Get to Know: The Pairs Figure Skating Field of the 2018 Winter Olympics
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With the conclusion of the Team Event, skaters will now gear up for the pressure cooker of the main Olympic spectacle, starting off with the pairs’ individual event! Here’s a (slightly belated) overview of some of the top competitors in an excitingly packed field.
Of the two disciplines of figure skating that involve teams of two partners, pairs skating is the more terrifying one to watch for casual (and, indeed, long-time) viewers - not only do pair skaters jump and spin like singles skaters, the women are also lifted or thrown several feet in the air, all without wearing any protective gear. Pair teams must master a variety of elements, including synchronized jumps and spins, throw jumps, twists, lifts, and death spirals, all while maintaining unity as a team and expressing the emotion of their music. Although one top team, Ksenia Stolbova and Fedor Klimov of Russia - reigning Olympic silver medalists from Sochi - were not invited by the IOC to participate in the Pyeongchang Games, the pairs field is still the strongest that it’s been in years. The competition at the top is so close that no team can afford to make mistakes if they hope to come away with a medal, or the Olympic title itself.
WENJING SUI / CONG HAN
Representing: China
Ages: 22/25
ISU Personal bests: SP 81.23, FS 155.10, total 234.53
ISU Season’s best: 234.53
Notable titles: 2017 World Champions, 2015 & 2016 World Silver Medalists, 4-time Four Continents Champions, 2017 Grand Prix Final Silver Medalists, 2-time Grand Prix Final Bronze Medalists
Programs: SP - Hallelujah; FS - Turandot
Known for: Throw jumps, quad twist, emotional connection, interesting transitions, first team to perform both a quad twist and quad throw in a free skate, breaking the world record free skate score at 2017 NHK Trophy
BIO: The longest-lived partnership in the current field, Sui and Han teamed up as children in 2007 and have been skating together for 11 years. Scions of the latest dynasty of Chinese pair skating excellence, they dominated the junior ranks for 3 seasons, winning 3 Junior World titles in a row. However, their career has been a rollercoaster of health struggles - diagnosed with a bone injury in 2012, Wenjing missed most of the 2012-13 season, and the pair failed to qualify for the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics. Although devastated by their loss, Sui and Han used disappointment as fuel to emerge as one of the top teams of the past Olympic cycle, winning silver medals at the World Championships in 2015 and 2016. Throughout all their success, Wenjing continued to suffer from chronic ligament injuries in both feet. In May 2016, she was forced to undergo surgery to repair the extensive ligament damage. A long, painful rehabilitation process followed, where it was unclear if Wenjing would be able to skate again. Sui and Han made their competitive return at the 2017 Four Continents Championships, winning their fourth title. A month later, with a suave short program to “Blues for Klook” and a moving free skate to “Bridge Over Troubled Water” - a program that told the story of their journey together - Sui and Han claimed their first World title, becoming the first Chinese team to win a World title in 7 years.
This season, Sui and Han have chosen the opera Turandot as their free skate, inspired by the legendary performances of their coaches (2010 Olympic Champions Xue Shen and Hongbo Zhao) more than 15 years ago. At the 2017 NHK Trophy, they broke the world record free skate score with a clean performance. However, a fall on their side-by-side jumps in the short program at the Grand Prix Final put Sui/Han in second place behind their closest rivals, Aliona Savchenko and Bruno Massot of Germany.
Sui/Han’s long partnership shows in the ease and harmony of their skating. The team is also known for their technical elements, especially their huge throw jumps, which often earn near-perfect Grades of Execution from the judges. They are the first team to perform both a quad twist and quad throw in a free skate, a feat they accomplished at the 2016 Four Continents Championships, but they have not attempted the throw quad salchow in competition since Wenjing’s return from surgery. Front-runners for the Olympic title along with Savchenko/Massot, Sui/Han must land their jumps cleanly and gain the maximum possible levels on their other elements in order to win. The side-by-side jumps are their biggest weakness, and may ultimately determine their placement in Pyeongchang. It will also be crucial for the team to manage their nerves in their first Olympic appearance.
OFF-ICE:Wenjing enjoys watching the anime Natsume’s Book of Friends. She started skating after she met a skating coach living above her grandmother’s car wash. Cong was scouted for skating when he was in kindergarten. He once bought Wenjing a ukelele because she thought it was pretty. Sui/Han have a close relationship and tease each other mercilessly in interviews. (Wenjing describes Cong as a spider, and Cong describes Wenjing as Tigger from Winnie the Pooh.) Wenjing is nicknamed the “Empress” by fans for her charisma on the ice.
ALIONA SAVCHENKO / BRUNO MASSOT
Representing: Germany
Ages: 34/29
ISU Personal bests: SP 79.84, FS 157.25, total 236.68
ISU Season’s best: 236.68
Notable titles: 2017 World Silver Medalists, 2016 World Bronze Medalists, 2017 Grand Prix Final Champions, 2016 & 2017 European Silver Medalists
Programs: SP - That Man; FS - La terre vue du ciel
Known for: Triple twist, lifts, interesting choreography and transitions, holders of the current world record in the free skate, Aliona’s expressiveness
BIO: The oldest female pairs skater in the current field, Aliona has seen it all. With former partner Robin Szolkowy, she was a 5-time World Champion and 2-time Olympic bronze medalist. Following Robin’s retirement after the 2013-14 Olympic season, Aliona refused to give up her dream of Olympic gold and teamed up with Bruno Massot, who previously skated for France. Savchenko/Massot debuted internationally in the 2015-16 season and immediately climbed to the top of the pairs field, winning bronze at their first World Championships in 2016, and silver at the 2017 World Championships, two points behind Sui/Han of China. Their biggest breakthrough came this season at the 2017 Grand Prix Final, where they set a new world record in the free skate and won the title over Sui/Han, establishing themselves as serious contenders for the Olympic title.
Savchenko/Massot’s greatest strengths are their lifts and enormous triple twist, which often receives straight +3 GOEs from the judges. But in order to win the Olympics, they will need to be as clean as possible on their side-by-side and throw jumps. The team has attempted the risky throw triple axel in competition before, but they likely will not include it in their programs at the Olympics. Now heading into her fifth Olympics, Aliona has the confidence of experience on her side, while Bruno is experiencing the Olympics for the first time in his career. They placed 3rd in the Team Event short program after a fall on a throw jump, but at their best, they are capable of record-breaking scores. If they win the Olympics in Pyeongchang, they will be the first German pairs team to do so since 1952.
OFF-ICE: Aliona often designs the team’s costumes. Bruno passed the German citizenship test this season on his third try, allowing him to compete at the Olympics with Aliona.
EVGENIA TARASOVA / VLADIMIR MOROZOV
Representing: Olympic Athletes from Russia
Ages: 23/25
ISU Personal bests: SP 80.92, FS 151.23, total 227.58
ISU Season’s best: 224.25
Notable titles: 2017 World Bronze Medalists, 2017 & 2018 European Champions, 2016 Grand Prix Final Champions, 2018 Russian National Champions
Programs: SP - Piano Concerto No.2 (Rachmaninoff); FS - Candyman
Known for: Twists, throw jumps
BIO: Competing together since juniors, Tarasova/Morozov had a breakthrough season in 2016-17, winning the Grand Prix Final, European Championships, and bronze medals at the 2017 World Championships. The team is known for their solid technical elements, especially their triple twist, and they also include the quad twist in their free skate. In the last season and a half, Tarasova/Morozov have set themselves up as Russia’s leading pairs team and the latest in a long line of champions from that country. Russian and Soviet pair teams have won the majority of Olympic titles in the sport’s history.
This season has been a bit of a bumpy road for the Tarasova/Morozov, who started off strong at Rostelecom Cup, but made multiple errors to finish off the podium at the Grand Prix Final. Nevertheless, they won the 2018 Russian National Championships and 2018 European Championships, and got their first Olympics off to a great start with a winning short program in the Team Event. If Sui/Han or Savchenko/Massot make mistakes, Tarasova/Morozov could sneak into the top 2 spots in the pairs’ individual event, but as it stands, they are a solid contender for the bronze medal.
OFF-ICE: Tarasova/Morozov are in a relationship with each other off-ice.
MEAGAN DUHAMEL / ERIC RADFORD
Representing: Canada
Ages: 32/33
ISU Personal bests: SP 78.39, FS 153.81, total 231.99
ISU Season’s best: 222.22
Notable titles: 2015 & 2016 World Champions, 2-time World Bronze Medalists, 2-time Four Continents Champions, 2014 Grand Prix Final Champions, 7-time Canadian National Champions
Programs: SP - With or Without You; FS - Hometown Glory
Known for: Side-by-side triple lutzes, throw quad salchow
BIO: One of the veteran teams of this field, Duhamel/Radford teamed up in 2010 and steadily rose through the international ranks, medaling at the World Championships four times, including gold medals in 2015 and 2016. Struggles with injuries in the last year or so have resulted in uneven performances, but the team seems to be hitting their stride as they enter their second - and last - Olympics together. Duhamel/Radford’s strength lies in their high base values; although the quality of their execution is not as high as some other teams, they are one of very few pairs teams capable of performing side-by-side triple lutzes, and they have landed the throw quadruple salchow in competition many times. Strong performances in both segments of the Olympic Team Event helped Team Canada to a gold medal, and Duhamel/Radford will be looking to repeat those performances for a spot on the individual podium as well. As with Tarasova/Morozov, Duhamel/Radford are capable of sneaking into the gold or silver position, but a bronze medal battle with the Russian team is probably the most likely scenario. That said - never try to predict anything in skating, especially in a field as stacked as this one.
OFF-ICE: Meagan is a vegan. She is married to her coach, Bruno Marcotte. Eric is openly gay; in June 2017, he became engaged to his boyfriend, Spanish ice dancer Luis Fenero. With Canada’s gold medal in the Pyeongchang Olympic Team Event, Eric became the first openly gay Winter Olympic Champion. Eric is a musician and composer; he composed the 2016-17 free skate music of fellow Canadian skater Patrick Chan.
VANESSA JAMES / MORGAN CIPRES
Representing: France
Ages: 30/26
ISU Personal bests: SP 75.72, FS 146.87, total 222.59
ISU Season’s best: 214.37
Notable titles: 2017 European Bronze Medalists, 6-time French National Champions
Programs: SP - Make It Rain; FS - The Sound of Silence
Known for: Emotional connection, interesting transitions, being hot
BIO: James/Cipres are the living definition of late bloomers. Since teaming up in 2010, the team showed potential but lacked consistency and harder technical elements until last season, when all their hard work under a new coach came to fruition with a bronze medal at the 2017 European Championships. They became the first French pairs to medal at Europeans in 14 years. This season, James/Cipres started off strong with a stellar Grand Prix run, just barely missing out on the Grand Prix Final. They won the short program at the 2018 European Championships, but mistakes in the free skate kept them off the podium by a fraction of a point.
Known for their sizzling chemistry, modern style, and Vanessa’s pantsuits, James/Cipres have the full package when they’re on. They have attempted the throw quadruple salchow many times in competition, although they have not yet landed it cleanly. Heading into their second and last Olympic Games together, James/Cipres decided to return to their intense “Sound of Silence” free skate from the 2016-17 season. They placed 6th in the Team Event after a costly mistake on the side-by-side jumps, but if clean, they have the potential for top 5 in the individual event.
OFF-ICE: Vanessa was born in Canada and competed for the USA and UK before moving to France.
XIAOYU YU / HAO ZHANG
Representing: China
Ages: 22/33
ISU Personal bests: SP 75.34, FS 145.53, total 219.20
ISU Season’s best: 219.20
Notable titles: 2016 Grand Prix Final Silver Medalists, 2017 Asian Winter Games Champions
Programs: SP - Swan Lake; FS - Star Wars
Known for: Twists, throw jumps, Xiaoyu’s elegance
BIO: Both Yu and Zhang have had successful previous partnerships, but after a relatively disappointing outing for Chinese pairs at the 2016 World Championships, coach Hongbo Zhao decided to pair Xiaoyu Yu with Hao Zhang, despite her reservations. Nevertheless, Yu/Zhang competed together for the first time in the 2016-17 season and achieved some significant results, including silver at the 2016 Grand Prix Final and 4th place at 2017 Worlds. This season, they set personal best scores at 2017 Skate America and qualified for their second Grand Prix Final together, where they placed 6th.
Yu/Zhang’s strong points are Xiaoyu’s grace and elegance, as well as their technical elements, especially their triple twist. Their main weakness is their side-by-side jumps; Xiaoyu often struggles with them in competition. Yu/Zhang have the potential for a top-5 finish in the Olympic individual event, but it will depend heavily on the cleanness of their elements. Hao Zhang, the 2006 Olympic silver medalist with first partner Dan Zhang, is now heading into his 4th Olympics with his third partner, while Xiaoyu is experiencing the Olympics for the first time.
OFF-ICE: Xiaoyu is fluent in Japanese, having taught herself the language by watching anime. She has given interviews in Japanese with the Japanese media and translated for her teammates.
OTHER SKATERS TO WATCH
Natalia Zabiiako / Alexander Enbert (OAR): 2018 European Bronze Medalists, 2017 & 2018 Russian National Bronze Medalists. Teamed up in 2015; Natalia previously skated for Estonia. Placed 3rd in the Olympic Team Event free skate.
Kristina Astakhova / Alexei Rogonov (OAR): 2016 & 2017 Rostelecom Cup Bronze Medalists. Teamed up in 2014. Known for their quirky programs. Replaced Stolbova/Klimov on the Olympic team after Stolbova/Klimov were barred from competing by the IOC.
Cheng Peng / Yang Jin (CHN): 2017 Asian Winter Games Silver Medalists. Cheng previously skated with Hao Zhang, Yang previously skated with Xiaoyu Yu. Teamed up in 2016, qualified for the 2016 Grand Prix Final. A well-matched team with quality elements when they’re on, but often struggle with side-by-side jumps.
Valentina Marchei / Ondrej Hotarek (ITA): Teamed up in 2014. Valentina used to compete in singles, winning Italian Nationals 5 times. Ondrej previously skated pairs with Stefania Berton and won the bronze medal at the 2013 European Championships. Placed a surprising 2nd in the Olympic Team Event free skate with a personal best performance.
Nicole Della Monica / Matteo Guarise (ITA): 3-time Italian National Champions, 2017 Lombardia Trophy and Finlandia Trophy silver medalists. Placed 7th in the Olympic Team Event short program.
Julianne Seguin / Charlie Bilodeau (CAN): 2015 Junior World Silver Medalists, 3-time Canadian National Medalists. Teamed up in 2012. Young team hampered by injuries in recent seasons, including a series of concussions suffered by Julianne. Julianne used to compete in both singles and pairs at the same time, winning the bronze medal at 2014 Autumn Classic in ladies’ singles.
Kirsten Moore-Towers / Michael Marinaro (CAN): 2017 & 2018 Canadian National Bronze Medalists. Have risen steadily this season, winning an unexpected spot on the Olympic team. Kirsten previously skated with Dylan Moscovitch, with whom she won a Four Continents medal and a Canadian National title. She teamed up with Michael Marinaro in 2014.
Alexa Scimeca Knierim / Chris Knierim (USA): 2015 & 2018 US National Champions, 2016 Four Continents Silver Medalists. Teamed up in 2012. USA’s top pair in recent years, missed most of the 2016-17 season due to illness. Known for their triple twist; may perform a quad twist in the Olympic individual free skate. Married each other in 2016. Placed 4th in the Olympic Team Event short program and free skate.
Tae Ok Ryom / Ju Sik Kim (PRK): 2018 Four Continents Bronze Medalists, 2017 Asian Winter Games Bronze Medalists. First North Korean skaters to medal at an ISU Championships and to gain international recognition. Debuted internationally in 2015-16 and have improved rapidly since then. Trained in Canada during the off season with South Korean pair, Kyueun Kim and Alex Kam. Watch out for their fun short program to “A Day in the Life”.
Ekaterina Alexandrovskaya / Harley Windsor (AUS): 2017 Junior World Champions, 2017 Junior Grand Prix Final Champions. First Australian pair to achieve international recognition. Ekaterina previously competed for Russia; she teamed up with Harley in 2015. Harley is of Australian Aboriginal descent.