2023 Tallink Hotels Cup

[TT_Fin]

It is very easy to go from Finland to Tallinn, and if they go by ship it is not expensive, especially when there are large group of minors. It may be the first international competition to many children, so I think it is the main reason there are so much Finns. It is easier and faster to go from Helsinki to Tallinn that from Helsinki to where I live.

There must have been some issue on the ice.

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

The Zamboni has now left the ice but, to be honest, it doesn't look great. There are areas that look "wetter" than other areas.

While writing this, I spotted something else that I hadn't before. While the Zomboni was out, there was a guy standing at the boards holding a piece of black card over the ice. Is this some sort of guide or signal for the Zamboni driver?

I am normally away doing other things during the resurfacings, so I don't know if this is a normal thing or not.

Warm-Up now started.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[TT_Fin]

The Zamboni has now left the ice but, to be honest, it doesn't look great. There are areas that look "wetter" than other areas.

While writing this, I spotted something else that I hadn't before. While the Zomboni was out, there was a guy standing at the boards holding a piece of black card over the ice. Is this some sort of guide or signal for the Zamboni driver?

I am normally away doing other things during the resurfacings, so I don't know if this is a normal thing or not.

Warm-Up now started.

CaroLiza_fan

I wasn't going to watch the first group or much because I have much things to do but you made me curious. The ice looks awful in some places. It looked like there was snow in some places when the first skated landed her jumps. I suppose shouldn't fly so many icicles when they land the easy jumps.

Edit: another part of the rink looks really bad.

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

I wasn't going to watch the first group or much because I have much things to do but you made me curious. The ice looks awful in some places. It looked like there was snow in some places when the first skated landed her jumps. I suppose shouldn't fly so many icicles when they land the easy jumps.

Edit: another part of the rink looks really bad.

And unfortunately, it looks like they are going to have to just go with it. Because the organisers can't really afford to have any delays today.

This is just what they didn't need happening at the start of the longest day of the event. There is action pretty much non-stop from 08:00 to 22:00 local time.

Just finished opening all of today's Time Schedule PDF's, and there is a 24 minute gap between the end of this girls segment and the start of the boys' segment. But, there is no lee-way after that. So, if everything runs smoothly with the girls, they should re-coup the time lost from the extra resurfacing.

There would have been time in the schedule to run some of today's competitions earlier in the week. The action on Thursday started an hour later than the subsequent days. Perhaps they could have fitted in the Basic Novice Men's FS on Thursday morning, so that both Basic Novice competitions were held back-to-back. And in turn today's final competition, the Novice B Ladies FS, could have been held yesterday.

But, I'm sure the organisers had a reason for doing it the way they did.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Awwww. Skater #34, Eva LAMPPU (FIN), couldn't stop crying after her programme. Well, she did have 3 falls.



She goes into 29th position. But, despite being the skater with the most points deducted, she has 4 other skaters behind her. Including 2 other Finns (one of whom is from the same club). And she is less than 5 points behind the girl currently in 15th position. So, it's not a total disaster. She can potentially move up considerably in the FS.

CaroLiza_fan

Oh, no. She's crying continuously again today.



Well, at least she only had 2 falls today. (So 1 point in deductions).

She goes into 3rd position in the FS, and 2nd overall. So, she's only dropped one position from her own efforts. And that was always on the cards, as Venla HÄMÄLÄINEN (FIN) was only 0.29 points behind her in the SP. Except, as it turned out, Venla had a real disaster of a skate, dropping down to last position. It is another Finn, Nella HEIKKINEN, that is climbing up the order after a brilliant FS.

But, as I said after her SP, Eva is in a very close group. The girl who is 15 positions ahead of her is only 4.53 points ahead of her. So, if any of the skaters in this group make a mistake, they could easily slot in behind Eva.

It's not all bad, love.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

"This means nothing to me. This means nothing to me".

Sorry, but I'm not convinced. I think this means a lot to Alexandra Marii PETTAI (EST), because she looked very disappointed coming off the ice.

Well, at least she has her coach, a team-mate (skater #8, Isabel SAKS, who is currently 3rd in the FS and overall) and a MASSIVE cuddly seal to keep her company.

Haven't seen anybody skating to "Vienna" by Ultravox before, but I really enjoyed it. But, then again, I always did like that song. I hope more skaters try it.

She drops down to 5th in the FS, and to 3rd overall. (Ironically taking the overall position from the girl sitting beside her!)

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

I haven't been commenting because I've been behind since the resurfacing. But I just had to post about Natalie TIEVA (FIN) skating to Chopin's "Prelude In C minor, Opus 28, Number 20"



I have always loved that piece!!!

She didn't have a coach with her (I assume the coach was seeing to the next skater), but she did have a team-mate. (And they actually look quite alike!) And they were chattering away non-stop!

Natalie goes into the lead of the FS and overall.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Please, somebody stop me from using the "Kalme before the storm" line in relation to Katarina KALME (EST) being the last skater before the resurfacing.

She had lots of company sitting with her. 4 team-mates and her coach. But, despite skating clean, she dropped to 3rd in the FS and overall.

Anyway, I am now caught up and ready to see how the final two groups go.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[TT_Fin]

I had this background when I worked with my secondary job. What to coaches think when let a 12-13-year old skate to songs like "hit the road Jack"?

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

I had this background when I worked with my secondary job. What to coaches think when let a 12-13-year old skate to songs like "hit the road Jack"?

You know, I never really thought about the lyrics of that particular song before. But now that I have, you're right. They do send the wrong message to girls of an impressionable age.

I don't know if it is because the songs are not in their first language, and they are not fully grasping what songs are about. But, choreographers just don't seem to worry about age appropriateness when it comes to song lyrics.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Mia Liisu KRUMINS (EST) had two caoches and FIVE team-mates in with her.

Little wonder then that the applause and the cheers from them when she got her scores were rather loud!

She goes into a 4.93 point lead in the FS, and a 8.19 point lead overall.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[TT_Fin]

The coach with blond hair is very critical. I don't know who she is. She was telling what went wrong when Annika was crying. The other one who came and hugged said same "Annika has nothing to worry about". I heard her to give critics other skaters, too, but they were not crying and maybe they were a little bit older and could analyze also their skatings themselves.

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

The coach with blond hair is very critical. I don't know who she is. She was telling what went wrong when Annika was crying. The other one who came and hugged said same "Annika has nothing to worry about".

Oh, I thought Annika was exhausted and struggling to get her breath. I didn't realise that she was actually crying.

No, that's not right. When dealing with children, you should be encouraging them. Not criticising them and reducing them to tears.

Well, at least she only dropped one place overall. It might have been worse if she had dropped more.

Thank you for the insight into what was really going on.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[TT_Fin]

Oh, I thought Annika was exhausted and struggling to get her breath. I didn't realise that she was actually crying.

No, that's not right. When dealing with children, you should be encouraging them. Not criticising them and reducing them to tears.

Well, at least she only dropped one place overall. It might have been worse if she had dropped more.

Thank you for the insight into what was really going on.

CaroLiza_fan

It is not only Annika. She has told about half of her skaters which I have heard "your spin was too low" and things like that. I haven't watched everybody, and was outside for a while, but tried to see some of the Finns when I heard they are on ice. I am not sure but I think usually they should let the children calm town and look these kind of things later at home.

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

It is not only Annika. She has told about half of her skaters which I have heard "your spin was too low" and things like that. I haven't watched everybody, and was outside for a while, but tried to see some of the Finns when I heard they are on ice.

You know, I was angry with the way that Stéphane Lambiel was talking to Deniss Vasiļjevs after his FS. But, finding out about what this coach was saying to lots of children is angering me even more.

I know they need to be told where they are going wrong, so that they know what to do next time. But, it can be done in a constructive way.

Being criticised can have an effect on people. And particularly children.

It's a pity that they removed the "Clubs" column from the livescoring pages during yesterday's action. Because it was handy being able to see which skaters were from which clubs. And, as an extension, seeing which clubs the coaches were from.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

After commenting so often throughout this event about the number of people in the results area, it was amusing that for the final skater, there was nobody there at all. Not even Elina GOIDINA (EST) herself. We were just looking at an empty sofa.

And it was even more amusing when two skaters ran through the shot after the scores were announced!

Incidentally, she dropped to 3rd in the FS, and 2nd overall. So, I hope that her absence doesn't mean that she was somewhere very upset.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

After the extra resurfacing at the start of the day, we are back on schedule now. We stay with the Advanced Novices, but move to the boys,

Livestream for the Advanced Novice Men's FS is now on air.

Here is the link for the livestream:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=127_2JD07kY

Here is the Time Schedule:
https://fsresults.info/2022-2023/TH...ADVNOV----FNL-000100--_StartListwithTimes.pdf

And here is the live scoring:
https://fsresults.info/2022-2023/THC2023/Interclub/SEG016.htm

Hope this helps

ALL THE BEST EVERYBODY!!!

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Awww, that was nice. As well as his coach, Federico BERRUTO (ITA) had team-mate Amanda GHEZZO, who just finished 2nd in the girls competition, sitting with him.

They were all VERY happy when his score came up! And Federico and the coach had a big hug.

That is the sort of interraction you like to see!

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Erm, why are we having a long wait before the final skater is introduced?

It is not as if he has withdrawn. He is on the ice already!

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Ach, Raul GARCIA SHIBINSKAYA (AND) was 3rd in the FS, which dropped him to 2nd overall.

I was preparing myself to ask when the last time a skater from Andorra won an international event was. Or if it had ever happened.

CaroLiza_fan