Estonian women's skaters through to Junior World Championships free skate despite falls
Estonia's two women's singles skaters struggled in the Junior Figure Skating World Championships short program in Tondiraba on Thursday, but are still through to the free skate.
A total of 51 skaters are to take to the ice in the short program, with the top 24 advancing to the free skate, as with other categories.
The Junior World Championships are being held at Tondiraba Ice Hall in Lasnamäe again after a four-year break, with Estonian skaters Elina Goidina and Maria Eliise Kaljuvere competing in the women's singles before a home crowd.
Goidina finished seventh at last year's World Championships and this season has pushed her combined personal best for the two programs to 182 points.
Kaljuvere won the Estonian junior national title for the first time this year and has racked up 175 points in international competitions.
Japan's Mao Shimada is a clear favorite and looking for a fourth consecutive junior title. Shimada has also won the Junior Grand Prix Final four times and triumphed at the Youth Winter Olympic Games two years ago.
As for the Estonians, Kaljuvere took part in the penultimate group on Thursday while Goidina was the very last skater up.
Both committed errors on the ice and had falls, but still managed to finish in the top 24 and make the free skate. Kaljuvere placed 19th with 54.45 points, while Goidina scored 0.01 points less and finished 20th. "I don't know, everything was fine before the program and I wasn't nervous. I was very ready; I had done the cascade cleanly for three days. I don't know what happened," an emotional Goidina told ERR. "I was worried about the Rittberger (a loop jump – ed.), I've had many mistakes on that jump this year. But I wasn't nervous about the cascade."
Kaljuvere said she felt more nervous before the competition than usual. "When I woke up in the morning, I immediately thought about the competition. When I warmed up, I could feel the nerves. I can't even say what happened in the step sequence, why I stumbled and fell there. These things happen," she said.
"Tomorrow is a new day. I'm not thinking about it anymore. I have a new program, a new goal," Kaljuvere added. "Otherwise I feel good, training has gone well. I think it was still the nerves that brought the mistakes. I'll learn from these errors and go into the free skate with new goals and new emotions. Hopefully it will go better."
As forecast, Shimada put in the best performance, earning 71.90 points for her skate.
The women's free skate featuring Kaljuvere and Goidina is to take place on Saturday and will be carried live by the ERR Sport portal from 3.30 p.m. Estonian time.
--
Editor: Andrew Whyte, Aet Süvari
