Yes, there is no refinement or elegance in US pairs skating. It's like none of them have ever attended a ballet class in their life, save Caitlin Yankowskas.
Please please stop putting down U.S. pairs teams. Understand what it takes, and what it means to build to reach a higher level. Champions do not come out of nowhere. Marissa and Simon are a perfect case in point. They are the only U.S. pairs team currently on the eligible level to have been together for a long time: 7 years -- that makes a huge difference in a partnership. Despite their tightness due to nerves in the fp, Simon and Marissa didn't allow their nerves and Simon's miscue on the sbs spin to hold them back. They held it together and they are clearly the class of this field, in the absence of Caydee and John (and unfortunately the break-up of Rockne and Mary Beth).
Castelli & Shnapir got a bit lucky today. That LP would have cost them against some stronger teams.
Considering the state of US pairs for the past decade (at least), I think it's natural and okay to be critical of a program that is clearly NOT working. Fans are not the only ones speaking out about it - US pairs teams of the past have spoken out about the attitude of the current situation. Now the media's chiming in. This is not something new. The only way to get it to change is if the USFSA takes a different approach in how they cultivate these teams - and it starts at the club level.
Why bring those negative thoughts into this thread, then? No one has dared suggest anyone break up - or even mentioned the rumors. in fact most said Baga should just focus on pairs skating.
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As Jo-Ann Barnas has been discussing on Twitter, the ever-increasing popularity of ice dance in the U.S. is affecting the available talent pool for pairs.
Besides teams not staying together this is a country where little girls want to be singles skaters. Imagine someone like Kiri Baga if she had decided 5 years ago to be a Pairs skater instead of doing singles.
Besides teams not staying together this is a country where little girls want to be singles skaters. Imagine someone like Kiri Baga if she had decided 5 years ago to be a Pairs skater instead of doing singles.
Besides teams not staying together this is a country where little girls want to be singles skaters. Imagine someone like Kiri Baga if she had decided 5 years ago to be a Pairs skater instead of doing singles.