Free Skate

UNPOPULAR "BREAK" AFTER FIRST FOUR PAIRS RAISES EYEBROWS

There are strict guidelines for entry to the ISU Championships. One entry is permitted for every member nation for each discipline. A country gets a second allowance if that country’s competitor placed high enough the year before. The maximum of three entries is allowed if that country’s representative placed in the top two, or if two competitors placed high enough so that their places, when added, do not exceed 13. The ISU produces official bulletins which detail each country’s allowance. In ISU Communication 1565, China is listed as having an allocation of two pairs, yet three were allowed to compete. Why?

This season the ISU had reduced the number of entries who qualify for the Free Skate. Five pairs were eliminated here leaving 16 couples to progress. But, the bottom four pairs, including the US’s Brynn Carman and AJ Reiss, skated in a group which finished at 19:38. Then came a resurfacing and a "break" before the next four took the ice for their warm-up at 20:15. If you had been buying a ticket for the evening’s proceedings, it would not have given you entry to see this first first group. The skaters are starting to refer to this group as the "loser group" or the "discarded ones".

1.TOTAL SCORE 170.71; 1. FS 109.77 (60.73+49.04); 1 SP; Wenjing Sui and Cong Han, performing 15^th of the 16 allowed to Free Skate, gave an entertaining showing to City Lights from the Charlie Chaplin movie. The Chinese proved their superiority by finishing 13.48 ahead of their main rivals. It was China’s third win in this event. Dan Zhang and Hao Zhang were the champions in 2001 and 2003. Han said, "We are pleased with our performance and especially happy that we were able to show the quad throw. There were a few little mistakes, but overall we think it was good." She landed the throw quad Salchow, which was the second of their 11 elements, on two feet which resulted in a minus 1.0 Grade of Execution, but they still banked 7 points for it. Their only other negative GoE was a -0.60 on their third move, when he stepped out of their side-by-side double flips.

They opened with a sequence of +0.80 double Axels and later, at the point where the 10% bonus clicks in for jumps, lifts, throws and twists, brought off a throw triple flip (+0.70) and a Level 2 lateral triple twist with an arm above her head. Their coach, Bo Luan, took full advantage of the new system and her pupils earned six (of a possible seven) maximum Level 4s: for their back outside death spiral, the side-by-side solo and the pair spins, the regular spirals, and both the Group 4 and the Axel Lasso lifts. It was a personal best score for them.

Han said, "The quad throw is very difficult but we learned it step by step so we were able to make it ready for the competition."

2.TS 157.23; 2.FS 97.69 (50.49+47.20); 2.SP; Narumi Takahashi and Mervin Tran really appeared to enjoy skating to their music, a piece from Puccini’s opera, Madame Butterfly, and Butterfly Lovers, both performed by Vanessa Mae. Their costumes reflected the Butterfly theme as did many of their arm movements. They did not beat their PB for the FS of 98.09 and 151.83 TS of both set when they placed at this year’s Four Continents Championships, where they finished fifth, since that was a senior competition and included an extra element. They are the second Japanese pair to win a medal at World Juniors. Yuko Kavaguti and Alexander Markuntsov earned silver in 2001. At that point, he was a Russian skating with a Japanese partner for Japan. Kavaguti was recently given a Russian passport and gave up her Japanese citizenship in order to compete at this season’s Olympics with the Russian Alexander Smirnov, for Russia, and they finished fourth.

Takahashi, who is Japanese, and Tran, who is Canadian, have hopes of advancing in the world of skating but realize the Olympics may not be possible for them. Takahashi said, "We have citizenship issues. To compete in the Games, we must both have a passport from the same country and that may not be possible. But we hope soon, to compete in the World Seniors. I would like to be world champion six times." Tran, who was born in Regina, Saskatchewan, and Takahashi train in Montreal with Richard Gauthier, who developed Sale and Pelletier. Tran said, We’re happy with our performance. It’s a lot better than the other two Junior Worlds we have done (where they finished 15^th and 7^th.) It was not the best performance tonight but it was basically clean and it’s great to finish the season like this." She said, "There was no big mistake." Takahashi and Tran both executed a nice +0.80 double Axel to open the routine followed by a Level 3 +0.60 double twist. Their throw triple toe loop got -0.70 GoE. The other six level moves all earned the maximum 4 with positive GoEs. However, they got a second slight negative (-0.18) on their seventh element, a combination of double Salchow to double toe loop.

What do they think of the danger level in pair skating? Tran said, "We’ve had a few accidents but I don’t think it’s too dangerous." Takahashi said, "The throws are very exciting. Often times I have hit my head but then I black out and I don’t remember it so that’s fine and Mervin is very good at protecting me."

3. TS 145.35; 3. FS 91.09 (47.69+44.69 -1.0); 3.SP; Ksenia Stolbova and Fedor Klimov skated to an Oriental Fantasy. He said, "Today not all our elements worked out and so we were not able to fight for the highest spots on the podium, but we are happy to have held onto third place. This is basically our biggest success so far, our first international success." The Russians began with a base value Level 2 double twist, followed by a +0.70 throw triple toe. Then she fell on the second jump of their sequence of triple toe loop to double Axels. Their side by side double Salchows followed and received a slight negative (-0.12) Five of their elements earned Level 4 but the flying camel combination spin was Level 3. They improved their overall and FS personal best scores by a huge 15.85 and 9.12 points respectively.

About the danger, Klimov said, "Pair is so spectacular because of the danger. The higher we throw, the more thrill it gets. It’s more dangerous for the females."

4.TS 139.63; 5.FS 90.25 (47.53+42.72); 5.SP; Tatiana Novik and Mikhail Kuznetsov performed a fun routine with quirky music from the soundtrack Cadillac with her in blue "boots" extending well above her actual skating boots to move up a place, although they were fifth in both sections. The Russians began with a Level 2 +0.10 double twist but they did impressive side-by-side triple loops which banked them +0.20 over the base value of 5 points.

5.TS 138.00; 6.FS 85.50 (44.94+42.56 -2.0); 4.SP; Britney Simpson and Nathan Miller skated to Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata, a routine which has enormous potential and which they will keep for next season when they will compete as seniors. Coach Dalilah Sappenfield said that although Britney fell twice, (on her second jump in their opening move, a sequence of two double Axels, and on their throw triple Salchow later in the routine), this was a development stage. "The program needs a little more determination on her part. There was just a slight hesitation before the moves but it’s a step along the path. This is the first time they’ve done two throws in a routine. This is the first time she’s landed the throw triple loop and to do that even after the fall on the opening element, was a definite step in a positive direction." Simpson said, "I have to attack more."

6. TS 135.86; 4.FS 90.96 (48.48+42.48); 12.SP; Yue Zhang and Lei Wang skated to Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini by Rachmaninov. The Chinese duo’s PB for the Free of 97.69 and for the Overall score of 147.89 were both set in the Dresden Junior Grand Prix earlier this season, where they finished second. Although they did not approach those scores here, they rocketed up from 12^th to sixth with a 4^th best FS, despite a messed up combination of single flip to downgraded double toe loop which was their only negative GoE, and only two Level 4s (for their Axel Lasso lift and for their final element, their pair combination spin) of a possible seven (although no one gets a 4 for a triple twist).

7.TS 133.41; 7. FS 85.29 (44.65+40.64); 7.SP; Brittany Jones and Kurtis Gaskell from Ontario, who have skated together for three years, performed to three pieces played by Vanessa Mae, Toccata and Fugue by Bach, and sections of Winter and Spring by Vivaldi. Gaskell said, "This was a very good experience for us. We did gain some international experience earlier this year (in the Polish and German Junior Grand Prix events where they finished third and eighth) but, still, this felt pretty new to us and we are thrilled with the result. We had a nice and smooth long program." Jones said, "It was really strong and it gives us a confidence boost for next season. It was great to get all of our new tricks out there including our double Axel. That should get us more attention internationally." They began with a Level 2 triple twist which gained +0.28 GoE and a +0.70 throw triple loop but their side-by-side double Axel was saddled with -0.80 GoE. Only two of their Level earning elements, the Axel Lasso and Group 3 lifts, gained the maximum 4. Their spirals earned only the base value for Level 1.

8.TS 129.48; 9.FS 81.58 (43.10+38.48); 8.SP; Xiaoyu Yu and Yang Jin skated to the poignant The Way We Were by Marvin Hamlisch. The Chinese duo only hung onto eighth place by a sliver of 0.19 over the Canadians, Purdy and Marinaro.

9.TS 129.29; 8.FS 84.05 (45.41+38.64); 11.SP; Margaret Purdy and Michael Marinaro, the Canadian Junior champions who have skated together for three years, performed to two tunes by the Beatles, Here, There and Everywhere and Something and despite a fall on their triple toe loops, they advanced two places. Marinaro said, "We think the Olympics is a realistic goal. It's something we'd really like to do some day. We do a lot of repetition. We run through the program and polish it. At the moment, we're not really adding anything new. We're just making sure we know it and it's cleaned up." They say they are good friends on and off the ice, which, he explained, "is essential for pairs. You just couldn't practice together for six or seven hours a day if you didn't like each other. It would be too hard."

10.TS 128.01; 10.FS 79.51 (41.15+39.36 -1.0); 6.SP; Felicia Zhang and Taylor Toth skated to Wonderland performed by Maksim Mrvica and a Medley by Queen

11.TS 119.68; 13.FS 72.64 (39.28+37.36 -4.0); 9.SP Kaleigh Hole and Adam Johnson, who skated to Stravinski’s Firebird, looked shell-shocked leaving the ice having fallen four times. Up to today’s Free, they said they had been having fun. Johnson, who ages out of this level of competition this season, said they had been watching the Olympics. "That's the big picture at the end. Sochi in 2014 - that's our goal They had started the season well, winning gold in the Lake Placid Grand Prix. Then came bronze in Minsk, and fifth place in the Junior Grand Prix Final. Prior to this performance, Johnson said, "So far, we've exceeded our goals for this season." But now reality has set in. He may turn to his professors for help. He is studying psychology at The University of Western Ontario.

14.TS 115.90; 14.FS 71.42 (38.06+35.36-2.0); 13.SP Brynn Carman and AJ Reiss skated to Kentuckian.

Short Program

Twenty one pairs from thirteen countries compete in the Pairs event

1.Total Score 60.94 (Elements 36.46 + Components 24.48) Wenjing Sui, 14, and Cong Han, 17, from China, who won the Minsk and Dresden Junior Grand Prix events and the Final in Tokyo, again took gold. Skating 20^th to Russian balalaika folk music, with her hair in two buns on top, they gave a very entertaining showing in suitable, colorful costumes, beginning with a +1 double Axels. Their double Lutz twist also gained +1 GoE and the Technical Specialist gave it Level 3.

Han explained, "We performed quite well. Still there were some issues. We weren’t perfect." On landing their throw triple Salchow, which was very high, she rocketed forward, although she was able to keep her hand from touching the ice. However their back outside death spiral earned +0.84 over the base value for Level 4. Their lift and their pair combination spin also got positive GoEs and Level 4. They are trained by Bo Luan in Harbin. Their previous best Short Program score, set in Dresden, was 57.40

2.59.54 (36.46+23.08) Narumi Takahashi, who turned 18 on January 15 and was born in Chiba, and Mervin Tran, 19, who was born in Regina, Saskatchewan, represent Japan but train in Montreal with Richard Gautier. They teamed up in July 2007, and are the one-time Japanese junior champions and twice senior champions. They are competing for the third time in this event. They previously placed 15^th and 7^th. They earned silver in this season’s JGP Final. Their score was well over their PB of 54.53 which was set in Polish JGP 2009. Tran said, "The program was good but there were some wobbles here and there. The side-by-side spins were better than normal."

When asked whether Hongbo Zhao’s age, 36, when winning the Olympics was an inspiration, and would they be handing around that long, Tran said, "I don’t think so. I think there are other things in life besides skating." But his partner was having none of that. She said, "I want to win six world titles so I may have to stay around till then." Takahashi and Tran do not think about the Olympics because of their problem with passports. You can not maintain a Japanese passport, if you become a citizen of another country, and Takahashi is not willing to do that. Tran is unlikely to get Japanese citizenship.

Skating 15th to a Flamenco number, Pepe Romero’s Farrucas, with him in black and her in red, they opened with+0.80 double Axels followed by a +0.90 Level 3 double flip twist. They also earned Level 4 for their back outside death spiral and lift which both earned +0.70. Their throw triple Salchow was a bit shaky.

3.54.26 (32.14+22.12) Ksenia Stolbova, who turned 18 on February 7, and Fedor Klimov, 19, Russia, are from St. Petersburg, and are also in their first season together. They skated to Russian music, she in white, he in royal blue. They earned third place. He explained, "Today we did all the elements, the minimum. We were happy we skated clean." She said, "We were not pleased the death spiral was only good enough for Level 2 and the straight line steps were only Level 1.

4. 52.50 (30.86+21.64) The US’s Britney Simpson, who will turn 14 on May 5, is the event’s youngest skater. Her partner, Nathan Miller, is just within the age limits for this championship having turned 21 on July 18. (July 1 is the cut-off date.) They were runners-up for the US Junior title and were sixth in the Junior Grand Prix Final. Trained by Dalilah Sappenfield, they skated 18^th to Asian Fusian, he in black with white and she in white with black in otherwise identical outfits in a martial arts routine. They began with a hand over head lateral double twist, which earned Level 2 and +0.50. That was followed by their base value throw triple Salchow. Then came a double Axel and Level 4 Group 4 lift. However, the back outside death spiral was only Level 1. "We could be higher," said their coach, Delilah Sappenfield. We also went from an expected Level 4 on the change foot combination spin to Level 2 because she had trouble going into the camel. That would have taken us up to third place. We got good GoEs, but we have to get the Levels as well."

49.38 (28.90+21.48 -1.0) Tatiana Novik, 15, and Mikhail Kuznetsov, Russia, train in Moscow. He is the oldest skater in these championships, was born on July 6, 1988. (If he had arrived seven days earlier he would have been ineligible. Male skaters may not have reached 21 by July 1.) He previous skated with Ekaterina Sheremetieva but they broke up after they placed 5^th in the 2009 World Junior Championships last year after being fourth the year before. In their first season together, they finished fifth in the Grand Prix Final.

Skating last (21^st), they opened their performance with an original pair combination spin which works by counterbalance. Unfortunately, she then fell on the double Axel. The twist was an average double. On the throw triple Salchow, she landed on an inside edge. The 2009 Junior Grand Prix Final participants were upbeat and entertaining in their comic routine to Mozart’s Figaro.

6. 48.50 (29.78+18.72) Felicia Zhan, 16, and Taylor Toth, 21 (making the age restriction by 23 days), train with Jeff DiGregorio and Ron Ludington in Newark, Delaware and are the US Junior champions. They skated 12^th to Rondo Veneziano.

7. 48.12 (27.48+20.64) Brittany Jones, 14, Toronto, Ont., and Kurtis Gaskell, 19, Guelph, Ont., skated 19^th to The Ukraine, with him in black and her in red. Earlier this season they picked up their first international medal, a bronze at the ISU Grand Prix in Torun, Poland. Jones and Gaskell train at the Rim Park Arena in Waterloo, Ont., and are coached by Kristy and Kris Wirtz.

8. 47.90 (29.70+18.20) Xiaoyu Yu, 14, and Yang Jin, 15, who skated first, performed to The Love of Death by Park Sel Joon, are making their international debut by taking part in this event. However, their back outside death spiral was only Level 1.

9. 47.04 (28.04+20.00 -1.0) Kaleigh Hole, who will be 17 on March 18, is from Verdon, Manitoba, and Adam Johnson, who was 21 on November 15, is from Chatham, Ontario, skated 14^th, she in deep red with sparkles, he in a white shirt with elbow length sleeves and black waistcoat. They gained gold and bronze medals in their Junior Grand Prix events in Lake Placid and Minsk in Belarus. They finished fifth in the Junior Grand Prix Final in Tokyo. They are coached by Scott Rachuk and Alison Purkiss at Strathroy.

Skating to Roxie’s Suite by Danny Elfman, she fell on the double Axel. But the back outside death spiral was Level 4 and +0.84 GoE with an impressive change of hand holding, with the timing for both hands equally long.

10. 46.64 (28.06+18.56) Anna Silaeva, 17, and Artur Minchuk, 20, who train in St. Petersburg, skated sixth to a Flamenco by Didulia. They are the third ranked Russian juniors. They received only one Level 4 which was for their pair combination spin.

11. 45.24 (26.92+18.32) Margaret Purdy, 15, Strathroy, Ont., and Michael Marinaro, 18, Sarnia, Ont., claimed the 2010 Canadian Junior Pair title in London, Ontario in January. This will be their third international event after competing at two ISU Grand Prix events earlier this year. The duo is coached by Scott Rachuk and Alison Purkiss at the Competitive Skating Centre of Strathroy. Skating 13^th to Santa Maria by Gotan Project,

They gained two Level 4s but their back outside death spiral was only Level and their straight line steps Level 2.

12. 44.90 (23.50+21.40) Yue Zhang, who turned 17 on January 27, and Lei Wang of China, who was 21 on July 11, are competing in their third ISU World Junior Championships. They were 7^th and 8^th in the past two years. They earned bronze at this season’s JGP Final. They rank 4^th in China and competed in 2009 at World Seniors where they finished 16^th. Their SP best of 54.16 was set when they finished 6^th in this season’s Four Continents Championships.

Skating 16^th to The Way Old Friends Do by Abba, in deep green, they did double twist but she did only single Axel while he did a double They did a nice triple Salchow, and a pull up spiral coming out of the death spiral

13. 44.48 (25.88+18.60) Brynn Carman, 15, and AJ (standing for Andrew John) Reiss, who turned 18 on February 3, teamed up in 2009. They placed fifth in the US Junior Championship. She formerly skated with Chris Knierim and they were ninth in this event last year. He is new to pairs, having competed as a singles competitor placing fourth at national at Junior level.