Vanessa James & Eric Radford

[gsk8]

Vanessa James was born September 27, 1987, in Scarborough, Ont. Competing for France with former partner Morgan Cipres, she is a 2019 European Champion, the 2018 World bronze medalist, the 2017 European bronze medalist, the 2018 Grand Prix Final champion and a six-time French national champion.

Eric Radford was born January 27, 1985, in Balmertown, Ont. Competing for Canada with former partner Meagan Duhamel, he is a two-time world champion (2015, 2016), a 2018 Olympic gold medalist in the team event, a 2014 Olympic silver medalist in the team event, a 2018 Olympic bronze medalist in the pairs event, a two-time Four Continents champion (2013, 2015), the 2014–15 Grand Prix Final champion, and a seven-time Canadian national champion (2012–18).

Vanessa and Eric formed their new partnership in 2021. They are the 2022 World bronze medalists and they won the silver medal at the 2021 Autumn Classic.

They are coached by Julie Marcotte and Ian Connolly.

Biographical Information

ISU Bio:
http://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs00110828.htm

Rink Results
Vanessa: http://www.rinkresults.com/skater?skater_id=2478
Eric: http://www.rinkresults.com/skater?skater_id=33516

Skating Scores
https://www.skatingscores.com/can/pairs/vanessa_james_eric_radford/

Wikipedia
Vanessa: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanessa_James
Eric: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Radford

Social Media

Instagram:
Vanessa: https://www.instagram.com/vanessa_james_sk8/
Eric: https://www.instagram.com/ericradford85/

Twitter:
Eric: https://twitter.com/rad85e?lang=en

ISU Personal Bests

Personal Best Total Score	196.34	ISU GP Internationaux de France 2021
Personal Best Score Short Program	71.84	ISU GP Internationaux de France 2021
Personal Best Score Free Skating	130.83	ISU CS 53rd Golden Spin of Zagreb 2021

Programs:

2021-2022
SP2: "Shiny Happy People" performed by Ruben and The Dark & AG
SP1: "First Time"
FS: "Falling" by Harry Styles

2022 Canadian Championships
SP: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=SYtzrZ-hh8U

2021 Internationaux de France
SP: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AO_a4y9U42s
FS: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DF8RlV9yskU

2021 Finlandia Trophy
SP: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6slU6Z9L2js
FS: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jK9BYiwrxKI

Results:
(Videos linked in results table)

Competition	SP Score	SP Rank	FS Score	FS Rank	Total Score	Final Rank
2021/22 Season
2022 World Championships	66.54	5	130.78	2	197.55	3
2022 Winter Olympics (Individual Event)	63.03	12	117.96	12	180.99	12
2022 Winter Olympics (Team Event)	-	-	130.07	4	TEAM	4
Canadian Nationals 2022	63.33	4	WD	WD	WD	WD
Golden Spin 2021	56.74	9	130.83	1	187.57	4
Internationaux de France 2021	71.84	3	124.50	4	196.34	4
Skate Canada 2021	65.02	5	122.90	4	187.92	4
Finlandia Trophy 2021	67.55	3	123.03	5	190.58	5
2021 Autumn Classic	68.29	2	115.72	2	184.01	2
2021 Québec Summer Championships	68.45	1	WD	WD	68.45	4

Articles
Pairs skater Eric Radford ends retirement to team up with Vanessa James
Decorated pairs’ skaters Vanessa James, Eric Radford team up for Olympic season

Interviews
Vanessa James & Eric Radford out of retirement, competing for Canada | THAT FIGURE SKATING SHOW

 

[elbkup]

Good Luck to this newly formed outstanding pairing!! I would see them in any show with or without medals but cannot wait for their first competition and the first glimpses of their partnership in progress. May your skates have wings!!

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

From Eric Radford's Instagram, a pic with sp? choreographer, Guillaume Cizeron! Hot trio, for sure.

https://www.instagram.com/p/COv4rgopKsA/

The below pic on both of their Instagrams, sharing their thoughts about their new partnership:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CN7k8TynNpM/ Vanessa

https://www.instagram.com/p/CN7k8Zpp-28/ Eric

And these individual pics with words of wisdom from each of them:
https://www.instagram.com/p/COD57Q3JG2K/ Eric
https://www.instagram.com/p/CODfNlRH1bA/ Vanessa

 

[skylark]

I really can't wait to see Vanessa and Eric skate together. I think they're going to be awesome -- with a sparkle that's also so resonant with anyone who's ever thought they were "finished" with a certain pathway, but who find that they're at the beginning of a whole new chapter -- a whole new vision and a whole new inspiration.

I am by and large okay with the "off season" and was thinking I'd be happy to wait until August or September for new skating, but now I'm actively egging on the season. I just think Vanessa and Eric will add a whole new dimension to pairs skating. I'm particularly happy for Vanessa, since she thought she'd retired, and it hadn't been her choice or anything she could control. However, she kept her positive outlook and her openness and sunny personality, et voila -- who'd have thought this opportunity with Eric would appear? Plus, Eric gets to express a more lyrical and musical side to his skating.

 

[skylark]

Here's a little clip of Vanessa and Eric's training, posted 1 day ago, He says training is going "fantastic."

What makes me so happy is to see the symmetry in their skating; their movements are so harmonious and together, and it seems to me the harmony is from the inside out. It's just lovely to see them express something new for each of them.

 

[ladyjane]

Here's a little clip of Vanessa and Eric's training, posted 1 day ago, He says training is going "fantastic."

What makes me so happy is to see the symmetry in their skating; their movements are so harmonious and together, and it seems to me the harmony is from the inside out. It's just lovely to see them express something new for each of them.

Did you forget to include the clip? I would really love to see it.

 

[elbkup]

Saw this on Instagram a day or two ago…

https://www.instagram.com/p/CQeoowppY48/?utm_medium=copy_link

 

[skylark]

@ladyjane said,

Did you forget to include the clip? I would really love to see it.

Goodness! Yeah I guess I got carried away with what I loved about it.

Saw this on Instagram a day or two ago…

https://www.instagram.com/p/CQeoowppY48/?utm_medium=copy_link

 

[ladyjane]

Oh my. Looking good!

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

Saw this on Instagram a day or two ago…

https://www.instagram.com/p/CQeoowppY48/?utm_medium=copy_link

Yep, I came here to post the same. Here's my cross-post from the Pairs Worldwide thread:

James/Radford are looking good on and off-ice:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CQTwbZptabw/

How lovely -- so good looking together
It's nice too that their partnership is centered on friendship, professionalism and mutual goals, with no personal romance involved between them. That's another reason why it will be interesting to see how they approach their choreo and program selection.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CQeoowppY48/

The technique on the twist looks quite different here for Vanessa. I believe she got higher in the air formerly. But this twist looks good and I see that Vanessa utilizes a pretty arms akimbo position while twisting in the air. As commenters note: James/Radford have a similar style already, and their movement quality looks 'so easy and natural.' They 'flow' together with such 'grace.' And their long lines are to-die-for. They have a long line quality similar to Cain-Gribble/LeDuc.

Interesting in the Canadian skating thread that posters mentioned how Phil Hersh posted on Twitter his prediction about James/Radford having a great shot for Olympic gold.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

More practice footage I found:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CPHFTKVDlAm/

https://www.instagram.com/p/CPUDucvnSgT/

Both of those clips show throws...

Here's a brief clip of sbs salchows:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CPUOso4HXfp/

These jumps are very much in unison and executed close together too

I think this clip is of sbs triple toes:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CPWHKiNHssr/

Again, close together with very good unison

I realize actual competition will tell us more because it is more pressurized than training practices. Still, they look very good together, and appear to be making great progress. There seems something sympatico in their partnership. In one funny practice clip where they tumbled together while practicing a unique, low to the ice move, their coach, Julie Marcotte commented: "Even with mistakes, they are so smooth together."

I can't find clips of any lift practices, but someone said on social media that Vanessa had posted some Insta-stories showing her and Eric doing some time of lift preparation exercises off-ice. Vanessa has always been very creative with lift ideas, so combined with Julie Marcotte's creative vision, it will be very interesting to see their end product re lifts.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

The technique on the twist looks quite different here for Vanessa. I believe she got higher in the air formerly.

So I looked at a prior James/Cipres performance to try and compare the 3-twists. J/C's 3-twist is a bit higher in the air and at a more lateral angle. It is not completely lateral, and not as high as the best, effortless triple twists in the world, e.g., of Calalang/Johnson; the Knierims, and Knierim/Frazier, plus many of the Russian teams. Still, J/C worked hard on developing a well-executed and top-notch 3-twist with great consistency.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CQeoowppY48/ 3-twist of James/Radford
Although sufficiently high, it is not as high as the best in the world, but the smooth, perfect execution is quite pleasing to the eye!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZnWFHvsAr4 3-twist of James/Cipres @ 0:50
Another beautifully executed 3-twist, with greater amplitude and more lateral positioning

 

[skylark]

More practice footage I found:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CPHFTKVDlAm/

https://www.instagram.com/p/CPUDucvnSgT/

Both of those clips show throws...

Gorgeous. It also shows Vanessa doing sort of a flowing "arms-akimbo" variation, starting with her arms over her head and ending with hands at her hips, during the long running edge out of the throw. So lovely! It adds interest, while at the same time showcasing how long she holds the edge. I wonder if she's (or they are) developing "arms akimbo" as a sort of trademark -- I didn't notice it in the twist till you mentioned it.

The word that keeps coming up for me with Vanessa and Eric is "smooth." Still, they are so much more than just smooth; it's like they're connected emotionally and psychically, so that even when something unplanned happens, they react similarly with their movements. (Mishina/Galliamov did this even in the K&C at Worlds!)

It reminds me of something that Sergei Voronov said in a recent interview. He did some research and homework in preparing to help with Tarasova/Morozov's coaching. He said that Sergei Grinkov had taken the art of unison to its highest degree. (I agree with him that it was often Sergei who followed Katia's moves.) And then he said the result was that G&G made even the simplest moves seem like magic! I so agree!

 

[ladyjane]

Tweeted by Eric: https://twitter.com/Rad85E/status/1423375771255676928

Really looking very beautiful. And....original music.

 

[elbkup]

Colonel Green posted video of Vanessa & Eric’s comp (SP I think?) in the Canadian Skating thread in the Edge.. page 9.. did not see the protocols so am not sure where they placed but the smoothness and elegance are there.. comments from posters pointed out what needs work but were impressed.. they look beautiful and happy.. costumes are lovely - black and midnight blue

 

[ladyjane]

Here's the link to their protocol @elbkup : https://resultats.patinage.qc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/DET_19.pdf .

 

[elbkup]

Here's the link to their protocol @elbkup : https://resultats.patinage.qc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/DET_19.pdf .

I guess they were first! Super!

 

[Skater Boy]

Colonel Green posted video of Vanessa & Eric’s comp (SP I think?) in the Canadian Skating thread in the Edge.. page 9.. did not see the protocols so am not sure where they placed but the smoothness and elegance are there.. comments from posters pointed out what needs work but were impressed.. they look beautiful and happy.. costumes are lovely - black and midnight blue

They won the short program. Give them time right now the spins, the jumps both individual and pairs, the lifts, the twist were all better with their previous partners. But they are still new. I wonder how this stacks up with Trent and Evelyn or Alexa and her partner?

 

[gsk8]

 

[flanker]

Good SP at 2021 CS Finlandia Trophy: