2019-20 U.S. Pairs Figure Skating

[TontoK]

No idea what’s going on with their SBS jumps, but did they bring back the quad twist or are my eyes deceiving me? (I’ve really never been sure where to stop and start with the rotation on twists.)

ETA: No, slowed down a little it’s clearly a triple. Huge, though.

I've not always been an admirer of Chris and Alexa, but I do like these programs. Aside from the SBS jumps, the elements look very strong. Very impressed with the SP spins.

 

[skylark]

I don't think competing at this comp means you're skating for the US. Zhuk/Bidar were also there and they compete for the Czech Republic (if she gets released).

Well, that's interesting. thanks for the info.

 

[Joubabe]

Yes, their twist is as wonderful as ever. Simply amazing. Well, I've heard that they worked with Rafael Arutyunyan on jumps recently. If that's right, he may have changed their jump technique completely; he's known for that, and he's said it takes two years for his work of that kind to show results. If so, it would be in time for the Olympic year. It's puzzling that their jump tempos and beginnings are so far off, but that could be "growing pains" for the new technique. Alexa and Chris seemed tired to me. But, looking at it another way, more positively .... maybe they're purposely making the changes slowly.

Their lifts were all gorgeous!

I hope you're right that their jumps are off because of new technique. It makes total sense because they looked so awkward. Otherwise, their elements looked fantastic, especially for this early in the season. I get what you're saying about them seeming "tired". Maybe they just didn't bring their full performance energy to this event because it's just a small summer comp where they were introducing their new programs. I love the music for their short program but wasn't blown away by the choreography. Hopefully it will develop as the season progresses. The long program, on the other hand, I loved! The music and costumes at first didn't wow me, but when I saw the program I was totally sold on the whole package.

 

[haribobo]

SENIOR
Knierim/Knierim 194.22 Mid Atlantics
Calalang/Johnson 178.21 Detroit
Lu/Mitrofanov 169.75 Cannon TX Open
Serafini/Tran 162.69 Mid Atlantics
Digerness/Neudecker 148.09 Detroit
Mokhova/Mokhov 143.77 Detroit
Timlen/Highgate Brutman 114.66 Mid Atlantics
Lockley/Prochnow 112.69 Skate Milwaukee

TBD- Cain/Leduc, Kayne/O'Shea, Denney/Frazier, Chan/Howe, Pfund/Santillan

JUNIOR
Finster/Nagy 139.11 Detroit
Smirnova/Siianytsia 138.34 Cranberry
Martins/Bedard 136.87 DancePairs Chicago
Deardorff/Johnson 133.42 Mid Atlantics
Knoop/Eisenach 113.52 Mid Atlantics
Fleming/Isbell 106.62 Cranberry
Gonzalez/Jerosch 103.82 Mid Atlantics
Flaum/Wellman 102.66 Mid Atlantics
Burden/Pagano 101.97 Detroit
McClellan/Rounis 100.37 Detroit

 

[skylark]

I hope you're right that their jumps are off because of new technique. It makes total sense because they looked so awkward. Otherwise, their elements looked fantastic, especially for this early in the season. I get what you're saying about them seeming "tired". Maybe they just didn't bring their full performance energy to this event because it's just a small summer comp where they were introducing their new programs.

Yes, I was being hopeful about the jumps, but it also looked to me like Chris and Alexa were using two entirely different jump techniques. Can we be patient enough to wait for Raf's assertion that it will take two years? I don't know. But I think Dave of TSL made a valid point that fans, judges, and objective observers have been waiting seven to eight years already for their jumps to get better.

Another thing struck me after I watched most of the pairs' skates in the Russian test skates. It isn't an original thought, and it's by no means the first time I've thought it or said it, but Holy Cow! Those Russian pairs Perform, with a capital P. ... at least the best ones do. It doesn't matter that they're not technically in a competition. They PERFORM! I was about knocked over by Tarasova/Morozov's SP.

It made me realize that's what felt vaguely tired about Alexa/Chris's programs. They were just doing stuff, just skating. I realize they didn't have anything like the appreciative audience the Russians did, and audiences do give energy back to the skaters. But I felt something lacking in their motivation.

Here's the good thing: it made me appreciate more, in quadruplicate at least, that Ashley and Tim always perform. I went back to their Skate Detroit SP to be sure. It was six weeks earlier in the summer, and only a small number of people in the audience, but I felt an energy from them that seems born from their desire to perform and connect with the audience, with each other, with the music. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nui6w8PEx3U

I also went back to re-watch Ashley and Tim's 2017 SP (their first season together) ... and Johnny Weir singled them out: "they're both performing ... something that is quite rare in American pairs skating."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNlkN7bhk6k

 

[twirlingaround]

Does anyone know how to get see scores from the SWFFSC Fall Classic Competition? I heard Denney and Frazier we’re seen practicing on warm up ice in Ellenton yesterday and I asked my friend who saw them if she could send a pic of results but she wasn’t able to stay to watch them compete or get the results if anyone located a link to results please post

 

[skylark]

On the twist: The Knierims obviously win this, but Cain-LeDuc are suddenly & surprisingly (due to their lack of height difference) a strong No. 2. I noticed this at the end of last season & it was even better at a summer competition I saw. I think this might be the biggest benefit of all their work with the Nina Mozer team.

I'm coming back belatedly to this post, Moxiejan. I was wondering if you could explain what you see in Cain/Leduc's triple twist that has improved, or that makes them noteworthy, and/or deserving of the levels and GOEs that they get from international judges as well as domestic? I'd just really like to know. I know that I think their 3twist is beautiful, high, and with perfect air position by Ashley ... and I also notice that some observers seem to never make mention, or maybe they haven't moved from a conclusion they arrived at when Ashley and Tim were only doing a double, back in 2016.

 

[skylark]

Coming up very quickly is the Salt Lake City US International, from Sept. 17-22. I'm excited for this early showdown! And even more, I'm so looking forward to seeing all the new programs.

US Pairs competing are:

Ashley Cain-Gribble/ Timothy Leduc
Jessica Calalang / Brian Johnson
Tarah Kayne / Daniel O'Shea
Audrey Lu / Misha Mitrofanov

Listed as substitutes:

Nica Digerness / Danny Neudecker
Olivia Serafini / Mervin Tran

 

[Moxiejan]

I'm coming back belatedly to this post, Moxiejan. I was wondering if you could explain what you see in Cain/Leduc's triple twist that has improved, or that makes them noteworthy, and/or deserving of the levels and GOEs that they get from international judges as well as domestic? I'd just really like to know. I know that I think their 3twist is beautiful, high, and with perfect air position by Ashley ... and I also notice that some observers seem to never make mention, or maybe they haven't moved from a conclusion they arrived at when Ashley and Tim were only doing a double, back in 2016.

Even as recently as a year ago, they weren’t getting much height & were having issues with clean catches. What i’m especially liking now is the quick snap into it and, yes, the air position by Ashley that you mentioned. It’s as if at some point in their recent training, they just suddenly “got it” as to the timing they needed.

 

[skylark]

Ashley and Tim won the short program at SLC International! Great skate from them, I especially liked a sequence where they faced the judges (and the camera) with footwork or choreo. Something, anyway.

I think it's okay to list the results of the SP. I hope so. I hope I'm not risking this thread being closed! I'm afraid I'm still nervous about the standards.

76.23 Cain-Gribble/Leduc
74.90 Tarasova/Morozov
67.90 Peng/Jin
64.90 Kayne/O'Shea
63.87 Lu/Mitrofanov
62.75 Ruest/Wolfe
62.11 Calalang/Johnson
60.02 Matte/Ferland
56.32 Wang/Boudreau-Audet

 

[el henry]

I liked that segment from Ashley and Tim too, anything that highlights their showmanship

The guidelines say that it is OK to discuss the comp after the segment is done:

"You may discuss competitions in threads outside the Competition Forums after each segment of an event (i.e. Short Program, Free Skate, Rhythm Dance, and Free Dance), but not during the specific segment of the event that is currently on-going."

https://www.goldenskate.com/forum/showthread.php?81892-2019-20-U-S-Pairs-Figure-Skating/page3

 

[skylark]

I liked that segment from Ashley and Tim too, anything that highlights their showmanship

The guidelines say that it is OK to discuss the comp after the segment is done:

"You may discuss competitions in threads outside the Competition Forums after each segment of an event (i.e. Short Program, Free Skate, Rhythm Dance, and Free Dance), but not during the specific segment of the event that is currently on-going."

https://www.goldenskate.com/forum/showthread.php?81892-2019-20-U-S-Pairs-Figure-Skating/page3

thank you! Nothing like reading the guidelines, when in doubt. :

 

[princessalica]

I loved Tim and Ashley's reaction to the score! It took a moment for them to catch the score, and then even after Ashley got really excited Tim was playing dumb/being silly and holding up his hand over his ear like did I really hear that and then repeated 76?

 

[chuckm]

Hell has frozen over!! Kate FINSTER and Balasz NAGY won the silver medal at the Gdansk JGP.

 

[TontoK]

I loved Tim and Ashley's reaction to the score! It took a moment for them to catch the score, and then even after Ashley got really excited Tim was playing dumb/being silly and holding up his hand over his ear like did I really hear that and then repeated 76?

I have to say that I am very impressed with their progress. They are a completely different level from a year ago.

I frankly thought they'd have a ceiling because of his physical strength, but that twist and the lift looked very powerful and confident.

This was a very well delivered program, and they had a vibe that told me it wasn't unusual for them to hit all these elements.

 

[ladyjane]

Thanks to Jackie Wong I've been able to rewatch the SPs and I loved Ashley and Tim's skate. I liked them last year, mostly because of their beautiful lines, but I agree that they've really improved. Just hoping they'll keep this up and improve even further along the season.

 

[natsulian]

Kate and Nagy were spectacular. Not only did they manage to nab the silver, they earned the fifth highest total pairs scores of the season thus far. Congrats to the both of them and from here on out, it's onwards and upwards.

 

[el henry]

And Ashley and Tim win the US Classic!

No, it wasn't a perfect comp and no one had perfect skates, but that's sport. If it was just a battle of BVs, teams wouldn't need to go out on the ice

They stepped it up and did what they had to do.:agree: And I am loving the step sequences, lines, partnership of equals in emoting and showmanship, that which is classic Ashley and Tim.

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

Great start to the season for Ashley and Tim!!!! Fab SP ... definitely stuff to work out in the FS but strong start - especially soundly defeating T/M (even without the home PCS, the victory itself was indisputable and they were the class of the field.

 

[readernick]

Great start to the season for Ashley and Tim!!!! Fab SP ... definitely stuff to work out in the FS but strong start - especially soundly defeating T/M (even without the home PCS, the victory itself was indisputable and they were the class of the field.

Definitely too high of score, probably 8 points to high between the short and the long. Deserved win though.. I like their performance quality. They need to continue working on the quality of the pairs elements. Throws and twists need more height.