December World Ranking
The final World Ranking 2016 is officially published. The last prime event of the year, which took place in Chile on the 10th of December, didn't bring any big change at the world's top and all the previous leaders kept their leadership for another month.
Freestyle Men : The TOP-20 didn't change this month. The double World Champion 2016, Sergey Timchenko (Rus) remains the World number one for 28 months in a row. He is staying at the first place of the World Ranking for two years and four months, which is an absolute record of the Men's Freestyle World Ranking! His brother, Alexandr Timchenko (Rus) finishes at the second place of the World Ranking. Lorenzo Guslandi (Ita) finishes the 2016 season at the third place.
“To stay on the world's top for 28 months in a row is the one of my biggest achievement”, Sergey said. “I am very happy that I was able to fulfill all my goals of the last season. I will continue to train and I will try to stay on the top of the World Ranking as long as possible. The upcoming season will be difficult, as all my opponents improve their skills very fast. I am looking forward to start the new season. Good luck to all and see you soon!”
Freestyle Women : There is no change in the Women's Freestyle World Ranking this month either. The current Battle World Champion, Daria Kuznetsova (Rus) is the World number one already for 7 months. She was already leading the World Ranking for 18 months (July 2012-December 2013) and for 15 months (August 2014-October 2015). Let's see how long she will stay on the world's top in the upcoming season. She has been the world number one in total 40 months in her skating career, an absolute record. Her teammate, Ksenia Dubinchik (Rus) finishes on the second place of the World Ranking. The 2015 world number two, Klaudia Hartmanis (Pol) is down to the third position this year.
“I am very glad to come back on the first place of the world ranking”, Daria shared her emotions. “It's hard to achieve the leadership but it's even more difficult to keep it, so I will continue to train hard and to prepare myself for the new season. In the upcoming season, I will do my best to have the same success as I had in 2016.”
Speed Men : Nothing changed in the TOP-20 this month. The third French rider to lead the Speed Slalom World Ranking, Alexandre Claris (Fra) is still on the first place and he’s been doing so already for 6 months in a row! It is the first time since Yohan Fort in 2011 that a French skater finishes on the first place of the ranking. Lorenzo Guslandi (Ita) is the world number two since September 2016 and kept his position. Gianmarco Rosato, also from Italy, is staying on the third position already for 5 months.
“Being at the top of the World Ranking was definitely on my “bucket list” Alexandre said, “So I’m deeply happy to be where I’m today!
That wasn’t easy at all… My season started with a lot of doubts with my confidence on cones. I’ve always been very efficient on qualifications with fast times, most of the time in perfect, but the second step was hard. The KO’s were definitely the point to work, so I started to think about how to improve that point, and the secret was closer than I expected. It was the support around me. Having someone always on your back making sure that everything will be fine, gave me the chance to keep the focus on my objectives, and left my mind peaceful when I was taking my marks on the start line.
With all the confidence I’ve accumulated on this year, I’m pretty sure to continue the job I’ve started a year ago! Regularity is the key of success!”
Speed Women : The former 2013 world number 1, Cristina Rotunno (Ita) won 9 places and came back to the TOP-20 on the 16th position. The current European Champion, Zoe Granjon (Fra) keeps the first place of the Women's Speed Slalom World Ranking already for 15 months. Let's see for how long Zoe will stay on the TOP and if she will be able to catch the record of Chloe Seyres, who was leading the Speed Slalom World Ranking for 32 months in a row! Klaudia Hartmanis (Pol) is the world number two this year, one place better than in 2015. Paulina Czapla (Pol) finishes the season on the third place.
“I'm really happy to be the world number one, it's a great achievement for me!”, Zoe shared her thoughts. “I am on the world's top for more than one year and I don't want to leave it now!
In the upcoming season I would want to keep my first place in the speed slalom world ranking and go even higher in the freestyle world ranking. Moreover I would like to travel as much as I can and I would want to keep improving my skills, to create a great classic run and to have fun!
I hope I'll stay for long time at the top because it's a good feeling to lead the ranking ."
Slides Men : The Men's Slides World Ranking stays unchanged this month. Denis Shirobokov (Rus) is staying on the TOP already for 6 months. The record of this discipline still belongs to his teammate, Kirill Ryazantsev (Rus), who led the TOP for 19 months in a row. Brais Garcia Fernandez (Esp) is the world number two since October 2016. The former world number one (November 2015 - June 216), Herve Guillou (Fra) is taking the third position for three months in a row.
“I am very happy to be on the first place of the World Ranking”, Denis said. “Of course, I realize that there are also many strong opponents from China, Thailand, Spain, Ukraine and other countries. The first place in the ranking is a great motivation to train more."
Slides Women : Chiara Lualdi (Ita) entered the TOP-10 on the 7th place, winning 6 positions. Natalia Krykova (Rus) is the World Number one now for 7 months! She is the second Russian skater to lead the final Women's Slides World Ranking after Olga Fokina, in 2012, 2013 and 2015 and who stayed on the TOP for 30 months. Olga Fokina (Rus) is now the world number three. The former world number one (October 2014 - July 2015), Bohdana Hotsko (Ukr) finishes the year at the second place.
“It was an incredible year for me”, Natalia analyses the past season. “I was able to visit the six highest-rated competitions and three major Championships: National, European and World. I am also very happy that I managed to achieve good results during this season. This year I already started to train on a special sliding floor in the new skatepark of our roller school in Moscow. I hope to add some new slides and to improve the stability of my performances for the new season. Also, I would like to show better results during the Asian competitions. In 2017, I plan to visit new events and new cities that I have not seen before.”
Free Jump Men : The first Polish skater on the world's Free Jump TOP, Daniel Zukowski (Pol) kept his leadership already for 6 months! He already reached the best result of Thomas Rataud (Fra) who was on the TOP also for 6 months in 2015. Let's see if Daniel will be able to stay on the first place of the World Ranking more than Alexandre Fantuz (Fra), who was leading this ranking for one year and who is now the world number two. Lorenzo Demuru (Ita) is the world number three since November 2016, his best ranking so far.
“In 2016 I focused on reaching the first place of the World Ranking”, Daniel shared. “It wasn't easy as all my opponents were quite strong, but finally I have reached my target. I'm so happy because it was my first European season and I finally took the first place of the World Ranking. In 2017 I will do my best to take part in the European competitions. I'll still work hard to make my results higher and higher. See you in the upcoming season!”
Free Jump Women : The one and only leader of the Women's Free Jump World Ranking, Maeliss Conan (Fra) is staying unbeaten and keeps her place of world number one for now 24 months in a row! Aurianne Daries (Fra) is the world number two for 4 months in a row. Natalia Krykova (Rus) is on the third position since November 2016.
“I'm still happy to stay number one in the World Ranking”, Maeliss said. “From every viewpoint, 2016 was a really great year for me!
In the upcoming season, I'm pretty sure the challenge will be harder. A few girls are great in jumps and they are younger than me. I have to keep my training, especially the physical one. I really don't have any idea about how long I will stay on the top but I just know it will be harder and harder. But it's great! More challenge, more fun!”
Freestyle Slalom Pair : Klaudia Hartmanis and Michal Sulinowski from Poland didn't move this month either and kept their first place already for 15 months, improving again their record of the longest time at the top. Italians Nicolas Quiriconi and Andrea Rotunno are the world number two since October 2016. The Pair freestyle World Champions, Valerio Degli Agostini and Lorenzo Guslandi, also from Italy, are now on the third place.
“I'm really happy we finished 2016 on the top of the world ranking”, Klaudia shared. “I can say that my dream came true and I feel fulfilled. I know there are still many tricks to learn and lots of things to improve but I'm satisfied and proud of what I achieved so far in slalom. Every even little progress and success makes me happy.
My plan for 2017 is just to keep going and doing my best. There are few tricks on which I'm working now. That's the reason why I love freestyle slalom, there is always something new to do.
Since we moved to U.K. and have more duties it's more complicated and we can't skate as much as we did, but I try to use every training for 150% and I exercise at home as well. This year will be challenging for me as it's my final year of university, but as majority of events take place while holidays I will be able to manage also skating and I can't wait to start the new season.
Last but not least, I would like to thank my sponsor Seba for another year of sponsorship, all my family and friends for support and of course all skaters for creating great community and having fun on skates.”
“Finishing at first place of World Ranking is a great reward for all pair classics we've made”, Michal concluded. “As we moved to UK, last year was very difficult to manage so we are even happier about every good result at competition and every little progress we've made.
When it comes to competing in 2017 I'm still not sure how it will look like, but we're starting to teach more skaters by doing some workshops and private lessons so the upcoming year may be pointed in this direction.
Big congratulations to all the winners of 2016 ranking and even bigger thanks to my sponsors for making it possible!”