Friday, September 16, 2011

This and That



Joshua Farris leads the JGP Baltic Cup after this fantastic short program.

Romania named their World Team.  Before anyone freaks out, Catalina Ponor is not allowed to be officially named to the team until October 1st.  Thus, she is not named to the team but will be once they arrive at Worlds.  The coaches had to name a no-name alternate who won't even be competing at this weekend's dual meet with Great Britain.  As expected, the names on the squad are: Ana Porgras, Sandra Izbasa, Diana Bulimar, Diana Chelaru, Amelia Racea and Raluca Haidu.  Ponor will bump someone off---likely Haidu or Chelaru (unless Izbasa's injury gets worse.)  Marian Dragulescu was also not allowed to be named to the men's squad, but he will also join the team at Worlds.  The FIG is not allowing them to be named until then because you have to be back in the drug-testing pool for a full six months prior to entering international competition.

Melissa Bulanhagui is going to represent the Philippines.  Unfortunately, she will only be able to compete in their national championships this year.  The USFSA is not releasing her until May (even though they haven't provided any funding for her training and were unlikely to ever send her to any more assignments.)

Joannie Rochette is being charitable and is interested in competing in the team event at the 2014 Olympic Games.  She plans on continuing with Stars On Ice this year.  It will be interesting to see just how tied up she is by SOI, as rumors have swirled over sponsorship issues for this year's tour.

Elizaveta is confident about bringing her level of Mishin fugliness to the Grand Prix.

Alissa Czisny is planning on competing a Triple Lutz+Triple Toe.  Czisny says she's confident.  Now if only we could spice her up, make her a bitch and get her to stop skating in such a chaste manner...

A Japanese comedian is under fire for imitating Mao Asada.  Take a look at the photos!



Julia Lipnitskaya leads the JGP Baltic Cup after this short.  With a last name that is a hybrid of Lipinski and Slutskatya, she is basically the devil on ice!


Satoko Miyahara is in second.


Samantha Cesario is in third.  Ah, she would've been such a gorgeous 6.0 skater!



Artur Jr is in second at the JGP Baltic Cup.

16 comments:

  1. I need footage of Alissa's 3 lutz-3 toe before I'll believe it's even remotely possible.

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  2. Dear AJ,

    Do you think that Skate Canada is as incompetent as this blogger seems to think? (http://dubemoir.blogspot.com/2011/09/nice-thoughts.html)

    I must say I have to agree on a few of his/her comparisons between SC and USFSA. Such as USFSA Champs Camp>>>>SC High Performance Camp. And about Icenetwork.

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  3. Alissa is planning a triple-triple? Hahaha

    Oh wait, she's serious.

    HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHA

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  4. lol Alissa try to get that double axel consistent first ;)

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  5. You meant Bulimar, not Chelaru right? Or is Chelaru already not necessary on this team after doing so well at Worlds? I know they need bar workers and Chelaru isn't one.

    Czisny doesn't have good run out on her jumps... I'm surprised she can do triple triples at all with her technique, but who knows.

    I believe Bulanhagui was in Team Envelope C, so she would have been getting a small amount of funding from USFS. As for not being able to compete for a while, that's more an ISU rule that USFS has to follow, rather than them trying to punish her... She competed in an international less than a year ago for the US, so the ISU will not let her represent the Philippines right away. At least she has real ties to the country.. Good for her for trying to get more chances to compete.

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  6. Oh my gosh I LOVED Joshua Farris' SP - the way he carries through finishes off his movements is fantastic. He had not been on my radar but he sure is now.

    Enjoyed all the girls SP's to some degree - Artur's program was sloppy and looks like more than he can handle.

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  7. Melissa isn't being funded this year, yet they won't release her for the season. Her last international was Nebelhorn. The USFSA is purposely screwing her out of four continents and worlds.

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  8. Go Joshua Farris! Way to stick it to the (reportedly sadistic) former coach!

    Would LOVE it if Alissa *did* in fact complete some 3-3s. And found some sass and attack; she did do a sort of sexy program at SOI in 2010 but you could tell she wasn't entirely comfortable. Still, LOVE her skating.

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  9. When I am Empress of the Universe, skaters will be penalized rather than rewarded for those fugly catch-foot positions. I know they get more points in the current system, but they are very unattractive. Also, a scratch spin will be a required element.

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  10. I would think that Romania would drop Bulimar to alternate for Ponor. Somehow Haidu is now Romania's 3rd best bar worker.

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  11. Uhh, Bulanhagui DID get funding from the USFS for the 2011-12 season since she was in the Team C envelope. However, she has to return that money now that she no longer represents the U.S.

    Additionally, the USFS most likely isn't releasing her ASAP because she was an international medal winner just last season (bronze at Nebelhorn in September 2010). I believe this is pretty standard.

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  12. Bulanhagui still represents the US if they won't release her.

    WTF is their point?

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  13. Loved Artur's first combination jump. So nice to see a triple loop on the end instead of a toe loop. Kurt Browning used to do a lot of those kinds of combinations. I see a lot of his father in Artur.

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  14. Josh Faris has gorgeous spins -- so nice to see, but I still prefer the wild abandon of Artur Dimitriev.

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  15. Just watched Joshua Farris' LP on youtube...not HORRIBLE but how can he (and/or his handlers) pick one piece of music that is so RIGHT for him and then pick one that is so wrong?

    He is a graceful, languid skater and the Transformers music demands a sort of propulsiveness I wonder if he can ever muster.

    I wonder if the LP is a leftover from Farris' time with Tom Z, whose skaters almost always seem to skate programs that highlight their weaknesses instead of showcase their strengths.

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  16. Anon at 7:20.

    That blog link is pretty scary. The blogger comes across as a bit cuckoo. I've heard people pining away for Tessa and Scott to be a couple, but never quite like that.

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