Moore-Towers & Marinaro best trained team?

[gsk8]

Kirsten Moore-Towers and Michael Marinaro vindicated three years of national competitions on the fringe of the top Canadian pairs with a superb free program skate to “Un Ange Passe” by Alaine Lefevre punctuated by two sturdy throw jumps. The duo garnered 209.85 points overall.

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“We are the best-trained team we have ever been and perhaps the best-trained team here,” Moore-Towers added about their preparation. “We have really put the run-throughs in and I think that’s what saves our butts when elements get a little bit tight; we know we have the training to back ourselves up.”

Do you feel they are/were the best trained pair team at nationals?

 

[slider11]

Kirsten Moore-Towers and Michael Marinaro vindicated three years of national competitions on the fringe of the top Canadian pairs with a superb free program skate to “Un Ange Passe” by Alaine Lefevre punctuated by two sturdy throw jumps. The duo garnered 209.85 points overall.

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Do you feel they are/were the best trained pair team at nationals?

I think Kirsten and Michael can certainly speak to how well they were trained. I'm not quite sure what she meant when she said "the best-trained team here." I don't think she can speak to how well trained other teams are. But if she meant that they were well-trained that very moment (here), then that's acceptable. I'm not trying to cast shade but skaters need to be respectful about how they profess their committment and drive when comparing it to others. I may be over-reading her words and certainly in the excitement of the placement she is feeling very strong. Personally, I'm thinking that Julianne and Charlie may have a big Olympic skate. They came back from significant injury and seem to be the team that excited the international world 3 years ago. Good luck, all!

 

[Vera Costa]

I would say they were the most improved team on that podium. In part, that does speak to their training. Kirsten and Michael fought for their spot and it shows in the results.

As to what the athletes say, emotions are running high and not everyone will be processing what they want to say very well. I'm not about to micro-analyze what they say.

 

[SarahSynchro]

I’m super happy for MT/M! At the same time, I am also devastated for Lubov and Dylan. :sad21:

 

[blue_idealist]

I would say they were the most improved team on that podium. In part, that does speak to their training. Kirsten and Michael fought for their spot and it shows in the results.

As to what the athletes say, emotions are running high and not everyone will be processing what they want to say very well. I'm not about to micro-analyze what they say.

Yeah, I think the fact that they showed up looking so much better than they have in the past points to the fact that they must have been training very hard. It didn't even seem like the same Michael from last year out there.

 

[Mrs. P]

Considering where they were four years ago, it's clear they put a lot of work in! I think they were a lot of skeptics about this pair, but they really buckled down and proved them wrong. Congrats to them!

 

[blue_idealist]

Considering where they were four years ago, it's clear they put a lot of work in! I think they were a lot of skeptics about this pair, but they really buckled down and proved them wrong. Congrats to them!

I was one of those skeptics. They're growing on me, though I still prefer I/M and S/B.

 

[Mrs. P]

I was one of those skeptics. They're growing on me, though I still prefer I/M and S/B.

I actually preferred I/M too, but I was impressed with their skating when I saw them in person at 2016 Worlds.

 

[anyanka]

If looks could kill, Kirsten had eyes like lethal weapons. She was fiercely concentrating on the day of the FS when I saw her in the warm-up area, and she was steeling herself during the six-minute warm-up. That girl was absolutely determined. Mentally, her head was in the right head space that day, and she was definitely prepared and trained.

 

[skylark]

As to what the athletes say, emotions are running high and not everyone will be processing what they want to say very well. I'm not about to micro-analyze what they say.

:agree: Well said.

Kirsten and Michael created the moment of the night in the Pairs discipline, for me. It took them awhile to really gel as a pair. I noticed a difference in them early this season, when they were at the Quebec competition. I think they always had confidence in themselves as a team, but it became more visible from the outside. Solid training builds confidence, and they apparently felt that coming together for them this season.

Their free skate to "Un Ange Passe" seems perfect for them, and while they didn't skate it perfectly, they built emotion as the program progressed. It wasn't dramatic or overtly love-centric; it seemed more like tenderness and power combined.

When I saw them at SA, I immediately felt (even in practices) that Michael is Kirsten's solid equal, and much more steady and reliable than many people thought. As I re-watched the FS video just now, I think that on screen, his back seems more curved, which creates an impression of less strength. I didn't have that feeling, that fear that he wasn't strong enough, when watching them in person. Also, I felt a strong connection between them. Happily, she has the star power, especially in lifts and in her incredibly beautiful, solid landings of throw jumps and the long running edge out of them.

I feel like Kirsten always trusted Michael (even if many viewers didn't), and that creates a powerful effect too. Well, and then there's also that they came from behind in the past couple of years, so they had a great motivation to show what they're capable of and what they train. I'm very happy for them, to have such a great showing at Nationals.:hap57: