Various news about other skaters

Ten is still too young, Chan is currently a lot of dangerous

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http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/nation...article1181113/
BEVERLEY SMITH, From Saturday's Globe and Mail, Saturday, Jun. 13, 2009

Pulling out all the stops

Figure skater Patrick Chan plans to put a quad into his routine this year to elevate his chances for gold at his first Olympics in 2010

These are bustling times for Patrick Chan.

He's had just a week's rest since winning a silver medal at the world figure skating championships in Los Angeles in March. And how did he rest? He went back to Étienne-Brulé Secondary School in Toronto, along with fellow Canadian skater and classmate Paul Poirier, to catch up with assignments.

For a week, he didn't think about skating. "Then, I rebooted,'' said Chan, a child of the video game generation.

But for the next few months, Chan, 18, will lay the groundwork for his assault on an Olympic gold medal. He's aiming at adding a quadruple jump to his repertoire. He's already found the music for his new Olympic long program - Phantom of the Opera. And he's keeping his tango short program from last season, although he'll make changes to it.

He spent a week with renowned Canadian choreographer Lori Nichol to create his new long program that he will use in all of his competitions this year. It came together quickly.

"Last year, it was really difficult,'' he said. "We couldn't figure out what music to do. We went through six or seven options. This time, Lori said: 'Here's my idea and what do you think?' I absolutely love it. ... It was the first option she gave me. I took it.

"I can really relate to it and connect to it and really express a story emotionally and physically. Even though it's been used many times, I think it will be easy to make it unique.''

And with his first Olympics looming, one of his big technical moves will be a quad jump. Already, he's been working with Colorado skating consultant Christy Krall, who uses a system called Dartfish to analyze a skater's jumps and spins. She's also helping him with his triple Axel, which wasn't consistent last season.

Chan did not attempt a quad last season. Early this spring, Krall asked Chan to do a triple jump while she videotaped him. She calculated he had enough flight time in the triple to do a quad.

"So I went out and did my first quad in a year,'' Chan said. "I didn't land it. I landed it backwards [fully rotated], and it was pretty good, considering I hadn't touched it last year.

"It really helped boost my confidence, knowing that I don't have to worry about missing it, that I have enough height on the jump to do it.''

Krall's system helps him alter his technique more quickly. "Instead of guessing, you are sure what's wrong with the jump,'' he said.

Krall has also worked with last year's U.S. champion, Jeremy Abbott, who does quads.

But Chan will need more than top-notch choreography and solid jumps to be a contender for an Olympic medal. Chan is known as a skater that does not rest for a second during his routines, using every bit of music to move and turn. To execute the programs, he has to be fit.

Chan has a lot of strength for a teenager. He says he's been active all of his life. "There's never one day in the week where I don't do something active,'' he said. He plays soccer, football, skating or hockey. He lists golf, tennis and skiing as alternate sports, but he's also tried swimming and taekwondo.

He said he'll stick to the fitness plan he had last year that included cycling, yoga, Pilates, and running, sometimes on a treadmill.

Weights used to be part of his routine (squats and dead lifts), but he's naturally muscular already and he can't afford to add bulk in a sport that requires nimbleness. A recent fitness test showed he had gained an extra six kilograms of muscle since last year - even though he dropped weight training.

"A bigger mass is harder to spin,'' he said.

But he does include some strength training in the form of chin-ups, sit-ups, and pull-ups.

For endurance, he takes an express-spinning class on a cycle for 40 to 45 minutes, with a teacher that barks out instructions on increasing and decreasing intensity.

He'll run, but only as a warm up before he goes on the ice. Every day he skips for four minutes, to try and match his intense activity during a long routine on the ice.

What no one can measure is his natural talent for figure skating. "I'm just grateful that I've had this opportunity and that I was given a talent,'' he said, munching on a chocolate ice cream cone, in a hurry to go somewhere else.

****

On ice

PATRICK CHAN

BORN Dec. 31, 1990, in Ottawa
RESIDES Toronto


NOTABLE ACCOMPLISHMENTS

- Silver medal at the 2009 world figure skating championships.
- Gold at the Four Continents championships 2009.
- Youngest Canadian male at age 17 to win a Canadian championship.
- At 15, was the youngest male skater at the 2005 world junior championships
- Two-time Canadian champion, 2008, 2009.
- Won silver medal at 2007 world junior championships, giving Canada its first medal at the event since 1984.

QUOTE

"When I go, I feel like this is why I skate, because I can entertain so many people. To hear them scream and yell and go crazy, it was, gosh, who doesn't like this?''

Patrick Chan, after skating three shows in South Korea this year following the world championship.

Yes. Despite the fact that he's still too young, I suppose he's one of potential rivals of Plushy. He may grow up very fast. Just like young Plushy. It's just my imagination but There is a possibility. And, Ten also says that he does a quad next season.
Chan is an immediate rival. And, Kozuka too. I just read the success percentage of Kozuka's quad are rising. Now it's 70 to 80 per cent in practice. I do pay attention to them

Aaa~ I can hardly wait for Rostelecom cup. At the same time, I'm anxious about it ...

You think that Plushy compete next season?



I think that Chan started to late for Oly, with the attempts to quadruple jumps ... except if he are not yet jumped them on training, but they hid from the public




So, I MUST to be there!

compete with Ten? Yes. I don't know whether Kazakhstan is Europe or Asia, but they will compete at Olympics.

I mean, "Don't be afraid, but also Don't be off guard"



I think so too. Jeff Buttle says such a thing. But I know that competition and practice are different. Even if he can do everything in practice, he may not show it in competition.

Most skaters cannot skate like their practice. Such as Takeshi Honda of my country He was called "The champion of practice"


...But, nobody knows what will happen tomorrow. So "Don't be off guard against Zhenya's rivals"



Some days ago, I searched a price of air ticket from Tokyo to Moscow. But I'm not sure whether I can take some days off October 22 to 26

I think, actually on the 2010/2011 season ... for me, season 2009/2010 is already started




As I guess ... although you are right, have differences between the performance jumps in training and competitions. On the other hand, there is "danger" of Chan's youth and brash - he is not afraid, to try quadruple jump on competition




Think how would be nice, to we finally meet and cheering together for Plushy - you, Dimi, I... ... maybe appear there and someone else well-known




I agree

http://www.goldenskate.com/articles/2008/061409.shtml
June 14, 2009... Article by Tatjana Flade, Photo by Anna Kondakova

Alena Leonova
An unexpected break-through


Alena Leonova, 18, performs to "La Leyenda del Beso" by Raul di Blasio at the 2009 Cup of Russia

Russian figure skating plummeted into depression with the retirement of the stars from 2006. However, while ice dancers and pairs still made the podium at Worlds and Europeans, and some men medaled in the Grand Prix, the future of the ladies seemed bleak.

A top ten-finish at Europeans was suddenly considered to be somewhat of a success, while in the decade before, Russian ladies dominated the event. In just one season, however, Alena Leonova managed a surprising turn-around and put Russia back into business in the single division for ladies.

The cheerful girl from St. Petersburg first drew attention when she skated well in her two Grand Prix events this season, finishing seventh at the Cup of China and fifth at the Cup of Russia. Leonova performed better and better as the season progressed, and placed fourth in her debut at Europeans. She also won the Junior World title —the first Russian lady in eight years— and had a strong debut at Worlds where she placed seventh.

The 2008-09 season ended with good performances and a respectable sixth place at the World Team Trophy.

"I couldn't even hope after being injured at the beginning of the season that it would turn out to be so successful," the 18-year-old said. "I didn't give up after the disappointing performances at Russian Nationals, and I was rewarded for that. Probably I had some luck too, but overall, everything I achieved was thanks to hard work and commitment. This was an extraordinary season, but my best season is yet to come, of course!"

Russian Nationals last December were indeed the low point of the year for Leonova. She skated rather poorly in the free skate and finished only fifth overall.

"For the third year I wasn't able to skate well (at Nationals)," the Russian sighed. "I don't really know why. Everybody is saying that I'm skating well at the international events, but I just can't do it at Nationals. Maybe it was because of the pressure that I put on myself. I thought about making the team for Europeans and things didn't come together for me. I also skated last and I don't like to skate last. Everyone already has skated and you know that they skated well."

Nevertheless, the Figure Skating Federation of Russia still selected Leonova, along with with bronze medallist Katarina Gerboldt, for the European team as the 12-year-old gold and silver medalists were not age-eligible. There was still Nina Petushkova who was ranked fourth, but the Federation gave Leonova the nod thanks to her good results in the Grand Prix. It turned out to be the right decision.

Leonova actually had a slow start into the season as she tore ligaments in her right ankle joint last August during a summer training camp in Sweden. "I didn't skate for a month," she noted. "I did a lot of physiotherapy. I'm still stabilizing the ankle." However, the injury didn't seem to affect her.

"I started to take practice more seriously and my coach pays more attention to me," explained Leonova. "At practice I'm training with my coach and choreographer, and they are watching me all the time. And I'm skating my programs like ten times. I'm so tired sometimes. I just crawl off the ice! I'm exhausted, I come home, and I go to bed right away. That's hard, but it pays off."

Maybe the illness of Leonova's friend and competitor, two-time Russian Champion Ksenia Doronina, worked in her favor as it allowed her coach to place more focus on her. Doronina, who is training together with Leonova under Alla Piatova, came down with mononucleosis and missed the whole competitive season. She came back to practice only late during the season, and Leonova was happy to have her back.

"We are very good friends," Leonova pointed out. "We're always helping each other, and I learn from her and she learns from me. We are rivals in competition only."

Leonova's break-through gave her new confidence. It meant a lot to her to prove that it was too early to write off the Russian ladies. "Obviously it was not very nice when they (the Russian Figure Skating Federation and press) wrote us off and started to talk only about the young ones that are coming up —about Lisa (Tuktamysheva), Polina (Shelepen) and Adelina (Sotnikova). So of course I had to prove that we are still here, that we can fight for success and we —the old ones— are still capable of a lot of things," she laughed. "I think I proved that." She definitely did.

Like hundreds of Russian children, Leonova started skating when she was about four years old. Her mother read an announcement for figure skating classes and signed up her two daughters and her son.

"I first skated on a small, rectangular sheet of ice," recalled Leonova. "There were lots of children, and it was like a public skating session. Everyone was skating or moving alongside the boards. Later, we all moved to the Jubileini ice rink. I ended up in the group of (Tatiana) Mishina and Alla Jakovlevna (Piatova) who was her assistant at this time. Then they started to work separately and I was given to Alla Jakovlevna. I've always been with her since then."

Leonova's sister and brother, both younger, retired meanwhile from competitive skating. Besides skating, Leonova is studying in the School of the Olympic Reserve. In her spare time, she loves to dance. "When I'm not too tired after practices, I might go out dancing in the disco or somewhere else together with my sister and my brother," she smiled.

Leonova is a lively, outgoing girl and her skating reflects her personality. She sends out such positive energy on the ice that watching her you just can't help but to smile with her.

"I'm energetic," Leonova answered when asked to describe herself. "I enjoy life. I'm a little bit romantic and sometimes I'm whiny when things don't go well and I might start crying. I'm not so nervous anymore as I used to be. I'm cheerful, athletic."

"My biggest weakness is probably when things in practice don't go well," the athlete continued. "I switch off right away. I just like to relax. When the coach shouts at me, "no, stand up, do it again!", I'm just like "nah" and start crying."

Leonova is currently training at the Figure Skating Academy in St. Petersburg, a facility with two standard ice rinks and a big room for ballet and off-ice training. There is also a cafeteria where 40 nationally ranked skaters can eat for free. Recently a new medical center with a massage room and a relaxation pool were added. Since last summer, a psychologist has been working with the skaters to help them to deal with nerves and stress.

Leonova, who lives at home with her parents, gets up at seven in the morning and leaves for practice after breakfast. "It's actually quite far, one hour and 15 minutes, but they (St. Petersburg Figure Skating Federation) are helping me now to find an apartment near the ice rink," she said. "Usually my mum or my dad drive me to the ice rink and then it's like 20 minutes. I have practice, and when the break is not too long, I stay at the rink."

The World Junior Champion works off-ice on choreography and has lunch at the cafeteria. In the afternoon, she has her second practice or off-ice training. "Then I'm stretching and I go home to rest, to sleep, or I go online to Kontakty or Facebook."

Leonova is also currently studying at home for her coaching diploma, and since her school is specifically for athletes, she has the opportunity to pass her exams on an individual schedule after the competitive season is over. She would like to work as a coach and choreographer in the future. "I'm creative and I like to put together programs," she said.

For the Olympic season, Leonova is preparing two new programs. "I can only say that both programs are already done, but what kind of programs they are and the music, I for now want to keep secret," she explained. In another interview earlier this year, she said that she would like to do a Tango.

For this next important year, Leonova also hopes to include a triple toe-triple toe combination into her routines. "I will work towards it. I had it in the summer before the injury," she pointed out. The summer preparation consists of training camps in Sotchi at the Black Sea and in Novogorsk in June, after which she will go to Switzerland for two weeks. This is followed by the traditional one-month training camp of the St. Petersburg figure skating school in Sweden.

The skater Leonova admires most is two-time World Champion and two-time Olympic medalist Irina Slutskaya, the most successful Russian female single skater in history. "She is my biggest idol. I love how she skated and some people are saying that I'm similar to her in my way of skating and my character. I'm striving to reach her level. I want to do what she did," Leonova announced with determination.

In five years, Leonova sees herself 'on the podium'. "I don't know yet at which competitions, but just on the podium," she underlined with a smile.

The first step can be done in the Olympic season in which Leonova has set her eyes on the podium at the Grand Prix and Europeans. "First of all, I don't want the next season to be worse than the last one, especially since it is a very important year as it is an Olympic year," the skater said. "Physically and emotionally I am already preparing for it. I want the spectators to enjoy emotional and strong performances."

Quite old and long chat Evan Lysacek's and its fans ... one part of it will be very interesting for Dimi
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http://www.skatetoday.com/chattranscripts/...ht-061506qa.htm

His mother is Greek origin. Interestingly, I always thought that his father was originally from Poland, Slovakia or some "similar" countries (by last name), but I never thought that he was the "southerner" and the Orthodox

UPDATE: In the meantime I know, that he has a quarter of Czech and Italian origin

Edited by cekoni - 28/6/2009, 12:50

Pop Star on Ice starring Johnny Weir Q&A


Jun 13, 2009
Part 1
http://www.lifeskate.com/skate/2009/06/joh...nda-part-1.html

Pop Star on Ice starring Johnny Weir had its New York premiere on June 11, as part of the NewFest (New York Pop Star on Ice starring Johnny WeirLesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) Film Festival. Produced and directed by David Barba and James Pellerito, the film chronicles Johnny's rise from a young boy growing up in rural Pennsylvania to becoming three-time U.S National Figure Skating Champion and a World bronze medalist. Throughout the film, the audience is introduced to Patti Weir (Johnny's mother), Paris Childers (his best friend), Priscilla Hill (Johnny's coach for nearly ten years before he switched to Galina Zmievskaya and Viktor Petrenko) and other important figures in his life.

After the movie, Johnny, Paris, David and James took questions from the audience...


Jun 15, 2009
Part 2
http://www.lifeskate.com/skate/2009/06/joh...deo-part-2.html

...the Q&A that was held during the New York premiere of Pop Star on Ice starring Johnny Weir. Pop Star on Ice is a documentary that followed Johnny for two years in his quest to become the Pop Star on Ice starring Johnny Weir world's best figure skater and possible Olympic champion. After the film, Johnny, his best friend Paris Childers, and directors David Barba and James Pellerito, answered questions from the audience. In Part 1 of the Q&A, the cast and crew spoke about Johnny's internal struggles, working with U.S. Figure Skating and the ISU in making the film, how this project began (David and James didn't start out making a documentary about Johnny), and recent Canadian press accusing Skate Canada of trying to "masculinize" male figure skating in time for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics Games.

In Part 2, topics include the perceived homophobia in the United States, the infamous bathtub scene, how Johnny and Paris became best buds (although initially they started out as enemies), and the eight-part series greenlighted by the Sundance Channel that picks up where the documentary ends (around March 2008). David and James are continuing to shoot Johnny for the series and shared with the audience that the focus for the series will be more on Johnny and his current coaching team of Galina Zmievskaya, Viktor Petrenko and choreographer Nina Petrenko. The first seven of the series will be aired early next year prior to the Olympics and the last episode will air post-Olympics. Can't wait!

I wish I could watch Johnny's film right now

Takahashi Daisuke is planning to compete at Nebelhorn Trophy /Oberstdorf, Germany (09.24 ~ 09.27)

http://www.sanspo.com/sports/news/090615/s...50502001-n1.htm


I can't wait for his return! He's one of the few skaters whose jumps are technically so pure and excellent in quality. I missed his skating. Cheers for Takahashi!

Takahashi's latest condition. This clip was broadcasted yesterday. He already trains triple. He started on-ice-training from April. But he said that the sense of triple jumps not yet return to him. So he's still in confusion(?) now.

I hope that he until Olympics Games and World Championship's, success to regain at least part of his original capacity and power of skating, because I like and cheering for him (in the absence of Evgeni's )

Thanks for the update, kudryavka.
I was wondering how he was doing nowadays.
Hope we could see him in competitions very soon.

This is not a news. Presentation fans of Zhenya.

Jr. skater Yuzuru Hanyu (http://www.isufs.org/bios/isufs00010967.htm). He's now 14 years old. His idol is Plushy and Johnny Weir. So he does Biellmann. TV commentators often call him "Japanese Plushenko," every time. They say always Yuzuru is a big fan of Zhenya Plushenko, so he does Biellmann like his idol, he wanna be like Plushenko, blah.. I heard it 100000 times!! enough~

Japanese Jr. Championships 2008


In 2006. Yuzuru was 11. He said he want to be like Plushy. He was funny hair style. Actually Yuzu imitated Plushy's hair style... (but I think it was ... )
Another boy skater, Ryuju Hino, is also big fan of Plushy. Ryuju's father is a Russian. Mother is a japanese ballet dancer.


"... fan of Plushenko... wanna be Plushenko... Japanese Plushenko.. their idol is plushenko ...plu.. plu.. "

aaaaa krudy we had a discussion of these Japanese skaters in Plushy thread in Golden skates because one did bielman, can youn gather them these two and the one skater from china (you had said long ago) and write their idol is plushy there????LOL!!!!REVENGE!

Strange coincidence!! Sixth sense
I really didnt read Golden Skate recently because I'm still busy a little. My fu*kin job... I had no time to read everything

btw I read Plushy topic now but I couldn't find your discussion. where is that?