Starr Andrews moves to pairs

[Mathman]

Starr really did have a career-capping performance.

As for pairs, I am always astonished that any lady can pick up pairs skills as an adult. How is it possible to retrain all the self-preservation instincts that your body and mind have been working on since infancy. and say -- "of course I trust you of catch me when I come down"?

 

[Jontor]

How peculiar. I have to admit that I always thought Starr had a limited range of skating. Then she goes to SA and have the skate of her life and scores 190+!!.
And then...it turns out she is going to pairs...

 

[FlossieH]

How peculiar. I have to admit that I always thought Starr had a limited range of skating. Then she goes to SA and have the skate of her life and scores 190+!!.
And then...it turns out she is going to pairs...

Don't forget that Starr had heart surgery before both the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons. That limited the progress made, after she had looked to be improving in the 2022-23 season.

 

[Jontor]

Don't forget that Starr had heart surgery before both the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons. That limited the progress made, after she had looked to be improving in the 2022-23 season.

She really improved this season. She used to barely do a Flip before...and if IIRC she has never done a 3Lz before this SA.

 

[skatespin]

This could potentially be a good move for Star, but I am kind of surprised to see this as she just skated the best I've ever seen from her at Skate America and scored 190+. I also feel there may be retirements by some the US ladies that currently outrank her after this season.

US pairs could badly use skaters who can consistently land triple jumps, so either way glad she is staying in the sport.

 

[moonvine]

This could potentially be a good move for Star, but I am kind of surprised to see this as she just skated the best I've ever seen from her at Skate America and scored 190+. I also feel there may be retirements by some the US ladies that currently outrank her after this season.

US pairs could badly use skaters who can consistently land triple jumps, so either way glad she is staying in the sport.

She medalled at Skate Canada a few years ago.
I have to say that if i were a women’s skater who skated my absolute Best and came in 5th, pairs might be looking good to me. Especially since I knew i could land sbs jumps.
Women’s is and always has been (that i can remember) the most competitive event over all.

 

[Mathman]

Women’s is and always has been (that i can remember) the most competitive event over all.

Especially in the U.S. it's a matter of sheer numbers. There are many more ladies interested ib figure skating than men, and way, way more single ladies than high level pairs teams.

 

[TallyT]

I am just happy we will get to see her continue in her new chosen path, and I hope she does really well and has more international opportunities.

 

[moonvine]

I am just happy we will get to see her continue in her new chosen path, and I hope she does really well and has more international opportunities.

Right - I don’t believe Katie had ever had an International assignment (maybe a challenger somewhere), and she was middle of the pack at Us Nationals and look at her now! I think both she and Starr really love skating and this is a way to do it for longer.

 

[moonvine]

Especially in the U.S. it's ja matter of sheer numbers. There are many more ladies interested ib figure skating than men, and way, way more single ladies tjhan high level pairs teams.

Yes if you look at Sectionals it is s bloodbath to even get to Nationals compared to any other discipline.

 

[macy]

i'm so excited to see her as a pairs girl, i hope she finds even more success than she had as a singles skater! and what an incredible way to cap off her international singles career this weekend, that was the best i've ever seen her skate. wishing her well as she moves on to the next chapter!

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

Clearly Luke Wang is Starr Andrews' boyfriend, as he was shown in the stands next to her mother clapping and yelling for her during her performances. And NBC showed clips of them together backstage. Luke has been publicly mentioned by name as Starr's boyfriend, by commentators and podcasters. It's not a secret. They have both posted cute pictures of themselves together on their IGs and commented on each other's posts since this summer. I follow both of them on IG, and I'm happy for them. I have seen Starr's IG stories for several years as well, but I do not have screenshots of her IG stories that obviously disappear after 24 hours. Starr has not been shy about expressing her feelings in IG stories, via posting clips of herself singing; cute pictures of herself with her friends; with her mother; and with her Sphnyx cats.

Starr is a lovely person and an amazing athlete who has dedicated herself to achieving her goals and dreams. I admire her so much, especially in view of how she has overcome her heart surgeries and determinedly continued to skate. I missed seeing her sing the National Anthem at Skate America, but perhaps there's still a video available somewhere.

I agree with Skate America reviewers who feel that Starr Andrews' sp and fp performances were the highlights of the women's event! It's wonderful to see Starr looking so happy, and performing so well in what turns out to be her swan song season as a singles competitor. ️

Much good luck to Starr in her upcoming transition to becoming a pairs skater!

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

This could potentially be a good move for Star, but I am kind of surprised to see this as she just skated the best I've ever seen from her at Skate America and scored 190+. I also feel there may be retirements by some the US ladies that currently outrank her after this season.

US pairs could badly use skaters who can consistently land triple jumps, so either way glad she is staying in the sport.

It's definitely a good move, but certainly not a slam dunk transition, just because singles skaters can land jumps. Ask pairs ladies like Katie McBeath and Audrey Shin about the difference between landing jumps as a singles skater and landing jumps in unison with a partner. Plus, learning all the other difficult pairs elements and becoming comfortable skating with a partner. Despite the challenges ahead, I'm sure Starr will make a fine pairs skater. She has the grit, hard work ethic, and fierce determination that it takes.

Other pairs ladies who transitioned from singles include Deanna Stellato (famously after a 17-year break); Gabby Izzo; Meagan Duhamel; et al. Ashley Cain (recently engaged per her IG) was taught by her parents to skate pairs first, and then she learned singles and competed in both disciplines off-and-on, prior to solely devoting herself to a pairs career with Timothy LeDuc. Both Luke Wang and Olivia Flores were junior singles skaters before they partnered. Both continued to compete in singles prior to fully concentrating on pairs.

Sonia Baram of the U.S. was also a wonderful pairs skater who competed singles simultaneously. Sonia was very good on jumps and throws. She won the 2023 Junior Worlds Pairs championship with former partner, Daniel Tioutmentsev, who retired to pursue a career in aerospace engineering. Sonia had continued to compete in junior women's singles, but I'm not sure she is currently skating. It would have been nice to see her develop in pairs with a new partner.

ETA:
Skating so well after deciding that this is her last season, is a great way for Starr Andrews to say goodbye to her singles career, IMO. Starr has achieved great performances before as a singles skater. How she competed this past weekend is not an anomaly. It's a wonderful showing by Starr and I hope she will shine similarly at 2026 U.S. Nationals. No matter what, Starr deserves all the flowers and praise she is receiving.

There will be no lack of talented U.S. singles ladies on the rise after the expected retirements of Glenn, Tennell, et al., post-Olympics.

 

[skatespin]

It's definitely a good move, but certainly not a slam dunk transition, just because singles skaters can land jumps. Ask pairs ladies like Katie McBeath and Audrey Shin about the difference between landing jumps as a singles skater and landing jumps in unison with a partner. Plus, learning all the other difficult pairs elements and becoming comfortable skating with a partner. Despite the challenges ahead, I'm sure Starr will make a fine pairs skater. She has the grit, hard work ethic, and fierce determination that it takes.

Other pairs ladies who transitioned from singles include Deanna Stellato (famously after a 17-year break); Gabby Izzo; Meagan Duhamel; et al. Ashley Cain (recently engaged per her IG) was taught by her parents to skate pairs first, and then she learned singles and competed in both disciplines off-and-on, prior to solely devoting herself to a pairs career with Timothy LeDuc. Both Luke Wang and Olivia Flores were junior singles skaters before they partnered. Both continued to compete in singles prior to fully concentrating on pairs.

Sonia Baram of the U.S. was also a wonderful pairs skater who competed singles simultaneously. Sonia was very good on jumps and throws. She won the 2023 Junior Worlds Pairs championship with former partner, Daniel Tioutmentsev, who retired to pursue a career in aerospace engineering. Sonia had continued to compete in junior women's singles, but I'm not sure she is currently skating. It would have been nice to see her develop in pairs with a new partner.

ETA:
Skating so well after deciding that this is her last season, is a great way for Starr Andrews to say goodbye to her singles career, IMO. Starr has achieved great performances before as a singles skater. How she competed this past weekend is not an anomaly. It's a wonderful showing by Starr and I hope she will shine similarly at 2026 U.S. Nationals. No matter what, Starr deserves all the flowers and praise she is receiving.

There will be no lack of talented U.S. singles ladies on the rise after the expected retirements of Glenn, Tennell, et al., post-Olympics.

Has Amber Glenn said that she plans on retiring after this season? I know she has had a long senior career but she is in the best form that I have ever seen her in this season. I would love to see her work up to a long program with two 3As and at least get a world medal of any color because she is so worthy of it.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

Has Amber Glenn said that she plans on retiring after this season? I know she has had a long senior career but she is in the best form that I have ever seen her in this season. I would love to see her work up to a long program with two 3As and at least get a world medal of any color because she is so worthy of it.

I haven't heard. Of course, these days, there's no telling who might stick around or come back even after retiring initially. Sure, I would expect Amber and Bradie to at least stick around for 2026 Worlds.

 

[pesto]

Well, if this turns into a consistent new level... if she performs just as well in Nats, and then gets selected for 4CC and does well there, nobody is going to hold a gun to her head and tell her she has to go to pairs.

But maybe she just relishes the challenge of something new. I enjoyed watching Valentina Marchei's second career.

What she really needs, of course, is to find a partner who can sing, so they can skate to their own duet.