2018 Olympic Season: Pairs Figure Skating

Skater Boy · Sep 16, 2017

In reading these posts Sui Han are popular and the faves. They have that traditoinal Chinese fine skating and pairs skills form S and Z to P and T to the rather perfunctory but still in the Chinese vein Zhangs. It took S and H a while but they got their world title - I thought they would have had it far earlier in 2015 actually. And while James and Cipres are the new apparent IT team and the extremely vocal and well loved Savchenko and her partner Massot those look like the faves. One wonders which Russian team which almost is expectantly will challenge for a podium. there are a lot of other potentila team then there is Duhamel and Radford. For many reasons I hope this team podiums; I know it is life but it seems so unfortunate for them and skaters like in the past Mao and Patrick Chan that their best years were not olympic years. D and R have fought the critics, and Duhamel in particular has shown feist. Sadly popularity sometimes is not based on justice, fairness or even logic. Not to say Savchenko doesn't deserve her success but she is fairly lucky. I see such strong ladies skaters and I am talking in will power of say Duhamel, Kristen MT, Kavaguti but Savchenko for whatever reason is the chosen one and is liked by the fans at least on this website and the judges and has done well. For the others, ,they went for the medal and oly Duhamel is likely to get a chance at it. I appreciate everyone works hard and has their story. But in the end there so few podium spots and so many dreamers and competitors.

mel in particular has shown great

Sugarpova · Sep 25, 2017

Im mean this year & Im equally rooting against some pairs as well as FOR others :laugh:

so I selfishly want SH & other chinese pairs, JC, SK & TM to succeed & DR & SM to lose

also excieted about Cain/LeDuc, Marchei/Hotarek + personally I have a soft spot for the Knierims maybe more as ppl than skaters so good luck to them :eek:

:

skylark · Sep 25, 2017

f1nnstep said:
Hi All,

Do we know for sure that Volosozhar/Trankov will not come back? At some point there where some rumors that they were training but I assume those are passed now?

Personally I would like to see some greatness and classic harmony again in the Pairs event.

:agree:

I read an interview with Max (in June or July?) where he said they'd decide in the next four months. It worked out to be October, which is still plenty of time for the reigning Olympic champions to roar into Russian Nationals!

I think it's a good sign, at this point, that they're being quiet. Just working and playing down any speculation. I don't know whether their main desire is for another gold medal. I have my doubts about that. It could be ... I'm hoping I guess ... to uphold and show us again what beautiful pairs skating is, and for the pure love of their sport.

ancientpeas · Sep 25, 2017

Pairs is my favourite discipline. I love pairs. It was my first figure skating love due to G/G in 88.

I'm a big fan of S/H and I found myself really enjoying the third Chinese team P/J. Her jumps are problematic though at times. I want S/H to win the Gold medal.

I'm not a big fan of S/M. I don't root against them but I'm not a fan. I did really enjoy their short last year so I will have to see their material this year. Maybe I'll become a fan. I'm open to it. They have an incredible twist.

If T/M had good material (their last SP was pretty good I thought) I'd be a bigger fan of them. They have a lovely look and line and the twist is lovely but their material is.. dreck.

I'm on the fence about Stobova/Klimov. Sometimes I love and sometimes it doesn't work for me. When it works it's very interesting.

I like J/C from France and wouldn't mind them winning a medal.

I'd also like to see S-K/K have a great season. I think they have a great chance at helping the US do well in the team event. Go Alexa and Chris!

I'd really like to see Julieanne and Charlie have an injury free season. they are my favourite Canadian team. I'd also like to see I/M have a great final season together. Maybe they will skate in the team event?

In the end though I just want it to be fair. May the best team win.

randomsplashes · Sep 26, 2017

Oh man, this is going to be intense and possibly wide open for any of the top 5 teams to take. I'd love to Duhamel and Radford to be on the podium (especially if this is going to be their last year) as well as my favorite pairs Sui/Han. Also rooting for Savchenko/Massot and my other favorite Canadian team Ilyushechkina/Moscovitch!

pearly · Sep 27, 2017

France has apparently announced they will not be using their second pairs spot.

4everchan · Sep 27, 2017

pearly said:
France has apparently announced they will not be using their second pairs spot.

i guess they feel James and Cipres don't need protection or are they out of a second team?

I am pretty sure that doesn't mean that the USA gets two berths now... but can anyone confirm whether or not the unused spot for France will simply go to a Nebelhorn qualifier?

pearly · Sep 27, 2017

I'm pretty sure France has a second pairs team (unless they retired or split). There is no minimum TES requirement for the Olympics, right?

4everchan · Sep 27, 2017

I think one may have issues with citizenship

pearly · Sep 27, 2017

Ok I checked and there is a min TES score for the Olympics.

bobbob · Sep 28, 2017

Pairs is also my favorite of the four--a combination of the athleticism of singles and the grace of ice dance, with a unique chemistry on the ice. There is always so much excitement in pairs too with old teams and veterans competing with new and improved teams.

In terms of the upcoming season, Sui/Han and Savchenko/Massot have to be regarded as favorites. Sui/Han are the stronger team technically with no major holes in technical ability or skating skill--just solid elements all around and well matched beautiful skating. S/M also have some really amazing elements but their throws are an issue and Bruno's skating skills are not as good as Aliona's. In terms of sentimentality, it is Aliona's last go around, the culmination of over a decade of hard work at the top stages for her while Sui/Han have home ice in 2022 so I do feel that could work for S/M and against S/H.

Other contenders are Tarasova/Morosov, who continually disappoint with their programs but are very strong technically, Stolbova/Klimov, who have a high scoring potential but have made lots of mistakes recently and can't seem to get a solid twist. Duhamel/Radford have an improved short program but they NEED to skate cleanly to medal because sloppy elements really seem to bring down their programs as a whole. James/Cipres have a cool aesthetic and can certainly contend for a medal if they skate more cleanly than the others. Yu/Zhang and Peng/Jin have the fact that they are China's #2 and #3 really working against them--otherwise, their PCS would be much, much higher, especially with their nice programs this season. I/M, who have a very nice quality to their skating, need to get their jumps together which I don't see happening, so it's not likely that they medal.

Chemistry66 · Sep 29, 2017

Here's the direct link to my Pairs spots tracking, complete as of the end of the Nebelhorn Pairs FS.

pearly · Sep 29, 2017

Countries which have qualified a pair at Nebelhorn are:

Australia
Austria
North Korea
Israel
Czech Republic.

That fills all the spots available for these Winter Olympic Games, unless one of these countries drops their spot. (Just in case anyone is still wondering - the US only has one spot.)

skylark · Sep 29, 2017

bobbob said:
Pairs is also my favorite of the four--a combination of the athleticism of singles and the grace of ice dance, with a unique chemistry on the ice..

:agree: Well said.

Duhamel/Radford have an improved short program

I love Julie Marcotte as a pairs choreographer, she has such a delicate touch and makes the best of each pair's talents and style. But I agree with you that D/R SP is much improved ... it seems less like skate then jump, skate then jump ... and more like the whole program is integrated with the jumps and other elements serving the performance rather than the other way around. So I think D/R were right to get "new eyes" on their skating. I don't know how much of the improvement that I see has to do with John Kerr's contribution to the choreography and how much is due to John Zimmerman's coaching. I tend to credit Zimmerman at least as much as Kerr. Zimmerman notably improved J/C in one year, and I think it's partly that his specialty is creating a better connection between the partners and smoothing out the rough corners.

but they NEED to skate cleanly to medal because sloppy elements really seem to bring down their programs as a whole

Meagan loses all semblance of the performance and the program when she misses jumps. She's like Gracie Gold that way.

Ender · Sep 29, 2017

My dream podium is
S/M
S/H
D/R

Bluediamonds09 · Sep 29, 2017

As a skating fan who never really watched the pairs discipline, I have to admit I'm kinda excited after watching this golden skate pair preview video! Got me pumped up!
So since I'm kinda ignorant of pairs:
1) who are the top 3 pairs right now who could realistically get an Olympic medal?
2) Cain/leduc seemed ecstatic about their pcs score for the free skate at nebelhorn today. But is 59+ a good pcs in pairs skating?
3) what's the biggest pairs matchup on the GP?

Thanks.

4everchan · Sep 29, 2017

Bluediamonds09 said:
As a skating fan who never really watched the pairs discipline, I have to admit I'm kinda excited after watching this golden skate pair preview video! Got me pumped up!
So since I'm kinda ignorant of pairs:
1) who are the top 3 pairs right now who could realistically get an Olympic medal?
2) Cain/leduc seemed ecstatic about their pcs score for the free skate at nebelhorn today. But is 59+ a good pcs in pairs skating?
3) what's the biggest pairs matchup on the GP?

Thanks.

1) i think that any pairs in the top 8 at worlds last year have a shot at a medal. you should watch that event and watch Boston 2016 for D/R. They were injured in 2017 so their 7th place finish is not exactly the potential... If you cut it to 3 pairs... it's a tough call. Sui/Han, Savchenko/Massot and then it's between D/R if they find their momentum back... or Tarasova/Morozov if the judges decide to reward their awful programs anyways...

but the field is so deep.... that I wouldn't be surprised to see a podium without some of these contenders... it's actually tighter and deeper than men IMHO
2) 59 is very low. It's about 14-15th place last year at worlds....good scores are from 70-75.

3) If I am not mistaken, D/R will meet S/M twice in GP this year. I would say that's a pretty big match up as since D/R finished 7th, they are not seeded... so S/M will also have another team ranked 4to 6 in the field.. Already, we will have an idea of how deep the field will be...

and to throw a wild card : I/M : if they keep improving as steadily as they have so far, they are adding a quad salchow throw... their SBS are getting better.. and they have beautiful presentation... it will be interesting where they would place, if they went clean.

skylark · Sep 29, 2017

Bluediamonds09 said:
2) Cain/leduc seemed ecstatic about their pcs score for the free skate at nebelhorn today. But is 59+ a good pcs in pairs skating?
.

It's all relative. Ashley and Tim only began their partnership 16 months ago. They've made remarkable progress technically since then. But they've gotten more attention and praise for their classic pair lines, their unison, and the way they perform the heck out of their programs. Last year they gradually got the elements under their belt, though of course they're continuing to refine and advance them. But the PCS improvement means that international judges are noticing them. It's very encouraging.

Ashley said that their focus as a team is to stay connected, and enjoy the process. Their faces after today's free skate shows that that's exactly what they're doing ... enjoying each step along the way, and enjoying their partnership.

Jeffchiddy · Sep 29, 2017

I have to say I've really expected SH's performance in the Olympic season until I saw their new programs...... It's just an unbelievable disappointment to see two old school and boring programs from them especially when they've already contributed too many classic programs and surprises for three years or even since the first time they came into our eyesight. I've even never thought they would make mistakes on programs. They can do every single elements beautifully and control almost every style, but they give us two worst programs in this circle right in the Olympic season, which are too awful to save even with their performance and technical ability...As for SM, I love their well-choreographed programs, especially compared to SH. And I do believe they can have better artistic effect even if their performance ability isn't a patch on SH.So beyond competition, for the first time I'll like SM more than SH (though I'll still support SH in competition as their fan...)

andromache · Oct 1, 2017

S/M's LP is a masterpiece. Better than last season, as there are no pretenses at over-acted romance. And sooooo much innovation!!!!!

God willing, S/H's LP will be re-worked into a masterpiece. Their team (unlike Mozer, apparently) is SMART. Get a new LP or re-work Turandot.

T/M's LP is a joke. A beautiful, quality pair saddled with their worst program yet. But they keep getting the scores, so who cares?

D/R have the best SP they've ever had, but clearly aren't geling with the LP. They'll mess around with different things until it works - if there's enough time for them to find the right combination.

J/C are precious angels who should win everything and shock everyone.

ETA: God, I couldn't think of anything to say about St/Kl so I rewatched their Sochi LP - it's amazing. Addams Family is campy as heck, but they skated their hearts out, and interpreted and sold it beyond what anyone else could have done. If we see them healthy this season, I'd love to see that joy that we haven't seen since 2014.

2018 Olympic Season: Pairs Figure Skating

Skater Boy

Sugarpova

#EmpressAirlines #SinKatsapologist

skylark

Gazing at a Glorious Great Lakes sunset

ancientpeas

The Notorious SEW

randomsplashes

pearly

4everchan

pearly

4everchan

pearly

bobbob

Chemistry66

Mmmmm, tacos.

pearly

skylark

Gazing at a Glorious Great Lakes sunset

Ender

Match Penalty

Bluediamonds09

4everchan

skylark

Gazing at a Glorious Great Lakes sunset

Jeffchiddy

andromache

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