We will visit Espoo on the 17th–19th. figure skating GP competition in November. Janna Jyrkinen has found the joy of training again after difficult times.
will show the figure skating Espoo GP on TV2 and Areena this weekend.
Figure skater last summer Janna Jyrkinen noticed that the jumps that used to go well started to feel difficult.
Last season, Jyrkinen’s figure skating career had risen vertically and culminated in seventh place at the European Championships, but now everything seemed difficult.
– Every time I went to the ice, the jumps could seem crooked. I wasn’t fast and explosive. The jumps felt slow, Jyrkinen said on Thursday after the practice for the Espoo GP competition.
In the end, the explanation for Jyrkinen’s difficulties, who turned 16 in February, was found in height growth. Jyrkinen said that he had grown nine centimeters since last season.
– Last season I was around 153, and now I’m 162. It was a surprise. I couldn’t have guessed that there would be a big change this summer, Jyrkinen said.
The contents of the wardrobe also had to be renewed.
– I have started using the women’s XS size.
A smaller body size has been scientifically proven to be an advantage in sports such as figure skating and gymnastics, where the rotation of the whole body is an important part of the performance. Jyrkinen said that he became you again with his longer body and that he can do all the jumps in his program.
– Little by little progress has been made. I have gained confidence. Now I feel like I’m in a good place.
At the beginning of November, Jyrkinen fell to 125.92 points in the gp competition held in France and was in the last place of the competition. Jyrkinen estimates that Thursday’s training in Espoo went “really well”.
In the race that starts on Friday, Jyrkinen aims first and foremost to get through his programs cleanly. Jyrkinen said that he intends to make the jumps in his program a little more difficult than in the previous competition.
– It was mentally difficult when there was that growth issue. I didn’t enjoy the competitions and training very much, but now I have found motivation again and I like training. Good mood and cheerfulness are important to me, Jyrkinen said.
Pelkonen aims to go further than his record
Finland has two representation places for women’s single skating at the European Championships, which will be held in January in Lithuania. There are more applicants than representative places – in addition to Jyrkinen, those participating in the Espoo gp race are also aiming for the European Championships Nella Pelkonen and Oona Ounasvuori and the one competing in Warsaw this week Emmi Peltonen.
In October’s Finlandia Trophy, Nella Pelkonen skated to fourth place. At the same time, his record in total points was born, 179.31 points. Pelkonen’s preparation for the Espoo race has been hindered by an injury to the buttocks caused by a fall.
– The preparation has not been so good. I haven’t quite gotten into the racing mood yet. If only the injury could be forgotten. Mentally, this has been a little more difficult, Pelkonen said.
In Pelkonen’s opinion, with the success of his current programs, he can clearly achieve a better result than the Finlandia Trophy points.
– In the short program, with a good performance, 65 points is realistic. In the free program at the Finlandia Trophy, there were small places for improvement, so 125 points would be possible, Pelkonen said.
That would mean 190 total points, which is more than the record of Jyrkinen (176.96) or Emmi Peltonen (181.79).
– It decides how well I can keep my head together in more difficult situations, Pelkonen said.
– I would like to enjoy it there and find inspiration in the program. I’m going to get my best. I know what I’m capable of and that’s what I want to achieve.
will show the figure skating Espoo GP on TV2 and Areena this weekend.