New U.S. Partnerships Shine as Boikova and Kozlovskii Take Short Program Lead at John Nicks Pairs Challenge

The 2026-27 international pairs figure skating season has officially kicked off on American ice, and a slate of newly minted U.S. partnerships are already making their presence felt in a major way. At the 2026 ISU John Nicks Pairs International Challenger Series, hosted at the Tenley E. Albright Performance Center in Norwood, Massachusetts, Friday's short program delivered a compelling mix of established international heavyweights and highly anticipated domestic debuts. For the American teams, the event represents the first true test of offseason coaching changes and newly forged connections, setting the tone for the grueling months ahead as the Grand Prix circuit looms on the horizon.[1][2]

At the very top of the leaderboard, neutral athletes Aleksandra Boikova and Dmitrii Kozlovskii claimed the lead with a commanding score of 70.39. The veteran pair arrived in Massachusetts facing a demanding travel schedule, having just competed at the Kinoshita Group Cup in Tokyo, Japan, mere days earlier. Despite visible signs of fatigue and a few uncharacteristic bobbles on their choreographic elements, Boikova and Kozlovskii relied on their massive technical baseline and seasoned presentation skills to secure the top spot, proving exactly why they remain one of the most formidable pairs in the world when the pressure is on.[1][5]

They were closely followed by Armenia's Karina Akopova and Nikita Rakhmanin, who posted a personal-best score of 68.03 to comfortably secure second place. The Armenian duo delivered the highest technical element score of the entire afternoon, executing their jumps and lifts with a crisp precision that drew immediate praise from the audience. Even with a minor fall during their routine, their raw technical firepower signaled a clear intent to challenge Boikova and Kozlovskii for the gold medal during Saturday's decisive free skate, setting up a thrilling battle at the top of the podium.[1][6]

The real storyline for the home crowd, however, was the highly anticipated debut of Audrey Shin and Spencer Akira Howe. Shin, a former singles skater who only transitioned to the pairs discipline in 2024, teamed up with Howe, a 2026 Winter Olympian, in June following the dissolution of their respective previous partnerships. Observers had spotted the new duo training together at the International Ice Academy of Colorado in Denver over the summer, sparking widespread speculation about their competitive potential and how quickly they could meld their distinct skating styles into a cohesive unit.[3]

When the partnership was officially confirmed, the athletes expressed a deep sense of optimism about their shared trajectory. "As we step into this exciting new chapter, we look forward to growing both as athletes and as a team," Shin noted in a public statement, emphasizing their gratitude for the opportunity to build something new from the ground up. That positive mindset translated directly onto the ice in Norwood, where the pair skated with a synchronized ease that belied their incredibly brief three-month tenure as a team.[6]

Their performance on Friday backed up every ounce of that offseason optimism. Skating a remarkably clean and fluid short program, Shin and Howe earned a score of 67.25 from the judges. They successfully landed their side-by-side jumps—a notorious stumbling block for newly formed pairs—and showcased strong matching lines that highlighted their physical compatibility. That score slotted them into third place overall and positioned them as the top American team in the field, a massive confidence boost for a pair still discovering their competitive identity.[1][6]

Hot on their heels is another brand-new U.S. configuration with plenty to prove: Katie McBeath and Balazs Nagy. McBeath, who captured a 2026 U.S. national bronze medal alongside former partner Daniil Parkman, joined forces with Nagy during the turbulent offseason shuffle. Skating with aggressive energy, they posted a 67.17, trailing Shin and Howe by a razor-thin 0.08-point margin. The incredibly tight gap between the two American teams was largely decided by the program component scores, highlighting just how evenly matched the new domestic rivals are at this early stage of the season.[1][4]

The depth of the North American field was further highlighted by the performances rounding out the top flight. The Canadian duo of Jazmine Desrochers and Kieran Thrasher secured fifth place with a solid 62.20, demonstrating their own offseason improvements. Right behind them, the U.S. team of Naomi Williams and Lachlan Lewer slotted into sixth place with a personal-best score of 61.56. The fact that so many North American teams are already clearing the 60-point threshold in early September suggests a highly competitive and elevated standard for the upcoming regional and national championships.[1][6]

With the top four teams tightly clustered between 67 and 71 points, the margins heading into Saturday's free skate are virtually nonexistent. A single missed jump or a bobbled lift could completely upend the standings. For Shin, Howe, McBeath, and Nagy, the event serves as far more than just a warmup; it is a critical early-season benchmark as they jockey for position within the U.S. pairs hierarchy. How they handle the pressure of the free skate will offer the first real clue as to which new partnership has the stamina to survive the long road ahead.[1][7]