Caluza puts the Philippines on the map

[gsk8]

Christopher Caluza finished in 12th place at the 2012 Four Continents Figure Skating Championships—the highest placement by a Filipino skater in international competition ever.

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[skatinginbc]

Christopher Caluza (163 cm) looks like Nobunari Oda (164 cm), similar body type I mean. To me, Caluza skates big; Oda jumps high. If God can combine Oda's techniques with Caluza's artistry, that would be the advent of a new World champion.

 

[frauregina]

Woohoo! I'm proud to be a Filipino!

Anyway, I wonder why he isn't mentioned by the Philippine press. Maybe a decent finish at the World will draw attention to him.

Mabuhay ka, Christopher!

 

[dlkksk8fan]

Nice article, I've known Chris for a while (he skates at the rink I skate at). So nice to see him skate so well.

 

[ballerynna]

Wasn't able to follow 4CCs super closely, blame the GMT+8 timezone if you must but yay!

My prof and I were discussing figure skating the other day and we both realized we both know so much about American and Russian skaters but know so little about our own skaters

 

[ballerynna]

Eh Philippine media hardly focuses on any sport that isn't basketball or boxing. At least now football is getting attention. Other sports are paid attention to once we start winning, like taekwondo but that interested by the media sadly didn't last

 

[TimDavid]

Thank you everyone

Go to Christopher's Facebook fan page
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Christopher-Caluza/247929578590235

and follow him on Twitter
@ChrisCaluza

 

[Serious Business]

He's not the only rising skating star from the country. Michael Christian Martinez finished 7th out of 16 at the Youth Olympic Games in Innsbruck a month ago. Martinez was even 3rd in the short program. He is also, by far, the most flexible male skater I've ever seen.

Here he is doing an I-spin.

Here he is doing the only credible Charlotte spiral I've ever seen from a male.

His Biellmann spin makes Yuzuru Hanyu's look like crap.

His split falling leaf.

His fan spiral.

He has better extension and flexibility than a lot of female skaters. If only those things were worth more in skating. But regardless, the Philippines can say they produced a skater who is the best in the world in one pretty important and visible area of figure skating.

 

[Macassar88]

Christopher Caluza (163 cm) looks like Nobunari Oda (164 cm), similar body type I mean. To me, Caluza skates big; Oda jumps high. If God can combine Oda's techniques with Caluza's artistry, that would be the advent of a new World champion.

Well, if you combine Oda's technique with a normal person's ability to count, you'd be doing quite well as well.

 

[mylastduchess]

Woohoo! I'm proud to be a Filipino!

Anyway, I wonder why he isn't mentioned by the Philippine press. Maybe a decent finish at the World will draw attention to him.

Mabuhay ka, Christopher!

maybe because finishing 12th, from a skater who lived all his life in the States is not really that news worthy!

 

[skatinginbc]

Well, if you combine Oda's technique with a normal person's ability to count, you'd be doing quite well as well.

Definitely podium-worthy, but not necessarily champion-worthy.