Crone & Poirier announce split and future plans ...

[BackStage Barbie]

Hmm, how about Chock/Poirier? They would make the most stunning couple on ice. (That is, if the rumors about C/Z splitting were true.)

Love this idea! I think they'd be gorgeous together. If they would compete for Canada, Madison (especially if they stay with Zoueva/Shpilband) Madi would have a better shot of making it to worlds than in the US.

 

[Ravensque]

I am absolutely stunned! This team was one of my favorites. I was speaking with Vanessa at the Brampton show a few weeks back where they skated beautifully with that old spark. She was looking forward to the new year, choosing their new music and working with their choreographers on the new programs. She said they were hoping to work with Dean again and they had someone new already lined up for their short. I find it hard to believe that she would have been that enthusiastic if she was planning to quit skating a couple of weeks later. SOmething is odd here.

Such a shame for sure. If that's the case I certainly feel terrible for her. Vanessa is very approachable and friendly/bubbly. Paul, on the other hand, was just the opposite. I hope she's ok with this and that it hasn't shattered HER dreams and aspirations.

 

[13KJC13]

Such a shame for sure. If that's the case I certainly feel terrible for her. Vanessa is very approachable and friendly/bubbly. Paul, on the other hand, was just the opposite. I hope she's ok with this and that it hasn't shattered HER dreams and aspirations.

Clearly, you don't really know much about him. Paul Poirier is one of the most personable, well-spoken young men I have ever met.

 

[demarinis5]

Sorry to hear about the break up of this team, I thought they had a lot of potential. I was very surprised, but not shocked, since John and Caitlin's split, my shock value is on the
low-side.

 

[clairecloutier]

Love this idea! I think they'd be gorgeous together. If they would compete for Canada, Madison (especially if they stay with Zoueva/Shpilband) Madi would have a better shot of making it to worlds than in the US.

I agree, very interesting suggestion--that is, IF Chock/Zuerlein are having any thoughts of splitting. I of course wouldn't want to wish a split on them unless they were both mutually considering it. However, if they were . . . Poirier has a good look on the ice. And it would be interesting to see how he and Madison matched up as a team. I do think Madison is very talented. Not sure if their styles would mesh. But they might look very good together on ice.

 

[ImaginaryPogue]

Some of Paul's thoughts

 

[blue dog]

Vanessa has singles and pairs experience. What if she and Bryce...

 

[colleen o'neill]

jolen..your post makes me feel very sad , and I hope this was a mutual decision.As I said before ,Vanessa was the one on whom you could see the most obvious progress in the last year .

 

[dorispulaski]

Vanessa might be totally awesome with Bryce! Is she short enough for pairs these days? Or perhaps Bryce could learn ice dance?

 

[chuckm]

Vanessa is nearly as tall as Paul, who is 5'7", so she is too tall for Davison.

Also, I don't see Madison Chock teaming up with Paul Poirier. They'd have the same problem as Matthews/Gislason. The US is unlikely to release Chock (who won the 2008-2009 JGPF and 2009 JW with Greg Zuerlein), and Canada surely won't release Poirier.

 

[colleen o'neill]

Vanessa is 5'3" according to her profile.

 

[dorispulaski]

Yes, I'm sure that would be true. And top 10 at Worlds is not anything to sneeze at either. C&Z are in the A envelope for funding.

 

[blue dog]

Crone reminds me of Anissina. I want to see her with someone fiery. Paul, for some odd reason, reminds me of Duchesnay.

There are plenty of talented skaters whom we never see. I am sure we will see both Paul and Vanessa with new partners in the future. It's not like the old days of dance where when partners split up, it usually means the end (since most dance teams back in the day were in their thirties). Isn't Paul still a teenager?

If I can't have my way (Caitlin Yankowskas with Bryce Davison), then maybe Crone and Davison can get together =)

 

[colleen o'neill]

This may be no more than gossip ( I have no way of knowing) but someone on the FSU C/P thread said apparently Vanessa was willing to entertain the possibility of changing coaches, and Paul was not. Who knows ...

PJ's interview with Paul doesn't tell you much , but his little "I knew it was the right decision " ( assuming that's a direct quote ) stands out a bit , among all the usual kudos to partner , etc. No matter what anyone says about their World's results not playing a part , I find it hard to believe that if they had achieved their goal at World's ,we'd be seeing this split. I sincerely hope that disappointment was not laid at Vanessa's door.

 

[ImaginaryPogue]

I don't know, colleen. He's implied he'd be willing to skate for another country (after sitting out the year, as that is "the price to pay"). Would he be more tied to his coach (who I don't think coaches any non-Canadian teams) than country? This isn't a judgement (though I realize it sounds like that). Additionally, the press release does make it sound like Vanessa is ready to move on beyond skating.

As for Chock and Poirier, ignoring the actual political reasons that wouldn't work, I'm not convinced Paul could handle the pure diva that is M. Chock. She's a star, and he'd have to work very hard to come to her level.

 

[colleen o'neill]

Pogue.. I don't know either , I'm just musing here ..but , taking jolen's post into consideration , there's a possibility that Vanessa hasn't had time to formulate any rigid goals , just take her test , keep busy and think about it...or she may be ready to move on..just seems rather abrupt if she was already focusing on next year's programs, etc.

With Paul..it will be interesting to see who he partners with and where they wind up training. We know male partners are at a premium. We know a lot of people meet, talk , drop hints, and outright head-hunt at World's..it may be ( as with Yankowskas and Coughlin ) that something has already been set in motion behind the scene .

I agree , I don't think Paul is ready for Chock..and I think he may be a little bit used to being the star , himself , given how the whole team always seemed so solicitous of him in the Kiss & Cry..

ETA; Oh,rats! My dogs are glaring at me, I must go...but I wanted to ask, what happens to their funding, now that they've split ? I'll be rushing back to see if anyone knows.

 

[chuckm]

I can't see Skate Canada releasing Paul to skate for another country. They wouldn't release Leif Gislason, whose one accomplishment was a bronze JGP event medal. Crone/Poirier certainly have achieved far more than that.

The reason he'd have to sit out a year would be because if he found a partner currently skating for another country, that skater would be switching countries, hence the delay.

 

[backoutsideedge]

I don't know, colleen. He's implied he'd be willing to skate for another country (after sitting out the year, as that is "the price to pay").

I don't think he implied that at all. He implied that he'd be willing to LOOK for a partner outside Canada, not SKATE for another country.

I don't think SC would release him. Any girl he's going to skate with would have to skate for Canada.

 

[colleen o'neill]

I'm beginning to think it's rather odd that right off the bat ,he would even have mentioned looking for a partner with the stipulation that she be of similar abilities to Vanessa , and in the next breath stating that he'd be willing to look abroad,even if it meant sitting out... unless he already had a partner ,or had one in mind.. Surely , at this supposedly early stage, you would expect an announcement that he was looking for a partner, and then a later announcement ( or it might leak out ) that the search wasn't working out and he had to entertain looking abroad.

ETA; I meant to add : anyone who would be willing to sit out a year , theoretically , should be equally willing to give a partner of slightly less ability a year to catch up ? That would be a much easier wish list to fill in Canada , but it's an option that was never mentioned , IIRC.

 

[ImaginaryPogue]

Ah, true everyone.

There was a lot of puffery about Coughlin teaming up with Denney before it happened, so I'm definitely curious. The thing is, who internationally is (a) of comparable abilities and/or can get their within a year, (b) is willing to skate for Canada and (c)is with a federation that would release her? Additionally, keep in mind that citizenship for Canada takes three years, so Sochi is already out as a goal (I don't know about expedited citizenship in Canada). SO if they were serious about it, the goal would likely be for 2018 in Peyonchang (assumption, of course).

But going along with that, presuming it will all work, I'd be interested in seeing him with Ekaterina Riazanova (I know, she'd never get a release, is currently in a successful partnership, and I'd actually rather see her back with Guerreiro).