Competition Recap: British Championships Qualifier 2, Tayside Trophy, Lombardia Trophy, Ondrej Nepela Memorial
Competition Recap
The competition season for our Ice Dundee skaters is in full swing. They competed across the country, in Sheffield and Dundee and overseas, in Italy and Slovakia.
British Championships Qualifier 2
Danielle Harrison and Jasmine Cressey were off to compete at the British Championships Qualifier 2 event in Sheffield, taking place from 22nd – 26th July 2019.
Senior Ladies category
Short Program
After being injured most of last season, it was Danni’s first event after a long competition break. She skated a good Short Program including a triple Salchow double Toeloop combination, a triple Toeloop and double Axel. All of her spins received the most difficulty (Level 4) and positive Grade of Execution (GOE) points from the judges. She earned a total of 50.65 points and was lying in second place going into the Free Program.
Free Program
It was the first time Danni got to perform her new Free Program to the music of the Adagio from the Russian Ballet “Spartacus” earning her good program components and a total score of 88.73. With a combined total score of 139.38 points, she managed to climb the top spot of the podium.
Junior Ladies category
Short Program
Jasmine skated a good Short Program, including a double Axel and a triple Toeloop, which is a new jump addition to her program. She was lying in 3rd place going into the Free Skate with a score of 38.76 points.
Free Program
In her Free Program she performed a well executed double Axel, but fell on her triple Toeloop attempt. It is Jasmine’s first year in the Junior ranks and it is important to add harder jump elements to her program, even if they not always go as planned. She is training very hard and showing some other very promising triple jumps in practice. With a Free Program score of 64.28 and a total combined score of 103.04 she finished the competition in 6th place, out of 30 competitors.
The Tayside Trophy
The Tayside Trophy took place from 12th – 13th August 2019 and was the first ever ISU event taking place in Dundee. Danielle Harrison, Karly Robertson and Natasha McKay competed in the Senior Ladies category, Conor Stakelum in the Senior Men category and Jasmine Cressey skated in the Junior Ladies event.
Senior Ladies
Short Program
Tash opened her Short Program with a stunning triple Lutz double Toeloop combination earning positive GOE (Grade of execution) from all judges. She also included a double Axel in her program and received a one point deduction for a fall on her triple Salchow. All of her spins and her step sequence received the hardest difficulty Level (Level 4) and positive marks across the board. With a total of 54.60 points she was lying in 1st place.
Karly included a beautiful triple Toeloop double Toeloop combination in her program and a double Axel, but also received a one point deduction for a fall on her opening triple loop. Her spins received positive GOE across the board and the highest difficulty and with a score of 51.26 points she was sitting in second place.
For Danni it was the first international competition after a tough last season filled with injuries. She missed two jump elements in the program, but managed to execute a great triple Salchow double Loop combination. Her spins were showing off her great flexibility and earned her good scores from all judges. She earned a total of 44.86 points for her Short Program and was lying in 4th place.
Free Program
It was the first time for Tash to perform her new Free Program to the music of Oceans 8, choreographed by world renowned Choreographer Mark Pillay. Her Free Program included a stunning triple Lutz, a triple Toeloop, and two triple Loop’s one in combination with a double Toeloop. She, again, earned the highest difficulty (Level 4) for all her spins and steps and with a score of 101.63 and a total combined score of 156.23 she finished the competition in 1st place, just 0.02 points off her personal best.
Danni’s program included a triple Toeloop, a triple Salchow and two double Axel, one in combination with a double Toeloop and well executed spins. She finished the Free Program in second place, with 89.71 points. With a combined total score of 134.57 she finished the competition in 4th place, just 3,08 points off the podium.
Karly didn’t have the best Free Program, struggling with groin issues going into the event. She still managed to show a triple Flip and two triple Toeloop’s and a triple Salchow, but not with the best quality, leaving some points on the table. Karly earned a total of 86.74 points for her Free Program putting her in 4th place, but with a combined total score of 138.00 she managed to hold on to 2nd place.
Natasha McKay Free Program Tayside Trophy
Danielle Harrison Free Program Tayside Trophy
Senior Men
Short Program
Conor performed his new Short Program to Game of Thrones for the first time, skating a clean program including a triple Toeloop triple Toeloop combination. He was lying in the great 3rd position with a score of 61.54 points going into the Free Program.
Free Program
With a total score of 161.66 he finsihed the competition in 4th place winning the first skate-off against his team mate Samuel McAllister. In order for Conor to qualify for the European Championships he needs to be the top Irish men after two skate-off’s against his Irish rival. Whoever earns more combined technical points in the Short program, will represent Ireland at the European Championships. Conor is currently leading and will have another chance to prove himself at the Nebelhorn Trophy, taking place in Oberstdorf.
Junior Ladies
Short Program
Jasmine Cressey earned a new personal best score in the Short Program of 41.56 points, putting her into 1st place going into the Free Program. Her program opened with a well executed double Axel and included spins with the highest difficulty (Level 4). Her step sequence also earned a level 4 which we don’t see very often in the Junior category.
Free Program
Her Free Program included two double axels and three level 4 spins (hardest difficulty) earning her a total of 69.67 points putting her in 3rd place. With a combined total score of 111.23 she finished her first ISU competition in the great 2nd place.
Lombardia Trophy CS
Natasha McKay was off to compete at the Lombardia Trophy CS in Bergamo, Italy from 13th – 15th September 2019. The competitor field was fierce, with current European Champion Sofia Samadurova and World and European Champion Elizaveta Tuktamysheva both from Russia competing.
Short Program
Tash had a costly mistake in the Short Program, popping (not executing) the newly added triple Lutz but performed her other two jump elements, triple Salchow double Toeloop and double Axel without any problems. Her spins earned positive points from all judges and she received the 5th best score for her Step Sequence. She earned 49.09 points for her Short Program which put her in 11th place.
Free Program
In the Free Program Tash showed some great jumping elements, including a triple Loop double Toeloop, triple Salchow half Loop double Salchow combination and a double Axel but also some errors on other jump element. Again she received the highest difficulty (Level 4) mark for her spins and step sequence. She earned a total of 84.79 points and with a combined total of 133.88 points she finished the competition in 12th place.
Ondrej Nepela Memorial
Karly Robertson and Danielle Harrison were off to compete in Bratislava, Slovakia at the 27th Ondrej Nepela Memorial, from the 20th – 21st September. The competition was fierce with 19 competitors from 14 countries including the current World Junior Ladies champion Alexandra Trusova from Russia.
Short Program
Karly skated a clean Short Program apart from a small touch down on the triple loop. She earned 50.03 points which put her in 9th place.
Danni’s program included a triple Toeloop double Toeloop combination and a double Axel. She received some negative GOE on the Toeloop and Salchow but positive execution points for her double Axel. She earned a total of 44.05 points putting her in 16th place.
Karly Robertson Short Program 27th Ondrej Nepela Memorial
Danielle Harrison Short Program 27th Ondrej Nepela Memorial
Free Program
Karly’s Free Program was like a roller coaster ride. She executed two triple Toeloops and two triple Salchows, one of each in combination with a double Toeloop. Her spins received the highest difficulty (Level 4) and positive GOE from all judges. However she also earned 6 points deduction for falls, two of them in the second half which is even more costly as it is 2 points per fall. Karly neve gave up and fought right through to the end and earned 84.57 points for her Free Program and with a combined total of 134.60 points she finished the competition in 12th place.
Danni included a triple Toeloop, a triple Salchow and two double Axels in her program, which did receive some minus points for execution. She received positive execution points for her spins and step sequence and earned a total of 78.99 points. With a combined total of 123.04 she finished the competition in 16th place.
