Pairs FS Worldwide: The Divine Discipline

[Dreamer57]

The 2022-23 GP assignments are:

Skate America
Stellato-Dudek/Deschamps
Danilova/Tsiba
Crafoord/Crafoord
Holichenko/Darenskyi
Knierim/Frazier
Smirnova/Siianytsia - moved up from juniors
Golubeva/Giotopoulos Moore to compete in JGP
TBD

Skate Canada
McIntosh/Mimar - moved up from juniors
Walsh/Michaud
Zukova/Bidar
Conti/Macii
Miura/Kihara
Chan/Howe
McBeath/Bartholomay
TBD

Grand Prix de France
Stellato-Dudek/Deschamps
Peng/Jin
Kovalev/Kovalev
Piegad/Strekalin
Sarina/Berulava - moved up from juniors
Hocke/Kunkel
Ghilardi/Ambrosini
TBD

MK John Wilson Trophy
Matte/Ferland
Walsh/Michaud
Vaipan-Law/Digby
Metelkina/Parkman
Roscher/Schuster - moved up from juniors
Conti/Macii
Knierim/Frazier
McBeath/Bartholomay

NHK Trophy
Chernyshova/Windsor
McIntosh/Mimar - moved up from juniors
Zukova/Bidar
Kovalev/Kovalev
Hocke/Kunkel
Caldara/Maglio
Miura/Kihara
Chan/Howe

Grand Prix Espoo
Matte/Ferland
Peng/Jin
Metelkina/Parkman
Safina/Berulava - moved up from juniors
Ghilardi/Ambrosini
Danilova/Tsiba
Smirnova/Siianytsia - moved up from juniors
Golubeva/Giotopoulos Moore to compete in JGP

Happy to see new faces on the GP circuit this year!

 

[sissyfritz]

According to Jackie Wong, it looks like Walsh/Michaud may have just decided to split up.

 

[lariko]

Yup, two more spots opened up in the GP. Waiting with baited breath to see just who is still untapped to take up the coveted spots. Not.

 

[GoneWithTheWind]

According to AnythingGOEs, these are the international teams able to substitute into the spots vacated by W/M and G/GM (I'm guessing W/M could be replaced by another Canadian team at SkCan if the fed. wanted to).

Currently, they all have 1 assignment:

Roscher/Schuster GER
Holichenko/Darenskyi UKR
Caldara/Maglio ITA
Chernyshova/Windsor AUS
Crafoord/Crafoord SWE

I enjoyed R/S's performances at Jr. Worlds last season, they had a nice triple twist and some pretty lifts. I hope they get one of the spots available!

 

[TontoK]

I'm a bit surprised that the Swedish pair is at Skate America, rather than the event in Finland.

Now that some room has opened up, perhaps they'll snag that as their second event.

 

[Seven Sisters]

I'm a bit surprised that the Swedish pair is at Skate America, rather than the event in Finland.

Now that some room has opened up, perhaps they'll snag that as their second event.

They train in Colorado with Dalilah Sapperfield, or at least they used to—she was with them at the Cranberry Cup last season

 

[snowflake]

They train in Colorado with Dalilah Sapperfield, or at least they used to—she was with them at the Cranberry Cup last season

The Crafoord twins lists their coaches as Natalia Mishkutenok, Viktor Pfeifer and Aljona Savchenko(supposedly when they are in Europe). Their home is in California.

 

[TontoK]

Before the season gets too far underway, I need clarification.

Is it Craawford with two a's or Crawfoord with two o's?

Edit: I can't keep bailing out by calling them "the Swedish pair."

 

[Dreamer57]

Before the season gets too far underway, I need clarification.

Is it Craawford with two a's or Crawfoord with two o's?

Edit: I can't keep bailing out by calling them "the Swedish pair."

Two o's but no w. Crafoord Here's their social media:

Greta and John Crafoord (@thecrafoords) • Instagram photos and videos

5,518 Followers, 44 Following, 65 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Greta and John Crafoord (@thecrafoords)

www.instagram.com

 

[snowflake]

Two o's but no w. Crafoord Here's their social media:

Greta and John Crafoord (@thecrafoords) • Instagram photos and videos

5,518 Followers, 44 Following, 65 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Greta and John Crafoord (@thecrafoords)

www.instagram.com

and their bios http://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs00103088.htm
...born in Göteborg

 

[TontoK]

Two o's but no w. Crafoord Here's their social media:

Greta and John Crafoord (@thecrafoords) • Instagram photos and videos

5,518 Followers, 44 Following, 65 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Greta and John Crafoord (@thecrafoords)

www.instagram.com

Thank you for clearing up for me.

 

[moonvine]

They train in Colorado with Dalilah Sapperfield, or at least they used to—she was with them at the Cranberry Cup last season

That’s the pair I was thinking of, @Seven Sisters

 

[Mista Ekko]

According to Jackie Wong, it looks like Walsh/Michaud may have just decided to split up.

It's like no one wants medals in this discipline

 

[lariko]

It's like no one wants medals in this discipline

The Georgians do. I bet they will be fighting tooth and nail to go above fourth. Like, Eu gold is pretty much theirs, barring any injury, but world is tricky with Japanese pair getting so much handouts form the judges.

 

[Dreamer57]

There are new pairs forming in several countries, especially in USA. It's just going to take a while for them to get up to international/grand prix level.

With regards to euros, I was sad to see Hase/Seegert split. I'm impressed that there are 3 senior level Italian pairs even without DM/G. I think Italy could make the european podium (if the Rus ban is still in place)

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

It's like no one wants medals in this discipline

Well, it's not like a given that Walsh/Michaud were going to grab a lot of medals. The top givens currently are Knierim/ Frazier and Miura/Kihara. Also, Safina/Berulava are favored to do well. And I'm rooting for Stellato/ Deschamps to possibly medal at their GPs. The opportunity exists for them.

While it would have been interesting to see how well Walsh/Michaud could have competed this season, I had my doubts about their ability together to take their career to the highest level. They were competent, pleasant to watch, and good as juniors. They improved their twist after working on it, I believe, with Max Trankov at one point. Still, they did not have explosive elements or great speed, and last season, their overall consistency wasn't high internationally, though they competed pretty well at Canadian Nat'ls, as they tended to do. They were gung-ho and gritty, and they got along well together, but they weren't particularly well-matched physically.

It's surprising that W/M waited till this close to the start of the season to make this decision. If Trennt can find a smaller partner who matches his skillset and his physicality, he could go farther. He's an excellent pairs guy.

Thanks @Dreamer57 for finding this thread to start new season pairs chat!

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

Regarding the idea of medals being left on the table, that's just the nature of what's going on these days. I'm more gutted about the Calalang/Johnson split. I understand why Ash & Tim chose not to continue. But I thought C/J could have gone another four years! Maybe they hadn't planned to look beyond the 2022 Olympics.

Plus, I think Brian, especially, was hugely disappointed by how their career was up-ended, mostly by Jess' freakish drug test ruling, especially when the same rules apparently don't apply to all skaters across-the-board. COVID stopped their momentum in 2020, and being prevented going to Worlds in 2021, by the false drug-taking claim was very hard for them both. Maybe C/J could have helped grab 3 spots at Worlds in 2021 had things been different. Hard to know, but the possibility was there b/c Knierim/Frazier and Ash/Timothy nearly did.

Overall, I think the expense of continuing can be prohibitive. And I'm sure a lot of personal factors contribute to skaters' decisions. A lot of skaters focus on the Olympics, and when it comes so close you can taste it, and then it's taken away, that can be the deciding factor for skaters to retire, especially when they are not as young anymore. They may wish to get on with their lives. I believe Jess was interested in continuing to compete, but maybe she's focusing on coaching at the moment.

 

[lariko]

Well, it's not like a given that Walsh/Michaud were going to grab a lot of medals

They were pretty much guaranteed silver in their two events, unless they fell apart. There was literally one seed in each with Gold Guarantee and then… them. I mean, maybe that wasn’t good enough for them, after the fuss they made last year over James/Radford (who outclassed them even in their sunset season)… who knows.

I know people really like that Stelatto/Dechamps, but the way they looked in Quebec competition, I can’t say I joined the hype train. I am wondering if high expectations/warm vibes are due to something outside skating per se tbh.

 

[Seven Sisters]

They were pretty much guaranteed silver in their two events, unless they fell apart. There was literally one seed in each with Gold Guarantee and then… them. I mean, maybe that wasn’t good enough for them, after the fuss they made last year over James/Radford (who outclassed them even in their sunset season)… who knows.

I know people really like that Stelatto/Dechamps, but the way they looked in Quebec competition, I can’t say I joined the hype train. I am wondering if high expectations/warm vibes are due to something outside skating per se tbh.

I think fans are intrigued by Stellato/Deschamps because they seem to have a sophisticated air that is interesting, and we can see potential there.

The downside is that their ages make it questionable that they’ll be able to compete long enough to make a real impact.

I feel confident that Walsh/Michaud would have been Canada #1 this season, if they had chosen to continue. Whatever their difficulties in the past, I think they would have had Skate Canada’s full support this season. The timing of their breakup seems odd.

 

[lariko]

I think fans are intrigued by Stellato/Deschamps because they seem to have a sophisticated air that is intriguing, and we can see potential there.

I didn’t really see it, I guess. Maybe it will come across better later in the season.