Dutch Figure Skating 2021-2022

[ladyjane]

It's a bit early for a new season's thread, but I've seen quite a few others passing me by, so I think it's time to also start a new one about Dutch Figure Skating.

After the strange but actually quite successful season 2020-2021 for Dutch skaters, it's a nice moment to reflect on them. There are skaters in all disciplines now, although I'm not sure whether the one man will continue.

For now the 'Dutch senior team' consists of the following skaters - if at all possible I will add some comments. There are Fanfests for most of them. My sources are from everywhere, mostly from the website www.schaatsen.nl and also the German Magazine Pirouette that tends to have more information about less well known European skaters than International Figure Skating (which obviously is also a source). Wikipedia is also important as are ISU Bios.

Pairs.
There are two pairs. This is an enormous luxury, as we haven't had pairs at the senior international level in many years.
Daria Danilova/Michel Tsiba - the first Dutch Pair ever to go to a Worlds Championships (in 2021).
Nika Osipova/Dmitry Epstein - a relatively new Pair that could only partake in one competition last season, but they've got their minimum TES for the SP.

Men
Thomas Kennes - Thomas has been on the scene for quite some time, has taken part in multiple European Championships but it is uncertain whether he will continue. There was an upcoming junior (Didier Dijkstra) but it seems he regrettably had to quit because of the cost.

Ice Dance
We have another luxury in that we now have two ID Teams at the international level.
Hannah Jakucs and Alessio Galli - originally representing Hungary they are now skating for The Netherlands. They had some problems last season, but I'm sure they will be back on the scene this season.
Chelsea Verhaegh and Sherim van Geffen - they haven't been skating together long but had a bit of a dream season despite all the Covid-19 issues. They managed to skate at the World Championships 2021 which they hadn't expected at the start of the season.

Women
Lindsay van Zundert - Lindsay was the hero of last season for us Dutchies. She managed to qualify a spot for The Netherlands at the upcoming OG. The last time there was a Dutch skater was in 1976.
Niki Wories - Niki has been around for quite a while and has been to both European and World Championships in the past. Alas, she has been hampered by injuries the last few years. She would have gone to the WC in 2020 but as everyone knows it was cancelled, and her rival managed to get to the one in 2021 instead. However, she is still very much in the game and training hard for the upcoming season.


I am less knowledgeable about the juniors but there definitely are some girls up and coming there as well whom I hope we will see at some JGPs.

 

[ladyjane]

Somehow there's news already. The Dutch skating Federation has decided to implement a National Training Selection for Figure Skaters, starting in season 2022-2023. Just found this a few minutes ago on one of my major source sites. Not this season, but still. That's good news because that will mean that Figure Skaters will get more attention within the Federation. There's been big fights about this because both long track and short track always got the funds and attention from the Federation. There's a reason why Joan Haanappel started her own Foundation to support Figure Skating talents. It's pleasing for me to find out they've finally actually realised they have to develop Figure Skating further.

However, they're planning to organise all this in Heerenveen - that town in The North of the country with the more than excellent facilities for long track skating. But for Figure skating? It seems odd, as there are other towns in The Netherlands with much better facilities specifically for Figure Skaters, like Dordrecht, Eindhoven and The Hague. Or even Zoetermeer (a town with no long track oval, only a Figure skating rink). Why give a new (for The Netherlands) concept to a skating facility where Figure Skating never has been on the horizon at all? I hope I'm too pessimistic about the prospects but this just feels wrong.

 

[ladyjane]

Some really interesting news on the Figure Skating front. The Dutch Skating Federation has found itself an excellent advisor to set up their National Training Centre. It's Javier Fernandez. If there's one (former) competitive skater who knows about building figure skating where there is no such tradition, it must be Javier!

Here's the announcement (in Dutch):
https://www.schaatsen.nl/nieuws/202...an-oud-wereldkampioen-javier-fernandez-lopez/

There is some background information on the 'deal', a picture of Javier signing up (as well as an older picture of him skating) and Javier makes a joke about there at least being a (speed) skating tradition in The Netherlands.

 

[YoenNL]

Some really interesting news on the Figure Skating front. The Dutch Skating Federation has found itself an excellent advisor to set up their National Training Centre. It's Javier Fernandez. If there's one (former) competitive skater who knows about building figure skating where there is no such tradition, it must be Javier!

Here's the announcement (in Dutch):
https://www.schaatsen.nl/nieuws/202...an-oud-wereldkampioen-javier-fernandez-lopez/

There is some background information on the 'deal', a picture of Javier signing up (as well as an older picture of him skating) and Javier makes a joke about there at least being a (speed) skating tradition in The Netherlands.

Here you can see a video which was just released: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cesOVEVxZE

 

[ladyjane]

Thank you @YoenNL. Good to see that the ID disipline will also be included in this initiative! I was a little worried the new National Training Centre would be limited to single skaters. Of course it's possible that certain skaters who already are in training elsewhere will not take part eventually, but that obviously is up to them!

For those among you who don't speak Dutch: the video shows a group of Figure Skaters in Heerenveen (where the NTC will be based) who spent two days there to have a little sniff how it's going to be. Interviews with Niki Wories and Sherim van Geffen (an Ice Dancer) and some younger skaters who all seemed enthusiastic about the project, and also about where it is. It seems my pessimism about the chosen location is not shared by the skaters themselves, and as they are the ones concerned I should keep my mouth shut about this from now on!

And now a Head Coach needs to be found. With an excellent advisor to help out (see one of my earlier posts about Javier Fernandez), I'm sure that will work out too.

 

[ladyjane]

I posted this last saturday in the Daria Danilova/Michel Tsiba fan thread, and thought it would be interesting for this thread too:

Today I received my copy of Pirouette Magazine, and lo and behold, there was some coverage about these two. They are training hard (for the most part in Berlin and Michel expressed being grateful to the German Federation for making it possible to train there all through the pandemic), but don't know yet whether they or their rivals - Osipova/Epstein -will be allowed to go and try for an Olympic berth at Nebelhorn. They plan to do another Challenger in any case. Daria has no Dutch citizenship yet - although she is studying the language - but they expect the Dutch authorities to be flexible if an Olympic berth is on the line (thumbs up that this is true and , obviously that they get the berth! But there's only three pairs berths at Nebelhorn, so they've got their task cut out for them if they can go). They are working on their elements, especially the twist and the throws. They will keep their programmes from last season because they haven't yet been able to show them to the full. According to the interviewer Michel seemed to be confident and upbeat.

 

[ladyjane]

Lindsay van Zundert will compete at Lombardia Trophy (September 10-12 2021). There are 40 women scheduled to compete there, so it's going to be quite a challenge for Lindsay, but I hope of course she does well!

I had hoped to see one or both of the Dutch ID couples there as well, but regrettably that is not the case.

 

[Weathergal]

Lindsay van Zundert will compete at Lombardia Trophy (September 10-12 2021). There are 40 women scheduled to compete there, so it's going to be quite a challenge for Lindsay, but I hope of course she does well!

I had hoped to see one or both of the Dutch ID couples there as well, but regrettably that is not the case.

I really enjoyed her skating at World's. So weird that she ended up skating first for both the SP and FS. But she rose to the occasion!

 

[ladyjane]

Some news on the Dutch front:

First the Juniors.
Mikai van Ommeren took part in the second Courchevel JGP, and ended up being 12th with a total of 116.61 points. In the following JGP (in Kosice) another Dutch young woman will take part: Julia van Dijk, while Dani Loonstra will take part in Krasnoyarsk. The girl who scores the best of these three (I don't know whether this will be counted as placements, points or even otherwise) will be permitted to do a second JGP (the one in Linz, Austria). (source in Dutch: https://www.schaatsen.nl/nieuws/2021/augustus/mikai-van-ommeren-debuteert-in-grand-prix/ )

Second, the senior pairs.
I have found out in the Lombardia Trophy thread that of the nine participants in the separate Pairs Competition (not part of the Challenger series, but taking place on the same days and still called 'Lombardia Trophy') there will be one of the Dutch couples: Daria Danilova and Michel Tsiba. Glad to see them. For more info https://www.goldenskate.com/forum/threads/2021-lombardia-trophy-general-info.88620/ and a thank you to @Andrea82 for posting the total list of participants.

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Although it is not strictly on topic, I thought I should provide you an update on Phebe Bekker, the half-Dutch Ice Dancer (and former double British Solo Dance Champion) who I mentioned in last season's thread.

After splitting with her Ice Dance partner Theo Alexander, Phebe was looking for a new partner, and was open to the possibility of switching to the Netherlands. Well, she has managed to find a new partner within the British system. None other than James Hernandez who, since there were no British Championships last season, is still the reigning British Junior Ice Dance Champion with the now retired Emily Rose Brown.

Phebe will be making her Junior GP debut at the Ljubljana Cup in 3 weeks time. (James already has 4 seasons of Junior GP experience under his belt).

So, you won't be pinching her off us just yet!

All the best to them!

And all the best to your own Ice Dance partnerships. (Any idea when we might be seeing them?)

CaroLiza_fan

 

[ladyjane]

Thank you @CaroLiza_fan for this information. Maybe not strictly on topic, but interesting enough to put down here. I will definitely follow this couple in Llubljana!

I wish I knew when we will be seeing our own ID couples. Hopefully one of them will compete at Nebelhorn, but I had at least expected to see Hannah Jakucs and Alessio Galli at Lombardia as they train in Italy for most of the time. But alas, no.

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Thank you @CaroLiza_fan for this information. Maybe not strictly on topic, but interesting enough to put down here. I will definitely follow this couple in Llubljana!

You're welcome. I was so impressed with her previous partnership, and thought they had teh potential to become the next big thing in British Ice Dance. So when they split, I was worried Phebe may end up having to go back to Solo Dance due to the lack of male Ice Dancers about. That was why I brought her situation up in the old Dutch thread, in case you had any male skaters who were looking a good partner for Ice Dance.

So, after mentioning her to you guys before, I thought it was only right to let you know that, although there will be no skaters representing the Netherlands, there will nevertheless be some indirect Dutch interest in Slovenia.

I wish I knew when we will be seeing our own ID couples. Hopefully one of them will compete at Nebelhorn, but I had at least expected to see Hannah Jakucs and Alessio Galli at Lombardia as they train in Italy for most of the time. But alas, no.

I too hope to see Dutch representation in the Ice Dance at the Nebelhorn. Hey, I hope to see your skaters out in all categories! Because you are quickly developing into a pretty good team.

I had been getting concerned about the Nebelhorn. We are now 3 weeks away from the most important competition of the season, and there is still no sign of a Provisional Entry List. For goodness sake, the Junior GP's normally release their Provisional Entry Lists a month before the competition! But, I just looked at the announcement PDF, and the closing date for Nebelhorn entires was only on Friday. So, I was a bit premature in getting concerned.

Hopefully the Dutch Fed got a whole batch of entries submitted in time.

Mmmmm. That is indeed curious about Hannah and Alessio. The Lombardia would have seemed a natural competition to kick off their campaign at. Let's hope there are no injuries or anything.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[ladyjane]

Nebelhorn news! The entries for the OG Qualifier are up: http://www.isuresults.com/events/fsevent00110963.htm .
I am very happy to see that the Netherlands has entries in both the pairs (Daria Danilova and Michel Tsiba) and the ID (Chelsea Verhaegh and Sherim van Geffen) disciplines. It's going to be a tough job in getting OG berths as there aren't that many available (3 and 4 in each discipline respectively), but it's just so wonderful to have couples at the level that it's worthwhile trying. I wish them a lot of success!

No women, but a Dutch woman has already qualified the Netherlands at the WC 2021, so I'm sure the Dutch women will compete elsewhere to get standing points and improve on their PB's.

 

[ladyjane]

Some news from the JGP in Kosice.
Our second young woman, Julia van Dijk, ended 13th with 131,76 points (15th in the SP, 12th in the FS). Though her placement was 1 lower than Mikai's at Courchevel II (who was 12th), she ended up with a much higher score, there's app. 15 points difference. There were no Russian girls in Courchevel II, which made it perhaps a little easier in placing higher.

She was very pleased with her Free skate. So was her coach. Good for her! Source (in Dutch): https://www.schaatsen.nl/nieuws/2021/september/julia-van-dijk-verguld-met-debuut-in-grand-prix/ .

 

[ladyjane]

The senior season has started. Lindsay van Zundert had an excellent kick off of the season at Lombardia Trophy (Challenger) this afternoon. I couldn't see it until later but she had a great skate. She did a triple-triple combination (lutz-toeloop) albeit a bit underrotated on the second jump, and showed a great 3-loop as well as excellent spins. For a first outing of the season with a completely new programme her skate was truly admireable. She is currently in 6th place after the Short Programme. Take a look at her programme:

Lindsay van Zundert 2021

Lindsay tijdens haar eerste wedstrijd van dit seizoen in Italië

www.youtube.com

 

[ladyjane]

Just a small note, as I haven't seen Lindsay's skate yet. I understand it was a bit of a rough skate (8th and 7th overall) just like last year at Nebelhorn (where she also was 7th overall but only 10th in the FS). Not bad, but I hope she will improve going along the season. Back later. Pairs first!

 

[Laid-Back Enthusiast]

Just a small note, as I haven't seen Lindsay's skate yet. I understand it was a bit of a rough skate (8th and 7th overall) just like last year at Nebelhorn (where she also was 7th overall but only 10th in the FS). Not bas, but I hope she will improve going along the season. Back later. Pairs first!

falls and underrotations

 

[ladyjane]

I'm back. Just saw Lindsay's skate and although it was, indeed, rough with 2 falls and underrotations, her attitude is admirable. No falling apart, but continuing. Wonderful. This is her first competition after all this season. Here goes:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uzltNsL4TE .

 

[ladyjane]

Pairs:
Daria and Michel definitely have improved but, alas, two falls for Daria. Seventh out of ten which isn't fantastic. However, their synchronisation in the spins has improved a lot (was superb to be honest), while Michel is good in stretching his arms (which can be a problem for him). Also, Michel is a good, supportive pairs partner, and I like seeing that. Far too often the girl is blamed for mistakes, but Michel realises that it's not so simple. I hope they will do better tomorrow!

 

[ladyjane]

Pairs FS at Lombardia.
Daria and Michel regrettably dropped a placement (they ended as 8th), but there are a few positives to mention here. Their twist is so much better than before. The lifts went well, and even the SBS jumps weren't any worse compared to the other skaters (even the top guns had some problems with those, some more, some less), but the throws seem to be a problem.

Train well and good luck at Nebelhorn, and hopefully getting those jumps right!