2001 U.S. Figure Skating Championships

Junior Pairs

Standings

Notest after the long program.

by Alexandra Stevnson

The initial rounds of the junior events were held in the Matthew Arena, but the free skates were all held in the 18,500 seat Fleet Center. Roth & McPherson were first of the top four pairs to freeskate. They started well with a double twist and side-by-side triple toes but on their first lift disaster struck. McPherson explained, "She was up in the lift and my weight was a little bit back and my heel went in. She was upside down at that point so my main concern was getting her down so she didn't hit her head. What happened was that she came down and she sandwiched my left shoulder with the ice. We've fallen on other lifts in practice but never on that lift." At first McPherson didn't look like he could get up and the referee blew his whistle to stop the music while medical personnel came out onto the ice. McPherson did get up and went to the side of the rink but did not leave the ice. Eventually he, and one of their coaches, Mitch Moyer, decided he could continue. Moyer said, "The skaters have up to five minutes and I asked the referee if they still had time and he said they had thirty seconds so they picked it up from where they left off. It was a major worry because they still had two major lifts to do. At this point you are worried about the least injured skater because they are so concerned about the other party that they are not concentrating on themselves."

No one who did not know about the fall would be able to judge from the rest of their program that an incident had taken place. They performed so well making no errors. Skating to music from The Student Prince, they did a throw triple Salchow, double Axels, a lasso lift, a throw double Axel, another lift, a back outside death spiral and a combination spin. The crowd went wild and gave them a standing ovation. Afterwards McPherson said he didn't believe there was any significant injury. "I just bruised the shoulder pretty bad. It feels like someone punched me a few times too hard." As for staying second, he said, "I'm happy we ended up second. After a fall like that you are pretty much done for." Roth & McPherson added their throw triple salchow and new lifts this season and hope to have a triple twist ready for seniors next year.

Binder & Allen skated next. They said the delay in the proceedings because of Roth & McPherson's fall hadn't bothered them. Using Dvorak's Cello Concerto No. 1, they got off to a fabulous start with a triple twist and throw triple salchow. Double flips followed and a reverse star lift. Then came double axel-hop-double toe loops, flying camels, throw double loop and a carry lift.

This is the first season that pairs have been permitted to do a carry lift.

Ludington is delighted with this. He explained, "It was getting so that everyone did the same. This opens it up and let's people be a little creative." Binder & Allen finished with both back inside and back outside death spirals and a tap overhead lift. They were delighted to take gold in this event about 45 years after their coach, Ron Ludington, had won the title and are looking forward to becoming seniors next season.

Sandoval & Trent, who train with Irina Vorobieva and Brian Wells and feel the altitude training that comes from being based in Colorado Springs is an advantage, maintained third place by performing a routine choreographed by Christopher Dean to Cirque du Soleil. "It's really hard with some very interesting steps," declared Trent, who is 20. Said the 14 year old Sandoval, who completely skipped Novice level, "I know the performance could have been better but it's great for our first nationals. The top three is great. For a first year team to win bronze is something."

Notes after the short program.

Using music from the Broadway show, "On the 20th Century", Deborah Blinder, 15, and Jeremy Allen, 21, from the University of Delaware FSC won the short by a unanimous decision. Though this is only their first season together, they had already competed in two contests this fall, finishing second in the Junior Grand Prix event in Ukraine and fifth in another Junior Grand Prix event in Poland. Allen, whose hometown is Minneapolis, started skating after seeing it on television and liking what he saw. Blinder is from Durham, North Carolina. They were originally teamed up two years ago at a USFSA camp but it didn't click until they gave it a second try last March. Blinder and Allen completed all eight elements but declared that their strongest move in the short was their side-by-side double Axels.

Unanimously in second place going into the freeskating scheduled for Thursday evening are Kristen Roth & Michael McPherson of the Detroit SC. Roth, a 4'11" 15 year old, was destined to be a figure skater. Her mother teaches skating basic skills and she joined a class at the advanced age of 2. Her dad and brother play ice hockey. Roth & McPherson haven't looked back since winning the 2000 U.S. Novice championship. They qualified for the Junior Grand Prix final, where they gained the silver medals, by winning the St. Gervais Grand Prix in August and then taking fourth place in the Grand Prix event in China. Their coach, former U.S. champion Johnny Johns, attributes their fast rise to her strong work ethic and the 5'11" 18 year-old McPherson's considerable experience in pair skating. "The silver medal in Scotland gave us confidence. It topped off a great first year on the international circuit," said McPherson. "Obviously our expectation here (Boston) is to win but I touched my hand down on the double Axel (in the short) so we will take second place at this stage any day." Their routine, choreographed by Marina Zoueva, used classical music by Adam used for the ballet Le Corsaire.

Brandilyn Sandoval & Derek Trent of the Broadmoor SC lie third and Christen Dean & Joshua Murphy from the American Academy FSC from Hackensack, NJ, are fourth.

Short Program

Free Skating

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