With a loud Jodel: German skating news

[sandra_persch]

its really tricky to get the top 3 right ... here are my guesses

Ladies
1. Hecken
2. Paulinus
3. Drescher or Füssinger

Mens
1. Liebers P.
2. Wiecorek
3. Dotzauer or Fentz

Pairs
1. S/S
2. H/W
3. G/J

Dance
1. Z/G
2. F/G ... thats wishful thinking I know
3. K/C

[sus2850]

I am not good at predicting, especially as I don't know in what shape some of the skaters are. With the ladies for example I think it is a shame that Julia Pfrengle cannot compete (she is injured). And I don't know how Katharina Häcker is doing, late last season she was quite in a good form, at least according to the scores (but these were no international competitions).

[Jeschke]

so, the german federation announced the team for the european championships:

men:
peter liebers
dennis wieczorek (qual.)

ladies:
sarah hecken

pairs:
savchenko/szolkowy
hausch/wende
gierok/just

ice dance:
zhiganshina/gaszi


does someone know (hopefully sandra ) why the german federation chose gierok/just instead of vartmann/van cleave? vartmann/van cleave came in second at the nationals behind s/s with obviously more points than gierok/just.

[Sylvia]

Posted in the German Nationals thread in Kiss and Cry:

Qualification Criteria published by the Federation stated that the best 2 results of National and two ISU Senior event counting for world standing are taken into consideration

Gierok & Just scored 132.27 at NRW Trophy while Vartman & van Cleave "only" scored 121.54 at Golden Spin of Zagreb.

so in addition of thos scores with Nationals Gierok & Just are ranked 3rd with Vartman & van Cleave 4th.

[Jeschke]

thanks sylvia, i thought the previous difference was not that high, but that explains everything. maybe the bette choice; at the intarnational competitions the program components for gierok/just were obviusly higher than those from vartmann/van cleave.

[grandma]

thanks sylvia, i thought the previous difference was not that high, but that explains everything. maybe the bette choice; at the intarnational competitions the program components for gierok/just were obviusly higher than those from vartmann/van cleave.

It doesn`t really make much difference which of the two pairs are sent to Bern. Both are no way near to Hausch /Wende and certainly a million years away from S/S. In the Bern the field is not very strong.... apart from S/S, K/S,B/L,G/E, B/H,H/W.... and my "junior" favorites Kadlekova /Bidar (CZE)
At Nationals :
Vartmann / van Cleave showed stronger nerves than before although they were under pressure. For the first time Mari knows hat she can`t take anything for granted any more and has to fight and work in order to be accepted again. Mari is avery gifted skater , but just playing the diva as she has for many years has brought her into this very unsatisfying position
Gierok/ Just
Their Free program at nationals was without any technical difficulties apart from the 3T. In the short she fell on the 3SThr and in the free they didn`t even attempt to do 3 throws and only doubled them.
Europeans are not the problem, if one of them were sent to WC either pair would probably have difficulties to qualify for the free.

[LLOS]

Well, Hausch/Wende started low too, they did not had over 130 points the first year, so we just have to wait and see how they develop. All three won't reach the level of S/S but does that really matter? Just a few do. They will work hard and get better with time, we should not expect to much. G/J will be very happy to participate at Euros what they did not expect at all this season. I do belive they have more potential than V/C.

Their Free program at nationals was without any technical difficulties

Really? The protocols do say some level 4 elements, can't be that bad

[grandma]

Well, Hausch/Wende started low too, they did not had over 130 points the first year, so we just have to wait and see how they develop. All three won't reach the level of S/S but does that really matter? Just a few do. They will work hard and get better with time, we should not expect to much. G/J will be very happy to participate at Euros what they did not expect at all this season. I do belive they have more potential than V/C.


Really? The protocols do say some level 4 elements, can't be that bad

Both pairs would have been foolish not to expect and work for a participation at least for EC, after all what have they been training for? They need the qualification and participation in order to have a mere chance for the national squad for next season. They will surely not acquire the points, so the participation at a major ISU championship is the only way.
If Vartmann / VanCleave are not nominated for WC ( and I don`t believe they have a chance ) Mari will be out of the squad the 2nd year round.
As everyone knows Vartmann / Van Cleave have left Dortmund and have changed their training base to Berlin taking their trainer with them, till the end of the season, according to a newspaper article on the german figure skating web site he will still commute between Berlin and Dortmund, but it seems as if Gierok / Just will have a fresh start with a new trainer after this season, which I think will do them good

[sandra_persch]

Both pairs would have been foolish not to expect and work for a participation at least for EC, after all what have they been training for? ...

The German Federation has not used its 3rd spot in the past. Also maybe they were thinking Vartmann / van Cleave both very experienced pairs skaters would beat them by a mile

If Vartmann / VanCleave are not nominated for WC ( and I don`t believe they have a chance ) Mari will be out of the squad the 2nd year round.

I have a feeling they might still make the Team despite the fact that they are not send to Euros or Worlds. I see both Teams improving from competition to competition and it would be foolish to exclude the Nationals silver medalist and include the bronze medalist just because one went to Euros and the other one didn't.

Mari & Aaron still have 3 ISU Senior events to improve and show the federation that they deserve to be on the team after their first season together. Does anyone know if they plan to compete at Bavarian Open, Mont Blanc Trophy or Challenge Cup in March?

As everyone knows Vartmann / Van Cleave have left Dortmund and have changed their training base to Berlin taking their trainer with them, till the end of the season, according to a newspaper article on the german figure skating web site he will still commute between Berlin and Dortmund, but it seems as if Gierok / Just will have a fresh start with a new trainer after this season, which I think will do them good

Katharina finished school at the end of this season and it will be interesting to see what they decide. As long as its not one of the Gnilozubovs (Katharinas old singles coach and nightmare). I wonder if they would even consider going to Norman Jeschke who started coaching this season.
Somehow I can't see them moving to Oberstdorf aKa worlds end or cows village.

[marsden]

Actually Gieroks former singles coach does not do pairs training, as far as I know. His wife does.
Why on earth did the poor girl stay with them for so many years and didn`t switch to one of the other top trainers in Dortmund, if she felt unhappy.
As I understand you it must have been her parents who didn`t let her.

[grandma]

The german federation would be foolish not to use the third spot this year, as I wrote before either of the two pairs can skate between 8-10 place. Giving German 3 pairs under the first 10.
Do you really think that Mari and Aaron as much as I like them as a pair can mange the points they need for securing a position on the national squad?
What you do not understand that the problem lies within the history of the pair Vartmann / Just , the disaster starting with the unfortunate press conference after the
German Nationals in Dresden 2008.
Steuer was rightly unsatisfied at that time that the working ethic of his counterpart in Dortmund was financially supported, whereas his pair had to struggle to meet ends

[Lisa]

Steuer was rightly unsatisfied at that time that the working ethic of his counterpart in Dortmund was financially supported, whereas his pair had to struggle to meet ends

Let's not get back into that discussion, okay?

[grandma]

Let's not get back into that discussion, okay?

You are right Lisa
But in order to understand why one pair is given the preference and the other not, one has to go to the roots.... as life before this incident was bliss and happiness for the pairs seeded in 2nd or third place after S/S with only their travel arrangmennts and shopping lists to worry about

[sandra_persch]

Do you really think that Mari and Aaron as much as I like them as a pair can mange the points they need for securing a position on the national squad?

I really hope so! Plus there is always this little exception clause in the criteria whereby the coaches can suggest to admin additional skaters / team even if they haven't met the criteria.

A similar scenario might apply to Landgraf / Wenzig. They are in their first year as juniors and doing really well, but because Matti is already 18 they have to reach scored of 113 twice. So far they have score 98.92, 110.69, 104.23 and 101.83. Should they leave the best/only? Junior Team competing right now off the team because they might not be able to reach the score twice? She is too young to do ISU event this season so they only have 2 competitions left

I sure hope the federation will be smart enough to see improvements and potential over some silly scoring requirements on a piece of paper.

[marsden]

I agree with you regarding Wenzig/ Landgraf, as they already made an exception last year as he was already too old for D/C. Here the rule goes that they want to support a young team which undoubtably has potential, which is also due to fact that Frau Scheibe is an exceptional trainer., who knows what to look out for in a pair.
Mari carries the burden that one is highly unsatisfied with her former behavior and work ethic. She has to do a lot to regain the confidence.

[Ziggy]

I feel like Groundhog Day and it's very possible I asked this question like 5 times already (or maybe I'm just crazy ) but are Zhiganshina and Gazsi married?

[sandra_persch]

but are Zhiganshina and Gazsi married?

Nope but they are romantically involved and living together

[grandma]

Nope but they are romantically involved and living together

Well PIrouette says they live together in order to save the costs as Zhinganshina has no financial means as she is not allowed to work in Germany because she does not have a permanent residency permit which would allow her to take on a job. If I am correct it is clearly stated that they are not "together, together " , but then sandra might have a more insight news.

[Ziggy]

Nope but they are romantically involved and living together

It's a shame because if they got married, maybe she could finally get German citizenship to compete at Sochi.

I mean they've been living in Germany for almost 2 years already now.

It would be such a shame if they could never do Olympics.

[Jeschke]

what a performance of nelli&alex today.
if they go on like that, the german federation won´t hesitate to fight for her passport