2023 Sofia Trophy

[CaroLiza_fan]

to this day I don't know why Abigail Liew's jgp result was canceled in 2019. maybe her change of nationality wasn't regular. but it sure she wasn't the best transfer in figure skating

I had completely forgotten about her being British.

I was just looking at Abigail's competition history, and being disqualified could have something to do with the fact that she competed in the qualifiers for the British Championships (at both Advanced Novice and Junior level) just 5 weeks before she made her Junior GP debut at Lake Placid, representing Malaysia. Knowing what bureaucracy is like, I can't imagine all the paperwork would have gone through in that short a time scale.

As for it not being a good transfer, I'm not sure we can really judge that yet. Sure, she was one of the top British skaters at Advanced Novice level, but that qualifier was the only competition she had done at Junior level before switching. And she didn't exactly trouble the top scorers. Abigail was mid-field, and in each segment she scored roughly half the points scored by the leader, Rei YOSHIMOTO (now there is a skater who didn't have a good country switch. Rei went from being one of the top skaters in the UK, to being a back-of-the-field skater in Japan).

Since switching, Abigail won Junior Ladies at Skate Southern in 2020 against a mostly British field. But, none of the top skaters from that season's British Championships were there. The skater she was fighting with for the win was only 11th in Junior Nationals.

I think we'll have to wait to see how many assignments the Malaysian Fed give her in this Olympic cycle to be able to say whether it was a good move or not. Because we can't judge it on the seasons she has had with Malaysia so far, because they have been weird due to the pandemic.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Well, it's taken a while, but Abigail LIEW (MAS) has now relinquished the overall lead to Klara SEKARDI (SLO).

With the next skater Meri MARINAC (HRV) also going behind her, that is 7 places Abigail has made up with her FS.

She still leads the Free Skate.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[fehervari]

I think we'll have to wait to see

understand, but I don't see her development. and her chances against Ong

 

[fehervari]

I missed a bit of the events, but...
poor Meri. oh God. but finished her program. good girl. good competitor
I've been cheering whole season for her or Nevia Ana Medic to be there at jr worlds, but... unfortunately...

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

This is just what we need - the stream to die on us just as the skaters were coming off the ice at the end of the Warm-Up!

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

I see that somebody has posted in Bulgarian on the chat saying that the broadcast has failed. So, hopefully the person at the computer will see that comment and do something about fixing it. Because we want to see the end of this competition!

In the meantime, I just remembered that I didn't get to watch the Senior Men's SP last night, so I will go back and start into it while we are waiting.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Well, we have now missed all of Group 5 of the Junior Ladies FS. But, on the bright side, I got the Senior Men's SP finished.

The stream we have been watching so far today has now ended.

But, there is a new stream:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kfJ7jIwjNY

Phew! At least we will get to see the final group.

Although we didn't see her, Olivia LENGYELOVA (SVK) is currently leading both the FS and overall.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

I just looked up Whitney Ford, because her name didn't sound very Greek to me, and it turns out she is was born in New York, and is from Greenwich, Connecticut.

But, I found a story from 2012 about Miki Ando visiting the rink in Greenwich:

https://www.greenwichtime.com/news/article/World-champion-figure-skater-Ando-glides-into-2672759.php

If you scroll through to photo 11, you will see Whitney when she was 6 years old!

Awwww!!!!

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Bit late posting this due to writing my previous comment, but hey!

Boys, but I love "Objection"! Thank you Taisiia SPESIVTSEVA (UKR)!

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

And we round off the Junior competitions now with the chaos category!

Livestream for the Junior Men's FS is now on air.

Here is the link for the archived livestream (starts at 56m 50s):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kfJ7jIwjNY&t=3410

Here is the Time Schedule:
http://sofia-trophy.clubdenkovastav...JUNIOR--03FNL-000100--_StartListwithTimes.pdf

And here is the live scoring:
http://sofia-trophy.clubdenkovastaviski.com/2023/ISU/SEG006.htm

Hope this helps

ALL THE BEST EVERYBODY!!!

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CrazyKittenLady]

Yay, there is some figure skating on! And it's even the best discipline, the junior men. Go boys!

 

[CrazyKittenLady]

Zezeng Fang - some good skating skills and nice, stretched out camel positions, but the triple jumps didn't want to happen for him today. Also a beautiful shirt. There is a misconception that I only like skaters in black, but a baby blue shirt also cheers me up.

Now go Nick from South Africa!

 

[CrazyKittenLady]

Oh no, I hope he didn't hurt himself. That didn't go to plan.
I'm a fan of Nick, a pity we won't be seeing him at Junior Worlds. I'm not sure if he will age out of Juniors next season? Otherwise I look forward to watching him at JGP again.

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Although he had the fall, on the whole that was good from Nicolas van der VIJVER (ZAF). After all, this was his fourth competition segment in 6 days!

He goes into the lead. And, with being so close after the SP to the 2 guys in front of him, he still has a chance of moving up.

We now move onto the Slovakian Junior Men's Championships.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CrazyKittenLady]

And now for the Slovakian warm-up group. Good luck!

 

[CrazyKittenLady]

Hmm, the junior men seem more chaotic than usual. The ice must be especially slippery in Sofia today.

 

[CrazyKittenLady]

Quite a creative ending from Tadeas going into the pose from a pivot.

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

"Open your eyes. Look up to the skies and..." fall.

But, hats off to Tadeas VACLAVIK (SVK) for skating to the original of "Bohemian Rhapsody". Yes, there was a huge chunk of the middle of the song skipped, but it's an 8 minute song. It was a better edit than a lot I have heard in my time watching figure skating.

Lukas, your brother has set you down a challenge!

Well, OK, so with the 14.28 points advantage from the SP, Lukas should easily go ahead of Tadeas overall. But, it could be different in the FS.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CrazyKittenLady]

Channeling @balabam

Vaclavik count: 2
Vaclavik skating in black count: 2
Cartwheel count: 0

Now, come on Adam!!!

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

OK, so I got a little carried away with hearing "Bohemian Rhapsody" .

Lukas takes a 17.75 point lead over Tadeas in the FS. And extends his overall lead to 32.03 points.

I'm sure Tadeas will not like the gaps being so big. BUT, the great thing is that both brothers are on the podium!!!



CaroLiza_fan