Nebelhorn Trophy | Page 5 | Golden Skate

Nebelhorn Trophy

CARA

Final Flight
Joined
Oct 16, 2009
Country
United-States
I'm pretty sure (but not absolutely certain though) the qualifying minimum point is 115. It means H&G did not meat the minimum (114.70!). :eek:

Please, someone correct me if I'm wrong.
 

CARA

Final Flight
Joined
Oct 16, 2009
Country
United-States
I borrowed this from "haribobo" at FSU regarding the GP qualification discussions. Hope it's ok.

"2.3 Minimum Score for Grand Prix events

Each entrant to the Grand Prix six (6) events must meet the minimum score to be included in the entry or the alternate list.
For the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating season 2011/12, the minimum scores are:
• Men 168,60
• Ladies 117,48
• Pairs 130,71
• Ice Dance 111,15"

So it means the Canadian team is qualified for the GP...:love: Please, let it be so.
 

thumbyskates

Rinkside
Joined
Sep 3, 2003
I borrowed this from "haribobo" at FSU regarding the GP qualification discussions. Hope it's ok.

"2.3 Minimum Score for Grand Prix events

Each entrant to the Grand Prix six (6) events must meet the minimum score to be included in the entry or the alternate list.
For the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating season 2011/12, the minimum scores are:
• Men 168,60
• Ladies 117,48
• Pairs 130,71
• Ice Dance 111,15"

So it means the Canadian team is qualified for the GP...:love: Please, let it be so.

Yes, Harvey/Gagnon have met the minimum score and so will have SC.

However, Balde and DeSanctis both failed to meet the minimum score and therefore will not have spots at SC - Balde was only 3 points or so short...if they could get him into Finlandia somehow, perhaps he could qualify. I don't see it happening though and DeSanctis was over 10 points short - and I don't think there is anyone else, either Mens or Womens, who would/could qualify at this point.
 

NorthernDancers

On the Ice
Joined
Jan 15, 2010
Wow! First of all, congrats to Hubbell/Donohue! (Have to check out her blog again. So entertaining.) Can't wait to see how they do throughout the season.

Great to see that Ralph/Hill had such a great start. Really good way to start the season.

Now about Harvey/Gagnon, oof.... They are both lovely people who have been skating together for a long time. But I thought this already last year: they are no longer physically suited to each other. It's not that she is big. She's a beautiful, mature young woman and with lots of talent. She needs someone taller and bigger to skate with. He is very talented with a ton of personality, but needs someone the size of Marie-France Dubreil. It can't be that they weren't prepared. They have already competed in Lake Placid and Ottawa and BC. Except for BC, where I still think the marks were a little boosted across the board, their marks have been underwhelming. And perhaps the halo effect over BC right now is causing Skate Canada to ignore some of the downside of the skating while they are mesmerized by bright shiny things. Programs from BC generally are bright, modern, fast and with some cool moves. Music is usually Broadway, from movies, or something you would find in a show program. At first it was very refreshing after all the angst and melodrama of the past. And the teams skate very fast. But is it now simply a way to hide issues in basic technique? Does the skating style translate well internationally where judges might be looking for a more traditional skating style and don't care about the flash? It reminds me a little of an old ad campaign from Wendy's that was very popular. In examining a competitor's burgers, 2 old ladies agree, "yup, mighty nice bun, but where's the beef?!"

So if Harvey/Gagnon can't compete at their GP, can Canada send someone else? Can Canada send a couple more teams to Finlandia and see how these teams do? Or maybe gather some teams from the middle pack that are interesting for a development camp, and choose 1 or 2 of those to go to Finlandia? The one that gets the highest points past the 115 mark goes to the GP?
 

Kypma

Final Flight
Joined
May 12, 2007
For the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating season 2011/12, the minimum scores are:
• Men 168,60
• Ladies 117,48
• Pairs 130,71
• Ice Dance 111,15

Well, that would mean that H/G qualify, as do Dubé/Wolfe in pairs, but Elladj Baldé (165.11) just missed the cutoff by 3 points :( and Adriana DeSanctis (105.34) can't be at Skate Canada International either... That's too bad; I really, really like Elladj and was hoping he could showcase his amazing long program at SCI this year!
 

colleen o'neill

Medalist
Joined
Nov 3, 2006
That's so sad about Elladj ! Dang ! :cry:...absolutely no hope ?

His FS was my favourite of the many ( too many) Michael Jackson programs I've seen. The way he moves is completely natural , not forced or overdone..I thought the program itself had maybe too many cuts in the music , but he moved fluidly from one to the next.

I think he needs a coaching change ?
 

demarinis5

Gold for the Winter Prince!
Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 23, 2004
Ummm, I am not as impressed as you are. And is not because of what Mirai did, but rather Lori Nichol leaves me underwhelmed these days. From Lori, knowing what she is capable of, I am expecting great work. She doesn't capture the tempo changes in the music in the last part of the program, starting from the flying camel spin. The arrangement of the jumps was fine, but the footwork doesn't stand out as much as it should. I like the music and it could have been a great program choreographically, but it isn't.

I agree about the tempo changes in the music in the last part of the program, I did notice some awkwardness, but I am sure this program will be tweaked and by the time Nationals and Worlds comes around we may see a lot of improvement. IMO Lori has not done any great work for the ladies since the Kween. :)
 

fairly4

Medalist
Joined
Oct 28, 2007
Congratulations to all medalist--especially Hubbell and Donohue for winning your first Gold medal and Mirai Nagasu
 

colleen o'neill

Medalist
Joined
Nov 3, 2006
Back to Ice Dance :

Gee.. I feel prompted to unload a bit here. I hope you'll bear with me , I've done some nosing around..

Tarrah and Keith have been skating together since '98. They're aged 22 and 24. They are a bit mismatched, IMO ( only a 2 inch height difference). They've been with Wing and Lowe since spring( I think ) of 2007 ( post-nationals ?). At '06 and '07 Nationals they were 13th. So ,in the time they've been with W&L , they've moved up 7 or 8 placements nationally (figuring around V/M's absence last year )..pretty good, considering the top 3 spots were virtually a lock for the last few yrs., and considering the sudden emergence of P/I.

Considering the time they've been together, the scarcity of readily available partners , and the fact that they have improved , I can understand their reluctance to look for a better size match. Now..having said all that...I realize their height situation maybe doesn't encourage a softer style ( romantic) program , since they can't easily achieve a classic look, but I think they should move a bit in that direction , on occasion. I think they may strive too much to be different.

I've had a real problem with their costumes, the last two years.. which I couldn't understand, since there wasn't a problem with W&L's younger teams, and W/L themselves , were always pretty nicely turned out during their career. It can't be a good thing when a couple takes the ice and the first thought that comes into your head is "What has she got on ?" This situation was a mystery to me until I saw the ads for Tarrah's Mum's costume business at BCSS. Great for all the skating mum's who can't sew, or don't have time..but not at the senior level. It's time to stop keeping it in the family, Tarrah. I might be wrong , but when the coaches' Jr. couples all look better packaged , what other conclusion can you draw ?

I don't think the speed is a negative , since ,looking at W&L's Jr. couples, they seem to generally be getting good technical scores. And it does make me smile , because W/L were often accused of being slow in their own competitive years..That's not going to happen to their teams.;)

I don't like the SD music choices for many of their teams this year , but so far, that may not be a drawback with the judges..too soon to say. I do have to wonder if H/G's off beat programs hurt them last yr. and now this yr.again. They were marked pretty close to R/H last yr. at Canadians..which is the one place their programs were most sure to be seen with friendly eyes .Technically they were pretty close, I think. I haven't seen a huge improvement in R/H ( but of course , I haven't seen this competition ), and H/G don't have the same particular problems , though as noted , they have some of their own.

H/G do seem to garner better marks as the season goes on... so could they do something to be more ready sooner ? I did notice some rough bits at BCSS.. but was that really early to expect a lot ?
 

kwanatic

Check out my YT channel, Bare Ice!
Record Breaker
Joined
May 19, 2011
IMO Lori has not done any great work for the ladies since the Kween. :)


I somewhat agree...her number of masterpiece programs since Michelle can be counted on one hand, that's for sure...

Lori's programs for Mao have been beautiful: Nocturne, Fantasie Impromptu, Claire de Lune, Liebestraum & Jupiter. Lori is just really good at maximizing the beauty and grace of Mao's style...

Her programs for Carolina Kostner last year were very beautiful as well...

I don't know what it is, but the Lori/Mirai combination yields some less than great results. There aren't any standout programs for Mirai that Lori has created. Mirai has had instances of presenting her programs well (her SPs at the last two nationals) but the programs are nowhere near in line with what Lori has created for other skaters. I really hope Mirai branches out in the future and works with a different choreographer...
 
Joined
Aug 16, 2009
Did anyone notice that Dennis Ten came in ninth? That doesn't bode well. I see that his point score did exceed the minimum for GP according to what was posted here, though.

About the height difference for ice dancing: I'm not familiar with Harvey/Gagnon, but if they're really good and are otherwise compatible, they could make their closeness in height work, with a little ingenuity. One of my favorite recent couples was Denkova/Staviskiy, who seemed to be almost the same height. I know that at least once when they skated in Grand Prix events, I think Tracy Wilson (or maybe Susie Wynne--both did commentary for ESPN at that time, I think) pointed out this similarity in height, but D/S were so splendid that they made it into a distinctive trait. They actually seemed to play up their physical similarity--they were both blonde, and she was athletic rather than spindly and pixie-like. She kept her hair shortish for a skater and wore it loose, and his was long for a guy, so that they looked like two sides of the same coin, or yin and yang. A fabulous couple.

Are you all telling me that Mirai Nagasu won? Where's the list of results? I'm afraid to start cheering until I see it in writing.

ETA: I found the article. Yippee for Mirai! It says her spins both got Level 4. This is wonderful. And hooray for Gedevanishvili, a wonderfully dynamic skater, in second, and one of the Swedish sisters--Joshi, I think--with the bronze.

Maybe Mirai....but I don't want to jinx it. I'll just cross all the fingers on one hand for her and all the fingers on the other hand for Alissa. Eeek! The roller coaster ride begins. I hope it's all up and no down.
 
Last edited:

chuckm

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 31, 2003
Country
United-States
Too bad that Balde and DeSanctis can't be at Skate Canada. How embarrassing for Skate Canada that they will have to select skaters off the substitute list to replace them, since there are no other Canadian men and ladies who have met the qualifying criteria and are in competitive shape this season.
 

ImaginaryPogue

Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 3, 2009
Too bad that Balde and DeSanctis can't be at Skate Canada. How embarrassing for Skate Canada that they will have to select skaters off the substitute list to replace them, since there are no other Canadian men and ladies who have met the qualifying criteria and are in competitive shape this season.

Definitely a combination of poor planning and bad luck.
 

mariposa

Rinkside
Joined
Nov 10, 2007
Just a quick note...DeSanctis will be competing at Skate Canada. I don't know about Balde though..I would suspect he also will be there.
 
Top