54th Volvo Open Cup | Jan 16-19

[CaroLiza_fan]

I was not expecting that. Vassilisa RONDINA (EST) had a costume change in the middle of her programme!

She went from a light purple dress, to a multi-coloured top and yellow skirt.

Really fun programme.

Is it any wonder I love watching Estonian skaters?

She goes into the lead, with one girl left to skate.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

WOWSERS!!!!

The last skater, Marta MULAREKA (LAT), won by 15.68 points!!!

I knew it was good, but I wasn't expecting that!

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

I don't know, but I am going to stick my neck out and say that that is Mantas GRYBA (LTU)'s sister sitting with him and his coach.

They certainly look alike.

EDIT: Just did some digging, and it was Ieva GRYBAITĖ (LTU) sitting with him. She was 7th in Juniors at Nationals last month but, from what I can see, she isn't competing here.​

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Right, the older Basic Novice girls are sarting now. But I am leaving for food, and probably won't be back.

So all the best to them, and the Springs girls that are coming on afterterwards to finish off Day 3.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Day 4 is starting now with the Beginners 2010-2011 girls.

Here is the link for the livestream:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yaQf3UXBvEc

Apologies that the OP has not been updated yet. The reason is that the detailed Time Schedule PDF for today has not been released yet, nor has the timetable at the bottom of the Entries / Results page been updated.

EDIT: The timetable on the Entries / Results page has now been updated. But, as skating has now started, the OP update will have to be done in stages during Warm-Ups and resurfacings.​

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Advanced Novice triple-bill starting now. Older girls, followed by boys, followed by younger girls.

Details now in the OP.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Group 1 consists of 4 Latvian girls and the Steinberga (NOR) twins. But, unfortunately, there are three skaters going in between the twins - Paula starts at #2, while Anna starts at #6.

That said, two of the girls that I remembered from previous events are at #4 (Maria YAKOVLEVA) and #5 (Glafira USPENSKA). So, I can't complain.

Right, time for Paula. Hang on. That's not her. Paula's withdrawn.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Beautiful purple dress for Maria YAKOVLEVA (LAT). She was skating to "Demons" by Imagine Dragons

She had a pop early on, but otherwise fine.

Awww. Wee sister Alisa, two other skaters, and a coach are sitting with her.

She goes into a massive lead in both the FS (8.65 points) and overall (9.98 points).

Glafira now.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Glafira USPENSKA (LAT) was wearing a black Olè dress and, quelle surprise, was skating to a very famous piece of Spanish music. But I can't remember what it is right now, and it is annoying me!

That was much better than yesterday!

New leader in both the FS and overall.

Phew. Anna is here.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Ach! I can't remember what the music that Anna STEINBERGA (NOR) is skating to is either. ANd it is a piece that I love!

She is wearing a black dress with silver neckline and sleeves.

That was really good!

Now that is disappointing. I was hoping that Paula might sit with Anna. But she is actually sitting all on her own.

She goes into 3rd in both the FS an overall.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Unfortunately, my Dad was in the bathroom during the resurfacing, so I didn't get in until the end of Group 1. Hence, I am now running behind.

Just watched Ella Risa GOMEZ (NOR). She was wearing a black dress with red and see-through pattern.

Very heavy music. But she was not overwhelmed by it at all. She was really good.

Boys, seeing Ella sitting there, she is so like her sister! It's like Mia looking at you!

Ella went into the lead of both the FS and overall. And I am not one bit surprised.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

See, this is the problem with skating to a song associated with a particular film.

Isla SHENTON (GBR) was skating to "He Lives In You" from "The Lion King". And, inevitably, she was wearing a dress that was the same colour as lion fur (no tigers here, Mr. Litvintsev!) But the colour did not suit her at all.

The skating was good, though.

She went into 2nd position in both the FS and overall.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Starting to get a big cat theme going on here. Isla SHENTON (GBR) is dressed as a lion; I mention Litvintsev's tiger print faux pas; and then the last skater in Group 1, Aniceta VILCINSKAITE (LTU), comes out wearing a black jumpsuit with leopard-print legs.

Unfortunately, things did not go to plan for Aniceta. Falls on both her Triple Salchows, which meant no combination and led to a repeated element call.

Oh no. She was crying the whole of the time she was waiting for her scores.

She had a coach and 3 younger team-mates with her. But none of them made much of an attempt to console her. They just let her cry away.

She went into 3rd in the FS, and 2nd overall.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

After the eye-popping SP costume, Lina MATEIKO (LAT) was wearing a more conventional figure skating costume for her FS. Well, the shape of the dress was conventional anyway. The colours were, well, colourful! The top section was pink and orange, the middle section was see-through, and the bottom section was dark blue.

She was skating to "Ain't No Mountain High Enough", but I'm not sure off-hand whose version it was.

She was good.

She went into 2nd in both the FS and overall.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Since I mentioned her SP yesterday, I will update you on how Urtė GAILIŪTĖ (LTU) got on in the FS today.

It was not a good skate. She fell on both of her individual jumps in the middle of the programme.

At the end of the programme, she just dropped down out of her finishing position and sat on the ice looking totally fed up. And she continued to look fed up the whole of the time she was waiting for her scores.

She went into 9th in the SP, and 4th overall.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

No horns on Sofija BASINA (LAT) today!

She had her hair done in a plaited ponytail. But the costume was a sight to behold! I honestly don't know how to describe it! It was a jumpsuit, where the top half was white, pink and see-through; and the bottom half was gold. It actually made me think of a mummy in a sarcophagus.

She had a fall on her Triple Lutz early on. But otherwise was good.

That was a bad mistake on the graphics. At first they put up the previous skater's sores. So, it looked like she had won.

She went into 7th in the FS and 5th overall.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

I'm caught up!!!

The boys and the first four younger girls are on the ice.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

I was commenting yesterday that SP winner Mantas GRYBA (LTU) had his sister sitting with him.

Well, I would bet that we have the same situation today for the skater that was 4th in the SP, Marat VASSIN (EST)

I looked up other skaters from the Arabesque club, and found an Amelia VASSIN, who has been competing mostly in Advanced Novices, and occasionally Intermediate Novices, since 2021. (She was 6th in Intermediate Novices in the 53rd Volvo Open Cup in November). So, I would guess that it was her.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

This is becoming a theme for the Advanced Novice boys - have your sister sitting with you and your coach! I'm having trouble finding a skater with the same surname to Arseni BERTSEVITS (EST), but that girl looks so much like an older blonde version of Arseni!

That said, the skater before him, Rasmus KAJALAID (EST), just had his coach and the matching doll of himself.

Arseni goes into 2nd in the FS, and the lead overall.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Just completing the theme, Ieva GRYBAITĖ (LTU) again joined Mantas GRYBA (LTU) and his hot coach.

He wins both the FS and overall.

Onto the younger girls.

CaroLiza_fan