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.

 

[bckabck]

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

Addyson has been competing individually recently.

Also of note, I noticed that Jon Maravilla is no longer on ice partner search. Does anyone know if he's found a partner or is going to take a break from skating?

 

[yuki@thelake]

Addyson has been competing individually recently.

Also of note, I noticed that Jon Maravilla is no longer on ice partner search. Does anyone know if he's found a partner or is going to take a break from skating?

heard he's taking a break, though lots of invites for tryouts mostly from non-US, including France (his brother found an ice dance partner in France and has moved there)

 

[bckabck]

A little sad that only one Senior Pair, Liu/Bedard, and one Junior Pair, Kim/Lune, will be at Glacier Falls. I was hoping to get to see a couple more teams, but understand that some are probably not ready. Also some are just coming back from the training camp in Hungary.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

^^ Yes. All the new pairings are still working hard to be prepared. I suppose many of the teams will be at John Nicks pairs event, in September. And the new teams will be looking for Challenger Series and Senior B assignments, since none were assigned a GP.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

A little sad that only one Senior Pair, Liu/Bedard, and one Junior Pair, Kim/Lune, will be at Glacier Falls. I was hoping to get to see a couple more teams, but understand that some are probably not ready. Also some are just coming back from the training camp in Hungary.

BTW, Liu/ Bedard scored 62.92 in their sp. They did not perform a fp, which makes sense if they're still tweaking it, and there's no competition anyway at this event.

In junior pairs, Kim/ Lune scored 36.93, and they also did not compete a fp. With his former partner in novice pairs, Olivia Jung, Lune has scored slightly higher, in the 40+ to 42+ range in the sp.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

With Schaller/ Mayr of Austria retiring, and Danilova/ Tsiba 'taking a break,' three spots have opened on the GP. I hope Liu/ Bedard get a second spot at NHK. Then, there will likely be other international teams taking precedence for a second spot at the two other openings.

I would imagine Shin/ Howe will get a host spot at USfigsk. The other two remaining SkAm host spot might go to Andrews/ Parkman or Mcbeath/ Nagy.

 

[ramurphy2005]

I would imagine Shin/ Howe will get a host spot at USfigsk. The other two SkAm host spots might go to Andrews/ Parkman or Mcbeath/ Nagy.

Only two of those three can a SkAm spot since one of the three already belongs to Efimova/Mitrofanov.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

Only two of those three can a SkAm spot since one of the three already belongs to Efimova/Mitrofanov.

Yep, I know E/M are assigned to SkAm.

That's why for the last two teams I mentioned, I said one or the other. And I see my phrasing was off, when I said, "the other two spots..." I meant for the final spot, if Shin/Howe get the first of the two remaining host spots.

 

[ramurphy2005]

Yep, I know E/M are assigned to SkAm.

That's why for the last two teams I mentioned, I said one or the other.

Oh, I know why I got mixed up, the way you phrased that statement with the "other two host spots", and I completely skipped over the "or."

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

Ironically, under pre- musical and retirement pairs conditions, this is what the pairs alternate list likely would have looked like:

Emily Chan / Spencer Akira Howe (USA) split
Karina Akopova / Nikita Rakhmanin (ARM) already have 2 spots
Katie McBeath / Daniil Parkman (USA) split
Ioulia Chtchetinina / Michal Wozniak (POL) Ioulia retired; Michal searching?
Anastasia Vaipan-Law / Luke Digby (GBR) retired
Kelly Ann Laurin / Loucas Éthier (CAN) split

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

BTW, Liu/ Bedard scored 62.92 in their sp.

Here's a video (with music) of L/B's Glacier Falls sp:

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

youtu.be

Nice sbs landing by Chelsea. The throw was good, but slightly messy, maybe a double foot. They have nice flow, lovely lines, and a good feel for the music. Chelsea is a boss pairs girl.

 

[Tutto]

Anyone else feeling that this off season is just never ending, Prague was only four months ago but feels like forever.
On checking WS I was pleasantly surprised to see that Alisa/ Misha are currently the 3rd ranking pair in the world taking into account retirement/split of K/M and C/M. Not bad.

 

[FlossieH]

Anyone else feeling that this off season is just never ending, Prague was only four months ago but feels like forever.
On checking WS I was pleasantly surprised to see that Alisa/ Misha are currently the 3rd ranking pair in the world taking into account retirement/split of K/M and C/M. Not bad.

Yes, this off season has felt particularly long. I don't know why. It feels like years.