German Skating News 2018/19

J

Jeschke

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Interview with Schott heading into Worlds
https://www.welt.de/icon/friends/ar...WM-Nicole-Schott-ueber-unwahre-Klischees.html

Excerpts:

On financials
The time and financial effort for the whole family adds up extremely. Only now I have one hundred percent funding by the Sports Support Group of the Bundeswehr, get my material and can live from figure skating.

On TES vs PCS
And what the young skaters from Russia are doing is unbelievable - they are extremely young, not yet in puberty and can jump quite differently than an adult woman. The then bring a complex freestyle, with insane quadruple jumps, but without emotion or expression. You can not have developed that at the age of 13 or 14 years either.

Therefore, the Americans suddenly want to lower even the allowed starting age for championships even further. If Germany put it on it, you could certainly train a child so well here. But you also have a responsibility.

On Dancing on Ice
I do not think it does anything to make competitive sport more attractive because it's a show - but I think it encourages a lot of people to run themselves again to compare themselves with the celebrities. But everything that puts skating in the foreground is good.

On eating disorders and rivalry
I eat what I want, I move a lot - but of course I'm lucky, it's just different from person to person. And of course there is competition, but as in any sport. I am friends with many runners, after the competitions we meet privately, discuss in the cabin what we want to do, that is really exaggerated.

Wishes for Worlds
After the European Championships and before the Worlds you stay relatively focused, I worked hard for the Worlds I was injured for a long time and I could not train. I wish for the Worlds attention for our sport, even off the niches
 

MichaelK

Well-Known Member
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892
I wonder what her basis is for that comment about Americans wanting to lower the age minimum.

The interviewer referred to Alysa Liu being just 13 (and not eligible for Worlds) and then Nicole responded that for this reason Americans want to lower the age minimum.
 
J

Jeschke

Guest
I wonder what her basis is for that comment about Americans wanting to lower the age minimum.
No clue if she has any informations or if this is pure speculation.

Literally the interviewer was leading her right into a comment like that with these words before:
Not only the little Russians have taken over the field with their spectacular jumping and artistic combinations, the current US champion, Alysa Liu, is just 13 years old. And barely 1.40 meters tall, weighs about 40 kilos. She was the first American to land a triple Axel in the short program of the US Championships.

Personally, I said it enough times, I do not like to see those young jumping beans in the same competition as mature woman. Or lets word it better: I do not like the (mostly) over the top PCS for those skaters. But even as a Schott fan, maybe the 1st approach should be to look at one's own work. It's her 5th senior season already, we still have not seen a 3lz (not even an attempt iirc) in competition and besides some desperate 3f3t attempts, she is sticking to her 3t3t since the junior years. Other skaters progressed here a lot: Hendrickx, Peltonen, Lecavelier for example. These are all grown women.

Schott had momentum last season, unfortunately she could not hold it due to injury, but Huth really has to push her somehow further to remain competitive on a high note.
 
J

Jeschke

Guest
Seems like finally someone in the fed did wake up.
Very dismal worlds preview article with words from Dönsdorf (german fed sport director) and the headline 'Mission Impossible' (how fitting 🆘 )
https://www.sport.de/news/ne3575636/mission-impossible-bei-eiskunstlauf-wm/

We have a weak season, therefore I do not want to pretend places. If everyone could make the finals, we would get away lucky. We have to face reality.

We have to reorganize ourselves structurally and in terms of content and turn the training methodology upside down, because international competition has simply become too strong
In four years 'time we may be able to achieve good results again and possibly think about medals in eight years' time

On Hase/Seegert
I am careful to speak of a great hope at the moment, but the two have a good competitive stability
 

MichaelK

Well-Known Member
Messages
892
I can't open the article.
What does it exactly say?

Her 2a is not even big or looks that solid.
That leaves me kinda :huh:

It says:

Nicole is working continually on her jumps, too. However she was set back by a lower leg and knee injury in the summer and could start the new season only in December. The injury happened during a fall on the difficult triple axel, which she does not yet master. In spite of the fall she feels more encouraged than demoralized: "I feel I can make it. This one was already pretty good."
 

Quadjump

Well-Known Member
Messages
262
It says:

Nicole is working continually on her jumps, too. However she was set back by a lower leg and knee injury in the summer and could start the new season only in December. The injury happened during a fall on the difficult triple axel, which she does not yet master. In spite of the fall she feels more encouraged than demoralized: "I feel I can make it. This one was already pretty good."
Probably a mistake. I cannot imagine her working on this element.

I believe she was rather working on the triple Lutz.
 

Quadjump

Well-Known Member
Messages
262
Hase/Seegert with a good outing again being in 10th place after the short.

Hocke fell at the Toeloop and double footed the throw. The spin was very slow. 16th for them.

I think they should manage to get the placements to keep the second spot.
 
J

Jeschke

Guest
Short notice on worlds (I am not up to date with men SP though)

Pairs with solid finish.
H/S really could have made a statement here, unfortunately that went pretty sloppy and they dropped down the rankings. Still, great progress this season; they should continue the work with Savin and get some fitting programs next season. The FS this season was obviously not something they seemed to comfortable with.

At least H/B could finish the season on a good note. The entire FS was sloppy and non inspired, but it was the best they skated all season, so this is something. I am still not sure what went wrong after last season and where the route will take them.

13/14 should be enough to hold on to 2 spots, am I right?

Schott with best skate of the season. The 3-3 was tight, but she seemed confident going out there and scored PB (iirc). We know she had messy FS all over the season and I am still not sure that layout with the late 2nd flip will help her under the new +/-5 GOE. The gap even to 24th is not that big, so let's just hope she can have some profit/confidence outta her starting order, skate solid and can achieve some decent SB score to get consideration for GP next season. Remaining Top12 (and securing 2 GP spots) is a task too big to ask for I am afraid.
 
J

Jeschke

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I have a mixed feeling for Fentz. While I approve the guts going for the hard stuff I don't get why he did after this injury-plagued season?
 
S

SmallFairy

Guest
I have a mixed feeling for Fentz. While I approve the guts going for the hard stuff I don't get why he did after this injury-plagued season?
Maybe he felt confident? I saw a quad on IG not long ago. Maybe he's that kind of athlete that would rather go all in and fail? That he wouldn't feel contend afterwards going for content Norwegian juniors can do? (They can't! :p ). Maybe he thought the field was so tough, that the easier content wouldn't get him through. Either way: :(:(:(
 
J

Jeschke

Guest
:respec: to Koch/Nüchtern for making the cut to the FD today.
They were lucky with the draw, but they skated this RD to its best. I have never have seen them that confident. Making the cut was not a given here. 7yrs after junior worlds finally at the big stage. Well done folks.

I am pleased (no matter what happens from now on in ladies fs and dance fd) that worlds turned not out to be the catastrophe it could have become.

#TeamD 🇩🇪
 

text_skate

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,944
Article about German fed and Alexander König in FAZ (Thursday): https://www.faz.net/aktuell/sport/w...ange-umworben-lange-hingehalten-16099611.html

very interesting, some excerpts, translated with DeepL

"Long wooed, long stalled"

First paragraph short review about König, his success with Aljona and Bruno

König, on the other hand, has a year behind him between the highest feelings of happiness and everyday disappointments. The triumph in Pyeongchang and the grandiose encore in Milan were followed by months of waiting for a contract, which will now arrive at his home in the Berlin district of Köpenick at the end of March. A document that should finally turn the former honorary coach of the Deutsche Eislauf-Union (DEU) into the national pair skating coach. Provided that the king who has been courted for a long time and then held out for just as long, signs.

He already has started to build up the "Berlin pair skating centre": Nine pairs, different levels, six coaches, amongst the pairs H/S and H/B

"Everyone jumps the double axel," König says when looking at the competition, "but what matters is not so much what you do, but how you do it. Charisma is the be-all and end-all". The master trainer wants to train pair skaters who "outgrow themselves". Just like Bruno Massot, who came to Germany from France

Alexander König has understood that in 2018 the funds from the federal government to the DEU flowed later than planned due to the protracted formation of the government. That the DEU paid him his salary until December was another reason. It is understandably more difficult for him to have to finance himself since then, even if he can expect his personal advance on Heller and Pfennig to be replaced.

However, König is surprised to note that the contract for the national coach has not yet been drawn up, also in order to be able to quickly agree on the modalities. "After the fantastic performances of Aljona and Bruno in Pyeonchang," says the 52-year-old Berliner, "everyone said that now we have to jump on this wave and do something. Now one year has passed and the wave is somewhere else". It's not the best way to help the pair race in Germany to flourish again.

Well, I admire everyone who is dealing with the DEU. Patience they need. Willingness. Usually a federation is there to support, not the other way round.
 
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Ananas Astra

Get woke, go broke!
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I have already posted it on a German FS group on fb and got a lot of praise for it: The main problem with figure skating in Germany lies within the German mentality. Germany values mediocrity. As long as you are mediocre, you are being tolerated and have nothing to fear and can lead a nice calm life.
As soon as you start showing talent and promise, it might be the key to your demise. Suddenly, you have to face problems you wouldn't have otherwise, like schools who wouldn't allow you to go to competitions etc. It's the same thing in all the art or sports departments (apart from soccer), whether you are a talented musician or a figure skater. I myself have experienced it numerous times, most of the time as a spectator, and I really can assure you that Germany sucks as far as developing talent is concerned.
The other problem is funding. Why fund athletes in an obscure sport like figure skating when there is soccer instead? There are no reasonable or smart people in the federation who actually do care. No funding = no results.

Even Aliona and Bruno are pretty much forgotten by now in Germany. Sad, just sad.
 
J

Jeschke

Guest
As soon as you start showing talent and promise, it might be the key to your demise. Suddenly, you have to face problems you wouldn't have otherwise, like schools who wouldn't allow you to go to competitions etc. It's the same thing in all the art or sports departments (apart from soccer), whether you are a talented musician or a figure skater. I myself have experienced it numerous times, most of the time as a spectator
Totally disagree here, especially in your example given (school/competition). While you might have faced/witnessed something like that please don't generalize it.
1) I myself never had any problems, neither at school or university to attend any important competitions. (in a different sport)
2) Neither have I witnessed any restrictions in my work at different schools today (even not for really bad students), if they show some promise/talent in any kind of sport/art/etc.
3) My work in fed (different sport than FS) exactly is part of the interaction between school, students, parents and fed. And there is no difference if we are speaking of big cities or small villages, most schools are very much cooperative.
4) Apart from that, there are tons of special sport schools at the the bases of each fed, who also cooperate with practice/school times (where you can make your Abitur over a longer period, etc.)
 
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Ananas Astra

Get woke, go broke!
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I didn't mean to offend you @Jeschke , I just wrote down what I myself have witnessed. Apparently your experiences are different and I am happy for you and for the fact, that stuff like you wrote actually does exist.

Regarding the sports schools: I have only heard about one in Berlin (Werner-Seelenbinder-Schule) and the internat in Oberstdorf.
And about the cooperation with schools: I am, as I have already said, very happy that you have such a relaxed relationship. It was not the case when I was still skating (my school once didn't want to sign a paper to have me appear in our show because they considered it "child labor") and while teaching I have seen several teachers sabotaging even their school's own events like sports fests or even exchanges because they were very much against it.
 
J

Jeschke

Guest
I didn't mean to offend you @Jeschke
Don't worry, I don't feel offended that easy :rofl:

Regarding the sports schools: I have only heard about one in Berlin (Werner-Seelenbinder-Schule) and the internat in Oberstdorf.
Here is a list of the 43 'Elite schools' in Germany who work especially close with the national olympic committe.
https://eliteschulen.dosb.de/standorte/
And these are only those 'sanctioned' by DOSB, there a more b-tiers.
 
J

Jeschke

Guest
Having just watched the latest episode of 'Ewige Helden' ('Eternal Heroes'), I really need Aliona there next season :love:
It's a german tv series with 8 former famous german sportsmen/-women reflecting on their career and comepting against each other in sport-related battles.

I really like this format, especially the (partly) critical recaps of the careers. I would die to hear Aliona's story in her own words.

Side note: Tanja Szewczenko was one of the contestants in season 2 and finished 8/8.
 

ice crystal

Active Member
Messages
89
I have already posted it on a German FS group on fb and got a lot of praise for it: The main problem with figure skating in Germany lies within the German mentality. Germany values mediocrity. As long as you are mediocre, you are being tolerated and have nothing to fear and can lead a nice calm life.
As soon as you start showing talent and promise, it might be the key to your demise. Suddenly, you have to face problems you wouldn't have otherwise, like schools who wouldn't allow you to go to competitions etc. It's the same thing in all the art or sports departments (apart from soccer), whether you are a talented musician or a figure skater. I myself have experienced it numerous times, most of the time as a spectator, and I really can assure you that Germany sucks as far as developing talent is concerned.
The other problem is funding. Why fund athletes in an obscure sport like figure skating when there is soccer instead? There are no reasonable or smart people in the federation who actually do care. No funding = no results.

Even Aliona and Bruno are pretty much forgotten by now in Germany. Sad, just sad.

Ok. I was born, schooled, studied and worked in Germany for over three decades. I'm wondering what field (other than public service) mediocrity gets one through comfortably. Not my experience. On the contrary, the insane competitiveness and rat race life style is what prompted me to migrate. You got me puzzled......
 

Ananas Astra

Get woke, go broke!
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14,821
Ok. I was born, schooled, studied and worked in Germany for over three decades. I'm wondering what field (other than public service) mediocrity gets one through comfortably. Not my experience. On the contrary, the insane competitiveness and rat race life style is what prompted me to migrate. You got me puzzled......
I grew up in an artist family, so I naturally came in contact with many musicians and artists from a very young age. Most of them were trained in the former Soviet Union and got an excellent education. Those people and their families have been struggling a lot since coming to Germany. One of them is a young virtuoso, playing the cello. He plays concerts all over the world, yet he struggles with his jobs in Germany because they don't want him to play concerts at their theaters or they break off his contracts with the orchestras. One of his colleagues is a close friend of ours and he said; "He's simply too good and it rubs them the wrong way."
My mother is a piano teacher and one of the best in the country, having won countless competitions with her pupils on all possible levels (city-level, region-level, state-level and nationals) and she constantly has to prove herself and overcome many obstacles, imposed on her by other people. Whenever her pupils win somewhere, it's not even getting coverage on the music school's homepage and she had to hear from her former boss (who is retired by now) that "all of your first place wins are annoying everybody".
ATM I am working as a job counsellor at a school. Our company also took away one of our greatest colleagues who did an amazing job and left another asshole in our office who is doing NOTHING. But he is assured an unlimited contract, whereas others, who are really working their asses off for the little wage have to fear for their jobs.

That is what I have experienced, there are more examples, but I am at work now and have to prepare stuff.
 
J

Jeschke

Guest
Joti posting IG clips skating on its own, Schott2 making city trips with BigSis.
Are we sure this team is going to happen? :shuffle:
 

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