Pairs in Montreal: what a treat!

We remember the feeling so well: at the end of Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara’s short program in Montreal, we were happy.

Their performance to “Dare You to Move”, as played by a string quartet, had been exhilarating to watch. Their joy, enthusiasm while skating, combined with a very palpable sense of relief – them being back to the world stage after what had been a frustrating season, plagued with Ryuichi’s injury –, everything contributed to this overall feeling of gratitude that stayed with us long after the pairs’ short program ended.

And that’s the purpose of this photo-story after all: to bring to life – again – some of the moments of the pairs’ event in Montreal.

To let them breathe for a while & continue to live in our mind. (Remember Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps’ short program to Oxygène? It is the perfect metaphor to what we want.)

Or, in some other instances, to notice moments you may have not noticed during the actual performances – in which case, the photo-story will be a journey of discoveries.

Ready for it all?

Take this incredible snapshot for example, when time stands still and you can only see the intensity in Cheng Peng’s eyes during the death spiral…

And we do know and love Cheng Peng’s performing qualities – and it’s such a joy to see her thrive in this new partnership with Lei Wang. A very dramatic, theatrical performance from them at Worlds – in their short program on the theme of water, they were indeed the waves of the sea, the wind in the storm.

A moment in time, in Summertime: Anastasiia Melekina and Luka Berulava

Eyes to the sky, wings in the air: Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea skating to East of Eden

Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin skating through butter in their short program at Worlds. They seem ready to take on the world – they are ready.

The look on Lia’s face (during that lift)? Pure bliss. And Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud can be so proud of themselves with this stunning performance at Worlds.

Lucrezia Beccari and Matteo Guarise: such a new team, and such a big team already

Ah, the moment this photo captures – it’s an absolute joy to take the time and really watch it (because, surely, you wouldn’t have had that time during the actual performance…) Emily Chan and Spencer Akira Howe in Montreal – and you can really feel the fever and the feeling in their bodies that Elvis sings about.

Don’t try that at home: Maria Pavlova and Alexei Sviatchenko in their short program at Worlds. And the thing with a photo that captures a moment like this is that you really understand how much difficulty lies beneath.

Maria and Alexei have been such a consistent team, showing up with great performances in almost every event they entered this season, if not all. And Worlds were not an exception – just an additional proof they are good. They are.

Now that’s a team that really caught our eye: Valentina Plazas and Maximiliano Fernandez skating to Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini.

We know that Annika Hocke thrives on the big stage, she loves performing and puts herself 100% out there. And for her and Robert Kunkel, Worlds were really the highlight of the season – you saw it in the way they skated, the way they interacted with the audience, the way the audience responded to them.

Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara taking you with them in their performances is not a metaphor. It’s actually what happens while watching them skate. You go with them wherever they go. And you are happy with the ride and the experience. And their short program at Worlds in Montreal was an absolute joy. So generous they are with their emotions – you feel them all.

Butterflies are meant to fly

This performance from Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps gave us life – it gave us oxygen. One of our favorite short programs from the entire pairs discipline this season, skated with so much intensity, so much conviction, so much power. A type of performance that you feel through every fiber of your body.

The Lioness.

We’ve been wanting to see Sara Conti and Niccolo Macii skating like that all season long – finally, things clicked together at the best time, at the time of Worlds.

Lines to remember.

His eye(s). Cheng Peng and Lei Wang during their free skate to The Sorcerer’s Apprentice.

The music from Gladiator never felt so liberating: Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud

How can these women do it? Feel so free, so light, as if they were a breeze, during a lift (or a death spiral, see below) that is not easy at all, or lacking risks…

Embracing a death spiral with a smile and eyes wide open: Anastasia Golubeva and Hektor Giotopoulos Moore

The purple butterfly that Emily Chan is, while sent in the air by teammate Spencer Akira Howe

Taking our hats off to these incredible pairs

Ah, the sweet serenity this photo captures: Emily and Spencer Akira skating to Exogenesis

The Nocturnal Animals that Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea are

Gravity has been defeated – we are in awe

Mid-flight: Annika Hocke and Robert Kunkel

Having fun is a big part of it all

The awakening of the Cats: Italy’s Lucrezia Beccari and Matteo Guarise

A deep, soothing breath to make your heart beat slower during a lift

Confidence to the fingertips: Anastasiia Melekina and Luka Berulava

We’ll say it again: they’re such a good pair these two, Maria Pavlova and Alexei Sviatchenko

There’s nothing they won’t try: Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin in their first (yes, first) season together

Heart in the mouth while watching Minerva and Nikita

In their first season, their first Worlds together, Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin win a bronze medal, and this is such an incredible feat, and we say hats off to them and the team they have around.

Such a soft spot we have for Sara Conti and Niccolo Macii’s free skate to music from Cinema Paradiso – and they’re so good at telling stories

Power, confidence, We’ve got this: Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps

When following a dream become a life’s adventure: Deanna and Maxime at Worlds in Montreal

A death spiral to stare at. Because it’s beautiful.

Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps, 2024 World champions. Read that again. It’s true, it happened in Montreal, and we are thrilled it did. And they are too – this photo encapsulates all feelings.

These two, these two, Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara, everything around them, everything between them says magic. And we’re so privileged to watch them grow, to watch them thrive and be the champions they are. It was silver this time at Worlds, but they are golden.

No better way to end this photo-story than with this happy portrait of the medalists. And if you’re smiling at the end of this journey, that’s exactly what we wanted, to make you feel things.

[All photos by Alberto Ponti / Montreal]

SEE MORE, READ MORE:

The men’s free skate at 2024 Worlds in Montreal? One for the ages

Defining moments of 2024 Worlds, as we saw them

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Kaori Sakamoto, a three-time World champion, and other photostories