Emmi Peltonen skated the free program intact and became the best Finnish woman. Finland just kept two women's spots for next year's European Championship.
Kaunas
Figure skating showed her two faces again, at least to the Finnish women's representatives, at the European championships of the sport on Saturday.
The one who started in free skating from seventh place from good positions Nella Pelkonen it was hard to find words after a race that ended in heavy disappointment.
“Bad skating, nothing more. Today was a bit of a bad day from the morning. The race was not ruined by the pressure. I'm already used to them this season,” said the first-timer at the adult championships.
The person from Tampere got only 87.41 points for his free program, with which he was the last among the 24 skaters in the section.
Thanks to a short program that went well, the total points were 150.01, with which he placed 21st in the final results.
At the Finlandia Trophy in October, Pelkonen skated his record 179.3, which means he was almost 30 points short of his best. Out of the seven jumping elements, he failed all the most difficult ones, which would have brought the most points.
“These things happen sometimes. I tried until the end”, 18-year-old Pelkonen swallowed his disappointment.
Emmi Peltonen skated with emotion in her bar European Championships free program.
Emmi Peltonen lost important points already in the short program. Without the loss of about five points, he would have easily reached the top ten in the results.
The free program moved him up two places in the overall points: 14th place in the short program changed from 12th. He was eleventh in the free program alone.
“I am satisfied that in my comeback season I am back on the ice. Note that the judges still value my presentation and points will come,” said Peltonen.
He got 108.01 points for his elegant tango. The total score was 164.74.
They are his best of the season in the competitions under the International Skating Union ISU. In October, Peltonen won the competition in Nice with 171.49 points.
Free program Peltos was very excited at the beginning. He lost points at the very beginning of the program when the triple jump was exhausted into a double jump and one dismount was bad.
“Then I just trusted the routine. That's where the successful jumps came from, which I couldn't get at all in training. Somehow it feels like there is still learning to do in skating. I wish this roller coaster would end.”
Three weeks ago, Peltonen fumbled in his free program at the World Championships in Helsinki and finished fourth. He got the EC spot based on other competitions in the
early season.
Peltonen is looking for more routine with a hard-working competitive pace. As early as next week, he will compete in Lithuania's neighboring country, Latvia. After that, there are at least three other races on the calendar.
Due to an ankle problem and the corona pandemic, Peltonen was practically out of action for three years.
Are you still hoping to join the World Championships in March in Montreal?
“I didn't want to think about it any more. It was important that I made it to a prestigious competition. After a long break, competing is a bit of a shock to my body, but it's good that I'm getting used to it,” said Peltonen.
“The intention is that now there would only be a four-month competition break before the next season, not three years.”
Before the European Championships, Pelkonen had the strongest hold on one of the women's WC spots. The deck may not have been renewed yet, but the next races in February may decide the choice.
Despite Pelkonen's sharp drop in ranking, Finland kept its two women's representation spots for next year's European Championships. The seats were saved just in time.
Loena Hendrickx convincingly won the women's European championship.
European last year's silver medalist Belgium became the champion Loena Hendrickx with a total score of 213.25. He already led well after the short program.
Reigning European champion Georgia Anastasia Gubanova started the free program in third place. He skated delicately lyrically, but lost the gold by more than six points.
Belgium also got another medal when the challenger was only 17 years old Nina Pinzarrone was third (202.29).
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