Posted with permission

By STEF ( - 194.7.15.89) on Sunday, September 12, 1999 - 12:47 pm:

NEBELHORN TROPHY

The new figure skating season opened with the Nebelhorn Trophy in Oberstdorf. Overall, the level was not tremendous at all, but it’s early in the season and still there were some valuable performances.
About the new musics, be folks prepared to hearing thousands of times the soundtracks of « The Mask of Zorro » and « The Man in the Iron Mask ». Such a lack of originality from the skaters is a big disappointment.

Abbreviations used:

3=triple; 2=double, etc... (you are not stupid!)
A=axel
L=lutz
FL=flutz (its nationality is often American, how come?)
F=flip (attention it doesn’t mean I rank a flutz between a flip and a lutz)
R=rittberger=loop
S=salchow
T=toe loop
* Mind that a fall out is NOT a fall, it’s a three turn, a return, all you want, but not a fall!

IMPORTANT NOTICE
I apologize if there are some mistakes in the detail of the elements. I am very often talking to coaches and skaters when they come seat by me which happens quite often. Plus I am chearing for the skaters a lot, with raddle, horn, etc... so my hands are quite busy! But I think it’s not full of mistakes and you can trust me. Sorry if I don’t write about the costumes and musics, I didn’t take notes about that. And this report was typed very fast, I am very busy cos I’m working for the moment at a tv channel, so I apologize if it’s too short. Sorry for the dance fans, I’m not into dance at all. I know the level was not good. And I really dislike the new original dance, it changes completely the nature of this dance, it really doesn’t look great.

MEN

SHORT:

The short program was won by the talented Ukrainian skater Vitaly Danilshenko who got the bronze medal at this competition last year. He successfully landed a 3A2T combo, had a bad lean on the 3L after the steps but held it, and did well on the 2A. He actually was very lucky to land his triple axel as in the practises he was all over the place on it. Artistically, his new short is a piece of jewellery, he uses his arms and the music so well, he’s so fast and dynamic.

Second was the French Stannick Jeanette. He used his last year’s short but almost no one has had the chance to see it, plus it is a very modern and special program « a la francaise », in the perfect innovative French tradition. His costume was worth the travelling, in which he looked like a blue monster full of muscles; it could have been the illustration of « La métamorphose » by Kafka (dixit Patou). The choreography was very interesting, definitely futuristic.
Elements included a 3A2T combo (lucky cos the warm up was terrible, the practises were great though, it was usually a triple that followed the 3A), a 3L, the landing was very low and it took him lots of will and strength to hold it) and a 2A.

Third was Klimkin whom everyone had prectected first, but he started off with a big... single axel! instead of the triple. Nevertheless, he managed the 4T after the steps, if I remember well it’s the only clean quad in a short in a big competition (cos there is still Hunfei reported to have landed four quads in the free and 4F in the short in Poprad), with Guo. Ok on the 2A. The only man to perform one steps’ sequence and one spirals’ sequence rather than two steps’ sequences. His spirals’ sequence included his famous eagle in which his head almost touches the ice which looks great.

Grzegorczyk was fourth with AGAIN a touch down on the 3A which was followed by a 2T, a 3L after steps and a double axel. He kept his last year’s short.

Fifth place went to Tyllesen, well held up actually, cos he only landed a 3F and a 2A. He fell on his 3A combo. His new choreography doesn’t look good, though it’s by Bobrin, I don’t understand how he can make up wonderful programs for Czako and upsetting programs for Michael. Michael shoudn’t have been held up on the standard mark cos in the practises he never landed a clean 3A.

Damon Allen whom we hadn’t seen for a long time was placed sixth, with a fall on the 3A, a 3L2T combo, and a lucky 3F.

Seventh was the Romanian Chiper with a fall out on his big triple axel, a wonderful fast and long 3L REALLY out of steps (not like many after a five second-preparation), and a 2A that he actually tried twice. He slid on the planned attempt then immediately performed it, right away. So it was a divised technical mark, some judges had considered the jump had started so it was repeated twice, others not. Good choreography thanks to Sandra Schär who’s doing a wonderful job with him, using perfectly his defects. His new free especially is great.

Jason Denomee got eighth place with 3L, 3A three turn 2T, and 2A. It appears to what you read he could have been ranked higher.

Shepherd Clark was ninth after a fall on the 3A, a 3L2T combo, and a fall out on the 3R. Same short as last year. Wonderful speed at the end in the step sequence, and always this strange smile that seems to be coming down to earth like the saint spirit when he skates.

The second French taking part to this competition is indeed very talented, and was definitely the best in practises, with loads of 3A3T combos, 4T, and all the triples very easily performed and beautifully landed.
In the short unfortunately, it was another matter. He unbelievably fell on the second part of his 3A3T combo, and on the 2A (which was almost landed, it was a pure stupid fall due to nerves). His 3F was ok.
Still, he deserved much better than tenth don’t you think? He was the only one with Danilchenko to land a clean 3A, and his was even better.

Neil Wilson in his new rock program fell on the 3A but landed his 3F and his 3A.

Hernits who is not in form at the moment, missed his 3A (that he can’t land in practise any more), landed his 3L, and bravely tried again a 3A at the end but as a result he fell out then added the 2T of the combo. What he did is obvious forbidden cos he has two triple axels in his program, the first was opened but still was a triple, so the marks were very low for his level, in the 3’s. His music is definitely too techno and presentation was unfortunately not convincing.

Andreev is a very handsome skater, but his jumps look very girlish, they have no power, no height and no full rotation. He landed a 3FL2T combo, a 3F and went for a 3A which he definitely doesn’t dominate, so it was like a three rotation-axel. His parents are famous choreographer but one can’t really say they kept the best in store for their child, it’s ok but nothing too great. I personnaly find Andreev is not made for skating, or at least he’ll never be a champion, his technique is too limitate.

The other programs are not worth a detailed report, here are the elements for the ones interested:

14th. Kaden
1A, 3L fall out, 2A
15. Horak
3A fall, 3L fall, 2A
16. Primak
3A fall, 3L2T, 3T fall, no speed at all
17. Jensen
3L fall 1T, 3A fall, 3F fall
18. Lorenz
3T3T fall, 3L fall, 2A
19. Domanski WAS undermarked I find, as he has a good quality in his skating
3L two feet, 3S3T fall out, 1A
20. Prahl
3T fall, 3S, 1A
21. Kazimir
2A, 2F, 3L hand down 2T
22. Ganser
3T3T two feet, 3S fall, 2A, fall on the flying sitting spin
23. Ahlswede
3A fall, 3L fall, 3A fall (again NOT allowed), stumble in the steps and no height on the flying spin yet unbalanced
24. del Pozo
Ok, this poor Mexican skater has only a 25 meter-rink in his city but then why come to such a competition? He can’t even land all the double jumps in practise.
2A fall, 1R, 2L --> marks went down to --> --1.5!!! Never seen this! Totally deserved though!

FREE

Bad news, Gheorghe had to withdrew due to pain he felt in his leg. Sad for him, cos being seventh in such a competition was a premiere for him.

The first two groups were disastrous. One should bear in mind that amongst the six German skaters, five were competing for the first time (only Kaden has competed before).
Prahl skating fifth, after a very high single toe, fell badly on the 3L, took some time to get up, then in an obvious great deal of pain, went for an axel which he singled, and decided to withdrew. Element will be detailed at request.

Jensen got 10th place in the free, with only three triples though, a 3L, and two 3S (one in combined with 2T). Good choreography, but on the « Mask of Zorro ».

Lorenz pulled up also to 11th in the free, with 3L2T, 3T, 3R, 3T (doesn’t count cos no combo), two footed 2S, fall on the 3F, two footed 2L, and 2A. He commited a mistake on the flying sitting spin. He has good qualities though for a brighter future.

Kazimir did better, landing a 3L, 3S, 3T, 3L2T, 2A, 2T but falling on the 3F and the 3A (which he says he completely controlled over the summer, completing even more than the required three and a half revolutions, but this remains to be seen) to finish 16th in the free.

Poor Monnier! His free was a disaster absolutely unexplicable considering his great practises. He fell on the 4T and on the 3T, fell out on the 3A, landed only a 2A and a 2F, singled his R, and touched down on his 3S. Miles away from what he’s up to! Got 13th place.

Clark had a disappointing free on the song « Memory » from « Cats », trying an unprobable 4R which of course resulted in a big mess, singling his axel, falling out on the 3L, landing a 3R, a 2A, a 1L, and falling again on a 3T. Before this free which was ranked the 12th, he was acting like a cat on the ice, showing his claws to the public. Very special!

Ninth was Wilson with a two footed and returned 3F, a two footed 3A, a fall out on the 3L, a fall on the 3R which he tried later and landed with a 2T, plus a 3S. He’s able of much better.

Jeanette followed the same dark path as his fellow friend Gabriel. He fell on the 3A, landed a 3T2T combo, singled his L, fell out of his 3A, doubled the F and the R to finally land a 3S. Again no relation to his level, but he’s frequently cracking in the free. With an eight place in the free, he dropped from 2d to 7th, quite a disaster.

Hernits rose with the 7th best free of the night. He started with a 2A, then a 3L2T, a 3T, a single lip, a 3R, a 3S and a 3L at the end, very good. Moreover he has such a difficult step sequence at the end, it really takes him a lot of courage and energy to perform it. His new free created by Sandra Schar on the soundtracks from « The Time of the Gypsies » and « Arizona Dream » by Bregovic, is quite interesting but lacks some flow and overall his last year’s « Riverdance » looked better to me.

Robert was very lucky to finish sixth in the free, it was far away from being excellent. He landed the 3A, the 3F, the 3R, and the 3T, but all of them were as USUAL on two feet! Moreover, he doubled his 3L, doubled the first 3T, and fell on the 3S. His new free on « The Mask of Zorro » is ok, fast and dynamic, Robert says he feels very confortable on Spanish music.

Tyllesen remained 5th with the same free as last year. He landed a 1A, a 2F, a 3L, a 3S, a 3R on two feet, a good jump sequence 2A-Thoren-3S, and a 3T.

Allen pulled up to fourth with two falls on two 3A’s, one 3F landed and one fallen, a 3R, a fall out on thee 3L followed by a 2T, and a 3T. Definitely not a great performance!

The surprise came from Jason Denomee who came from nowhere (the eight place) to catch the bronze medal with the third best free. He landed a 3A2T, a 3F, a 3L2T, a second 3A, a 3R, a 3L, and a 3T. His only mistake was on the 3S that became a bad 2 with the hand down. I think the 3A’s were not perfect. Still, a wonderful performance, congratulations! But as almost all the Canadians, he skated to a boring swingy music.

Danilchenko couldn’t keep his first place and got the silver. He landed a 3T (that is obviously to become a quad), a 3A, a 3L, then commited three mistakes, a fall on the second 3A, only a 2R, and a two-footed 3F. He finished well with a 3S. He’s skating on « The Mask of Zorro » as well!

Klimkin who was by all foreseen to win the competition didn’t make people mistake, but his free contained as many exceptionnal as stupid things. He started off brilliantly with two different quads! One S first then one T. Many specialists wrote he was the frist man to perform two different quads in a competition, but let’s not forget (though nobody has actually seen it but the lucky people who went to Poprad) the Chinese skater who won the Universiades. He was reported to have landed four different quads in the free. But since this competition didn’t get any coverage, no one knows exactly.
After these two wonderful quads, he did two camel spins in opposite direction, like Kwan but much longer and faster. Afterwards, he landed a 3F3T but the 3T was two footed and he fell out. Then came his famous move: camel spin directly into 3S. Definitely unique! Followed stupid mistakes: a very low and unbalanced second 3F, a fall on the 3R, a returned 3L and only a 2A (he is definitely not sure of the 3A as he doesn’t even try it in the free). So, it was far from being clean. He skated to a circus music.

Any questions or comments to srevollo@ulb.ac.be