30 Days of [Figure] Skating: Day Thirteen

Day 13: Top 5 Pairs Teams

1 - Ekaterina Gordeeva & Sergei Grinkov, USSR/Russia. The most perfect pair. It's being argued now that there are others that have surpassed this team in greatness - and technically that may be true - but no other team has that type of love story magic.

2 - Jamie Sale & David Pelletier, Canada. After G&G no team captured my imagination until Jamie and David. Theirs was a Western Love Story that has, tragically, dissipated for no good reason. Still, their skating early on was captivating, light and fun. Marred only by a judging scandal turned media hoopla at the Olympics, and subsequently an early retirement to the pro ranks, this team is still something special.

3 - Christine Hough & Doug Ladret, Canada. Tuffy and Doug, I enjoy them more as professionals than their competitive stuff, but still so much fun.

4 - Yuka Sato & Jason Dunjen, Japan/USA. A pair first off the ice, they became a pair on the ice when dabbling on the ice on their "time off" from touring and coaching. Probably one of the most inspiring pairs just for their story. She lights up something in Jason.

5 - Elena Bechke & Denis Petrov, Russia. They are your total Russian pair... she was spunky, he presented her perfectly. I loved their programs to Russian folk music.