2025 IceChallenge | Nov 5-9

[CaroLiza_fan]

Solomiia ZALETSKA (AUT) was wearing a pink dress and skating to a beautiful French song.

She goes into 8th position.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

"Firebird"!!!!!!!!!!!

We don't get to hear Stravinsky's masterpiece often enough any more.

Petra PALLAGI (HUN) was wearing a dress where the bottom half was black and the top half was red with what looked like a skin coloured comma on the front.

I enjoyed that. But, I always enjoy "Firebird" programmes.

She goes into 11th position.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Lilli FISCHER (AUT) was another one wearing a pink dress and skating to a beautiful French song. Except this was a different song.

She goes into 12th position.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

What is it with French songs in this group? We just got another one from Ophelia Seramoon KRAMER (DEU).

But, I certainly would not describe this one as "beautiful". It was awful!

Thankfully that was the only part of the equation that was. The skating was beautiful.

She was wearing a dress that looked like a green blouse and pink skirt. She was definitely going for the cuteness overload award!

Am I going mad, or are there other German skaters with Thai names? A brother and sister. Or have I maybe seen this girl before?

Anyway, she goes into the lead. By just 0.08 poionts.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Second time in the past few days that I have head this music that Tara BEŠIĆ (HRV) is skating to. And it is still annoying me that I can't remember what it is!

She goes into 28th position.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

The music that the final skater, Maia-Gilda MENSON (EST), was skating to was beautiful.

Not sure about the costume. She was wearing a beautiful royal blue dress and matching gloves. But then she had a yellow mesh dress on top of it. It was so strange.

But the skating was good.

She goes into 10th position.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Not sure what is happening now. The Junior girls are due to start at quarter to the hour. So, 5 minutes from now. But, there has been a withdrawal from Group 1 and another from Group 2. So they may delay the start.

Actually, there are quite a few withdrawals throughout the Junior Ladies SP. Four in total.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

The Zamboni has only just started the resurfacing, so it will be a delayed start.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Junior Ladies SP starting now on the same stream.

Are my eyes deceiving me? Are we actually starting with a lesser spotted Canadian?!

The final skater in this group, Zsofia SZEPLAKI (HUN) is a withdrawal.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Don't think I've seen Sandrine BLAIS (CAN) before (no doubt a symptom of the Canadian Fed not sending their skaters out enough). But she was great!!!

I am so impressed with her. What a start to the competition!

If this is indicative of the standard we are going to be getting, this is going to be a great competition!

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

I think this is the third event I have seen Veronika LUCKO (LTU) at this season, after the Denis Ten Memorial Challenge and the Gordion Cup.

I love this programme.

She and her coach are having great craic trying on the crowns.

Mmmm. This is the lowest score of the times I have seen this programme.

She goes into 2nd position.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[Jumping_Bean]

We just had another Austrian girl with a Chinese name. Funnily enough, the exact same name as a Chinese Pairs skater.

Now I'm curious to know if she is the sister of the girl we saw earlier. It's possible that she's not, because their surname is so common.

Anyway, this girl, Skater #23, goes into 10th position, two positions below Skater #8.

CaroLiza_fan

Zhang may be a common Chinese last name, but they are both from the same club (based on domestic entry lists), so I think it's highly likely they are related in some way - Sisters or cousins, maybe.

So far today, we have had two Austrian skaters with Chinese names. Now we have one with a Japanese surname, Victoria YONEMORI (JPN).

Everything about that programme was absolutely beautiful. The music, the white dress, and most of all the skating.

I may be biased because I tend to have a soft spot for skaters that are Japanese or have Japanese heritage. But I really like this girl.

She goes into the lead.

CaroLiza_fan

In addition to their Austrian and Japanese heritage, Victoria and her older sister Nathalie (who is competing in Juniors here) were born and raised in Calgary, Canada, where they continue to train. Both competed at the Cranberry Cup at the start of the season, and Nathalie was on the substitute list for a few JGPs, though she did not end up being selected for one.

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Third skater of the day with the surname Zhang. This time it is Boglarka ZHANG (HUN), who I last saw a few days ago at the Tirnavia Trophy.

This is another programme that I love.

Unfortuantely, it did not go quite as well today. (As is often the case when competing in back-to-back events).

On Saturday, she scored 43.54 points in the SP. Today she scored 35.46 points.

She goes into 4th and last position.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[lilimum]

What is it with French songs in this group? We just got another one from Ophelia Seramoon KRAMER (DEU).

But, I certainly would not describe this one as "beautiful". It was awful!

Thankfully that was the only part of the equation that was. The skating was beautiful.

She was wearing a dress that looked like a green blouse and pink skirt. She was definitely going for the cuteness overload award!

Am I going mad, or are there other German skaters with Thai names? A brother and sister. Or have I maybe seen this girl before?

Anyway, she goes into the lead. By just 0.08 poionts.

CaroLiza_fan

this is one of the Kramer-sisters Ophelia (just 11 years) and Leonora (12 years) old.

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Zhang may be a common Chinese last name, but they are both from the same club (based on domestic entry lists), so I think it's highly likely they are related in some way - Sisters or cousins, maybe.

Thank you. I didn't actually think to check their clubs.

In addition to their Austrian and Japanese heritage, Victoria and her older sister Nathalie (who is competing in Juniors here) were born and raised in Calgary, Canada, where they continue to train. Both competed at the Cranberry Cup at the start of the season, and Nathalie was on the substitute list for a few JGPs, though she did not end up being selected for one.

Thank you for flagging this up. It's always nice seeing siblings competing at the same event. So, I look forward to seeing Nathalie.

More skaters originally from Canada. It just shows how good the coaching system is over there. The gift that keeps on giving!

this is one of the Kramer-sisters Ophelia (just 11 years) and Leonora (12 years) old.

Thank you. Hope I get to see Leonora sometime soon.

---

By the way, on the subject of skating siblings, I see Daniel RUIS (AUT) has withdrawn from the boys later.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Off topic from the skating, but I never noticed that during "Believer" by Imagine Dragons before. The music stopping and then one of the band saying they wanted to take a breather.

This is the point when Hannah FRANK (AUT) should have been rocking out. But, instead we go straight to Sophie ERHARDT (DEU)

CaroLiza_fan

 

[Jumping_Bean]

Sad to see Hannah withdrew, I enjoy her skating a lot
Sophie did really well, I don't think the 3Lz+3T was fully rotated, but she went for it, and that counts for a lot

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

I honestly don't know what to make of this version of "Cry Me A River". It is so different to what I am used to from this song.

But it really suited Sophie ERHARDT (DEU)'s skating. Very dramatic. In a good way.

I enjoyed that programme.

She and her coach are having fun with the crowns.

She goes into the lead.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

The "East Of Eden" music always gets me. (Even though I have never seen the film).

That was simply beautiful from the fourth Zhang of the day, Sherry ZHANG (USA).

Sorry, I had to answer the door for a delivery there. So, didn't see what happened in the results area.

She goes into the lead.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Oh, hang on, there's the Zamboni. Right, I'll wind the stream back and watch what I missed, rather than listen to Eminem swearing again.

CaroLiza_fan