Australian skating news

[misskarne]

Brooklee skated lights out today. Hope she does the same in the free. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvYt-6VbW7I

That was so freakin' great I'm so excited!!!!!!!!!

 

[Sylvia]

Congrats to Brooklee Han on winning the BRONZE MEDAL in Innsbruck just now!

ETA a tweeted photo of her after the medal ceremony: https://twitter.com/fsonline/status/1063108906942189568

 

[mag]

So Brooklee and Kailani are within a point of each other based on
Challengers. Nationals will be interesting. I love a hard fought battle - it raises everyone’s game.

 

[misskarne]

Well done Brooklee!

Break out the popcorn for Nationals!

 

[essence_of_soy]

So Brooklee and Kailani are within a point of each other based on
Challengers. Nationals will be interesting. I love a hard fought battle - it raises everyone’s game.

Good to see Craine & Han earn World TES qualification scores.

I hope some of our other senior ladies can earn the TES required to qualify for Four Continents as well.

 

[essence_of_soy]

I am very concerned by the disaster free skate from Katia & Harley at Rostelecom.​

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Training with Nina Mozer and co. in Russia, this pair was known for their strong technical foundation. For some reason, I thought Mozer was retiring this season.​

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Since leaving her, their skills have slowly deteriorated. Fiddly choreography hasn't helped, and they have been bypassed by Russian teams they handily beat at the junior level.​

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You have to wonder how difficult is has been for both of them to adjust to a completely new environment in Canada. I wonder what precipitated the original move from Moscow to Montreal in the first place.​

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It isn't as though they are competing any more this season, or trying anything more difficult. They simply don't look comfortable at all.

I hope there isn't anything really wrong.​

 

[mag]

@essence_of_soy Moving to a new country to train is a huge adjustment. This year should be seen a a development year. I suspect/hope we will see great things next season.

 

[misskarne]

I think this was a good weekend for perspective. It would be far too easy to be just down in the dumps about Katia and Harley and Brendan's performances at Rostelecom. But we had Aussies competing elsewhere too and they just lit it up. Brooklee was outstanding at Inge Solar Memorial and both Chantelle and Andrew and Matilda and William set PBs and SBs there too. Chantelle and Andrew's performances were all the more remarkable given he did his PCL four weeks ago.

And ultimately - well, if Brendan was going to have a rough weekend, he was in some darned good company; he wasn't the only man there who struggled. He looked more comfortable with both programs (even if my opinion that his free is Disaster Grease remains unchanged). Especially the short.

I thought Katia and Harley's SP actually looked a bit better overall (leaving aside Harley's uncharacteristically bad day). The free started off promisingly but then it was almost like Katia had all the wind knocked out of her when she fell on the SBS jump, and just never recovered. My heart just broke when she started crying at the end. I hope they can have a couple of days to relax/recover/sightsee, and then come home and be ready for Nationals knowing that we're all proud of them anyway. And I really hope she's not injured.

 

[mag]

@misskarne I think that is a good perspective. It is so easy to forget how terribly difficult this sport is and it gets even more difficult when bad days are played out on home computers everywhere! Katia and Harley have made such huge strides in the last couple of years. It seems realistic, not to mention unfair, to expect the same trajectory every year!

 

[essence_of_soy]

@essence_of_soy Moving to a new country to train is a huge adjustment. This year should be seen a a development year. I suspect/hope we will see great things next season.

Me, too. I just hope there isn't anything seriously wrong.

 

[misskarne]

Guy Sebastian put out a new single with music video.

HEY! We know him!

 

[misskarne]

Good Weekend Alert!

Kailani got silver and Andrew got bronze at Warsaw Cup! And Matilda and William and Chantelle and Andrew all got new PBs there too! I need to double check, but I think Matilda and William must be getting quite close to the Worlds TES!

 

[aussieSKATES]

aussieSKATES is pleased to announce that we will be covering the 2018 Australian Figure Skating Championships.

We will be posting daily recaps in singles, dance and pairs for the advanced novice, junior and senior divisions.

Follow us on Facebook for all of the action.

Click here for important links and other event information.

 

[Sylvia]

Australian Nationals is underway with the Synchro events (Dec. 1 & 2) - link to the competition thread with starting orders/results/etc. in the Kiss & Cry section: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/threads/australian-figure-skating-championship-2018-nov-30-dec-7-in-sydney.104836/

Senior events (singles/pairs/dance) are on Dec. 6-7 (Thursday & Friday).

 

[starrynight]

Any news on how Katia and Harley are going with the switch to training in Canada?

Their packaging is a universe more polished than last season, but it seems like they are really struggling with the technical elements that they were always able to do really well.

Adjustment to a new training life? Teething issues with the transition to seniors?

With Australian skaters I'm always worried about them maintaining whatever form of funding/assistance they may be receiving to continue elite training.

 

[misskarne]

They looked a bit nervous at Nationals but did fairly well. I think it's just an adjustment phase for them. Remember, this is literally only their third season together. They had rather a meteoric rise. An adjustment season was always going to happen eventually. I'm not concerned.

 

[starrynight]

I read an interview where they said when they were with Mozer's group they only trained elements.

I can tell that Bruno Marcotte is trying to get them to develop the artistic mark and maybe the dual focus and time away from doing elements has unsettled things a bit.

 

[mag]

It is also a long flight from Montreal to Sydney and the jet lag is a killer. One bright note is Katia’s triple toe looks way, way better than last year.

 

[essence_of_soy]

It is also a long flight from Montreal to Sydney and the jet lag is a killer. One bright note is Katia’s triple toe looks way, way better than last year.

The more I think about it, the more it makes sense how a lot of athletes who train towards their Olympic dreams, feel absolutely drained by the next season. Especially those who are building towards another run, knowing they have four years to do it all over again. Finding the drive and energy can be physically and mentally taxing.

Brendan Kerry and Brooklee Han gave me that impression earlier in the season, but both skaters really stepped up their game in Sydney.

Harley & Katia are very young as well. So, on top of figuring out their new environment as skaters, they are still taking on board being youngsters thrust into a world full of grown-ups, too.

 

[Bunny Hop]

Sydney is going to lose one of its rinks next year - Macquarie Ice Rink (where Nationals was recently held) is going to be demolished for an expanded transport hub. This will put a lot of pressure on the other suburban rinks (another rink closed in 2017) and Macquarie is one that is more central in terms of population.
https://www.facebook.com/macquarieicerink/photos/pcb.2513306518686394/2513302055353507/?type=3&theater

There are two petitions to save the rink:
Petition 1
Petition 2

 

[essence_of_soy]

Sydney is going to lose one of its rinks next year - Macquarie Ice Rink (where Nationals was recently held) is going to be demolished for an expanded transport hub. This will put a lot of pressure on the other suburban rinks (another rink closed in 2017) and Macquarie is one that is more central in terms of population.
https://www.facebook.com/macquarieicerink/photos/pcb.2513306518686394/2513302055353507/?type=3&theater

There are two petitions to save the rink:
Petition 1
Petition 2

Such a shame.

I saw the recent national championships in Sydney at this rink. It is a world class facility which serves many skaters, as well as hockey players and short track athletes local to the general area.

 

[Aussie Willy]

That is a shame and not much notice. I have signed the petitions. Just checked the Change.org one and it is going gangbusters.

 

[essence_of_soy]

What frustrates me is that when Victoria closed three of its rinks, it took a decade for them to realise the mistake they made, a tremendous cost to replace them, and years until the state produced championship level skaters again.

 

[Aussie Willy]

Rinks are private businesses so the public and government has very little control over them. The only reason why Melbourne got Docklands because it did have only one rink for the whole of the city and it was not adequate for the requirements of the ice sports. Plus it had OWI backing.

Not having champions is not a mistake, it is just not a priority. But I am not sure who can hold accountable for that.

 

[Orm Irian]

I'm sorry for the athletes who'll need to relocate their training, because that's always a hassle, but at least Sydney does have other rinks they can access comparatively easily. The hockey kids and aspiring figure skaters based at Noarlunga rink weren't nearly so lucky.

 

[essence_of_soy]

I guess one of the issues I have with removing any popular recreational attraction, is that when it is discovered by the powers that be somewhere down the tracks that it was utilised after all, it takes so much more time, money and red tape to relaunch a new facility elsewhere.

 

[Marco]

Did I miss Aussie Nationals? Has it been decided who will go to Worlds?

 

[essence_of_soy]

Did I miss Aussie Nationals? Has it been decided who will go to Worlds?

Australian Nationals were held in early December in Sydney.

The Four Continents team has been selected.

Men: Brendan Kerry, Andrew Dodds, James Min
Dance: Chantelle Kerry / Andrew Dodds, Matilda Friend / William Badaoui
Ladies: Kailani Craine, Brooklee Han
Pairs: Katia Alexaxandrovskaya / Harley Windsor

I don't think teams for Junior Worlds or Worlds have yet.

 

[Marco]

Kailani Craine and Brooklee Han have very close SB scores as of today, so will 4CCs actually be used as world team selection?

58 167.84 Kailani CRAINE AUS ISU CS Autumn Classic International 2018 21.09.2018
59 166.25 Amber GLENN USA ISU CS Lombardia Trophy 2018 14.09.2018
60 165.55 Hongyi CHEN CHN ISU CS Golden Spin of Zagreb 2018 08.12.2018
61 165.40 Brooklee HAN AUS ISU CS Inge Solar Memorial / Alpen Trophy 2018 15.11.2018

http://www.isuresults.com/isujsstat/sb2018-19/sbtslto.htm

 

[essence_of_soy]

Kailani Craine and Brooklee Han have very close SB scores as of today, so will 4CCs actually be used as world team selection?

58 167.84 Kailani CRAINE AUS ISU CS Autumn Classic International 2018 21.09.2018
59 166.25 Amber GLENN USA ISU CS Lombardia Trophy 2018 14.09.2018
60 165.55 Hongyi CHEN CHN ISU CS Golden Spin of Zagreb 2018 08.12.2018
61 165.40 Brooklee HAN AUS ISU CS Inge Solar Memorial / Alpen Trophy 2018 15.11.2018

http://www.isuresults.com/isujsstat/sb2018-19/sbtslto.htm

No idea. But in all likelihood, I would say, 'yes'. Han delivered a career best short program score, and the highest ever for an Australian lady, at her Challenger Series event.

Craine convincingly beat Han by more than ten points at the national championships, however.