U.S. Ice Dance 2023-24 news & updates

[Wyliefan]

That's true, but I still wasn't expecting a withdrawal. Hope they're OK.

 

[ccpompom]

skatecan just announced the team for 4cc, what is usfsa waiting for?

 

[Karen-W]

skatecan just announced the team for 4cc, what is usfsa waiting for?

Well, no, Skate Canada announced some of their 4CCs team and will finalize the rest of their selections on Jan 14th.

But, yes, what's the hold-up with the USFS? This is getting ridiculous.

 

[Karen-W]

McNamara/Spiridonov have withdrawn from US Nationals.

Just looked at the ISP and they're no longer listed...

 

[Rukia]

Just looked at the ISP and they're no longer listed...

not shocked by this tbh

 

[skatingguy]

Just looked at the ISP and they're no longer listed...

I hope it was mutual decision between the two of them - the hardest thing for many athletes to do is to decide when they're finished.

 

[ice coverage]

McNamara/Spiridonov have withdrawn from US Nationals.

I will miss Lorraine and Anton at Nationals.
No matter what, my respect and best wishes to both of them.
Lorraine has competed at U.S. national championships every year since 2007-2008 season.

 

[AYS]

I will miss Lorraine and Anton at Nationals.
No matter what, my respect and best wishes to both of them.
Lorraine has competed at U.S. national championships every year since 2007-2008 season.

That is quite a stat. I still remember watching Lorraine as a little peanut zombie at Challenge Cup in Ardmore. Best to them both.

 

[layman]

Just looked at the ISP and they're no longer listed...

I am shocked. I saw so much improvement in McNamara/Spiridonov in the last few seasons. They were starting to gel together as a team (scores be damned). I am saddened that I won't be able to see their development as a team continue.

 

[OlieRow]

That is quite a stat. I still remember watching Lorraine as a little peanut zombie at Challenge Cup in Ardmore. Best to them both.

I lived just around the corner from the rink there and Challenge Cup and the baby Wheaton teams (and NavBoms!) were always a treat. It helped dance become my favorite discipline.

I’m still sad that McNamara/Carpenter split but hope that if she and Anton want to continue they can find suitable new partners. If Lorraine isn’t continuing, she certainly had quite the run!

 

[VGThuy]

It’s kind of sad with happened to a lot of the Wheaton teams since their high period in the junior ranks. Not that they’re over or close to it, but you would think a center producing that many talented teams bringing serious international hardware would have materialized more successes as seniors and been another viable ice dance center for North American teams to choose to go. I also liked that so many of their teams were made up of local and homegrown talent. Ah well. Such is life. Maybe things will be up again.

 

[Cayuse]

It’s kind of sad with happened to a lot of the Wheaton teams since their high period in the junior ranks. Not that they’re over or close to it, but you would think a center producing that many talented teams bringing serious international hardware would have materialized more successes as seniors and been another viable ice dance center for North American teams to choose to go. I also liked that so many of their teams were made up of local and homegrown talent. Ah well. Such is life. Maybe things will be up again.

Very few promising teams stay together past juniors from any figure skating school. Growth spurts, love interests, college ambitions, career goals, and coaches leaving to start their own schools --all get in the way! Wheaton coaches (and Mida coaches) are on a steep learning curve as their skaters advance to seniors.

 

[Belsornia]

Sure, there will always be attrition and splits. But WISA have been consistently bad at packaging and strategising for their senior teams.

I saw Lorraine and Quinn skate in a few DC area shows when they were teeny tiny juvenile/intermediate ice dancers, so I was always glad to see her on the international circuit. If this is retirement, I hope she’s satisfied with her skating career and the opportunities and successes it brought her.

 

[BittyBug]

Maybe things will be up again.

I'm trying to think of an example of a dance center that was hot, went out of fashion, and then surged back, but I can't.

 

[AYS]

There's an intrinsic challenge in taking home grown talent (and pairings) all the way to the top international level that is separate from the coaching talent/strategic approach. The top centers are picking and choosing and attracting the best, the ones with "it", and putting them together, bringing them from all different locations. It's just a completely different talent pool and paradigm than developing young talent. I think the Wheaton/DC group has been absolutely amazing at the latter over the years. Who of the successful senior teams from Linichuk, Shpilband, Zoueva, IAM, were developed from the start, or even from say Intermediate/Novice level by those coaching teams?

 

[coralline]

It’s kind of sad with happened to a lot of the Wheaton teams since their high period in the junior ranks. Not that they’re over or close to it, but you would think a center producing that many talented teams bringing serious international hardware would have materialized more successes as seniors and been another viable ice dance center for North American teams to choose to go. I also liked that so many of their teams were made up of local and homegrown talent. Ah well. Such is life. Maybe things will be up again.

Well WISA is certainly still a viable ice dance center, maybe just not for local North American teams right now. They do have a very successful Sr Georgia team and a very successful Jr Israel team.

 

[Karen-W]

Lorraine has made an announcement on IG -

Lorraine McNamara on Instagram: "I would like to announce that I have decided to end my partnership with Anton. I am grateful for all of the experiences we shared.     I am filled with excitement and an ever burning ambition as I search for a partner

31 likes, 2 comments - lorrainekmac on December 20, 2023: "I would like to announce that I have decided to end my partnership with Anton. I am grateful for ..."

www.instagram.com

She says she decided to end the partnership and plans on looking for a new partner.

 

[AYS]

That's an unusually unilateral announcement. (Not that splits aren't often unilateral, just the announcements usually hem and haw around it).

 

[dancing_on_ice]

She says she decided to end the partnership and plans on looking for a new partner.

I hope that Lorraine is able to find someone from another federation. It would be tough to make it in USFS, but she's more than talented enough to find a lot of success representing another country.

 

[Spiralgraph]

As other have implied,I hope she considers moving to a different coaching team and training center. Just a new partner may not be enough.

 

[litenkyckling]

I hope that Lorraine is able to find someone from another federation. It would be tough to make it in USFS, but she's more than talented enough to find a lot of success representing another country.

I agree - I’m not sure which US men are available and a move to another fed seems to me like the only option if she wants championship experiences? I don’t know anything about her background but I wonder if she has Irish roots?

 

[happycamper2554]

I feel like Jeffery Chen could be made available. I wonder if she is too tall for him. He and his partner haven't been out of this world successful.

 

[PRlady]

I feel like Jeffery Chen could be made available. I wonder if she is too tall for him. He and his partner haven't been out of this world successful.

No no no. She wipes out his charisma and he cancels out her steadiness. Worst of both worlds.

 

[skatfan]

That's an unusually unilateral announcement. (Not that splits aren't often unilateral, just the announcements usually hem and haw around it).

Yeah, and while she's thankful for the experiences, she doesn't thank him or wish him well. She's definitely done!

 

[Wyliefan]

I noticed that too. You don't see that often.

 

[kwanfan1818]

Does anyone know what the USFS release policies are?

 

[Rhumba d’Amour]

I feel like Jeffery Chen could be made available. I wonder if she is too tall for him. He and his partner haven't been out of this world successful.

Jinx! My first thought, on hearing the news.

Whoever Lorraine ends up with, though, I’m glad to hear that she plans to continue. She is an amazing talent IMHO.

 

[Rukia]

Yeah, and while she's thankful for the experiences, she doesn't thank him or wish him well. She's definitely done!

I mean, she was clearly done after seeing their scores almost every time this season. She wasn't hiding it lol.

 

[Jayar]

Part of me is hoping that Quinn will decide to come back and make a go of it again.

 

[Karen-W]

Does anyone know what the USFS release policies are?

Wasn't it Deanna who said she had to repay all the training money received from the USFS over the years before she was given her release? I don't expect the USFS to give Lorraine a release any more easily than they did with Deanna.