New Canadian pairs teams

[scs]

According to several posts on FSUniverse, Valerie Marcoux and Sean Wirtz have split (a good thing according to some posters who saw them). She is now with Craig Buntin and he is apparently with Elizabeth Putnam. Any word on these teams?

[Mellow Yellow]

They broke up already! It was just posted in the International Figure Skating magazine about Marcoux and Wirtz being a team...oh well! And I didn't know that Elizabeth Putnam broke up with Mark Batka! WOW! Surprises are still coming about!

Later,
M.Y.

[Caro]

Already? I was actually looking forward to seeing them skate!

Are Putnam and the other guy from the Paul Wirtz clan, also?

[Catherine M]

Elizabeth Putnam was with Luc Bradet as a coach for awhile. She just came to Paul Wirtz's school this spring when she teamed up with Craig Buntin. Not sure how she and Sean Wirtz will do but she is tall and thin so that should go nicely with his body-type.

Craig Buntin has been with Paul's school since 1999. He and Valerie Marcoux are an off-ice couple so it will be interesting to see if they can successfully make the transition to pairs partners as well.



Catherine

[Martine]

I for one would be very happy if things worked on the ice for Marcoux and Buntin. I think she really showed some great potential as a pairs skater with Marcotte and I liked what I saw of Buntin in juniors.

[Scott]

Boy, it sounds like the canadiams are experiencing the same problems that US teams face. All these brake-ups. Is this something that occurs only in the USA and Canada? Break-ups and changes occur in Europe and Asia but not nearly as often!! What is the difference or is it just in the air?

[Josef]

[quote:b03e1664ac="Scott"]Boy, it sounds like the canadiams are experiencing the same problems that US teams face. All these brake-ups. Is this something that occurs only in the USA and Canada? Break-ups and changes occur in Europe and Asia but not nearly as often!! What is the difference or is it just in the air?[/quote:b03e1664ac]

I think a lot of it is just impatience with the partnership. A lot of these new teams expect to be national medal-contender level after just a few weeks together and (except for a few rare occasions) that just DOES NOT happen. The pair teams that stick it out are the ones that make it down the line.. For example, Anabelle/Patrice started out between seventh and ninth at Nationals for the first *three* Nationals, and it wasn't until the 2001 season that they finally reached the top. They stuck it out and progressed together and it worked...

[becca]

I saw Liz and Sean skate this afternoon and they look like a very well matched team.

[bleu]

Only in Wirtzville land. I may be wrong but it seems like that. Our two remaining pairs skater have been together for more than two years.

Regarding the Wirtz camp - it is better to split now than later.

[Scott]

[quote:f9f36e2631]
Josef wrote:

I think a lot of it is just impatience with the partnership. A lot of these new teams expect to be national medal-contender level after just a few weeks together and (except for a few rare occasions) that just DOES NOT happen. The pair teams that stick it out are the ones that make it down the line.. For example, Anabelle/Patrice started out between seventh and ninth at Nationals for the first *three* Nationals, and it wasn't until the 2001 season that they finally reached the top. They stuck it out and progressed together and it worked...[/quote:f9f36e2631]

I agree. It seems that we expect too much too soon from our pairs and dance teams. Look at all th etalkin the USA about the new teams that have come up this year. People are allready expecting miricles from Hinzman/Hartsell and they haven't been skating but two months! he same goes for Don/Hunt. I know that a lot of pressure was put on Orscher/Lucash last year and they were able to land in the top five at US Nationals after only skating together one year, but that is a real exception to the rule!

Seems like the USA and Canada aught to back off and let these teams mature o their time schedule!

[Dragonlady]

The only pairs teams playing musical partners in Canada are the teams coached by Paul Wirtz. While other teams do split up, it seems that none of Paul's teams last more than two seasons. I guess everyone's looking to catch the magic of the Sale & Pelletier pairing, but that so rarely happens. Isabelle and Lloyd had an instant spark too but it still took them years to win Worlds.

[Trillian]

[quote:0ec9daf823="Dragonlady"]While other teams do split up, it seems that none of Paul's teams last more than two seasons.[/quote:0ec9daf823]

You mean some of them last more than one season?? :wink:

I don't think the habit of teams splitting is as unique to North America as people seem to think. The very top teams in other countries may not split often, but they don't here either. Otoh, the lower-ranked teams in plenty of other countries--Russia, Germany, Ukraine, etc.--have gone through numerous partner swaps in recent years, just like those in the U.S. and Canada. If it doesn't happen [i:0ec9daf823]quite[/i:0ec9daf823] as often in some European countries, I'd only blame that on the lack of available partners. Other than Russia, there aren't any countries with as many elite skaters--therefore, not as many options for someone who might conceivably want a new pairs partner.

Sometimes, partner swapping is necessary anyway--a partnership that may have been good to begin with has become a bad idea, or it was never a good idea in the first place. It does seem to me that the Wirtz camp takes it to an extreme, though.

[Catherine M]

Since it looks like everything is finally settled in Wirtzville and since I am a tad bit bored at work today, I thought I'd compile a list of the existing senior & junior teams heading into the summer & fall skating seasons.


Senior Pairs:

Returning from last season:

Lariviere & Faustino
Langlois & Archetto
Bergeron & Davison
Purdy & Maguire

New “old” teams:

Wirtz & Wirtz
Powers & Campbell

New teams:

Putnam & Wirtz
Marcoux & Buntin
Armstrong & Castelo
Leedle & Moram


Anyone else planning on skating as seniors this upcoming season???? Any teams moving up from Juniors???

Yeah, I know about Jean-Sebastien Fecteau and his new Japanese partner but she’s ineligible for both international and domestic competitions so they won’t be competing till the 2003-2004 season. Sniff, as I have heard they look fantastic together. I just hope and pray that they get the paperwork completed and nothing keeps them from going out next season.


Top Junior teams

Montgomery & Arnold; are they competing as seniors in Saskatoon??
Dube & Tetrault
McCaustlin & Davies
Miller & Wagner
Meeran Trombley & ???? (didn't she get a new partner?)

Any other junior teams of note that we might see during the summer skating season and the fall????


Catherine

[Francis71]

I believe that McEwan & Willemse are another senior team.

It will be interesting to see how Rowell & Schmacher do at their North American Challenge - they ranked much lower in Novice than I would have expected after seeing them at Thornhill last summer. I think they were doing (attempting?) triple twist last year. They may be considered for some of the available spots on the Junior Grand Prix.

I rather like Clair Dauglais and her partner Bryce Davidson. I understand they are going Junior and given that this is their second year together (note not from wirtzville) they should do OK.

Does anyone know if Mark Batka has a new partner or is skating singles or has retired?

[scs]

Catherine--You have Wirtz & Wirtz as a returning old team...is this confirmed or still a rumour?

[Bailey]

Are you serious, that Kristy and Kris might return. They have been around forever, what else is there for them to do... Sorry, but I am of the opinion that at some point you have to move on...

[jp1andOnly]

it would be hard for for Kristy to get back into shape (though I'm sure she's already there) and train all those hours with a new baby. If Paul accepted money for coaching, then he can't be amateur anymore. I think you can only make up to a certain amount. Though they were a good team, i think the new baby and the responsibilities that come with it would make it quite a challenge

[Lee]

[quote:f0365cdcf0="jp1andOnly"]If Paul accepted money for coaching, then he can't be amateur anymore. I think you can only make up to a certain amount. [/quote:f0365cdcf0]

First I think you mean "Kris" not Paul, and second, yes, skaters can coach and still compete. This was changed at the SC 2001 ACGM in St. John, New Brunswick. Coaching no longer hurts a skater's eligibility.

[Catherine M]

[quote:4fb1093f5e="scs"]Catherine--You have Wirtz & Wirtz as a returning old team...is this confirmed or still a rumour?[/quote:4fb1093f5e]

As far as I know, they are training right now with the intention of competing in the upcoming season. This could change, with the situation of their children and getting back into shape; I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens.

[jp1andOnly]

Lee, you're right. Brain freeze moment there :wink:

[Caro]

How old would Wirtz & Wirtz be then?

Question: on the thread about the official ISU GP assignments, Marcoux and Wirtz (sean) are posted in a competition. Since this team seems to no longer be together, do either Marcoux/Buntin or Wirtz/girl take the spot? Or does it just dissapear into thin air?

Does anyone know if Bruno Marcotte is still skating. I would do anything to see him skate again, he was a good pairs skater!

Also, are Fecteau and his japanese girl eligible for any competitions? I was looking forward to seeing them skate together ASAP... Does anyone know of pics of these two? Just curious... (Watched an old tape of Fecteau and Saurette, and I've come to the conclusion that he is a great pairs skater except I had never noticed because my focus was usually on Saurette...)

[Catherine M]

[quote:64929e007e="Caro"]How old would Wirtz & Wirtz be then?

Question: on the thread about the official ISU GP assignments, Marcoux and Wirtz (sean) are posted in a competition. Since this team seems to no longer be together, do either Marcoux/Buntin or Wirtz/girl take the spot? Or does it just dissapear into thin air?

Does anyone know if Bruno Marcotte is still skating. I would do anything to see him skate again, he was a good pairs skater!

Also, are Fecteau and his japanese girl eligible for any competitions? I was looking forward to seeing them skate together ASAP... Does anyone know of pics of these two? Just curious... (Watched an old tape of Fecteau and Saurette, and I've come to the conclusion that he is a great pairs skater except I had never noticed because my focus was usually on Saurette...)[/quote:64929e007e]

Ok, I'll try to answer your questions.

1. W&W are 28 & 32/33 years old; not exactly sure of Kris' age.

2. The Marcoux & Wirtz spots will change back to TBA; who knows who will end up with the assignments.

3. Bruno Marcotte has retired from compettion. Don't expect to see him skate again. He is concentrating on a coaching career right now and has moved back to Montreal.

4. As far as I know, we won't see Jean-Sebastian & Utako skate until NEXT season. She can't compete internationally nor at 2003 nationals. What other competitions are there?????


Catherine

[Trillian]

[quote:7fe6a0a5eb="Catherine M"]4. As far as I know, we won't see Jean-Sebastian & Utako skate until NEXT season. She can't compete internationally nor at 2003 nationals. What other competitions are there?????[/quote:7fe6a0a5eb]

Well, they could find a club competition or two with a senior pairs event. But those are pretty scarce in the U.S. and I doubt they're much more common in Canada. However, I bet they'd be welcome at the Indy Challenge in the U.S., where lots of top U.S. pairs and promising new teams will be competing in hopes of getting international assignments. :)