2025-26 U.S. Pairs Figure Skating

[ramurphy2005]

Looks like Shin/Nagy who were just at Ice Challenge a few days ago have been subbed out for Chan/Howe for Skate America.

Yep, called it, and still annoyed with USFS shenanigans.

Even though it's on the ISU page, it's still not official on the USFS assignment page. It's still TBD. They just had to name someone by Sept 15th. Naming them to that second spot takes them off the alternates lists in the eyes of the ISU. We all know they were unlikely to get a second GP off the alternates list, but it's still unfair to do that to them.

I think the Skate America spot will end up going to Chan/Howe if they don't pick up a second GP soon.

 

[moonvine]

Yep, called it, and still annoyed with USFS shenanigans.

It’s so wrong of them to do that.

 

[throw_triple_flip]

Ymstill annoyed with USFS shenanigans.

I think it depends on what actually was going on behind the scenes and what the skaters were told.
USFS often uses names a placeholders on entry lists. The highest scoring teams without 2 GP spots were all competing this weekend- that can't be a coincidence, surely?

 

[midori green]

I'm hoping to see Flores/Wang back in their previous impressive form after a rough start to the season. (I assume USFS would've pulled them if they weren't. Are all three spots technically host spots, or was theirs earned/assigned due to junior results?)

 

[ramurphy2005]

I think it depends on what actually was going on behind the scenes and what the skaters were told.
USFS often uses names a placeholders on entry lists. The highest scoring teams without 2 GP spots were all competing this weekend- that can't be a coincidence, surely?

USFS uses placeholders for the JGP, this is the first time I recall them ever using them for the senior GP.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

I think it depends on what actually was going on behind the scenes and what the skaters were told.
USFS often uses names a placeholders on entry lists. The highest scoring teams without 2 GP spots were all competing this weekend- that can't be a coincidence, surely?

I heard that it's possible U.S. fed was waiting to see if Chan/Howe would get a second GP spot, which was possible. But when the opening happened, it occurred at Skate America (Beccari/Guarise WD, if I'm not mistaken). Since 3 U.S. pairs were already named, the next pair after C/H on the alternate list were selected. Thus, the U.S. then decided to pull Shin/Nagy as SA placeholders and officially assigned Chan/Howe. At least, that's the speculated scenario. Chan/Howe's recent very good showing at Trialeti Cup, and their lovely aesthetic performances, despite tech snafus, at NHK, surely aided in the final decisionmaking. It had appeared that Shin/Nagy had finally been made official for Skate America, but ultimately, no.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

I found Shin/Nagy's sp and fp at Ice Challenge on Youtube. I had only been able to locate Liu/ Bedard's fp at IC on YT. I was disappointed because L/B had skated clean in their sp, winning over S/N in that portion, while being slightly edged by S/N in the fp, yet winning overall due to a higher points advantage in the sp. Eventually, I came across a link to L/B's Ice Challenge sp on rumble:

https://rumble.com/v71c9ae-liubedard-icechallenge-2025-sp.html

 

[DemTuppesSeine]

Maybe they sent Shin/Nagy out so much because they wanted them to get their Worlds mins...which they did at Ice Challenge...just my thoughts though.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

Maybe they sent Shin/Nagy out so much because they wanted them to get their Worlds mins...which they did at Ice Challenge...just my thoughts though.

Well, I'm sure U.S. fed desired S/N to get their World minimums, which requires competing at feasible events. Still, that's not a reason for the very poor decision to send S/N to the Beijing qualifier when they were at a point of low confidence having finished behind 3 top U.S. teams at John Nicks, plus a 4th U.S. team: the newly formed pair, Liu/ Bedard.

It was especially poor decisionmaking when two teams with better recent results and longer pairs experience with each other were available. One of those teams, McBeath/ Parkman, had medaled at the Milano test event earlier in 2025. The other team, Chan/ Howe, exude polished maturity and they had previously placed as high as 5th in the world (2023).

 

[throw_triple_flip]

Whatever went on i think it's the best use of that host spot.

 

[crystalspin]

Good luck to all the USA teams tomorrow at Skate America. I'm happy flores/wang are getting their senior debut (if anyone else was watching the practice they looked in good shape!) It's so nice to see plazas/fernandez back competing, I don't think they have ever had a program I didn't like. I really hope chan/howe aren't suffering too much from the time change and then competing right away, Jean Luc was right, when C/H are on they are absolute fire together.

 

[crystalspin]

Woah I'm so glad Starr is switching to pairs!! She has such great potential.

https://www.usfigureskating.org/news/article/andrews-skates-soundtrack-her-own-voice

 

[moonvine]

Well, I'm sure U.S. fed desired S/N to get their World minimums, which requires competing at feasible events. Still, that's not a reason for the very poor decision to send S/N to the Beijing qualifier when they were at a point of low confidence having finished behind 3 top U.S. teams at John Nicks, plus a 4th U.S. team: the newly formed pair, Liu/ Bedard.

It was especially poor decisionmaking when two teams with better recent results and longer pairs experience with each other were available. One of those teams, McBeath/ Parkman, had medaled at the Milano test event earlier in 2025. The other team, Chan/ Howe, exude polished maturity and they had previously placed as high as 5th in the world (2023).

Unless S/N improve dramatically (which I hope they do, I’ve always liked both), they’ll have no need for World Minimums.

 

[moonvine]

Woah I'm so glad Starr is switching to pairs!! She has such great potential.

https://www.usfigureskating.org/news/article/andrews-skates-soundtrack-her-own-voice

Me tooooo and it means she will skate longer instead of retiring soon as I had feared.
Mark Sadusky is planning to skate again starting next year last I heard. Possible partner? Other current available pairs guy I know of is Timmy Chapman but she’d have to move to Boston.

 

[moonvine]

I hear that Chris and Alexa Knisrim are posting themselves doing pairs moves with numbers - 1, 2, etc. what could this mean?

 

[moonvine]

Winter had posted she was looking for a partner and now this…could it be?!?!

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

Unless S/N improve dramatically (which I hope they do, I’ve always liked both), they’ll have no need for World Minimums.

They have their World minimums, though, and judging by how they've been pushed and favored by U.S. fed for assignments, it's not out of the question that U.S. fed decides to send Shin/Nagy to Worlds as the third place team. Particularly if Chan/ Howe get the second Olympics spot due to Efimova unlikely to receive the 3-year wait waiver for her U.S. passport. It might be K/O, Efi/Mit, and Shin/ Nagy at Worlds. I think McBeath/ Parkman should get a shot over S/N at Worlds, but Mc/B, Liu/Bedard, and maybe Val/Max will get 4CCs, to spread out opportunities. It all depends on what happpens at U.S. Nationals, most likely.

 

[crystalspin]

Congrats to F/W on their gp debut, they did much better than early in the season. If they stick together next season, I'm excited to see their continued growth. P/F I'm worried for, their lifts are amazing but they cannot do jumps and throws, and their scoring ability is capped unfortunately because of that.

Really happy for C/H after such a short week. Aside from the fall on the throw they were pretty solid.

 

[Spiralgraph]

I hear that Chris and Alexa Knisrim are posting themselves doing pairs moves with numbers - 1, 2, etc. what could this mean?

It could mean anything. Alexa could want to get in top shape after having a baby. It could mean they're doing pair moves to help their students learn the proper technique on pair elements. Etcetera..

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

Congrats to F/W on their gp debut, they did much better than early in the season. If they stick together next season, I'm excited to see their continued growth. P/F I'm worried for, their lifts are amazing but they cannot do jumps and throws, and their scoring ability is capped unfortunately because of that.

Really happy for C/H after such a short week. Aside from the fall on the throw they were pretty solid.

Max can land jumps very well. When he has issues, it's likely due to being anxious for Val or looking over at her and missing on jumps himself, as a result. Of course, Val has been consistently unreliable with jumps and throws. They are both strong on other elements, especially lifts. The problems of consistently competing sbs jumps for many pairs athletes, brings into question what the reliable training techniques are for pairs skaters, and why it's so hard to correct jumping difficulties in pairs.

Chan/ Howe skated a clean sp at Trialetti Trophy with 71+ score. They fought hard at SA, and actually landed their sbs jumps in the fp. It was the errant second throw that kept C/H from winning the surprise bronze medal, secured by Laurin/ Ethier. But, despite missing the podium, at least, C/H win $6,000 prize money for finishing an unexpected 4th.