Finnish skating news, part II

[maija]

Finnice I forgot to ask you - were the Papps also at the test skate? Or was it just something you heard?

I think they were. At least I heard them to travel from Canada to Finland before travelling to the JGP competition next weekend.

[Finnice]

Hanna, my information is second-hand, but from a very reliable source
The Papps were at the test skate. Bela has grown to a real charmer (he is 16 now) and really has charisma on the ice. And Beata uses her amazingly tall body very well, said my

[Hanna]

OK thanks.
Yeah, they're probably staying and training here until their Romania JGP next week since it wouldn't be much fun flying back and forth between Europe and Vancouver.

[orientalplane]

And Beata uses her amazingly tall body very well, said my

I'm really interested in seeing her - I hope she makes Euros!

[AnnaTheMusician]

Kiitos, thanks a lot for this information. I'm so bored with this summer with no figure skating news at all so it's very inspiring to hear Kiira's and Laura's news. I wish Finnish Figure Skating Association could give a little more information, at least the national teams!!

I wonder who is the third skater to EC. Alisa Mikonsaari? Beata Papp? Timila Shrestha? Somebody else?

Did you notice the little news in June (http://www.stll.fi/?x2126=1500689 - in Finnish) which says that Sasha Palomäki is searching for a new junior partner for season 2010-2011. Where is Oksana Klimova?

[Finnice]

Did you notice the little news in June (http://www.stll.fi/?x2126=1500689 - in Finnish) which says that Sasha Palomäki is searching for a new junior partner for season 2010-2011. Where is Oksana Klimova?

I guess Oksana is in Moscow. The pair has split And Sasha might not continue at all, or at least he is concentrating to his studies right now.

[Hanna]

I wish Finnish Figure Skating Association could give a little more information, at least the national teams!!

I know!
Although I think I can GUESS the national teams - it'll be something like this (both A + B).

Laura Lepistö
Kiira Korpi
Ari-Pekka Nurmenkari
Valtter Virtanen
Beata Papp
Bela Papp
Alisa Mikonsaari
Viktor Zubik
Cecilia Törn
Juulia Turkkila
Matleena Laakso
Noora Pitkänen
Timila Shrestha
Seidi Rantanen
Nea Viiri
Matthias Versluis
Julian Lagus
Otto-Eemeli Laamanen

Note that these were only my guesses. We'll see how right I was.

I wonder who is the third skater to EC. Alisa Mikonsaari? Beata Papp? Timila Shrestha? Somebody else?

I think based on last season Alisa and Beata are the strongest options but it's impossible to know before we've had at least a competition or two for all the girls this season. I'm looking forward to the first qualifications in Espoo in October (week 41).

Sorry to hear about Oksana/Sasha. OTOH I randomly ended up watching a bit of HSK ice dance practice just the other day and there were quite a few teams (some I didn't even recognize) on the ice, so maybe there'll be new potential good teams.

ETA: Just noticed that Timila Shrestha (and also Matthias Versluis) is getting a JGP! I thought it was a bit strange that Cecilia Törn already got another one (Japan) and most of them hadn't got a single one yet... but at least Timila is getting one now.

So far it's

Cecilia Törn, Viktor Zubik - 2 JGPs
Beata Papp, Bela Papp, Timila Shrestha, Matthias Versluis - 1 JGP

[Hanna]

Does anyone know if the Papps are training somewhere in the metropolitan area while in Finland? If yes, which club/group? I'd love to go and take a peek. If someone has any info, you can send me a PM.

[Ankka]

I just think it'd be great for BOTH Alisa and Beata to get good international senoir competitions. Being there with the very good ones always helps you in future. I like them both as skaters and think they could become very good

[maija]

The Team Finland 2010-2011 has been published finally here.

Yksinluistelu (Single skating)

Team Sotshi ja haastajat (Team Sotshi and challengers)

Kiira Korpi
Laura Lepistö

Alisa Mikonsaari
Beata Papp
Bela Papp
Cecilia Törn
Viktor Zubik


Miesten maajoukkue (Team Finland, Men)

Ari-Pekka Nurmenkari
Valtter Virtanen

Otto-Eemeli Laamanen
Tino Olenius
Samuli Tyyskä
Matthias Versluis
(Julian Lagus?)

Naisten maajoukkue (Team Finland, Ladies)

Minna Parviainen
Noora Pitkänen
Seidi Rantanen
Timila Shrestha
Juulia Turkkila
Nea Viiri




Jäätanssin maajoukkue (Ice Dance)

Olesia Karmi – Max Lindholm
Henna Lindholm – Ossi Kanervo

[shah]

The Team Finland 2010-2011 has been published finally here.

Yksinluistelu (Single skating)

Team Sotshi ja haastajat (Team Sotshi and challengers)

Kiira Korpi
Laura Lepistö

Alisa Mikonsaari
Beata Papp
Bela Papp
Cecilia Törn
Viktor Zubik


Miesten maajoukkue (Team Finland, Men)

Ari-Pekka Nurmenkari
Valtter Virtanen

Otto-Eemeli Laamanen
Tino Olenius
Samuli Tyyskä
Matthias Versluis
(Julian Lagus?)

Naisten maajoukkue (Team Finland, Ladies)

Minna Parviainen
Noora Pitkänen
Seidi Rantanen
Timila Shrestha
Juulia Turkkila
Nea Viiri




Jäätanssin maajoukkue (Ice Dance)

Olesia Karmi – Max Lindholm
Henna Lindholm – Ossi Kanervo

Ari Pekka still skating? wasn't he going to retire?

and btw, where are Hietaniemi and Sofia Otala? the latter was quite promising about 2-3 seasons ago.
oh, and does this list include all juniors? I don't see Matleena Lakso .

(btw, I'm sorry for probable misspelling the surnames - I never know where to double the vovel...)

[maija]

and btw, where are Hietaniemi and Sofia Otala? the latter was quite promising about 2-3 seasons ago.
oh, and does this list include all juniors? I don't see Matleena Lakso .

Henriikka Hietaniemi (born 1987) skates still but she is not in Team Finland.

Sofia Otala has retired.

I also wonder where is Matleena Laakso! (She is one of the Finnish skaters listed as a substitute in JGP).

There are also two teams for younger skaters:
- Juniorimaajoukkue (mainly Novices)
- Talent-valmennusryhmä (promising skaters born 1997-2000)

[Hanna]

The teams are pretty expected, although it's new that they're divided into Sochi/Women/Men instead of just A and B.

I also thought Matleena Laakso would be on the list but she's always been really inconsintent with her jumps so maybe she wasn't showing enough determination and consistency in the test skates.

Other than that, quite expected.

[Ankka]

Great to see they're taking the promising juniors to a high level of National team coaching!

[Kati]

Now I read from Ilta-Sanomat that Laura Lepistö has injured her hip, falling hard on ice while practicing her triples. I hope this is not too serious...

[maija]

Now I read from Ilta-Sanomat that Laura Lepistö has injured her hip, falling hard on ice while practicing her triples. I hope this is not too serious...

She was injured three weeks ago. She is better now but she has not yet been able to skate.

[Hanna]

Just got the newest Taitoluistelu magazine and it says Lepistö's new short program is a "fresh version of the tango Besame Mucho". Interesting, another tango. And also, Beata Papp is using Besame Mucho for her SP too.

[allezfred]

I always found it ironic that "Besame" can be broken up into "Be same".

[Ankka]

Besame mucho is not a tango in a similar way as the ones she uses at her FS so I'd say it should be ok. And there are a lot of different kinds of versions so it might be far away from tango anyway

[Ankka]

Oh and I hope it'd be something like this version!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6LiXpFlNlg