2026 Four Continents Championships Pairs Free Skate

[Ic3Rabbit]

A few thoughts:


The top American pair is obviously very skilled and has a lot of finesse in many areas - I just did I'm just not a fan of this program that everybody else raves about. Perhaps it's the inevitable comparisons to Sale and Pelletier and their iconic program to love story... but I just think it's too heavy overall and I don't feel the connection. But I could very much be wrong as I seem to be in the minority I'm also not impressed with the short program so I suppose it's possible that there's just a little bit of national bias creeping in as well LOL.

E/M FS was actually choreographed by Roca and Gordeeva as a tribute to her and Grinkov's "Vocalise" program and also to the 30 years since the passing of Sergei.
Many say that Alisa reminds them of a young Katia.

 

[essence_of_soy]

Between S/H the Shibs and Keegan coming back in the Olympic year it begs the question why? Maybe they had their reasons but no way were any of them going to be near what they used to be without giving themselves at least a year to get back to competing before the Olympic year like V/M did in 2017.

True.

Dance is so much more athletic these days, and the top women are including triple axels.

Just to get on the podium at the men's event, means including two quads in the short (something Messing doesn't have) and three or four in the free.

Sui / Han never had a reliable second sbs triple, and you need that now just to be in the conversation.

Even without Team Russia's presence, skating has evolved so much in the past four years to the point where they are no longer the dominating threat they used to be. I will be very curious to see how Petrosian and Gummenik do and are scored in Italy.

 

[Dreamer57]

A few thoughts:

Nice to see Kelly-Ann and Loucas rewarded for the quality of their program- she looks surprised to see such a high score, but I think the judges are starting to reward their positive growth with that program internationally terms of PCS. I love the program and think it has so many interesting choreographic Highlights - I think they should keep it for next year and then tidy up the things that are holding them back - obviously posture is an area for improvement overall, but also a little things like improving levels on the death spiral and lift and things like that. If they can bump those areas up a little bit, I'd say this is a 130 plus quality free skate if skated clean, maybe even 135 by the end of the season if they can tidy those things up. I mean, they got 123 with two noticeable errors here…

Haven’t been able to watch all the skates yet, but I am very happy to see Kelly Ann and Loucas getting new PB scores!
I agree with some points - last year they had Level 3s for the death spiral and triple twist but now these elements seem to be holding them back. Also some more speed will help them grow to be a top team.

I was going to say that Efimova and Korovin are at opposite ends of the final rankings, but what happened to G/GM? I hope they are doing ok

 

[Arriba627]

Got up early to watch and then fell asleep right before the final two pairs came on. LOL. Just watched the last 3 pairs again. I am with those who enjoy Alisa and Misha's FS. Good job! Looks like Nagaoka and Moriguchi are ready to carry the torch if and when Riku and Ryuchi decide to retire. Some trouble on the throws, but they can fix that. Great speed and good jumps. I have always been a big fan of Sui and Han, but in this FS, even their Lori Nichol choreo couldn't save them. She is obviously nursing a hip injury, and they looked rather slow and unpolished. I wish them good luck at the Olys, but less than 2 weeks seems like a short amount of time to heal and practice.

 

[Janice4th]

You can criticize how Chris pronounces names but give a thought to all the names he and other commentators have to learn before these competitions. It can't be easy. Some of them have every difficult letter in the alphabet. Try it yourself sometime.

My friends daughter’s name is always butchered at competitions. Not their fault. Cyana is not an easy name, but it’s pronounced just the way it looks.

 

[Janice4th]

E/M FS was actually choreographed by Roca and Gordeeva as a tribute to her and Grinkov's "Vocalise" program and also to the 30 years since the passing of Sergei.
Many say that Alisa reminds them of a young Katia.

Was coming here to say this. The only thing in common with S/P is the song. I agree that she does look like a young Katia. I laughed at my captions (I need them for some British shows and just leave them on) Grinkov was changed to Green Cough.

 

[discodisco]

E/M FS was actually choreographed by Roca and Gordeeva as a tribute to her and Grinkov's "Vocalise" program and also to the 30 years since the passing of Sergei.
Many say that Alisa reminds them of a young Katia.

Yes, I was aware that Katya was involved with this. I loved that Vocalise program, but I don't see a ton of similarity between the two ladies other than their looks potentially? Katia was pretty much flawless in her skating technique...

Anyway, obviously they won, which was great for them - just not my favorite.

 

[Diana Delafield]

My friends daughter’s name is always butchered at competitions. Not their fault. Cyana is not an easy name, but it’s pronounced just the way it looks.

As in cyanide? (What were her parents thinking !)

 

[reneerose]

I totally missed the pairs short (darn you Peacock!), so I didn't get to see S/H's short to see how they earned more points than the free? The free was a mess for S/H. I was horrified at the errors. I hope she didn't hurt her hip badly. How did they even podium?! N/M were so good and fast... if they were clean, watch out! Happy for E/M. The cartoon portraits of each pair couple awarded during the medal ceremony look so cute from afar. Wish we could see closeups!

 

[Janice4th]

As in cyanide? (What were her parents thinking !

Her paternal side is Greek - so from Cyane. It is also a color - a greenish blue.

 

[Diana Delafield]

Her paternal side is Greek - so from Cyane. It is also a color - a greenish blue.

The same source as the word cyanide (from the colour), then. I can see that, but still the poison is the first word that comes to mind. Or maybe I just read too many murder mysteries (My mother used to shake her head over a school friend of mine named Romaine, which sounded nice enough to me. "Why would parents name a child after a type of lettuce?" she'd murmur.)

 

[Janice4th]

The same source as the word cyanide (from the colour), then.

The story of Cyana in Greece is she and her father used their diving skills to save Greeks from the Persian fleet. They dove into the stormy sea and cut the ships anchors, demolishing the fleet.

 

[Skater Boy]

Thid quite frankly was not the best skated event. Being so close to Olympics a lot of the better teams stayed home Good that the top Americans were there and Sui and Han. E/M were good not great but deserved the win clearly. I cant say it was super well skated or they are G and G. Truth is like ALLL teams they market themselves for glory. Ie getting the tribute to G and G getting Gordeeva to help and then marketing it. It's a game. But they are good and will improve. They could podium come worlds this year. As for Sui and Han I have a very unpopular feel. I wish they never came back. I want to remember them as the champs. I feel the judges prop them up. O not op of being lucky with a weak field. This season the judges and even tech callers have been generous. I do not wan tthem to suddenly fluke out at Olymics with good skates. They have been gifted or lucky all year. THey have not been humbled which they could have by being off the p odium. I love them as skaters and think they are l ike Shen and Zhou, and many of th4e greats but they havent done it and I wish they woud skate in shows. It seems almost unfair though it isn't they win gold because they get it togther at hte olympics. they have been held up all season and then had l ucky situations a weak field. most will say thats not their fauly its not I just feel they had their chances But I expect they will win a medal comeMilano.

 

[Dreamer57]

Thid quite frankly was not the best skated event. Being so close to Olympics a lot of the better teams stayed home Good that the top Americans were there and Sui and Han. E/M were good not great but deserved the win clearly. I cant say it was super well skated or they are G and G. Truth is like ALLL teams they market themselves for glory. Ie getting the tribute to G and G getting Gordeeva to help and then marketing it. It's a game. But they are good and will improve. They could podium come worlds this year. As for Sui and Han I have a very unpopular feel. I wish they never came back. I want to remember them as the champs. I feel the judges prop them up. O not op of being lucky with a weak field. This season the judges and even tech callers have been generous. I do not wan tthem to suddenly fluke out at Olymics with good skates. They have been gifted or lucky all year. THey have not been humbled which they could have by being off the p odium. I love them as skaters and think they are l ike Shen and Zhou, and many of th4e greats but they havent done it and I wish they woud skate in shows. It seems almost unfair though it isn't they win gold because they get it togther at hte olympics. they have been held up all season and then had l ucky situations a weak field. most will say thats not their fauly its not I just feel they had their chances But I expect they will win a medal comeMilano.

Nah in this kind of form I would not expect Sui and Han to medal at the Olympics. Actually for their long term health I am hoping they will withdraw...but as strong athletes and their comeback being all about the Olympics I doubt it will happen. It's not enjoyable to watch them struggle. I feel for Zhang and Huang who earned the spot in September and essentially had to pass it over.

 

[Tutto]

Thid quite frankly was not the best skated event. Being so close to Olympics a lot of the better teams stayed home Good that the top Americans were there and Sui and Han. E/M were good not great but deserved the win clearly. I cant say it was super well skated or they are G and G. Truth is like ALLL teams they market themselves for glory. Ie getting the tribute to G and G getting Gordeeva to help and then marketing it. It's a game. But they are good and will improve. They could podium come worlds this year. As for Sui and Han I have a very unpopular feel. I wish they never came back. I want to remember them as the champs. I feel the judges prop them up. O not op of being lucky with a weak field. This season the judges and even tech callers have been generous. I do not wan tthem to suddenly fluke out at Olymics with good skates. They have been gifted or lucky all year. THey have not been humbled which they could have by being off the p odium. I love them as skaters and think they are l ike Shen and Zhou, and many of th4e greats but they havent done it and I wish they woud skate in shows. It seems almost unfair though it isn't they win gold because they get it togther at hte olympics. they have been held up all season and then had l ucky situations a weak field. most will say thats not their fauly its not I just feel they had their chances But I expect they will win a medal comeMilano.

The truth is that you cannot possibly know whether a tribute program is clever marketing on their part or genuine homage to their skating idols. Obviously, as I do not know them personally, I cannot know either. However, based on what transpires from the interviews and social media posts, I should think it is unlikely. Both Alisa & Misha seem to be genuine and very humble people. The idea came not from them but from their coach and was wholeheartedly approved by Katia (maybe it was Katia who wanted to keep her late husband in conversation?! And in the year of 30th anniversary of his passing - that is really too bad )
Alisa just said at the Four Continents (not for the first time!) that every time they skate 'Love Story' they feel that extra pressure because of it s being a tribute program. In the interview a while back, she said she was terrified even to be mentioned in one sentence with Katia the latter being one of greatest pair skater in FS history.
But look, I sense I will not change your mind on that and you are obviously entitled to your opinion. Just wanted to comment that what you said here is a mere assumption and not the truth as you put it.

 

[skylark]

Love the Eurosport / ISU feed for the reasons you mention.

The commentators including Chris Howarth, Mark Hanretty, Tonia Kwaitkowski and Ted Barton are always so supportive. Both in triumph and defeat. They've been through it themselves and know the sacrifices it takes to get to the highest level first-hand.

Much as i liked Tara and Johnny as skaters, they seem to make it far too much about themselves. It all gets a bit affected, and the constant blah blah feels like I am watching through a thick layer of bubble wrap. At times I can't even hear what they athletes are skating to because of their annoying chatter, and without music what's the point!

That is the perfect metaphor! That's how I feel, trying to hear the music and enjoy how the skater(s) are expressing it and feeling it.

 

[skylark]

Thid quite frankly was not the best skated event. Being so close to Olympics a lot of the better teams stayed home Good that the top Americans were there and Sui and Han. E/M were good not great but deserved the win clearly. I cant say it was super well skated or they are G and G.

Alisa and Misha have said that they're not trying to be Gordeeva and Grinkov. Just that they are taking inspiration from them, and using that inspiration to be themselves and be the best that they can.

As for Sui and Han I have a very unpopular feel. I wish they never came back.

I agree.