Let's Chat About Less-Known Skaters!

[purplecat]

Naomi is still one of my all time favorites... nice to see her coaching now.

 

[skatingfan4ever]

This is my 4th post in the thread to mention Andrew Torgashev, but I hope you'll forgive me. I know many of you can't watch US Nationals, so I've decided to post Andrew's programs here, like I did Sam Mindra's. I also posted them in his Fan Fest today, and you all are more than welcome to join us over there. Andrew's goal going in was to place in the top 10. I've written how it went earlier in the thread, but now you can SEE it. You're in for a treat, so please enjoy!

Short Program: 78.78 - 5th place Gorgeous 3A, unlike at Challenge Cup, and also watch for the beautiful details, some of which are even better in the replays.

SP Andrew Torgashev.mp4

Shared with Dropbox

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Free Skate: 177.78 - 1st place (the top 3 all got 177s but, yeah, Andrew still won it ) His Total Score was 256.56, moving him up to 3rd place. Hands down, this is the BEST he has jumped in his career EVER in a Free Skate! As for the artistry, just watch and FEEL IT, feel how the program builds!

The Ice Tea Podcast asked him about his general goals for competitions. He said, "Putting that choreography and those jumps on blast and getting everything done and making those programs how they're supposed to look." Well, he fully did it in this FS, and I am so happy for him! His reaction on the ice and in the K&C says more than words ever could!

LP Andrew Torgashev.mp4

Shared with Dropbox

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BONUS! Here's the start of Andrew's SP Warmup. Trust me, it's not boring. He's doing beautiful footwork with beautiful posture, and then eventually he does an axel and a toeloop. His basic skating shines through even though there's random music on and random stuff happening around him. Incredible!

SP Andrew Torgashev Warmup.mp4

Shared with Dropbox

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I LOVE this quote from Andrew: "I always had this dream of being able to mix in this artistic side of skating — the beauty of the way you tell the story and get the audience into it — as well as performing difficult jumps and getting the points." (Source)

 

[skatedreamer]

I LOVE this quote from Andrew: "I always had this dream of being able to mix in this artistic side of skating — the beauty of the way you tell the story and get the audience into it — as well as performing difficult jumps and getting the points." (Source)

Same here; for me, the artistry is just as important as the jumps!

 

[4everchan]

Here is one of my relatively recent discoveries.... I mean, I was way too young to watch figure skating in those years..

Kay Thomson. 3 times Canadian Champion. Highest finish at worlds :5th.
Watch for her spins !
Also, Kay Thomson didn't have the common jump package others had back then. Her two triples were the lutz and the flip (she landed a great lutz in this video but opened up on the flip- you can hear the Japanese commentator get excited for the big tricks)... while most women did the toe loop and salchow..and some the loop.
She definitely loved the 2axel



If we trust the commentators and wiki, she is the first woman doing a triple lutz cobo in the SP



her wiki entry https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kay_Thomson

 

[skatingfan4ever]

I discovered 2 pairs who particularly impressed me at Worlds, with especially nice lifts.

Anastasia Golubeva and Hektor Giotopoulos Moore (AUS)
Honestly, I thought Harley Windsor was the only pairs guy in Australia, but apparently not.

Annika Hocke and Robert Kunkel (GER)
Annika really stood out to me. Their clean, wonderful FS made me smile, as did their reaction.

Anyone want to share any info on them?

 

[jersey1302]

So I train with 3 skaters on Winnipeg that you should hear of.
a pair of Yonathan Elizarov and Ava Kemp 19 and 14? and novice/jr skater David Howes. David just finished 5th for Canada in Luxembourg at the development championship. Ava and Yonathan finished 6th at junior worlds for Canada.Currently national junior silver medalists. They have only been skating together for approx a year as of now. When they started competing they had only been together for few momaths. They’re incredibly talented and only time will hone their skills. I would be surprised in the least to see them win a national title.

David is a little gem. He’sjust turned 16. He is so expressive on the ice. Great lines, his jumps are coming. Fantastic personality. Such a hard worker..he is the novice champion of Canada.

 

[skatedreamer]

So I train with 3 skaters on Winnipeg that you should hear of.
a pair of Yonathan Elizarov and Ava Kemp 19 and 14? and novice/jr skater David Howes. David just finished 5th for Canada in Luxembourg at the development championship. Ava and Yonathan finished 6th at junior worlds for Canada.Currently national junior silver medalists. They have only been skating together for approx a year as of now. When they started competing they had only been together for few momaths. They’re incredibly talented and only time will hone their skills. I would be surprised in the least to see them win a national title.

David is a little gem. He’s just turned 16. He is so expressive on the ice. Great lines, his jumps are coming. Fantastic personality. Such a hard worker..he is the novice champion of Canada.

A Canadian version of Jason Brown? I hope so -- the more of those (from any country) the better!

 

[jersey1302]

A Canadian version of Jason Brown? I hope so -- the more of those (from any country) the better!

Haha well .. I mean I wouldn’t quite go that far yet haha.. I think there may be a video of Dave’s on YouTube now from the recent coup du printemps

 

[skatedreamer]

Haha well .. I mean I wouldn’t quite go that far yet haha.. I think there may be a video of Dave’s on YouTube now from the recent coup du printemps

well, you said he was only 16. He's got some time.

 

[Skater Boy]

Here is one of my relatively recent discoveries.... I mean, I was way too young to watch figure skating in those years..

Kay Thomson. 3 times Canadian Champion. Highest finish at worlds :5th.
Watch for her spins !
Also, Kay Thomson didn't have the common jump package others had back then. Her two triples were the lutz and the flip (she landed a great lutz in this video but opened up on the flip- you can hear the Japanese commentator get excited for the big tricks)... while most women did the toe loop and salchow..and some the loop.
She definitely loved the 2axel



If we trust the commentators and wiki, she is the first woman doing a triple lutz cobo in the SP


.
her wiki entry https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kay_Thomson

Kay Thomson's 1983 SP at her nationals was underscored. Back then a triple lutz double toe combo is what the best men did She deserved 5.8's and 5.9s technically especially since she had outstanding spins. If this were at the Us championships she would have 6.0 technicall.

 

[4everchan]

Kay Thomson's 1983 SP at her nationals was underscored. Back then a triple lutz double toe combo is what the best men did She deserved 5.8's and 5.9s technically especially since she had outstanding spins. If this were at the Us championships she would have 6.0 technicall.

40 years later and Canadian judges still underscore their skaters, not just at Nationals but at international events too...

 

[ladyjane]

I discovered 2 pairs who particularly impressed me at Worlds, with especially nice lifts.

Anastasia Golubeva and Hektor Giotopoulos Moore (AUS)
Honestly, I thought Harley Windsor was the only pairs guy in Australia, but apparently not.

Annika Hocke and Robert Kunkel (GER)
Annika really stood out to me. Their clean, wonderful FS made me smile, as did their reaction.

Anyone want to share any info on them?

Anastasia and Hektor have impressed me as well, starting last year when they came second for the first time at jr worlds (they repeated that feat this season). They have mostly been focussing on jrs (even withdrawing from 4cc) this season and I was quite disappointed when they were only 11th after the SP at SR worlds. But that turned around totally at the FS. Wow!

Annika and Robert were the first German skaters to be at a jGP final and medal at a jGP. That was in 2019. They were 4th at jWC in that same season (in Talinn 2020). Then came Covid, then came injury and they stagnated quite a bit. It is this season that they have been on the rebound - medalling at a GP, medalling at European's, having a great FS at Worlds. I was so pleased for them. Their throw loop is wonderful to watch, they have nice lifts and they just know how to look good. Annika's smile is to die for.

 

[Ruthypegs]

Has anyone mentioned Jari Kessler (Croatia)? A beautiful, expressive skater - really feels the music. Unfortunately, he didn't progress to the Free at the Worlds this year, but he's worth looking out for at future events:

Jari Kessler – 2023 Bellu Memorial FS

www.youtube.com

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDO0aelxdkU

 

[viennaskater]

My favourite 'lesser-known' ice dance couple this season is Marie Dupayage and Thomas Nabais. Skating together since 2016, they began the 2022-23 season by winning bronze at the 2022 CS Nepela Memorial and then silver at the Trophée Métropole Nice Côte d'Azur in October. In November, they placed ninth at the 2022 Grand Prix de France, their first Grand Prix appearance, and then took bronze at the 2022 CS Warsaw Cup. They took gold at the 2023 University Games.

I saw them live at Nepela Memorial for the first time and was most impressed. Their style reminds me of Papadakis/Cizeron and early Gilles/Poirier. They performed an African-themed rhythm dance and a beautifully-choreographed FD, using an unusual, but beautiful music choice.

I was very disappointed that they did not get to perform their FD at 2023 Worlds, having just missed out on qualifying.



I hope to see them get the marks they deserve next season!

 

[Diana Delafield]

Has anyone mentioned Jari Kessler (Croatia)? A beautiful, expressive skater - really feels the music. Unfortunately, he didn't progress to the Free at the Worlds this year, but he's worth looking out for at future events:

Jari Kessler – 2023 Bellu Memorial FS

www.youtube.com

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDO0aelxdkU

Nice! I hadn't noticed him before but will keep an eye out in the future. I like the music -- difficult to skate a program to if you tend to draw memory blanks in a performance as I did (skating, gymnastics, dance, piano, singing, acting -- you name it, I can forget what comes next at some point ) since there's no obvious pattern to the music. Mesmerizing when he does it, though.

 

[skatedreamer]

Has anyone mentioned Jari Kessler (Croatia)? A beautiful, expressive skater - really feels the music. Unfortunately, he didn't progress to the Free at the Worlds this year, but he's worth looking out for at future events:

Jari Kessler – 2023 Bellu Memorial FS

www.youtube.com

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDO0aelxdkU

thanks for this; he's definitely one to watch!

 

[TT_Fin]

Has anyone mentioned Jari Kessler (Croatia)? A beautiful, expressive skater - really feels the music. Unfortunately, he didn't progress to the Free at the Worlds this year, but he's worth looking out for at future events:

Jari Kessler – 2023 Bellu Memorial FS

www.youtube.com

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDO0aelxdkU

I don't remember if I have mentioned him but has been thinking about it. He was great to watch live at Europeans.

 

[Bluediamonds09]

Can we discuss how nicole schott improved so much? She has always had lovely qualities, but she has maximized what she's been able to do in the past: even without a lutz (does it hurt her foot? her toe? does she struggle with edge, so has removed it completely?) she has a 3F-3t well into her 20s. Because she is from Germany, where (correct me if wrong) kids MUST go to school, perhaps she learned a lot after graduating, with more time on her hands? Did she switch to a more proficient coach who encouraged the more difficult triple-triples?

 

[Weathergal]

Can we discuss how nicole schott improved so much? She has always had lovely qualities, but she has maximized what she's been able to do in the past: even without a lutz (does it hurt her foot? her toe? does she struggle with edge, so has removed it completely?) she has a 3F-3t well into her 20s. Because she is from Germany, where (correct me if wrong) kids MUST go to school, perhaps she learned a lot after graduating, with more time on her hands? Did she switch to a more proficient coach who encouraged the more difficult triple-triples?

She really has had some nice performances and results this year! I'm really happy for her as well.

She's been with Michael Huth since 2014; he coached Carolina Kostner for much of her career so perhaps his approach helps with career longevity.

 

[Sackie]

With all the talk of whether or not Lia Pereira should stop skating singles and just do pairs, I want to give a shout out to Cynthia Coull who did both and at worlds 1985 was able to finish top 10 in both singles and pairs. The main thing holding her back in singles was figures. She did however win the silver medal at NHK one year and also her and her partner won a world bronze medal in pairs.