2026-27 U.S. Pairs Figure Skating

[BlissfulSynergy]

Junior Pairs:
*new
*Elizabeth Hansen/ Damir Yakupov
Sofia Jarmoc/ Luke Witkowski
*Olivia Jung/ Carter Griffin
Gabriella Kaplan/ Matt Curtis
Alena Kerr/ Sam Herbert
*Teryn Kim/ Laz Lune
*Genesis Lira/ Beck Strommer
Juliet Meek/ Devin Meek
Reagan Moss/ Jakub Galbavy
*Kaitlyn Oh/ Aaron Felberbaum
Baylen Taich/ Nikolai Apter
*Tallulah Tanner/ Blake McGee
* Julianne Wong/ Jared McPike
Elizabeth Yun/ Mitchell Castelletti

Are *Katie Shen/ Connor O'Grady juniors or seniors?

What are other halves of split junior teams doing now?:
Michael Chapa
Milada Kovar
Addyson McDanold

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

If someone has a direct link to 2026-27 U.S. figure skating athlete funding envelopes, can you please post it in this thread. Thanks!

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

With all these new teams, how are standings and results going to shake out? At upcoming Glacier Falls, apparently only Liu/ Bedard are competing. It makes sense they would, as it takes place at their new training rink. In recent years, senior pairs teams from nearby Irvine rink would also compete. I guess not this summer.

Taking a huge stab at possible results shake-up, which is hard to predict:

Efimova/ Mitrofanov
Shin/ Howe
Liu/ Bedard
Andrews/ Parkman
McBeath/ Nagy
(Also possible Katie/ Balazs could be second or third with their combined experience, particularly if Chels has not yet figured out her jump landings. Starman might also be strong enough out the gate to podium. Cannot count out the below 3 teams from rating higher in the standings, too, with their solid pairs experience)

Toss-up re
Flores/ Sadusky
Stellato/ Siianytsia
Plazas/ Fernandez

Then,
Williams/Lewer
Fitzpatrick/ Bearinger
Nunez/ Eisenach
Cooke/ Kennedy
Ream/ Neudecker

If Shen/O'Grady are competing senior, I don't know where they would slot in. Unless 14 slots are made available, one team won't make the cut for '27 Nationals.

 

[ice coverage]

... overseas workshop with Savin & Klimov .... The teams at this workshop must not have been at the recent pairs camp in the U.S. with Savin & Klimov. ...

At least two U.S. pairs at the Hungary camp with Savin and Klimov also were at USFS pairs camp with Savin and Klimov.
Plazas/Fernandez and McBeath/Nagy.

Regarding U.S. junior pairs ...

Elena Kerr/ Sam Herbert

Junior Pairs:

Elena Kerr/ Sam Herbert

Alena is the correct spelling of Kerr's first name.
It is not Elena.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

At least two U.S. pairs at the Hungary camp with Savin and Klimov also were at USFS pairs camp with Savin and Klimov.
Plazas/Fernandez and McBeath/Nagy.

Alena is the correct spelling of Kerr's first name.
It is not Elena.

Thanks. It did cross my mind that McBeath/Nagy were at the early summer McMillan pairs camp in Colorado, although I didn't recall seeing Val & Max in photos from that camp. Interesting that these two pairs teams wanted to extend training opportunities with Savin & Klimov.

I copied Alena's name as misspelled from another source. I'll correct.

 

[ice coverage]

Thanks. It did cross my mind that McBeath/Nagy were at the early summer McMillan pairs camp in Colorado, although I didn't recall seeing Val & Max in photos from that camp. ...

June 6 group photo from Plazas/Fernandez account shows them posing with Savin, Klimov, and Jim Peterson at the USFS camp:

Val & Max ⛸️ on Instagram: "McMillan Pair Camp in the books 💪 thank you to the McMillans and US Figure Skating for giving us such a wonderful opportunity and experience. We had such a blast learning from all the great coaches and officials- can’t wai

187 likes, 8 comments - vmskates on June 6, 2026: "McMillan Pair Camp in the books 💪 thank you to the McMillans and US Figure Skating for giving us such a wonderful opportunity and experience. We had such a blast learning from all the great coaches and officials- can’t wait to put everything...

www.instagram.com

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

^^ Thanks @ice coverage. I don't follow all the pairs skaters' IGs in detail, so I did not see that photo earlier this summer. As always, it's nice to see Jim Peterson with Val and Max. Thanks for sharing.