2024 World Championships Pairs Free Skate

[icewhite]

Everytime I wake up, the show is already over - thanks, time difference! I'm not much interested in pairs usually, but I guess I'll rewatch the top ones.

I'm mostly curious if German media are finally going to acknowledge that German pairs are somewhat successful and that maybe the should cover the sport more.

There will always be an article here and there when there has been a successful event - the FAZ reported after the GPF for instance - but there will not be a change overall. There wasn't after Savchenko/Massot, and that was much bigger. Of course they then ended their career, but... people just don't care about figure skating and two rather successful pairs will not change this, unless maybe they both win medals at the next Olympics and continue afterwards.

 

[DancingCactus]

You'd think figure skating was more interesting than bobsleigh for example...

 

[icewhite]

You'd think figure skating was more interesting than bobsleigh for example...

one would think so

but unless German figure skaters start to dominate or at least be on the level of the Japanese, people will prefer bobsleighing...

I was making another attempt to get my mother into watching skating the last two days, pairs and men's short, but she really does not care.
She's musical, she does watch sports here and there, there were two good German pairs in the event she watched - but figure skating - it's just not for her. If I cannot get someone like her into the sport, I don't know who could be attracted apart from random weirdos like myself (to be fair she also does not watch bobsleighing. I don't know anyone who does but likely older people with time on their weekends.) I think figure skating is just too different and complicated to get into. Hence why I want the tiktok generation to be brought in, I see more chances there.

 

[4everchan]

You'd think figure skating was more interesting than bobsleigh for example...

every time I watch luge or bob, the commentators praise Germany's tradition

 

[icewhite]

every time I watch luge or bob, the commentators praise Germany's tradition

I have never met anyone who actually does this sport, actively, but then I don't live in Bavaria.

 

[4everchan]

I have never met anyone who actually does this sport, actively, but then I don't live in Bavaria.

I'd love to meet the bob guys... in their high tech suits

 

[4everchan]

Sorry.. .it's almost 4am and I am just very tired LOL

but yeah.. I sympathize. In Canada, the figure skaters are better known than the gliding sports... yet we do have olympic champions in bob and skeleton.

 

[DancingCactus]

I'm from Bavaria. Never ever have I met anyone who does bobsleighing, or ski jumping for that matter. Maybe you have to be from one if the smaller cities right next to the alps?

Anyway, I want to get to the office to watch the Men, but I'm stuck in the train because the only thing all Germans have in common is suffering through public transport.

 

[Diana Delafield]

Are Russian pairs great ? Yes. No question about that. They have a fabulous tradition of excellence, but it is very short sighted in my opinion to assume that the current eligible teams wouldn't challenge them, even beat them. May I remind you that Russia has only won gold at the Olympics ONCE since 2010. As a matter of fact, they were not on the pairs podium at 2010 nor 2018 Olympics.

And that quite a few of the pairs skaters we just watched ranking below the Canadians and Japanese et al are actually Russians who have migrated to other countries but who were originally trained in Russia.

 

[icewhite]

I'm from Bavaria. Never ever have I met anyone who does bobsleighing, or ski jumping for that matter. Maybe you have to be from one if the smaller cities right next to the alps?

Anyway, I want to get to the office to watch the Men, but I'm stuck in the train because the only thing all Germans have in common is suffering through public transport.

Now I feel you. Especially our trains.

I actually once knew someone who did ski jumping... but that was in the Black Forrest/Kirchzarten area where there are facilities... well, they also went on skiing trips for school there. Where I lived in my youth there were no winter sports at all. Here many schools at least go skating to "my" rinks, but the kids/teenagers do not properly learn it, they are just sent out to skate around wildly and either they know how to do it or they are stumbling around and nobody even teaches them how to skate forwards without clinging to the boards. Well, but ice hockey is becoming more popular by the minute, it feels like, especially for girls. And of course rollerskating is booming - maybe some of the kids will land in figure skating eventually, depending on climate change.

 

[icewhite]

Sorry.. .it's almost 4am and I am just very tired LOL

but yeah.. I sympathize. In Canada, the figure skaters are better known than the gliding sports... yet we do have olympic champions in bob and skeleton.

I would never have started skating at all if not for a Canadian.

 

[4everchan]

I would never have started skating at all if not for a Canadian.

which one was it ?

 

[LadyB]

It was a wee bit to late for me last night, but I've jut watched Dasha/Michel and the final two groups.
Very happy for the Klimov Teams, coming home with a medal. Well deserved, also for Fedi and Dima!
Dasha/Michel will rise and shine next season.

Congrats to Teams ,especially for Deanna.
That audience is maevellous!!!!!!

 

[TT_Fin]

Just finished watching FS. Pairs discipline feels good. I watched everything and could enjoy though knew some of the results beforehand. Sometimes I look check the results and decide after it who do watch but today I had time watch all.

 

[TT_Fin]

Minerva is so lovely person.

 

[TT_Fin]

Deanna took the title being the oldest gold medal lady winner ever from a Finn, Ludowika Jakobsson (who in was originally German).

 

[Sabsi]

Wow, what a glorious evening for Canada.

Even though I'm a fan of the Japanese, Deanna and Max are more than worthy winners, they definitely deserve the gold medal here. I love their short program a little more than their free skate... and I think this is where they laid the base for their victory over the Japanese. For me the Japanese free skate was simply wow and my highlight. All in all, that at least explains why I've had a remix / catchy tune from Oxygen & Woman since this morning.

And a big yayyyyy for bronze for Germany!

 

[snd]

the japanese deserve 2 more pts for skating skills over deanna. great skates by both pairs but i don't think the end result matches the actual quality of the skating we saw

 

[Sabsi]

Everytime I wake up, the show is already over - thanks, time difference! I'm not much interested in pairs usually, but I guess I'll rewatch the top ones.

I'm mostly curious if German media are finally going to acknowledge that German pairs are somewhat successful and that maybe the should cover the sport more.

I'm not from Bavaria either and don't know anyone who actively practices this sport. But it is also difficult to practice it as a hobby or leisure activity. It starts with no or too few halls, extremely expensive entrance fees and rental equipment, etc.

Figure skating is an absolute niche sport here in Germany and the funding is beyond underground, even for internationally successful athletes.

I remember an article from 2023 about Annika Hocke & Robert Kunkel in which they disclosed their expenses & income. The bottom line was that despite the fact that they are third in the European Championships and represent Germany internationally, etc., they couldn't even afford long-term physiological treatment for Robert's back pain and had to resort to a cheap alternative in the form of painkillers. It's sad. And as @icewhite already said, not even Savchenko/Massot or before them Savchenko/Szolkowy could do anything to change the complete fading of the sport

 

[kolyadafan2002]

I think it was clear after 2022 that the pairs field was massively depleted, but it's definitely recovering well and bouncing back. As a discipline, it's going in the right direction, and this field (especially in the SP) is on its way up.