Sara Hurtado & Kirill Khaliavin

[gabriele]

Sara & Kirill's superior SD TES came at Torun, where the judges were handing out levels like candy - there was some inflation at Bavarian Open, but nowhere near as much as in Poland. And Olivia & Adri have shown themselves to be much the stronger across the whole phase of competition. Both teams have made mistakes - Olivia at Nationals, Sara in every competition except Nationals... I blame mostly the federation for setting such silly selection criteria! It's hard to change it now, but imo they should be thinking who will have the best chance to secure a spot for the Olympics & only Olivia & Adri have shown a score at any event that could do it.

Can I suggest a Hurtado/Khaliavin fan thread isn't the place to make an argument that the selection rules should be bent to favour another team. Just saying.....

I wonder why the federation didn't enter both teams in an international competition to see the results of a direct contest away from nationals. Shifting goal posts after the event, as you suggest, should be limited to exceptional circumstances where the results are clearly an anomaly. That isn't the case here. Sara/Kirill won both SD and FD at Nationals and did so with shorter preparation time and fewer competitions under their belt. You're saying Olivia only made mistakes at Nationals. But isn't that the argument against choosing them as they participated in more events (without mistakes as you say...) but failing to post a better score in the established criteria throughout, while H/K made better use of fewer opportunities? Right now, Kirill obviously brings more experience as skater and international competitor to the new teams than Olivia does, who is only 19 years of age. S/D have a great coaching situation and I'm sure the rivalry between the two teams will be close. Exciting times for Spanish ice dance! No argument though as to who should be at Worlds. Wishing Sara/Kirill good luck!!!

 

[Barb]

Can I suggest a Hurtado/Khaliavin fan thread isn't the place to make an argument that the selection rules should be bent to favour another team. Just saying.....

I wonder why the federation didn't enter both teams in an international competition to see the results of a direct contest away from nationals. Shifting goal posts after the event, as you suggest, should be limited to exceptional circumstances where the results are clearly an anomaly. That isn't the case here. Sara/Kirill won both SD and FD at Nationals and did so with shorter preparation time and fewer competitions under their belt. You're saying Olivia only made mistakes at Nationals. But isn't that the argument against choosing them as they participated in more events (without mistakes as you say...) but failing to post a better score in the established criteria throughout, while H/K made better use of fewer opportunities? Right now, Kirill obviously brings more experience as skater and international competitor to the new teams than Olivia does, who is only 19 years of age. S/D have a great coaching situation and I'm sure the rivalry between the two teams will be close. Exciting times for Spanish ice dance! No argument though as to who should be at Worlds. Wishing Sara/Kirill good luck!!!

She is only 19 yo ?

 

[blancanieves]

She is only 19 yo ?

Until April, when she turns 20.

 

[AnaBM]

This is such a whole mess but IMO the best thing the Spanish Fed can do is follow the rules they established early in the season. It makes more sense and they have something solid to back it up.

I love Olivia and Adrian, and yes, their results so far are better, but I'm not even sure it'd be helpful to send them to Worlds by changing the rules and with the pressure of 'getting that Olympic spot yes or yes'. Not even Sara and Adrian could get it the last time IIRC, and they had more time and preparation as a pair. Everything else (a change not contemplated from the beginning, when the results are kinda obvious) may not look very clean or fair.

 

[kptnciam]

Sara Hurtado & Kirill Khaliavin

Also, let me just slip this here, and this is also my opinion (and my perspective, nothing proven, just a feeling), I fear that some of these opinions "against" Sara and Kirill are based on favoritisms towards Olivia & Adri from some spanish influential fans or experts. I doubt they would be saying the same in case the situation was the other way around.

So for me, let's just forget about it and cheer as hell for Sara & Kirill. [emoji173]

And I want to state here that I also love S/D, but it's not their turn this year.

 

[Olibritt]

Can I suggest a Hurtado/Khaliavin fan thread isn't the place to make an argument that the selection rules should be bent to favour another team. Just saying.....

You are right, this is not the place for making arguments about selection rules or another team’s merits. :confused2:

Following your suggestion, I propose that if someone has something else to say about the rules, we should use Team Spain’s thread (if someone has a better proposal, go ahead). Olivia & Adri have their own thread for comments about them.

 

[turquoiseblue]

Here is an English translation of the interview with Kirill by FS Gossips
Kirill Khaliavin: In Spain, results first then talk about money

Original interview in Russian by Olga Ermolina, fsrussia.ru
Кирилл Халявин: «В Испании сначала результат, а затем говорят о деньгах»

 

[kptnciam]

i read yesterday that the federation has not issued an official statement yet because they are still pondering who to send, so we cannot "say" for sure that Sara & Kirill are going to Helsinki. so we'll have to wait for that communication. just sharing the info.


Sent from my phone

 

[Barb]

why not a rock paper scissors battle ? really the decision is taking longer than I expected, poor guys.

 

[legjumper]

i read yesterday that the federation has not issued an official statement yet because they are still pondering who to send, so we cannot "say" for sure that Sara & Kirill are going to Helsinki. so we'll have to wait for that communication. just sharing the info.


Sent from my phone

Ugh. On the one hand, I understand the hesitation, but then why even set up qualification rules at the beginning of the season? Why not have just announced that there will be a skate-off before Worlds? Or why not send all three teams to Bavarian Open? At least then the Fed could have seen all three teams judged by the same international panel against the same field. I hope the Fed learns from this year's situation and doesn't repeat the same mistakes for the Olympics (assuming Spain qualifies a spot at Worlds or at Nebelhorn, and that both Olivia and Kirill obtain Spanish citizenship in time).

 

[Barb]

It seems official , Sara and Kiril to Finland https://twitter.com/FanClubSkaters/status/834474925876457474 :hap93:

eta. Apparently it is not official

 

[kptnciam]

:shame:

welcome to spain

xDDD

 

[Barb]

https://twitter.com/Hieloespanol/status/836649709280378884

official, Adria and Olivia to Worlds

 

[legjumper]

http://www.fedhielo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Informe-Comite-tecnico_Danza_25_17.pdf

According to the official statement from FEDH, the committee considers a TES difference of 0.10 to be a tie, its reasoning being that if one judge had given one element one higher GOE point to S/D, they would have had a TES of 35.72, whereas if one judge had given one element one lesser GOE point to H/K, they would have had a TES of 35.50. Because the GOE of only one judge could have an effect of +/- 0.20 on a score, the scores should be considered equal. Therefore, the committee looked at the FD TES, which was the tiebreaker, and here S/D have a clearly higher score for the season. The committee also took into account that S/D have posted a greater total score this season.

Bleh. Sorry for Sara and Kirill. You had a wonderful debut season and accomplished a lot in a very short amount of time. Keep working hard and come out guns blazing in the fall! And now we know that FEDH does not consider "tie" to mean literally equal! And maybe next season, FEDH should send ALL THREE TEAMS to the SAME INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION for more objective evaluations!

 

[turquoiseblue]

Sara posted a message on Instagram:

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

Shame this was the last time we performed this program... but like this is how I want to say bye to the season: Taking a bow to the ones they enjoy our skating, with a smile on my face and holding hands with my team. We have got a lot more to give.

#gracias #HurtadoKhalyavin #byeseason2017 #takingabow #alwaysgrateful #sobrehielo #TeamESP #roadtopyeongchang

I wish Sara and Kirill all the best! I can't wait for the next season.

 

[turquoiseblue]

Here is a message from Kirill:

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

kirill_khalyavin
Hello Friends!
1. I am really disappointed with that decision of our federation.. Very sad
2. Never thought what strong National Champions Title is not enough to represent the country on the biggest international competitions.
3. But anyway, thanks everyone for support. Me and Sara, we are really appreciate that! We are gonna keep working and making a beauty things for the next season) we're already have a lot of ideas which are gonna surprise all of you guys
See you soon
P.S. as a bonus, there is a few photos from the last summer, when we're just started our project) just to remind me how is it was) And why we're doing this) And of course to try a new option in instagram

I'm looking forward to seeing what they will come up with for the next season!!

 

[turquoiseblue]

Here is an interesting article on Sara and Kirill with many beautiful photos
Sara Hurtado and Kirill Khaliavin: "At this point we just keep building in us" by Florentina Tone, Insideskating

 

[anyanka]

Here is a message from Kirill:

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


I'm looking forward to seeing what they will come up with for the next season!!

Let's hope Spain gets two spots for next season so they all get to go!

 

[legjumper]

Let's hope Spain gets two spots for next season so they all get to go!

Smart/Diaz need to finish in the Top 10 at Worlds for Spain to qualify two teams for 2018, soooo...it's highly unlikely that Spain will have two teams next year. Unless Spain changes its qualifying rules for ISU championships OR until one Spanish team emerges as the country's undisputed leader, we might be stuck in a repeat scenario of this season for at least a couple more years.

 

[Barb]

Q&A periscope https://www.pscp.tv/becaspodium/1yoJMeWmAneJQ