Pre-season OES/OAS News

[kwanfan1818]

I can't find a spot for pre-season news about skaters from countries without threads of their own, so I've started this thread.

Misha Ge just tweeted:

Today me and my family move a lot of stuff from house to storage.Preparing moving to Lake Arrowhead for Summer.I drove big American truck

[Sylvia]

Denis Ten recaps his season and talks about skating development in Kazakhstan in this recent interview: http://web.icenetwork.com/news/artic...&vkey=ice_news

There is a real "boom" of figure skating in Kazakhstan after my victory at the 2011 Asian Winter Games. There are lots of fans of this sport, many people wishing to learn to skate, and all the children's clubs are full. I'm very happy about it because I like to popularize the skating in my country. I always try to help our young skaters.

It is important that a lot of sports facilities were built and children have really good conditions for training. I think it's just amazing! In Almaty, there is a great sporting base at an altitude of 1,800 meters above sea level, which combined the ski resort and the ice arena. It's [an] ideal place for skating camps and even competitions.

Astana is also very well equipped. There was built a very large number of ice rinks that meet all international standards. Participants in the Asian Winter Games were delighted to see the scale of built structures. I believe that soon Kazakhstan will hold various international competitions, and skating fans will have the opportunity to get acquainted with the culture and see firsthand the beauty of my country.

I would like to note that ice arenas are opening not only in metropolitan areas of the country such as Almaty and Astana. This year, the championship of Kazakhstan was held in Shymkent. Also, this year was held a wide-scale opening of the Ice Palace in Karaganda, which was attended by the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev. It was a very colorful show, which involved hundreds of athletes from different sports, one of which was Alexei Yagudin.

Kazakhstan has many talented children, and I believe that in the near future in the world of figure skating will appear new names representing my country.

@Tenis_Den tweeted last week:

Working hard on new programs & so I got my blades cracked the other day. But when you're so excited nothing may stop you. More info l8r.

The idea of my new programs is so new and crazy! Truly love it already!!!

[kwanfan1818]

That's a great article. Many thanks, Sylvia!

[kwanfan1818]

I hope some of this makes it into one of Ge's programs this year:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlKJTO2PrJQ

[Evilynn]

Alexander Majorov has decided to use another choreographer this season (previously he's been choreographed by his mother), and is working with Catarina Lindgren who is the choreographer of the Helgesson sisters. His mother will still help him fine tune the programs as the season progresses.

[luCN]

Zijun Li posted a picture of Denis Ten and her practise in a same rink:
http://ww1.sinaimg.cn/large/71eb2af7jw1dtn1uw7r9zj.jpg

She's working with Lori Nicole now.

[Jemestone]

Alexander Majorov has decided to use another choreographer this season (previously he's been choreographed by his mother), and is working with Catarina Lindgren who is the choreographer of the Helgesson sisters. His mother will still help him fine tune the programs as the season progresses.

Hallelujah!!!! Great news

[Ziggy]

Alexander Majorov has decided to use another choreographer this season (previously he's been choreographed by his mother), and is working with Catarina Lindgren who is the choreographer of the Helgesson sisters. His mother will still help him fine tune the programs as the season progresses.

Finally!

[luCN]

another Denis Ten photo fr Zijun Li‘s blog:
http://ww3.sinaimg.cn/large/71eb2af7jw1dto2ydb8w8j.jpg

[Sylvia]

Interview with Viktoria and Joshi Helgesson and their mother/coach: http://web.icenetwork.com/news/artic...&vkey=ice_news

Viktoria mentioned she is spending "four weeks in Chicago" training -- both she and her sister are scheduled to compete their short programs at Skate Milwaukee this weekend, like they did last year.

[Ziggy]

Very nice article, thanks for sharing!

[Sylvia]

Local San Diego County article on Christopher Caluza (PHI), who is coached by Natalia Bobrina: http://eastcountymagazine.org/node/10394
Excerpts:

Caluza has built up quite an impressive resume despite his young age, competing in several events and even winning the 2012 Philippines National Championship. Most recently, he placed 21st in a field of 48 competitors in the World Championships in March.

Caluza’s parents were born in the Philippines, but moved to San Diego before giving birth to him, making him a dual-citizen. The 22-year-old figure skater hopes to represent the Philippines in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

“My main goal right now is to represent the Philippines in the 2014 Winter Olympics,” Caluza said. “That’s what I’m working towards for the next two years.”

Caluza has been balancing an intense schedule this summer involving school and training. He is currently taking business classes at Palomar College and still manages to train up to three hours a day.
...
“I want to work hard on adding new jumps and elements to my arsenal,” Caluza said. “The next two years will have a lot of tough training, but hopefully it will all be worth it.”

ETA: Caluza is scheduled to compete next in the Senior Men's event at the Glacier Falls Summer Classic in Anaheim, CA, in early August along with 2 other PHI men -- Michael Christian Martinez (who is 15 going on 16 and placed 15th at 2012 Junior Worlds) and Maverick Eguia (age 19).

[Sylvia]

Here's a new Misha Ge article: http://www.goldenskate.com/2012/08/t...onal-misha-ge/

[Sylvia]

An article in the Daily Pennsylvanian (UPenn publication) about Ami Parekh, who took a break from competing between 2007 and 2012 Worlds to focus on college. She will compete next for India at the Senior B in Salt Lake City: http://www.thedp.com/article/2012/08...ide-on-the-ice
Parekh recently relocated to the Chicago area and will be working with Oleg Vasiliev.

[kwanfan1818]

I had no idea Vasiliev wasn't in Russia. I thought he only came back to Chicago in the summers.

[Sylvia]

Article on Michael Christian Martinez of the Philippines (who came so close to winning the bronze medal at the JGP in Lake Placid!): http://www.goldenskate.com/2012/09/m...igure-skating/

In his free skate to King Arthur, the Filipino pulled off the triple Axel again as well as four triples and three level-four spins to move up three spots. The mistakes in the short cost him the medal in the end, which would have been a historical first for the Philippines. However, Martinez will get another chance when he competes in his second JGP in Zagreb.

Before the event in Croatia, however, Martinez will debut at the international senior level at Nebelhorn Trophy in Oberstdorf, Germany, at the end of September.

The skater is currently training in California, mostly with Ilia Kulik, but also with John Nicks and Peter Kongkasem. Over the summer he learned the triple Axel.

[kwanfan1818]

Misha Ge has been invited to Finlandia, but has been struggling with visa issues for the second year in a row. He tweeted earlier today:

Announcement:my name had appear on two competition Nepala and Finlandia Trophy.The both name appear because Nepala got problem with visa

https://twitter.com/Sk8Prince/status/242651564630765568

Ad Finlandia visa invitation we waiting to receive , but also need approve from our Sport Ministry to go it.

https://twitter.com/Sk8Prince/status/242651789764210689

/Very complicated situation like last year -,-

https://twitter.com/Sk8Prince/status/242651933582688256

[Seerek]

Article on Michael Christian Martinez of the Philippines (who came so close to winning the bronze medal at the JGP in Lake Placid!): http://www.goldenskate.com/2012/09/m...igure-skating/

Good article. Michael will be age eligible for Sochi, so I wonder what kind of criteria will be applied (season results or skate-off) if Christopher Caluza qualifies an Olympic spot either via 2013 Worlds or last-chance qualifier.

[Seerek]

Some results of Martinez and Caluza thus far this season

Christopher Caluza:
U.S. Senior International Salt Lake City UT: 181.95 (6th)
Ice Challenge Graz: 182.07 (5th)

Michael Christian Martinez
Crystal Skate: (Senior): 185.50 (1st)
Coupe de Nice (Junior): 165.12 (6th)
JGP Croatia: 162.40 (6th)
JGP Lake Placid: 158.40 (4th)