2025-26 Retirements, Splits and New Partnerships | Page 37 | Golden Skate

2025-26 Retirements, Splits and New Partnerships

CaroLiza_fan said:
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
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I totally understand your frustration and am so sorry for the breakup of your team. I have always loved reading your posts keeping them forefront in our minds. I would read the latest news from you and feel your pride. Perhaps you can join us in shared custody of Emilia Zingas & Vadym Kolesnik - and keep reminding us of her genealogy.:ghug:
 
IceDancingQueen said:
I think Nathan may have a new partner. I was having a wee nose on ice partner search and he’s not listed on there but Lily still is.
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He may, but was Nathan ever on partnersearch? Lily has been there, but I don't recall Nathan ever posting a profile there
 
CaroLiza_fan said:
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
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I would say the final version is pretty clear, on this question at least. Residency is not a requirement for any skaters. Rule 8.2.1 says either residency or citizenship. Not both. That's clearly stated, and not ambiguous. For pairs and dance, only one partner needs to fulfill 8.2.1, and the other partner doesn't need citizenship or residency.

Based on 8.2.2, one partner would need citizenship (residency would not be enough), but that part could be better worded. But that doesn't change the main point we're discussing, that residency isn't needed as long as one partner has citizenship.

If at least one of Kudryavtseva/Karankevich had Cypriot citizenship, none of this affected them. Which also means Ilia could continue competing from Cyprus if he finds a new partner (and Angelina if she plans to continue).
 
SnowWhite said:
I would say the final version is pretty clear, on this question at least. Residency is not a requirement for any skaters. Rule 8.2.1 says either residency or citizenship. Not both. That's clearly stated, and not ambiguous. For pairs and dance, only one partner needs to fulfill 8.2.1, and the other partner doesn't need citizenship or residency.

Based on 8.2.2, one partner would need citizenship (residency would not be enough), but that part could be better worded. But that doesn't change the main point we're discussing, that residency isn't needed as long as one partner has citizenship.

If at least one of Kudryavtseva/Karankevich had Cypriot citizenship, none of this affected them. Which also means Ilia could continue competing from Cyprus if he finds a new partner (and Angelina if she plans to continue).
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It would have helped if they had actually used the word "either", because I still think the way it is written is open to interpretation. The updated version says the residency requirements don't apply to the partner that doesn't have citizenship. But it doesn't say anything about the residency requirements not applying to the partner with citizenship:

https://twitter.com/AnythingGOE/status/2067307851073106328/photo/1

It's clumsy wording. And a cynic might say that it was deliberately worded clumsily, so that the ISU could use it as a loophole to block partnerships that they don't approve of.

But, that is a matter for the lawyers. We are getting too far off topic for this thread.

I don't actually know if Angelina and / or Ilia have citizenship. But, I hope they both did. Because we could end up with a Hurtado and Diaz situation with two Ice Dance partnerships. Something Cyprus hasn't had since Angelina and Ilia's debut season:

www.instagram.com

Maria Miliukova Cyprus on Instagram: "Cyprus Skating Federation 🇨🇾 #Cyprus #🇨🇾 #miliukova_vitryanyuk #cyprusteam #medvedkovoteam @miliukova_maria @nikita_vitryanyuk"

86 likes, 3 comments - miliukova_cyprus on January 14, 2019: "Cyprus Skating Federation 🇨🇾 #Cyprus #🇨🇾 #miliukova_vitryanyuk #cyprusteam #medvedkovoteam @miliukova_maria @nikita_vitryanyuk".
www.instagram.com www.instagram.com

The other partnership are Maria Miliukova / Nikita Vitryanyuk. This photo was taken at the 2019 Toruń Cup, where Angelina and Ilia won the 🥇 Gold Medal, while Maria and Nikita won the 🥈 Silver Medal. Unfortunately, Maria and Nikita split shortly afterwards.

After all the joy they have given us, I wouldn't want this to be end of Cyprus competing Ice Dance.

CaroLiza_fan
 
saine said:
Rikako Fukase and Atsuhiko Tamura are a new ice dance team on the CQE entry list - https://patinage.qc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/CQE2026-Liste-des-participants-au-16-juin-midi.pdf

She's been representing Canada as part of Les Supremes in Synchro after representing Japan in Ice Dance. They're listed under a Canadian club at the moment, it could change.

Also Alicia Fabbri and Sandrine Gauthier look to have found partners, but those partners aren't listed yet.
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Wow, go Rikako! Wasn't she doing synchro for a few years? Japanese ice dance is becoming...intense!
 
BlissfulSynergy said:
🫂 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. 🎉 🥹
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I don't mind so much if the partnership ends because of retirement, because then you know the skater is at peace with stopping. (Whether their partner is or not is another matter!) Of course, you don't want somebody to get injured, but when it does happen, yes you lament what might have been, but you can accept it because it can't be helped.

But when they just split, it is different. How you feel about it depends on the circumstances and the reasoning. If they are not getting on with each other, they are better off with somebody else. And the same goes if the partner has been misbehaving. If they are splitting because the partnership has ran it's natural course, well, it's disappointing but it's understandable. Even if we as fans think that they had more to give.

But too often, you get the impression that one or both of the partners are coming in expecting instant success. They don't seem to accept that it takes time for a partnership to gel and grow. And when the success doesn't come right away, they go looking for somebody else with whom they could have instant success. When, who knows, if they had stuck with it, it might have come good. And that is what I find frustrating and annoying.

It is that impression that I am getting from a lot of the splits that have been happening not just in the past few months, but in the past few years.

I guess it's a reflection of modern society, particularly amongst the generation these skaters are from.

Because of all this, I am trying to avoid getting invested now.

labgoat said:
I totally understand your frustration and am so sorry for the breakup of your team. I have always loved reading your posts keeping them forefront in our minds. I would read the latest news from you and feel your pride. Perhaps you can join us in shared custody of Emilia Zingas & Vadym Kolesnik - and keep reminding us of her genealogy.:ghug:
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Thank you for your kind words, @labgoat.

:thank:

I suppose I'm kinda the opposite of what was being discussed in the nostalgia thread - I feel pride in skaters from a country that is not my own! :laugh:

I just really like supporting athletes that represent countries which do not have a lot of history or success in the sport. I love an underdog, doing their best against the odds.

Yes, the skaters we are discussing are both originally from one of the superpowers of this sport. But, Angelina in particular may as well be a native. Not only has her family lived in Cyprus for donkey's years, but I read an interview with her last year, and she really is your typical girl from Cyprus.

And don't worry, I am going to keep reminding you all about both Emilea and Vadym's backgrounds. ;) :biggrin:

CaroLiza_fan
 
CaroLiza_fan said:
I just really like supporting athletes that represent countries which do not have a lot of history or success in the sport. I love an underdog, doing their best against the odds.
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🥰👏
CaroLiza_fan said:
And don't worry, I am going to keep reminding you all about both Emilea and Vadym's backgrounds. ;) :biggrin:
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Thanks for your thoughtful post. Being a figure skating fan is hard, with many ups-and-downs. When the very rare uplifting moments happen, they mean a lot. 🪄

I'm glad you'll be sticking around, while wisely adjusting how invested you become in changeable partnerships. 👍 ❤️
 
labgoat said:
Beauty, power and star quality - Thank you Loena for being a real showgirl!
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Poignantly and beautifully said- beauty, power and star quality. It couldn't be said better! Thank you, labgoat!

IMHO Loena dared to be herself; her skating style, programs and costumes and presence on the ice was distinctly Loena. And taking into consideration all the difficulties from being from the small fed/ Belgium ( no skating rinks and etc.)...vow! what she has done is impressive; it really is a manifestation of what love of the figure skating can do.
 
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