Innholdsfortegnelse for January/February 2018 i International Figure Skating

It is now just a few weeks until the 2018 Olympic Winter Games begin and the excitement level is rising in the global skating community. As we go to print, the U.S. and Canadian Championships are about to take place. Both nations will name the Olympic teams at the conclusion of those events. Japan and Russia held their national championships in December, and while Japan named its Olympic team at the conclusion of its championships, Russia will not name its team until after Europeans. The first half of this Olympic season had its share of ups and downs. Skaters rose to the challenges and set new standards in all disciplines, but that was tempered by a number of injuries sustained during practice sessions and at competitions. The quad debate has…

It has been a long road to the upper echelons of the sport for Vanessa James and Morgan Ciprès. Persistence, determination and the desire to be the best have been their strongest allies in the campaign to rise to the top of the international pairs field. So many disappointments and oh-so-many close podium finishes had them wondering if all the time and effort they were putting in was worth it. But all the hard work and sacrifices started to pay off in the 2016-2017 season, and the first half of the Olympic season has not only solidified their never-give-up resolve to conquer the world, it has also brought the rewards and results they once only dreamed about. In 2016, frustrated and tired of falling short of landing on the international…

Japanese nationals is always a pressure cooker with so much talent in the men’s and ladies field. But in this Olympic season, with everything on the line and only a handful of berths up for grabs at the Winter Games, the pressure reached a boiling point for many. This was never more evident than in the ladies discipline at the 2018 All Japanese Championships, which took place in Tokyo in late December. Japan has only two berths in the ladies event at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games and, at the outset of the competition, there were six possible contenders. Those that had the nerves of steel to deal with the pressure and produce, reaped the rewards. But some of the high-profile skaters who were expected to challenge crumbled under the…

The months following an Olympic Winter Games can be tough for skaters who have recently retired, and are unsure what to do next. One option that has worked for countless athletes over the past few decades is to join a professional skating tour. Feld Entertainment produces nine Disney shows around the world, four of which are based in the U.S. We have four international tours and one that covers both the domestic and international circuits. In the U.S., our tours run on both the east and west coast. Internationally, they go to Japan, China, Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Europe and South America. These tours also extend into the Middle East and South Africa. Each tour runs between 10 and 11 months a year, affording skaters the opportunity and possibility…

There is an unmistakable determination in Adam Rippon’s voice as he talks about the opportunity to fulfill a skating dream that has lived inside him almost since the day he first laced up a pair of skates. When the topic of skating on Olympic ice at the 2018 Winter Games was broached during a lively interview in early December, Rippon said, “I am very driven and I am focused. I’m focused on being in the absolute best shape I can be in. I’ve been focused on being consistent for the last three years. I’ve medalled at the last four Grand Prix events, last year and this year and I’ve been to two Grand Prix Finals. And I am a U.S. champion (in 2016). I have the pedigree to go to…

International success has been a long time coming for Australian skaters. In its 100-plus year history, the nation has yet to have anyone land on an Olympic, World or Four Continents podium. But that may soon be a thing of the past, given the current crop of skaters coming out of the “land down under.” Kailani Craine, who hails from Newcastle — a place not known as a skating hub — is one of the new generation of Australians who are hungry for success. The 19-year-old made a splash on the international scene this year, capping off 2017 by winning the all-important Nebelhorn Trophy in September and, in the process, qualifying a berth for Australia in the ladies’ event at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games That followed on the heels…

There were few surprises when it came to the results of the 2018 Russian Championships in late December. Everyone expected to land on the podium did exactly that. At the outset of the men’s event, 18 skaters were listed to compete. But after the short program that number dropped to 16. Alexander Petrov and Maxim Kovtun, who placed 15th and 16th, respectively, withdrew from the free skate citing injuries. Of the 16 men that competed the free skate, 12 racked up a total of 16 falls, with only four men at the lower end of the line-up managing to stay vertical. Mikhail Kolyada claimed his second national title, winning the event in a runaway victory with a score of 281.16. How that was calculated is a mystery, given that, in…

Sometimes I skate well, sometimes not so well. The judges did not seem to like my program — I got low component scores. —Javier Fernández, on placing sixth at Cup of China After my first Grand Prix, I needed a good skate and to be able to smile. —Javier Fernández, on winning Internationaux de France We have worked a lot on the throw triple Axel and it is very good already. We’ll keep working and one day we’ll do it. —Aljona Savchenko, Skate Canada My main goal is always trying to do my best, not only for the result, but first of all for my soul. —Evgenia Medvedeva, Rostelecom Cup It was hard for me to get started this year, maybe because I know the end is near. It’s getting…

Earning a place at the 2017 Junior Grand Prix Final was a serious challenge for skaters in all disciplines this season. The seven-event Junior Grand Prix Series, which played out around the globe from late August through early October, was one of the most competitive in recent history. Six skaters in each of the ladies and men’s disciplines and six pairs and ice dance teams earned a place in Nagoya, Japan, out of the hundreds that competed during the Series. First-time medalists graced every step of the four podiums in Nagoya with no repeat medalists. Triple-triple combinations were a must-have for the ladies and every man who made it to the Final has a triple Axel — and for some, one or more quads — in his technical arsenal. As…

Quicksteps ▸ FRENCH FLAIR Misha Ge has made it official that he will retire at the end of this season. The globally popular skater from Uzbekistan has carved out a choreographic niche for himself, which he intends to pursue full-time. Ge claimed his first-ever Grand Prix medal at Internationaux de France, but getting to the competition had its challenges. “When you are four times going to the consulate, and they say no. Then you work on yourself to be calm, to use your brain and find a solution to fix it. “Four hours before my flight the consulate supervisor granted, with special process, to issue and print a visa, right on the spot.” ▸ ALL IN THE FAMILY Anastasia Petrova, the daughter of Lu Chen and Denis Petrov, is following…