(5 February 2015)  The average number of partners that the men competing at the 2015 U.S. Figure Skating Championships in the Novice Pairs event have had is 2.67. Two of the men are in their fourth partnership.

 In this changing landscape, Darbie Burke, age 14, & Griffin Schwab, age 18, have remained partners since the 2010-2011 season. Their persistence paid off today when the team won the Novice Pairs Short Program at the 2015 U.S. Figure Skating Championships with a score of 37.22. The team, who is coached by C. Schwab and K. Pflumm, delivered a high-energy, high-octane performance to "The Race" by Yello. The checkered flag details in their costumes foreshadowed their winning program. Although the Eastern Sectional gold medalists received no credit at all for their side-by-side single Lutz jumps, their event-high Program Component Scores won the day for them, a score that was achieved by the good unison honed in practice over the years. The pair successfully completed a level 3 double twist, a level 4 hip lift, a level 4 flying combination spin with three positions, a level 3 forward inside death spiral, and a level 2 step sequences, all for positive Grades of Execution.

Vanessa Chen, 14, & Robert Przepioski, 24, took a different route to their second place finish close behind Burke & Schwab with a score of 36.96. Wearing simple blue costumes more reminiscent of a daily practice than a national championship, the pair skated a routine to "Off Road" by United Future Organization, choreographed by Doug Mattis, who is one of their coaches. The newly formed team had the highest Technical Element Score of the event and showed a lot of improvement since last fall's third place finish at the 2015 Midwestern Sectionals. The highlights of their routine were a high level 2 double twist and a level 3 step sequence. The team also performed a level 4 flying sit spin and. a level 1 death spiral. Unfortunately, they had edge problems with their side by side double Lutzes. Przepioski is also competing in Senior Men's at the 2015 U.S. National Figure Skating Championships.

Kate Finster, 11 & Eric Hartley, 16, are currently in third place with a score of 35.11. Their program to "As Long as I'm Singing" by Spacey, choreographed by Dalilah Sappenfield, was sufficient to win the 2015 Midwestern Sectionals with the highest sectionals score of any of the teams competing here, a credit to their coaches, past U.S. pairs champion John Coughlin, Dalilah Sappenfield, and R. Hartley. The team's level 4 double twist was the best of the completion, and their level 3 step sequence was well-performed, as was their level 3 forward inside death spiral, level 4 hip lift, and their double loop throw. However, Finster fell at the start of the couple's combination spin, and had to stand waiting for her partner to finish his spin, a problem that not only earned no points for the spin, but adversely affected the flow of the entire program, and lowered their Program Component scores. Furthermore, the duo's side by side double Lutz was judged under-rotated.

Well within reach of the podium with their short program score of 34.48 points, in fourth place, are fourteen-year old Alexandria Yao & Connor Fleming, age 21.. Skating to the stirring, uplifting music of "Finale" from "East of Eden" by Holdridge, the second-year team tried to increase their score by adding complex transitions to their programs, a strategy that was not wholly successful. Their Rippon double Lutzes did not score well because they were not well synchronized and their landing of the jumps were untidy. On their opening move, a double twist, Fleming did not catch Yao, who was unable to sustain a landing edge and stepped out, which cost the pair negative GOE's, and a rating of "Basic" for the element. Their level 4 lift was a program highlight. The team also completed a level 1 death spiral, level 3 flying combination spin, a double loop throw, and a basic level step sequence.

The fifth place team, Jacquelyn Green & Rique Newby-Estrella, aged 16 and19, earned 32.85 points for a smooth routine characterized by good speed and style to "Desert" from Vovo and Cirque du Soleil, by Qiang, choreographed by Z. Szwed. Their level 4 lift was really well executed with a smooth exit and good ice coverage. However, Green fell during the latter part of the combination spin, earning only level 2 for the element, negative GOE's and a one point penalty for the fall.. Their double Lutz was not well-executed, and their step sequence only earned level 1, while their forward inside death spiral only received a Basic classification.

Thirteen-year-old Sarah Rose & Joseph Goodpaster finished the short program in sixth place, with a score of 32.60 points. A new team, who had placed second at the 2015 Eastern Sectional Championships, Rose & Goodpaster executed a level 2 twist whose GOE's suffered from a heavy landing. Rose stepped out of her side-by-side double Lutz. A highlight of their vintage-style program to "Les Patineurs: Entree" by Meyerbeer, choreographed by their coaches J. Peterson and A. Evora, was their double loop throw, which had good height and ice coverage, and included Rose executing the element with her arms over her head while in the air.. The duo had some problems with their level 3 combination side by side spin. Their rotations were not well synchronized, and Goodpaster finished the spin well ahead of Rose. However, the pair shows promise for the future in some of their elements and in their basic musicality.. Their forward inside death spiral earned level 3, an achievement some of the senior teams fail to reach, and did so with really good rotational speed.

In seventh place are Megan Griffin & Andrew Civiello, with 30.54 points. The second place finishers at the 2015 Pacific Coast Sectional Championships presented a perky routine to "The Producers" by Brooks, choreographed by their coaches D. Ladret and L. Ladret. All of the duo's elements lacked amplitude, despite their speed across the ice being quite good. They failed to meet the requirements for even a basic forward inside death spiral, and so received no points for the skill. Civiello was unable to achieve the proper low position for the man. The team had only a level 1 double twist, but managed to perform an adequate double Lutz and double loop throw. Their level 4 lift was the high point of their program.

Emily Chan & Misha Mitrofanov are in eighth place with a score of 29.30. Yet another new team, who placed fourth at the 2015 Midwestern Sectional Championships, Chan & Mitrofanov lost all credit for their lift, because they were never able to hold a stable position. They also had problems with the landing of their side-by-side double Lutzes. The best element of their program was a level 3 side-by-side spin, during which both skaters did a catchfoot half-Biellmann.

The new team of Sapphire Jaeckel & Matthew Scoralle earned 28.45 points and ninth place after the short program. The routine started well with a beautifully-done Level 3 death spiral, with a spread eagle entrance by Scoralle. It was followed by a double loop throw which covered a good distance and included an exit done with flair. However, following an under-rotated double Lutz, Scoralle fell, and the program fell apart. The team only received level 1 for their step sequence, and their level 2 combination spin had poor unison. Scoralle, particularly, seemed to struggle. Their level 2 twist was untidily done. However, the team finished on a brighter note with a level 4 lift, with nice ice coverage and two changes of air position.

Skating to the soundtrack from "The Godfather," Hannah Klopstock & Brandon Kozlowski managed to accumulate 28.45 points for tenth place. The winners of the 2015 Pacific Coast Sectional Championships were able to execute a good side-by-side double Lutz, but the team, who are a new pair this season, had difficulty with pairs moves. Their twist only received level one and had very little height. Kozlowski lost his balance and was unable to establish a good center throughout the combination spin. Finally, unable to keep his balance any longer, he fell. The students of J. Meno and T. Sand were only able to achieve level 1 for their hip lift, because they kept two-handed contact throughout the lift.

Alexandra Iovanna & Matthew Rounis earned a score 26.53 and eleventh place with their routine to "Strawberry Tango" by Stuart with choreography by S. Franks. Iovanna & Rounis are another new team that struggled to achieve more than basic levels for their required elements, receiving basic level for the death spiral and the double twist. The students of C. Wall & B. Martin also earned negative grades of execution for their double loop throw, which had a two-footed landing, and their side by side double Lutzes, which received an edge call, and their level 1 step sequence during which Rounis had a noticeable stumble.

In twelfth place is the fourth place team from the 2015 Eastern Sectional Championships, Juliette Erickson, & Nathan Grundhofer, with a score of 23.82 points. Erickson was unable to rotate her double Lutz, and landed it on two feet, the quality of the team's basic level double twist was not good, their forward inside death spiral was judged only Basic level, as was their step sequence. The highlight of the pair's program was a nicely executed double loop throw.