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| European Championships 2003 Ladies Qualifying - Group B |
| Before you read: The skaters are listed in the order they finished. x/x is a jump combination, x...x is a jump sequence. 2.5jump means that skater landed forwards on two feet, being half of rotation short. I had difficulty with spotting sideways leaning spins since everything looked like a layback to me so in some cases where you will see layback, it can be a mistake and the skater could have actually performed a sideways leaning spin. Furthermore, I sometimes wasn't quick enough with writing down all the positions skater did in the combination spin. |
| The championships began, suprisingly, with Ladies Qualifying. Since the men's events were much more popular, the organizing commitee decided to swap them with ladies. At this early point of competition, the organisation was just appaling. Security was letting people inside, in the middle of the performances. To make it worse, there were hundreds of horrible kids everywhere. Of course, they had no interest in what was happening on ice, and they were running around, chasing each other, and screaming. As usual, the groups were completely unequal. This was due to the fact that the strongest skaters, were the ones not seeded (sigh). That was the much weaker group. Volchkova who won, probably wouldn't have even made the top 3 in the group A. 1. Viktoria Volchkova /RUS/ Air and Four Seasons performed by Vanessa Mae 3toe, 3lutz/2toe, 3lip, layback spin, 3salchow (step out), poor circular step sequence, fall on an underrotated 3loop, flying camel, 3lutz, just hung on to 2axel, camel/layback/catchfoot/sit/Y, upright spin Vassiliev completely reinvented Totmianina/Marinin and I am sure that he would be able to do the same with Viktoria. Unfortunately it hasn’t been done and, as her previous programs, this FP contains little choreography and mostly contains plain stroking. Spins are still relatively weak and I have to say that I have noticed no real improvement. This probably is this Igor’s plan to make Volchkova skate easier programs clean and it seemed to have worked so far this season. Nevertheless it hasn’t worked here and, as she has been very good in practice, I won’t take pneumonia for an excuse. Viktoria’s jumps are amazing but when they don’t work, there’s really nothing left in her programs so she has to skate clean if she wants to fight for the medals. She has been very lucky to skate in this much easier group. /dark pink dress with a black veil on it./ Warm-up: 3loop, 3toe 5.1-5.6 / 5.2-5.7 2. Elina Kettunen /FIN/ Les Miserables 2lutz, 3loop, camel spin, 2lip, 3toe, combination spin, 3lutz, good extensions on spiral sequence which covered lots of ice, 2salchow, straight line step sequence quite slow, 2axel, camel/sit/sit variation/layback/sit/Y She was the fastest skater out of the whole ladies field here and had the best ice coverage. Her presentation improved a lot. Accents of the music were highlighted by hand movements and the interpretation was good. Jumpwise this performance reflects her practices. Half clean, half doubled. Spins could have been faster and 0.1 has to be deducted for no combination. She landed three triples to place *second* in her group. She probably would have finished around eighth in the other... /pink dress with lots of silver glitter on./ Warm-up: 3loop, 3lutz/2toe, 3lip, 2salchow, 3salchow, amazing, why couldn’t she have skated like this 25 minutes later?!! 4.6-5.4 / 5.0-5.6 3. Elena Liashenko /UKR/ Tango by M. Mores, A. Piazolla 3lutz (hard fall), 3flip (two-footed), 3toe, nice camel, 3loop (underrotated&two-footed), 2axel, sit spin, poor spiral sequence which was the slowest in the field, 3salchow, layback spin, 3lutz(two-footed)/2toe, popped lip, very fast combination spin She was very slow and unfortunately seems to have regressed with presentation. She completely ignored the rhythm and didn’t interpret the music well. This program is nowhere near her previous classical ones. Also, all the other ladies in the field had faster spiral sequences. Liashenko skated as bad as she probably could and this is just ridiculous judging. She should have been no higher than sixth really. Warm-up: 3lutz/2toe, 3loop black&red glittering dress 4.4-5.3 / 4.7-5.3 4. Anne Sophie Calvez /FRA/ On A Golden Pond by Dave Grusin camel spin, 3toe/3toe, spiral to spread eagle begins the spiral sequence, 2axel, 3flutz/2toe, beautiful layback spin, 3loop (fall), popped loop, circular step sequence, 2.5lip, deathdrop, step out of 3lutz, 3salchow, camel/sit/layback/change sit/upright This nice, upbeat, pseudo-classical music suits her perfectly and conceals her poor presentation as she hops around to it. The program contains very little linking steps and almost no choreography. Calvez is an athletic skater and a great jumper, however she must improve her second mark if she wants to get anywhere. She also has an affinity to change the edges on her jumps. And of course, her biggest problem is and will be fragility. Warm-up: 2axel, 3toe/3toe black dress with silver “diamonds” Tech: 4.6-5.1 / Pres: 4.5-5.2 5. Diana Poth /HUN/ Romeo and Juliet by P.I. Tschaikovsky 3lutz, fall on 3lip, 2loop, layback spin, 3flip, spiral sequence, low 3salchow/2toe, camel spin which was slow but had many rotations, 3toe (hand down), 2axel, long combination spin finished with a Y-spin There was some nice choreography and interpretation in places, however for most of the program, there was just plain stroking and nothing was going on. Poth is still nowhere near her past great form. Her jumps are tiny. The strongest point of that program was her good basic skating quality. She had a soft kneebend and nicely flowed over the ice surface. Warm-up: 2axel /black see-through dress/ Tech: 4.5-5.3 / Pres: 4.7-5.4 6. Zuzana Babiakova /SVK/ Kolja Soundtrack by Ondrej Soukup 3lutz/2toe, 3flip, 3toe, camel spin, 2loop, layback spin, pulled landing on 2axel, 3loop (step out), 1salchow, easy steps, camel/sit/sideways/camel/sit, deathdrop Zuzana’s jumping technique and content is top class, however all other things about her skating are very mediocre. Spins and spirals could be much better. This program has very little linking elements and choreography and she was very slow today. I read before that her free program this season was Incantation and it intrigues me. If this is a new program, she could have as well stayed with the previous one, I suppose. Warm-up: 3lutz /green dress with some glitter on it/ Tech: 4.6-4.9 / Pres: 4.5-4.8 7. Olga Vassiljeva /EST/ Bolero, Moulin Rouge Soundtrack by Jose Feliciano 3toe (hung on), 3loop, 3salchow, 2axel (almost touched with hand), 2lip, combination spin began with camel and finished with klimkin, 2axel/2toe, layback spin, 2lutz, spiral sequence, sit spin, circular step sequence, sit var/change sit/Y Out of all the ladies here, she certainly has improved the most since last year. She doesn’t have flip and lutz consistently yet but all the rest of jumps are there. You could see that she lost weight. She skates much faster, lighter and softer. Her spins were very good. What was lacking in this program was choreography. Some of it was very good but there was a lot of plain stroking. Nevertheless considering that she doesn’t have a good choreographer, and did it partly herself, that was a great effort. If only she could change that horrid costume… Well if judging was just, Liashenko would finish either above or behind (as I would have placed her) Vassiljeva. Warm-up: 3toe /horrible costume, pink corset with green vines on it and a black skirt/ Tech: 4.2-4.8 / Pres: 4.2-5.0 8. Idora Hegel /CRO/ The Mask of Zorro Soundtrack by James Horner As soon as I noticed her in the warm-up, I was sure that she will be skating to Gladiator. Her armor-like costume was just so not Zorro! 2axel/half-loop/3loop, didn’t take off on salchow, 3lutz(two-footed)/2toe, 3toe(possibly two-footed)/2toe, camel/sit/Y/layback/sit/Y, bad extensions on spiral sequence, flying camel (the jump was very low), 3salchow, layback spin, nice straight line step sequence, 3loop (fall), combination spin with interesting variations Just as Olga, Idora has improved tremendously. She has always skated through her programs and I knew that the potential was there since usually at the beginning and end she would interpret the music very well and have some choreography. This is her first season with Oksana Gorbacov, her new choreographer, and the results are visible already. There was lots of choreography in this program, and Hegel is so “voidy”, executes it with so much passion and attack, that it is just a joy to watch. Unfortunately when under pressure, her jumping ability regresses. Her jumps were low and again her tendency to double-foot them gave itself away. Although spins were ok, spirals were very poor. Not only could be extensions considered to be bad, but she doesn’t really stretch her leg, "as if doing a split", as it is required. These were probably the worse spirals today. Nevertheless I was very impressed, as she has finally started to make use of her potential. Warm-up: was very bad, after some failures eventually landed 3loop /brass dress which looked like armor/ Tech: 4.1-4.8 / Pres: 4.0-4.9 9. Daria Timoshenko /AZE/ Black Hawk Down soundtrack by Hans Zimmer 3flip, 2lutz/2toe, two-footed 3salchow…2toe, biellmann spin, 2loop, good extensions on spiral sequence, 1lutz, 3toe, steps into 2axel, camel/sit/biellmann/sit/biellmann/, Y-spin, scratch butterfly to flying camel/biellmann/biellmann on 2nd foot (!) She is the only skater in the world, apart from Slutskaya, to do a biellmann spin on both feet. Unfortunately rest of her skating isn’t of that wonderful. Choreography and construction of the program were decent, however the quality of jumps was very bad. They were low, just hung on to, with a very scratchy landings, which remind of late Soldatova. The landing edge was very insecure and held only for a moment. Warm-up: 2axel /black&yellow “jungle”, “torn” dress/ Tech: 4.1-5.1 / Pres: 3.8 – 4.9 (same as Hegel, must have lost “in the lottery”) 10. Jenna McCorkell /GBR/ Xotica from Cirque du Soleil 3lutz (hung on), 3salchow/half-loop/2salchow, 3lip (fall), camel/sit/layback/sit nice but slowed down at end, 2axel, 3loop (step out), layback, spiral sequence, 3toe (step out), camel/Y, 1axel/2toe, camel spin It was really sad to watch this after having seen her perfect practice sessions. She skated right after Wojtala and her ice coverage was a little worse than Sabina's. Spins were ok but there wasn’t much choreography. McCorkell is only 16, I wouldn’t call her skating junior though. She just needs to work on her presentation a little and have better constructed programs. Skating quality is ok. There wasn’t an issue with flutzing here, however her edge going into the lutz is very shallow and she does lip. Warm-up: 3loop, 3lutz, 3toe/2toe, like in practice, no problems at all /red dress with loads of glitter/ Tech: 4.2-4.8 / Pres: 4.0-5.1 11. Julia Lautowa /AUT/ Malaguena; The World Of Flamenco by Ernesto Lecuona Macarena by Calero Monterde 3lutz (fall), 2flip, 2loop, 3toe (fall), layback spin, popped loop, straight line step sequence ok, 3salchow, 2toe, 2axel(just)/2toe, camel/sit/layback/camel/biellmann, camel/helicopter I was sure it will end up like this. She was a complete mess, even in practice. And it's a real shame because this program was very well constructed, and had much more linking elements than most other ladies here. I am pretty convinced that I made a mistake in my notes, as you can see only three spins above. If that was the case, Julia should have received 0.1 deduction for one lacking but I don't believe that such an experienced competitor would have made this mistake. Warm-up: was very good, she did a 2axel just before her skate /red&black "flamenco dress"/ Tech: 3.7-4.7 / Pres: 4.3-5.2 12. Sabina Wojtala /POL/ Music by Raul di Blasio 2lutz, 3toe/2toe, flying camel, 2salchow, sit/change sit, spiral sequence with great extensions, 2loop, layback spin, fall on 3lutz, fall on 3salchow, circular step sequence, 2axel, camel/sit/layback/sit/Y/upright Again, total meltdown. Sabina has such a great quality about her skating that if she could hit the jumps, she could really achieve something. Ice coverage was great and in my opinion, she had the best spiral sequence out of all competitors here (Monika thought that second best, after Slutskaya). The program was beautifully choreographed by Elena Tschaikovskaya and for the first time, Wojtala perform all of it, even though that the jumps weren't working. Last season, she would just drop her arms and skate around with a depressed look on her face. Here she was fighting until the end. As much as I probably am nationally biased, I still believe that she should have easily placed eighth here, on the stenght of all the qualities I have mentioned. Warm-up: 3toe, 3loop(turn out), 3lutz(turn out), why couldn't she repeat this? :( /pink dress/ Tech: 3.8-4.5 / Pres: 4.1-4.9 13. Tugba Karademir /TUR/ Adios Nonino and Liber Tango by Astor Piazzolla 2.5 flip, 3salchow, 3salchow (step out), wobbly off-centred camel/sit/butt out/catchfoot, 3salchow/loop (two-footed and underrotated), nice spiral sequence, 3salchow/2toe, layback spin, 2axel, cross-foot spin, inverted camel spin Oh my... Tugba should get 0.1 or 0.2 deduction for three or four (I am not sure of one jump) salchows. What was she thinking? I also have no step sequence put down but I assume she had one. Quality of her jumps is far from good. They are very laboured. One element in her skating, which is really shining is her Kwanish spiral sequence. She needs to improve her basic skating, as it looks very heavy. Warm-up: ? /black asymetric dress with a silver stripe and a red rose attached/ Tech: 3.8-4.6 / Pres: 3.8-4.7 14. Asa Persson /SWE/ Leija's Game; Fuga Y Misterio; Invierno Porteno; Bailongo by Astor Piazzolla 2axel, 3loop (fall), flying camel to inverted position, 3lutz (fall), camel into a nice combination spin with interesting positions finished with sit/Y, spiral sequence, 2flip (step out), 3salchow, layback spin, 3toe (step out), 2salchow/turn/2toe, sit spin Well this was the same mess as in practice sessions. Generic choreography and tiny jumps. Spins were nice but that's the only good thing which can be said about her skating, really. And furthermore she is in an absolutely terrible form. Warm-up: step out of 3toe, 3loop (turn out) /black dress with whiteyish deco on top/ Tech: 3.9-4.3 / Pres: 4.0-5.0 15. Roxana Luca /ROM/ Angela's Ashes (soundtrack) by John Williams Chocolat (soundtrack) by Rachel Portman 2axel/2toe, 2salchow, 3toe, layback spin to upright variation, camel/change camel, 3toe/2toe, flying camel travelled, spiral sequence could use more extensions, 2loop, 2flip (step out), camel/sit/layback/change sit/upright She really had to have some serious injury. Las year she was landing flip and lutz during competitions and now the only jump she is capable of doing is the toeloop! And there is nothing else in her skating to hold her up. Very little choreography, poor spirals, spins which ask for centering. Luca has been angry, dissapointed and sad throughout the whole event. It is a real struggle for her. I would really like to know what has happened to her at the beginning of this season. Warm-up: ? /charity costume, disgusting torn grey dress with some pink bits/ Tech: 3.7-4.8 / Pres: 3.7-4.6 16. Anna Bernauer /LUX/ Gypsy; Falling from Grace by Jesse Cook The Night by Ottmar Liebert horrible flamencoish muzak, 3salchow, 2toe, 2.5lutz, fell splat on face on deathdrop (!!!), spiral sequence, 2toe, 2axel (pulled), layback spin, 1toe/1toe, 2loop, basic circular step sequence, 2flip/2loop, camel/sit/Y/sit/Y, deathdrop/upright, huge wobble on camel spin resulting in no speed at all That must have been the longest four minutes in her life. She looked so scared (not as bad as Krasiltseva though)! First big competition for her (she only went to junior B-internationals before) and that should explain the nerves. 0.1 deduction for that fall on deathdrop and the camel at the end was certainly of a "-3 quality". In all the spins she did, the positions attained were very poor. There was some generic choreography and her skating quality is decent. I think she has some potential, her skating looks natural. I hope they will send her to Washington. She needs competition experience. Warm-up: 3toe, 2lutz, 3lutz (double-footed) /red dress/ Tech: 3.5-4.2 / Pres: 3.6-4.3 17. Aleksandra Petushko /LAT/ Ave Maria step out of 2axel (two-footed), 3salchow (two-footed&underrotated), 3loop (two-footed&underrotated), layback spin, down on 3toe, spiral sequence ok, 2axel (turn out), camel/sit/?, 2lutz, 2toe (foot down), 2flip/half-loop/2salchow/half-loop/2loop, camel/?/camel/sit varitation/upright Aaargh. Complete disaster. If she skated like in training, she could have qualified over Luca. She missed the last practice session so maybe something happened to her. Aleksandra Petushko I've seen on Saturday was a completely different skater. There's nothing to say about this performace. It just completely disintegrated because of the jump problems. Spins were ok. The three jump sequence at the end was interesting. Jumpwise Petushko is a novice skater, but her skating is quite soft and has a nice flow. But this kind of performance will get her dead&buried which it did. Warm-up: very bad, a horrible fall on 2axel /black asymetric dress with glittering silver stripe/ Tech: 3.0-4.4 / Pres: 3.4-4.3 |