The Loena Hendrickx appreciation thread

[SkateFanBerlin]

Tweeted by a Belgian sport journalist after Loena became the first Belgian female figure skater to ever medal at a Grand Prix : https://twitter.com/jonas_creteur/status/1457255353964548096

Russian interview by Ekaterina Efimova on Loena's 22nd birthday (Nov. 5) in Torino:

«К 18 ребёнок становится женщиной». Смелое заявление фигуристки, победившей россиянок

Луна Хендрикс объяснила, почему в фигурном катании необходимо поднять возрастной ценз. И назвала лучшую одиночницу России на данный момент.

www.championat.com

English translation here: https://fs-gossips.com/loena-hendri...d-by-this-age-you-become-a-woman-not-a-child/
Excerpts:

Journalist keep repeating that lady figure skaters peak at 15/16. This is not true. The jumps are easier then - low fat and lighter (less bone density). But power, skating skills, other elements - spins, steps - take years. And for some skaters like Tuk and Osmond jumps remain great.

 

[Seerek]

Loena Hendrickx et Armand Marchant porteront le drapeau belge à la cérémonie d'ouverture au JO 2022

La patineuse artistique Loena Hendrickx et le skieur alpin Armand Marchant porteront le drapeau belge à la cérémonie d'ouverture des Jeux Olympiques d'hiver de Pékin, vendredi, au Stade national de Pékin.

www.lavenir.net

Congratulations Loena on carrying the Belgian flag later this week at the Olympic opening ceremony!

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Loena Hendrickx et Armand Marchant porteront le drapeau belge à la cérémonie d'ouverture au JO 2022

La patineuse artistique Loena Hendrickx et le skieur alpin Armand Marchant porteront le drapeau belge à la cérémonie d'ouverture des Jeux Olympiques d'hiver de Pékin, vendredi, au Stade national de Pékin.

www.lavenir.net

Congratulations Loena on carrying the Belgian flag later this week at the Olympic opening ceremony!

Amazingggggg

 

[Scott512]

Journalist keep repeating that lady figure skaters peak at 15/16. This is not true. The jumps are easier then - low fat and lighter (less bone density). But power, skating skills, other elements - spins, steps - take years. And for some skaters like Tuk and Osmond jumps remain great.

It's interesting that Hendricxs has reached her peak in her early twenties. I hope this is it good example for those girls who don't fulfill their potential as a teenager but still keep plugging away developing as a figure skater.

Like you said a lot of this like the skillset Loena has takes many years to develop.

 

[Colonel Green]

Loena and other Belgian Olympians met with King Philippe recently.

 

[Sylvia]

Loena and other Belgian Olympians met with King Philippe recently.

And Queen Mathilde!

The reception for the Olympians happened last night at the Castle of Laeken (royal residence) - Jorik also shared a few pics: https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca0RYNhsHT-/

Loena shared some stories last night via her chiquesport Instagram takeover and showed the Olympic diploma she received. IIRC, she also mentioned she was aiming for the 2026 Olympics.

 

[Sylvia]

Belgium's Loena Hendrickx feels motivated for more (9 March 2022): https://www.isu.org/isu-news/news/1...bel-feels-motivated-for-more?templateParam=15

The Belgian Champion was invited to the shows of “Art on Ice” in Switzerland following the Olympic Games and love that experience, but now she is back to work. “I’m preparing myself for Worlds at my home rinks in Tilburg and Eindhoven both in the Netherlands as well as in Deurne in Belgium,” she shared. However, right now her training sessions are limited after she injured her groin a few days ago.

Following the World Championships, Loena is planning for a nice vacation to rest her body and mind. Her favorite place for a vacation is “somewhere where it is warm, with sun and a beach, the sea – everything to relax.”

 

[MsZem]

Yessssssss Loena

 

[barbk]

She has such beautiful and complete skating. It is so satisfying to see.

 

[coppertop1]

I couldn't be happier ! She's such a complete skater and she's finally getting her dues!

 

[Fadeevfanboy]

Her reaction when finishing her long program was the best. I don't think she even cared about the medal at that point, she was just over the top to have such a great skate at the big competition.

 

[Scott512]

Well done Loena. She really is a beautiful and spectacular skater and performer. But she was injured coming into the world championships and I hope that injury does not nag her next season. A torn groin is a tricky injury especially for a figure skater where using your legs is 100% of the job.

 

[Finnice]

She skated with both groin and ankle injury. What a fighter!

 

[cocotaffy]

She has such beautiful and complete skating. It is so satisfying to see.

Exactly, you said best she is a complete skater, the best kind. Her FD this year was my favorite this year, everything fit: the dress, the make up, the attitude and of course the skating. Well done to her for hanging on to this medal while injured.

 

[DreamSkates]

Congrats on two great skates and a silver medal!

 

[Sonata]

To think that she almost didn’t make it here because her federation forgot to submit the paperwork for worlds…. So nice to see her perform to her best.

 

[Sonata]

So Loena Hendrickx becomes the first Belgian woman to medal at worlds and won the 4th ever medal for Belgium since 1948, but all the ISU can say about her on Instagram is that she “turned in another exciting performance to Oriental music”.

ISU Figure Skating ⛸ on Instagram: "Kaori Sakamoto 🇯🇵 won the first World title for a Japanese woman in eight years yesterday night. Loena Hendrickx 🇧🇪 turned in another exciting performance to Oriental music and won 🥈. Followed by Alysa Liu with br

18K likes, 437 comments - isufigureskatingMarch 26, 2022 on : "Kaori Sakamoto 🇯🇵 won the first World title for a Japanese woman in eight years yesterday night. Loena Hendrickx 🇧🇪 turned i...".

www.instagram.com

Yet they have the space to mention Sakamoto being the first Japanese world champion in 8 years and Alysa Liu winning the first medal for the US since 2016. And no mention of the type of music they chose. All right then.

 

[Seerek]

Across all the disciplines at Worlds, Loena salvaged the entire week for me, and the only medalist I can honestly say that I was excited for. Congrats!

 

[Colonel Green]

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Wowwwwwwwwww

Loenas SP this season is amaaaazziiinngggg. Great dress too

can’t Wait to see her free program this season

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Wow. Even her free skate the seasons is a dream. Her movement with her arms is more fluid and expressive than ever before especially after she lands a jump. I love that we’re watching a woman on the ice and not a girl. And I love love love that she never chooses a warhorse. She gives us interesting and fresh music .... it makes me want to watch. I know I’m not gonna see Loena choose come what May, like other skaters have done so far this season already.

If I had one critique I love the idea of a white dress for this program and I love her shoulder detail. I just wish it wasn’t showing her midriff and I wish the train of the dress was longer like an Irina dress or a Peggy dress or even Alysas Czisny dress, I wish we didn’t see the midriff.

Her and Kaori are the ones I’m watching this season For their power and PCS marks. And also my Amber.

 

[briancoogaert]

Her new SP is fantastic. Congrats to her and her team !

 

[Frau Muller]

I love Loena this season! She finally has TWO great programs in one season (Caruso ruined it for me last year…hate it).
Versatility this year - sassy Latin SP and angelic-lyrical LP/FP. Everything screams UBER-GLAMOROUS HOLIDAY ON ICE SHOWGIRL circa-1950s…superimpose her image on any of the gorgeous souvenir programs of that era…such as this one:

Holiday on Ice souvenir program

Holiday on Ice souvenir program.

americanhistory.si.edu

Or this

Vintage World Famous Holiday on Ice of 1961 CL Souvenir - Etsy

This Souvenirs & Events item is sold by Retiredhungarian. Ships from Sturgis, MI. Listed on Sep 14, 2022

www.etsy.com

Or this - especially this

✨ Holiday On Ice Souvenir Program 22nd Edition 1967 | eBay

Don’t miss out on a great deal!

www.ebay.com

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Short program from France. I actually thought this was better performed than last month and thought the score should be even higher than 75 points. I quite like this program. Something different and interesting.

ルナ・ヘンドリックス Leona Hendrickx (BEL) SP - フランス大会2022

www.youtube.com

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

I love this free program now so much. I love the changes to the music, the choreography and the costume. Spot on! And I love the ending now!

ã«ãã»ãã³ããªãã¯ã¹Â Loena Hendrickx (BEL) FS - ãã©ã³ã¹å¤§ä¼2022

www.youtube.com

 

[livetoskate]

I am so happy for Loena & her brother. What a great birthday gift. And so kind of Mae Berenice to give her a cake & sing happy birthday to her.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

I am so happy for Loena & her brother. What a great birthday gift. And so kind of Mae Berenice to give her a cake & sing happy birthday to her.

Do you have a video of that part? The video I posted does not show any of that

 

[livetoskate]

Do you have a video of that part? The video I posted does not show any of that

No, sorry, I only saw it live on Peacock. It was a really little cake in a box. Mae Berenice went over to the KnC to hug & congratulate Loena & gave her the box. They didn't show a close up of the cake. Then Mae led the audience in singing Happy Birthday. Btw what languages does Loena speak? Is French her native language?

 

[coppertop1]

Congratulations, Loena!

 

[Colonel Green]

Btw what languages does Loena speak? Is French her native language?

She is from Flanders, so I'd assume her first language is Dutch.