by Alexandra Stevenson
1. Overall 189.94 Carolina
Kostner 1.FS.128.94 (63.22+65.72); SP.3
Performing a very graceful
routine, set to Mozart Piano Concertos, dressed in an unusual grey
cat suit with scattered sparkles, the 25-year-old Kostner, who was
lying third after the Short Program, became the first ever Italian
Ladies World Champion. She soared through her initial jumps (triple
loop, triple flip and double Axel to triple toe). She did not get
stressed out when her sixth element turned into a combination of
double flip and double toe loop instead of the planned
triple-double. That was followed by a second double Axel and a
triple Salchow. Her ninth element was her last jumping pass, a
second triple Salchow combined with two double toe loops. None of
her moves were given a negative average Grade of Execution and all
her Levels were the maximum 4.
The 2008 World silver
medalist who won bronze in 2005 and 2011, but did badly in both her
Olympic Games appearances, brought both hands to her head at the end
of the performance. She then had to wait for the remaining two
competitors to skate their routines to make sure she had gained the
title.
She said,
“This is my 10th world championship and I can’t really describe how
it finally feels to reach that dream. Deep in my heart, I knew I had
a chance to win. I trained so hard and I have beautiful programs,
but my main goal was to show how much I love figure skating.
“I am very, very happy. I
was quite nervous going out on the ice. I knew I had skated some
really good programs in practice, but it was so overwhelming to go
out there and have so many people cheering for you. It was hard for
me to stay focused. It reminded me so much of Torino (the 2006
Olympics), but I thought this time I can change that bad result. I
just wanted to skate my best, straight from my heart. Now I can
relax, but it's stressful to wait. I did my best and now it's not my
decision anymore.
“Each season I learned something. Today it was
my day and my competition. I would have been happy with the second
place but I thought keep on dreaming to the end. Yesterday (when
they had a day off after the Thursday’s Short Program, I had some
pain in my leg, so my coach told me not to skate. I was a little
worried about that but my friends took care of me. We went to
Monaco. It was beautiful, so the time just flew by.
“My first
feeling after winning was that now I am really tired. The tension is
off and I feel that this was a long week. I guess I will fully
appreciate the win tomorrow. It's indescribable now, that I finally
reached my dream. Deep in my heart I knew I have a chance to win.
But as soon as this thought reached reached my mind, I tried to put
it away. There have been too many disappointments. Each competition
starts from zero. This season I had two beautiful programs, so my
main goal was to show how much I like figure skating and how much
joy it gives me, so I hope I influence others and give this this joy
to others. When I dream about figure skating, these dreams are not
so good, more like nightmares. Either I am late to the warm up or I
have problems with my laces. I think I will celebrate a lot tonight.
I think that everybody who gets to the World championships has a lot
of talent, so I am not the only one. When I stepped on the ice it
was so loud, it reminded me of Torino 2006 (the Olympic Games). I
was younger then, and it was a lot of pressure, and I didn’t do
well, either there or in Vancouver (where she finished a disastrous
16th and thought that it was time to leave the sport.) I was glad
that finally I can change this experience. I tried to forget about
the audience and skate my heart out. And, for part of my program the
audience was very quiet. I was hoping that was a good sign. And it,
obviously, was!”
2. Overall 184.28 Alena Leonova
4.FS 112.74 (60.57+59.10);1.SP.
This was the 21-year-old
from St. Petersburg’s fourth world championship, but she has never
held the Russian senior national title. Even this season, she was
eclipsed in that event by a youngster who was not old enough to be
entered for senior international championships. After winning the
World Junior title in 2009, Leonova made a very promising debut in
World Seniors just weeks later and earned seventh place.
After her
win in the Short Program in Nice, she said, “I showed my maximum
today. I think it was my best performance of my Short Program ever.
It was certainly the cleanest one. I made not a single mistake, so I
was very happy. I want to keep the same positive, calm mood for my
free. I am competing in Nice for the sixth time because I have also
taken part in five Coupe de Nice competitions and never left without
a medal.”
Skating first of the top six in the final group
on Saturday, Leonova gave an energetic performance set to Adagio for
Strings and Requiem for a Tower. Her opening element, a combination
of two triple toe loops, was very good and earned +1.30 over its
base value. However, the following triple loop got a very slight
negative and she almost fell on the triple Lutz, which got an “e”
for wrong edge takeoff. A little later her blade on the second
landing of her triple flip to double toe nearly scrapped the
barrier. Two of her spins were Level 4 and the other one along with
the steps were Level 3.
“I am very happy. I did my best the day before
yesterday and today. There was one small mistake on my Lutz, but I
am glad, I could pull myself together. I had a really bad warm up,
doing single jumps, so about three minutes before my skating I
started to think about the performance so I could concentrate on it.
During the warm up I was nervous, but then, before the music played
I was absolutely calm. Now I am relieved.” Although she was fourth
in this section, she dropped only to second, 5.66 behind Kostner.
She said, “The medal
was a surprise for me. I skated first on the last group and after
that I gave a lot of interviews, so I didn't see how the other girls
skated, I just looked at the screen all the time to see the results.
Only after Akiko (Suzuki, who skated next to last before Leonova’s
team mate and friend Ksenia Markarova) skated did I realize I was in
a top three. At the beginning I couldn't believe it, but then I
looked at the final result and realized how happy I am. I would have
been happy with bronze medal, but silver is much better.
“After
the Short Program and the day between, I tried to think, that I just
came to this was a different competition. I was not in the lead
because it had just started. I put my small gold medal for the Short
Program win out of my mind. Anyway the competition is not only the
short program. As my coach told me the program begins with every
single element. The support of the audience always helps me. I love
very much when there are a lot of fans who cheer. It does help. Here
the audience was very supportive and I wanted to show them what I
can do.
“I am very happy. I did my best the day before
yesterday and today. There was one small mistake on my Lutz, but I
am glad, I could pull myself together. I had really bad warm up,
made single jumps, so about three minutes before my skating I
started to think about the performance so I could concentrate on it.
During the warm up I was nervous, but then, before the music played
I was absolutely calm. Now I am relieved. My (new) coach (Nikolai
Morozov) told me, “Consider free program as the beginning of the
competition, and also every new element also should be as a new
beginning. Getting the silver was amazing. I still can't really
believe it.”
3. Overall 180.68 Akiko Suzuki
2.FS 121.30 (62.06+59.24); SP.5
Akiko Suzuki gave a charming
performance to the overture to Johann Strauss’ Die Fledermaus
overture, which was ranked second only to Kostner’s performance. It
advanced her from fifth place after the Short Program to earn
bronze, 3.6 points behind Leonova. She said, “I was very happy. Last
season I wasn't able to compete in the Worlds and this was a lovely
present for me after just turning 27. This is the first present I
got after turning 27 three days ago. In my Short Program, I was so
happy after landing my triple-triple combination, that I lost
concentration and singled my triple Lutz, which is not something I
normally do. Today I really wanted to nail it, but again, I
couldn't. I still need to work on it.
“Today the audience was very
loud and excited. I could hear the cheering. I could feel their
enthusiasm, they really gave me support. When Carolina skated I
could feel the arena was shaking with all these cheers. And I
thought, I want to skate well to make the audience as enthusiastic
and happy as during Carolina's performance. At first, when I heard I
got the bronze, I couldn't believe it. I was a little frustrated
about my performance. I only started to feel the joy during the
medal ceremony. Now I want to put this medal on my coach's neck.
I am very, very happy to
have won a medal. The first person to share my hapiness is my coach
Mr. (Hiroshi) Nagakubo. I think I missing last year's World team
gave me a lot of motivation to train harder. Because of that sadness
I am here right now. This is my first World medal and I am 27 years
old. Others win their first medal at 17 years old, like Yuzuru (Hanyu)
did here. So it is a ten years difference.
4. Overall 176.77
Ashley Wagner 3.FS 120.35 (62.91+57.44); SP.8
The new US and Four Continents Champion gave a dynamic and graceful
performance to Swan Lake, dressed in black and opening with a +0.80
triple flip to double toe to double loop. On her second element, a
double Axel to triple toe, she was given an arrow for slight
under-rotation on the second jump and the following triple Lutz was
saddled with an “e” for wrong edge takeoff. However, the rest of the
performance, which contained five more triples including two loops,
the second of which, late in the program, was attached to a double
toe loop, was flawless, emotional and enjoyable.
She said,
“I was ecstatic with that performance! I was so nervous before I
went out but my coach, Mr. (John) Nicks, told me that I had done
this a million times, that I'd been practicing all year. I'm
extremely pleased, I skated my heart out and I was solid, which is
what you want in a free skate. It was a great way to end the season
and it was so much better than my last (first) time at worlds (she
was 16th in 2008 when she was a replacement entry).
Wagner’s fourth, along with
Czisny’s 22nd, meant the US will also be permitted two entries next
year’s Worlds the results of which will determine the number of
Olympics entries permitted each country. “I’m through the roof right
now,’’ she said immediately leaving the ice. “I was so nervous going
into the event. I think I managed my nerves very well. I did what I
needed to do and that’s huge for me.”
5. Overall 175.41
Kanako Murakami 5. FS 112.74 (55.53+57.21); SP.2
The 17-year-old, who is
taught by Machiko Yamada, made her debut in the Worlds last year
finishing 8th.
The
2010 World Junior champion from Japan said, “I'm not totally
satisfied with this performance, (which was set to a Violin
Concerto) because I singled both Axels (one in a sequence with a
triple flip and the other as the following element). I was confident
about this free program because I was training so hard, but, of
course, I was so nervous as it is such a big competition. I am
especially pleased that I landed the triple-triple (toe-toe)
combination (although the second jump received an arrow for
under-rotation.)
6. Overall 164.52 Mao Asada
6.105.03 (45.01+60.02); SP.4
OH! How the mighty have
fallen. The Japanese wunderkid, who threw off such wonderful triple
Axels when she was young, can no longer do them. At 21, she is not
old but handicapping herself by trying to return to her former glory
is not accomplishing a satisfactory goal. She would be better served
making the most of what she can do! She is turning herself into an
also-ran instead of a contender.
Skating to Liebestraum by
Franz Liszt, immediately after Leonova, Asada tried the triple Axel
as her first move. The resulting single earned its base value of
only 1.10. Her second element, the triple flip to double loop,
earned an impressive +0.90 over its base value of 7.10. Her third
element, a triple Lutz received an “e” for wrong edge takeoff. Her
next three jumps made her really look weak, a double Axel to double
toe (+0.50); a double flip; and a triple Salchow which got an arrow
for slight under-rotation. Her final jump was a single loop.
Although all four Level moves were given the maximum 4, she was
lucky competitors behind her weren’t that strong.
She said,
“I was prepared and trained hard for this competition. Since I came
to Nice somehow something went very wrong, I don't really know what
it is. I am really, really disappointed.”
7. Overall 157.57
Kexin Zhang 7.FS 102.57 (58.07+45.50 -1); SP.9
The 16-year-old from China,
who was making her debut in this event, said, “I fell hard on my
first triple Lutz but I didn't feel it too much. But I was worried
because the very next jump was another triple Lutz, but fortunately
I landed it. It was not my highest free skate score today but I'm
satisfied with the majority of my performance for my first worlds.
There's still room for improvement in the future.”
8. Overall 150.10
Valentina Marchi 9.FS 97.96 (48.87+49.09); SP.11
The Italian 25-year-old, who
now trains at the Detroit FSC alongside Czisny, skated a lively
number to music by Big Bad Voodoo Daddy. She said, “I am quite happy
with my performance today, the free skate was ok. I felt very
nervous. It was a long and stressful week (with having to compete in
the qualifying round) and we had a long trip to come here. Moreover,
I don't like to skate first in the group. I had to do that in both
the Qualification and the Short Program, but I am glad I did
everything in my program. I am really looking forward to the new
season since everything in Detroit where I am training runs very
well.”
9. Overall 149.48 Ksenia
Markarova 14.FS 90.97 (39.78+53.19 -2); SP.6
Markarova drew to skate her
Marilyn Monroe Free last of the 24 allowed into this section. She is
the daughter of Olympic pair medalists, who represented the Soviet
Union but moved from St. Petersburg to the United States when their
daughter was eight. She returned to Russia in 2009 and won the 2010
Russian championship, which earned her an Olympic and world
championship berth where she finished 10th in Vancouver and 8th in
the Torino Worlds.
However, she lost her Russian title the
following season to a competitor too young to be entered in World
seniors. This showing in Nice was unfortunate with two falls. Three
of her jumps received unanimous -3s. One was for her initial triple
Lutz attempt, which got two arrows meaning it was downgraded to a
double and an “e” for wrong edge take-off. She also got straight -3s
for the second element, a triple toe, and for a later triple Salchow.
She singled the first of her two attempts at double Axels.
She said,
“I don't know what happened today. It was just not my season. My
coach told me, ‘You are still young. You have plenty of time,’ and
that's what I think too.”
10. Overall 149.20
Elena Gedevanishvili 15.FS 90.71 (41.51+51.20 -2);
SP.7
Born in Georgia, while it was still in the
Soviet Union, Gedevanishvili came to live in the United States. She
was training in New Jersey but this season moved to Canada to train
with Brian Orser. She had won two bronze medals in the 2010 and 2012
European championships but this showing in Nice was nothing like her
flamboyant style. She said, “I don't know really what happened.
Maybe I just stressed out, wanting to do well too much. Before the
performance I was feeling well, but then, during skating, I didn't
really feel my legs.
“The season was good for me, I had more good
competitions, and I had only two bad performance, the short program
in Skate America and then the free skating here. But compared to
some of my previous results I think this season went well.
12. Overall 148.18 Yretha Silete,
France, 8.FS 99.76 (55.85+44.91 -1); 15.SP
Silete, 17, whose parents are from Togo,
dethroned the French national champion this season and made her
debut in this event. She said, “I am really happy with that
performance, even though there were a few errors still. I was quite
nervous before I went out on the ice, but my coach kept me calm. It
was an extraordinary feeling out there on the ice performing in
front of my home crountry, because their applause made me finish my
choreography in a more energetic way that would not have been
possible without their enthusiasm.”
16.
Overall 138.60 Amélie Lacoste 17.FS 89.23
(44.89+46.34 -2); SP.13
Amélie Lacoste, 23, from
Delson in Quebec Province, dethroned the 2004 and 2011 Canadian
champion Cynthia Phaneuf by such a narrow margin in this season’s
nationals that Skate Canada decided to let them fight it out again
at the Four Continents Championships for the one slot to compete
here. They again finished with less than a point apart.
Unfortunately for Canada, Lacoste finished 16th here so the country
will be entitled to send only one entry in Ladies again to next
year’s world championships, which will be held at the John Labatt
Centre, in London, Ontario. Lacoste said, “Both the short program
and the free program were not as good as I wanted and I am very
disappointed. But I have to get over it and look ahead to the next
season.”
In the Free, which she executed to Don’t Cry
For Me Argentina, although her triple loop was good, she fell on her
first triple Salchow and, later, also on a double Axel. Her triple
Lutz was doubled and got a wrong take off edge.”
19. Overall 129.98 Polina
Korobeynikoza of Russia, 19.FS 129.98 (83.27+42.53); 19.SP
The 15-year-old Korobeynikoza
is the 2012 Junior Grand Prix bronze medalist and was expected to
make an impression here as a future contender. But, with her coach
Victoria Volshkova side-lined, since she had just had a baby, the
youngster did not show the promise she had in Quebec City in early
December. She said, “I was unable to show at this championship what
I am able to do. I don't really know why. The practice this morning
went well. (On getting experience) It is very important for me to
get more experience. This is my first season competing at the senior
level. To be honest, I didn't really feel a difference between
junior and senior events and Europeans and World also felt the same
for me.”
22. Overall 124.11 Alissa Czisny
22.FS 75.80 (33.13+47.67 -5); SP.16
What do you say about an
imploding star? The 24-year-old twin has two skating personae. When
she is in form, she is absolutely unmatchable. Her spins and steps
are recognized as to die for. But the jumps, where are they? They
stuck around to bring her the 2009 and 2011 US titles, but they went
missing in 2010 when, with an Olympic berth at stake, she collapsed
and finished tenth nationally. But last year she was fifth in
Worlds. On Saturday night, skating rather appropriately to Sibelius’
Valse Triste (Sad Waltz) she fell five times in her Free Skate.
On
her opening element, a triple Lutz, which one judge didn’t view
properly and punched in -2 GoE instead of the compulsory -3; on the
second element, a triple loop; on the third element, a triple flip;
and later, on her planned second triple Lutz and second triple loop.
She also doubled and put two hands on the ice on her triple toe loop
which was going to be a three-jump combo but was also penalized with
across the board -3 GoEs.
However, she did leave the
audience with something to cheer about. Her Level 4 layback spin
earned five of the maximum +3s. She said, “I'm not really sure what
happened today. Part of it may have been due to my injury during the
Grand Prix Final which left me not as prepared as I would have liked
for nationals. I did what I had to do at nationals to make it here,
but did not feel as ready for this year's worlds compared to last
year.”