Senior Pairs' Free

[dance4u]

At Nationals I noticed Jessica Dube visably upset before her long program!!! She didn't seem herself all weekend.

 

[laceup]

Jess looked tired heading into the long's. She missed two of her best elements - 3 salchow and throw 3 loop in pairs and her 3 salchow in singles - in the short programs. I thought she looked very tired heading into the long's and she probably just wanted to prove to everyone that the shorts were a fluke - which she did because these elements were text book beautiful in the long.

 

[rain]

Re the comment about Duhamel and Buntin never being a 'pair' team from an artistic perspective and the comment she is not right for him.

I agree that they do not have the 'magic' yet but maybe they will (Shen and Zhou did).

Does anyone think they will stay together and is there enough time for one or both to find another partner? What about Elizabeth Putnam?

I don't think either of them should be looking for a different partner. I was very skeptical about the two of them working as a team, having seen Buntin with his former partner and Duhamel as a singles and pairs skater. I never would have put the two together — BUT somehow I think the pairing works excellently, and they just need a bit more time to totally gel. I think as a partnership Duhamel and Buntin are better than either were separately or with other partners (never thought Buntin was a good match with Marcoux). I think this team is really dynamic and exciting, and it makes sense that they are currently a bit distracted from all-out performance with getting the elements together. They match in line and attitude better than I could ever have imagined. I think they're on their way up.

 

[Tigger]

I can't believe someone would say that about Megan and Craig after the amazing achievement they just acheived. After only being together since the summer *and* having to deal w/another of Megan's injuries to heal (She did something to her ankle late August if I remember right)...I'm sure if you asked them, they would have said being in the top ten would have been amazing after Cdns ended. For them going to Worlds is just amazing!!

I can't get over the improvement in them since Skate Canada. Especially w/Craig. Remember, he had to change his techinque to match Valerie's and he hasn't had that long of a time period to adjust back/to Megan's and...I'm just very much impressed w/what I saw on the weekend. They've also got great line and match each other very well. Not to mention they've got a sbs footwork sequence some Dance teams would kill for.

I'm very excited about this team and can't wait to see how they do in Sweden at Worlds.

 

[fumie_fumie]

Tigger, I second that.

I love the energy this new team brings on the ice. They are both athletic, especially Megan, and determined. They have been increasing technically difficulties in such a short period of time. Notice the dismount from their lifts, it is not as simple as what they did in Skate Canada. Also, take a look at the lifts itself, they are not as secure, or balanced as other top Canadian pairs, but it is vast improvement from their last competition. Their sbs jumps are better coordinated as well and their throws are just huge, it is so exciting. They are pushing other top pair teams and themselves and making the Canadians thrilling. I was so happy to see them starting to live up to their potential in less than 6 months and particularly happy for Megan going to the Worlds. She deserves it, she should have gone to the junior worlds at the season when she beat Kimmie Meissner in JGP. It was a huge mistake on Skate Canada's part not to promote this talent.

 

[Tigger]

I would just like to apologize for the horribly worded post up there about Craig and Megan. My only defense is I was running a low grade temp *and* pain killers were kicking in big time too when I wrote that.

Otherwise, there would never have been as many repeated "amazing" in that thing. Yi yi yi!!!