Saturday, January 1, 2011

Countdown to US Figure Skating Championships: 21 Days!

Caitlin Yankowskas & John Coughlin (Colonial FSC)

  • 2008 US Nationals 6th
  • 2009 US Nationals 7th
  • 2010 US Nationals 6th
  • 2010 Four Continents Championships 4th
  • 2010 NHK Trophy 4th
  • 2010 Cup of China Bronze Medalists


I have been a big critic of the US Pairs program for a long time and though I don't think this team is the future of US Pairs skating, I think they are our best hope for the present. Caitlin is only 20 but John is 25 so I don't know how many good years they have left in them. I hadn't seen them skate before this year's Grand Prix and I was quite impressed. I find them to be quite clean and fairly consistent compared to the other top pairs teams in the US who often crack under pressure. Their free program this season to Ave Maria  is a tribute to John's mother who passed away recently and it is quite beautiful. Pairs is so hard to predict at Nationals but I have a feeling this team is going to stand atop the podium this year. Denney and  Barrett will probably lead after the short program, but I predict that Yankowskas and Coughlin's free skate will propel them ahead in the end. 

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