Your favorite all time pairs teams?

rain said:

This thread inspired me to go back and watch M/D's FS from 1991 worlds (the best performance of the program, IMO). This is maybe the most brilliant pairs choreography of all time. Every movement is placed perfectly with the music. It builds and recedes and builds again. They were doing tons of transitions before transitions were a thing. Every time I watch it I see some new genius detail. The only choreography I've seen that even comes close is some of Laurie Nichol's work for S/H, such as their FS at worlds this season. But man, if you tweaked that 1991 program for COP it could still win a gold medal to this day. We don't see innovation like this much anymore, even from teams that can perform really good, clean elements. It still gives me chills every time I watch it.

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skateluvr said:

Yes Arthur was a strong partner but he often did not look in shape. In those pro competitions he looked like he wasn’t practicing. I feel he benefitted fron the Russian lock on pairs. His partners looked good and I preferred the second one because she was very flexible at a time when that wasn’t as important so they had some good moves. Actually there is only one Russian pair I thought was very over rated. It was the90s and I think they won 1 worlds. I can picture them. Her hair bugged me. I can’t recall their names they were so forgettable. I don’t think they even were mentioned in the thread. Now I must try to finr the name. They were not dreadful simply not memorable. I do have memory issues but this team didn’t stand out to me. Her hair was so curly almost like a strangely shaped fro. Any one know their name?

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skateluvr said:

I posted and I don’t see it. Anyway I could not find the 2000 LP of Shen and Zhao but had they been Russian they would have more medals than most. They were beaten by Petrova and Tikhonov who won because Elena and Anton didn’t skate likely injured. s/z They did make a couple mistakes in Vancouver and he was well into his thirties. I’m so glad they got that gold because they should have been the gold medalists at other events.I can’t revisit the silver medalist Shen and Zhao on youtube because only the SP from 200O is there but Petrova Tikhonov are a pair I had totally forgotten. That was them - world gold medalists. Couple small mistakes in the LP but utterly boring. Iit is kind of sad Shen and Zhao didn’t get the marks they deserved - four Olympics. Well like Aliona there is a lot of great skating on you tube, they did many amazing skates and it took four Olympics and an older and injured Hongbo to finally get Olympic Gold. When I think of Vancouver I don’t even recall pairs because Dance was huge and two stars took gold and silver. But it was all about Yuna vs. Mao. So no offense if anyone recalls Petrova / Tikhonov but Russian pairs have had a lock up until recently. Aliona is Russian. And Bruno was French? Not sure how she ended up in Germany but great Russian women have made pairs a tradition.

I really must talk about some other American pairs who skated in the shadows of the Russians. In the 80’s we of course had Tai and Randy who were great but injured. No one seems to remember the Carruthers but they won silver in the Olympics and they were terrific. How could I forget them in this discussion? Jenni Meno and Todd Sand took the classiclal approach and Katia loved them calling them great skaters and a beautiful married couple. They didn’t crack the top. An American pair who I feel were great and would have done better in the medals perhaps were Ina and Dunjien. Kyoko was fearless and did great tricks with both her partners. But there was a Russian lock in those days. And we know it took 2002 and the scandal to break the lock and it changed skating forever. Now we have the amazing French team. So IJS and the 2002 scandal did change skating in every way. It is far less waityour turn in pairs and ice dance.

The GOAT title changes with every era. Technically I don’t think there is much more the top teams can do. Singles have maxed out unless some guy does a quad axel or quintuple but I don’t think we will see that. Ladies juniors next year will be bigger. We will see if Russian ladies under Eteri can maintain the quads as they grow. For me I love the big tricks in pairs but skating skills like Aliona has and her ability to skate to any style comes with many years experience. Aliona is a one of a kind. I think Bruno is more than just a frame. Someone took issue with that word. But in dance and pairs one traditionally watches the lady. Yes I watched Bruno when I could take my eyes of what Aliona was doing. That is how it is in dancing. Some pairs are evenly matched but most times one is better skater than the other. No offense to Bruno fans. He won the gold with her even though I preferred Robin as a figure skater.

So the Russians used to have the edge so to speak in pair skating and I always felt in the old days their ballet training really helped. Who will be the next superstar in skating pairs? Will the USA ever have another pair that can contend for World and Olympic gold? I hope so but in the meantime we enjoy who is best regardless of nationality. It is a much smaller world now than when Gand G skated. Sergei made a mistake that bothered him in 94. I believe he wanted to try again. We will never know how this team would have competed in Nagano. But surely they would have been great. If he lived. So I end on the note I started. It’s nice to see how many people loved this team. Katia said as long as she skated we would remember Sergei but they have a special place in all our hearts. I wonder if she realizes what an impact they had on people? I hope so.

I really feel the Chinese don’t have more gold because the Chinese federation was not powerful. Watching them skate when young and healthy I saw such excitement. They were beautiful skaters not just their huge throws. We see how Sui/Han didn’t have to wait or crack the 6.O system. They have been rewarded for what they do.

There should be another LumChen by now or a great ice dance team. Beijing is still three years away. We will certainly see great pairs from that group for a long time and I have become a Boyang fan. I think his PCS has improved a lot.

I think Nathan if he doesn’t injure himself could win in the Land his family emigrated from. But I’d love to see a great us pair team. Why don’t we have a top pair?????

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skateluvr said:

Yes, it is good that YouTube has some skates. Whatever happened later in life and I don’t know and didn’t read extensively, they were two time us champions. That is not easy to do as we always have decentnskaters although we have never been a pairs powerhouse under 6.0. Russian dominance. I’m not sure why we don’t have a top 4 team in the IJS system that can podium at some events. I like all our current pairs but I don’t see greaness like so many.

Also I too am fan of Braseur and Eisler. I feel because they relied on humor and tricks they didn’t always get the second mark. I think he was considered brash but they were always up against the Russians. Suit Han are the great Chinese of today. But Shen and Zhao did four Olympics and I was watching on YouTube last night and I feel they didn’t win more because of where they came from. The throw jumps were “ the size of a small dwelling” to quote scooter as commentator.

I can’t recall events but I do recall watching and wondering how a certain Russian team could beat them. This team was the only one I didn’t like and I never understood how judges could give thenpm the marks.

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Skater Boy said:

That Russian team where the woman was dropped on her head and they came back to win the Olympic gold medal in I believe 2006

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