- Joined
- Jul 15, 2024
2025-26 Retirements, Splits and New Partnerships
- Thread starter surimi
- Start date
- Joined
- Oct 25, 2012
I did not see that one coming. Not in a million years. I thought they were going to be one of those partnerships that stayed together for their whole careers.
I'm in shock.
Now I'm starting to wonder if this is a result of the ISU's new citizenship / residency rules. Angelina and Ilia were the first people I thought of when the thread appeared. (See this post, and this post). If it is, I am going to be EXTREMELY angry.
I really don't know what to say. Except all the best to both of them for the future.
CaroLiza_fan
- Joined
- Jul 15, 2024
Source? All I know is that there will be a press conference next week where she MIGHT announce it...
- Joined
- Sep 22, 2024
Didn't they both already got citizenship? They've been representing Cyprus from 2018 and they were competing at Skate to Milano so i though it was solved. If they have passports, new rules shoud not be a reason for their split. Maybe they were not satisfied with their results and development, they didn't get any GP, so they may have lost faith in their team. It's hard to breakthough in ice dance.
I did not see that one coming. Not in a million years. I thought they were going to be one of those partnerships that stayed together for their whole careers.
I'm in shock.
Now I'm starting to wonder if this is a result of the ISU's new citizenship / residency rules. Angelina and Ilia were the first people I thought of when the thread appeared. (See this post, and this post). If it is, I am going to be EXTREMELY angry.
I really don't know what to say. Except all the best to both of them for the future.
CaroLiza_fan
Anyway, it's sad. I liked them a lot, they were fun and creative team. I though we're done with splits.
- Joined
- Oct 25, 2012
Every time I have read any version of the new rules, I have reached the conclusion that it means a skater needs to meet both the citizenship and residency requirements. And, with no proper facilities in Cyprus (there are rinks, but they are barely even quarter-sized), there is no way somebody can be competitive at elite level and spend as much as 180 days of the year on the island.
With all the splits and partnership changes that have been happening over the past few months, I realised last week that I've got to the stage that I've pretty much completely lost interest in Pairs and Ice Dance. There's just too much chopping and changing going on. I'm just totally disillusioned.
I'm even seriously thinking that if any of my kids get a partner, I'm not going to adopt the new partnership. I don't want to get invested in any more partnerships in case they don't last long.
I might feel differently when the season gets under way. But right now, I've had enough.
CaroLiza_fan
- Joined
- Jul 15, 2024
It was clarified recently that in pairs and ice dance only one partner needs citizenship, the residency rule doesn't apply to the partner that doesn't have citizenship.
- Joined
- Oct 25, 2012
Yep, I saw your post about the update. But reading the extract in the Twitter post, it still sounds like the partner(s) with citizenship does need to meet the residency requirements. It's just the partner without citizenship that doesn't.
CaroLiza_fan
- Joined
- Sep 22, 2024
Quote from the final version of the 8.2.1. rule: "A Skater may compete only as a member of the ISU Member of a
country of which they are a citizen or in which they have resided for atleast one year".
For me this "or" means residence is required in case there's no citizenship.
Then there's clarification for pairs and ice dance team that one partner has to be citizen but the 8.2.1. does not apply the other partner.
My interpretation is that residency rule basically is not applicable for neither pairs nor ice dance teams cause one of the partner must have citizenship and that's it for ISU competitions (olympics is a different story).
- Joined
- Oct 25, 2012
So, it all hinges on the interpretation of two little letters. Oh, I hope you are right about the "or". Because this is getting very messy already, and has the potential of getting even messier.
CaroLiza_fan
- Joined
- Sep 1, 2020
I wonder if it was due to her injuries, in part? I'm sad that she did not reach her full potential or have a chance to leave more on her terms with returning to another successful season under her belt. Her heart did not seem into it during her last few competitions. Good luck to Loena in her future endeavors.
From this interview with Mike Slipchuk, Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps (Pairs, Canada) have split. He has retired, she is looking for a new partner. It's noted that she will have no issue with a release if she decides to represent the US.
- Joined
- Jul 15, 2024
She's so insane. I hope she finds someone.
- Joined
- Aug 6, 2025
I love Deanna's love for the sport, shes so incredible. I hope she finds a partner for Canada so she doesn't have to sit out a year internationally, but for either country she would easily still be a top team.
- Joined
- Sep 1, 2020
I get what you're saying. I usually try never to get too invested in teams or skaters. I have admired many and been an active fan over the years for a number of skaters. Recently, I got emotionally invested in a team, and my heart will never be the same. I was surprised at the grief that overtook me when they were forced to split. I think it's related to the loss of innocence and possibility (that they magically imparted). Such a feeling of loss hits doubly hard during these strange and fractious times we're living through. Plus, being an older fan, there are fewer years to enjoy skaters that make me happy.I'm very angry at the sports' handlers who botch over and over again truly protecting and fully supporting athletes. It definitely hurts emotionally when splits, injuries or bad luck happens, if you are too invested in young teams. Even if you just like and admire teams and skaters, it's saddening when they aren't able to realize full potential due to different things happening. Being deeply invested, the emotions can really grab at your heart. It's tough.
I am very disillusioned with the sport and how it's run. Yet, for me, it's the skaters and the joy at the essence of what drives these athletes that keeps me watching and rooting for them. 🎗
In the case of recent specific splits and repartnerings, I am less saddened. I think many of the recent repairings have the potential to be exciting, inspiring, and growth-expanding for the skaters. While I liked and admired LaLa's talent, in recent years, they have not been inspired or fully engaging to me as a team. How their trajectory as partners has been explained also makes their split seem necessary, inevitable, and revitalizing. I am excited about all of the new ice dance partnerships for Canada. Plus, I'm over the moon happy for how Piper & Paul ended their apparently final Olympic season so joyfully and victoriously.
- Joined
- Sep 1, 2020
Deanna is insanely inspirational! Wow, her grit and determination.
Rooting for her so hard! 
- Joined
- Jul 15, 2024
Me too, always.Deanna is insanely inspirational! Wow, her grit and determination.
- Joined
- Mar 7, 2015
I don't know. It took Max and Deanna quite a few years to gel. I am assuming that Deanna is not interested in a partner who will not be as good as Max. Max is a great lifter, thrower and twister. He's strong with all pair elements, including the death spiral. Hard to find a partner these days who is good at all that. Not only that but Deanna and Max were doing lifts variations that are not cookie cutter. They were also doing the DS that are harder. I just have a hard time imagining Deanna settling down for something that is not as promising as what took her to the top. So, I don't know. I cannot imagine right now, a partner who would match her skating. Younger male partners may want someone stabler with jumps too. That was Deanna and Max's weakness (that damn 3s). If Robert Brodie is right, she's been doing tryouts North and South of the border. At this point, there is no announcement, which means that nothing is confirmed yet and we know that some of the partners who were available have teamed up already. In any case, I wish her all the best but I have some doubts.
- Joined
- Mar 7, 2015
Also : regarding Canada for Deanna... it is interesting to note that Kelly Ann is skating singles right now (so is Beau Callahan, in juniors). Seems like there is a shortage of partners that may be suitable if two of the strongest pair women in Canada do not have a partner...(and a third one considering Beau). Perhaps her best bet is indeed to go back to the USA.
Inkyong Park and Andrew Song are a new Ice Dance team from the Wild Rose Invitational entry list - https://skateabnwtnun.ca/wp-content...d-Rose-Entry-List-by-Category-for-Posting.pdf
There is a Inkyong Park who represented Korea and is eligible for Junior Ice Dance, so country to be confirmed.
There is a Inkyong Park who represented Korea and is eligible for Junior Ice Dance, so country to be confirmed.
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