British and Irish Figure skating 2021-2022 | Page 9 | Golden Skate

British and Irish Figure skating 2021-2022

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I’m really excited to see what Billy and Kat do. Our Junior Ice Dance needs more teams.
Next season should be very exciting in GB Junior icedance, with younger ones moving up aswell as older couples establishing themselves.

In my more pessimistic moments, I do fear that GB may go back to 1 Senior spot next year. :(:slink::palmf:
 
Next season should be very exciting in GB Junior icedance, with younger ones moving up aswell as older couples establishing themselves.

In my more pessimistic moments, I do fear that GB may go back to 1 Senior spot next year. :(:slink::palmf:
I think it really depends on who decides to skip worlds and who the Russia no.3s are. Another point to consider would be the Spanish teams - not sure if they're both retiring but Sara has said she is, and Madi Hubbell is so I would presume Adrian is too - without the tight race and need for 2 spots the following year, Spain may be politiked out of the top 10. Even so, we might have to not have 2 spots for 2022/23 but the field will empty out so may allow for 2 spots again in 2023/24.
 
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I think it really depends on who decides to skip worlds and who the Russia no.3s are. Another point to consider would be the Spanish teams - not sure if they're both retiring but Sara has said she is, and Madi Hubbell is so I would presume Adrian is too - without the tight race and need for 2 spots the following year, Spain may be politiked out of the top 10. Even so, we might have to not have 2 spots for 2022/23 but the field will empty out so may allow for 2 spots again in 2023/24.

I wouldn't bet on Adrià retiring just because his girlfriend is. Look at Valtter Virtanen and Alina Mayer. She retired in 2018, but he is still competing. (Although, I suspect not for much longer based on his current form).

If Sara is definitely retiring, then I would put money on Adrià continuing for at least another year or two. Adrià hasn't been to Worlds since 2018. If Sara gets the slot this year and then retires, then you can be sure that Adrià will carry on so that he can finish up on a high on the big stage too.

Plus, the Spanish Fed will want some continuity and stability in the Senior ranks whenever my kids Sofía Val / Nikita Vitryanyuk move up from Juniors (assuming they stay together). I think it is the end of next season that Nikita will age out of Juniors (I'm always useless at working this out for future seasons). Of course, they could move up after this season, but that is maybe asking a bit too much of a partnership that will have had only one season together under their belts. Whenever it is that they do move to Seniors, the Fed will not want to be relying solely on a partnership that is relatively new and straight out of Juniors to earn the slots at the Majors.

Bringing us back on topic (sort of), I also want Adrià to carry on because Olivia is too young to be left high and dry. Assuming that there are no Spanish blokes looking an Ice Dance partner (which I think is a safe bet as Sofía had to go to Denmark and then Cyprus for her partners), Olivia will have to come back home to find a partner if she wants everything sorted out quickly. And, as we know, there is a severe lack of available blokes here too.

But, whether it is sooner or later, I would love to see Olivia get another good partner and come back to Team GB whenever Adrià does retire. She has improved a lot since she left, and her return would certainly add a bit of spice to the Senior British field.

CaroLiza_fan
 
I wouldn't bet on Adrià retiring just because his girlfriend is. Look at Valtter Virtanen and Alina Mayer. She retired in 2018, but he is still competing. (Although, I suspect not for much longer based on his current form).

If Sara is definitely retiring, then I would put money on Adrià continuing for at least another year or two. Adrià hasn't been to Worlds since 2018. If Sara gets the slot this year and then retires, then you can be sure that Adrià will carry on so that he can finish up on a high on the big stage too.

Plus, the Spanish Fed will want some continuity and stability in the Senior ranks whenever my kids Sofía Val / Nikita Vitryanyuk move up from Juniors (assuming they stay together). I think it is the end of next season that Nikita will age out of Juniors (I'm always useless at working this out for future seasons). Of course, they could move up after this season, but that is maybe asking a bit too much of a partnership that will have had only one season together under their belts. Whenever it is that they do move to Seniors, the Fed will not want to be relying solely on a partnership that is relatively new and straight out of Juniors to earn the slots at the Majors.

Bringing us back on topic (sort of), I also want Adrià to carry on because Olivia is too young to be left high and dry. Assuming that there are no Spanish blokes looking an Ice Dance partner (which I think is a safe bet as Sofía had to go to Denmark and then Cyprus for her partners), Olivia will have to come back home to find a partner if she wants everything sorted out quickly. And, as we know, there is a severe lack of available blokes here too.

But, whether it is sooner or later, I would love to see Olivia get another good partner and come back to Team GB whenever Adrià does retire. She has improved a lot since she left, and her return would certainly add a bit of spice to the Senior British field.

CaroLiza_fan
Perhaps, but they are supposed to be getting married and so maybe he's ready to settle down and they've both expressed wanting to move back to Spain for a while. To be honest, this is why I generally don't like huge age gaps in teams because life and priorities at one end of your 20s are so different from the other. Olivia will surely be aware of this, and probably knew going into the parnership how long he intended to stay for. Maybe they'll finish at Montreal worlds.

If Olivia were to come back to GB she'd need to take a year out anyway, whether that be from January, February or March (depending on where they get assigned). This is no slight on Lilah, but imagine Olivia and Lewis together? (I know this would never happen, this is like a dream team for me haha). They both have such good energy! I don't have a clue who she'd partner up with though. Unless she's more than happy to finish before she's 25?
 
I wouldn't bet on Adrià retiring just because his girlfriend is. Look at Valtter Virtanen and Alina Mayer. She retired in 2018, but he is still competing. (Although, I suspect not for much longer based on his current form).

My man Valtter is skating better now than I’ve ever seen him.
 

Simon & Chris comms.
 
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Perhaps, but they are supposed to be getting married and so maybe he's ready to settle down and they've both expressed wanting to move back to Spain for a while.

But settling down doesn't necessarily mean he has to retire. The example I used is proof of this. Valtter and Alina have been married for 5 years and became parents earlier this year, but Valtter is still competing.

My man Valtter is skating better now than I’ve ever seen him.

He is skating well, don't get me wrong. Hey, his scores from the Finlandia were amongst the highest he has got. But, in terms of position, he is not finishing as high as he used to. And it is bound to be demoralising.

With this, and with having a family, and with his day job, I do think this will be his final season.

To be honest, this is why I generally don't like huge age gaps in teams because life and priorities at one end of your 20s are so different from the other. Olivia will surely be aware of this, and probably knew going into the parnership how long he intended to stay for. Maybe they'll finish at Montreal worlds.

I agree with you on this. 6 years isn't a lot when you're in your 30's or older, but it is when you are in your teens or twenties. We frequently comment about the age differences in partnerships where one skater is in their late teens / early 20's and the other is in their early teens. But, we don't seem to think of it as being significant when one skater is in their late 20's / early 30's and the other is in their early to mid 20's. Yet it is.

There again, look at Zoe and Chris. Zoe is 10 years older than Chris, yet they seem to be on the same page.

By the way, since I just mentioned them, they withdrew from the Ice Challenge. In fact, so did the Russian partnership, which left just the Aussies in the Senior Pairs.

If Olivia were to come back to GB she'd need to take a year out anyway, whether that be from January, February or March (depending on where they get assigned). This is no slight on Lilah, but imagine Olivia and Lewis together? (I know this would never happen, this is like a dream team for me haha). They both have such good energy! I don't have a clue who she'd partner up with though. Unless she's more than happy to finish before she's 25?

Nah, I don't think Olivia will finish whenever Adrià hangs up his skates. The fact that she went to the bother of switching countries to get a partner says to me that she wants to be competing long term.

Hey, at least if she came back home she wouldn't have to go through all the red tape that would be required to become eligible for the next Olympics.

True, Olivia would still have to sit out for a year if she came back. But, it takes time to gel with a new partner anyway. So, although she wouldn't be able to compete, it wouldn't be time wasted.

Seeing as Lewis is taken, is there anybody else you could envisage being a good partner for Olivia when Adrià does retire? Even one that doesn't already have a British passport?



Finally, the Ladies SP at the Ice Challenge is about to start. And I think Nina Povey will be the first to skate. (I've already closed the Entries / Results page for tea time, and so can't check).

More details in the dedicated thread:

https://www.goldenskate.com/forum/threads/89526

Hope this helps

CaroLiza_fan
 

Simon & Chris comms.

Thanks!
Good to see an improvement on SCI - despite the bobble from Lewis on the Midnight Blues! Score was good and I laughed at Lewis’ surprised look mind! Hope this carries on for the FD!
 
Thanks!
Good to see an improvement on SCI - despite the bobble from Lewis on the Midnight Blues! Score was good and I laughed at Lewis’ surprised look mind! Hope this carries on for the FD!
Inspite of no British Judge anywhere near the Panel!
 
Irish contingent at the Skate Malmo interclub, Golding, Foster and the Condon sisters all doing senior


Thank you! Look like the Irish Team is growing and growing. This is why I’m glad we combined counties for this thread, it means competitions like this don’t get overlooked!

Now if only we could get an Irish Ice Rink built then it would be perfect.
 
Lilah and Lewis take the bronze at NHK! After two years of fourth place finishes, glad to see them finally make that step up in Japan - though Lewis' twizzles gave me a near heart attack at six thirty in the morning!
 
Irish contingent at the Skate Malmo interclub, Golding, Foster and the Condon sisters all doing senior


Oooooh. That sounds like it will be interesting!

But, I'm not sure about how they have written the ISAI for Elizabeth's club - "Ice Skating Ass of Ireland" :eek:

Just realised that the Short Programmes were yesterday.

Robyn is the highest placed of the Irish skaters, in 6th. She had one fall. So, a big improvement on the three falls she had in her Senior SP at Dundee.

Elizabeth is one place further back, but she had a nightmare of a skate, with SEVEN points in deductions! :jaw:

Just looked at the protocols, and there were 2 points deducted for falls, and 5 points deducted for an interruption. So, I wonder what happened.

Adare was 9th and Darcy was 10, with just 0.41 points separating them. So, there is going to be some real sibling rivalry going on in the Free. Both of them had 2 falls in the SP.

And Ciera TURNER-FRICK is entered in the younger Juniors competition. She is currently sitting in 15th out of 24 after the SP. But, she is only 6 points off 4th, so there is a chance to climb significantly.

Thank you! Look like the Irish Team is growing and growing. This is why I’m glad we combined counties for this thread, it means competitions like this don’t get overlooked!

I only noticed there now - this is still last season's thread. Should I make a request to get this thread split? (Now that the Pedictions Game is integrated, I have gone back to just having Admin privileges in the Fan Fest forum. So, I can't do it myself).

Now if only we could get an Irish Ice Rink built then it would be perfect.

They don't even need to build a rink. The Dundalk Ice Dome is still there, sitting empty. All it needs is for somebody to invest in getting it open again.

CaroLiza_fan
 
Maybe we should just change the name so it doesn’t reference the season?
 
I wouldn't bet on Adrià retiring just because his girlfriend is.
Of course, we don't know for sure unless and until a retirement is announced. But what I recall Madi Hubbell saying is that she and Adria were going to get married, and she would be moving to Spain in order to coach ice dance with Adria. It sounds like a wonderful adventure that is sure to help grow the ice dance discipline for Spain.
 
Lilah and Lewis take the bronze at NHK!
Oooh spoiler alert! I haven't caught any of NHK yet. I'm still catching up with men's and ice dance at GP Italy. It looks like Lilah & Lewis were fired up after backing up a bit in the placements at Skate Canada. They are a lovely, talented team, so I look forward to witnessing them bouncing back. They have fun and engaging programs, always.


I’m really excited to see what Billy and Kat do. Our Junior Ice Dance needs more teams.

For sure. Kat & Billy already seem to match well with their equal dramatic flair and charismatic personalities. As well, Billy is a gorgeous trained dancer, while Kat is extremely lithe and flexible due to her diligent yoga practice (as evidenced by some of her posts on Instagram).

I already have music ideas for this lovely pair, that I'd love to see them and their coaches tackle. Sounds like they will be in excellent hands working with John Kerr for a bit in Florida. Although, I'm not that familiar with Alper Ucar, I see he is a former Turkish ice dancer, plus I know he's worked with skaters as a choreographer.

I love the choreography that John Kerr has done for many pairs teams. John and his sister, Sinead, choreographed this season's fp for Chelsea Liu & Danny O'Shea.
 
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Of course, we don't know for sure unless and until a retirement is announced. But what I recall Madi Hubbell saying is that she and Adria were going to get married, and she would be moving to Spain in order to coach ice dance with Adria. It sounds like a wonderful adventure that is sure to help grow the ice dance discipline for Spain.
That's how Spanish skating was initially developed with John Dunn, former Junior British Icedance Champion with sister Lisa, who came 6th at Junior Worlds, moving to Spain to coach. He was Sara & Adrian's first coach, and trained them in the English style, which is why when Adria teamed up with Olivia they matched so well. I always feel Sara & Kirill look a bit of a mismatch in comparison. John Dunn later went to Australia to do the same development.
 
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