2022-23 US Pairs Figure Skating

[moonvine]

Natalia Mishkutenok on Instagram: "Pairs stroking class with Eva Martinek 😁"

86 likes, 1 comments - natalia.mishkutenok on July 6, 2022: "Pairs stroking class with Eva Martinek 😁".

www.instagram.com

He is in the video of this stroking class. so im hoping he has found a partner. No idea who though.

Thank you. I missed a golden opportunity to find out tonight.

So, can’t figure out where else to put this, but I am SO impressed with Timmy Chapman. Wow! If he doesn’t already have one I will make a fan thread for he and his partner when there is an official announcement (provided she is at least 13 of course).

He is absolutely magnetic. He has the biggest smile! And gives off the most positive energy I’ve felt since I met Chris Knierim in Detroit. We talked about him working with Chris, Todd and Jenni. Talked about stuffies (it was his previous partner who liked llamas, he will play with any stuffie). Talked about how fans want to know about retirement (or not). Even if it is bad news - just tell us!!! Talked about how awesome it is Alexa and Brandon are skating another year (he says 1 more). I can’t wait to see him skate this year. Oh and of course I got an autograph.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

^^ Yes, I'm glad Alexa/Brandon are coming back. With the depletion in the U.S. pairs veterans ranks, A&B are needed to lead this new transitional phase, and hopefully three spots will be held on to for at least another season, while up-and-coming teams can gain needed international experience.

It would be cool if Danny O'Shea has found a new partner too. I'm also hopeful about seeing the progress of some other U.S. teams still in the mix.

 

[moonvine]

^^ Yes, I'm glad Alexa/Brandon are coming back. With the depletion in the U.S. pairs veterans ranks, A&B are needed to lead this new transitional phase, and hopefully three spots will be held on to for at least another season, while up-and-coming teams can gain needed international experience.

It would be cool if Danny O'Shea has found a new partner too. I'm also hopeful about seeing the progress of some other U.S. teams still in the mix.

I should have asked Timmy when we were like "just tell us, good or bad just let us know!" But my brain escapes me often when talking to skaters. And he's still a junior!

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

There's a post in the British skating thread indicating that TSL is reporting T.J. Nyman may be trying to skate for GB with a new partner. Haley Beavers is mentioned, but not confirmed. Beavers has competed in ladies singles for the U.S. on the lower levels. She was coached by the legendary Ron Ludington, prior to his death, in 2020.

Nyman was born in Great Britain, so this is not a surprising move, if true. Nyman last competed at Skate Detroit with Sarah Feng, in 2019, before they suddenly split. On the lower levels in the U.S., Nyman competed in men's singles. He also skated pairs with Sarah Rose, before later achieving success in junior pairs for the U.S., with Sarah Feng.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

In other news, apparently Brynne McIsaac is still listed on IcePartnerSearch. McIsaac had been briefly paired up and trained for several months with T.J. Nyman, after a promising, budding pairing with Mark Sadusky. McIsaac and Sadusky were both former singles competitors on the lower levels. They were originally paired by Jim Peterson, in Florida. When Peterson moved to Canton, Michigan with Amanda Evora to start a new pairs program, M/S began training with Sappenfield, in Colorado.

Sappenfield seems to have a tendency for switching pairs partners. Suddenly McIsaac was paired with Nyman. They looked good in training practices, but their pairing apparently fizzled once Nyman had the opportunity to tentatively pair with Aliona Savchenko. We know how that turned out.

So, I wondered how Brynne McIsaac was doing and I did some checking. As I said, she's still listed as searching for a partner. She apparently has moved to Irvine, and Meno/Sand are listed as her coaches. That would seem to be a good place for McIsaac to train. Now seems to be a good time to find a compatible partner and make waves in the U.S. pairs discipline.

Speaking of waves, McIsaac also enjoys water sports, especially scuba diving and boating. Interestingly, McIsaac is also a gun enthusiast. A gun publication found out about her passion and took the opportunity to interview her. I'll link to that publication in a more appropriate section of the forum, since it is a political topic.

 

[moonvine]

In other news, apparently Brynne McIsaac is still listed on IcePartnerSearch. McIsaac had been briefly paired up and trained for several months with T.J. Nyman, after a promising, budding pairing with Mark Sadusky. McIsaac and Sadusky were both former singles competitors on the lower levels. They were originally paired by Jim Peterson, in Florida. When Peterson moved to Canton, Michigan with Amanda Evora to start a new pairs program, M/S began training with Sappenfield, in Colorado.

Sappenfield seems to have a tendency for switching pairs partners. Suddenly McIsaac was paired with Nyman. They looked good in training practices, but their pairing apparently fizzled once Nyman had the opportunity to tentatively pair with Aliona Savchenko. We know how that turned out.

So, I wondered how Brynne McIsaac was doing and I did some checking. As I said, she's still listed as searching for a partner. She apparently has moved to Irvine, and Meno/Sand are listed as her coaches. That would seem to be a good place for McIsaac to train. Now seems to be a good time to find a compatible partner and make waves in the U.S. pairs discipline.

Speaking of waves, McIsaac also enjoys water sports, especially scuba diving and boating. Interestingly, McIsaac is also a gun enthusiast. A gun publication found out about her passion and took the opportunity to interview her. I'll link to that publication in a more appropriate section of the forum, since it is a political topic.

Prospective partner for Danny? I like scuba diving also.

They're still allowing Sappenfield to coach???

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

Nica Digerness and Mark Sadusky are continuing to improve. Nica posted a practice clip yesterday of what looks like a very smooth and beautiful throw 3-salchow, on her Instagram (@figures8rnica). Nica has other promising training clips posted too. Good luck to Nica & Mark!

Apparently, after her surgery and rehab (with further delays due to the pandemic), it has taken Nica time to regain her triples. I think Nica is such a lovely pairs lady. I've always enjoyed watching her. It looks like she and Mark are developing a well-matched partnership.

ETA:
During her rehab, Nica initially was supposed to partner with Ian Meyh. I believe they did begin training together prior to the exodus of skaters from Sappenfield. Meyh ultimately partnered with Ellie Kam, and they've competed in juniors. I don't know whether they are still together.

Meyh looked promising with Chelsea Liu, prior to her decision to move to China to train in pairs, which did not work out in the long run. It's a shame that Chelsea's partnership with Danny O'Shea last season was scuttled due to her head injury. But health and well-being come first.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

Prospective partner for Danny? I like scuba diving also.

They're still allowing Sappenfield to coach???

Well, I wonder, re Sappenfield. I don't know whether she served a suspension or not. She should be fined and made to apologize, rather than attempting to deny or ignore her egregious behavior. At the same time, she does have the ability to teach good pairs skills.

Nica Digerness has probably trained with Sappenfield throughout her career, and perhaps she has not experienced abuse personally. It's also possible that Nica and Mark are being trained by Sappenfield's son, while she only consults at the rink.


Regarding Danny with Brynne. Hmmm, I don't think so. I don't believe Danny is still located in Irvine. Also, Brynne is relatively new to pairs, and she's 22, so probably she'd be best paired with a younger partner, so they can build a career together. As we've heard, Isabelle Martins and Ryan Bedard split. Martins is still in Chicago with Brubaker/ Berton, while Bedard relocated to Irvine. I'm not certain though whether McIsaac and Bedard would be a good match.

 

[happycamper2554]

Regarding Danny with Brynne. Hmmm, I don't think so. I don't believe Danny is still located in Irvine. Also, Brynne is relatively new to pairs, and she's 22, so probably she'd be best paired with a younger partner, so they can build a career together. As we've heard, Isabelle Martins and Ryan Bedard split. Martins is still in Chicago with Brubaker/ Berton, while Bedard relocated to Irvine. I'm not certain though whether McIsaac and Bedard would be a good match.

Danny is in CO. I'm pretty sure i see him in a USA jacket with a partner in this video

Natalia Mishkutenok on Instagram: "Pairs stroking class with Severin 😁"

72 likes, 0 comments - natalia.mishkutenok on July 11, 2022: "Pairs stroking class with Severin 😁"

www.instagram.com

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

^^ What are you referencing @figureskatingandrainbows? Danny O'Shea isn't accused of anything. Also, it looks like Danny is in Colorado training with Mishkutenok, not Sappenfield.

Thanks @happycamper2554. There are some other group training videos posted on Natalia Mishkutenok's IG, with Danny in the mix. I wonder if he has a partner yet, or whether he's just training and doing try-outs?

ETA:
On Mishkutenok's IG about 7 days ago, Danny appears in a group photo which scrolls to a video of a pairs stroking class with Eva Martinik. Danny shows up clearly toward the end of that video. Mishkutenok also posted a smaller group photo of her and Danny with two other female skaters. Danny could be assisting with coaching at the U.S. Olympic training center, while training and looking for a partner? Who knows?

 

[figureskatingandrainbows]

In other news, apparently Brynne McIsaac is still listed on IcePartnerSearch. McIsaac had been briefly paired up and trained for several months with T.J. Nyman, after a promising, budding pairing with Mark Sadusky. McIsaac and Sadusky were both former singles competitors on the lower levels. They were originally paired by Jim Peterson, in Florida. When Peterson moved to Canton, Michigan with Amanda Evora to start a new pairs program, M/S began training with Sappenfield, in Colorado.

Sappenfield seems to have a tendency for switching pairs partners. Suddenly McIsaac was paired with Nyman. They looked good in training practices, but their pairing apparently fizzled once Nyman had the opportunity to tentatively pair with Aliona Savchenko. We know how that turned out.

So, I wondered how Brynne McIsaac was doing and I did some checking. As I said, she's still listed as searching for a partner. She apparently has moved to Irvine, and Meno/Sand are listed as her coaches. That would seem to be a good place for McIsaac to train. Now seems to be a good time to find a compatible partner and make waves in the U.S. pairs discipline.

Speaking of waves, McIsaac also enjoys water sports, especially scuba diving and boating. Interestingly, McIsaac is also a gun enthusiast. A gun publication found out about her passion and took the opportunity to interview her. I'll link to that publication in a more appropriate section of the forum, since it is a political topic.

Oh my god I am SO SORRY (in my defence it was before caffeine) but I had seen that TJ Nyman was trying to make a comeback and that was who my post was intended to be about but in a moment of sheer stupidity I glossed over Danny's name and thought it was TJ whom you were referring to and thus wrote the post. I have nothing against Danny and hope he finds a new partner. Thank you for catching my mistake!

so embarrassing... oh well

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

Does anyone know which summer event took place in Arizona?

Jenni Meno-Sand on Instagram: "Kicking off the competition season in Arizona! #greatparkpairs🇺🇸"

197 likes, 9 comments - teamtoddandjenni on July 16, 2022: "Kicking off the competition season in Arizona! #greatparkpairs🇺🇸".

www.instagram.com

I did some checking and I can answer my own question. Apparently, it was the Cactus Classic July 14-17. It's described as "a national qualifying event for singles and pairs."

 

[moonvine]

Come on Danny. Don't make me message your father on IG and ask.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

^^ It just seems like these days everyone in the skating community prefer to keep personal info and what's going on with their career as close to the vest as possible. This is probably due to how fast gossip and rumors can travel these days, and sometimes be wrong, or possibly cause difficulties during the earlier working stages of tryouts and partner formations, when things aren't completely settled.

For e.g., in junior ice dance, Isabella Flores was finally seen working with a new partner (after the mysterious troubles with her former partner, Dima), but there were no official, nor social media announcements. There was only Flores seen in a group pic with a partner on a coach's Instagram.

Sometime later, Flores posted videos and pics of herself with an entirely different partner. So, the assumption is that she was only in tryouts with the other guy, but something changed or didn't work out b/f a partnership was finalized. Maybe she simply got a request to tryout with the new guy, and Voila! -- they clicked better. Anyway, Flores' tenacity and emotional resilience is commendable. I still don't think she's made an official announcement though.

But that's not unusual. The first time some partnerships surface are when they enter a competition together. Winter Deardorff never officially announced her brief partnership with Jake Pagano, AFAIK. And when they split and she partnered with a skater in Australia, I don't recall hearing about an official announcement. Similar lack of announcements have been the norm in numerous other instances.

 

[theblade]

Self-preservation. Social media is faster than the speed of skating partnerships. We've seen a couple of "we're partnered up" situations end after the three-month or so mark in the past month alone. More skaters are taking the old-school route and not posting that frequently. Restraint can be an infinitely healthier approach.

 

[happycamper2554]

Come on Danny. Don't make me message your father on IG and ask.

Update on the Danny situation. He has been tagged in several posts skating with ariela masarasky. Who is new to pairs. I can't add the post but it is on her profile also in one by natalia m's instagram. No official confirmation

Eta drew meekins said she is looking for a partner. Danny O might be done.

 

[moonvine]

Update on the Danny situation. He has been tagged in several posts skating with ariela masarasky. Who is new to pairs. I can't add the post but it is on her profile also in one by natalia m's instagram. No official confirmation

Eta drew meekins said she is looking for a partner. Danny O might be done.

Let’s hope not.

 

[moonvine]

Come on Danny! I need to see that smile again!

 

[moonvine]

FWIW Sofia Franks mother says Danny has been trying out with different partners.

 

[Kittosuni]

There's a post in the British skating thread indicating that TSL is reporting T.J. Nyman may be trying to skate for GB with a new partner. Haley Beavers is mentioned, but not confirmed. Beavers has competed in ladies singles for the U.S. on the lower levels. She was coached by the legendary Ron Ludington, prior to his death, in 2020.

Nyman was born in Great Britain, so this is not a surprising move, if true. Nyman last competed at Skate Detroit with Sarah Feng, in 2019, before they suddenly split. On the lower levels in the U.S., Nyman competed in men's singles. He also skated pairs with Sarah Rose, before later achieving success in junior pairs for the U.S., with Sarah Feng.

Going to be interesting if the same people here who went after Nyman and Savchenko tried to partner up will have the same energy with this new partnership.