Australian figure skaters

[GF2445]

Have people forgotten that a reason why Kailani is highlighted most out of the ladies' is because she is the only female recipient of OWIA funding for figure skating. Kailani and Brendan are the only 2 figure skaters who have it at the moment.
The OWIA every so often strategise and invest in particular winter disciplines (that is why Australia is strong in freestyle skiing and snowboard events. It's also why Australia was for a period of time good at short track [Bradbury] and Skeleton [Michelle Steele]). In comparison to other winter sports, OWIA has never really done it with figure skating (There are a few exceptions- early Joanne Carter, The Carrs, Anthony Liu). To be brutally honest the OWIA are not going to invest heavily unless/until they see that there is something worth investing their very few dollars towards (I think the AOC only give $1 million AUD to cover ALL winter sports).

Also keep in mind that the AOC are trying to find ways to improve Australia's Summer sports results (which were SO poor in London 2012). Australia want to be a top 5 Olympic Nation- and that always means more funding is required AND the amount of funding for each sport needs to be redistributed.

 

[brookes1968]

The OWI Article.
The reason only one skater is mentioned is because it is Belinda that does it, and she is only interested in the skater of the moment. She doesnt want to know you unless you win nationals. It used to be this way with Chantelle, but now she is the old horse and Kailani is the shiny new model)
OWI has said they are not interested in any other athletes other than the top man and lady.

Isn't Brooklee still number 1 ranked in Australia and higher placed in world rankings? It doesn't make sense that she would not be included in all the OWI stuff. Still beats me how a skater who didn't earn a place for Australia at YOG can be already included in this institute for 12 months or so. What is the criteria? Brooklee did this for Chantelle and beat her at Nebelhorn posting a PB but we hear nothing about the good things she's done for Australia. No disrespect to Kailani but I think she is having a charmed life very early in her career!

As Karne said YOG wasn't important because it doesn't count or something to marks but Chantelle claims it was a great experience and certainly from the media it seems a very big deal. Perhaps it was not a priority for Australia because Kailani wasn't age eligible!

 

[Icesk8r]

Isn't Brooklee still number 1 ranked in Australia and higher placed in world rankings? It doesn't make sense that she would not be included in all the OWI stuff

Kailani is ahead of Brooklee in current season rankings in Australia. Kailani has a SP 31.79 at 2015 AFSC and FP 54.49 at NSW championships. Brooklee has a SP 28.94 at 2015 Nebelhorn Trophy and FP 50.18 also at 2015 Nebelhorn.

I heard Brooklee declined her OWI contract when offered.

Also in ISU Season World Rankings, Kailani is ranked 46 and Brooklee is ranked 67.

 

[karne]

So who is watching the NHK coverage? We got a cute moment at the start where instead of just launching into it, we had Brendan introducing it to us!

(The less cute moment will come later. Poor Brendan, I doubt he'll enjoy knowing his performances here are about to be on National telly...)

EDIT: Oh, it sounds like there's going to be a fluff piece after the break! Yes!


So Brendan is getting the mercy chack (thank goodness), but we got a cute interview instead.
- he really loves doing the quad and enjoys it
- his goal is to lay down two clean performances
- He wants to have an Olympics to be proud of
- he had only two days' notice that he was going to be at NHK :shocked:

 

[anonymoose_au]

So who is watching the NHK coverage? We got a cute moment at the start where instead of just launching into it, we had Brendan introducing it to us!

I only just got home ten minutes ago so I missed that! But I'm recording it so I'll watch the beginning later.

And wow only two days notice? Did someone else drop out or something?

Oh yeah, have we been able to figure out who the commentator is? I actually thought it might be one of the guys I heard commentating on Plushy at the 1996 Junior Worlds on You Tube(which was held here in Australia of all places!), but I'm not sure.

Also, it's Seasons Best not Seasonal Best isn't it? Someone ought to tell that guy

 

[karne]

I only just got home ten minutes ago so I missed that! But I'm recording it so I'll watch the beginning later.

And wow only two days notice? Did someone else drop out or something?

Oh yeah, have we been able to figure out who the commentator is? I actually thought it might be one of the guys I heard commentating on Plushy at the 1996 Junior Worlds on You Tube(which was held here in Australia of all places!), but I'm not sure.

Also, it's Seasons Best not Seasonal Best isn't it? Someone ought to tell that guy

Brendan got Jason's spot, when Jason withdrew, but I guess the LOC for NHK had to do their homework quickly over who they could invite, who it was logistically best to invite etc, and all that turned into a last-minute invite. I thought he looked scattered at NHK and Nationals, that must have been jet-lag and mental-preparation hell for him.

Not sure about the guy, but he is getting better each week, I approve. Though I miss Belinda's super-informative commentary.

 

[GF2445]

Also, its a Flip!! Not a salchow.

The commentator made that error quite alot today

 

[GF2445]

Another great 90 minutes of figure skating coverage today.
Six weeks ago, they broadcasted Skate America. Now they pretty much caught up with the skating calendar.

Today it was the Ice Dance and Ladies at the GPF.
They are doing Mens and Pairs next week. Then Euros after that.


The commentator has improved so much over the last couple of weeks.
He did not misidentify any element today.
But someone needs to tell him that it's "Season's Best" not "Seasonal Best"

 

[karne]

Another great 90 minutes of figure skating coverage today.
Six weeks ago, they broadcasted Skate America. Now they pretty much caught up with the skating calendar.

Almost. They won't be fully caught up until Four Continents.

 

[GF2445]

Almost. They won't be fully caught up until Four Continents.

I cant wait to hear what they will do for worlds?
Fingers crossed its going to be good coverage.

 

[edwinaskater1943]

According to ISA policy placements for 4CC are supposed to have been announced and published by 19 January. Why hasn't this happened ?

 

[GF2445]

According to ISA policy placements for 4CC are supposed to have been announced and published by 19 January. Why hasn't this happened ?

No idea. Im actually clueless about it.
But I will assume that we will have 2-3 men and 2 ladies.

 

[essence_of_soy]

My guess is that the Four Continents team will be:

Kalaini Craine, Brooklee Han, Brendan Kerry and Andrew Dodds.

Interestingly, Katie Pasfield skated at the FMBA Trophy in Abu Dhabi this weekend and earned the minimum required TES for Four Continents.
She was skating in the junior ladies division, though, so that might count against her being nominated.

Team Australia was well represented at the event, too.

http://uaeisf.com/results/index.htm

The ISA site is really out of date in a few areas and very hard to navigate. The NSWISA site was a shocker as well trying to find information for Nationals. Links were scattered all over the place.

My guess is that they only have unpaid volunteers helping out from time to time with website updates.

 

[can'tsk8]

Very true but I hope Katie gets to go as probably will be only chance with some strong skaters coming up

Quite a statement, not sure who the strong skaters are that you mention other than Holly and she is a good few years away from senior competition. No one in junior at Aus Nationals was anywhere near Kailani.

 

[GF2445]

Australian Four Continents Team

Men
Andrew Dodds
Brendan Kerry

Ladies
Brooklee Han
Kailani Craine
Katie Pasfield

Ice Dance
Mathilda Friend & William Badaoui

Good Luck guys.

 

[GF2445]

The Men's event is the only event where there is a cut off.
25 skater compete the short. 1 will miss out on the Free Skate. I just hope it's not one of us.

 

[skaterfan2501]

Just saw Katie got selected for 4CC. Im happy

 

[skaterfan2501]

I'm not surprised at Davids move! Shame he changed coaches, the new ones may have something to do with it. I agree with sk8ingcoach and AsuTechSpec, ISA, Queensland and more importantly "Morgan Innes foundation" should be upset at him, he has had sooooo much funding, probably more than Brendan!

David did not make worlds scores in SP but nade it through to LP. Will he get other chances to get spot at worlds or is this it?

 

[essence_of_soy]

One of our elite junior and senior ladies, Amelia Sadler has been posting some of her off - ice training videos from the US on Facebook with her personal trainer. I really like this girl and her dedicated work ethic.

She may have had a tough nationals, but she didn't back away from anything. Good to see her land the triple salchow and triple loop during practice when I went to Penrith in Sydney last month.

 

[GF2445]

One of our elite junior and senior ladies, Amelia Sadler has been posting some of her off - ice training videos from the US on Facebook with her personal trainer. I really like this girl and her dedicated work ethic.

She may have had a tough nationals, but she didn't back away from anything. Good to see her land the triple salchow and triple loop during practice when I went to Penrith in Sydney last month.

Thats encouraging to hear. I hope that she will have a great nationals at the end the year. These are stories that people like myself never hear about. Its encouraging.