Mirror Pairs | Golden Skate

Mirror Pairs

ladyjane

Medalist
Joined
Jun 26, 2012
Country
Netherlands
I was just reading in the Fan Fest of Kristi Yamaguchi and Rudy Galindo (yes, this was a great pair many, many years ago), and mention was made of them being one of the most successful mirror pairs (thank you Doris, you're always a fount of information). Being a skater who jumps clockwise myself (only singles, I am doing this sport recreatively), and the whole issue of mirror pairs being that one of the couples jumps counter clockwise and the other clockwise - hence the 'mirror', I was wondering if there were any others that had some success on the International stage. I happen to like the mirror aspect of SBS elements, instead of parallellism which we usually see (both ways need synchronisation though, but it's probably more difficult to see when the skaters mirror each other), but I'm not so sure the judges do. Are/were there any other (relatively) successful couples? Videos of programmes? I would really love to watch!
 

PaulE

On the Ice
Joined
Jan 5, 2008
Country
United-States
I'm not sure how successful one might label Tiffany Vise and Derek Trent. I got to watch them at the very first competition that I attended in person—the 2006 Skate Canada Grand Prix in Victoria, B.C. I really enjoyed watching them. Doing a search on YouTube turns up very little but here is a video where they were the first pair to land a quad Salchow in international competition: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAZ02SsfgI0. Tiffany apparently did the twist counter-clockwise and the throw jumps clockwise.

After Derek retired, Tiffany skated with Don Baldwin and they also formed a mirror pair: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2DqmZpqG9c.
 

ribbit

On the Ice
Joined
Nov 9, 2014
Jill Watson and Peter Oppegard (USA), the 1987 WBM and 1988 OBM, mirrored their jumps but not their spins or footwork. Here are a couple of performances:

1987 Worlds LP
1988 Olympic LP

Neither is a completely clean skate, unfortunately, but you can get an idea of how they worked the mirrored jumps and transitions into their programs. I think it's interesting to see the long jump sequences down the ice--they look almost step sequences with jumps thrown in.
 

MCsAngel2

On the Ice
Joined
Apr 10, 2019
Jayne Torvill skated pairs with her first partner, they were mirror pairs. They were British National champions, and went to the Europeans one year (where they finished last). She was 14 at the time. I've seen video of the Europeans routine....other than a really nice footwork sequence, it's....not very good (IMO). Also the level of difficulty was not very high in 1971.
 

ladyjane

Medalist
Joined
Jun 26, 2012
Country
Netherlands
I'm not sure how successful one might label Tiffany Vise and Derek Trent. I got to watch them at the very first competition that I attended in person—the 2006 Skate Canada Grand Prix in Victoria, B.C. I really enjoyed watching them. Doing a search on YouTube turns up very little but here is a video where they were the first pair to land a quad Salchow in international competition: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAZ02SsfgI0. Tiffany apparently did the twist counter-clockwise and the throw jumps clockwise.

After Derek retired, Tiffany skated with Don Baldwin and they also formed a mirror pair: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2DqmZpqG9c.

Thank you. Great to see this, and that throw quad salchow really is a big bonus.
 

ladyjane

Medalist
Joined
Jun 26, 2012
Country
Netherlands
Jill Watson and Peter Oppegard (USA), the 1987 WBM and 1988 OBM, mirrored their jumps but not their spins or footwork. Here are a couple of performances:

1987 Worlds LP
1988 Olympic LP

Neither is a completely clean skate, unfortunately, but you can get an idea of how they worked the mirrored jumps and transitions into their programs. I think it's interesting to see the long jump sequences down the ice--they look almost step sequences with jumps thrown in.

These two were pretty successful on the big stages. I love their jump sequences! You're right: they look like step sequences with some jumps thrown in. Probably not possible nowadays because the jumps themselves will have grown, but I like it a lot. Thanks for posting.

Funnily, these examples (except for the very young Jayne Torvill from the UK) are all from the USA. I can't believe only the USA 'produces' mirror pairs, successful couples or not so much.
 

ribbit

On the Ice
Joined
Nov 9, 2014
These two were pretty successful on the big stages. I love their jump sequences! You're right: they look like step sequences with some jumps thrown in. Probably not possible nowadays because the jumps themselves will have grown, but I like it a lot. Thanks for posting.

Funnily, these examples (except for the very young Jayne Torvill from the UK) are from the USA. I can't believe only the USA 'produces' mirror pairs, successful couples or not so much.

That is interesting, isn't it? I suppose the success of earlier US mirror pairs contributes to a culture where it's more "thinkable" to put together and support a mirror pair: not only has it been done successfully before, but there are coaches who have done it or competed against pairs who have done it, choreography to look to...

I don't know that much about pairs scoring under IJS. Back in the 1980s, no pairs (that I know of) did true jump combinations, as defined in singles skating (no steps or changes of edge between jumps). I don't know whether the jump sequences that pairs did then (Gordeeva and Grinkov had amazing sequences) would be scored as highly today as the same jumps in a true combination would be. But it would be amazing to see a mirrored jump sequence with today's more difficult jumps!

Thanks for starting a really interesting topic!
 

labgoat

I have no words
Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 3, 2007
Country
United-States
I was just reading in the Fan Fest of Kristi Yamaguchi and Rudy Galindo (yes, this was a great pair many, many years ago), and mention was made of them being one of the most successful mirror pairs (thank you Doris, you're always a fount of information). Being a skater who jumps clockwise myself (only singles, I am doing this sport recreatively), and the whole issue of mirror pairs being that one of the couples jumps counter clockwise and the other clockwise - hence the 'mirror', I was wondering if there were any others that had some success on the International stage. I happen to like the mirror aspect of SBS elements, instead of parallellism which we usually see (both ways need synchronisation though, but it's probably more difficult to see when the skaters mirror each other), but I'm not so sure the judges do. Are/were there any other (relatively) successful couples? Videos of programmes? I would really love to watch!

Kristi & Rudy - I really hoped they they were the next Tai & Randy. Very sad background about their coach as well.

1989 World SP
1989 World FS
1990 World SP
1990 World FS

There was also Jill Watson & Peter Oppegard , 1987 World & 1988 Olympic Bronze Medalists
1987 World SP
1987 World FS
1988 Olympic SP
1988 Olympic FS
 

Skater Boy

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 24, 2012
The story of Kristi and Rudi was mesmorizing. The sad story of their coach. Rudi's impoverished life, Rudis health and acceptance fromt he world of his sexuality, Kristi's inner turmoil choosing singles over pairs and moving to Edmonton. I would have loved to see Kristi go back to pairs with Rudi after 1992. But of course money opportunities were at their high point when she retired from skating. Had she known what her future held and who she would marry she might not have had to worry about taking advantage of the touring money but who has a crystal ball? They could have won a medal maybe a gold in 1994 or even 1998.Certainly had a great shot at world gold in 1994, 1995, 1996 and probably 1997.
 

GarthAqua

On the Ice
Joined
Feb 14, 2018
I think there's a mirror pair in the last JWC.
I think there are also some mirror dance teams. Crone/Poirier performed mirror 1A in one of their ex. Maia shibutani is a clockwise skater but I'm not sure about Alex. Judging from the rotational lift, Alex should be a conterclockwise skater.
 

ladyjane

Medalist
Joined
Jun 26, 2012
Country
Netherlands
I think there's a mirror pair in the last JWC.
I think there are also some mirror dance teams. Crone/Poirier performed mirror 1A in one of their ex. Maia shibutani is a clockwise skater but I'm not sure about Alex. Judging from the rotational lift, Alex should be a conterclockwise skater.

Would a mirror Dance Team result in them performing mirror twizzles?
 

ice coverage

avatar credit: @miyan5605
Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 27, 2012

trains

On the Ice
Joined
Dec 2, 2004
Otto and Maria Jelinek From Canada were a mirror pair. They were world champions in 1962.
 
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