2024 Four Continents Pairs Short Program

[Diana Delafield]

American teams seemed tight; understandable with the immediate turnover from Nationals. I am disappointed in the performance points awarded to Valentina and Max. Valentina has such a lovely presence on the ice and her positions in that final lift are spectacular. I think they really captured Paganini and deserved better PCS numbers. I also wonder if Danny is a bit too "instructive" with Ellie - at some point you have to look at your partner and just let her do it.

I haven't seen them too often, but they always look to me like a coach and his student in a pro-am competition. Maybe it's just the age difference.

 

[Diana Delafield]

Ooh, she looks angry at Max. That doesn't seem like her.

I don't know her personally, an old friend's daughter trains at the same rink so anything I know is second-hand. I'm told Deanna is such a perfectionist she blames herself for anything that mars a performance. If the arena roof were to cave in, she'd think of something she did less than perfectly that would have caused that. When she's seen looking icy, she's looking internally but any person standing in her line of vision appears to be the focus.

Other opinions may vary, of course.

 

[skylark]

I haven't seen them too often, but they always look to me like a coach and his student in a pro-am competition. Maybe it's just the age difference.

Maybe (to you) To me, it's the way Danny, at some point or another, seems to be instructing Ellie during their performances. In my view, that doesn't build confidence, even if it's positive. Let her do it. Someone said that before they were partners, Danny was helping coach her. I'll watch and try to be fair ... they may be able to build a more balanced partnership over time.

If you want an example, go back and watch K/OS's short program here. In the few seconds before the throw triple, he's talking to her constantly. It may not look like instruction to you, of course. Everyone is free to interpret.

 

[Diana Delafield]

Maybe (to you) To me, it's the way Danny, at some point or another, seems to be instructing Ellie during their performances. In my view, that doesn't build confidence, even if it's positive. Let her do it. Someone said that before they were partners, Danny was helping coach her. I'll watch and try to be fair ... they may be able to build a more balanced partnership over time.

If you want an example, go back and watch K/OS's short program here. In the few seconds before the throw triple, he's talking to her constantly. It may not look like instruction to you, of course. Everyone is free to interpret.

It's more just the way he gives her encouraging "proud-father" smiles, more like an experienced, supportive coach at the boards than a partner on the ice. Nothing wrong with him helping her with her nerves in a cheerleading sort of way, but it gives them a bit of an unbalanced look emotionally rather than an equal partnership. To me, anyway. I dance with my teacher in pro-am ballroom competitions and many of the professional dancers look at their amateur partners like that. Mine doesn't. He's obviously a better dancer than I am, but once the music starts he lets me do my steps my way and doesn't obviously smile me through it.

 

[4everchan]

It's more just the way he gives her encouraging "proud-father" smiles, more like an experienced, supportive coach at the boards than a partner on the ice. Nothing wrong with him helping her with her nerves in a cheerleading sort of way, but it gives them a bit of an unbalanced look emotionally rather than an equal partnership. To me, anyway. I dance with my teacher in pro-am ballroom competitions and many of the professional dancers look at their amateur partners like that. Mine doesn't. He's obviously a better dancer than I am, but once the music starts he lets me do my steps my way and doesn't obviously smile me through it.

i think you are putting into words some of my impressions too. i couldn't quite express it. I know they have a lot of fans. I appreciate many of their skills. At the same time, I don't connect with them because they are not a "convincing" team to me for the reasons you have pointed out.

I haven't seen chan and howe this year... but they were my favourite team last year.

I like Liu Nagy. However, they have to start landing stuff more and more and more.

So that's my take on US pairs. I didn't get to watch their nationals this year though so maybe i would have other things to say but for K/O'S, I am not their biggest fan. It's okay, they have a good crowd of devoted fans already and do not need me

 

[Diana Delafield]

So that's my take on US pairs. I didn't get to watch their nationals this year though so maybe i would have other things to say but for K/O'S, I am not their biggest fan. It's okay, they have a good crowd of devoted fans already and do not need me

My daughter watches whatever North American pairs events she can see, living in the UK. She's not a fan of those two. She always calls him Mr Clean, because of the bald head, muscles, and permanent big smile

 

[skylark]

I haven't seen chan and howe this year... but they were my favourite team last year.

I'd forgotten how good they are, and how much I love them. Their SP from Nationals (in @labgoat 's rewatch thread is very much worth a look.

I like Liu Nagy. However, they have to start landing stuff more and more and more.

Yeah, even I get a little "say, what?" when they don't land. As Ashley and Adam said during their skates at Nationals, Chelsea can land things, it's just the mental challenge during comps. But I always come back to why they're skating ... they've said so ... because they love to skate, and they love working on things to make them better. It's not about the result. And then I remember that's why I like them so much, too, because of their joy, connection, music, and beautiful moves and synergy.

 

[4everchan]

I'd forgotten how good they are, and how much I love them. Their SP from Nationals (in @labgoat 's rewatch thread is very much worth a look.


Yeah, even I get a little "say, what?" when they don't land. As Ashley and Adam said during their skates at Nationals, Chelsea can land things, it's just the mental challenge during comps. But I always come back to why they're skating ... they've said so ... because they love to skate, and they love working on things to make them better. It's not about the result. And then I remember that's why I like them so much, too, because of their joy, connection, music, and beautiful moves and synergy.

fair enough but at some point, no result = no funding = no competitions = no opportunity to land things during competitions = less and less confidence

pretty common with canadian single skating and i do not wish this on anyone

 

[readernick]

fair enough but at some point, no result = no funding = no competitions = no opportunity to land things during competitions = less and less confidence

pretty common with canadian single skating and i do not wish this on anyone

True for pair teams who have trained for a long time without improvement, but they've been together less than a year. They started in May of last year. It's normal for new teams to struggle. It should be a process at this point. I think this kind of assessment can be made after around 3 years. In the beginning, struggles are normal and having a positive view of them is a good idea.

 

[4everchan]

True for pair teams who have trained for a long time without improvement, but they've been together less than a year. They started in May of last year. It's normal for new team teams to struggle. It should be a process at this point. I think this kind of assessment can be made after around 3 years. In the beginning, struggles are normal and having a positive view of them is a good idea.

That's why I said . At some point. I wish them the best