Australian figure skaters

[GF2445]

From memory, it was very close between Australia and Great Britain for that 10th spot in the Sochi Team Event.

It was close. We can probably beat the UK now, but during this cycle other nations have also become stronger- with South Korea having competitors in all disciplines now.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Figure_skating_at_the_2014_Winter_Olympics_–_Qualification

Lets calculate...the top 8 nations in 2014 will qualify without question
South Korea will probably qualify

Not spain or Kazakhstan (not enough skaters in enough disciplines)
That leaves Ukraine, Czech Republic and the UK.

So the key from here on in to make the team event is to beat Ukraine, Czech Republic and the UK.

 

[karne]

Does Alexandrovskaya have australian citizenship? Or will she have it in time for the Olympics?

I think it probable that she will get it in time.

 

[GF2445]

So here is the ISU pdf about olympic qualification, just to refresh your memory.


Also, the OWIA report about Golden Spin. Apparently, things were a little strange with interesting rotation calls, and slow release of the results.
...
http://www.owia.org/figure-skating-news/-challenger-series-wraps-up-for-brendan-and-kailani

 

[GF2445]

Brendan having fun on the harness. Before opening, Guess which jump.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BN7z9PPgOFO/?taken-by=br3ndan_&hl=en

 

[karne]

Brendan having fun on the harness. Before opening, Guess which jump.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BN7z9PPgOFO/?taken-by=br3ndan_&hl=en

I posted this one out in the main forum too

 

[GF2445]

I posted this one out in the main forum too

Thanks Karne.

In other news, some of you kight know that Australia, and other Oceanic nations were invited to compete as a guest at the Asian Winter Games. We won't be able to win medals, but it will give our skaters a taster of what it is like to compete at a multi-sport games. Also, it's in Sapporo, Japan- every skater today wishes to compete in the home of figure skating.
OWIA released Australia's reps. Since we are only guests, its likely that we were only allowed to send one skater/couple per discipline.

Our reps are.
Men- Brendan Kerry
Ladies- Kailani Craine
Pairs- Paris Stephens and Matthew Dodds (good choice as it gives Harley/Katia a chance to train, and it gives these two one last chance to attain those scores)
Ice Dance- Mathilda Friend and William Badaoui (the fruits of having a lot more ice dance teams now will have to come soon)

 

[karne]

Pairs- Paris Stephens and Matthew Dodds (good choice as it gives Harley/Katia a chance to train, and it gives these two one last chance to attain those scores)

?

I just had a quick look and it looks like the dates are 23-28 Feb - that's after 4CC. So getting the scores there would not help Paris and Matthew in any way.

 

[essence_of_soy]

Pairs- Paris Stephens and Matthew Dodds (good choice as it gives Harley/Katia a chance to train, and it gives these two one last chance to attain those scores)

Aren't Four Continents being held before the Asian Winter Games?

 

[Tastetherainbow]

The only other competition that Paris and Matthew can go to is the 2017 Mentor Torun Cup from January 10-15. And as of the moment, they are not listed in the entries list.

 

[karne]

The only other competition that Paris and Matthew can go to is the 2017 Mentor Torun Cup from January 10-15. And as of the moment, they are not listed in the entries list.

I think the list isn't complete, though. I hope they go, and I hope they get the scores. It would be so torturous to come within a few tenths of achieving Four Continents selection.

 

[GF2445]

The only other competition that Paris and Matthew can go to is the 2017 Mentor Torun Cup from January 10-15. And as of the moment, they are not listed in the entries list.

Oops my mistake. I get mixed up with dates easily. Well. Its going to be the Mentor Torun Cup then. They need to land their side by sides and stay on their feet in the SP.

 

[essence_of_soy]

Oops my mistake. I get mixed up with dates easily. Well. Its going to be the Mentor Torun Cup then. They need to land their side by sides and stay on their feet in the SP.

I would love to see them get that magic 20point TES as well to qualify for Four Continents, too.

 

[brookes1968]

yes it is hard, but 4CC is for serious athletes who train every day - the reason that Harley and Ekaterina nearly doubled Paris and Matthews score after being together for only one year. The time has passed when being the only pairs opened all the doors without hard work and rightly so. Senior pairs should at least be able to do a clean 2A consistently.

Its also wonderful to see more dancers - it now not the case in australia where dance and pairs are the easier route if you cant hack it in singles with the jumps. It gives credibility to those who are serious athletes!

 

[essence_of_soy]

yes it is hard, but 4CC is for serious athletes who train every day - the reason that Harley and Ekaterina nearly doubled Paris and Matthews score after being together for only one year. The time has passed when being the only pairs opened all the doors without hard work and rightly so. Senior pairs should at least be able to do a clean 2A consistently.

I'm going to take the bait here and say that as it is the parents who pay the skaters' expenses, perhaps Paris and Matthew are not afforded the same opportunities as Harley and Ekaterina, either. The Dodds family also have expenses for four boys who skate as well.

Ice time is at such a premium in Australia, it is no surprise that Holly Harris, Kailani Craine, and Brendan Kerry have had to relocate overseas to get the best training they need. I believe that Harley and Ekaterina also spend most of their training time in Russia with their coaching team, as well as Nina Mozer (coach of the 2014 Olympic Champions, Volosozhar & Trankov).

Creating a pair team like Harley and Ekaterina has been a massive team effort, too. It is well documented that without the foresight of his coaches who went to the far reaches of the earth to find a great match for him, he may not have stayed with the sport. (I believe with three of our top junior and senior dance teams, two of the male and one of the female partners are from overseas, too.)

Prior to partnering with Alexandrovskaya, Windsor had never done pairs until a year ago.

Matthew and Paris are also a lot older, and finding the same time as a team a decade younger (when you have to support yourself with basics like food and rent), would also be a challenge. Real life does get in the way.

This is an expensive sport for everyone, regardless of their circumstances, or individual goals they set themselves. There are so many more factors at play that neither you nor I even know about.

Ultimately, it is nice to see Australia represented internationally in a sport dominated by global powers like Japan, China, Canada, Russia and the U.S.A.

 

[Abraxis12345]

Creating a pair team like Harley and Ekaterina has been a massive team effort, too. It is well documented that without the foresight of his coaches who went to the far reaches of the earth to find a great match for him, he may not have stayed with the sport. (I believe with three of our top junior and senior dance teams, two of the male and one of the female partners are from overseas, too.)

Regarding the dance couple, I heard from a Russian parent that last fall, Adele Morrison and Demid Rokachev were in Moscow (specifically with Kustarova) for a month to try out. They presumed it didn't work out as Demid stayed in Russia for months after Adele went back but it seems there may have been logistical problems that resulted in formal training only beginning recently.

 

[sk8ingcoach]

yes it is hard, but 4CC is for serious athletes who train every day - the reason that Harley and Ekaterina nearly doubled Paris and Matthews score after being together for only one year. The time has passed when being the only pairs opened all the doors without hard work and rightly so. Senior pairs should at least be able to do a clean 2A consistently.

Its also wonderful to see more dancers - it now not the case in australia where dance and pairs are the easier route if you cant hack it in singles with the jumps. It gives credibility to those who are serious athletes!

Be quiet. We are all so sick of your hateful comments. We all know you have a thing against the Dodds family. How dare u suggest that they are not serious athletes and don't work hard. They have given a lot to this sport and are role models for many younger skaters. They have all worked their arses off to get where they are today without the support that many other top skaters get because they were not the most talented when they were younger.

 

[edwinaskater1943]

Be quiet AJ. We are all so sick of your hateful comments. We all know you have a thing against the Dodds family. How dare u suggest that they are not serious athletes and don't work hard. They have given a lot to this sport and are role models for many younger skaters. They have all worked their arses off to get where they are today without the support that many other top skaters get because they were not the most talented when they were younger.

Wasn't Harley with another partner before Ekaterina? I saw them training at Canterbury.

 

[essence_of_soy]

Wasn't Harley with another partner before Ekaterina? I saw them training at Canterbury.

Interesting. If he did, I wonder if there is any record of him competing nationally or internationally

He and Katia are a great match, and they jump and spin the same which is a bonus for a pair that has been together such a short time.

 

[essence_of_soy]

I wonder who it was that partnered Harley two years ago?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3K6rhGSoeaU

 

[brookes1968]

Obviously hit a nerve - interpret the statement how you will but no one can deny the standard in both pairs and dance has improved because of competition. The comment was not an attack on any individuals but a mere observation of the sport in Australia. You must be very close to the source to take it so personally?