2014 SKATE CANADA: Pairs Preview

The 2014-2015 edition of the Meagan Duhamel show kicks off tomorrow. I hope she learns to point her feet for the event. The top two seem pretty clear here, but bronze is up for grabs.





Podium Predictions:
Gold: Duhamel & Radford (CAN)
Silver: Sui & Han (CHN)
Bronze: Tarasova & Morozov (RUS)

Duhamel & Radford (CAN) pretty much felt they were guaranteed an Olympic bronze last year, but then Ksenia Stolbova happened. They repeated as world bronze medalists last season, but I feel like that's not enough for Meagan. She is in it to win it for another four years cycle, but finding the perfect programs will be key. The artistic side of skating is foreign to them, but God bless her vegan diet.

Sui & Han (CHN) are looking to hit the reset button after a strong campaign the last quad ended without a trip to the Olympics. Age is no longer a concern, and if they are healthy, they could be on the verge of a world medal this season. Now that they are teamed with Bin Yao and Hongbo Zhou, their ISU standing should escalate.

Tarasova & Morozov (RUS) have two of the most famous names in the figure skating world. They placed an impressive second at the Nebelhorn Trophy after also placing second at junior worlds last season. They have an excellent opportunity to medal here if they hit their elements.

The Rest of the Field:
Jones & Reagan (CAN)-4th at 2014 US International Classic, 7th at Skate Canada Autumn Classic
Moore-Towers & Marinaro (CAN)-No competitive history
James & Cipres (FRA)-5th at 2014 Europeans, 10th at 2014 Olympics, 10th at 2014 Worlds, 4th at 2014 Nebelhorn Trohpy
Vartmann & Van Cleave (GER)-9th at 2014 Europeans, 3rd at 2014 Coup de Nice
Aaron & Settlage (USA)-5th at 2014 World Juniors, 3rd at 2014 US International Classic, 6th at 2014 Nebelhorn Trophy, 5th at 2014 Skate America 

2013 Skate Canada: Pairs Preview

I am a big fan of Meaghan Duhamel & Eric Radford (CAN). They have really shown us the value of hard work and also that a pair can rise up the ladder quickly if they are on the same page. I was thrilled to see them on the World podium last season and they have a real shot at the Olympic podium. They are the favorites here and if they win, it will be their first GP win. Two huge performances on home ice could help set them apart from Moore-Towers & Moscovitch.


We didn't see much of Wenjing Sui & Cong Han (CHN) last season, only a disappointing 12th at

Worlds. They were a force to be reckoned with in their first two years on the Grand Prix. They are exciting to watch and I hope they get that little bit of magic back. They are a near lock for the Olympic team since the Chinese pairs are in such dire straits, but they need to work their way back up the rankings and their road to Sochi starts here. Knowing their energy, I cannot wait to see their Chicago free skate, but I hope they've worked on their connection and chemistry.

Stefania Berton & Ondrej Hotarek (ITA) are not my favorite team in the world, but in a weak field, they look poised to medal. His yellow pants blinded us at Skate America....how lucky are we to see them again? All jokes aside, I must say that their one handed lift in the short was the highlight of the pairs event for me. They are a taller pair, so they have much longer lines and some more impressive lifts than the smaller pairs. I missed their free skate at Skate America, so I'll be excited to see it here. They have a handful of Grand Prix medals and I think they'll add to their collection here.




I'm looking for Paige Lawrence & Rudi Swiegers (CAN) to step it up. They have been spinning their wheels for the past two seasons, but with Canada earning 3 pairs spots for the Sochi Olympics, they have a golden opportunity to step up and seize it. If they flop here again, Canada could look to send a younger team of the future.

My dark horse pick, not necessarily to medal, but to turn some heads and make a splash would be Haven Denney & Brandon Frazier (USA). They are the reigning World Junior champs and this is their first major senior event. It isn't nearly as hard to break into the senior level in pairs as it is in ice dance, case in point, Sui and Han. This team has the technical goods, their artistry is improving, and they are quite consistent. Don't be surprised if they sneak in for a bronze.

Podium Predictions:
Gold: Duhamel & Radford (CAN)
Silver: Sui & Han (CHN)
Bronze: Berton & Hotarek (ITA)

The Rest of the Field:
Lawrence & Swiegers (CAN)
Purdy & Marinaro (CAN)
Vartmann & Van Cleave (GER)
Davis & Brubaker (USA)
Denney & Frazier (USA)

2012 World Figure Skating Championships: Pairs Short Program Results

Pl.   Qual. Name Nation TSS = TES +   PCS + SS TR PE CH IN Ded. - StN. 1 Q Aliona SAVCHENKO / Robin SZOLKOWY GER 68.63 35.74   32.89 8.29 7.96 8.29 8.32 8.25 0.00 #19 2 Q Qing PANG / Jian TONG CHN 67.10 33.94   33.16 8.36 7.93 8.39 8.39 8.39 0.00 #20 3 Q Narumi TAKAHASHI / Mervin TRAN JPN 65.37 34.94   30.43 7.57 7.50 7.68 7.68 7.61 0.00 #11 4 Q Vera BAZAROVA / Yuri LARIONOV RUS 65.02 35.33   29.69 7.57 7.32 7.46 7.46 7.29 0.00 #14 5 Q Meagan DUHAMEL / Eric RADFORD CAN 63.69 35.00   29.69 7.50 7.32 7.46 7.46 7.36 1.00 #17 6 Q Wenjing SUI / Cong HAN CHN 63.27 34.90   29.37 7.21 7.11 7.46 7.54 7.39 1.00 #18 7 Q Caydee DENNEY / John COUGHLIN USA 62.48 34.36   28.12 7.14 6.61 7.32 6.96 7.11 0.00 #10 8 Q Tatiana VOLOSOZHAR / Maxim TRANKOV RUS 60.48 31.62   30.86 7.93 7.36 7.68 7.79 7.82 2.00 #16 9 Q Stefania BERTON / Ondrej HOTAREK ITA 60.39 32.39   28.00 6.96 6.71 7.07 7.14 7.11 0.00 #15 10 Q Mary Beth MARLEY / Rockne BRUBAKER USA 59.62 33.08   26.54 6.68 6.29 6.82 6.75 6.64 0.00 #4 11 Q Yuko KAVAGUTI / Alexander SMIRNOV RUS 59.59 31.20   30.39 7.68 7.50 7.50 7.68 7.64 2.00 #13 12 Q Jessica DUBE / Sebastien WOLFE CAN 55.83 30.37   25.46 6.50 6.21 6.36 6.46 6.29 0.00 #8 13 Q Vanessa JAMES / Morgan CIPRES FRA 50.51 27.36   23.15 6.04 5.50 5.96 5.82 5.61 0.00 #7 14 Q Nicole DELLA MONICA / Matteo GUARISE ITA 49.07 27.88   21.19 5.64 4.93 5.39 5.32 5.21 0.00 #5 15 Q Maylin HAUSCH / Daniel WENDE GER 48.48 25.44   24.04 6.32 5.75 6.04 6.07 5.86 1.00 #12 16 Q Mari VARTMANN / Aaron VAN CLEAVE GER 47.91 25.66   22.25 5.79 5.21 5.75 5.64 5.43 0.00 #1 17 Danielle MONTALBANO / Evgeni KRASNOPOLSKI ISR 44.69 25.90   18.79 5.00 4.39 4.93 4.68 4.50 0.00 #6 18 Anais MORAND / Timothy LEEMANN SUI 44.59 24.28   20.31 5.29 4.86 5.14 5.18 4.93 0.00 #9 19 Stacey KEMP / David KING GBR 39.33 23.24   18.09 4.64 4.57 4.57 4.50 4.32 2.00 #2 20 Ji Hyang RI / Won Hyok THAE PRK 36.23 19.03   18.20 5.04 4.11 4.64 4.57 4.39 1.00 #3

2012 World Figure Skating Championships: Pairs Short Program Skate Order

The top 16 will advance to the Free Skate

StN.	Name	Nation
	Warm-Up Group 1
1	Mari VARTMANN / Aaron VAN CLEAVE	GER
2	Stacey KEMP / David KING	GBR
3	Ji Hyang RI / Won Hyok THAE	PRK
4	Mary Beth MARLEY / Rockne BRUBAKER	USA
	Warm-Up Group 2
5	Nicole DELLA MONICA / Matteo GUARISE	ITA
6	Danielle MONTALBANO / Evgeni KRASNOPOLSKI	ISR
7	Vanessa JAMES / Morgan CIPRES	FRA
8	Jessica DUBE / Sebastien WOLFE	CAN
	Warm-Up Group 3
9	Anais MORAND / Timothy LEEMANN	SUI
10	Caydee DENNEY / John COUGHLIN	USA
11	Narumi TAKAHASHI / Mervin TRAN	JPN
12	Maylin HAUSCH / Daniel WENDE	GER
	Warm-Up Group 4
13	Yuko KAVAGUTI / Alexander SMIRNOV	RUS
14	Vera BAZAROVA / Yuri LARIONOV	RUS
15	Stefania BERTON / Ondrej HOTAREK	ITA
16	Tatiana VOLOSOZHAR / Maxim TRANKOV	RUS
	Warm-Up Group 5
17	Meagan DUHAMEL / Eric RADFORD	CAN
18	Wenjing SUI / Cong HAN	CHN
19	Aliona SAVCHENKO / Robin SZOLKOWY	GER
20	Qing PANG / Jian TONG	CHN

2012 World Figure Skating Championships: Pairs Qualifying Results

Pl.	Name	Nation	Points	FS
1	Wenjing SUI / Cong HAN	CHN	116.57	1
2	Vanessa JAMES / Morgan CIPRES	FRA	96.48	2
3	Mari VARTMANN / Aaron VAN CLEAVE	GER	90.68	3
4	Stacey KEMP / David KING	GBR	89.30	4
5	Danielle MONTALBANO / Evgeni KRASNOPOLSKI	ISR	84.71	5
6	Ji Hyang RI / Won Hyok THAE	PRK	84.28	6
7	Nicole DELLA MONICA / Matteo GUARISE	ITA	77.70	7
8	Anais MORAND / Timothy LEEMANN	SUI	73.19	8
9	Lubov BAKIROVA / Mikalai KAMIANCHUK	BLR	71.58	9
10	Stina MARTINI / Severin KIEFER	AUT	64.72	10
11	Elizabeta MAKAROVA / Leri KENCHADZE	BUL	55.13	11

Pl.	Qual.	Name	Nation	TSS =	TES +		PCS +	SS	TR	PE	CH	IN	Ded. -	StN.
1	Q	Wenjing SUI / Cong HAN	CHN	116.57	62.35		55.22	6.96	6.86	6.86	7.04	6.79	1.00	#10
2	Q	Vanessa JAMES / Morgan CIPRES	FRA	96.48	51.91		44.57	5.96	5.21	5.75	5.61	5.32	0.00	#6
3	Q	Mari VARTMANN / Aaron VAN CLEAVE	GER	90.68	44.93		46.75	5.93	5.75	5.79	5.96	5.79	1.00	#8
4	Q	Stacey KEMP / David KING	GBR	89.30	48.08		42.22	5.39	5.11	5.39	5.39	5.11	1.00	#9
5	Q	Danielle MONTALBANO / Evgeni KRASNOPOLSKI	ISR	84.71	47.89		37.82	4.89	4.64	4.89	4.86	4.36	1.00	#4
6	Q	Ji Hyang RI / Won Hyok THAE	PRK	84.28	47.59		36.69	4.96	4.32	4.75	4.61	4.29	0.00	#3
7	Q	Nicole DELLA MONICA / Matteo GUARISE	ITA	77.70	41.52		36.18	4.75	4.18	4.57	4.68	4.43	0.00	#2
8	Q	Anais MORAND / Timothy LEEMANN	SUI	73.19	38.25		35.94	4.68	4.32	4.43	4.71	4.32	1.00	#11
9		Lubov BAKIROVA / Mikalai KAMIANCHUK	BLR	71.58	39.04		33.54	4.50	3.96	4.29	4.25	3.96	1.00	#5
10		Stina MARTINI / Severin KIEFER	AUT	64.72	32.76		31.96	4.29	3.86	4.00	4.04	3.79	0.00	#7
11		Elizabeta MAKAROVA / Leri KENCHADZE	BUL	55.13	29.93		27.20	3.75	3.21	3.29	3.57	3.18	2.00	#1

2012 World Junior Figure Skating Championships: Pairs Free Skate & Final Results

FPl.	Name	Nation	Points	SP	FS
1	Wenjing SUI / Cong HAN	CHN	175.69	1	1
2	Xiaoyu YU / Yang JIN	CHN	167.48	2	2
3	Vasilisa DAVANKOVA / Andrei DEPUTAT	RUS	153.66	5	3
4	Haven DENNEY / Brandon FRAZIER	USA	150.55	4	4
5	Margaret PURDY / Michael MARINARO	CAN	141.76	7	5
6	Ekaterina PETAIKINA / Maxim KURDYUKOV	RUS	141.19	3	7
7	Katherine BOBAK / Ian BEHARRY	CAN	139.89	6	6
8	Kylie DUARTE / Colin GRAFTON	USA	133.93	8	8
9	Meiyi LI / Bo JIANG	CHN	128.05	10	11
10	Britney SIMPSON / Matthew BLACKMER	USA	127.93	11	10
11	Kamila GAINETDINOVA / Ivan BICH	RUS	127.84	9	12
12	Hayleigh BELL / Alistair SYLVESTER	CAN	126.73	12	9
13	Magdalena KLATKA / Radoslaw CHRUSCINSKI	POL	118.48	13	13
14	Julia LAVRENTIEVA / Yuri RUDIK	UKR	110.03	15	15
15	Stina MARTINI / Severin KIEFER	AUT	109.77	16	14
16	Camille MENDOZA / Christopher BOYADJI	FRA	109.64	14	16
17	Rachel EPSTEIN / Dmitry EPSTEIN	NED	FNR	17
18	Bianca MANACORDA / Niccolo MACII	ITA	FNR	18
19	Maria PALIAKOVA / Mikhail FOMICHEV	BLR	FNR	19
20	Alessandra CERNUSCHI / Filippo AMBROSINI	ITA	FNR	20

Pl.	Name	Nation	TSS =	TES +		PCS +	SS	TR	PE	CH	IN	Ded. -	StN.
1	Wenjing SUI / Cong HAN	CHN	116.40	60.28		56.12	7.00	6.79	7.11	6.96	7.21	0.00	#13
2	Xiaoyu YU / Yang JIN	CHN	112.76	61.10		51.66	6.64	6.25	6.54	6.36	6.50	0.00	#14
3	Vasilisa DAVANKOVA / Andrei DEPUTAT	RUS	103.16	55.39		47.77	6.11	5.71	6.00	5.96	6.07	0.00	#9
4	Haven DENNEY / Brandon FRAZIER	USA	99.74	50.94		48.80	6.21	5.79	6.29	5.96	6.25	0.00	#16
5	Margaret PURDY / Michael MARINARO	CAN	92.25	48.12		44.13	5.68	5.25	5.50	5.54	5.61	0.00	#10
6	Katherine BOBAK / Ian BEHARRY	CAN	90.12	45.81		45.31	5.89	5.50	5.54	5.71	5.68	1.00	#11
7	Ekaterina PETAIKINA / Maxim KURDYUKOV	RUS	90.01	45.43		46.58	6.07	5.61	5.68	5.89	5.86	2.00	#15
8	Kylie DUARTE / Colin GRAFTON	USA	85.69	41.67		44.02	5.54	5.25	5.61	5.50	5.61	0.00	#12
9	Hayleigh BELL / Alistair SYLVESTER	CAN	84.72	44.72		40.00	5.21	4.75	5.00	5.00	5.04	0.00	#5
10	Britney SIMPSON / Matthew BLACKMER	USA	81.10	40.47		42.63	5.50	5.04	5.25	5.32	5.54	2.00	#7
11	Meiyi LI / Bo JIANG	CHN	81.08	44.32		37.76	5.00	4.54	4.71	4.71	4.64	1.00	#6
12	Kamila GAINETDINOVA / Ivan BICH	RUS	80.33	40.71		40.62	5.32	4.96	4.93	5.14	5.04	1.00	#8
13	Magdalena KLATKA / Radoslaw CHRUSCINSKI	POL	77.06	41.87		35.19	4.57	4.21	4.46	4.39	4.36	0.00	#3
14	Stina MARTINI / Severin KIEFER	AUT	70.85	36.55		34.30	4.50	4.11	4.29	4.25	4.29	0.00	#2
15	Julia LAVRENTIEVA / Yuri RUDIK	UKR	70.32	36.69		33.63	4.43	4.11	4.11	4.25	4.11	0.00	#4
16	Camille MENDOZA / Christopher BOYADJI	FRA	68.97	35.74		34.23	4.57	4.04	4.25	4.25	4.29	1.00	#1