Emily Chan and Spencer Howe ended their pairs’ figure skating partnership, four months after placing seventh as the top U.S. pair at the Milan Cortina Olympics.
“After an incredible journey together, Spencer and I have decided to close this chapter of our partnership,” Chan wrote in a social media post shared on both skaters’ accounts. “The years we shared taught me more than I ever expected. Through the highs, the setbacks, and everything in between - Together we grew, learned, achieved things that neither of us could have done alone, and became Olympians together. I’m proud of everything we built and the memories we created along the way. Every challenge, every milestone, and every moment was part of a journey I’ll always be grateful for.”
Chan, 28, and Howe, 29, made their first Olympic team in January by rallying from eighth in the short program at the Prevagen U.S. Championships to place fourth overall.
Two of the three pairs above them were ineligible for the Olympics due to skaters not having U.S. citizenship, so Chan and Howe joined Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea as the two U.S. pairs in Milan.
Their seventh-place result in Milan was the best for two U.S. pairs’ skaters making their Olympic debuts since 1992 (Natasha Kuchiki and Todd Sand were sixth). Other U.S. pairs finished higher more recently with one skater making their Olympic debut.
In their last competition together, Chan and Howe were 16th at the World Championships in March.
“This isn’t goodbye - it’s simply the end of one chapter and the beginning of another,” Chan wrote. “I’m excited for what’s ahead and grateful for everything that brought me here. Spencer - thank you for seven unforgettable years. From our first steps on the ice to everything we’ve accomplished together, I’ll always be grateful for this journey.”
Chan and Howe teamed up in April 2019. They went from fourth at the 2022 U.S. Championships to fifth at the 2023 World Championships, despite Howe competing with a torn labrum in his right shoulder for the entire 2022-23 season.
They dealt with health setbacks the next two years — including Howe’s shoulder surgery in May 2023 and Chan’s concussion in August 2024.
Chan and Howe’s split comes two months after U.S. bronze medalists Katie McBeath and Daniil Parkman announced their split.
