2006 U.S. Nationals

This year’s Novice Ladies field has talent and charm to spare, making for an enjoyable Short Program contest.

The event even had a heroine, local skater Debbie Knubley, who qualified by finishing fourth at Midwesterns. Most likely she wishes that she had spent the night before her competition at her Warson Woods home. She came down with a violent case of food poisoning after eating Skaters’ Hospitality fare and had to be carried into the arena to compete. On legs of jelly, Knubley managed to complete an attractive combination spin and a double Axel before making errors in her triple Salchow – double loop combination and falling out of her triple toe loop. "I was just glad to skate," the 15-year-old said later. Prompted to accept some credit for bravery, she said of her skate to the aria "O Mio Babbino Caro," "I was pretty proud of myself." She had every right.

It was Rhiana Brammeier, an articulate and composed 14-year-old from St. Paul, MN, who ended the day in first place. She performed a graceful, musical, and measured routine to the soundtrack from On Golden Pond, "trying to portray a loon." In a dress of black fabric fading into white, with white fabric feathers that her mother hand-cut, Brammeier successfully achieved the "mellow, peaceful" mood that she endeavored. Her program contained a triple Salchow – double toe loop combination and a triple loop. It was a tribute to her spins, spirals and basic skating that she received first-place marks in spite of deductions for a hand down on the double Axel. The Midwestern champion is a connoisseur of edge quality, something that coach Ann Eidson has emphasized from the beginning. Today it paid off.

An excited Michaelee Scarincio from Saratoga Springs, NY, ended the Short Program event in second place. She performed in a seafoam-green costume to music from the Broadway show The Seceret Garden in slow, elegant strides, receiving extra credit from most of the judges for her spread eagle entrance into the required double Axel. Her solid combination was a triple Salchow – double toe loop, and her single jump, docked deductions by six judges, was a triple toe loop. It was apparent that the soon-to-be 14-year-old has been dancing since age 2 ½. The New York City Ballet spends summers in residency at SPAC, the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, and Scarincio has long participated in the children’s adjunct corps de ballet. This was Scarincio’s first competition in the Novice division. She qualified third at Easterns.

Pacific Coast champion Victoria Rackohn finished third in the event, a big move up from tenth place last year in the Novice division. Her Saint-Saens program to

Samson and Delilah, skated in a hot-pink costume with a two-piece look, included a triple Salchow and a double Lutz – double loop combination.

Going into the long program event, the total scores of the top three were 47.98, 45.54, and 43.22.

Rhiana Brammeier skated a flawless routine to turn her Short Program lead into a commanding win. She performed to the soundtrack of Scent of a Woman, giving each element all the expression that the music deserved: triple Salchow - double toe; Ina Bauer; spread eagle into triple loop; a leisurely layback combination spin in which each of three variations was held for multiple revolutions; double flip – double loop; flying camel on outside to inside edge; donut spin; double Axel – double toe; triple Salchow; footwork into a double Axel; and the best combination spin of the night, a long camel that flowed successively into sit, Biellmann, back camel, back Biellmann, then back inside-edge scratch. The free skate scored 90.25. Brammeier’s overall score was 138.23, a full eleven points ahead of her nearest rival.

Complimented on holding positions through multiple spin variations, the St. Paul teen said, "I’ve worked really hard all year. When you’re in competition and the adrenaline’s going, you always want to count faster. ‘One, two; okay hold, hold a little longer, a little longer.’ You kind of learn with the music, too, where the spin should end, but always keep counting."

Blake Rosenthal moved up from fifth in the Short Program event to take the silver medal with a total score of 127.16. To a Scheherazade motif, the 15-year-old skated clean and completed four triples: flip in combination, Salchow, toe loop, and a second Salchow in combination with double toe and double loop, the latter not completely fault free. There was a brief hop out of the loop.

Rosenthal also competes in Junior Dance with partner Calvin Taylor, a circumstance that caused a practice conflict, not to mention a challenge to her stamina and organizational skills.

Was she able to attend a Novice Ladies’ practice on competition day? "I was, but not with other girls. I had my own private one, because I couldn’t make the other one. At a different rink, because [the competition rink] didn’t have [free] ice."

Of the double duty here at Nationals, Rosenthal said, "It was kind of hard, but I do both every day, and I do run-throughs of all of everything every day, so it wasn’t really that different."

Brittney Rizo rose from fourth in the Short Program event to third overall, performing to the soundtrack from Don Juan DeMarco in a classically simple pale blue dress that glittered and shone. There was no rhinestone left unturned. Everything about Rizo was elegant, from her dress to her skating. The latter included the best layback spin of the day, exemplifying great posture, arm position, and overall line. The 14-year-old attempted five triples, accomplishing the loop and toe loop plus Salchow and toe loop in combination, but fell on a final Salchow out of walleys.

Asked about the last, the Massachusetts native said, "I think I was thinking ahead of myself. ‘Oh my gosh, I just did an awesome program.’ Then I’m like, ‘Eek, I guess not.’"

Rizo is coached by Mark Mitchell and Peter Johansson. She presented them, and the SC of Boston, their second podium finish of the day. Rizo’s combined score was 124.27.

Michaelee Scarincio, with an overall score of 121.30, dropped from second place to fourth overall. Wearing an orange halter dress with gold sequins, she performed with good speed and flow to Malaguena, opening with a well-held Ina Bauer that crossed the ice and flowed into a double Axel – double toe – double toe combination. The Saratoga teen stepped out of a triple Salchow, performed a split jump into a second triple Salchow but opened up and touched down, and finally completed a triple Salchow – double toe loop combination.

Victoria Rackhon, third in the Short Program event, barely missed fourth place and finished fifth overall. She wore a light pink dress with small rosettes on the front, as delicate as herself and her skating. She exhibited great extension and stretch plus nice connecting steps, garnering a high Performance Execution mark from the judges. What doomed Rackhon’s chances for a higher placement, despite a string of clean doubles, was her lack of triples. She executed one triple Salchow with a slight step out at the beginning of her program, which was otherwise flawless. Her Charlotte met the Sasha Cohen standard. The Californian’s total score was 121.05, an infinitesimal .25 out of fourth place.