The pairs event right now is just so stacked. It hasn’t been since probably the 2018 Olympic season when we’ve had such an incredible set of pairs, many of whom are just so evenly matched. And because the level is so high and so close, the competition this week at the 2025 World Figure Skating Championships is likely going to look like just that. Clean skating is essential, and if that happens, it’ll be down to who can bring the best out in what will absolutely be an electric atmosphere.
Worlds predictions
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GOLD Minerva Fabienne Hase/Nikita Volodin GER - The European champs were less than 2 points away from an undefeated season. Their only loss came from a narrow defeat at Cup of China to Conti/Macii, in large part due to mistakes in the short there. But they came into this season on a mission, with the best content they’ve had (especially the free skate), and having the most consistency and security in their elements among the top pairs.
SILVER Riku Miura/Ryuichi Kihara JPN - If everyone skated clean, Miura/Kihara have the edge on overall skating and their general power and pairing. But this season has been up and down for them in consistency. Especially crucial will be those side-by-sides, because Hase/Volodin are generally just so solid with those jumps. There is not much, if any, room for even little errors if they are to reclaim their World title.
BRONZE Deanna Stellato-Dudek/Maxime Deschamps CAN - The reigning champs didn’t start their season off the way they wanted to, and Deschamps’ illness in December didn’t help their training. It wasn’t until the free skate at Four Continents that they finally really looked like themselves in the assertiveness in their skating. It’s perhaps a bit more of an uphill climb this week for them, but they certainly are in the running for their second gold.
4. Sara Conti/Niccolo Macii ITA - Bronze medalists two years ago, Conti/Macii have at times had a tough time living up to that high standard that they set for themselves that season. But they’ve grown into that role this season, putting out more confident skates than they did last year. They are in the hunt to get back on the podium again.
5. Anastasiia Metelkina/Luka Berulava GEO - Once again, coming off of a Junior Worlds win, Metelkina/Berulava definitely have put in their competition time this season. They could be really good or they could really succumb to strings of errors, which happened last season during the second half.
6. Ellie Kam/Danny O’Shea USA - At their best, they truly have the goods to be podium contenders. Their programs are two of the most intricate and well-choreographed of any programs this season. But they have had a tough time keeping it together when mistakes happen early in their program. Two clean skates and they could really shake it up here.
7. Lia Pereira/Trennt Michaud CAN - The second half of their season has been what they’ve been looking for since their sixth place finish at Worlds two years ago. Having seemingly lost their momentum after 2023 Worlds, things started clicking—first at Canadians and then at Four Continents. They are in Boston brimming with confidence.
8. Alisa Efimova/Misha Mitrofanov USA - The US champs come in on the heels of some very impressive skates this season, including their winning free skate in Wichita. At their best, they can very much challenge to be in that top six.
9. Maria Pavlova/Alexei Sviatchenko HUN - Fourth last year, they are known for their consistent skating, which could carry them a long way here. But it will require other teams to make mistakes for them to make up the deficit in their components.
10. Annika Hocke/Robert Kunkel GER - After a surprise top five finish last season, Hocke/Kunkel just haven’t been able to capitalize on that momentum this season, with injuries plaguing much of their preparation for this World Championships.
Others to watch for the top 10: Ioulia Chtchetinina/Michal Wozniak, Ekaterina Geynish/Dmitrii Chigirev, Rebecca Ghilardi/Filippo Ambrosini, Anastasia Golubeva/Hektor Giotopoulos-Moore, Anastasia Vaipan-Law/Luke Digby