Cheltzie Lee news

[essence_of_soy]

Good to hear the Australians working hard and building towards their peak.

Looking forward to Four Continents.

[Aussie Willy]

Our Australian skaters are dropping out of the sport at an alarming rate due to lack of competition, lack of funding, limited coaching, support, criticism, lack of designated sessions etc, etc ! The training mentality here in Australia is NOT as motivating and competitive as that of the larger figure skating dominating nations!

It saddens me that OBVIOUSLY there are those in the Australian community that find it so easy to criticise. Not just Cheltzie but I have read not so nice things about Danielle O'Brien and Greg Merriman, Phoeobe Di tomasso, Robert McNamara, Mark Webster and other senior skaters in Australia.

At the end of the day, these skaters skate for Australia. Criticise if you will but Cheltzie has delivered and delivered with poise, grace, humility and GUTS!!!! She has done a lot for Australia via way of her achievements. GIVE the girl her props and let her get on with enjoying the sport. She is basically our only Senior ladies skater left in Australia! Battling injury, school commitments and beating the ODDs she's still standing!!! I'm SO sick of our tall poppy syndrome and further so saddened that it is alive and rampant!

To those who criticise your time will come AND I don't wish for you what you are inflicting on innocent skaters. I have 3 children who skate and they hang on the words of encouragement from our Senior skaters. My children aspire to achieve what these international skaters have achieved.

I have the greatest admiration for our elite skaters. They represent our country well. We and ONLY we know the challenges.....UNBELIEVABLE challenges in OUR country that these skaters and our sport face. If you don't know JUST ASK one of them.

WHO CARES if Cheltzie doesn't qualify. She will continue to do her best to compete and compete well for Australia as ALL our international skaters continue to do. GO LUCK TO THEM ALL at 4 Continents Championships. They're all champions!!

I don't see anyone from Australia getting on this forum and criticising and shooting down our skaters. There might be some analysis but no-one is putting our skaters down. Probably the bigger issue is people presenting information that is not quite correct. Which is why you do get people like Chantelle Kerry's mum getting on here to clear things up. And knowing her I understand why she does it.

However it is an open forum. Skaters get discussed. But what is said about the Australian skaters is pretty mild and tame compared to what gets said about most of the top level international skaters.

[icemarker]

Our Australian skaters are dropping out of the sport at an alarming rate due to lack of competition, lack of funding, limited coaching, support, criticism, lack of designated sessions etc, etc ! The training mentality here in Australia is NOT as motivating and competitive as that of the larger figure skating dominating nations!

It saddens me that OBVIOUSLY there are those in the Australian community that find it so easy to criticise. Not just Cheltzie but I have read not so nice things about Danielle O'Brien and Greg Merriman, Phoeobe Di tomasso, Robert McNamara, Mark Webster and other senior skaters in Australia.

At the end of the day, these skaters skate for Australia. Criticise if you will but Cheltzie has delivered and delivered with poise, grace, humility and GUTS!!!! She has done a lot for Australia via way of her achievements. GIVE the girl her props and let her get on with enjoying the sport. She is basically our only Senior ladies skater left in Australia! Battling injury, school commitments and beating the ODDs she's still standing!!! I'm SO sick of our tall poppy syndrome and further so saddened that it is alive and rampant!

To those who criticise your time will come AND I don't wish for you what you are inflicting on innocent skaters.

well seems like someone here has had a dummy spit!!!

In this thread, I cannot find anyone whom has give detrimental criticism of cheltzie or any other AUS skater. They have stated their opinions on whether or not that she will make the CUT at 4CC. They have NOT attacked anyone's proficiency. Figure skating every year someone is bring a new bag of tricks to raise the overall level, so they are getting better and better. They have purely stated their opinion, and isn't what these forums are for. I am quite sure that you have stated your opinion in some forums, so maybe forums are not for you.

AUS it is a minority sport like other countries MEX,BRA,RSA,SIN,NZL, all have similar problems as you stated, and that's why some athletes from these countries train abroad, to get specialized training. They all have school or University, Injuries to tend with, living away from home. Its not cheep but it's their passion and most parents will help if they can. They all try hard and their best, but some have got it and some don't. International Competitions like 4CC, World, OWG we mainly see those whom have it. The are many out there whom on a given day could mix it with some of the best but were unfortunate to get selected. Sh*t happens.

Many athletes from many countries give the sport away, due to financial reasons, support, training facilities etc, not only AUS, I think it has been fortunate that the OWI and Skating Associations has recognized Cheltzies talents and tried to support her where they can.

You can only feel for those whom are not aided to getting to these International assignments no matter what sport it is.

[Aussie Willy]

^ Very well said!

[misskarne]

I hope the 2011 season will see them pull off these magnificent jumps in competition! I love coming to Canterbury rink!!!

Fantastic! OT but I have to say that I'm not a great fan of the ice surface at Canterbury (it seems almost rippled? Has anyone else noticed this? Or maybe I got it on a bad day?) but I was hugely impressed that it was nudging 40C outside and the ice was nice and dry. Phillip has three inches of water on the surface at that temperature.

Mark Webster's style is so nice. I like it very very much. Huge huge shame to me that figure skating doesn't get any airtime down here. One HD is twenty-four hour sport; surely it wouldn't kill them to put some figure skating on, even if they shove it into a crazy timeslot. If it got some airtime, sponsorship might be a little easier to come by. For goodness' sake, the amount of American sport on One is crazy; the least they could do is show some Australians trying their hearts out in a different sport!

Also on the subject of men, here's my tip for the future: Robbie Ashman. He trains at the same rink I do (admittedly not hard as there's only one rink in Canberra) but has a different ice schedule, and the last time I saw him practise (about a month ago) he was practising a beautiful triple loop. And by beautiful I mean, eyes-popping-out-of-my-head, enormous height, quick rotation beautiful. And landed neatly too. He passed his Junior level test in December last year (he's 20 years old). He has a really great style. Unfortunately no-one seems to have posted any videos on Youtube of him, otherwise I would provide evidence.

It's a little sad; I look around my rink during freestyle practice, and I wonder which skaters will be able to keep going. Which ones will have the money to continue, and which ones will find that they are forced to give it up because they can't afford it.

I guess the thing that frustrates me most in Canberra is that our figure skaters do reasonably well at Nationals, but it's our ice hockey team that gets the sponsors, our ice hockey team that gets the media coverage, our ice hockey team that gets priority ice team. Where does our ice hockey team finish every season without fail? LAST. Stone cold last. They're lucky to win one game in the entire season. The unfairness of it all rankles quite badly.

[essence_of_soy]

Also on the subject of men, here's my tip for the future: Robbie Ashman. He trains at the same rink I do (admittedly not hard as there's only one rink in Canberra) but has a different ice schedule, and the last time I saw him practise (about a month ago) he was practising a beautiful triple loop. And by beautiful I mean, eyes-popping-out-of-my-head, enormous height, quick rotation beautiful. And landed neatly too. He passed his Junior level test in December last year (he's 20 years old). He has a really great style. Unfortunately no-one seems to have posted any videos on Youtube of him, otherwise I would provide evidence.

Good to hear of the quick improvement. At Nationals he only had the triple sal.

[sandra_persch]

slightly off topic but Brooklee Han places second at Bavarian Open

http://www.deu-event.de/results/BAY/BO2011/CAT006RS.HTM

And the ISU has given a JGP to Brisbane .... 3 Aussie skaters at a JGP at home should be great I fully expect Chantelle to get one of them.
Not sure if Cheltzie would want to do one though

[misskarne]

Good to hear of the quick improvement. At Nationals he only had the triple sal.

Is that so? I find that slightly odd because he did a triple toe in the Christmas show as well. He gets massive height.

I also confess myself utterly in love with his stretch lines on his camel spin. But that's not unusual; I'm a sucker for stretched camels.

[essence_of_soy]

Is that so? I find that slightly odd because he did a triple toe in the Christmas show as well. He gets massive height.

I also confess myself utterly in love with his stretch lines on his camel spin.

I guess the pressure of competition is quite different from being in a show. Robert actually struggled on or popped most of his jumps at Nationals.

[misskarne]

I guess the pressure of competition is quite different from being in a show. Robert actually struggled on or popped most of his jumps at Nationals.

I guess so. That's unfortunate; still, I reckon he's got, technique-wise at least, what it takes to be a major force in Australian figure skating.


He was under plenty of pressure in the show...his opening number was "Ain't That A Kick In the Head" and I swear every girl in the room swooned on cue!

[icemarker]

slightly off topic but Brooklee Han places second at Bavarian Open

http://www.deu-event.de/results/BAY/BO2011/CAT006RS.HTM

And the ISU has given a JGP to Brisbane .... 3 Aussie skaters at a JGP at home should be great I fully expect Chantelle to get one of them.
Not sure if Cheltzie would want to do one though

This is a great result for her, It will build confidence skating in such a large field, but I suppose she is use to that training and competing in USA.

ISA would probably want the best age eligible skaters for the GP in Brisbane.

[Angelskates]

slightly off topic but Brooklee Han places second at Bavarian Open

http://www.deu-event.de/results/BAY/BO2011/CAT006RS.HTM

And the ISU has given a JGP to Brisbane .... 3 Aussie skaters at a JGP at home should be great I fully expect Chantelle to get one of them.
Not sure if Cheltzie would want to do one though

Great, exciting news for Australian skating.

[essence_of_soy]

Personally, though she is still age eligible, I think it would be a step backwards for Lee if she skated on the Junior circuit.

[Aussie Willy]

Mark Webster's style is so nice. I like it very very much. Huge huge shame to me that figure skating doesn't get any airtime down here. One HD is twenty-four hour sport; surely it wouldn't kill them to put some figure skating on, even if they shove it into a crazy timeslot. If it got some airtime, sponsorship might be a little easier to come by. For goodness' sake, the amount of American sport on One is crazy; the least they could do is show some Australians trying their hearts out in a different sport!

You won't see skating on TV, even Worlds. The only time we get to see it is when the Olympics are on. Sad fact but true. Like many other minority sports too who probably deserve the same. That is why it is handy to have contacts overseas who send you DVDs.

If we are talking about skaters of the future the one I love to watch is Brad McLachlan. He has a gorgeous style, beautiful transitions. Having watched him over the last 18 months I am really impressed with the way he has developed. When I have seen him the jumps have been an issue. But if gets them he can certainly be a top contender.

[essence_of_soy]

If we are talking about skaters of the future the one I love to watch is Brad McLachlan. He has a gorgeous style, beautiful transitions. Having watched him over the last 18 months I am really impressed with the way he has developed. When I have seen him the jumps have been an issue. But if gets them he can certainly be a top contender.

I'm with Aussie Willy here.

Brad is great, although his mental toughness is really lacking to the point where he not only botches jumps in competition, but spins as well. That must be so frustrating for a skater with so much potential.

He really should have been on the podium in both junior and senior nationals.

[isk8junkie]

well seems like someone here has had a dummy spit!!!

No dummy spits here! Just talk about lack in jump component etc etc. in comparison to other international skaters. In the larger scheme of things Australia and it's skaters haven't done too bad against the larger nations. Just on sheer numbers alone we are such a smaller country trying to break through in a tough sport competing against the best in the world! From where I sit....we're doing pretty good!

[Aussie Willy]

No dummy spits here! Just talk about lack in jump component etc etc. in comparison to other international skaters. In the larger scheme of things Australia and it's skaters haven't done too bad against the larger nations. Just on sheer numbers alone we are such a smaller country trying to break through in a tough sport competing against the best in the world! From where I sit....we're doing pretty good!

To quote you:

Our Australian skaters are dropping out of the sport at an alarming rate due to lack of competition, lack of funding, limited coaching, support, criticism, lack of designated sessions etc, etc ! The training mentality here in Australia is NOT as motivating and competitive as that of the larger figure skating dominating nations!

And

It saddens me that OBVIOUSLY there are those in the Australian community that find it so easy to criticise.

You should read back what your write. And maybe think about how you use uppercase letters in your posts.

However you are obviously an expert on the skating scene in Australia and have a greater passion for it than everyone else, going by the tone of your posts.

[isk8junkie]

I suppose I should Aussie Willy. thank you. As far as being an expert...far from it. But most people on these sites post as if they are wouldn't you say?? So I suppose I'm not any different really.

[misskarne]

Good work from Cheltzie and Jaimee at 4CC today!

I especially love Jaimee's entrance to the 2A - the Ina Bauer, change foot, Ina Bauer, take off! I love it!



Cheltzie's costume is very...bright But it grows on you.

[essence_of_soy]

Cheltzie's costume is very...bright But it grows on you.

Probably not the best angle, but it looked great in performance, and really suited the music and choreography.