Livestreaming of Belgian skating competition | Golden Skate

Livestreaming of Belgian skating competition

CaroLiza_fan

EZETTIE LATUASV IVAKMHA
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Oct 25, 2012
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Not sure what the competition is, but Jenna McCorkell has just posted a link for livestreaming of a competition in Leuven.

http://www.livestream.com/ijsbaanleuven

It is just a static camera at one of the narrow ends of the rink. But, if you are interested in Belgian skating, you might find it interesting.

Hey, for all I know, it may be a qualifying event for Belgian Nationals!

She also posted the following message a couple of hours ago:

Good luck to all my girlys competing today in Leuven! Skate great!
https://www.facebook.com/jenna.mccorkell/posts/10151942303741885

So, whoever they are (Jenna didn't elaborate anywhere!), can I just echo that sentiment! :biggrin:

CaroLiza_fan
 

dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl
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Well, if Jenna is there, is Kevin back to competing? Will Jorik be there?

There are some good Belgian skaters :)
 

CaroLiza_fan

EZETTIE LATUASV IVAKMHA
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Joined
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Well, if Jenna is there, is Kevin back to competing? Will Jorik be there?

There are some good Belgian skaters :)

Kevin is in Leuven, but I think he is just there in a coaching capacity.

I don't know if you guys ever heard before, but Kevin and Jenna have been coaching some young skaters in Belgium for the past few years.

As for Jorik, I don't know. All I know about the competition is what Jenna posted on Facebook - the "good luck" greeting for her students, and the link for the streaming.

I don't know if it is a qualifying competition (in which case it might attract some of the famous names in Belgian skating), or whether it is just a local or even a club competition. (If it is just the latter, it is pretty impressive that the rink are streaming it live on the internet! Well done for being so forward thinking! ;) :biggrin: )

Is there anybody out there that has any more info on this competition?

CaroLiza_fan
 

Trewyn

Medalist
Joined
Dec 10, 2008
Heh, I should have gone to watch live since it was only a few kilometers away. But I did look up information on the competition: it was an "international" competition with mostly Belgian skaters but also some skaters from abroad, mostly The Netherlands and Luxemburg. There were only 2 Seniors (according to the entry list).

Yes, Kevin and Jenna are coaching. Kevin is still training too, he often posts about still landing the quad on his facebook. As for Jorik, he's training hard I imagine, I doubt he'll have a lot of competition at Belgian Nats to make the Oympics ;-) Unless Kevin makes an impromptu comeback (not going to happen).
I actually wouldn't know any other 'famous names in Belgian skating'. I went to Nats once and pretty much only to watch the battle between Kevin and Jorik (pretty impressive).
 

CaroLiza_fan

EZETTIE LATUASV IVAKMHA
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Heh, I should have gone to watch live since it was only a few kilometers away. But I did look up information on the competition: it was an "international" competition with mostly Belgian skaters but also some skaters from abroad, mostly The Netherlands and Luxemburg. There were only 2 Seniors (according to the entry list).

Thanks for the info. Do you have a link for the entry list, or the results?

I actually wouldn't know any other 'famous names in Belgian skating'. I went to Nats once and pretty much only to watch the battle between Kevin and Jorik (pretty impressive).

Apart from Kevin and Jorik, I only know of 4 Belgian skaters: Kaat Van Daele, Ira Vannut, Isabelle Pieman and... Ruben Blommaert!

Although she has competed in Europeans the last 2 years, and Worlds last year, Kaat didn't really come up on my radar. In fact, I know of her mainly because Jenna is frequently wishing her good luck in her competitions on Facebook, and they are frequently being tagged in photos together, so I am starting keep an eye out for her.

Kaat competed at the Nebelhorn for the first time a few weeks ago, and although she did well in the SP (12th), she had a disasterous FS (29th), which dropped her down to 22nd overall.

With Ira, it was her results in the 2010/11 season that brought her onto my radar (especially the 7th in Europeans!) But, I haven't heard tell of her since that season!

As for Isabelle, well she's been around for years! Her name even cropped up in the thread asking who had competed under 6.0 judging as a senior.

For the past 10 years, Isabelle has been on the podium in Belgian Nationals every year that she competed. Unfortunately, she has not translated that into good results on the international stage. But, at least she keeps trying.

One Belgian skater who we will be hearing a lot about in the next few years is Ruben. Yes, he is competing in Pairs for Germany, but he's still Belgian! ;) :biggrin: And, once Annabelle Prölß gets old enough for Seniors, they are going to be the ones to watch in the years leading to Pyeonchang.

So, that is the extent of my knowledge about Belgian skaters! I don't know any others!!!

CaroLiza_fan
 

Skater Boy

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 24, 2012
I wish the Belgians well but I wouldn't say at this point anyone of them would be considered good or even a threat to Alissa Czisny without triples. Thanks Caroliza fan for the info though. Maybe in the future Belgium will produce some top skaters??? For now they will be known more for Belgian waffles (unless Kevin does come back which I agree is like the chances of Johnny Weir and Evan become best buds.
 

Trewyn

Medalist
Joined
Dec 10, 2008
Yes, I watched Kaat van Daele struggle in the Freeskate at Nebelhorn, very sad we didn't get hold of an Olympic slot. I saw Isabelle's name on an entry list of some competition, but I think she didn't compete. Ira Vannut was injured two seasons ago and I haven't heard anything about a comeback. I haven't heard anything recently about Ruben either, but he did show a lot of promise, so I will investigate :) ETA: Wait.. he's skating Pairs, for Germany??? Oh... How did I miss that!

Entry list:
http://www.pirouetteleuven.be/images/stories/pdffiles/comm_kpl/Skating 2013 categorie.pdf
Kevin's name is listed as the coach of several skaters! Jenna's name is not listed, but I guess she's not a 'main coach' since she's still competing herself...
 

CaroLiza_fan

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Yes, I watched Kaat van Daele struggle in the Freeskate at Nebelhorn, very sad we didn't get hold of an Olympic slot. I saw Isabelle's name on an entry list of some competition, but I think she didn't compete. Ira Vannut was injured two seasons ago and I haven't heard anything about a comeback.

Ah, so Ira was injured! That explains a lot! Thank you for letting me know! I saw photos on her Facebook that show that she has been on the ice doing exhibitions recently, so hopefully it will not be long until there is a competitive comeback.

As I said, Ira was impressive in the 2010/11 season, so it would be a shame if we didn't see her competing again. Also, you really need at least one more competitive Ladies singles skater alongside Kaat, so that they can each push each other forward, and hopefully make sure Belgium doesn't lose the slot again!

I haven't heard anything recently about Ruben either, but he did show a lot of promise, so I will investigate :) ETA: Wait.. he's skating Pairs, for Germany??? Oh... How did I miss that!

How, indeed???!!! Prölß and Blommaert are the most exciting team to come up from Juniors in Pairs skating for years!!! :biggrin:

Last year, they won the SENIOR German Nationals (beating Vartmann/Van Cleave). Although I didn’t see this particular performance, I saw them at Junior Worlds and the Junior Grand Prix Final. After getting over the initial shock of the difference in size and age (he was 20 and she was 13 – and she looked even younger than that!), I was really impressed by them.

This year, they have competed in 2 Senior B's (Lombardia and Nebelhorn), and finished 4th in each. I have to say, I couldn’t believe how much Annabelle had grown since I last saw her! She doesn’t look as much like a child anymore – more like a (very) young woman. Last year, Ruben looked like a giant beside her. Now, her and Ruben look to be a well matched up Pair size-wise!

Once the older Pairs skaters retire, I expect Prölß and Blommaert to become the top German Pairs skaters, and to be amongst the top international competitors by the time Pyeongchang comes around.

Entry list:
http://www.pirouetteleuven.be/images/stories/pdffiles/comm_kpl/Skating 2013 categorie.pdf
Kevin's name is listed as the coach of several skaters! Jenna's name is not listed, but I guess she's not a 'main coach' since she's still competing herself...

I think “several” is a bit of an understatement! Kevin’s name is beside a brave few competitors – seven, by my counting!

A thing I can’t get over is how many female skaters there are competing as opposed to male skaters. In total, there are only EIGHT male skaters competing in Leuven, spread out across 4 categories – with 2 of the fellas each having a category to themselves!

(While we are on the subject, I have often wondered this: in situations like this where there is only 1 entry, do the organisers bother having the entrant skate, or do they just say “Here’s the trophy. You can go home now”?)

Meanwhile, there are SEVENTY female skaters competing in Leuven (including all of Kevin’s students).

Like, I know a lot of people see skating as a “girls’ sport”, but this is ridiculous. Especially when you consider that most of Belgium’s success in recent years has come in the Men’s category. At this rate of going, where are the next generation of Kevins and Joriks going to come from?!

I just looked at the results from your National Championships from last year ( http://www.vksb.be/event/Belgisch_Kampioenschap/2013/index.htm ), and there were NO Men’s skaters competing at either Junior or Senior level. There was only 1 entry in the “Miniemen Boys” category, and 2 entries in each of the 2 Novice Boys competitions. That in itself is very worrying.

That said, at least there were competitions in some levels of Men’s singles skating at Belgian Nationals. There weren’t any Pairs or Ice Dance competitions at any level!!! :eek:

Which is why I was surprised that Annabelle and Ruben opted to compete for Germany rather than Belgium. Like, once Annabelle gets old enough, they would be guaranteed the Belgian slot. There again, perhaps they opted for Germany because Annabelle is still competing as a singles skater for Germany in Juniors, and she can’t represent 2 different countries at the same time.

All in all, I feel the Belgium federation needs to attract a lot more guys to skating. And, at the same time, they need to encourage more skaters to take up Pairs skating and Ice Dance. Otherwise, I can see Belgium becoming a country that only produces Ladies singles skaters. Which, given the work that Kevin and Jorik have done to put Belgium on the Men’s singles skating map, would be a great shame.

Thank you for the link to the entry list for Leuven, which led to this discussion!!! :biggrin:

CaroLiza_fan
 

dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Country
United-States
Their ultimate decision of whom to skate for may be determined by whether it is easier for Annabelle to get Belgian citizenship or for Ruben to get German citizenship.
 
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