Today the Estonian Skating Union closed this year’s season, which brought victories for the Estonian skating team in short program, free skating and ice dancing. In speed skating, several Estonian national records were broken.
On today’s season closing event, athletes and coaches were recognized and future activities were presented. “Estonian skating is well off. We have skaters with ambitions regarding the EC and WC competition and progeny, which was proved by the European Youth Winter Olympics gold medal,” said the president of the Estonian Skating Union Maire Arm. “We acknowledge the work done by athletes and coaches in this past season and are preparing for the European Skating Championship, which will be held in Tallinn in February 2010.
In the adult category, the Estonian Skating Union recognized Elena Glebova as the best athlete and Anna Levandi as the best coach. In the junior category, Viktor Romanenkov was chosen as the best athlete and Oksana Romanenkova as the best coach. The title of the most active figure skating judge was given to Juri Kononov. In the speed skating category, Mart Markus was the best athlete in the adult category and Saskia Alusalu in the junior category. The most successful speed skating coach was Väino Treiman.
During the last season, the best placements in competitions in women’s skating were Elena Glebova’s 12th position at the Helsinki EC and 16th position at the Los Angeles WC, including 13th position in the short program at LA. Three-time champion of pairs in Estonia Ilja Glebov together with Maria Sergejeva reached 16th position at the EC and 17th position at the WC. Estonian ice dance pair Caitlin Mallory and Cristian Rand reached the 14th spot at Helsinki EC. Viktor Romanenkov attained a gold medal from the European Youth Winter Olympics in Slask-Beskidys, by winning the men’s free skating program with 148,67 points. Previously Estonia has not received victories from the European Youth Winter Olympics.
Developments in speed skating were notable as well. In spite of modest training conditions, the Estonian Skatin Union has enabled athletes to train and compete in international centres in Heerenveeren, Collalbo, Berlin and Helsinki, where several Estonian records have been broken. The most important competitions attended by Estonian speed skaters were the Junior WC and the Universiade. Several talented speed skaters have emerged, out of whom Mart Markus and Saskia Alusalu have become Estonian champions under the guidance of coach Väino Treiman.
The Estonian Skation Union’s activities have not been missed by the International Skating Union who decided that the 20th ISU European Speed Skating Conference will be held in Tallinn from 22nd of April to 25th of April 2010.
However, Maire Arm said that the successful performances of Estonian athletes was shadowed by the media scandal during the Helsinki EC. “We have to say that both parties - the coaches and the Skating Union - acted in the interest of the athletes at Helsinki. We admit, that during the heat of the moment at competitions, emotions are high and misunderstandings are easy to come. We have restarted co-operation and we are now in unison with Levandi,” said Arm. “Today the Estonian Skating Union has good relations with an important spokesperson and coach of Estonian skating and also with the Finnish Skating Union. All complaints have been solved and we are looking forward to the future.”
Next season’s high event for the Estonian Skating Union will be the organizing of the Tallinn 2010 EC, for which the Union has done a lot of work. The Tallinn 2010 EC in skating will be held in Tallinn from the 17th to 24th of January 2010.
The Estonian Skating Union co-ordinates ice skating, speed skating and short-track activities in Estonia. The Estonian Skating Union was founded in 1910 and is a member of the International Skating Union (ISU). The Estonian Skating Union encompasses 30 ice skating clubs over Estonia.
