2026-27 U.S. Pairs Figure Skating

[BlissfulSynergy]

Time for a new thread for a new season. The ISP list has not been accurately updated yet, but we have seen the preliminary GP assignments. It should be exciting to watch how all the new and returning teams evolve over the next four years. Of course, rules changes prevent many new teams from getting GP assignments. We'll have to wait and see which new U.S. pairs teams might get the tbd spots at Skate America. Plus, Challenger series events should be even more exciting to watch this season.

Returning teams:
Alisa Efimova/ Misha Mitrofanov
Linzy Fitzpatrick/ Keyton Bearinger
Chelsea Liu/ Ryan Bedard
Valentina Plazas/ Maximiliano Fernandez
Naomi Williams/ Lachlan Lewer
Sydney Cooke/ Matthew Kennedy

New teams:
Starr Andrews/ Daniil Parkman
Katie McBeath/ Balazs Nagy
Audrey Shin/ Spencer Howe
Lyndsay Ream/ Danny Neudecker

More announcements to come, as Mark Sadusky has teased a new partnership. And the following may or may not be looking:

Emily Chan
Timmy Chapman
Olivia Flores
Danylo Siianytsia
Luke Wang (maybe he's taking break to go to school and continue coaching)

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

Regarding U.S. junior pairs. From current sources, here's a non-definitive list:

Elizabeth Hansen/ Damir Yakupov (recently announced; he's Russian)
Sofia Jarmoc/ Luke Witkowski
Elena Kerr/ Sam Herbert
Reagan Moss/ Jakub Galbavy
Kaitlyn Oh/ Michael Chapa [ETA: they have aged out of juniors]
Baylen Taich/ Nikolai Apter
Teryn Kim/ Laz Lune (new)
Elizabeth Yun/ Mitchell Castelletti
Olivia Jung/ Carter Griffin (new)
Gabriella Kaplan/ Matt Curtis
Juliet Meek/ Devin Meek
Genesis Lira/ Beck Strommer (new)
Tallulah Tanner/ Blake McGee (new)

Katie Shen/ Connor O'Grady (new, not sure if they are juniors or seniors)

Addyson MacDonald & Aaron Felberbaum -- split
Milada Kovar & Jared McPike (recently split?)

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

I saw an IG post showing a training clip at SCOB of Audrey Shin and Spencer Howe. I don't think it was posted by either Spencer or Audrey, just someone sleuthing at the rink. In any case, in the jumping passes clip that was posted, they look really good.

I notice that their Clair de Lune sp will also include music from Ed Sheeran's Photograph. Correction: As noted by @DemTuppesSeine, it's probably Cody Fry's Clair de Lune/ Photograph rendition I'm really interested to see this sp.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

There was a question in another thread about how recent ISU rules changes have impacted new U.S. teams. Here's a breakdown. Please correct or add to my account, as needed.

The changed ISU rule from top 12 placement to top 10 placement at Worlds over the last three years impacts new U.S. pairs teams as follows:

Kam/ O'Shea and Efimova/ Mitrofanov fit into the top 10 category, so E/M have two GP spots. K/O are out and may be retiring, but haven't said. (K/O are scheduled to perform in a big pairs show in Japan, headlined by Miura/ Kihara, later this year).

Last year, Flores/Wang, K/O, E/M, Shin/Nagy, McBeath/ Parkman, and Chan/Howe all competed on the GP. Only E/M out of these six teams, are currently assigned to 2 GPs.

New pairings: Andrews/ Parkman, Shin/Howe, and McBeath/ Nagy, are split/ returning teams. All three would have benefited from the top 12 ruling, but not the new top 10 rule. So, they will have to rely on getting one of the two SA host spots. I think that under the top 12 ruling, Shin/Howe might have gotten 2 GP spots, and the other two new teams, at least one each. They will all need Challenger events to get more competitions under their belts this season.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

To add: I think Plazas/ Fernandez also competed at a GP last season, so that's 2 of 7 U.S. teams returning, along with Liu/ Bedard making their GP debut. And possibly, two of three newly paired U.S. teams will get a SA host spot.

ETA: Also, Williams/ Lewer have another GP assignment this season (as others have noted, it's not their first).

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

I see that Starr and Daniil announced on IG that their debut season sp is to Libertango & the Mr and Mrs Smith movie soundtrack*, choreo by Renee Roca.

I wonder if John Kerr choreographed their fp? They were pictured with Kerr during the recent U.S. pairs camp.


*Why is it always a tango that so many pairs and ice dance teams fall back on? Both music selections are sharp and interesting. But still, tangos are so overdone. Hopefully, Renee has brought something special to the choreo.

 

[DemTuppesSeine]

ETA: Also, Williams/ Lewer are making their senior GP debut this season.

Didn't they have that already? I think they were at Finlandia in 24/25

 

[DemTuppesSeine]

I saw an IG post showing a training clip at SCOB of Audrey Shin and Spencer Howe. I don't think it was posted by either Spencer or Audrey, just someone sleuthing at the rink. In any case, in the jumping passes clip that was posted, they look really good.

I notice that their Clair de Lune sp will also include music from Ed Sheeran's Photograph. I'm really interested to see how these two pieces will be cut together.

I don't think this is Ed Sheeran. This will most likely be the music that Roman Sadovsky skated to for his free last season...

 

[yuki@thelake]

To add: I think Plazas/ Fernandez also competed at a GP last season, so that's 2 of 7 U.S. teams returning, along with Liu/ Bedard making their GP debut. And possibly, two of three newly paired U.S. teams will get a SA host spot.

ETA: Also, Williams/ Lewer are making their senior GP debut this season.

Williams/Lewer were assigned to Finlandia Trophy in the 2024-2025 season as seniors https://www.isuresults.com/results/season2425/gpfin2024/CAT003RS.htm ... but was assigned to JGPs the following year

 

[bckabck]

There are a couple of early season comps this weekend that include pairs, but no clue if any seniors or juniors will go just to get some feedback. Probably still too early for some teams, especially those that just partnered up or started working on their choreos.