Team we're fewer but still good!

[Guest turquoiseblue]

 

[Guest turquoiseblue]

 

[Guest turquoiseblue]

 

[Guest turquoiseblue]

On 12/21/2021 at 9:17 PM, turquoiseblue said:

 

 

Allison Reed's new Instagram post:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CYRXIIbOTas/

 

Quote

It is with a heavy heart that I have to announce my Lithuanian citizenship was again rejected. Saulius and I will not be competing for Lithuania at the 2022 Winter Olympics. It was our dream to attend the Olympics in Beijing, and it hurts so much to not be able to live that dream.

It is an honor and a privilege for me, every time I step on the ice, to compete for Lithuania. And it is truly a blessing to do that together with Saulius. Qualifying a spot for Lithuania at the 2022 Winter Olympics was the ultimate goal, and I’m so proud of us for having achieved it. We have gone through so much, endured many hardships, made many sacrifices, and have accomplished more than I could’ve ever dreamed of, together. I am so lucky to have Saulius by my side throughout everything! Competing proudly under the Lithuanian flag. That will never change.

I want to sincerely thank our Federation and the Lithuanian Olympic Committee for all their hard work on our behalf. To our coaches and the entire I.AM team for their unwavering support in us. To Saulius’ and my family and friends, and to all our fans who continue to show their love for us and our performances. Lastly, to you Saulius, for being there for me, and always believing in us!
Even though we won’t be competing in the Olympics, I hope you all keep watching because the best is yet to come! ♥️🇱🇹

 

Saulius Ambrulevicius's post:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CYRTx9oAEoI/

DeepL translation

Quote

Finally, we are taking the first steps in the new year. It's like a new chance to write new life stories on a clean slate, leaving old events behind. But there have been a lot of events...

 

Last week we received a reply about my partner Allison's new application for Lithuanian citizenship. Unfortunately, the message was again negative. As a result, the opportunity to represent Lithuania at the upcoming Olympic Games in Beijing was closed with great regret.

 

I would like to thank very much our federation president, Lilija Vanagienė, who stood up for us until the very last minute. It is really nice to know that there is such a person who is still fighting for the existence of this sport in Lithuania and for the good of its representatives, cultivating this branch.

 

Also a big thank you to our Olympic Committee, who supported and helped in every way they could.

 

And to my family, friends and everyone else who has followed me and our couple for so many years. You are my favourites. Your standing by me in the face of anything- is, has been and will be the extra engine that pushes me forward, through all the mountains and seas. Love!

 

And finally, dear Allison. Thank you for everything that has been and everything that is to come.❤️

 

Anyway, this is not the end. We still have a lot to do. We are kicking, but moving on.

 

"I am the forger of my destiny. This is not the end. I have added new embers to the furnace and I am shaping it further"

 

[Guest turquoiseblue]

 

Lindsay van Zundert en Kjeld Nuis vlaggendragers bij opening Winterspelen

 

DeepL translation

Quote

Chef de mission Carl Verheijen explained the choice during the official team presentation on Wednesday evening. "With Lindsay and Kjeld we will have a great duo as the showpiece of TeamNL. Kjeld hardly needs an introduction of course. He emerged as the absolute king of the Games in 2018 with gold in both the 1,000 and 1,500 metres. During the Olympic Qualifying Tournament for Beijing last week, he struggled. But on the final day, he showed unprecedented mental resilience by winning the 1,500 metres to secure a starting ticket for Beijing."

Quote

"This is very special," reacted Van Zundert, who will start her first Winter Olympics in a month. "I was called on New Year's Eve by someone from NOC*NSF. I was congratulated with the news that I may carry the flag, together with Kjeld Nuis. The year could not end any better for me of course."

 

"It did help that I asked for it myself," the Etten-Leurse continued. "My grandfather was the first to ask, and after I had been officially nominated, he said: 'How would you like it if you could carry the flag? Grandpa, I responded at the time, can't do that at all, because I've never been to the Olympics. He again: 'Just try by asking if you qualify'. That's what I would do. Then I said it in every interview. When Carl Verheijen came to watch the training one day, I also talked to him. He replied that he was working on it, and I told him to do his best for me, haha! Great that it will happen! Thanks to Grandpa, he's the instigator, haha!

 

The figure skater, who was selected for the event mainly thanks to her 16th place at the World Championships in Stockholm in March 2021, is eagerly looking forward to the 14-day winter sports festival. She is one of the few people who will be able to experience the Games from start to finish. Because of her task at the opening on 4 February, Van Zundert will be present early. Her competitions are not scheduled until Tuesday 15 February (short freestyle) and Thursday 17 February, the day of the freestyle.

 

Normally, because of the corona rules, the athletes have to pack their bags and go home almost immediately after their performance. Lindsay can only fly back on the 21st (the day after the Games) at the earliest, because there are no return flights before that day.

 

"Nice, right? Maybe I can watch events up close. Now it starts to itch more and more every day. I am looking forward to it, because it is a moment that I cannot simply experience. The Games are something I've been working towards for years," says Van Zundert, who is doing a dress rehearsal next week: in Tallinn (Estonia) she will compete in the European Championships Freestyle Riding.

 

[Guest turquoiseblue]

Lea Johanna Dastich has announced her retirement:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CYW2tF2IpIf/

 

Quote

The biggest comeback is making yourself happy again🤍

For the past 19 years skating was my life. I loved it with my whole heart. However during the past 2 years my joy in skating started to deteriorate.
I've struggled with injury and depression. And honestly I no longer felt welcome at the rink in Mannheim in recent months. I have decided that I need to focus on my physical and mental health. Thats why I decided to announce my retirement from competitive figure skating. It's a decision I did not make lightly. I wanted to come back so badly but I have to realize that my body can't do it anymore. However I can look back with no regrets. I gave it my all. Since I was two years old skating was my identity, my purpose and my favorite part of the day.
I know that the ups and downs I got to experience while skating shaped me into the person I am today and will help me in the future. I am grateful for the memories I made and the amazing people I got to meet during my career.
There are so many people who supported me unconditionally and had my back at all times.
Thank you especially to @anettpoetzsch and my parents. I owe everything to you. I wanna thank Tracey @solomonshenn and National Team Coach @robb_r_d for their guidance and advice.
Also my amazing medical team, physiotherapists, @deutsche_eislauf_union , @sporthilfe, @sportstipendiummrn and everyone else. Thank you to my fans and supporters. The support and encouragement I received even while injured is something I will cherish forever.

 

[Guest turquoiseblue]

 

[Guest turquoiseblue]

 

[Guest turquoiseblue]

 

[Guest turquoiseblue]

 

[Guest turquoiseblue]

A message from Emmi Peltonen:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CYgtSR-ohpG/

 

Quote

Hello Everyone.
I want to be open about my situation. Beginning of October 2021 I was told that my foot has fully collapsed, I can’t skate with it, that I need surgery and recovery time is months. That’s the last thing anyone would wanna hear when you’re starting to compete in an Olympic season, but I decided with my coaches and people close to me that I wanted to go all in until the very last stone is turned. I really wanted to show my technical improvement, my programs, finally to compete with difficult elements and being better then I was 4 years ago. This was extremely stressful, because the situation with my foot and ankle, but I am proud of myself that I was able to show even a glimpse of that. With my love for skating and help of my doctors/physios, for a moment, I felt hope, that I can grit it out and finish the season. Everyday has been a battle telling myself that I can I can I can… and forcing my foot to work. I have given my all, there has been good days and those days I skated and cried through the pain. The days leading to Europeans my foot condition escalated suddenly to a situation that I couldn’t even put it into a skate anymore. It’s been the most devastating and heartbreaking feeling to accept. It saddens me that I reached the limits of my foot right before the Europeans and before the decisions of the Olympic dream.
During this difficult season I’m grateful for the support from my coaches, physios, and family. I am going to have a surgery and start my rehab in the upcoming weeks. I’m looking forward to feeling healthy again and stepping back on the ice.
I wish everyone the best for Europeans and Olympics, enjoy it and most importantly stay healthy!🤍

I'm so sorry to hear this...  I wish her a fast and full recovery 

[Guest turquoiseblue]

 

[Guest turquoiseblue]

More withdrawals from Euros:

 

Women

• Julia Sauter (ROU)

Pairs

• Hailey Kops / Evgeni Krasnopolski (ISR)
• Jessica Pfund / Joshua Santillan (SUI)

Ice Dance

• Mariia Nosovitskaya / Mikhail Nosovitskiy (ISR)

[Guest turquoiseblue]

Interview with Ekaterina Kurakova:

 

Ekaterina Kurakova: "I really wanted to make it to the Olympics this year. You never know what will happen to your body and whether you will skate at all in four years."

 

Quote

Now you spend most of your time in Italy. How did you get the idea to work with Italian coach Lorenzo Magri?

 

Ekaterina Kurakova: I was looking for a competent coach, because all last season I was without a coach. I understood that it was impossible to continue like this, but I really wanted to return to Brian Orser.

 

We had very good contact, we felt each other perfectly as a coach and a skater. I was very sad (because of the quarantine, Kurakova was unable to return to Canada to train with Orser. – ed.) and I was without a coach for a long time, because I was hoping to return and continue training with Brian.

 

But at the end of the 2020/21 season, it became clear that something needed to be changed. I needed to get a spot to the Olympic Games.

 

And I had two training camps with Lorenzo last year, and after these trainings in Italy I got to know him better. He is a very good person, very understanding, a professional in his field. And when we had a meeting with the Polish Figure Skating Federation, where my future was discussed, it was decided that I would move to Lorenzo’s group. Unfortunately, there are no opportunities to train in Canada, and it is not known when they will appear.

 

Have you spent the whole last year training with Brian online or completely on your own?

 

Ekaterina Kurakova: I trained online at the beginning of the season, but then I realized that it didn’t make any sense, and from September I started to train on my own. There were many difficulties during online training. Something freezed, I did not fit into the frame, did not load, Wi-Fi did not work well …

 

The Internet works much worse when there is such a long distance, such as between Europe and Canada. In general, I can’t train online, because I don’t feel the coach.

 

The coach also does not feel me and does not fully understand what is happening. You are jumping somewhere in the distance – and what can he see from the camera? For me, online classes are the last thing that can be. But, of course, Brian also tried his best and helped me in every possible way with his comments.

Quote

And if we talk about the training process, what is the difference between Lorenzo Magri and Brian Orser?

 

Ekaterina Kurakova: Working in Italy reminds me the Russian training system. In Canada, things are completely different.

 

In Canada you spend 15-30 minutes with a coach every day. There are many different ones – it can be six specialists per day. Let’s say you have 30 minutes, and you have to manage to work with a coach during this time, because then you have a different coach and a different workout. And during these 30 minutes the specialist works only with you.

 

In Italy, you work in a group with other skaters. For example, there are three workouts a day and you work together all the time. There is no such thing that you have only 15 minutes with this coach, do as many jumps and run-throughs as you can, and then go to another coach.

 

In the Olympic season, such a format as in Italy is probably more comfortable for me. For example, everyone skates the short and free program, and, like it or not, you watch others do it, and it motivates you.

 

Is it psychologically easier to work in a group?

 

Ekaterina Kurakova: It’s more convenient for me, yes.

Quote

Major changes to the figure skating rules may be made soon. At the congress of the International Skating Union (ISU) next year, they will discuss raising the age minimum for seniors from 15 to 17 years. In your opinion, how can this affect the development of women’s single skating? After all, girls reach their peak before 17 years old.

 

Ekaterina Kurakova: Yes, girls peak at 15, maybe 16, and then everything gets harder. But if the rules are changed, then they will be changed.

In general, we talked about this with Lorenzo and came to the conclusion that, perhaps, coaches will change their approaches to training in order to take more care of girls until the right age.

 

Perhaps, from some point of view, this is right, because the woman’s body and the girl’s body are two big differences. Even from my own experience I can say: with every year you feel a difference. It becomes more difficult to skate the program, learn new elements and force yourself to work.

 

[Guest turquoiseblue]