German Skating News - Part 3

[Jeschke]

Uh, Bock vs Schott in Nice to start, I am ready

The most surprising about this article is for me that she is still coached by Steuer.
Their behaviour in the knc's last season was kinda...ehm worrisome.

 

[lizafan]

Side note: How easy is it for Dortmund to remain 'Olympiastützpunkt', if the results of their skaters are, ehm, worrisome?
(Besides M/D).

I'am afraid this would not have a major impact when it comes to the point. If I put all together what I heard in the last months, rumours on the floor, some announcement of a "new strategy" being developed by the Fed, the increase of requirements for the D/C team, I would expect the German Fed has plans to cut down on some things over the next years. Cut down number of locations, number of coaches, number of athletes in the top tier. Means probably: to focus only on the very top of athletes and give them the best environment, but leave the athletes in the second row to the care of the regional federations. (not that they have more money, but that's another question)

If they will reduce the number of olympic centers I would expect that they make this decision based on existing infrastructure rather than on athletes. Athletes can move if necessary, infrastructure can't. So, I would expect Chemnitz to be among the first that lose the status because of the old infrastructure. On the other side, I cannot imagine that the Fed would close Berlin or Oberstdorf. But inbetween these parameters, I think, everything is possible.

It's again money that rules this sport.
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ko2DqtjE8E4)

 

[text_skate]

When ressources are limited, I think it's reasonable to concentrate funds, energy and expertise on promising athletes and few venues. Probably in combination with a concept of a boarding school?

 

[Jeschke]

Dastich has officially started the #olympicrace at Lombardia Trophy today.
She sits in 11/34 with a decent score of 53.33pts.
I think especially the PCS of around 23pts were really generous. But either way, good start for her!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vQp8rlRDDY

#teamschott

 

[Xela M]

Any news on Bruno's citizenship???

 

[Jeschke]

Dastich set the 1st mark for thr #olympicrace
150,38pts and a good 7th place finish at Lombardia.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqeMNFIlzX8

I'll be honest, PCS of 47pts are a joke for me, but we know the game in figure skating.
Now the others have to deliver.

Just for the record: We still have no confirmed news how the race towards olympic works?

 

[lizafan]

Hm, it was again the 3T after the axel. Already the landing from the axel was not optimal. But all together it was a nice performance. A good layback spin towards the end.
The music is somewhat strange and even disturbing, a mix of Dvorak's Symphony from the New World with West Side Story and always some completely different rhythm coming through. But maybe this is the idea of her program .. change, inner strife, coming of age ..
With 150.38 she is the first to jump over the barrier of 144, and thus, be eligible for the OWG. (Nicole, be warned. )

 

[Jeschke]

(Nicole, be warned. )

It's 150pts not 180pts (and that with very generous pcs scoring), so nothing Nicole should be too much afraid of

 

[Quadjump]

According to a user at the golden skate website aljona´s and bruno´s music choice have not been a secret since JUNE. Do not blame if I am wrong.

SP: Flamenco "Spanish Flame" by Maxim Rodriguez
FP: "La terre vue du ciel" by Armand Amar

The Free skate music is a dramatic piece of art. Just cannot imagine this to be not sensational.

 

[nimi]

^^ Yeah, I just posted about this "new" info on the programs thread.

This must be the best kept non-secret of the off-season around these parts, then?


ETA: Listening to La terre now and it does sound like a good choice for program music...

ETA2: La terre confirmed via Aljona's instagram

 

[sandra_persch]

I'am afraid this would not have a major impact when it comes to the point. If I put all together what I heard in the last months, rumours on the floor, some announcement of a "new strategy" being developed by the Fed, the increase of requirements for the D/C team, I would expect the German Fed has plans to cut down on some things over the next years. Cut down number of locations, number of coaches, number of athletes in the top tier. Means probably: to focus only on the very top of athletes and give them the best environment, but leave the athletes in the second row to the care of the regional federations. (not that they have more money, but that's another question)

If they will reduce the number of olympic centers I would expect that they make this decision based on existing infrastructure rather than on athletes. Athletes can move if necessary, infrastructure can't. So, I would expect Chemnitz to be among the first that lose the status because of the old infrastructure. On the other side, I cannot imagine that the Fed would close Berlin or Oberstdorf. But inbetween these parameters, I think, everything is possible.

It's again money that rules this sport.
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ko2DqtjE8E4)

Looking at the current centers for Figure Skating and Ice Dance I would guess Dortmund and Chemnitz are at biggest risk of loosing their status / funding.
Chemnitz only has Bock as a B athlet left, with Helleken C-S and Streubel B-S training in Dresden and Dortmund is down to 2 C men and Müller / Dieck.
Mannheim is only a singles center as far as I know but having Dastich training there now too brings them up to 1 B and 3 C Ladies and 1 C Men.
Berlin seems to have more Men and Pairs but are weaker on the ladies front and Oberstdorf seems to have more Ladies, Pairs and Dance then Men.
But then Berlin has the massive SYS programm that most of the ladies end up joining

Maybe the new "strategy" will be to have different disciplines in different locations and only have Oberstdorf and Berlin as "full" centers.

I am starting to see why they increased the requirements for the DC team though.
According to the criteria DC is still part of the regional level training concept and over the years they have had loads of skaters who make the DC team one year and then fall out straight after or never make the jump to C. Especially among the 13/14 year olds.

Looking at the program content of those that made the DC envelope this year.
out of 12 ladies (aged 11 to 13) that made the team only :
1 - 11 year old had 3S, 3T and 2A in competition
1 - 11 year old had 3S and 2A in competition
4 - 13 year old had either 3S and 2A or 3T and 2A in competition

As long as its easier to make the team criteria by playing it save instead of going for the jumps they may already have in practice most will play it save.

 

[Jeschke]

New interview with Franz Streubel
http://www.figureskating-online.com/franz-streubel.html

Main parts:
- he has a foot injury, can onl jump 3t, 3s and 2a right now;
- wants to skate in nice, warsaw, zagreb, nationals
- switched to oberstdorf, coached by fajfr
- was bored in berlin, as peter was always overseas and paul not there, lack of motivation
- with succesful season, he might continue, otherwise not.
- sounded like peter and fentz are going to retire after this season
- SP blues, choreo by Pillay, FS 'Queen' , last seasons FS (changed in few parts)

 

[lizafan]

Just for the record: We still have no confirmed news how the race towards olympic works?

Yes, you need a good lawyer more than you need a good coach if you're a German athlete and want to make it to the Olympic Games. (Remember there was a case before the Olympic Summer Games 2016 when an athlete sued the fed over ambiguous selection criteria. But lost.)

 

[lizafan]

- wants to skate in nice, warsaw, zagreb, nationals

Yesss. I would love to see him back.

 

[nimi]

Yes, you need a good lawyer more than you need a good coach if you're a German athlete and want to make it to the Olympic Games.

What, really?

(I mean, I remember the whole Aljona/Robin/Ingo thing and court battles for Ingo's accreditation but I thought that was kind of a special case...)

(Also, is this in keeping with the national stereotype about legalistic Germans or the opposite? )

 

[Sabine-Yuna]

Looking at the current centers for Figure Skating and Ice Dance I would guess Dortmund and Chemnitz are at biggest risk of loosing their status / funding.
Chemnitz only has Bock as a B athlet left, with Helleken C-S and Streubel B-S training in Dresden and Dortmund is down to 2 C men and Müller / Dieck.
Mannheim is only a singles center as far as I know but having Dastich training there now too brings them up to 1 B and 3 C Ladies and 1 C Men.
Berlin seems to have more Men and Pairs but are weaker on the ladies front and Oberstdorf seems to have more Ladies, Pairs and Dance then Men.
But then Berlin has the massive SYS programm that most of the ladies end up joining

Maybe the new "strategy" will be to have different disciplines in different locations and only have Oberstdorf and Berlin as "full" centers.

I am starting to see why they increased the requirements for the DC team though.
According to the criteria DC is still part of the regional level training concept and over the years they have had loads of skaters who make the DC team one year and then fall out straight after or never make the jump to C. Especially among the 13/14 year olds.

Looking at the program content of those that made the DC envelope this year.
out of 12 ladies (aged 11 to 13) that made the team only :
1 - 11 year old had 3S, 3T and 2A in competition
1 - 11 year old had 3S and 2A in competition
4 - 13 year old had either 3S and 2A or 3T and 2A in competition

As long as its easier to make the team criteria by playing it save instead of going for the jumps they may already have in practice most will play it save.

Berlin looks safe with 2 men B, 2 men C, 3 pairs (one junior) and 1 dance team C.
Streubel is out, no matter where he is practicing - he has not made it in the national team.
I don't know where Dastich counts, still competing on behalf of Saxony, practicing in Mannheim. But Mannheim has had problems keeping its status in the last years. Only some ladies there doesn't look good to me. Saxony even worse, only Bock and no one else coming up. Even NRW looks better with 1 dance team (B) and the two C guys.
Oberstdorf should be safe too, but there is only Schott (B), Droyzen (C) and Schwendinger/ Wunderlich (C) and Urban/ Steffan (B).
I'd say it will be hard to keep the status of Saxony. Mannheim and NRW could have problems too, but Mannheim always has some upcoming girls in DC. Berlin and Oberstdorf look pretty safe to me.

 

[lizafan]

The race for the Olympics continues.
This week we will see Thomalla/Kunkel in Minsk. Also, Regensburg is entering the stage, represented by Ann Christin Marold. Peter Liebers will show all five triples in Montreal and Koch/Nüchtern will show in Bratislava who is the real #1.
Also Hase/Seegert will have their first appearance in Dresden, but as this competition does not count for the olympic race they will probably not show everything. Perhaps only Fabienne's new leotard dress.

 

[lizafan]

What, really?

(I mean, I remember the whole Aljona/Robin/Ingo thing and court battles for Ingo's accreditation but I thought that was kind of a special case...)

(Also, is this in keeping with the national stereotype about legalistic Germans or the opposite? )

Yes, this was a special case, but I'm talking more about athletes going to the court to fight their way to the olympics.

I think we're going to see this more often in the future. Skating is a huge investment for the skater and the only way it will pay off is top results at top events that will give a substantial market value. So it is not far-fetched that some skaters might try all options to make their investment pay off.

Clear, fair and transparent selection criteria might of course help to keep the battle on the ice and not let it go before the courts. But this, again, is Germany. We're probably not yet mature enough for this.

 

[Jeschke]

. Peter Liebers will show all five triples in Montreal

Koch/Nüchtern will show in Bratislava who is the real #1.

I would not bet on that with Müller/Dieck posting pics from Vienna. So I assume to see them skate in Bratislava and not K/N.

 

[lizafan]

I would not bet on that with Müller/Dieck posting pics from Vienna. So I assume to see them skate in Bratislava and not K/N.

This would not be fair in my opinion. With L/P skating in Oberstdorf and U/S in Espoo K/N would then remain without any Challenger event.

 

[Jeschke]

This would not be fair in my opinion. With L/P skating in Oberstdorf and U/S in Espoo K/N would then remain without any Challenger event.

There are still more to come, and as K/N were listed first I'd guess it was them withdrawing and M/D then entered as the subs.
But let's wait and see, as mentioned, just an assumption by me.

 

[Dobre]

This would not be fair in my opinion. With L/P skating in Oberstdorf and U/S in Espoo K/N would then remain without any Challenger event.

M/D don't have a Challenger event either, though, do they? They were listed as subs for Nebelhorn, but I don't remember them being assigned an actual Challenger. We haven't seen K&N at all yet. My guess is something has pushed back their season. Regardless, M&D's appearance in Bratislava is a good sign for Lorenz & Polizoakis truly being at Nebelhorn.

 

[figureskatingforlife]

Why is everyone stressing about who is getting to go to which Challenger? It's still only September and early in the season. As far as I know skaters tend to chose later competitions to be more ready for them.
Maybe K/N and M/D just choose some Challengers later in the season?
I am sure they will be competing in the upcoming Challenger events in October or November.

 

[Jeschke]

German Fed published a short article about Dastich at Lombardia Trophy on their homepage:
https://www.eislauf-union.de/media1...tail_Teilnehmer_226_kkdetail_view_verans.html

It is mentioned there, that she met the olympia standard set for the ladies, which is 150pts.

So we know at least the ladies standard, no word about the other standards or the qualification process.
No clue either, if the standard can be achieved only at challengers or any competition.

 

[Jeschke]

So, everyone can calm down: Koch/Nüchtern are in the starting orders in Bratislava.
So my anticipation was wrong and all goes on as planned

#Race4Olympics

 

[Jeschke]

Marold finished 12/34 (43,26pts) at JGP BLR.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03ZZa1MRqX8

 

[Ananas Astra]

Marold finished 12/34 (43,26pts) at JGP BLR.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03ZZa1MRqX8

Happy about that Marold has been having her dresses done for quite some time now by the mother of a former pupil of mine Great to see both, the skater and the designer, being successful

 

[Sabine-Yuna]

Happy about that Marold has been having her dresses done for quite some time now by the mother of a former pupil of mine Great to see both, the skater and the designer, being successful

43 points don't seem really successful to me. It' s not that she has done big mistakes but I would have expected more. There was just nothing really special, quite average skating. There is just no one coming up in German juniors Dastich has to fear.

 

[figureskatingforlife]

Love Marold. She's the next German upcoming star. She's young and beautiful. Judges don't know her yet, that's why low PCS. There's lots of room to get infront in the FP if she does her job.
She's at least capable of jumping all triples - also her skating is more pleasant to watch than Dastich. Give her time!

 

[Jeschke]

Call me back, when Marold is post-puberty