2020-21 British & Irish Figure Skating

[DSQ]

PJ is working on his quad toe again:

The harness seems to be only lightly supporting him.

So there might be two quads at Nationals this year as Graham has been putting his quad salchow in his programs.

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Like Sam, Dillon is from up here in Northern Ireland. And, again like Sam, he used to represent Great Britain until a few years ago. He hasn't had a lot of international experience (only 1 international competition that I know of), so not many people know about him. But I have plans to make a Fan Fest for him during the summer, to try to help raise his profile.

Just letting you know that I have now posted Dillon's Fan Fest:

https://www.goldenskate.com/forum/threads/88329

Hope to see him soon in the Junior GP Series.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Just letting you know that both of our ice rinks featured heavily on the BBC's report on the national news bulletin about hospitality and events venues re-opening in Northern Ireland today (although, curiously, neither of them were mentioned at all on the local news).

OK, so the Odyssey Arena was only featured in it's role as the biggest mass vaccination centre in the province. But, the bulk of the report was recorded on the ice at the Dundonald Ice Bowl. And they interviewed three of our Ladies skaters:

• Jodie Dowling (most recently 4th in Basic Novice at 2020 Skate Southern)
• Molly Georgia O'Brien (most recently 2nd in Basic Novice at 2020 Skate Southern)
• Jordan Graham (most recently 6th in Advanced Novice at 2019 Skate Southern)

Here is the link to today's 1 O'Clock News on iPlayer (starts at 11m 52s):

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000wgd1/bbc-news-at-one-24052021

Unfortuantely, the BBC only keeps news programmes up on iPlayer for 24 hours. So, you have to be quick to see it. And you need a BBC account as well.

---

Moving across the North Channel and, although it is not really figure skating related, I thought our Scottish members would be interested to watch this video that retired Cypriot skater Kristina Dubrovskaya posted a couple of weeks ago talking about eating in Edinburgh. Be warned, though; it's completely in Russian:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dWxCHbVM30

About a year ago, I posted about the video she uploaded of her and her husband wandering around London during the first lockdown. And it was so surreal seeing the streets deserted. Well, yesterday, she posted a video of Greenwich Market. And it wasn't:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cv9pKwZp3-U

---

Finally, I want to ask your opinion on something. A month ago, the management held a poll to gauge the feelings of members about the country / discipline season threads. And I said that I avoid the threads for the big countries, but I do regularly visit this thread and the Dutch thread.

I also said that I would be more inclined to go to Fan Fest threads for news. And this started me thinking. We have Fan Fest threads for a few countries - Australia, Austria, Cyprus, Finland, France, Italy, Mexico, Spain, etc.

Do you think we should have a Fan Fest thread for the British and Irish teams? And, if you do, do you think it should be in place of the season threads we currently have in The Edge?

Whilst I can see the benefit of having a country Fan Fest, having the season thread in The Edge means that whenever something is posted, it is prominent in the main forum that gets visited. And can attract a more general audience than those that go to a Fan Fest to find out about a specific skater / team / country.

So, what do you think going forward? Season threads; Fan Fest thread; or both?

I'm inclined to say both.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Just to let you know that the report that was on the 1 O'Clock News was not on the 6 O'Clock News.

However, clips of the Ice Bowl from the national news report were used in a report on the evening edition of BBC Newsline. It started with a clip of Jordan on the ice, followed by a clip of random skaters. Then they showed the interview with Jodie and Molly (Jordan's interview was not included). After showing a clip of Jordan channelling her inner Lucinda Ruh, the report then went off to other places that had re-opened. But they came back to the Ice Bowl at the end of the report, showing Jodie doing a combo spin, and then showed a collision between two skaters.

Here is the link to this evening's edition of Newsline on the iPlayer (starts at 5m 53s):

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000wj47/bbc-newsline-evening-news-24052021

A cut-down version of the Newsline report (with subtitles) appears as an embedded video in this article on the BBC News NI website:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-57190342

Hopefully it is not geo-blocked or anything.

Unfortunately, it does not include the clips at the end. So, although the skaters that collided have their blushes saved, Jodie misses out on showing off her combo to a bigger audience.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[elbkup]

Just letting you know that both of our ice rinks featured heavily on the BBC's report on the national news bulletin about hospitality and events venues re-opening in Northern Ireland today (although, curiously, neither of them were mentioned at all on the local news).

OK, so the Odyssey Arena was only featured in it's role as the biggest mass vaccination centre in the province. But, the bulk of the report was recorded on the ice at the Dundonald Ice Bowl. And they interviewed three of our Ladies skaters:

• Jodie Dowling (most recently 4th in Basic Novice at 2020 Skate Southern)
• Molly Georgia O'Brien (most recently 2nd in Basic Novice at 2020 Skate Southern)
• Jordan Graham (most recently 6th in Advanced Novice at 2019 Skate Southern)

Here is the link to today's 1 O'Clock News on iPlayer (starts at 11m 52s):

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000wgd1/bbc-news-at-one-24052021

Unfortuantely, the BBC only keeps news programmes up on iPlayer for 24 hours. So, you have to be quick to see it. And you need a BBC account as well.

---

Moving across the North Channel and, although it is not really figure skating related, I thought our Scottish members would be interested to watch this video that retired Cypriot skater Kristina Dubrovskaya posted a couple of weeks ago talking about eating in Edinburgh. Be warned, though; it's completely in Russian:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dWxCHbVM30

About a year ago, I posted about the video she uploaded of her and her husband wandering around London during the first lockdown. And it was so surreal seeing the streets deserted. Well, yesterday, she posted a video of Greenwich Market. And it wasn't:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cv9pKwZp3-U

---

Finally, I want to ask your opinion on something. A month ago, the management held a poll to gauge the feelings of members about the country / discipline season threads. And I said that I avoid the threads for the big countries, but I do regularly visit this thread and the Dutch thread.

I also said that I would be more inclined to go to Fan Fest threads for news. And this started me thinking. We have Fan Fest threads for a few countries - Australia, Austria, Cyprus, Finland, France, Italy, Mexico, Spain, etc.

Do you think we should have a Fan Fest thread for the British and Irish teams? And, if you do, do you think it should be in place of the season threads we currently have in The Edge?

Whilst I can see the benefit of having a country Fan Fest, having the season thread in The Edge means that whenever something is posted, it is prominent in the main forum that gets visited. And can attract a more general audience than those that go to a Fan Fest to find out about a specific skater / team / country.

So, what do you think going forward? Season threads; Fan Fest thread; or both?

I'm inclined to say both.

CaroLiza_fan

Both... the more there is to read the better!

 

[DSQ]

I almost never go on fan fests but I’m not against there being two.

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Both... the more there is to read the better!

I almost never go on fan fests but I’m not against there being two.

The problem with having 2 threads in different places that are doing essentially the same thing is that there would inevitably be a lot of double posting. And the same conversations taking place in 2 places. However, not necessarily everything would be in both threads; some things may be posted in one thread, and missed in the other. And that is not ideal.

I know I am the one that suggested a Team Fan Fest but, with the way I am struggling to keep on top of things as it is, I wouldn't want to commit to running an additional Fan Fest thread myself. Especially not a Team thread, where there are lots of skaters to keep a track of.

You guys won't realise this, but my original plan to mark the centenary of Northern Ireland earlier this month was to make a Team Fan Fest for all the skaters from NI. But then I realised how hard it would be to keep track of the young skaters coming up, and to find out all the information required about our retired stars (especially the ones that competed before everything started being posted online). So, it ended up being turned into an individual Fan Fest for our next skater in line to start competing internationally, Dillon Judge.

And these same problems would arise on an even bigger scale if we were to have a Team Fan Fest for ALL the skaters from these islands that are currently competing internationally.

But, I made the suggestion anyway, to see how other fans of the British and Irish skaters felt. And that has been achieved.

@DSQ is the driving force behind keping us up to date with what is going on in British and Irish skating. So, if she hardly ever visits the Fan Fests, then it probably is better if we stick to keeping things the way they are.

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it!"

Thank you for your input.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[elbkup]

The problem with having 2 threads in different places that are doing essentially the same thing is that there would inevitably be a lot of double posting. And the same conversations taking place in 2 places. However, not necessarily everything would be in both threads; some things may be posted in one thread, and missed in the other. And that is not ideal.

I know I am the one that suggested a Team Fan Fest but, with the way I am struggling to keep on top of things as it is, I wouldn't want to commit to running an additional Fan Fest thread myself. Especially not a Team thread, where there are lots of skaters to keep a track of.

You guys won't realise this, but my original plan to mark the centenary of Northern Ireland earlier this month was to make a Team Fan Fest for all the skaters from NI. But then I realised how hard it would be to keep track of the young skaters coming up, and to find out all the information required about our retired stars (especially the ones that competed before everything started being posted online). So, it ended up being turned into an individual Fan Fest for our next skater in line to start competing internationally, Dillon Judge.

And these same problems would arise on an even bigger scale if we were to have a Team Fan Fest for ALL the skaters from these islands that are currently competing internationally.

But, I made the suggestion anyway, to see how other fans of the British and Irish skaters felt. And that has been achieved.

@DSQ is the driving force behind keping us up to date with what is going on in British and Irish skating. So, if she hardly ever visits the Fan Fests, then it probably is better if we stick to keeping things the way they are.

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it!"

Thank you for your input.

CaroLiza_fan

I read everything though almost never comment but knowing logistics of the sport in countries other than the US (and Russia) is interesting. Cross posting between two threads doesn’t sound like the best use of your time (this coming from someone who accidentally created two Instagram accounts and never bothered to delete one, a pain at first but I now have friends on one account I would never have had on the other.. so, there you go!) You must do what is logically best; I know you are thorough and suspect you are perfectionist and I will continue to follow with avid interest!!

 

[DSQ]

@DSQ is the driving force behind keping us up to date with what is going on in British and Irish skating. So, if she hardly ever visits the Fan Fests, then it probably is better if we stick to keeping things the way they are.

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it!"

Thank you for your input.

CaroLiza_fan

Aw that's not true we all contribute! I just follow them all on Instagram lol

 

[Dreamer57]

Thought you might like to guess who is the Masked Dancer (if you haven't already watched it):

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

youtu.be

Here is the unmasking of Beagle!

Spoiler: Interview after unmasking

CHRISTOPHER DEAN's First Interview After Unmasking | The Masked Dancer UK

Like, follow and subscribe to The Masked Dancer UK's official YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkSO8PoK2AwbvjppT2CkDNgMake sure you're ...

youtu.be

 

[Colonel Green]

Lilah & Lewis got very good Grand Prix assignments, I'd say they're favoured for two bronze medals as the default.

 

[Dreamer57]

Zoe & Chris got invited to Skate Canada!
There's going to be a Team GB party in Vancouver!

 

[Weathergal]

Zoe & Chris got invited to Skate Canada!
There's going to be a Team GB party in Vancouver!

So happy for them! It would be great if they could get the TBD spot at IdF.

Do they have a chance to go to the Olympics? I know they didn't place high enough at Worlds, but would they be able to earn a spot at Nebelhorn?

 

[Colonel Green]

Do they have a chance to go to the Olympics? I know they didn't place high enough at Worlds, but would they be able to earn a spot at Nebelhorn?

They do have a chance to earn a spot. It’s going to be a bit uphill (especially as the number of berths was reduced), but they’ll take their shot at it.

 

[Weathergal]

They do have a chance to earn a spot. It’s going to be a bit uphill (especially as the number of berths was reduced), but they’ll take their shot at it.

Thanks for the info. I'd love it if they got to go to the Olympics, but no it doesn't sound like it will be easy.

 

[fzztsimmons]

Lilah & Lewis got very good Grand Prix assignments, I'd say they're favoured for two bronze medals as the default.

Yeah, based off their worlds ranking, and particularly how international judges have been separating them from Hawayek/Baker, I say it's very possible that Lilah and Lewis could take two bronze's! And considering how the fields are stacked (and bc ice dance is pretty predictable), two bronze's would very likely make them alternates for GPF, along with Stepanova/Bukin who unfortunately look set up to only get two bronze as well.