MILAN — At first, the world’s top pairs skaters appeared to have cleansed the bad spirits of a men’s competition that ended so sloppily some could only conjure the excuse of a Friday the 13th curse.
Two days later, on Sunday the 15th, Americans Spencer Akira Howe and Emily Chan successfully stood up after attempting their side‑by‑side triple jumps — a required skill that has often bedeviled them. Then, top American pair Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea also conquered their short program demons, covering the ice with confident glides as they skated to a rendition of “Hallelujah.”
