State of the Art: Pair Skating

Of all the disciplines I have always admired Pair Skating the most. Pair skating requires two equally skilled single skaters who have trained all their lines, edges and body movements to be as one plus numerous extremely acrobatic elements to be executed with perfect quality. It is true that pair skating looks horrible when the pairs try too difficult elements for their level. But when all is trained to the perfection added with good speed and interpretation of music not to forget the famous connection on the ice, Pair skating is pure joy to watch (read about G&G). The element of risk is always present what makes it ever so exiting.

It is good to remember that it was Pair Skating and Jamie Sale and David Pelletier who made Figure Skating to change the whole judging system by their Salt Lake City program of Love Story. Audience and whole Figure Skating family did not accept their silver after a clean program and couple of days later the political bias was revealed behind the results. Gold medal was shared and Figure Skating was never the same.

My favourite duo couple of years back were a classy Canadian pair of Jessica Dubé and Bryce Davison. They had such smooth lines on ice and a sweet connection. Unfortunately their career ended for Bryce's knee injury leaving bronze medal at worlds their best ever result. This program is from their last season and has a really classy style.

But most recently, what is hot in Pair Skating? Interesting enough the reigning Olympic Champions Tatiana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov are having a break and Tatiana very pregnant. Aliona Savchenko, multiple World Champion has made a comeback with a new partner. Five years younger Bruno Massot is huge besides tiny Aliona and they have delivered some promising programs. Overall Pair Skating does not have one single star but a handful of pairs who can all win at their best day. They are all still building up to their very perfection but they all are a joy to watch.

Canadians Megan Duhamel and Eric Radford are great and athletic but compared to the legends of the discipline I still miss the harmony on ice. Young Russians Yevgenia Tarasova and Vladimir Morozov (Their names are made for winning in Pair Skating 😃) are the most promising and have dominated the arenas this year. The other two Russian pairs are just an inch behind. Then there are Wenging Sui and Cong Han, Chinese porcelain dolls - so fast, so skilled and yet so small but rumored to be injured this season however there are other Chinese pairs who could podium at worlds. Europeans had a really delightful bronze pair Vanessa James and Morgan Cipres - long timers in the discipline but what a progress they have made this year!

So the doors are wide open for the new stars! Personally I always enjoy watching Italians Valentina Marchei and Ondrej Hotarek. Valentina was a great rival of Kiira Korpi in singles but couple of years back she switched to Pair Skating and has made a really delightful career there with Ondrej. With clean programs they are just knocking the door for top six at worlds.