With assignments for the 2014-15 Grand Prix series to be determined today and Friday, where can the top teams from Canada and the U.S. expect to book a trip? As a summary review, each host nation — the U.S., Canada, China, Russia, France, and Japan — may invite up to three home entries per discipline;…
Category: Pairs
Feature, Ice Dance, Interview, News, Pairs
A Guide to the Off-Season: Departures
With the conclusion of another Olympic season come changing dynamics, from retirements, breakups, and new formations to the rise of younger couples and shifting fortunes for more established duos. For our first quick take on The Off-Season That Is, a review of the major American and Canadian teams who’ve taken their last bows — at…
Analysis, Ice Dance, Pairs
PCS: Connecting the Dots #1. A Question of Ranking
by Jacquelyn Thayer Since its introduction under the International Judging System in 2004, the program component score (PCS) has in popular view functioned as a sort of equivalent to the previous system’s “second mark” — that score which weights the aesthetic qualities of performance, rather than difficulty and purity of technical content. This is something…
Competition, Ice Dance, Lists, Pairs
Preview: Worlds By the Numbers
First-Time Senior World Competitors = 4 (Aldridge/Eaton, Paul/Islam, Zhang/Bartholomay, Lawrence/Swiegers) Former Junior Worlds Medalists = 4* (Shibutani/Shibutani, Aldridge/Eaton, Weaver/Poje, Paul/Islam) *Madison Chock, Evan Bates, and Paul Poirier also earned Junior Worlds medals with previous partners Combined Previous Worlds Appearances, Dance = 10 Weaver/Poje = 5 Shibutani/Shibutani = 3 Chock/Bates = 1 (1 additional for Chock…
Analysis, Competition, Ice Dance, Pairs
2014 Winter Olympics Pre-Game Analysis
by Jacquelyn Thayer Six dance and five pairs teams representing the U.S. and Canada will take on Sochi ice in the two weeks to come (with some competing as well in the first-ever Olympic team event this weekend). As ever, the attempt here will be to take a closer look at the participants by more…
Competition, Ice Dance, Lists, Pairs
Olympic Resources
Offered here is a non-exhaustive list of official websites, verified or otherwise official social media accounts, and other links that may be of use during the Olympic Games. We’ll continue to update this content to keep things current. Event Websites & News Sochi 2014 @Sochi2014 | Twitter @Olympics | Twitter @iocmedia (IOC Media) | Twitter…
Analysis, Competition, Pairs
2013-14 Grand Prix in Review: Pairs
For U.S. and Canadian pairs, the Grand Prix offered up a rather mixed bag of results: while two Canadian pairs are once more Grand Prix Final-bound and closer in ranking than ever, established and up-and-coming national teammates are vying for their own opportunity. In the U.S., technical consistency is proving a key to success, and…
Pairs
Flashback Friday: Ina and Dungjen, 1995 Skate America LP + Ina and Zimmerman, 2002 Worlds SP
Detroit, home this weekend to Grand Prix opener Skate America, first hosted the competition back in 1995, at a time when it served as the opening event in the Champions Series. Included among the home competitors at that event were reigning U.S. silver medalists Kyoko Ina & Jason Dungjen, a man of double local ties…
Analysis, Competition, Ice Dance, Pairs
2013 Finlandia Trophy Post-Game Analysis
Finlandia Trophy featured return visits from two teams who last began their season there in 2011 — World silver medalists Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir and U.S. silver medalists Madison Chock & Evan Bates, who took gold and bronze at that year’s event and here caught gold and silver. The stakes for an early beginning…
Analysis, Competition, Ice Dance, News, Pairs
2013 Ondrej Nepela Trophy Post-Game Analysis
For all four U.S. couples entered, Ondrej Nepela Trophy held a particular import: for Gretchen Donlan & Andrew Speroff, it was an opportunity to recoup after the ups and downs of the 2012-13 season; for U.S. silver medalists Alexa Scimeca & Chris Knierim, a return to the major competitive stage after a mid-summer ankle injury;…