Pairs entries at Autumn Classic

[BlissfulSynergy]

Two pairs teams from the U.S. have been added to the Autumn Classic entries. Thus, the predictions contest for the pairs event is in a bit of disarray.

McBeath/Bartholomay and Cain-Gribble/LeDuc have been recently assigned to compete. These entries should add some extra excitement and unpredictability regarding placement outcomes.

 

[ladyjane]

Yay for the extra excitement! Two great additional entries, and it was already an interesting field. Wonderful.

 

[el henry]

I think this is the first time that Nate/Katie and Deanna/Maxim will be at the same comp?

How do I choose between my gal Deanna and my homeboy Nate?

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

Yay for the extra excitement! Two great additional entries, and it was already an interesting field. Wonderful.

Yep, @el henry and @ladyjane, this will definitely be an exciting additional pre-season kick-off competition for pairs.

The ISU entries list has been updated to include Ash/Timothy and Katie/Nate:

https://results.isu.org/events/cscan2021_Pairs.htm

I didn't think about Deanna and Nate meeting for the first time in competition against each other! That's certainly another added element of interest for this competition. I think Deanna and Nate parted on decent terms, so I would expect professionalism from both, as well as intensity and focus for what they need to do on competitive ice. So they will more than likely be single-focused and not distracted by any external factors surrounding the competition and who they are competing against.

The outcomes are anyone's guess. On paper, and due to stature and politics, and if they are on their game, Vanessa and Eric may prevail. However, if Ash/Timothy are in good shape and able to skate the way they have been showing in practice clips, they will certainly be competitive against the entire field. I think it might be close between Ash/Timothy and Vanessa/Eric for first. However, if both teams skate fairly clean, the politics and edge in the scoring most likely would be in Vanessa/Eric's favor, with the event taking place in Canada.

As well, Deanna/Maxime are looking very good together. I really enjoy them as a team, so I hope they do well.

I would think:

Vanessa/Eric or Ash/Timothy taking first (and second for the team who doesn't win)
Deanna/Maxime
Miura/Kihara or Walsh/Michaud taking fourth (and fifth for the team who doesn't get 4th)
Matte/Ferland
McBeath/Bartholomay or Pfund/Santillan taking 7th (and 8th for the team who doesn't land 7th)
Chouinard/Mayer

Just guesses on my part, as in figure skating competitions, anything can happen.

 

[4everchan]

I think this is the first time that Nate/Katie and Deanna/Maxim will be at the same comp?

How do I choose between my gal Deanna and my homeboy Nate?

you don't have to... you can select James and Radford

 

[el henry]

you don't have to... you can select James and Radford

Which I did in the predictions game.

But the heart wants what the heart wants

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

you don't have to... you can select James and Radford

I don't think @el henry means how can she choose between Deanna/Maxime and Katie/Nate for the win. Probably she means in terms of rooting for one over the other of these teams in head-to-head competition, especially in view of the fact that she used to favor and root for Deanna/Nate as partners.

Please correct me if I'm wrong @el henry, as I know you can speak for yourself. That's just how I interpret what you said.

I think that if James/Radford are on form, SC clearly wants them to establish themselves at Autumn Classic. But again, J/R are bound to get some good competition from other teams, especially from an invigorated and improved Ash/Timothy (if they are both fit and focused), and from Deanna/Maxime who have two excellent programs, and who beat James/Radford on sp tech at the summer Quebec competition.

This will be a great competition to witness.

ETA:
I posted right after your above post @el henry, prior to seeing it. Yes, I agree with you about the heart and all that.

But honestly, at this point of development, I think Deanna/ Maxime are stronger together than Katie/Nate, in part because Katie is new to pairs, and Nate's injuries over the years seem to have taken a toll on his jumping abilities. Plus, Deanna/Maxime are a bit faster over the ice. Both teams are enjoyable to watch. I hope Katie continues to grow in confidence, and that Nate will be able to find some rejuvenation. Based on scores so far, D&M are also getting higher marks than K&N from judging panels.

Still, I agree with you about simply allowing the heart and the eyes to simply enjoy watching skaters you love, and forgetting about placement outcomes. Katie/Nate's The Blower's Daughter fp is quite lovely. Deanna/Maxime hold a special place in my heart, as do Vanessa/Eric, as do Ash/Timothy, as do Jess/Josh. And Evelyn/Trennt are always fun to watch, and Matte/Ferland are really hard-working up-and-comers. Plus, by gosh, the improving, on-the-rise Miura/Kihara are such an exciting team for Japanese fans. Looking ahead at the Olympics, Japan should definitely be in the running for a possible team medal.

 

[el henry]

@BlissfulSynergy, you did understand what I meant. I agree from what I have seen (not that I have watched every comp) that Deanna and Maxime are the better pair, they have more cohesiveness and their skating skills appear more refined. Of course, they have been together longer.

I do like many pairs, although not as much as my favorite discipline the men. My heart is torn because I of course love Deanna and her back story and her inspiration (and I spoke with her extraordinarily briefly at a summer comp a few years ago and she was very sweet. Points. )

I have also met Nate and he was less sweet. But I will forgive him because he was one year old at the time and just being a cranky toddler. (I didn't realize this until four years ago. Nate is from Newtown, PA, where sis and her family have lived forever. His mother had a boutique bakery out of her home and made my sister's wedding cake. When we were ordering and tasting, we met a baby who was not happy Mom was paying attention to us . When during Sochi I was rattling on about an Olympian from Newtown to sis, she said "Do you remember that toddler who was screaming at Ann Bartholmay's"? Ohhhhh

So I will always cheer for my "homie" Nate and my gal Deanna

 

[4everchan]

@BlissfulSynergy, you did understand what I meant. I agree from what I have seen (not that I have watched every comp) that Deanna and Maxime are the better pair, they have more cohesiveness and their skating skills appear more refined. Of course, they have been together longer.

I do like many pairs, although not as much as my favorite discipline the men. My heart is torn because I of course love Deanna and her back story and her inspiration (and I spoke with her extraordinarily briefly at a summer comp a few years ago and she was very sweet. Points. )

I have also met Nate and he was less sweet. But I will forgive him because he was one year old at the time and just being a cranky toddler. (I didn't realize this until four years ago. Nate is from Newtown, PA, where sis and her family have lived forever. His mother had a boutique bakery out of her home and made my sister's wedding cake. When we were ordering and tasting, we met a baby who was not happy Mom was paying attention to us . When during Sochi I was rattling on about an Olympian from Newtown to sis, she said "Do you remember that toddler who was screaming at Ann Bartholmay's"? Ohhhhh

So I will always cheer for my "homie" Nate and my gal Deanna

Which I did in the predictions game.

But the heart wants what the heart wants

these two posts explain a lot about how you pick your faves i guess the expression "sentimental favourite" was created for you

 

[skylark]

these two posts explain a lot about how you pick your faves i guess the expression "sentimental favourite" was created for you

I don't disagree with you (not even with your Canadian spelling) ... but I really really like @el henry's phrase a la Woody Allen better. The heart wants.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

In advance of Autumn Classic pairs sp on Thursday, some of the programs we've seen from top contenders:

Vanessa & Eric:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOUYbfXf7VU

Ashley & Timothy:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwdSbl1yCqk

Deanna & Maxime:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Swjrpv-PgPY&t=196s

Matte/Ferland were at the Quebec championships recently, but I don't see a YouTube video of their performance available. Walsh/Michaud, I haven't seen perform since 2020 4CCs, as they were out with injury and thus didn't compete at the 2021 Skate Canada (virtual) Challenge event this past January. The last I saw of Miura/ Kihara of Japan was at 2021 Worlds. After a long layoff, awaiting their release from U.S. fed, Pfund/Santillan performed at Cranberry Cup this summer, representing Switzerland. McBeath/Bartholomay competed at several summer competitions, and have a lovely fp to The Blower's Daughter. I've previously seen Chloe Chouinard (formerly of Canada) with her former Canadian partner, but I haven't seen her in competition with her current partner, Livio Mayr of Austria.