International Challenge Cup - The Hague, Mar 8-11

[centerpt1]

judges were quite generous yesterday

Agree- but the placement order seems correct

[demarinis5]

No, whining about it on a skating forum is pathetic. Kostner started 2010-11 injured and scaled down her jump content because she wasn't allowed to train 3F and 3Lz. She did eventually bring back the flip, but the lutz remains an issue. That's one jump. How many ladies are doing all the jumps and doing them right? How many ladies are as strong across the board as Carolina is? It used to be that people complained that Kostner was winning with messy skates. Now that she's winning with clean but simpler skates people are still complaining. Are the other ladies skating well enough that her results should be questioned? No, they aren't. Go read gkelly's post; that's a very good explanation of Kostner's scores.

Let's see if the juniors so many seem excited about can have anywhere near the career Kostner has had.

And I must say, the most mystifying scoring from yesterday is Contesti's PCS. He has a very limited range as a performer and nowhere near the skating skills Kostner does, yet he got the third highest men's PCS - higher than Joubert and almost as good as Amodio's! Where the judges even paying attention?

^Thank you BC and great post gkelly!

[SkateFiguring]

Men's FS order and results

Group 2 is warming up.

[snowflake]

Many skaters trying difficult things before worlds. What a great event to attend!

Brian, 2 quads in short, wow. He WANTS a medal at Nice

It just doesn't look right when a skater falls on two of his three jumping passes and still scores that high. That's the kind of performance where the commentators say, "not the skate he was hoping for."

Agree, but when the rules are like they are I'm glad Jeremy benefits from them as well

Sorry for Viktoria falling on her first 3toe trying to do a 3/3. Anyone knows why she got zero points on her last spin?

As for Fleur Maxwell it's like she has competed at every competition this season; except for 4CC At Europeans she was just out of Free Skate. Think this is her best SP in a long time, 45.14. She is also listed for worlds.

GO Jeremy… Viktoria… Fleur and everybody

[demarinis5]

Unofficial top five-Men


Joubert 227.28
Abbott 223.78
Contesti 221.97
Hendrickx 213.39
Lieber 209.52

[Buttercup]

^ It's official, and protocols are up. It's Joubert's first international win in more than two years; he'd medalled several times, but hadn't won anything since 2009 NHK. Obviously this is not a major competition, but I guess he achieved his goals for the event. Has he been working on his flip? There was no edge call this time.

I really hope Jeremy's health is okay and that Florent's injury won't prove too serious...

I still maintain Contesti's PCS are ludicrous.

[sky_fly20]

I'm late
how did Amodio got injured ?
Amodio's SP looked fine without injury

[snowflake]

Jeremy best PCS score(nearly ten more than Joubert) and eigth best TECS

What's about jeremy's health?

Brian Didn't I recently read something like he's done

[sky_fly20]

^

yes, I am surprised Joubert won
because he seems to be heading to the Fumie Suguri route.

[SkateFiguring]

Both Joubert's and Abbott's scores are not great if they wish to contend for top 5 at Worlds. Abbott's jumps are problematic and his TES is really low whereas Joubert's PCS is 10 points behind Abbott's. Contesti looks relatively good lagging Abbott by 1 point in the LP.

Jeremy can do a lot better than this and I hope he hasn't peaked at the Nationals, again. Even if he did, he must improve on his jumps at Worlds.

[demarinis5]

Congrats to Brian, thrilled for him and this should be a confidence boost for him going into Worlds.

Poor Jeremy I wonder if his back is still bothering him. Great PC's tho.
Congrats to all of the medalists.

[Buttercup]

Jeremy best PCS score(nearly ten more than Joubert) and eigth best TECS

What's about jeremy's health?

Brian Didn't I recently read something like he's done

Well, he had to WD from 4CC and it doesn't seem like he was in great shape this weekend. So I hope he's okay.

I think this was a training run for some skaters, to try different things - especially in the SPs. We'll see what Abbott decides to do with his quad and whether or not Joubert's 4S will be making any more appearances...

[SkateFiguring]

Jeremy was basically too tired for 4CC and needed to rest. He must have figured he had rested enough to go to this event before Worlds. He messed up almost all his jumps here.

[demarinis5]

I thought Jeremy withdrew from 4CC because of back/hip injury caused by overtraining, that was what I believe his team stated. I did not realize he was just tired.

[emma]

I thought Jeremy withdrew from 4CC because of back/hip injury caused by overtraining, that was what I believe his team stated. I did not realize he was just tired.

I don't have links, but I think it was reported that he was experiencing back spasms (maybe hip pain too) and then Yuka said something like the doctor's checked him out, it is not a serious injury, and this happens when he gets overtired (or overtrained and tired...something to that effect suggesting it wasn't a serious injury, but something that required rest so as to not aggravate more).

Any news on Amodio's withdraw? Congrats to Joubert, I'm very happy for him. It is strange to me that he struggles not just with the quad-triple combos tending to do a double on the end, but also the triple triples...but, great to see him do well (or I can't wait to actually see him...).