Your favorite "small fed"?

[lappo]

I'm gonna be patriotic and give my vote to Italy as well. We are doing amazing, considering the amount of support and exposure our skaters get, which is close to zero.

 

[TontoK]

How about Finland. I know they've had some successful and Beautiful Skaters in Ladies but, I never hear about the rest of their athletes. What Finland also does really well is the Synchronized Skating.

Finland is a great choice. Judging from the content of some of your other posts, I suspect that, like me, you're of an age to remember Euro champs and world medalist ice dancers Rahkamo and Kokko. They were an iconic team, always bringing interesting programs.

I don't recall any Finnish men or pairs... maybe someone can refresh my memory.

I'm not into Syncho so much, but I understand they are a traditional world power, which I find really interesting.

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

I'd probably say Australia because they have shown a lot of grit on the international circuit.

Even though they don't have a ton of notable pairs/dance teams, I do appreciate Switzerland's spinners. If you ask historically which country has the best spinners, Switzerland is always near the top of most people's lists. And for a small fed to be associated with a significant element in figure skating says something.

 

[elektra blue]

i'm going to be patriotic here (it's hardly a surprise, i know) and i'll say Italy, but in close second comes Estonia, you all know how much i love Eva Lotta Kiibbus, the Selevkos brothers are coming up well too, if nothing as gorgeous cacti also in junior Arlet Levandi looks promising

 

[el henry]

Wow, so many of our responses are "Forza Italia"! And Estonia getting a lot of love too

I have trouble answering my own question, because the skaters from small feds that I love are pretty much the fed: Donovan Carrillo, Deniss Vasiljevs, Julian Yee. Yes, there are other skaters from their countries, but they are the most well known (then again, since the men are my favs, maybe just the most well known to me)

 

[TontoK]

Wow, so many of our responses are "Forza Italia"! And Estonia getting a lot of love too

I have trouble answering my own question, because the skaters from small feds that I love are pretty much the fed: Donovan Carrillo, Deniss Vasiljevs, Julian Yee. Yes, there are other skaters from their countries, but they are the most well known (then again, since the men are my favs, maybe just the most well known to me)

Also... Brezina would fall in that category, although I suppose he's retired.

OMG, I just discovered we have a cactus emoji!

I hope I'm the first one to use it. It's the official emoji of the Brezina Fan Club.

 

[Seven Sisters]

Surprised no one has mentioned Great Britain. Groundbreaking men like Curry and Cousins; generations of dancers, from the glorious Torvill & Dean, to the Kerrs, the Buckland brothers, and through to present-day Fear & Gibson; and the remarkable Zoe Jones.

 

[eppen]

My votes would go to many directions - Finland and Spain are first choices for somewhat patriotic and emotional reasons, but at the moment Estonian skaters are some of my faves. Italy also because it is after all just about my second home and have paid a lot of attention to what happens there also.

The reason why Finnish men and pairs cannot be remembered is that I don't think we have ever really had any pairs (well, obviously some at national level every now and then) and our men are traditionally directing their skating energies towards ice hockey. Both Kiira Korpi and Emmi Peltonen are btw from ice hockey families.

E

 

[iluvtodd]

Czech Republic - Michal Brezina , Tomas Verner
Israel - Alexey Bychenko , Daniel Samohin
Switzerland - Stephane Lambiel, Denise Bielmann, Sarah Meier, Lucinda Ruh, Alexa Pagannini
Australia - Brendan Kerry, Kailani Craine, Peter Cain (now a coach)
Mexico - Donovan Carillo

 

[gordana]

My favourite small fed is Spain, because there are two senior ice-dance teams (one of which is half-Russian) and only one spot for the worlds and a lot of Spanish drama about who is going to take it.

 

[moonvine]

Great topic!!!!!
Great Britain - Peter James Hallam. I ADORE him. I
Mexico and the fabulous Donovan Carillo
France and Kevin Aymoz
Australia

 

[moonvine]

Great topic!!!!!
Great Britain - Peter James Hallam. I ADORE him. I
Spain and the fabulous Donovan Carillo
France and Kevin Aymoz
Australia

Oh and Israel for Bychenko.

 

[TontoK]

I'm kinda giving y'all the side-eye with naming Italy as a "small federation." They've had some very good competitiors in pairs, dance, ladies.... some good men competing now.

When I think "small fed" I think more along the lines of Iceland or Denmark or Mexico or Malaysia .

I guess we can agree that a "large fed" hosts a Senior GP event , and a "small fed" is all the rest .

Although, and I am being completely honest here, the whole point of this post was to play with the flag emoji.

Best wishes, Tonto the honorary Georgian

AKA: Hot Tonto

 

[el henry]

Great topic!!!!!
Great Britain - Peter James Hallam. I ADORE him. I
Spain and the fabulous Donovan Carillo
France and Kevin Aymoz
Australia

Donovan Carrillo is the pride of México, not Spain, but I know you know that

Jumping off, I am with my friend Tonto here. I have difficulty thinking of France or Italy as "small feds". Particularly France, which has been competitive at least in the men's discipline since the 60s. Smaller countries, maybe? but they have historically had powerful skaters.

 

[jersey1302]

I guess it depends on the category but I'd have to say Spain. They produced the amazing Javier Fernandez and of coarse now have some very competitive Ice Dance teams that are very entertaining to watch.

 

[plushyfan]

No one has mentioned Hungary!
-Regőczy-Sallay
-Júlia Sebestyén
- Krisztina Czakó
-Diána Póth
-Klára Engi -Attila Tóth
-Nóra Hoffmann -Maxim Zavozin
-Ivett Tóth

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

Belgium, GB, Czech Rep, Greece (though they haven't really had anyone since Glastris IIRC).

 

[el henry]

OK guys I'm very impressed with showing off with the colorful flags

 

[Princessroja]

Great Britain and Australia, and of course Italy although I think of them as more of a medium fed... they've certainly had plenty of extremely high-ranking skaters recently.

 

[TontoK]

No one has mentioned Hungary!
-Regőczy-Sallay
-Júlia Sebestyén
-Diána Póth
-Krisztina Czakó
-Klára Engi -Attila Tóth
-Nóra Hoffmann -Maxim Zavozin
-Ivett Tóth

Yes!

Hungary has been shamefully overlooked in this discussion!