new partnerships...who's the girl tho?

[snowflake]

i heard that bert cording got a new partner. does anyone have any idea who it is??
additionally, i heard ben cohen is having a trial partnership. but i dont knwo who the girl is. does anyone have an idea of who it is?

[JKlink]

I keep hearing that he will be skating with Mimi Whetstone. JK

[snowflake]

the two of them (ben and mimi) will make an interesting team. hes a novice champion and ranked 6th in junior this season. and she was an intermediate last year??? how does that mix? we'll have to see how their trial period goes.

[WeBeEducated]

Leo Unger was a well respected junior dancer who paired up with an unknown intermediate girl...and in one season they were near the top of juniors!
but, ben and Mimi?
I dont really see this as working very well for other reasons, but if its true I wish them the best. I think Mimi would look good with Brent Holdburg.

[Starlight]

According to the USFSA pair and dance partner search, Brent will be 20 in October. He didn't make it out of Mids (7th) this year in the novice level. The two partnerships he has been in have only lasted one year. In my opinion, I just don't picture Mimi skating with him.

[jkl]

Hi Snowflake,
Bert's new partner is a lovely young lady named Susannah Hall. She is 18 years old. She has competed Junior Ladies and has all the triples but limited pair experience. I saw them practice today and she is very elegant and has lovely extensions. I was impressed.

[Trillian]

Interesting that yet another pair guy has chosen a strong singles skater as a partner rather than a more experienced female pairs skater. I don't think it's a bad idea at all, personally. I haven't seen Susannah skate but I have heard of her--she's qualified for Pacific Coast Sectionals a few times. (I would assume she's recently relocated? I believe she was representing a club in Washington state in the past.) Should be very interesting to see how things work out.

[Louis]

Susannah Hall was based out of North Carolina, then Washington state, then Virginia (but she kept the Lilac City club affiliation). She has a reliable 2axel and 3salchow, and a less reliable 3toe, based on what I saw from her at club competitions last year.

[snowflake]

thanks jkl! i think i remember her when she skated in north carolina a few years ago. she had beautiful dresses!! and she is beautiful herself, if i recall. long and lean, yes? well im glad to hear that they paired up. and i look forward to seeing them compete next season.

[jkl]

Snowflake,
Funny you should mention her lovely dresses. I forgot to mention that someone told me her mother designed skating dresses. With her elegance I know she will look great on the ice.

[prsk8rmum]

Before everyone has this partnership a done deal, I think people should wait a bit. There is more going on that is not public yet, probably a good idea to wait and see.....I cannot say more than that right now.

[WeBeEducated]

Susanah is a good skater, not strong in jumps but has nice flow and artistry...a little tall for pairs.

[JKlink]

Originally posted by WeBeEducated
Leo Unger was a well respected junior dancer who paired up with an unknown intermediate girl...and in one season they were near the top of juniors!
Leo 's coach has a history of bringing new teams together and doing well with them the first year. I'm not sure what the status of Russell and Metzger is, but Ponomarenko will have at least 3 junior teams if they are still skating. Donowick & Ungar, Solomon & Smith, and Russell & Metzger along with some others if he can get partners for Holdburg and Weston. Picking a section to skate out of this year will be tough because so many of these teams can skate out of other sections if they maintain their existing club affiliations.

Easterns
Matthews & Zavozin (moving up to seniors?)
Devins & O'Keefe
Dail & Dail
Copely & Wenzel
McCullough & Dear (could skate out of Mids)
Whetstone & Cohen (could skate out of Mids)
Cepican & Lichtor (could skate out of Mids)
Solomon & Smith (could skate out of Coasts)
Koob-Doddy & Antonelli (could skate out of Coasts)

Mids
Steed & Hill
Davis & White
Pratt & Gilles
Wingle & Warren
McCullough & Dear (could skate out of Easterns)
Whetstone & Cohen (could skate out of Easterns)
Cepican & Lichtor (could skate out of Easterns))

Coasts
Donowick & Ungar
Russell & Metzger
Allapach & Westenberger
Solomon & Smith (could skate out of Easterns)
Koob-Doddy & Antonelli (could skate out of Easterns)

Lake Placid should be very interesting this year depending on what teams show up and what the USFSA does about JGP assignments. JK