Old champs? Stellato-Dudek/Deschamps are pretty much just starting together. They are challengers themselves. This is the first season where really, we think of them at having a shot. Last year, they were just beginning to make their mark. They didn't medal at worlds nor at GPF. They only got a bronze at 4CC. The 21-22 season was their first year on the circuit. It looks like they have been together for longer but they were not allowed to do international competitions due to covid and "release" requirements. So I think they should get some slack really.
Actually, they are not. The same crop of 'Russians skaters' are/were competing for Israel, Georgia, France, Germany and USA. Especially in pairs we see a ton of Russian born skaters competing for the other countries, and to single out Hungary and P/S is just not fair. Hungarian and Russian born skaters are competing for USA pairs teams, from what i'm seeing...
Exactly. It's quite unfair considering the recent moves of Efimova and Parkman to the USA
and considering that Maria's former partner is Nagy who now skates with Liu.I think they are the world favourites for gold. I know it is in Canada but this team has the momentum. They have room for growth in their skating and scores. I don't think the Canadians are the chosen ones and they seem to have a huge limit on their tech skills. I think without Russia these Germans are touted for gold. They have great skill already. They are nice to watch pc wise. Move over Deanna and Max there are new kids on the block and they have your number.
If there is ONE thing I can count on Deanna for is not to be afraid by the new kids on the block and moving over. She will fight. Haase and Volodin are definitely a top team. They have incredible quality. Yet, there is a spark missing for me, something Chan and Howe indeed have. Haase and Volodin will have to win Euros against all 3 Italian teams and their compatriots to set themselves up for worlds.
...and let's not forget the Russian Georgians, who seem to have a shot as well.
But it's clearly not all one country.
A bronze in a 4CC with 6 teams (a couple of weeks before the Olympics) where none of the top non Europeans competed.Old champs? Stellato-Dudek/Deschamps are pretty much just starting together. They are challengers themselves. This is the first season where really, we think of them at having a shot. Last year, they were just beginning to make their mark. They didn't medal at worlds nor at GPF. They only got a bronze at 4CC. The 21-22 season was their first year on the circuit. It looks like they have been together for longer but they were not allowed to do international competitions due to covid and "release" requirements. So I think they should get some slack really.
The Hungarians are at their second season. Only one season less than SD-D. She was skating with Nagy before.
Calling Stellato-Dudek/Deschamps the old champions is not fair and could be seen as ageism which is not cool. I also love P/M. In some ways Trennt is the most experienced skater in the Canadian pairs field right now. He is the "old" dude
Their bronze at 4CC was last year, behind the Japanese and Chan and Howe. I think it's the year before that was the "covid" year. That's when Walsh and Michaud got their bronze, the first ISU championship for DS/D with a 4th place.
| Nation | Total points | SP | FS | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Audrey Lu / Misha Mitrofanov |
| 189.10 | 1 | 68.35 | 1 | 120.75 |
2 | Emily Chan / Spencer Akira Howe |
| 180.94 | 3 | 64.47 | 2 | 116.47 |
3 | Evelyn Walsh / Trennt Michaud | 
| 179.70 | 2 | 65.42 | 3 | 114.28 |
| 4 | Deanna Stellato-Dudek / Maxime Deschamps |
| 172.71 | 5 | 59.07 | 4 | 113.64 |
| 5 | Katie McBeath / Nathan Bartholomay |
| 168.18 | 4 | 59.54 | 5 | 108.64 |
| 6 | Lori-Ann Matte / Thierry Ferland |
| 163.60 | 6 | 55.40 | 6 | 108.20 |
Oh yeah, it was fourth. But my point about their progress still stands. They're amazing.Their bronze at 4CC was last year, behind the Japanese and Chan and Howe. I think it's the year before that was the "covid" year. That's when Walsh and Michaud got their bronze, the first ISU championship for DS/D with a 4th place.
You are correct for practice times : in Quebec it was extremely difficult for pairs for the longest time.
Nation Total points SP FS Audrey Lu / Misha Mitrofanov Emily Chan / Spencer Akira Howe Evelyn Walsh / Trennt Michaud 4 Deanna Stellato-Dudek / Maxime Deschamps 5 Katie McBeath / Nathan Bartholomay 6 Lori-Ann Matte / Thierry Ferland
They improved so much. Their twist now regularly gets level 4. The lifts that are not cookie cutter were often marked level 3, not anymore. The SBS toe jumps used to have weird and unmatched entries, they have fixed that as well.
at worlds indeed. they will be at junior gpf though this year.
Queen Deanna fears nothing.
They have a shot to be European Champions. I'm sure they'll go to Kaunas.
Yup...
forgot about Euros how could I when I mentioned it right there.. 
I think our Ted Barton had some of the best remarks that reflect my instant love for Hase/Volodin, which happened the first time I saw their free skate this year and even went out a limb to predict their Nebelhorn win! Here's some of what Ted said about Minerva & Nikita:
I noticed H/V right away at the early Challenger events; they are remarkable for skating so much as 'one' in their first competitive year together. They appear to have great respect for each other as well as wonderful unison & elegance.
they have "performance in every movement ... delivering the highest quality of movement."
"there is a marriage between the performance, the character, and the story and the difficulty of the elements."
For me, they have a spark, and are also a more complete team than Stellato-Dudek and Deschamps. H/V give more emotion to the audience. It will be an interesting competition at GPF and Worlds!
