everything I like about H/D. What a rough comp for the Koreans. Hope they have a much better Olympics. And hope they get a better FD next year, it's really hard to make the current one stand out no matter how well it is skated.
Over the moon about Yuna!!!!! Her SP was, I think, the best program I've seen in a competition. It was like watching a professional dancer who dedicates 100% of training time to musicality. I didn't even notice the elements. Wow, just wow.

 

[SmileHappy34]

I feel asleep so I rewatched the dance and women's free skate during normal daylight hours for me.

Anyway thrill for U.S. dance teams and Japanese women that swept podium.

Emilia Zingas and Vadymn Zolenski. Wow skated better than nationals. It impactful, too music. Great dance.

Oona Brown and Cage Brown. Alot better than nationals. Skated ur hearts out.

Caroline Green and Parsons. Nationald was better this is good. A small slip up .

Hannah Lim and Ye Quan great skate. Music and timing improved
The Australian. Japanese teams Chinese wow. It is good. I keep watching and see improvement.

The dance teams seem to gel . The music comes together that I get what trying to skate to.


The women great skate all to me the free skate scores a little low.

Improvement from all.
The Chinese Riyang , An, wow great job. The skates are connecting to audience.

Sofia Samodkina great skate despite mishap. It gelling more to music and connection to audience.
Jia, Hae-in, Ashun nice skates.
Keep improving.

Mone, Ami and Yuna lovely skates. I felt bad about falls

Starr . I felt bad about ur rough skate. I am sorry it ur last. It didn't go as you like.

Sarah nice skate. U skated better at nationals. Decent skate.

Bradie nice job. U left more at nationals.
U did fine.

I am impressed with judges or technical caller. I didnt think catch the ur. The judging is fair. I thought i saw ur but look on sheet either q or carrot. Great job

Wonderful competition so far

 

[Anna K.]

Just finished watching pairs. My major takeaway and the overwhelming emotion (torn between elation and sadness):
Nagaoka/Moriguchi medal count starts here.
Sui/Han medal count ends here.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

If that was her final competition, I'm sorry she didn't make the podium. 4 4th-place finishes this season had to be a little discouraging.

In part, it's because judges have not wanted to give Bradie anything. Too many other young women they prefer. I personally feel that Bradie should have won bronze. Mone Chiba is very talented and accomplished, but she made mistakes in both programs. Bradie skated clean and should have been rewarded. In the sp, many other ladies skated so well and Chiba was awarded third place in the sp with a fall. I don't think that's fair scoring.

The overall scoring was tight, and it should have been in Bradie's favor. This is probably Bradie's final season, while Chiba has so many chances ahead of her, and did not skate her best at 2026 4CCs.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

Just finished watching pairs. My major takeaway and the overwhelming emotion (torn between elation and sadness):
Nagaoka/Moriguchi medal count starts here.
Sui/Han medal count ends here.

My take on pairs is different. I'm happy for Alisa & Misha winning 4CCs. It wasn't given to them, they earned the gold medal win. It's a nice victory for them since they are deprived of the chance to compete at the Olympics due to the citizenship issue. Of course, with Beijing hosting 4CCs and Sui/Han competing, everyone apparently expected Sui/Han to win gold.

I didn't yet see S/H's sp due to the NBC/ E coverage giving me a headache. At least, there was a Peacock World streaming feed for the free skates, which I appreciate, despite commentator, Chris Howarth, nearly pattering on nonstop. Good thing he has a pleasant voice. S/H's free skate was hard to watch. They were so slow, with shadow glimpses of their former top-notch abilities. They made way too many mistakes to remain on the podium. Their sp score held them up, as did their former rep as Olympic champions. Howarth felt the need to 'remind' viewers that S/H are '31 and 33' (some sources cite Sui as 30). Deanna and Max are 42 and 34 respectively. Age is not an excuse for anyone, if you make it your business to go out there and compete.

It is sad to have seen Sui falling and hurting her thigh. She could barely rise from her post-fp bow due to the pain she was feeling. But yes, S/H are going to the Olympics after the younger team, Zhang/ Huang, won a solo Olympic spot at the Beijing qualifier. Z/H placed 4th at 4CCs. I think it might be better if Z/H are sent to the Olympics. Sui looks to be injured, and both Sui and Han do not seem in the best shape to skate in a team comp (if China is eligible), and then sp and fp in the individual event.

As well, the Australian pair who took off the first part of the season to work on getting Golubeva's citizenship are completely out of shape (apparently she had suffered a concussion and they lost training time). They ended up in last place at 4CCs. Yet, they are able to go to the Olympics, having qualified at Worlds last year I suppose (and she has that all important citizenship). Such a weird sport.

During the medal ceremonies, I thought the framed drawings of skaters was a lovely gift. Did the organizers have drawings made for all the top skaters? They could not have known in advance who would make the podium in each discipline.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

I have also heard reports that Wenjing Sui is running against Deanna Stellato for the pairs athlete rep position with the ISU. I suppose athletes vote when more than one candidate applies in a discipline. Evan Bates will remain an athlete rep, now for ice dance. I believe Evan was previously athlete rep for all the disciplines? It appears that having athletes represent individual disciplines is new? Albeit Adam Hagara is now the sole athlete rep for singles. Adam is the only skater who applied to rep singles.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

Nagaoka/Moriguchi medal count starts here.

Nice thought, but Japan's N/M have already previously won senior and junior medals. Why would their 'medal count' start at 2026 4CCs?

 

[Anna K.]

I'm happy for Alisa & Misha winning 4CCs. It wasn't given to them, they earned the gold medal win. It's a nice victory for them since they are deprived of the chance to compete at the Olympics due to the citizenship issue.

Tbh they have a good chance to win the Worlds as well this year since the leading athletes often decide to retire right after the Games or take a pause and skip Worlds in the Olympic season.

As well, the Australian pair who took off the first part of the season to work on getting Golubeva's citizenship are completely out of shape (apparently she had suffered a concussion and they lost training time). They ended up in last place at 4CCs. Yet, they are able to go to the Olympics, having qualified at Worlds last year I suppose (and she has that all important citizenship). Such a weird sport.

This was a painful one.
Golubeva has grown a bit since last year and, sincerely, there is a question if she has not grown too much for her current partner. He visibly struggled to handle her new dimensions and she already has had a concussion, so... I don't know how their future looks to them right now. To make it worse, they seem to have a true bond and support for each other. Splitting would be an absolute heartbreak, but... I don't know

Nice thought, but Japan's N/M have already previously won senior and junior medals. Why would their 'medal count' start at 2026 4CCs?

Because I decided so. I start it here
It's my emotion and my medal count. Live with that.
Or, don't live with that; I don't care

 

[noskates]

I think Sui went into this competition already hurt. If you rewatch the short program she came off the ice at the end of their skate with her hand on her thigh. She wasn't herself in the freeskate. They're still my all-time favorite pairs team and I hope whatever it is that she recovers before the Olympics because it's going to be a great competition. Again I say - Chris talking doesn't even come close to being as irritating as Tara Lipinski because at least he's saying things that (1) make sense; and (2) are relative to the skate and; and (3) aren't the same things she's said over and over and over ad nauseum. I'm all for the World Feed.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

Tbh they have a good chance to win the Worlds as well this year since the leading athletes often decide to retire right after the Games or take a pause and skip Worlds in the Olympic season.


This was a painful one.
Golubeva has grown a bit since last year and, sincerely, there is a question if she has not grown too much for her current partner. He visibly struggled to handle her new dimensions and she already has had a concussion, so... I don't know how their future looks to them right now. To make it worse, they seem to have a true bond and support for each other. Splitting would be an absolute heartbreak, but... I don't know


Because I decided so. I start it here
It's my emotion and my medal count. Live with that.
Or, don't live with that; I don't care

LOL re N/M and your preference where their medal count starts. The way they are being hyped as next-in-line Japanese pairs team means judges are definitely ready to reward them with boocoo (i.e. beaucoup) medals. I remember their struggles in juniors. This is just their first senior season. I believe Moriguchi had a previous younger partner and traded her in for Nagaoka.

It is working out for Japan putting two singles skaters together in the hopes of developing strong pairs teams to maintain their Olympic team medal hopes, after Miura/Kihara's success lit the way. I think N/M have better aesthetic skills and potential to be a truly wonderful all-around team than M/K who are so overly hyped/ scored for their skating skills and speed, despite their complete lack of musical sensitivity. Employing Marie-France to help M/K with choreo the past two seasons has paid dividends this season, as M-F has figured out how to combine music and choreo to mask M/K's aesthetic deficiencies.

In turn, for Naga/Mori, it was a huge coup and benefit sending them to Savin's popular team of pairs coaches. N/M have shown great improvement, but Nagaoka still needs to work on her obvious throw jump weaknesses. Plus, N/M as with any team, still need to develop a strong connection to go with their great lifts, speed, and skating skills.

In regard to Efi/Mit, that might be possible if Conti/Macii, Hase/Volodin, and Metelkina/Berulava all plan to retire, which I seriously doubt. It certainly looks like Deanna/Max will retire, but that doesn't mean they won't go to '26 Worlds.

@moonvine won't like this, but the only other veteran pairs skater who might retire, is Danny O'Shea. Yet, I truly hope he comes back with Ellie for at least another season. The big question is whether Ellie would retire with Danny when the time comes, or find another pairs partner.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

I think Sui went into this competition already hurt. If you rewatch the short program she came off the ice at the end of their skate with her hand on her thigh. She wasn't herself in the freeskate. They're still my all-time favorite pairs team and I hope whatever it is that she recovers before the Olympics because it's going to be a great competition. Again I say - Chris talking doesn't even come close to being as irritating as Tara Lipinski because at least he's saying things that (1) make sense; and (2) are relative to the skate and; and (3) aren't the same things she's said over and over and over ad nauseum. I'm all for the World Feed.

Sui may have been nursing old injuries and aches. However, her hard fall on her side during the fp definitely caused a new injury or reaggravated an old one.

I totally agree with you that Chris' voice is rather soothing in comparison to Tara's loud, grating voice. I like Tara's chutzpah, so this complaint is no reflection on her as a person. Johnny and Tara are better with their fun shtick covering dog shows and horse races. Or, I guess, appearing on Peacock's Traitors, a show I will never be caught watching, dead or alive.

The thing about Chris is that I had been watching for hours, the men's sp and then the pairs fp, so his constant chatter (almost stream of conscious) was beginning to be annoying. Chris nearly made declarations and pronouncements after every element. He talked over P.J. Kwong's lovely intros. He kept talking right through the medal ceremonies.

But, sigh, yes I do prefer Chris over nothing and over NBC coverage with ads. I prefer Chris over Ashley W & Ben A, too. I really enjoyed Gracie Gold doing U.S. juniors commentary with Ben. Maybe they could pair Gracie with Chris. That might be a great match. Of course, Mark H and Ted B are very good. And they know when to be quiet, too.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

Rough for Bratti/Somerville, as it affirms USFS's decision to keep them off the 4CC team. One reason the Browns' FD is so

I don't think Brat/Somer not going to 4CCs is that rough, nor meant to be dismissive. They had a redemptive U.S. Nationals, after a disappointing first half to their season. They are second alternates for Olympics and Worlds behind Green/ Parsons. Plus, had Brat/Somer went to 4CCs, they likely would have made the podium in the same spot as the Browns. Seemingly, USfigsk was thinking more in terms of giving the Browns 4CCs as another opportunity to show off their crowd-pleasing programs. The Browns are third alternates behind Brat/Somer for '26 Olympics and Worlds.

 

[Anna K.]

Naga/Mori,

According to our Japanese source, they actually have a portmanteau and it's YunaSumi. Just saying.

 

[loroberras]

Does anyone have pictures or videos from the small medals ceremonies for Women and Ice Dance? They took place today (Saturday) in the evening.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

Speaking of retirements, I would guess that Gamez/ Korovin are retiring. Gamez leaned down and touched the ice with her hands after their fp. She was crying coming off the ice, and then began half laughing and crying through her tears. Korovin, as usual, looked slightly out of sorts and difficult to decipher. I wonder if they are a couple off-the-ice. They have a lot of lovely moments and positions in their skating from death spiral to lifts. Their 3-twist is very good, but did not score that high, albeit that it was their highest GOE score at .95. Gamez, though, has never been able to confidently master the throws and sbs jumps.

One thing I noticed is how much judges tend to lowball early teams. Even when Gamez/Korovin performed a few elements well, the judges were so stingy with their GOE. For Gam/ Koro, nothing too high. Aside from their .95 on 3-twist, they got a .47 on a lift, and everything else either minus GOE, or .30 and under. For McB/ Park and Laurin/ Ethier who both had great throws, the judges also held back, giving McB/ Park only 1.17 and 1.06, and L/E received 1.00 and .95, on their respective throws. For similar quality throws by top teams, scores are generally just under 1.50 range or close to 2.00. At this event, only S/H got just over 2.00 on one throw; and the other throw was negative GOE due to mistakes. Zhang/ Huang were between 1.50 to 1.80 range on their throws...

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

According to our Japanese source, they actually have a portmanteau and it's YunaSumi. Just saying.

Thanks, that's cool. I like my Naga/Mori way for brevity.

I watched a bit of NBC/ E pairs free skate coverage. If not for the disruptive commercials, and cutting out some skaters, and including top women's skate, and tacking on some men afterward, I thought Tara had a few interesting things to say, chiefly about McB/ Park and Shin/Nagy, albeit she and Johnny sufficiently gushed over some other teams, as part of their on-air expectations. I also like how Tara described Zhang/ Huang's qualities, and where they need to improve. Spot-on assessment. Chris gives some good insights here and there but he tends to gush moreso, or to kindly say nice things when a team has a challenging time.

 

[rabidline]

LOL re N/M and your preference where their medal count starts. The way they are being hyped as next-in-line Japanese pairs team means judges are definitely ready to reward them with boocoo (i.e. beaucoup) medals. I remember their struggles in juniors. This is just their first senior season. I believe Moriguchi had a previous younger partner and traded her in for Nagaoka.

Some corrections here: N/M has been competing in seniors since 2023! They have done the Senior GP for 3 straight seasons (granted the first 2 seasons they were initially assigned to only NHK Trophy). The very reason Moriguchi teamed up with Nagaoka is because his previous partner (Haruna Murakami) is too young for seniors, while he has aged out of juniors in 2023.

It is working out for Japan putting two singles skaters together in the hopes of developing strong pairs teams to maintain their Olympic team medal hopes, after Miura/Kihara's success lit the way. I think N/M have better aesthetic skills and potential to be a truly wonderful all-around team than M/K who are so overly hyped/ scored for their skating skills and speed, despite their complete lack of musical sensitivity. Employing Marie-France to help M/K with choreo the past two seasons has paid dividends this season, as M-F has figured out how to combine music and choreo to mask M/K's aesthetic deficiencies.

Genuinely agree on this. To me M/K is compelling because of Kihara's long suffering years of dragging the dead pairs discipline for Japan. In terms of musicality and performance quality....................... well they are fast and can do pair elements!

In turn, for Naga/Mori, it was a huge coup and benefit sending them to Savin's popular team of pairs coaches. N/M have shown great improvement, but Nagaoka still needs to work on her obvious throw jump weaknesses. Plus, N/M as with any team, still need to develop a strong connection to go with their great lifts, speed, and skating skills.

It worries me that N/M still spends most of their time training alone in Japan, and only contact Savin if they have issues they can't resolve on their own through Moriguchi watching videos of other pairs or asking ice dancers for advice. Very typical of how things work in Japan though, as long as they bring home the results, the skaters tend to be left alone instead of the Fed pushing harder for more expert guidance.

 

[NanaPat]

I remember their struggles in juniors. This is just their first senior season. I believe Moriguchi had a previous younger partner and traded her in for Nagaoka.

I checked Nagaoka/Moriguchi's ISU bio, skating scores, and Wikipedia, and couldn't find any results for them in juniors. And this seems to be their third senior season.

As another poster noted above, Moiguchi skated junior for one season with a previous partner. And "traded her in" (a rather pejorative characterization) because their ages meant they couldn't compete internationally.

 

[labgoat]

Does anyone have pictures or videos from the small medals ceremonies for Women and Ice Dance? They took place today (Saturday) in the evening.

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[Lamente Ariane]

I think Sui went into this competition already hurt. If you rewatch the short program she came off the ice at the end of their skate with her hand on her thigh. She wasn't herself in the freeskate. They're still my all-time favorite pairs team and I hope whatever it is that she recovers before the Olympics because it's going to be a great competition. Again I say - Chris talking doesn't even come close to being as irritating as Tara Lipinski because at least he's saying things that (1) make sense; and (2) are relative to the skate and; and (3) aren't the same things she's said over and over and over ad nauseum. I'm all for the World Feed.

Chris has grown on me a lot the last couple seasons. It helps that he sounds genuinely invested/excited without the forced/faux positivity I sometimes get off Ted Barton's commentary, and that he does make useful comments on things like underrotation. At US Nationals, Tara and Johnny (but especially Tara) sounded genuinely bored at times, and they always come off as too gleeful to rip into a bad skate. I remember a couple seasons ago when Isabeau had a nightmare free skate, Johnny made some awful, cruel comment like "usually she seems like a porcelain doll on the ice, well the doll's cracked tonight." And that's not even getting into all the times when T&J are just rambling about completely unrelated shit while a skater's on the ice, like they forgot they were supposed to even pretend to be paying attention.