Australian figure skaters | Page 23 | Golden Skate

Australian figure skaters

skatefancanada

Spectator
Joined
Dec 26, 2013
a question from a non-Australian... do australian skate fans not get annoyed/concerned when skaters who grow up and learn the sport in Australia are passed over by others from abroad for the worlds/olympics? We spent our summer in Sydney and my daughter skated at Canterbury. We were generally impressed with the quality of the competitive skaters (though frightened that they were sharing the ice with real beginners!)... We watched Ms Kerry train (and compete in skate down under) and are just curious if Australians are not frustrated when the olympic spot goes to someone who is really from the States. Do you think this negatively impacts on the growth of the sport in Australia? Just curious...
 

snsd

On the Ice
Joined
Nov 30, 2012
a question from a non-Australian... do australian skate fans not get annoyed/concerned when skaters who grow up and learn the sport in Australia are passed over by others from abroad for the worlds/olympics? We spent our summer in Sydney and my daughter skated at Canterbury. We were generally impressed with the quality of the competitive skaters (though frightened that they were sharing the ice with real beginners!)... We watched Ms Kerry train (and compete in skate down under) and are just curious if Australians are not frustrated when the olympic spot goes to someone who is really from the States. Do you think this negatively impacts on the growth of the sport in Australia? Just curious...

Does it matter? Skaters like Brooklee are still Australian and have the right to skate and compete for Australia if she proves herself at the Australian qualifying events which she has done. It may not spark growth in the sport back home but that shouldn't be brooklees main concern.
 

noidont

Final Flight
Joined
Mar 27, 2010
As a Chinese I would love Patrick Chan to come compete for us...Christina Gao would work too. I believe her parents are as Chinese as it gets. To the very least they earn spots, which does count as sparking growth.
 

dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Country
United-States
Welcome to Golden Skate, skatefancanada!


a question from a non-Australian... do australian skate fans not get annoyed/concerned when skaters who grow up and learn the sport in Australia are passed over by others from abroad for the worlds/olympics? We spent our summer in Sydney and my daughter skated at Canterbury. We were generally impressed with the quality of the competitive skaters (though frightened that they were sharing the ice with real beginners!)... We watched Ms Kerry train (and compete in skate down under) and are just curious if Australians are not frustrated when the olympic spot goes to someone who is really from the States. Do you think this negatively impacts on the growth of the sport in Australia? Just curious...
 

ghislaine

Rinkside
Joined
Jul 11, 2011
Not Australian but I don't see how it's a bad thing that Brooklee is allowed to compete for Australia. She has Australian citizenship. So she trains in America, so what. So does Brendan Kerry. Brooklee has earned extra JGP spots and a Youth Olympic Games spot which gives other Australian skaters a chance to compete internationally. Aljona Savchenko competes for Germany even though she's Ukrainian by birth and her accomplishments with Robin have earned German pairs skaters extra chances to get international competition experience. Brooklee and Aljona are both helpful to their countries' figure skating programs as a whole.
 

skatefancanada

Spectator
Joined
Dec 26, 2013
Its not at all unusual for skaters to train in a different country... that's a completely different issue. Canada has 'Americans' representing us in ice dance (K Weaver and now Piper Gilles who just got her citizenship this week). This does not go unnoticed by other skaters who may now not get an olympic/world spot as a result. Not suggesting in any way that Brooklee is doing anything wrong, the rules clearly allow her to represent Australia. Just wondering what the sentiment is among those who grew up and learned to skate in the country. Also wonder what role this has played in C Kerry's various appeals?
 

dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Country
United-States
Tanith Belbin was born Canadian. Looking back at the way Tanith and her partner Ben Agosto inspired our currentwonderful crop of US born dancers, it's plain to see that her effect on US ice dance had been both tremendous & positive :)
 

skatefancanada

Spectator
Joined
Dec 26, 2013
Tanith Belbin was born Canadian. Looking back at the way Tanith and her partner Ben Agosto inspired our currentwonderful crop of US born dancers, it's plain to see that her effect on US ice dance had been both tremendous & positive :)

yes, agreed. But its not always so straightforward... Remember Punsalan and Swallow lobbying Congress to essentially delay Gorsha Sur's citizenship so that he and R Roca would not be olympic eligible. Perhaps it all speaks to the silliness of having athletes represent countries.
 

figure_skater_72

Rinkside
Joined
Dec 6, 2013
Brooklee is definitely a strong contender at Sochi, and deserves her place there. It doesn't matter where she trains- if she's Australian then she has a right to represent our country. She is a good skater- her jumps aren't incredible but her spins and spin combos are well centred, along with nice footwork sequences and great flexibility.

I'm looking forwards to seeing more of Chantelle in the future. It must be a bit annoying that her brother is competing and she isn't ;). However I think she should congratulate Brooklee on her achievement. Chantelle is also a great skater and shows promise. I'm a fan of Brendan Kerry and I hope he'll do well at Sochi!
 

GF2445

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 7, 2012
Just got back from holidays! Unfortunately, I don't have any new news to share other than...

Anyone see Dani and Greg's santa photo with kaitlyn weaver and andrew poje? They asked santa if their presents coud be a trip to the Olympics ;) you can find it on their twitter page @obrienmerriman. They also have instagram accounts- you can find these links on their twitter page as well.

Hope you had a great 2013. Hope you all have a great new years celebration!
 

Sasha'sSpins

Medalist
Joined
Apr 2, 2009
Country
United-States
yes, agreed. But its not always so straightforward... Remember Punsalan and Swallow lobbying Congress to essentially delay Gorsha Sur's citizenship so that he and R Roca would not be olympic eligible. Perhaps it all speaks to the silliness of having athletes represent countries.

That was because Punsalan and Swallow had their own personal agenda. They didn't speak for Americans as a whole. I myself was outraged that they pulled such a stunt and I was ashamed of them - and I'm a fan.
 

karne

in Emergency Backup Mode
Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 1, 2013
Country
Australia
Relevant Information!

Sitting watching the Big Bash on Channel 10, and they are advertising Sochi like CRAZY! One of their ads details a bit more about their coverage, which I shall repeat here and try not to fall off my couch with excitement :)

- 2 (TWO!) live channels - I assume Ten and One?
- 8 (EIGHT!!!!!!!!!) live streams on their website (and I can vouch from my F1-watching that their streams are pretty good)
- 550 hours of coverage

...oh, and they top the ad off with the famous footage and Steve Bradbury saying, "And remember, anything can happen!" with a big cheeky wink. ;)
 

figure_skater_72

Rinkside
Joined
Dec 6, 2013
Relevant Information!

...oh, and they top the ad off with the famous footage and Steve Bradbury saying, "And remember, anything can happen!" with a big cheeky wink. ;)

:laugh:

I hope 10 shows some skating and not just snowboarding and the other sports Australia usually do well in. At the moment, I've seen no figure skating related adverts except for a tiny clip of Torvill and Dean at the end of one of their adverts about skiing. Ah well, I guess we can only cross our fingers!
 

karne

in Emergency Backup Mode
Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 1, 2013
Country
Australia
:laugh:

I hope 10 shows some skating and not just snowboarding and the other sports Australia usually do well in. At the moment, I've seen no figure skating related adverts except for a tiny clip of Torvill and Dean at the end of one of their adverts about skiing. Ah well, I guess we can only cross our fingers!

Nah, one of the ads has quite a lot of skating in it - jumps mostly. I reckon it'll be all right - they keep bragging about our "biggest and strongest team ever" for the Winter Games so they can hardly overlook the biggest figure skating team we've sent since 1988, right?

Oh, and there'll be an app, too, apparently.
 

GF2445

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 7, 2012
Super excited for the olympics.

Its great to see the Australian figure skating team being finally organised.

Cant wait for four continents.
 

karne

in Emergency Backup Mode
Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 1, 2013
Country
Australia
Getting hugely excited, Channel 10 are flogging it like crazy during their Big Bash especially.

Dani and Greg and Brendan appeared in a short news piece on Ch9 the other day. I was all *facepalm* because OF COURSE the only shot of Brendan that made the final cut was of a popped jump...Dani and Greg were doing a short Finnstep bit.
 

GF2445

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 7, 2012
The Australia Olympic Team is projected to send 56 athletes to Sochi. Getting excited now!
 
Top