The pairs event at Worlds 2017 was projected to be a close and intense competition. And it certainly lived up to that expectation. There was drama to spare: Injuries, accidents, quads, spectacular crashes. Chinese head coach Hongbo Zhao recently commented: “2017 Worlds, it’s the qualifying event for the Pyeongchang Olympics. We can say it’s the ‘heaviest among heavy’ World Championships.” I think all the pairs felt that weight, to some extent.

The short program at Worlds was one of the most intense I can remember. With 28 pairs all trying to make the cutoff for the top 16, the level of competition was very high. We saw many teams put out season’s-best performances–while a few others unfortunately succumbed to the pressure. The final team to qualify for the LP scored 62.03; a much higher standard than we’ve seen the last few years. Continue reading “Worlds 2017: Pairs Review” →