Marissa Castelli & Mervin Tran

[slider11]

Marissa and Mervin were interviewed in the latest IN Icetalk Podcast. It starts around the 34 min mark. Entertaining interview

http://www.icenetwork.com/fans/icetalk

Great interview! You can hear the disappointment in their voices in not being able to compete at 4CCs or Worlds despite placing second at Nationals. BUT I sense a great deal of energy and motivation to moving forward and improving. I am a big fan!

 

[Arriba627]

Wonderful Icetalk. Enjoyed it so much. In spite of their disappointment, you can still feel their positivity coming through. And they seem to have such an easy rapport with each other. I just LOVE their partnership and wish I could wave a magic wand and make everything be perfect, especially the SBS jumps! Wonder if it would make any sense for them to go to a jump technician person like Alex Ouriashev. Or maybe they've already done that and I don't know it. Whatever they decide, I am 100% behind them and really enjoy their skating!

 

[apgold]

For the New Englanders, Marissa and Mervin will be performing in Boston this weekend as part of Ice Chips. Also in the cast will be Javi and Ross Miner.

 

[clairecloutier]

Here is a new interview with Marissa/Mervin: http://figureskatersonline.com/news/2017/06/07/marissa-castelli-mervin-tran-were-skating-for-us/.

 

[Arriba627]

Great article on Marissa and Mervin. Keep hoping that THIS is the year when their partnership really gels. I've always enjoyed them. That concussion was really a tough break. And keep working on those darn side by side jumps guys! :handw:

 

[slider11]

Great article on Marissa and Mervin. Keep hoping that THIS is the year when their partnership really gels. I've always enjoyed them. That concussion was really a tough break. And keep working on those darn side by side jumps guys! :handw:

Agreed! Although citizenship issues may impede them from Olympic consideration, I still think they have the potential to be the top US pairs. Go Marissa and Mervin!

 

[Barb]

Is not it easier for Marissa to get Canadian citizenship?

 

[skylark]

Is not it easier for Marissa to get Canadian citizenship?

That's a good question. Marissa said at the beginning of their partnership that she was firm on competing for USA, but that could change. They'd have more of an uphill climb to make the Olympic team in Canada, at least for now, but that too could change.

Mervin's already very late to establish residency requirement for citizenship, which is 5 years, I think. It would take an act of Congress now, I believe, to grant him citizenship in time for 2022. Well, it might anyway.

It makes me wonder if they really are aiming for Beijing, or just want to keep skating together. Does anyone have news or an indication?

 

[ice coverage]

Mervin and Marissa are at Mid-Atlantics again this year.

Their SP score today: 59.33

Other entries:

Conners/Krasnopolsky 57.62

Caitlin Fields/Ernie Utah Stevens 55.58

Allison Timlen/Justin Highgate-Brutman 44.28​

---

Stupid question:

Right before competing, Mervin [ETA: or on second thought, maybe I originally misremembered and it was Ernie??] sprayed something on his hands.

Is the purpose to keep his hands dry??​

 

[slider11]

Mervin and Marissa are at Mid-Atlantics again this year.

Their SP score today: 59.33

Other entries:

Conners/Krasnopolsky 57.62

Caitlin Fields/Ernie Utah Stevens 55.58

Allison Timlen/Justin Highgate-Brutman 44.28​

---

Stupid question:

Right before competing, Mervin [ETA: or on second thought, maybe I originally misremembered and it was Ernie??] sprayed something on his hands.

Is the purpose to keep his hands dry??​

Their score is ok but I am stymied as to why these two can't break into the top 10. Is Mervin still struggling with his jumps?

 

[ice coverage]

Their score is ok but I am stymied as to why these two can't break into the top 10. Is Mervin still struggling with his jumps?

Sorry that I am unable to identify jumps, underrotations, etc.

All I can say is that in today's SP, it was Marissa who clearly struggled with the landing of the SBS jump.

To my naive eyes at least, Mervin's jump seemed successful. Certainly no fall, and no unsteadiness.

ETA:

I saw Lynn Rutherford at the venue, and her tweet says that Mervin hit a nice triple sal.

https://twitter.com/LynnRutherford/status/906283260682149888 (Sep 8)​

Also says that C/T worked with Raf for a week -- which explains why they were in California.​

 

[Arriba627]

^^^Was hoping possibly for some videos but haven't seen anything. I love them and am still hoping to see their partnership flourish! Glad to hear they saw a jump doctor!

 

[Victura]

A few clips here: https://instagram.com/p/BYzushEB5j8/

 

[siberia82]

It's a month late, but here are my fancams of Marissa & Mervin from the Quebec Summer Championships / Championnats québécois d'été:

2017 QSC Senior Pairs SP Group 3 Warm-Up (Fancam 1080p): https://vimeo.com/229720680

2017 QSC SP (Fancam 1080p): https://vimeo.com/229643076

2017 QSC LP (Fancam 1080p): https://vimeo.com/230016253

2017 QSC Senior Pairs Medal Ceremony (Fancam 1080p): http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5wuyjl

 

[Arriba627]

Just saw that 6 hours ago Mervin tweeted that he is now an American citizen. At first I thought they were kidding around, but seems like it's for real! Congratulations to Mervin.

ETA -- Gah! He is now a permanent resident which is different.

 

[nimi]

Just saw that 6 hours ago Mervin tweeted that he is now an American citizen. At first I thought they were kidding around, but seems like it's for real! Congratulations to Mervin.

I got really excited when I saw this and thought it sounds almost too good to be true...

and then I checked his twitter: https://twitter.com/skate_moivo/status/908843080035569664

'Permanent resident', not 'citizen'. :gaah:

But that's one step towards maybe getting the citizenship eventually and probably helpful in some practical stuff, so that's good.

 

[Barb]

:cool2:

 

[nimi]

US folks (or people who are knowledgeable about how US works): 'permanent resident' is the same thing as having your 'green card', right?

How difficult/straightforward it is to go from permanent resident status to actually becoming US citizen (if you're not married to a citizen and you don't have family in the US or anything)?

 

[Arriba627]

:sad4: So sorry. Didn't mean to mislead anyone. I guess I'm rushing the citizenship thing cos I SO want Mervin to get his! Patience Arriba, patience.

 

[nimi]

I guess I'm rushing the citizenship thing cos I SO want Mervin to get his!

Don't we all...