Pairs Skating Preview: Gold Within Reach In Torino
The pairs competition at the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final in Torino brings together six senior teams with sharply different strengths. From Olympic champions seeking another major title to rapidly rising partnerships making their Final debut, the field promises a demanding blend of technical difficulty, musical interpretation, and composure under pressure.
The Palavela arena will host the decisive programs from December 5–8, 2019, giving spectators an opportunity to see the season’s leading pairs compete in one concentrated event. Every team has already survived a demanding Grand Prix campaign, where small errors can separate qualification from disappointment.
China and Russia provide the strongest presence among the medal contenders, while Italy’s Nicole Della Monica and Matteo Guarise offer a home-nation storyline of their own. With throws, twists, lifts, and side-by-side elements all carrying significant value, the competition could turn on a single landing or level decision.
Sui And Han Set The Standard
Wenjing Sui and Cong Han arrive as the leading gold favorites. The Chinese pair combine explosive technical content with a polished performance style, and their partnership has long been recognized for its speed, unison, and emotional range. Their programs can feel expansive even when the elements unfold in rapid succession.
The side-by-side quadruple twist remains one of their most distinctive weapons. When Sui and Han execute it with height and a clean catch, they establish an immediate advantage over much of the field. Their throw jumps, lifts, and difficult entries add further pressure to every rival hoping to challenge them.
Their main task is consistency. Sui has dealt with injuries during her career, and the pair’s demanding content leaves little room for hesitation. A secure short program would place them in a powerful position, while a clean free skate could make the gold medal difficult to deny.
The champions also understand how to use presentation scores. Their skating has softness between the major elements, and Han’s ability to create speed without appearing hurried helps the programs retain their shape. Judges will be looking for the same authority and connection that have made the pair a fixture at the top of the international rankings.
Russian Rivals Bring Depth And Difficulty
Evgenia Tarasova and Vladimir Morozov offer the experience of established medal contenders. Their skating is built around strong attack, ambitious elements, and a confident competitive presence. They have repeatedly challenged for major titles, and their familiarity with high-pressure events makes them especially dangerous after a clean short program.
A key part of their challenge will be matching the Chinese pair’s technical quality while maximizing the value of their transitions and performance. Tarasova’s expressive movement gives the programs energy, while Morozov’s strength supports the pair through demanding lifts and throws. Their best performances combine urgency with control.
Aleksandra Boikova and Dmitrii Kozlovskii represent a younger Russian partnership with considerable momentum. Their skating has a more modern, athletic character, marked by speed across the ice and difficult elements performed with visible confidence. A Grand Prix Final appearance gives them the opportunity to establish themselves among the senior elite.
The Russian challenge also includes Anastasia Mishina and Aleksandr Gallyamov, whose rise has been one of the season’s most compelling stories. They bring strong technical ambition and a fresh competitive edge. Their ability to remain composed in the short program will be essential, because a small deficit can become difficult to erase against experienced finalists.
China’s Second Team Can Reshape The Podium
Peng Cheng and Yang Jin are among the field’s most elegant teams. Their skating places particular emphasis on flow, musical timing, and the quality of transitions. They may not always create the same immediate visual impact as the biggest technical specialists, but their complete programs can earn substantial component scores when performed with freedom.
Their path to a medal depends on precision across the entire competition. The pair must protect the side-by-side jumps, secure the twist, and land the throws with enough distance to keep pace with the leading teams. Their free skate can become a serious weapon if they enter it within striking distance.
The Chinese team also benefits from strong partnership qualities. Peng and Yang often appear connected through the upper body and hands, which helps their lifts and step sequences feel like part of the choreography rather than isolated elements. In a field where several teams can deliver high base value, that sense of unity could influence the final standings.
Spectators following the event through the official website can track changing storylines through the latest event news, including competition updates and information surrounding the Torino experience. Those details add context to a pairs event that reaches far beyond the final score.
| Team | Primary Strength | Key Question In Torino | Medal Outlook |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wenjing Sui / Cong Han | Quadruple twist, complete programs, experience | Can they deliver both programs cleanly? | Gold favorite |
| Evgenia Tarasova / Vladimir Morozov | Power, attack, major-event composure | Can they match the leaders technically? | Strong medal contender |
| Peng Cheng / Yang Jin | Flow, transitions, presentation quality | Will their elements hold under pressure? | Podium threat |
| Aleksandra Boikova / Dmitrii Kozlovskii | Speed, athletic lifts, rising confidence | Can a young team manage the Final atmosphere? | Podium threat |
| Anastasia Mishina / Aleksandr Gallyamov | Technical ambition and momentum | Can they turn potential into consistency? | Outside medal favorite |
| Nicole Della Monica / Matteo Guarise | Experience, home support, expressive skating | Can the home crowd lift their execution? | Dark-horse contender |
Boikova And Kozlovskii Are The Dangerous Outsiders
Boikova and Kozlovskii have the ingredients required to disrupt the expected order. Their skating carries speed from the opening steps, and they attack difficult elements with the confidence of a team that expects to belong in the conversation. That attitude can be valuable in a short event where hesitation is heavily punished.
Their youth may be an advantage as much as a vulnerability. They have fewer years of Final experience than Sui and Han or Tarasova and Morozov, but they also arrive without the same burden of expectation. If they skate freely, their athleticism and clean lines can put substantial pressure on the established medal contenders.
The short program will reveal how effectively they handle the occasion. A strong opening performance would place them close enough to the leaders to make the free skate highly competitive. A mistake on a jump or twist, however, could expose the gap between impressive potential and consistent championship execution.
Their presentation is developing quickly. The pair already project confidence in their lifts and transitions, and additional refinement in interpretation could make them a long-term force. In Torino, technical reliability remains the priority, but a memorable performance could announce their arrival on the biggest stage of the season.
Mishina And Gallyamov Seek A Breakthrough
Mishina and Gallyamov bring a sense of discovery to the senior field. Their partnership has attracted attention for its speed, flexibility, and willingness to attempt difficult content. They are capable of producing elements that immediately raise the technical ceiling of a program.
Their competitive profile is slightly different from that of the veterans. Rather than relying on years of championship experience, they must use their momentum and preparation to handle the arena atmosphere. The Final offers no room for a gradual adjustment period: the short program demands immediate accuracy.
The free skate could be their strongest opportunity. Longer programs allow them to demonstrate their skating skills and show how their elements connect to the music. If they remain patient through the opening sequence, they may gain ground on teams that begin to feel the physical cost of a high-pressure competition.
A medal would confirm their emergence among the world’s leading pairs, but even a clean showing would be significant. Mishina and Gallyamov have the technical tools to challenge the podium, and Torino can provide the stage where promise becomes international credibility.
Home Support Adds Energy To The Field
Nicole Della Monica and Matteo Guarise give the competition a special local dimension. As Italy’s leading senior pair, they can expect strong support from the Palavela crowd. Home ice cannot replace clean elements, but it can make the arena feel more responsive and help a team maintain energy during a demanding free skate.
Their experience is a valuable asset. They understand the rhythm of major competitions and have developed a mature performance style built on musical interpretation and controlled skating. Against younger teams with greater momentum, their opportunity lies in delivering a complete, polished performance while taking advantage of every technical opening.
The crowd may be particularly important after difficult elements. Pair skating requires trust through high-risk lifts and throws, and a supportive atmosphere can help athletes reset quickly after a minor error. Della Monica and Guarise will want to turn that atmosphere into momentum rather than allowing the occasion to increase pressure.
For fans attending the arena, the event includes more than the medal ceremony. Practice sessions, the surrounding venue experience, and the exhibition gala all offer additional ways to see the athletes’ personalities and skating styles. The competition itself, however, remains the centerpiece, with every team seeking a performance worthy of the Final.
Elements That Could Decide The Title
The quadruple twist is likely to be one of the clearest separators. Teams that perform it with height, rotation, and a secure catch can gain valuable base value and create a strong first impression. A lower level, touch down, or uncertain landing can quickly erase that advantage.
Throws will be equally important. A clean throw triple flip or throw triple Lutz can deliver both distance and quality, while a fall carries a heavy cost in points and momentum. Judges also assess the entry, exit, speed, and control, so a technically completed throw still needs to look effortless to earn the best grades of execution.
Side-by-side jumps often decide whether a program feels secure. The partners must match timing, rotation, and landing quality, even though each athlete performs independently for those few seconds. Small differences in height or rhythm can result in deductions and lower element grades.
Program components could settle a close result. Skating skills, transitions, composition, and interpretation reward teams that maintain speed and connection between elements. In a field with several technically capable pairs, the champion will need to make the whole performance feel coherent rather than simply survive the difficult passages.
What To Watch Across The Competition
- Watch the short program closely, because a narrow early lead can shape the entire free skate.
- Compare the quality of the major twists and throws, including entries, landings, and unison.
- Track how effectively each pair uses transitions instead of slowing between elements.
- Look for composure after mistakes, particularly in the opening minutes of the free skate.
- Pay attention to component scores, which may separate teams with similar technical totals.
The gold-medal race favors Sui and Han, but the result is far from automatic. Tarasova and Morozov possess the experience to capitalize on any opening, while Peng and Yang can gain ground through refined skating and interpretation. Boikova and Kozlovskii, Mishina and Gallyamov, and the home team of Della Monica and Guarise each have a realistic route to a memorable result.
Torino is ready for a pairs competition where athletic difficulty meets theatrical presentation. Follow the schedules, results, competitor information, and event coverage on the official Torino 2019 site, then watch the teams turn months of preparation into four minutes of pressure and possibility on the Palavela ice.