British Skating News 2021-2022

[Belsornia]

Well, I’m glad the skaters have been informed of the criteria! But it would be nice if they could publish it too.

 

[Intheknow1]

Well, I’m glad the skaters have been informed of the criteria! But it would be nice if they could publish it too.

From what I understand for the Olympic criteria, they needed to score the equivalent of 20th place at the World Championships (169.01) in either this season or the previous 2 including the covid year. As Natasha had scored that, the BOA awarded the spot.

As far as Europeans/Worlds selections goes, it’s a combination of best International and British Championship scores.

 

[Belsornia]

Some of the ice dancers are scheduled to compete at the Open d'Andorra this week, but with no semi-major competitions left before the British Championships, here's my tally of the seasons best scores for GB skaters who have competed internationally. Strikethrough for those who haven't got the technical minimums for Euros/Junior Worlds.

Dance is set and Natasha McKay seems pretty secure for the women's spot at Euros (with Kristen Spours a solid substitute). I hesitate to call it for pairs, though the seasons best scores look clear, and it looks like it could come down to Championships results for men.

Senior Women
167.75 Natasha McKay (Tayside Trophy)
158.59 Kristen Spours (Tirnavia Ice Cup)
140.35 Nina Povey (Lombardia Trophy)
139.05 Elena Komova (Budapest Trophy)
135.25 Karly Robertson (Tayside Trophy)
129.98 Danielle Harrison (Tayside Trophy)
[Komova due to compete again at Golden Spin, the week after the Championships]

Senior Men
202.34 Graham Newberry (Budapest Trophy)
196.39 PJ Hallam (Nebelhorn Trophy)
190.69 Edward Appleby (Tayside Trophy)
147.02 Elliott Thompson (Tayside Trophy)
[Appleby due to compete again at Golden Spin]

Senior Pairs
158.93 Anastasia Vaipan-Law / Luke Digby (Tayside Trophy)
134.69 Zoe Jones / Christopher Boyadji (Skate Canada)

Senior Ice Dance
191.91 Lilah Fear / Lewis Gibson (NHK Trophy)
173.36 Sasha Fear / George Waddell (Viktor Petrenko Cup)
114.19 Eleanor Hirst / Anthony Currie (Budapest Trophy)
[Fear/Gibson due to compete at Open d'Andorra, somewhat randomly, and Golden Spin. And on a tangent, I'm surprised that Fear/Waddell haven't had a Challenger except Nebelhorn; I thought they'd be pushing for a good ISU seasons best.]

Junior Women
130.02 Elena Komova (Budapest Trophy)
104.53 Christie Anne Shannon (Tayside Trophy)
101.92 Arabella Sear-Watkins (JGP Ljubljana)
92.80 Genevieve Somerville (Budapest Trophy)

Junior Men
182.41 Edward Appleby (JGP Courchevel II)
158.73 Ken Fitterer (Viktor Petrenko Cup)
146.03 Freddie Leggott (Budapest Trophy)
143.21 Lucas Fitterer (Viktor Petrenko Cup)
137.19 Joseph Zakipour (Tayside Trophy)

Junior Ice Dance
131.41 Phebe Bekker / James Hernandez (JGP Gdansk)
115.26 Sophia Bushell / Alex Lapsky (Viktor Petrenko Cup)
99.18 Natalia Pallu-Neves / Jayin Panesar (JGP Courchevel II)
86.28 Vasilisa Ahramenka / Alessio Surenkov-Gultchev (JGP Courchevel I)
[Bushell/Lapsky and Pallu-Neves/Panesar due to compete at Open d'Andorra]

 

[Intheknow1]

Following the results of the British Championships, current race for Euro/Worlds spot using criteria from BIS website:

Place	Name	Total Score	Nationals	ISU International 1	ISU International 2
1	Natasha McKay	508.97	169.69	170.26	169.02
2	Kristen Spours	453.62	142.67	158.59	152.36
3	Nina Povey	446.68	157.19	149.14	140.35
4	Karly Robertson	445.57	157.69	147.43	140.45

Olympic Spot race below also using criteria from BIS website. (Natasha was the only one to meet additional requirements);

Place	Name	Total Score	Nationals	Challenger/Grand Prix	ISU International
1	Natasha McKay	502.49	169.69	162.54	170.26
2	Nina Povey	446.68	157.19	140.35	149.14
3	Kristen Spours	436.04	142.67	134.78	158.59
4	Karly Robertson	422.43	157.69	117.31	147.43

 

[miffy]

PJ Hallam has officially retired, expected but still sad

I guess Graham will go to Euros? He did very well yesterday, good for him.

 

[Belsornia]

Thanks @Intheknow1. Do you have a link to the selection criteria? I could only find 2019-20, but the BIS site is a bit of a maze!

I think it has to be Graham Newberry for Euros and Worlds, since AFAIK Ed Appleby took himself out of contention by withdrawing from the senior free skate.

 

[Belsornia]

BIS: Selections for 2022 European Figure Skating Championships

Skaters selected for the 2022 European Figure Skating Championships are the following:

Women
Natasha Mckay
Reserve - Nina Povey

Men
Graham Newberry
Reserve - Edward Appleby

Pairs
Zoe Jones and Christopher Boyadji
Reserve - Anastasia Vaipan Law and Luke Digby

Ice Dance
Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson
Sasha Fear and George Waddell
No Reserve

Apparently the selection criteria for pairs did not include British Championships or international scores.

 

[Intheknow1]

Thanks @Intheknow1. Do you have a link to the selection criteria? I could only find 2019-20, but the BIS site is a bit of a maze!

I think it has to be Graham Newberry for Euros and Worlds, since AFAIK Ed Appleby took himself out of contention by withdrawing from the senior free skate.

See attached for Euros/ Worlds:

https://96568abf-e590-431c-a48b-1db93d065738.filesusr.com/ugd/edc78b_99f3bde203854d78b5d985249b5abad7.pdf

I think the pairs had a decent score from 19/20 so pipped Ana/Luke to the place sadly.

 

[Belsornia]

Thank you. In that case my is at the criteria. I really feel for the UK-based skaters who were hit by the rink closures, but it's clear that being off the ice for so long did a number on some of them and they aren't currently able to put out the kind of performance they were delivering in 19/20.

 

[miffy]

It’s not that I dislike anyone. I’m just excited by some skaters’ potential and I feel they have done enough this season and deserve a chance. It’s tough when they weren’t even around in previous seasons and those seasons’ scores are a deciding factor.

 

[Intheknow1]

I agree with you both, they have the choice to ignore the scores and the pairs is definitely the one that you can see a reason to do that!

It would usually just be the year previous but due to there being little to no competitions in the 20/21 season they’ve allowed it to be the 19/20 season also.

 

[Karen-W]

Perhaps they will rethink after Euros, especially if Ana & Luke can put in a solid performance or two at Bavarian Open and Challenge Cup.

 

[allezfred]

Wait, what crazy batshit criteria is that to not pick someone based on how they perform this season?

 

[Belsornia]

Perhaps they will rethink after Euros, especially if Ana & Luke can put in a solid performance or two at Bavarian Open and Challenge Cup.

According to the criteria linked above, Worlds selection will take into account results up to 7 February.... So it's Bavarian Open or bust!

Junior Worlds selection will consider results up to 17 January; though I can't see any non-injury scenario when the team would be other than Appleby, Komova and Bekker/Hernandez.

 

[Andrea82]

Olympic Team confirmed by British Olympic Committee

Natasha McKay
Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson

Three figure skaters selected for Beijing 2022 | Team GB

With 50 days to go until the Opening Ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games the British Olympic Association (BOA) has today announced the three figure skaters who will represent Team GB in February.

www.teamgb.com

 

[Sylvia]

Simon Briggs, coach of Natasha McKay, tweeted this today: https://twitter.com/s1briggs/status/1486291530935590912
"One week for myself and @NatashaaMckay to stay ********* free before travelling to Beijing. Stressful beyond belief."

OutSports article on Lewis Gibson who "talks for the first time about being gay and married, on eve of the Olympics" (Jan. 26):

Lewis Gibson talks for the first time about being gay and married, on eve of the Olympics - Outsports

Lewis Gibson and ice dancing partner Lilah Fear will represent Team Great Britain at the Beijing Olympics.

www.outsports.com

(also posted in the LGBTQ+ in figure skating thread)

 

[antmanb]

Simon Briggs, coach of Natasha McKay, tweeted this today: https://twitter.com/s1briggs/status/1486291530935590912
"One week for myself and @NatashaaMckay to stay ********* free before travelling to Beijing. Stressful beyond belief."

OutSports article on Lewis Gibson who "talks for the first time about being gay and married, on eve of the Olympics" (Jan. 26):

Lewis Gibson talks for the first time about being gay and married, on eve of the Olympics - Outsports

Lewis Gibson and ice dancing partner Lilah Fear will represent Team Great Britain at the Beijing Olympics.

www.outsports.com

(also posted in the LGBTQ+ in figure skating thread)

From the article:

“I’ve seen so many people who have gone before me and just living their truth and being so authentic when they perform int heir sport an really just wanting that for myself as well,” said Gibson, specifically citing French medal favorite Guillaume Cizeron as an inspiration, as well as Adam Rippon and Robin Cousins.

I didn't know Robin Cousins had formally come out.

 

[Belsornia]

Congrats to Lewis on his sekret wedding! That was a really nice interview. I feel like we normally hear more from Lilah (I guess because of her podcast) so it was good to get to know Lewis a bit more.

In more prosaic news, the BBC team for the Olympics has been announced: Robin Cousins and Katherine Downes on commentary again with Jayne Torvill, Chris Dean and David King in the studio. I don’t think I’ve seen King doing colour commentary before.

 

[Vagabond]

OutSports article on Lewis Gibson who "talks for the first time about being gay and married, on eve of the Olympics" (Jan. 26):

Lewis Gibson talks for the first time about being gay and married, on eve of the Olympics - Outsports

Lewis Gibson and ice dancing partner Lilah Fear will represent Team Great Britain at the Beijing Olympics.

www.outsports.com

(also posted in the LGBTQ+ in figure skating thread)

It used to be said that all the best ones were married or gay. Now it seems that they are both!

 

[Sylvia]

I just created a TV Alerts thread for a BBC Three documentary series that will premiere on Feb. 5 (includes PJ Hallam, Kirsten Spours, Lydia Smart/Harry Mattick, Billy French):

Freeze: Skating on the Edge (4-part documentary series on BBC Three)

https://www.tvzoneuk.com/post/pr-freeze-bbc3 Filmed over twelve months and released as two separate box-sets, this stylish documentary series has front row seats as these young skaters dedicate every hour, every ounce of energy, and all the glitter eye make-up they can find, in pursuit of their...

www.fsuniverse.net

 

[antmanb]

I just created a TV Alerts thread for a BBC Three documentary series that will premiere on Feb. 5 (includes PJ Hallam, Kirsten Spours, Lydia Smart/Harry Mattick, Billy French):

Freeze: Skating on the Edge (4-part documentary series on BBC Three)

https://www.tvzoneuk.com/post/pr-freeze-bbc3 Filmed over twelve months and released as two separate box-sets, this stylish documentary series has front row seats as these young skaters dedicate every hour, every ounce of energy, and all the glitter eye make-up they can find, in pursuit of their...

www.fsuniverse.net

I just saw an advert for this with the relaunch of BBC3 - i've set it to record - it looks like it's going to be very interesting.

 

[morqet]

All of Freeze is up on iPlayer now. I'm only halfway through the first episode but I'm really enjoying it! It's a good balance between being accessible for people who don't know anything about skating but not so dumbed down that it's not interesting to the hardcore fan. The on ice filming is great and there are none of the awkward Tessa & Scott or On Edge staged conversations.

Plus there are contributions from Mark Hanretty and Yebin Mok!

 

[Belsornia]

BIS have announced the teams for the World Championships and Junior Worlds. No surprises - though I was hoping that Vaipan-Law/Digby had done enough with their Euros SP to get the spot.

A bit that there's currently only one man and one woman at Worlds standard.

World Figure Skating Championships 2022
Women
Natasha McKay
Reserve - Nina Povey*

Men
Graham Newberry
No reserve

Pairs
Zoe Jones / Christopher Boyadji
Reserve - Anastasia Vaipan-Law / Luke Digby

Ice Dance
Lilah Fear / Lewis Gibson
Sasha Fear / George Waddell
No reserve

* Subject to getting tech minimums aka no reserve.

World Junior Figure Skating Championships 2022

Men
Edward Appleby
Reserve - Joseph Zakipour

Women
Elena Komova
Reserve - Genevieve Somerville

Ice Dance
Phebe Bekker / James Hernandez
Reserve - Sophia Bushell / Alex Lapsky


I didn't realise Somerville had tech minimums. It must be from 2019-20 because she's been nowhere near this season.

 

[antmanb]

I've watched the first two episodes of Freeze and am really enjoying it.

I've had a few texts from friends who aren't into skating saying that they've been watching it and really enjoying it so i'm glad it's had an impact outside of the skating world.

I enjoyed watching the tryout between Billy and Kat. At the end of the second episode he's packing up to go to the US for months and I did wonder if that's all on Kat's parents money given the options. I also wondered what the longterm plan was because Olympics would surely not be on the cards for them given nationalities? I also wondered if there weren't options for Kat in the US and why she would pick an English guy over someone else.

I realised that i've never seen Graham Newberry skate and from certain angles his face reminds me of Todd Eldredge.

 

[zigzig]

I'm assuming Lilah and Lewis are going to Worlds but have they mentioned anything about their future plans? They're a fun team and even my non-skating friends always get into their programs.

 

[skatingguy]

I'm assuming Lilah and Lewis are going to Worlds but have they mentioned anything about their future plans? They're a fun team and even my non-skating friends always get into their programs.

I don't know any specifics, but they've described themselves as 'just starting out'.

 

[shah]

I'm assuming Lilah and Lewis are going to Worlds but have they mentioned anything about their future plans? They're a fun team and even my non-skating friends always get into their programs.

Judging by the article title, they've only just begun, indeed :

https://olympics.com/en/news/lilah-fear-lewis-gibson-team-gb-ice-dance-beijing-2022-interview

 

[morqet]

I enjoyed watching the tryout between Billy and Kat. At the end of the second episode he's packing up to go to the US for months and I did wonder if that's all on Kat's parents money given the options. I also wondered what the longterm plan was because Olympics would surely not be on the cards for them given nationalities? I also wondered if there weren't options for Kat in the US and why she would pick an English guy over someone else.

My favourite part was the round table at the end of the tryout - both of them obviously really really wanting the partnership to work, but neither quite ready to let go of the teenage desire to appear to be cool and unbothered about it. I hope it does work out for them. Obviously citizenship is impossible unless she moves to the UK, but they could still have a good career with less competition for Euros or Worlds spots than she would if skating in the US.

 

[antmanb]

I finished watching this today.

It was so good to see the skaters and what they went through with lockdown.

I found it really hard seeing Harry Mattick talk about the abuse he suffered from coach Igor Novodran. Being called “retard” rather than his name and it culminating in Igor punching Harry in the stomach

Outraged I went to Google him and saw he’d died in a plane crash. It’s a shame he died before he could be reprimanded for his actions.

The series ended with “to be continued”. They gave some teasers so it must have been filmed but I can’t see when any more will be released.

 

[millyskate]

Billy seems like a really strong skater. I hope the partnership works out.