2003 U.S. Nationals

The youngster, who is coached by Pamela Gregory and Tracey Poletis at the University of Delaware, skated a clean, energetic program to music from the ballet "Ramonda," landing a strong triple Salchow, double toe loop combination and big double Axel.

"It wasn’t really hard to wait. I didn’t even watch the other competitors," said Meissner.

"This year, she’s really developed her own personality on the ice," said Poletis. "She was more cutesy before; now, she’s more mature." Poletis added that Meissner has all of the triples except the Axel and is planning two Salchows, a toe loop and a Lutz in her free program.

Good extension on her spiral sequence, along with a strong double Axel and combination spin, helped Briana Perry take second place. "I skated my best and had fun out there," said the Massachusetts native, who placed second at Easterns.

Perry added that her favorite skater, Michelle Kwan, inspired her spiral sequence. For her long program, the 13 year-old is taking a page from another champion, skating to the "Man in the Iron Mask" soundtrack used so famously by Olympic gold medallist Alexei Yagudin. "It has a lot of footwork in it, just like Yagudin’s program," said Perry.

In third place was Jessica Houston, 13, who finished third at Easterns. Her program was chock full of interesting moves, including an Ina Bauer and spread eagle into a double Axel. "My coaches, Mark Mitchell and Peter Johansson, along my choreographer Deidre Williams, came up with the idea," said Houston.

"Each spring, we play with different moves, and this one stuck," said Mitchell.

When complimented on her combination spin, Houston responded, "I like to spin." Mitchell laughed, saying, "She’s telling a little lie – we have to force her to work on her spins!"

Katy Taylor, 13, who finished second in the Midwesterns, hit a triple Salchow, double toe loop combination to take fourth place. Lauren Henessy, 16, who was fourth at Midwesterns, also hit a triple Salchow, double toe to finish sixth. Pacific Coast sectionals champion Jessica Leatham, 15, rounded out the top six.

Now novice ladies are doing triple Lutzes.

Skating with speed and verve, Kimberly Meissner, 13, the leader in the short program, opened her free program with a triple Lutz -- the only one of the evening -- and nailed two other triples, the flip and Salchow, as well as a double Axel to clinch the novice ladies title.

"I learned the Lutz over the summer," said Meissner. "I was a little worried about doing it here at first, but once I got out there I was fine."

Meissner and her coaches, Pamela Gregory and Tracey Poletis of the University of Delware FSC, added that she will definitely compete as a junior next year. But now, they’re off the prepare a last-minute exhibition program for Nationals’ closing gala next Sunday.

With a free program that included an opening double Axel, double toe loop, double loop combination, as well as a triple Salchow, double toe loop combination and a slightly turned out triple loop, Katy Taylor moved up from fourth in the short to claim second place overall.

"Except for the bobble on the loop, I hit everything and it felt very strong," said Taylor. "I told myself not to go out there to compete with the other girls, but to just try to skate my best. . . This is a dream come true. I was hoping for maybe fourth place, but second is so much better."

Skating a sophisticated program to "The Iron Monkey," Jessica Houston, third after the short, opened strongly with a double Axel, followed by a triple toe loop, double toe loop, as well as a triple Salchow and another double Axel. Despite falling on a triple toe loop near the end of her program, she finished third in the free and won the bronze medal.

"I was a little nervous but excited. When I’m waiting to skate, my coach always says, "Can you do it?" and I say, "I can do it!" said Houston.

"I’ve known Jessica for a long time. She was always very musical, even as a little girl. This year, we chose to showcase that quality with some unique music and choreography," said one of Houston’s coach, former long-time U.S. men’s competitor Mark Mitchell. (Mitchell coaches in partnership with Peter Johansson.)

Brianna Perry, who was in second place after the short, opened her free program with a strong double Axel but fell on her next jump, a triple toe, as well as a triple loop. She hit a solid triple Salchow, double toe combination, but fell to fourth place overall.

Felicia Gostisbehere, a 12 year-old who finished fourth at Eastern sectionals, claimed fourth place in the free program and moved up to fifth place overall with a strong skate that included a triple Salchow, double toe loop combination, a triple loop and two double Axels. Jessica Leatham was sixth in the short program and seventh in the free program, and finished in sixth place overall.

Short Program

Free Skting