Free Skating

JAPANESE TAKES TITLE

Yuzuru Hanyu, a 15-year-old from Sendai, became the fourth Japanese skater to win this title. All three past winners competed in the 2010 Olympic Games. The 2002 World Junior champion, Daisuke Takahashi, won bronze in Vancouver, while 2005 World Junior gold medalist, Nobunari Oda, was seventh and Takahiko Kozuka, who won Junior gold in 2006, eighth in February’s Games. They were all young when they won, but Hanyu is younger than they were

1.TS 216.10; 1.FS 147.35 (77.95+69.40); 3.SP; Hanyu skated to Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini in a light blue top with silver, to advance from third to take gold, winning by the substantial margin of 10.85. Last year, in his debut in this event, Hanyu placed 12^th. Through a translator he said, "Today, I am very happy to win this competition and I am satisfied with today’s performance, including the jumps, steps and spins. I did my best. I am very happy to win, but I am even happier with the performance itself." His FS and overall scores were a personal best. His SP best was set earlier this season when he won the Junior Grand Prix in Zagreb. Hanyu said, "Yesterday, I lost several Levels in the steps and spins. Today, I tried harder to get each Level."

Skating 21^st, Hanyu began with a great +2 triple Axel, which moved two of the nine judges to punch in the maximum Grade of Execution of +3. That was followed by a +1.60 triple Lutz to double toe, accomplished with a stunning variation of two hands over his head during the rotation of the second jump. But then he jackknifed his triple flip with his head coming close to the ice and was given a warning for a wrong edge take-off. That was his only mistake. He said, "I have a problem in practice with this jump so it was not a surprise, I didn’t do it well." His lowest Grade of Execution was +0.50 for his Level 3 change foot combination spin. He included a second triple Axel, set when the bonus marks for jumps clicks in, which was combined with a double toe loop and that one move banked 11.45 points. His final move, a Level 4 change foot sit spin, also earned two +3 GoEs, from different judges than those awarding this accolade for his initial move. His other two spins were Level 3 with +0.80 and +0.50. The Level 2 circular steps gained +0.80.

2.TS 205.25; 2.FS 137.28 (73.68+63.60); 5.SP; For Nan Song, who comes from near the northern border of China, silver was almost as good as gold. He was 7^th in this event last year. Through a translator he said, "I am extremely pleased with my performance today. This was my last time I can compete at the World Junior Championships. (The age cut off for boys is not to have reached 19 by July 1 of the previous year.) I didn’t want to have any regrets about this competition." When asked about the almost comical smallness of the medals this season, he replied, "It’s cute! The size of the medal is not so important. This medal gives me so much honor and, in the future, when I look at it, it will bring back pleasant memories."

He drew to skate 19^th, first of the top six. Performing to Once Upon a Time in America in black and silver, he began with a triple Axel but although he received a +0.80 GoE, he didn’t think the landing was good enough to try the second jump of the planned combination. He felt more secure when he repeated the jump, and got airborne for the triple toe loop immediately on landing. That earned him +13.40. Then came a 3-jump combo, triple Lutz to double toe to double loop, which earned +1.40 over the base value. He earned Level 4 for two of his three spins, but with relatively small GoEs of +0.50 and +0.20. straight line steps were +0.50 Level 2. He was given two negatives, a -0.60 on his second triple Lutz, and a -0.16 on his final jump, a double Axel. He said, "Compared to yesterday, I was less nervous. Competing was difficult yesterday."

3.TS 199.19; 3.FS 133.99 (69.79+64.20); 6. SP; Artur Gachinski’s routine was certainly the most developed from a story-telling point of view. It was almost like watching a professional show. "It’s the story of Narcissus," the 16-year-old pupil of Alexei Mishin said. "He is so vain, he turns into the flower which likes moist ground so generally grows by water, where it can constantly see a reflection of itself." He uses the music Narcissus: Whispers from the Mirror by Keiko Matsui. "The theme is reflected in my costume (which is cut open to show part of his chest). A big narcissus flower is drawn on my back."

Skating last, the Russian’s only mistake was doubling his first move which was meant as a quad toe loop. Gachinski said, "The bronze is a victory over myself. This is my first time to try a quad in competition. I felt confident about it, but it didn’t come off. Maybe there wasn’t enough preparation time but I will continue to train it." Not surprisingly since they train with the same coach, Evgeni Plushenko is Gachinski’s idol. "I grew up seeing him in shoy ws and competitions. But I also like to watch Johnny Weir."

His triple Axel to double toe earned +1.0 GoE. That was followed immediately by his second triple Axel which earned +1.60 GoE, and a +0.40 triple Lutz to double toe loop to double loop. His triple loop earned its base value. Like Plushenko, he front loaded his jumps, executing only a +0.60 triple Lutz, +0.80 triple Salchow and +0.80 triple toe to double Axel sequence past the point when the bonus marks click in. In contrast, Haryu had four jumping passes, and Song had five in the bonus period!

4.TS 197.03; FS 128.13 (65.53+63.60 -1.0); 2.SP; Keegan Messing, skating 20^th to the theme music from the show, The Incredible Hulk, in an appropriate green and black outfit, began with a +1.80 triple Axel which was so good on judge punched in the maximum +3. Four others gave him +2 and the remaining four +1. His triple Lutz to triple toe earned +1.20 over the base value. His Level 4 very fast flying sit spin moved another of the judges to reach for the +3 button and six others gave +2. One gave +1 and someone in a bad mood or with poor eyesight punched in 0. A +0.60 double Axel , +1.0 triple Salchow and a Level 4 +0.60 sit spin.

At the bonus point, he tried his second triple Axel and although he got credit for the rotation, he fell. "I was SO made," he said later. His straight line steps were +0.60 Level 2, and his Level 3 change foot combination spin earned a full point over its base value. Then came his final three elements, all jumps and all getting saddled with negatives, -0.60 on the triple loop, -0.80 on the triple flip to double toe to downgraded double loop and -1.0 on a scratchily landed triple Lutz.

5.TS 194.30; 7.FS 122.95 (60.45+63.50); 1.SP; Skating next to last, Grant Hochstein, dressed in a period purple outfit, interpreted Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet Overture. The overnight leader began well with a +1.0 triple Lutz to triple toe loop but then both his feet seemed to miss the ice in his triple Axel. He recovered well to execute a +0.20 satisfactory triple flip to double toe to double loop combination. That was followed by two Level 4 spins, a change foot sit and a flying sit, which both earned +0.30 over their base values. Then came a +0.80 triple loop. When bonus time came, he executed a flawed -0.40 triple Salchow and stepped out of the triple Lutz which was meant to be a sequence with a double Axel. That lost him a lot of points. He snapped back putting a lot of effort into Level 3 straight line steps which earned 0.50 over the base value. However, the following double Axel landing was not held and the triple flip landing was extremely strained. However, he finished the routine with a Level 4 change foot combination spin which was rewarded with +0.8 over its base value.

6. TS 179.81; 6.FS 123.74 (66.64+57.10); 13.SP; Andrei Rogozine from Richmond Hill, Ontario, vaulted from up from 13^th after the SP, to sixth with a sixth ranked Free Skate set to Nostradamus which had only two errors, a -0.40 on his triple Lutz and a -1.12 on his final jumping pass, the sequence of two double Axels. He opened with a +0.40 triple Axel and a base value triple flip to triple toe. The 17-year-old 2009 Canadian junior champion accomplished a triple loop combined with two double loops which earned its base value and a second triple loop which got an extra +0.40. Two of his spins earned Level 4 with +0.30 and +0.50. The final flying sit was +0.20 Level 3. His circular steps, however, were only Level 2 and +0.20. He said, "I was a bit angry at myself after messing up the Short Program. I came into the long ready to fight and with a lot of energy. I trained well for this event and I just went out and duplicated what I've been doing in practice."

7.TS 177.78; 5.FS 123.88 (69.38+54.50); 15.SP; Artur Dmitriev Jr., the son of the Russian twice Olympic gold medalist, was the only skater to accomplish a quad jump, a toe loop, which he combined with a double toe loop. That banked him the base value of the move, 11.10 points. His second move was not so successful and the triple Axel to double toe to double loop had 1.96 taken off its base value of 11.00. He then executed a second triple Axel earning a small +0.20 over its base value of 8.20. He then presented a base value triple loop. When the bonus marks clicked in, he performed a +1.0 triple Lutz but then had a point removed from a triple flip which was given an exclamation mark warning of wrong edge. His final two jumping passes, a triple Salchow to double Axel sequence and then another double Axel earned their base values. His Level 4 change foot combination spin got an extra +0.40 GoE. The final element, a Level 3 flying sit received only the base value. His circular steps were Level 3 and +0.10. He skated to Pirates of the Caribbean.

8.TS 177.01; 8.FS 112.86 (57.46+55.40); 7.SP; Although he did not fall, Alexander Majorov, Sweden, made major errors on his first three moves, a triple Axel, a triple Lutz and a triple flip to triple toe loop, and, later, on his triple Salchow to double toe. However, he gained Level 4 with small positive GoEs on two of his spins and Level 3 for his straight line steps and final spin, the flying change foot sit. He performed to Borodin’s Polovestian Dances.

9.TS 171.86; 15.FS 103.46 (42.26+62.20 -1.0); 4.SP; Denis Ten, skating in black with a red top, to Concierto de Aranjuez and then a Paso Doble, started with a triple Axel which was fine but the triple toe it was meant to be combined with became a double. From then on it was struggle, struggle, struggle. Three of his triple jumps were downgraded and another singled and he fell on his triple loop. Well, better at a lower event than at the Olympics where he finished 11^th.

10.TS168.69; 12.FS 106.39 (52.09+56.30 -2.0); 8.SP; Armin Mahbanoozadeh, an 18-year-old from Great Falls, VA, performed to Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No.3. He began well with a +1.0 triple Axel but then fell on his second triple Axel. After executing a base value triple flip to triple toe loop, he fell again this time on a triple loop. Later he singled a triple Lutz and an Axel. But he did accomplish a triple Salchow and a triple Lutz to double toe to double loop. Both these jumping passes earned their base values. His flying sit spin was awarded Level 4 and +0.40 while the change foot sit was Level 3 and +0.60. His final spin, a change foot combination was Level 3 and +0.60. His straight line steps were Level 2 and +0.40.

11.167.88; FS.11 109.48 (56.86+53.60 -1.0); 10.SP; Amazingly Kazahkstan now has two competitors. Abzal Rakimgaliev, who is 17, doesn’t have Ten’s personality, but this was a reasonable showing which included a triple Axel to double toe. However, on his second attempt at this jump, he fell and his effort was downgraded. His music was an Irish dance.

12.TS 164.41; 14.FS 103.96 (49.86+54.10); 9.SP; Javier Raya, 18, Spain, got off to a bad start, singling his attempt at a triple Axel.

20.TS 141.31; 22.FS 84.74+37.44 -1.0); 12.SP; Skating to Requiem for a Dream, Ronald Lam, 19, from British Columbia, fell on his opening jump, a double Axel, and had several landings on a very deeply bent knee. He was only 0.13 behind Kevin Alves, whose mother is Brazilian and father Portugese but who was born and raised in Toronto.

22 competitors failed to get into the top 24 allowed to Free Skate. Petr Bidar of the Czech Republic, who finished 23^rd, was the only competitor taking part in more than one event. He and partner, Klara Kadlecova, were 12^th in the FS and 15^th overall in the pairs championship.

Short Program

Love of Skating Triumphs over Bad Fortune

Hochstein in Lead Ahead of Near 3-way Tie, Twenty-Two Eliminated

Whatever happened to Artur Dmitri Jr?

1.SP 71.35 (41.40+29.95) Grant Hochstein, 19, who injured his patella dome of his left foot, which is the one he lands on, so badly he was told to stop jumping for a year, has finally made a full recovery and lies first by the significant 2.45 marks over his teammate Keegan Messing. His score was a huge advance over his previous best international score of 66.45, set at the Grand Prix Final, where he finished fifth. This was his last year of age eligibility for junior international events.

"I’m really happy," Hochstein said in the Press Conference following the draw for the Free Skate, in which he will skate 23^rd of the 24 skaters allowed into this section. Forty six competitor from 38 countries competed in today’s Short Program so practically half of them will go home disappointed. "I didn’t have any expectations about where I wanted to place," Hochstein added. "I just wanted to focus on my love of skating. It really took about three seasons to get the injury behind me. I got emotional just to be here. As for the Free Skate, winning isn’t the goal. It’s to skate as well as I can."

Hochstein, who finished seventh in the recent US championships at Senior level, performed 43^rd, very gracefully in blue, to Tchaikovsky’s Sleeping Beauty, beginning with a +1.0 GoE triple Lutz to triple toe. The win in this section was a surprise because he executed only a double instead of triple Axel, although he got a +1.20 Grade of Execution. The triple flip was +0.40. His three spins were all Level 4 with +1.0, +0.50 and +0.40 GoE. Both his circular and straight line sequences were Level 3 and +0.50.

American skaters are used to skating before crowds, but there were very, very few spectators here. Hochstein said, "It’s always nicer to have a crowd when it’s your moment on the ice. Here, it almost makes it more intimate. You aren’t performing. You are just giving a piece of yourself away."

2.SP 68.90 (40.90+28.00) Keegan Messing, skating 41^st, to Four Thousand Years, from The Soloist by Dario Marianelli, in an intense black outfit with a few sparkles, gave a clearly superior performance to those who had preceded him. However, there was a moment of suspense when he landed his triple Axel a little low and that element earned only the base value. The following triple Lutz to triple toe was fine, earning +0.80 over the base value. The triple flip got an exclamation mark, which was a warning for wrong edge take-off and was saddled with -0.40 GoE. The flying sit spin, which morphed into a broken leg position, was very fast, as were his other two spins. He earned 0.90 over base. However, although the change foot combination also earned Level 4 with a full point added, the final flying camel was deemed only Level 2 with +0.30. "Keegan just loves to spin, in the air or on the ice," said his coach Ralph Burghardt. His straight line steps were only Level 2 and +0.40. The circular steps gained Level 3 and +0.20.

The 18-year-old Messing replaced the injured Ross Miner. Messing said, "When I got the call, I felt sorry for him, but I was psyched. And to get second in the Short Program is pretty awesome. As for the lack of spectators, I train in Alaska where any crowd is pretty awesome. I enjoy showing my love of skating with anyone who happens to be watching." Messing was injured earlier this season in a collision with another American during the Junior Grand Prix in Poland. "I was doing a triple loop," Messing explained, "and he was doing a circular step sequence and we just didn’t see each other. His blade slashed my inner leg. They took me to hospital and I had 11 stitches. It was a difficult time. We had already had the draw so I couldn’t withdraw so they could get a replacement. I had to continue because I needed to get fourth to get another Grand Prix but that didn’t happen. I don’t do a triple loop now, without really looking around."

3.SP 68.75 (37.90+30.85) Yuzuru Hanyu, a 15-year-old from Sendai who has twice won the Japanese Junior title, skated 45^th to Mission Impossible 2. He won this season’s Junior Grand Prix Final and was 12^th in the World Juniors last year. His score did not approach his Personal Best of 70.78 set in the Zagreb JGP this season. Skating in a black and silver short sleeved shirt with black shiny gloves, he soared through his triple Axel. However, his triple Lutz was not straight in the air and he could only tag on a double instead of the planned triple. Hanyu said, through an interpreter, "Today the performance was not very good but I’m satisfied with the place. I messed up the triple-triple and I lost a couple of Levels." He gained no Level 4s. The circular steps and two of the three spins were Level 3 but his last two elements the straight line steps and the change foot combination spin were only Level 2.

4.SP 68.40 (37.80+30.60) Denis Ten, skated 42^nd to Louis Prima’s Sing Sing Sing. The 16-year old from Kazahkstan, whose family is of Korean origins, but who now trains in Moscow, came almost straight here from the Olympics where he finished 11^th. He made his world senior championship debut last March, placing tenth. He lies fourth here despite making errors. He had to execute a double three turn to hold the landing of his first element, the triple Axel, which had 1.40 taken off its base value. The he had -1.0 subtracted off the base value combination of triple Lutz to triple toe because his weight shifted on the second jump and there was a dicey moment or two on the landing. Then he also got no marks at all for his seventh element, the flying sit spin. He said, "I just sort of stumbled over the entrance." However, the judges loved his straight line steps which concluded his presentation. They unanimously punched in +2.

5.SP 67.97 (38.12+29.85) Nan Song from Qiqihar in the north of China skated last to The Way Old Friends Do by Abba. He had set a personal best of 72.95 when he recently placed sixth in the Four Continents Championships. This performance did not come close to matching that. The 19-year old was runner-up in this season’s Junior Grand Prix Final in December and was seventh in this World Junior Championships last year. He began with a fine +1.20 triple Lutz to triple toe but had to put a hand down on triple Axel which had only -0.28 subtracted from the base value. His triple flip was saddled with an "e" for wrong edge and got -1.80 taken off the base. His flying sit spin earned Level 4, but the change foot camel spin and the circular steps were only Level 2. The straight line steps and the change foot combination spin earned Level 3.

6. SP 65.20 (37.20+28.00) Artur Gachinksi, 16, who is the Russian junior champion and was sixth in the Junior Grand Prix Final in December, performed 37^th to Albonini’s Adagio. He is trained by Alexei Mishin in St. Petersburg. All his GoEs were positive except for the triple flip, which was given an exclamation mark and a -1.0 GoE.

7.SP 64.15 (38.40+25.75) Alexander Majorov, who was born in Russia, moved to Sweden when his parents, who are both skating coaches, found work there. He was runner-up for the Swedish Senior title in 2009. Last year, he was 13^th in this World Junior championship and 22^nd in the World Seniors. But he only third nationally this season. He performed 36^th to Piazzolla’s LiberTango. He got a -1.40 on his triple Axel, because he was forced to execute a double three turn to hold the landing. On the triple Lutz to triple toe loop, he stepped out of the second jump, which was penalized with a -2.0 GoE.

8.SP 62.30 (33.40+28.90) Armin Mahbanoozadeh, an 18-year-old from Alexandria, VA, used music merely called Virtuoso by Edvin Marton, choreographed by Nathan Birch. He was 8^th in the US senior championship this year. He set an international personal best for the SP of 67.05 last season. Skating 44^th, he successfully completed his triple Axel, gaining +0.80 GoE. But then put his foot down on the landing of the second jump in the combination of triple Lutz to triple toe loop, which resulted in a -1.60 GoE. And then singled his triple flip. Two of his spins gained Level 4. The circular steps were Level 3 but the straight line steps were only Level 2 and the flying sit spin a Level 1. "They were silly mistakes," said Mahbanoozadeh. "I just got ahead of myself."

9.SP 60.45 (33.40+27.05) Javier Raya, 18, is the Spanish Junior champion. Skating 39^th to Ronan Hardiman’s Capone, he made a great first impression, executing an outside spread with arms folded into a double Axel. He continued with a triple Lutz to double toe loop but the landing of the triple flip was not held resulting in his only negative, -0.20. He earned a Level 4 for his flying sit and all four of his other Level moves gained a 3.

10.SP 58.40 (33.80+24.60) Abzal Rakimgaliev, 17, from Kazahkstan, who now trains in Moscow, skated 35^th to A Child in Paradise. He was 26^th in the Olympic Games. He competed in the 2008 world championships, where he finished 24^th. He earned a +0.80 for his triple Axel but got a -0.20 on his triple Lutz to double toe. Only one element was Level 4, the change foot combination spin, and he got no marks at all for his attempt at the flying sit spin.

11.SP 57.00 (31.90+25.10) Daniel Dotzauer, 18, Germany, who is trained by the 1980 Olympic champion Anett Poetzsch Rauschenbach, skated 24^th, the first of the second group. He gave what appeared to be a flawless showing to Dave Brubeck’s Take Five but the triple flip got an exclamation mark and -0.40, and his change foot camel spin only Level 1.

12.SP 56.57 (32.52+24.05) Ronald Lam, 19, who was born in Hong Kong, but moved to Canada and lives Coquitlam, British Columbia, is the ninth ranked Canadian at Senior level. He gave an entertaining showing to Taiko drummers, presenting a flawed triple Axel and a combination which was "only" triple toe loop-triple toe loop.

13.SP 56.07 (29.22+26.85) Andrei Rogozine, skating 40^th to a jazzed up version of Edward Grieg’s Piano Concerto in A Minor, was born in Moscow but his parents left to move to Ontario. He was the 2009 Canadian Junior champion, who was 11^th in the senior division this season. He began well with an outside spread into a triple Axel but then messed up the first jump in his combination, which was to have been a triple Lutz but turned into a double.

14.SP 54.20 (30.60+24.60 -1.0) Jorik Hendrickx, 17, is the current Belgian champion. He perform 32^nd to The Flag Runner, and despite his fall on the triple flip, did a reasonable performance with triple Lutz to double toe loop, double Axel and one Level 4 move.

15.SP 53.90 (53.90+32.70 -1.0) Artur Dmitriev, Russia, is the son of twice Olympic pair champion of the same name and Rhythmic Gymnastics World Champion Tatiana Druchinina. Born in St. Petersburg, he lived for some years in New Jersey where he competed in the US lower divisions. Now, the 17-year-old is back in his home town and is demonstrating great potential in a country which has just suffered from its worst Olympic figure skating showing since 1960. Dmitriev is Russia’s second ranked junior. His only international experience earned him a silver in the minor event, Coupe de Nice in France. But now he is being trained by Tatiana Mishina and Alexei Mishin, and is impressive. He held the lead in this event for three-and-a-half hours until the German, Daniel Dotzhauer, who skated first in the second half of the event, overtook him.