Finnish skating news, part II

[Hanna]

Is she American?

Or French? There was another video of her in a solo competition where the announcing was in French. Plus the music is French and the names of the parents sound very French too.

Anyway, good for Jan Nordman. He had a lot of trouble with his previous (Russian) partner and her visa problems so it's good to know he has stayed motivated all this time and found a new partner.

ETA: Coaches sound French too so I think they train there.

[laguska]

How come Alisa Mikonsaari is not getting any funding. She more than proved herself in Nice when she reached the Top 24 in the World!!

Alisa got funding from Finnish Figure Skating Foundation.

- Turkkila Juulia, Mikonsaari Alisa, Rantanen Seidi, Viljanen Eveliina, Efimenko Liubov, Määttänen Lyydia, Saarinen Jenni (2.000 EUR each)
- Papp Bela, Zubik Viktor, Olenius Tino (2.000 EUR each)

- Partanen Jussiville & Aghai Sara (5.000 EUR)
- Lindholm Max & Karmi Olesia (4.000 EUR)
- Kanervo Ossi & Lindholm Henna (4.000 EUR)

[FinFan]

Earlier in the spring Juulia Turkkila had some problems with her knee...
http://www.nextgene.fi/author/juulia/

[IDC a.k.a. Ritti]

Kiira Korpi talked to Finnish media at the airport upon departure to South Korea for Yu-Na Kim's show:
http://www.ifsmagazine.com/articles/...-back-on-track

Here's a summary of what else she said:

When her foot injury (that kept her out of Worlds last spring) was being treated, they noticed that there was some muscular imbalance in her body.
“My hip was in a twisted position, affecting my legs, back and whole body. Even my feet weren’t in an optimal position either.”

The problem might result from the sport – doing jumps and spins always in the same direction. During the summer she has been able to fix the problem a bit, but the work isn’t yet finished.

“I have a different feel of the ice now, and balance. And I don’t use as much energy, I think I know how to skate more economically. The future looks bright now that I’ve gotten rid of the ailments. I was forced to change the way I skate.”

She says that the end of Laura Lepistö’s skating career was tough news for her too, and made her think of her own future, but if things go well, dealing with the muscular imbalance now might bring extra years to her skating career.

She will debut her short program at Yuna Kim’s ice show in South Korea this weekend, but she won’t be skating the long program until at Finlandia Trophy in October.

”There won’t be a lot of changes to the elements. Some spins we had to modify because of new rule changes. The lutz has been added to the free. Now that I have no foot problems, I can do also toe jumps better.”

[Loves_Shizuka]

^I am cautiously optimistic about Kiira after reading this.

[Hanna]

Since there haven't really been any Finnish skating news all summer, I'll try to contribute a little bit.

The newest Fed magazine was published this week. There was an interview with Kiira but it was pretty much the same content Ritti already mentioned above.

Other than that there was Ari-Pekka Nurmenkari bitching about funding (what else is new ). And stating that that was the reason for him to quit the sport. (Joking aside, I can't really comment on the funding situation because to be honest, I haven't really followed it closely .)

There was also a story about the Finnish ice dance teams having gone to train with Zoueva and V/M & D/W in Canton for the summer (together with Margaglio). Apparently it was an amazing experience for them.

There was also a nice story about the new promising Finnish youngsters (Efimenko, Määttänen, Saarinen etc.). I'm actually a bit surprised that the Fed sent none of these girls to the JGP circuit but instead went mostly with the "oldies" like Beata. I think these younger girls could have got some valuable experience and already started to build a name for themselves but I guess that'll wait until next year.

... which brings me to the interclub competition this weekend in Vierumäki where Liubov Efimenko skated a clean SP of 50 points (3lz-2t, 3f) and an FP with some mistakes that scored 77 points. Even considering slight point inflation, that's still a score that you'd think would've given her a JGP but NON. Personally I'm looking forward to see what's up with her basic skating and PCS this season. Last year she was an energetic little thing but I'd really like to see her with softer edges and more grace.

Kiira debuted her free program in the same competition today and scored - wheeee - 120 points. OK so there was a little extra but it was still a good skate for her standards. 5 triples (3t-3t, 3f, two 3lo's)! There was also a 3lz (and 3s) in her program, so many people will be happy to know that she's trying all the triples in her free again this season. Explanation for that can be read in Ritti's post above.

Oh, and I completely unexpectedly got to see Lepistö train one of her show numbers on Thursday. Dear me, I had forgotten how gorgeous it is to watch a skater with such posture and natural grace and movement across the ice. And the layback. Pure all the way. 3t-2t and 2a were still easy for her.

ETA: Just noticed from some Russian/Ukrainian forum that Jenni Saarinen won Junior ladies (her first junior event ever) in the Ice Star competition in Minsk with a total of 128 points! That's fantastic! I hope there will be protocols at some point (but I'm not counting on it... ).

[Finnice]

Kiitos Hanna, for information!
Jenni Saarinen

I agree, it would have been a good idea to get these young ladies to do the GP.
Nurmenkari really comes out bitter. He also said that he expresses his bitterness because he wants the younger male skaters to get more funding. And to be honest, the ladies have been those who have won the medals in recent years and got the sponsors both because of that (and because they have been media-sexy othewise).

As Eelin Paas writes in her column, in Finnish skating, the most interesting skaters in ladies and synchro are now in uniors and novices. But I hope the post-Nurmenkari era in senior men will have some epic battles. Versluis and Lagus have so good basics and charisma, I look very much forward to see them in Finlandia. Too bad for Papp´s back problems.

[matti]

Thanks Hanna and Finnice fo the update! Some exciting news!

[IDC a.k.a. Ritti]

In need/lack of proper Finnish skating news...:
Juridicial obstacles (appeals against) the Tampere Central Arena have now been cleared, but the funding of the (megalomaniac) project still needs more private investors before they can start building.
Article in Finnish: http://www.tamperelainen.fi/artikkel...ttiin-aikalisa
(For those who don't know the story: Kiira Korpi's home city wants to build a huge deck above train tracks in the city centre and put a huge multi-purpose arena and a bunch of skyscrapers on it. The whole area has been designed by no other than Daniel Libeskind. )

[Vagabond]

I have always enjoyed Kiira Korpi's skating, but her new The Girl with the Flaxen Hair Short Program is THE BOMB!!!!

[Sylvia]

Just noticed from some Russian/Ukrainian forum that Jenni Saarinen won Junior ladies (her first junior event ever) in the Ice Star competition in Minsk with a total of 128 points! That's fantastic! I hope there will be protocols at some point (but I'm not counting on it... ).

I know you found the protocols later and posted the link in the Ice Star competition thread ... here's is Jenni Saarinen's winning FS from that competition: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbsDni3u21g

[Hanna]

I know you found the protocols later and posted the link in the Ice Star competition thread ... here's is Jenni Saarinen's winning FS from that competition: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbsDni3u21g

Yes, and since this competition she has added a 3lz to her free and a 3t-3t to her short.

[joeperryfan]

Good morning

I know some of you are involved with clubs and we never know who is reading here so I thought I'd drop by and leave my little announcement:
Photographer bookings

In short we are trying to make coverage of smaller competitions profitable for the site and the photographer, which is a very difficult task to both, I'm working with my long time collaborator Tomas Whitehouse to cover the Finnish Qualifiers and later on Nationals, so if you could spread the word on the initiative I'd really appreciate it. Thank you !

[love_skate2011]

watching Kiria more makes me think of How much I miss Laura

[Finnice]

watching Kiria more makes me think of How much I miss Laura

Who are you watching?

[spikydurian]

Kiira is a beautiful skater. Wish her all the best.

[joeperryfan]

Entries list and results page for the 1st qualifiers in Helsinki this weekend:
1st qualifiers

[skatak]

so many ladies, so little men...

[Hanna]

so many ladies, so little men...

Unfortunately, that's the way it is here.

We'll have to start a separate "Road to Finnish Nationals" (or something) thread in the K'n'C with reports from the qualifiers. Should be interesting, especially with the super novices from last year having all moved up to juniors now.

[joeperryfan]

Unfortunately, that's the way it is here.

Unfortunately that's the way it is in most countries...