Knierim & Knierim: “Still some rebuilding" | Golden Skate

Knierim & Knierim: “Still some rebuilding"

gsk8

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Ted Flett interviews Alexa Scimeca Knierimin and Chris Knierim in Colorado Springs, Colo. – July 2017.

Enjoy!

https://youtu.be/WepC75wTgAE

They are doing really well and may incorporate a quad twist later this season. So happy she is healthy and improving! :clap: #PaintItBlack #CharlieChaplin
 
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This is one of the best interviews in this series. Ted Flett is really good at drawing the skaters out. The part about how they handled Alexa's illness answered a lot of questions.

I liked their enthusiasm about their Chaplin LP and working with Christopher Dean. Dean would take each of their parts, even getting lifted by Chris.

Interesting comments about their GrandPrix schedule and about participating in the Olympic teanm event in the same week as the pairs.
 

el henry

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Ted Flett does it again:agree:

As if I could love Alexa any more:love:, this one is just filled with kind of quotes I expect from her, such as

"If we're fortunate enough to make the Olympic team, and we need to skate four events in a row, who cares? It's the Olympics, so we're a little tired, who cares?"

The athletes are much more sensible than the fans....
 

TontoK

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I really wish I could get excited about American pairs. I just can't. Of course, I find it hard to be interested in any pairs.

It used to be my favorite discipline, but now I only really enjoy Sui and Han, and they're a recent discovery for me.

I've had my eye on Cain and LeDuc. I hope their extraordinary progress continues. I am hopeful about this pair, and would like to see them win USNats and make the Olympics.
 

el henry

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I really wish I could get excited about American pairs. I just can't. Of course, I find it hard to be interested in any pairs.

It used to be my favorite discipline, but now I only really enjoy Sui and Han, and they're a recent discovery for me.

I've had my eye on Cain and LeDuc. I hope their extraordinary progress continues. I am hopeful about this pair, and would like to see them win USNats and make the Olympics.

I know this isn't the way one is supposed to approach this, but I only really follow Alexa and Chris and Deanna and Nate. Not because of their skating, but because the "Up Close and Personal" fluff I have seen, particularly on Alexa, who is just a pistol, makes me *like* them.

So unlike the men, where I actually make pretensions to evaluating their skills, here I just like who I like. It's much easier that way. :biggrin:
 

skylark

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Alexa actually made me look forward to their Chaplin program, saying it's actually fun to do it.

This is practically a miracle, because if I had the choice to ban one piece of music from figure skating, it would be Chaplin. I didn't much like it the first time (I think with Elena & Anton), and now I'm sick of it. So I guess have to be a little more tolerant of people complaining about yet another POTO.

But the way Alexa described it, as a little romantic and a little comedy, it sounds pretty cool. And of course Christopher Dean is one of the most original choreographers and a genius to boot. So, all's well. Good questions from Ted, and good answers from A & C.
 

skylark

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I've had my eye on Cain and LeDuc. I hope their extraordinary progress continues.

Me too, on both counts. C/L act, look and seem to think like a seasoned pair, with such a short time in the partnership. Their progress from one competition to the next last year was just stunning.


I am hopeful about this pair, and would like to see them win USNats and make the Olympics.

Are you still talking about C/L? or referring back to SK/K? It would be a tall order for C/L, but we dream big for our favorites around here, don't we.
 

TontoK

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Me too, on both counts. C/L act, look and seem to think like a seasoned pair, with such a short time in the partnership. Their progress from one competition to the next last year was just stunning.

Are you still talking about C/L? or referring back to SK/K? It would be a tall order for C/L, but we dream big for our favorites around here, don't we.

Yes, sorry for the lack of clarity. I'm referring to C/L. They won the SP at Nats last year, didn't they? Or am I confused? Either way, I don't see them as being noncompetitive.

I don't even think it's that much of a stretch, really. It's not like they're competing against teams with glorious international records.
 

iluvtodd

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^ Cain & LeDuc did win the sp @ 2017 US Nationals. :hap10:

I'm thrilled for Alexa & Chris, and hope she stays healthy!
 

skylark

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Yes, sorry for the lack of clarity. I'm referring to C/L. They won the SP at Nats last year, didn't they? Or am I confused? Either way, I don't see them as being noncompetitive.

They did win the SP, and it was an enthralling skate on its own merits. And then, considering what they were doing with that program in September....

I don't even think it's that much of a stretch, really. It's not like they're competing against teams with glorious international records.

I'm beginning to see it your way again. Actually, I felt that way at nationals ... except that I also love Haven/Brandon. And Tarah/Danny, and Alexa/Chris. I'm conflicted.:unsure: Deanna/Nate relieved my mind by saying they're not even thinking about the Olympics. :) But no matter what, I can enjoy them all.
 
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I really wish I could get excited about American pairs...

For me, the antidote is interviews like this one. Once I get to "know" these skaters, or at least get a glimmer of insight into their personalities and their struggles, it makes me look forward to what they can accomplish on the ice.

I was especially interested in knowing that they deliberately skated a technically easier program last season, due to getting a late start and not being up to 100% physically. Here come the Olympics -- they will go for broke.
 

skylark

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"If we're fortunate enough to make the Olympic team, and we need to skate four events in a row, who cares? It's the Olympics, so we're a little tired, who cares?"

The athletes are much more sensible than the fans....

True, but to be fair, some of the athletes found it a tricky balance. Especially those with hopes for an individual gold medal, like Patrick Chan. I remember Maxim Trankov saying he and Tatiana "aren't the youngest skaters," and they had to think strategically about how they were going to be prepared for each event, and make sure they had time to recover so they could have optimum performances. I mean, that's part of the planning of all the skaters. Kori Ade mentioned in her TSL interview that all the skaters prepare to lay down two great programs in every competition, so it required another level of prep for Jason to skate three. (I think she implied it was another level they hadn't worked out completely; and they can take that into consideration next time.)

Then again, whichever USA pair skates, they're not in gold medal contention.
Alexa also mentioned that Marissa/Simon skated four times in Sochi. As did Meryl and Charlie, who went on to win the individual gold.
I do love how Alexa framed her thoughts on the subject. I'm sure all of the US pairs would agree.
 

TontoK

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For me, the antidote is interviews like this one. Once I get to "know" these skaters, or at least get a glimmer of insight into their personalities and their struggles, it makes me look forward to what they can accomplish on the ice.

I was especially interested in knowing that they deliberately skated a technically easier program last season, due to getting a late start and not being up to 100% physically. Here come the Olympics -- they will go for broke.

I certainly respect your point of view. And I respect you.

But, for me, it's about delivering great programs (foremost) and building a competitive record of achievement (secondarily).

I'm less interested in getting to know them as people, except as it applies to training stories and competitive strategies.

Stories of pet cats and such are not interesting to me.

The only "personality" I care about is the one delivered on the ice in the context of the program.
 
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I'm less interested in getting to know them as people, except as it applies to training stories and competitive strategies...

That's what I liked about this interview. No cat stories, just details about their work with the coaches and choreographers, their strategy for slow rebuilding after devastating illness, their thoughts on the kinds of programs that they want to do and elements that they will include, and so on. I think Ted Flett did a great job on focussing the interview on the kinds of questions that we fans are most interested in.
 

skylark

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I feel like I should say this may be something of a

SPOILER if one hasn't yet listened to the interview.

But I was WAY impressed with what Alexa said about working with Nina Mozer. That Alexa wondered what would occur, and why would Nina M. help the competitors of her own skaters? That Alexa was very surprised and appreciative of the level of teaching NM shared. I think that is so great! It also reminds me of Kori Ade's remarks (again in TSL interview) that her goal is to raise the level of figure skating. She's all about sharing her techniques, because she believes that when you help someone else, even a direct competitor, everyone benefits. :rock::bow:
 

SnowWhite

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Yes, sorry for the lack of clarity. I'm referring to C/L. They won the SP at Nats last year, didn't they? Or am I confused? Either way, I don't see them as being noncompetitive.

I don't even think it's that much of a stretch, really. It's not like they're competing against teams with glorious international records.

Though Alexa and Chris weren't at Nationals, so it's not like C/L beat them there. And then both competed at 4CC and SK/K beat C/L by ~25 points. On the one hand, C/L are a new partnership, so they might improve quickly, but at the same time SK/K were competing for the first time that season and it was a big gap. And SK/K's Worlds score was ~18 points ahead of C/L's at US Nats (and we all know Nationals scores are inflated compared to International ones in general).

So of course if C/L hit it out of the park next season, they could do it, but I certainly see them as a fair bit behind SK/K at the moment. But there's always Worlds where the US has two spots.
 

TontoK

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Though Alexa and Chris weren't at Nationals, so it's not like C/L beat them there. And then both competed at 4CC and SK/K beat C/L by ~25 points. On the one hand, C/L are a new partnership, so they might improve quickly, but at the same time SK/K were competing for the first time that season and it was a big gap. And SK/K's Worlds score was ~18 points ahead of C/L's at US Nats (and we all know Nationals scores are inflated compared to International ones in general).

So of course if C/L hit it out of the park next season, they could do it, but I certainly see them as a fair bit behind SK/K at the moment. But there's always Worlds where the US has two spots.

Fair points. But if C/L improve at the very rapid pace they did in their first season together, things could be very different than your reasonable projections.

I haven't seen recent clips of either team, but I certainly wouldn't put the K's in as a lock.
 
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"If we're fortunate enough to make the Olympic team, and we need to skate four events in a row, who cares? It's the Olympics, so we're a little tired, who cares?"

This. Skylark gave a good analysis. In the case of American pairs, they have a good chance to win an Olympic medal in the team event, but would be a long shot in individual. I personally think that the team event will slowly gain in prestige and fan interest among the few countries that are in contention, as it did in gymnastics. An Olympic medal is a prize to cherished whatever the circumstances.
 
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