"Opportunity" is a word that comes up often in conversation with Ashley Cain-Gribble and Timothy LeDuc, reflecting the couple's outlook. No matter the obstacles, they always look for a silver lining or opportunity to use that challenge to their advantage.
Last March, Cain-Gribble and LeDuc's season ended prematurely when the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2020 in Montreal were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Texas-based duo had been slated to compete in Montreal.
"It's tough when you've been working all season toward a goal, and you get so close, and then it doesn't happen," LeDuc said. "It was disappointing as an athlete. But as people, we understood and agreed with the decision."
Faced with an early end to their season, Cain-Gribble and LeDuc decided to make the most of the extra time. "We got right to work preparing for this season," LeDuc noted. "Even when all the rinks shut down for two months, we didn't take any time off. We did a lot of off-ice [training], so we could be as strong as possible."
Cain-Gribble and LeDuc decided to mix up their usual off-season training by working with Cirque du Soleil professional skaters Robin Johnstone and Andy Buchanan. Their main coaches, Peter and Darlene Cain, had met Johnstone and Buchanan during a Zoom training seminar.
"So we contacted them and started working with them twice a week," Cain-Gribble said. "Every lesson we have with them, we learn something new."
Johnstone and Buchanan worked with Cain-Gribble and LeDuc to create different holds, lift positions, and transitions in and out of lifts, including a walkover lift exit that they will feature in both programs this season. They also devised new transitional dance lifts for the step sequence in their short program.
"We always want to bring something new to our programs," Cain-Gribble said. "It was awesome to work with them and, without the pandemic, we maybe never would have had the opportunity."
"It was another way we could move forward during the quarantine, when there was no ice," LeDuc agreed. "We could turn a negative situation into a positive by using the time in the most efficient way possible."
Aside from their lift elements, Cain-Gribble and LeDuc also worked on their triple twist during the off-season. "We've changed the entry [to the twist]," Cain-Gribble explained. "We wanted something that was quicker, in speed and timing, to help the twist have more amplitude."
The 2019 U.S. pairs champions continue to work with famous Russian pairs coach Nina Mozer to refine their technical elements and other aspects of their skating.
"We do Zoom lessons with her twice a week," said Cain-Gribble. "Our coach will hold the phone up and video our elements or our programs. And she can see them and give us feedback."
They also used the quarantine period to work on new programs with longtime choreographer Pasquale Camerlengo.
"We completely choreographed both our programs on the floor with Pasquale," Cain-Gribble revealed. "Then obviously, we had to bring those onto the ice. So that was a process."
Cain-Gribble and LeDuc's new short program is set to the blues rock song "Never Tear Us Apart," performed by British singer Bishop Briggs. Camerlengo suggested the piece.
"It's a style that we enjoy doing," LeDuc said. "We felt that it was a good vehicle to show off our strengths."
They also connected with the significance of the song's title and message.
"There are a lot of things now going on [in the world] that could tear us apart, in a sense," Cain-Gribble explained. "And we're just here to show that it won't tear us apart."
Cain-Gribble and LeDuc's new free skate is set to Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No. 2. The renowned classical piece represents a different direction for the team.
"It's the first time we've done a real warhorse," LeDuc said. "I know that it's been done a lot. But we both just love it so much. We were throwing around different [music] ideas. And once we started playing this at the rink, we were both like: 'I think this is the one.'"
LeDuc noted that the piece resonates with them on an inspirational level.
"This music has been such a big part of our skating journey. There's an element of nostalgia to it, because it's been skated to by so many people who have inspired us through our skating careers," LeDuc said. "The big one for us is Sasha Cohen. She was so fantastic in everything, and, I think, was the most fantastic in this program. We want to do right by this music."
"We feel like this program really encompasses a lot of our strengths," Cain-Gribble added. "We tried to incorporate a lot of spirals, a lot of stretches that are parallel, our split jumps. Everything that can set us apart."
The program, highlighted by a dramatic spiral sequence, is challenging from a stamina point of view due to the driving, intense quality of the music. "We're trying to work, more and more, to have the energy of it at the end of the program," Cain-Gribble noted. "To bring the energy up every single day in practice."
"We're building up," LeDuc agreed. "But we had a little bit of a setback in August."
An off-ice training accident, caused by a timing error, left LeDuc with a concussion and a broken nose. They underwent surgery to repair the bone damage.
"It's a part of pairs skating," LeDuc said of the accident. "We understand it's the risk. We just took it as an opportunity to move forward in the ways that we could. We worked on stroking and choreography during that time."
After recovering from the injury, Cain-Gribble and LeDuc took part in the recent International Selection Pool (ISP) Points Challenge virtual competition.
"We were just happy to be able to compete in the ISP Points Challenge, given the lack of training, or just the different type of training that we had," LeDuc said. "We're a lot healthier now."
Cain-Gribble and LeDuc want to take full advantage of their next competition opportunity at 2020 Guaranteed Rate Skate America in Las Vegas.
"We're hoping Skate America is another step forward," LeDuc commented. "And then hopefully by Nationals [the 2020 U.S. Figure Skating Championships], we're really in fighting shape."
Don't miss Cain-Gribble and LeDuc this week at 2020 Guaranteed Rate Skate America on Peacock Premium, your all-access pass to the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series, Learn more and start your 7-day free trial at
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