Olympic champ Kim splits with coach Orser

In the shocker of all shockers, Olympic champion Yu-Na Kim of Korea announced her split with coach Brian Orser yesterday.

Orser, who guided Kim to World and Olympic titles in less than four years, said the skater's mother, Park Mi-Hee, approached him three weeks ago and said that his services were no longer needed.

There is clearly something more going on here; it's likely that Kim no longer has the drive or ambition to train at an elite level anymore, which is understandable. After all, she's won everything imaginable and is the biggest celebrity in South Korea right now, endorsing everything from refrigerators to her own brand of cell phone.

Skaters change coaches all the time, but this split comes as one of the biggest surprises since Michelle Kwan left Frank Carroll before the Olympic season in 2001.

What makes the situation more awkward is that Kim, 19, still trains at the same Toronto rink Orser coaches at, and he admitted that "it has created a tension that is having an impact on all the other skaters. Something has to change."

Those "other skaters" include both Adam Rippon and Christina Gao, a pair of quickly rising American stars. Orser guided Rippon to the Four Continents Championship gold medal last season, while Gao was a surprise bronze medalist at the Junior Grand Prix Final.

Kim announced her intention to skip the Grand Prix Series this fall, and instead focus her training for the World Championships coming up in March in Tokyo. However, with a plethora of opportunities coming her way since striking gold in Vancouver -- including her own ice show -- it appears unlikely at this point in time that we will see her on competition ice again.

Junior Grand Prix season kicks off next week in Courchevel

Eight U.S. skaters are headed to Courchevel, France, next week for the opening event of the 2010-11 ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series.

In the men's event, reigning junior National champion Jason Brown and bronze medalist Max Aaron make their Junior Grand Prix debuts, where they'll face a relatively weak field overall. Aaron's triple Axel should keep him in the medal picture, while Brown's triple/triple combinations and fantastic skating skills make him the early gold medal favorite. The top international contender for the men is Canada's Andrei Rogozine, who also wields a strong triple Axel.

For the ladies, U.S. teens Yasmin Siraj and Nina Jiang will be up against a much more accomplished field of skaters. Russia's Polina Shelepen, who won twice on the JGP last season, is back once again. If she can maintain the solid jumping and consistency she showed last season, Shelepen should steamroll the competition here. Siraj, the current U.S. junior silver medalist is a very good skater, but neither she nor Jiang are at the level of the Russian jump-wise yet. Russia's other entry, Roza Sheveleva (replacing an injured Anna Ovcharova), is also a legitimate medal threat.

While the podiums are fairly easily predicted in the singles events, the same cannot be said for the ice dance event. The Americans will be well represented, though both teams could face an uphill climb to the medal stand. 2010 U.S. novice champions Alexandra Aldridge & Daniel Eaton are very good athletes, though both are untested so far internationally. Anastasia Cannuscio & Colin McManus, 10th in the U.S. junior division last year, are back on the JGP series after placing 7th in their lone event last fall. With about 6-7 teams so evenly matched in the event, it really is anyone's title to take.

As always, the Junior Grand Prix series brings together the top junior skaters from around the globe in weekly competition. There are seven events this year, with the top eight point-getters at the conclusion of the series being invited to skate in the Junior Grand Prix Final, held this year in Beijing, China.

--------------------

Minnesota's Kiri Baga, who won two gold medals on the JGP circuit last season, sustained a stress fracture over the summer and resumed training six weeks ago. She is said to be progressing well, and is competing her new programs at the Minnesota State Championships this weekend. If all goes well, Baga, one of the United States' top juniors, should definitely receive at least one JGP event.

ISU strips Plushenko of amateur eligibility

2006 Olympic champion Evgeni Plushenko's talk of competing four years from now at the Olympics in Sochi, Russia is no more.

On Monday the International Skating Union permanently stripped the 27-year old Russian of his amateur status, citing the fact that he broke eligibility rule #102. In their decision, the ISU Council said:

"Based on evidence presented the Council has concluded that Mr. Evgeny Plushenko breached the ISU eligibility rule 102, paragraph 2, i) of the ISU General Regulations and as a consequence has become ineligible under paragraph 7 a) of that rule. The evidence has proved to the satisfaction of the Council that Mr. E. Plushenko, a skater and member of the Figure Skating Federation of Russia (FSFR), skated in exhibitions held in March and April 2010, in Russia and other countries, without the express prior authorization of the FSFR. Such activity is a breach of the ISU eligibility rules and results in the loss of eligibility."

Here's what happened in layman's terms: Plushenko was slated to compete at the World Championships in March, one month after winning the silver medal in Vancouver behind American Evan Lysacek. Shortly before the start of Worlds, Plushenko withdrew citing injury. His doctor's note to the ISU stated that he would need two weeks of rest, with limited to no skating at all. After not competing at Worlds, Plushenko then skated in the "Kings on Ice" show in Russia. Annoyed, the ISU refused to sanction the shows, meaning that skaters who wished to maintain their amateur skating status were not to perform. Because Plushenko skated in the shows anyway, he is now deemed a "professional" skater and is therefore banned from ever skating competitively again.

The lines between amateur and professional skaters these days are virtually non-existent, as the ISU has allowed more skaters to perform in shows to earn money. The shows must be sanctioned by the ISU, however, and "Kings on Ice" was not. As frustrating as it may seem for Plushenko, and as ridiculous as this whole issue is altogether, the rules are the rules.

While it's unlikely that Plushenko was actually going to skate in another Olympic Games, he now won't have the opportunity of competing even one or two more years to try and rack up more European and World Championship medals. While his figure skating legacy is secure, this has to be a devastating way to end his competitive career.

McLaughlin, Brubaker split

It was a great four-year run for Keauna McLaughlin and Rockne Brubaker.

Teaming up in 2006, the young American duo won everything on the junior circuit, including the 2007 Junior World title, and then transitioned to the senior ranks where they claimed back-to-back U.S. championships and qualified for the 2007 Grand Prix Final.

One year ago a 2010 Olympic berth seemed all but assured for this top 10 team, but a disastrous short program at the U.S. Championships in Spokane last January changed all of that. McLaughlin and Brubaker fell from America's best to a dismal 5th place, and were forced to watch the Olympic action from home.

Putting the disappointment of Nationals behind them, the team won silver at the Four Continents Championships in February, and seemed to be back on track for next season. However, it was announced last week that McLaughlin is taking a break from competitive skating to focus on her senior year of high school. Brubaker, 24, now begins the daunting task of searching for a new partner.

This team truly had something special -- that innate star quality that makes you sit up and take notice. They brought a flair and an on-the-edge excitement that wasn't seen in U.S. pairs skating in decades. They will truly be missed by many in the skating community; I wish Keauna the best in her time away from the sport, and I hope Rockne is able to find a partner as soon as possible and, if all goes well and the stars happen to line up just perfectly, qualify for the 2011 U.S. Championships.

In honor of this team, here's their fantastic silver-medal winning free skate from Skate America 2008:

Blast from the past: Michelle Kwan's "Dream of Desdemona"

Every so often, a skating program reaches iconic status. It happened in 1988 with Katarina Witt's sultry "Carmen" free skate, and in 2002-03 with Xue Shen and Hongbo Zhao's emotional "Turandot" long program.

America's most decorated skater ever, Michelle Kwan, has an impressive portfolio of iconic programs herself, including the Rachmanninof piano medley short program she used in both 1998 and 2002, and her "Salome" free skate from 1996 -- the program which signaled her arrival as a major international threat, and which won her the gold medal as a 15-year old at the World Championships.

While all these programs are spectacular in their own ways, one program doesn't get as much love or attention from the skating world: Kwan's "Dream of Desdemona" short program from the 1996-97 season. It is another Lori Nichol masterpiece, with intricate choreography and difficult transitions into and out of her required elements, all accentuated by a fantastic piece of music. From the opening spiral sequence to the final death drop spin, it's hard to take your eyes off of the program.



There really isn't a piece of music called "Dream of Desdemona." The program is actually a combination of pieces by composer Jules Massenet. The "Desdemona" part comes from the brilliant thinking of both Kwan and Nichol, as it is a storyline they created to depict the turbulent relationship between two of Shakespeare's most famous characters: Othello and Desdemona.

Perhaps this program doesn't get the recognition it deserves from the skating community because Kwan won no major titles with it. It was used during the 1997 season, a season in which she suffered from growth spurts, injuries and confidence issues -- a season in which Tara Lipinski would sweep the major titles: U.S. Champion, Series Final Champion (now called the Grand Prix Final) and World Champion.

Nonetheless, the program epitomizes classic, beautiful skating with deep edges, gorgeous lines, solid jumps, beautiful spins and, most of all, heart. And while it may not be remembered as one of the best ever, it is certainly one of figure skating's greatest "hidden gems."

Frank Carroll's new crop of students

Frank Carroll, coach of 2010 Olympic champion Evan Lysacek, is going to be one busy guy.

Last month, it was announced that Kazakhstan's Denis Ten, who skated to a top 10 finish at Worlds in 2009, was moving to El Segundo, Calif., to train with the renowned coach.

Earlier this week, Jonathan Cassar announced he was leaving coach Julie Berlin and the Detroit Skating Club to move west and be guided by Frank, too.

Today, three young, promising U.S. ladies also announced that they are to be coached under the tutelage of Mr. Carroll. Leah Keiser, the 12-year old reigning U.S. novice national champion, will be joining Carroll's stable of students along with Ellie Kawamura and Kristiene Gong, second and fourth, respectively, at the 2009 U.S. junior ladies event.

Carroll is the master at bringing out the best in his students. His work with Mirai Nagasu in less than a year took her from 5th in the United States to 4th at the Olympic Games.

Through the summer, he will surely be working with each skater to make them stronger athletes and competitors. Ten needs a confidence boost, while Cassar has all the makings of a champion -- except for the more difficult jumps. Keiser is an incredible talent with great technique already, but Frank has the ability to take her to senior national champion by 2012. Kawamura and Gong will benefit from the same jump and confidence overhaul he gave Nagasu this year.

An uncanny resemblance

In my previous post, I touched briefly on how much Christina Gao resembles a young Michelle Kwan.

Michelle Kwan - 1995 Worlds Short Program


At age 14, the star quality was already evident in Kwan's skating. There is no doubt in my mind that she should have beaten Bobek for the bronze medal that year.

Christina Gao - 2009 Junior Grand Prix Final Short Program


Though still developing her style, one can see glimpses of star power in Gao's skating as well. With Brian Orser as her coach and a solid triple-triple combination under her belt, she's definitely one to watch this quadrennium.

Remember these names

Though the 2006-2010 quadrennium was a relatively disappointing one for U.S. ladies skaters, there does appear to be a light at the end of the tunnel. This past season, both Mirai Nagasu and Rachael Flatt proved that they can be competitive against the world's best. Here are four new fresh faces hoping to join them on the international scene and make their mark as the next generation.

Christina Gao

• 2009-10 Junior Grand Prix Final bronze medalist
• 2010 U.S. Championships - 5th place

Gao has improved tremendously in the past year since working with Brian Orser, coach of Olympic champ Yu-Na Kim. In 2008, she was dead last in the novice ladies event at Nationals, and in 2009 she was only 3rd in the junior division with a lackluster free skate. Improved mental focus and better jump technique has propelled her to the top group as a junior internationally, as well as on the senior national stage. Her triple flip is one of the best in the world, and her solid triple toe-triple toe combination will be a key element as she hopes to continue her ascent up the rankings. Realistically, Gao has a fantastic shot at making the senior World team next season, especially since Sasha Cohen won't be back and if Flatt decides to focus on college. Her resemblance to a young Michelle Kwan is uncanny.

Agnes Zawadzki

• 2010 Junior World silver medalist
• 2010 U.S. junior National champion

After failing to make the U.S. Championships in 2009, Zawadzki rebounded in a big way this season, taking the U.S. junior title and winning the silver medal at the Junior World Championships last month -- her first-ever international event. Zawadzki is a complete skater, armed with huge jumps, high-scoring spins, solid edges and nice flexibility. Like Gao, she will definitely be contending for a senior national medal in 2011, and could very well find herself on the senior World team as well. By improving her speed and getting her triple flip under control, she will be a force to be reckoned with, both nationally and internationally.

Kiri Baga

• 2009 U.S. novice National champion
• 2-time Junior Grand Prix gold medalist
• 2010 U.S. junior National pewter medalist (4th)

Minnesota's own Kiri Baga had quite the breakthrough season in 2009-10. After winning the '09 novice National title, Baga competed internationally for the first time last fall, winning both of her Junior Grand Prix events before placing 7th at the final. A rough outing at Nationals this year left her in 4th place, but she redeemed herself at the Junior World Championships last month by placing 6th in a deep field. Baga has "future star" written all over her, and her charisma, style and attack is reminiscent of a young Sasha Cohen. She possesses every quality needed to be world champion. All she needs now is time mature and refine her skating, and develop consistency on the more difficult triples (the flip and the Lutz). Keep your eye on this one...

Samantha Cesario

• 2010 U.S. Championships - 15th
• 2010 Gardena Spring Trophy champion (junior)

Speaking of Cohen...it's no secret that young Samantha Cesario looks up to her. Gifted with beautiful lines, exquisite spins and an amazing on-ice presence, Cesario seems to have it all. However, under rotated jumps plagued her at many competitions last season, including the U.S. Championships where she was dinged on nearly every triple jump attempt. She finished 15th in her senior national debut in Spokane this year, but was able to successfully regroup for the Gardena Spring Trophy last week in Italy where she was given full credit for all of her triple jumps. If she continues to improve at that rapid rate over the summer, there's no stopping this girl.

The best and worst from '09-10

After more than seven long months of thrills, spills and fierce competition, the figure skating season has finally come to a close. From Yu-Na Kim's stunning Olympic victory to Mirai Nagasu's breakthrough, to Domnina & Shabalin's controversial Original Dance, here are the best and worst from 2009-10.

(Left: One of my favorite pictures I took of Mirai Nagasu at the U.S. Championships. Nagasu was most definitely a highlight of the season).

Best Pairs Moments:
Gold-- After back-to-back bronze medals in 2002 and 2006, the Chinese team of Xue Shen & Hongbo Zhao finally captured Olympic gold in Vancouver with two stunning programs. Though their free skate wasn't entirely perfect, the duo capped off an illustrious career and will forever be remembered as one of the greatest teams of all time, alongside Russian legends Gordeeva & Grinkov and Rodnina & Zaitsev.

Silver-- Amanda Evora's heartfelt reaction upon learning she and partner Mark Ladwig had earned a spot on the U.S. Olympic team. The team had spent years hovering around the 4-6 range at Nationals but put it all on the line in Spokane. Perhaps even more impressive is the fact that they were able to gain confidence from their U.S. silver medal and earn top-1o finishes at both the Olympics and World Championships.

Bronze--The free skate of China's Qing Pang & Jian Tong at the Olympic Games in Vancouver. They bested Shen and Zhao in that segment with a world-record score of 141.81 points en route to the silver medal overall in their third Olympic appearance.

Worst Pairs Moments:
-- Keauna McLaughlin & Rockne Brubaker's short program at the U.S. Nationals in January. Two huge mistakes and other small errors took them completely out of contention for the Olympic team, and seeing Keauna cry backstage after was heartbreaking. Here's hoping they come back strong next season!

-- Yuko Kavaguti & Alexander Smirnov's odd long program to a remix of the "Blue Danube Waltz." The strange, gimmicky choreography and Yuko's mid-program costume transformation didn't help, either.

Best Men's Moments:
Gold-- Jeremy Abbott's flawless free skate at the U.S. Championships. In successfully defending his National title, Jeremy landed 8 perfect triple jumps and one gorgeous quad toe loop. He would go on to defeat (eventual) Olympic gold medalist Evan Lysacek by more than 25 points en route to a 9th place finish in Vancouver and a 5th place finish at the World Championships in Torino, Italy.

Silver-- Speaking of Evan Lysacek, his emotionally charged Olympic short program was definitely a highlight of the season. The 24-year old American would score a personal best 90.30 points for that segment before coming from behind to defeat defending Olympic champ Evgeni Plushenko of Russia. His victory in Vancouver marked the first time an American man had won Olympic gold since Brian Boitano in 1988.

Bronze-- Japanese star Daisuke Takahashi's comeback from a nearly career-ending injury is the stuff legends are made of. With each competition, he appeared to get stronger and stronger, and capped the season off with Olympic bronze and a World title, the first Japanese man to medal at the Games and win a World Championship. On top of that, his "La Strada" free skate is my favorite men's program of the season, so kudos to Dai.

Worst Men's Moments
-- Plushenko's incessant whining about how he deserved to win the Olympics over Lysacek simply because he landed a quadruple jump and Lysacek did not. News flash, Evgeni: it's not called "figure jumping." Quad or no quad, Evan was far better than you in terms of spins, footwork, choreography, transitions and the triple jumps. Your silver medal is a great achievement, so stop trying to rain on Evan's parade.

-- Elvis Stojko's rants about "manly skating" and "feminine skating." Like Plushenko, perhaps Elvis should brush up on the judging system rules before running his mouth.

-- Johnny Weir's scores at the Olympics. I don't know what the judges were watching, but Johnny was FAR better than Canadian Patrick Chan in Vancouver. The scores did not accurately reflect what happened on the ice, and Weir's near-flawless programs should have put him into 4th place overall, not 6th.

Best Ice Dance Moments
Gold-- The season that Meryl Davis & Charlie White had, winning another U.S. title and becoming the Grand Prix Final champs and World and Olympic silver medalists. They are arguably the most exciting ice dance duo in a long time, and this lift is simply outstanding.

Silver-- Hearing Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir (and all of Canada, really) singing "O, Canada" during the medal ceremony in Vancouver. While I'm not Canadian, it was an amazing, goosebump-inducing moment.

Bronze-- The free dance of Kimberly Navarro & Brent Bommentre to U2 and Mary J. Blige's version of "One." There aren't really words to describe this program, except that it incredibly moving to see live and in person at Nationals. This duo will certainly be missed.

Worst Ice Dance Moments
-- The Original Dance of Russian champs Oksana Domnina & Maxim Shabalin. What. Were. They. Thinking?!?! While their intentions were probably good, their "Australian Aboriginal" program came across as extremely offensive to many. Aside from that, the construction of the program was not Olympic-caliber, and Max's declining knee strength and skating skills didn't help either. And those costumes? Oy.

-- Tanith Belbin & Ben Agosto's scores at the Olympics. They skated three flawless programs yet still finished 4th behind Domnina/Shabalin. Like Weir's scores in the men's event, the marks for Belbin/Agosto had me scratching my head.

Best Ladies Moments
Gold-- Yu-Na Kim's Olympic gold medal winning free skate was an obvious choice. Never before had she performed such a perfect long program, and to save it for the biggest stage of all is quite remarkable. Along the way, she set another world-record score in the free skate of 150.06, and an overall record of 228.56, more than 23-points ahead of silver medalist Mao Asada of Japan. Whether she decides to continue competing or retire from amateur skating, Kim's legend in the skating world is secure.

Silver-- Mirai Nagasu's breakthrough was another highlight of the 09-10 season for me. After a terrible year in 08-09, Mirai came back in a big way with better jumps, a world-class coach and the joy she exuded when she first burst onto the scene in 2007. Her steady climb this season resulted in a silver medal finish at Nationals, a 4th place finish in her senior international championship debut at the Olympics, and a top-7 finish at Worlds. Her winning short program at the World Championships has set her up beautifully as a serious world contender over the next four years.

Bronze-- Joannie Rochette's heartfelt tribute to her late mother, Therese, at the Olympics in Vancouver. It still amazes me that she was able to compete only two days after her mother's passing, and to win an Olympic bronze medal with the stunning performances that she gave is truly awe-inspiring. Kudos to you, Joannie.

Worst Ladies Moments
-- Mao Asada's meltdown at the Rostelecom Cup in October was not a pretty sight. A 6th place finish in the relatively weak field there meant no Grand Prix Final trip for Asada. The only bright spot in all of this was that perhaps her poor performances motivated her for the rest of the season, as she went on to capture Olympic silver and another World title.

-- The entire ladies free skate event at the World Championships can be summed up in one word: "yikes." Falls, popped jumps, and double-footed landings plagued many of the Worlds best skaters last month in Torino. The fact that Yu-Na Kim was able to win silver despite three huge mistakes in her short program (an under rotated triple flip, a messy layback which ended up not counting, and a near-fall on her spiral sequence) and a fall in her free skate is quite telling. Aside from Nagasu's short program, this is was not a memorable event.

-- Carolina Kostner's Olympic-sized implosion in Vancouver is legendary--and not in a good way. It brought back memories of Laetitia Hubert's "human Zamboni" free skate from the 1992 Olympics where she fell four times. Carolina rebounded somewhat at Worlds with a 6th place finish, but 09-10 seems like a season she hopes to forget.

The retirement list: 2010 edition

International elite figure skaters are notorious for their indecisive attitudes toward retiring permanently -- but with good reason. The pro circuit is dead and gone and skaters are now allowed to tour "professionally" while still retaining amateur status. The 2009-10 season gave us many comebacks -- some more welcome than others -- but who plans on staying around for next year and who will head back into retirement (at least until Sochi, that is)? Here's a preliminary round-up:

PAIRS--

Confirmed to be done:

• Shen/Zhao (CHN): they'll be taking their Olympic gold medals and heading into retirement for good this time.
• Pang/Tong (CHN): the newly minted Olympic silver medalists and 2010 World champions are also headed for retirement and, like their Chinese counterparts, are an off-ice couple.
• Mukhortova/Trankov (RUS): the Russian duo has split since the World Championships last month, and he'll be skating with Tatiana Volosozhar (formerly of Ukraine).

• Volosozhar/Morozov (UKR): this off-ice couple bid adieu to competitive skating at the Olympics with an 8th place finish, and she will be teamed up with Maxim Trankov to represent Russia.

On the bubble:

• Kavaguti/Smirnov (RUS): because of Yuko's recurring shoulder problems, there have been rumors that this team might be calling it quits this year. If they vow to stick together, who knows if her body will hold up another four years?
• Dube/Davison (CAN): while the team has said they are staying together for next year, they will be taking it one season at a time. Jessica's mental focus and passion for skating seems to have gone missing this season, and they're going to need to refocus and rededicate themselves if they hope to stand on the World podium again.
• Langlois/Hay (CAN): injuries kept this team from competing last season, and while they made a remarkable comeback in 09-10, it's hard to say whether they'll be sticking around.
• Zhang/Zhang (CHN): a disappointing 09-10 season aside, this team may choose to stay together to keep Chinese pairs skating on the map.
• Castile/Okolski (USA)
• Inoue/Baldwin (USA)

Likely to be around next season...and beyond?:

• Savchenko/Szolkowy (GER)
• Evora/Ladwig (USA)
• Bazarova/Larionov (RUS)
• Denney/Barrett (USA)
  
• Berton/Hotarek (ITA)
• James/Bonheur (FRA)

MEN--

Confirmed to be done:

• Stephane Lambiel (SUI)
• Kevin van der Perren (BEL)

On the bubble:

• Evgeni Plushenko (RUS): after a disappointing (but deserved) silver medal in Vancouver, the 27-year old Russian is saying he might stick around until Sochi 2014. While dreams are free, it's not likely that his ailing knees would allow him to reach his peak form of 2006 ever again. And as this year's Olympics proved, his transitionless programs and shaky jumps aren't going to cut it anymore.
• Evan Lysacek (USA): while he has said he can't imagine life without training and competing, the Olympic champion seems to have many off-ice aspirations, too.
• Johnny Weir (USA): the U.S. bronze medalist has been slowly falling down the rankings (and out of favor with the judges) the past few years. Weir has never really adapted to the new scoring system, and I would be shocked if he continues to compete.
• Samuel Contesti (ITA)
• Ryan Bradley (USA): this showman would be sincerely missed, and while he isn't likely to hang on until Sochi, he may continue to compete for a few more years.

Likely to be around next season...and beyond?:

• Daisuke Takahashi (JPN): the new World champ has said he will stick around at least until the World Championships next year in his home country of Japan.
• Brian Joubert (FRA)
• Jeremy Abbott (USA)
• Adam Rippon (USA)
• Patrick Chan (CAN): the Canadian champ has already said he will be re-using his "Phantom of the Opera" free skate for next season.
• Takahiko Kozuka (JPN)
• Nobunari Oda (JPN): the Japanese star has split from former coach Nikolai Morozov and is looking for a new training situation.
• Michal Brezina (CZE)

ICE DANCE--

Confirmed to be done:

• Belbin/Agosto (USA): the pioneers of U.S. ice dance, Tanith and Ben will enjoy a new time in their lives. Their legacy will live on forever, and after making their broadcast debut for Universal Sports at the World Championships last month, we may hear them in the commentating booth again sometime soon.
• Delobel/Schoenfelder (FRA): the French duo made a valiant comeback to competition this year, placing 6th at the Olympic Games.
• Khokhlova/Novitski (RUS): Sergei is said to have health conditions that are aggravated by skating. Jana will likely look for a new partner.
• Navarro/Bommentre (USA): the sentimental favorites of many in the U.S. skating community, Kim and Brent will surely be missed.

On the bubble:

• Virtue/Moir (CAN): the Olympic champs have been wishy-washy on their plans for next season.
• Domnina/Shabalin (RUS): while I'm sure they want to continue competing, there is no way Maxim's knees will hold up. They barely got through this season and I would be very surprised we ever see them back on competition ice.
  

Likely to be around next season...and beyond?:

• Davis/White (USA): they Olympic and World silver medalists have a lot more competitive aspirations in them, such as becoming the first U.S. ice dance team to win World gold.
• Faiella/Scali (ITA)
• Pechalat/Bourzat (FRA)
• Kerr/Kerr (GBR): they're in it for another season, at least.
• Zaretsky/Zaretsky (ISR)
• Samuelson/Bates (USA)
• Crone/Poirier (CAN)
• Bobrova/Soloviev (RUS
• Cappellini/Lanotte (ITA)

LADIES--

Confirmed to be done:

• Susanna Poykio (FIN)
• Julia Sebestyen (HUN): the four-time Olympic veteran has had a long and storied career.

On the bubble:

• Yu-Na Kim (KOR): the Olympic champion has faced insurmountable pressure since her senior debut in 2006. Should she choose to leave the competitive skating world, her legacy is securely intact.
• Joannie Rochette (CAN): after suffering the heartbreaking loss of her mother in Vancouver, it is unknown whether the Olympic bronze medalist will find the emotional strength to return to a rigorous daily training schedule.
• Sarah Meier (SUI): the former European silver medalist has battled chronic injuries and failed to even qualify for the free skate at last month's World Championships.
• Carolina Kostner (ITA)
• Sasha Cohen (USA): a comeback this season led to a 4th place finish at the U.S. Championships in January.
• Miki Ando (JPN): shoulder injuries, poor programs and uninspired performances could sway Ando to hang up her skates, though the Worlds in Tokyo next March could be a strong motivating factor for the 22-year old.

Likely to be around next season...and beyond?:

• Mao Asada (JPN)
• Mirai Nagasu (USA): America's new leading lady is just getting started in what should be an illustrious career (*knock on wood*).
• Rachael Flatt (USA): it remains to be seen if she'll defer her college experience for a year or two or try to do both.
• Laura Lepisto (FIN): the World bronze medalist will look to increase her jump arsenal this quadrennium.
• Akiko Suzuki (JPN)
• Cynthia Phaneuf (CAN)
• Ksenia Makarova (RUS)
• Alena Leonova (RUS)
• Kiira Korpi (FIN)
• Ashley Wagner (USA): the U.S. bronze medalist missed qualifying for the Olympics this season, but seems motivated to hang around until Sochi.