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All photos copyright 2008 by George S. Rossano |
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All photos copyright 2008 by George S. Rossano |
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Lamay Edges into Novice Lady Lead By Lynn Rutherford On an afternoon that saw many ladies skate less than their best, Midwestern Novice Champion Sophia Lamay skated to a 1.6-point lead in the short program. Performing to Ager and Yellen’s "Happy Feet" from "42nd Street," the 14 year-old Texan sailed through a double Lutz-double loop combination; triple Salchow; and double Axel en route to earning 38.86 points (TES 21.39 + PCS 17.47). The energetic performer, who trains with Kitty Carruthers Conrad and B. L. Wylie, opened her program with a Level 4 spiral sequence, gaining a + .71 GOE from the judges, and followed up with a Level 4 layback and Level 3 combination spin. Marissa Secundy, 14, took second place despite a hard fall into the boards after landing the second jump of her triple Lutz – double toe combo (-2.57 GOE). The Colorado Springs-based skater hit a solid triple loop and double Axel, as well as a Level 4 spiral sequence and Level 4 combination spin. Secundy, who trains under Tom Zakrajsek and Becky Calvin, enters the free skate with 37.26 points. Gretchen Donlan, who trains at the Skating Club of Boston under Mark Mitchell and Peter Johansson, grabbed third place with a clean skate to Benoit Jutras’ "Birth" from "Cirque de Soleil." Skating with good speed, the 14 year-old hit a double Axel; a double Lutz-double toe; and double flip. All of her elements were stretched and finished, especially her spiral sequence and layback spin to a Biellman position, and she moved with fine carriage and posture. "I’ve been practicing really well, better than for Regionals and Easterns," she said, adding that sharing the ice with fellow Mitchell-Johansson students Stephen Carriere, Emily Hughes and Katrina Hacker was "really fun. . . the coaches are very professional and treat all of their students the same." Donlan takes 36.12 points into the free skate. Felicia Zhang, a 14 year-old from Plainsboro, NJ, took fourth place with a technically conservative but elegant program to music from "The Last Emperor." She hit a solid double Lutz-double loop; a lovely spread eagle into a double Axel; and a double flip, but showed her true strengths with a Level 3 layback to "skate-to-the-head" and Biellman positions as well as a Level 4 spiral sequence with gorgeous extension. Zhang closed her program with a fast, well-centered combination spin featuring attractive low sit spin positions (+.5 GOE). She earned 35.83 points. The expressive Song King, a 14 year-old Californian coached by Tiffany Chin and Alex Chang, placed fifth with a stylish short to "Scene D’Amour" that was marred by a flawed opening double Axel (-1.80 GOE). The remainder of the program -- particularly a Level 4 combination spin and Level 4 spiral sequence featuring a full forward Charlotte - was solid, and she earned 34.30 points. Agnes Zawadzki rounded out the top six with a jazzy short featuring an opening spiral into strong double Axel (+.57 GOE) and a solid triple toe-double toe combination (+ .86 GOE). Unfortunately, she fell on an intended triple Salchow, which was downgraded to a double, leaving her with just 2.81 points and a one-point deduction for the failed element. Zawadzki enters the free skate with 34.10 points. |
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Secundy Skates Off With the Novice Ladies Gold By Liz Leamy Marissa Secundy of the Broadmoor SC skated away with the gold medal in the Novice Ladies competition this afternoon with the best free skate of the competition, for which she earned a total of 110.38 points. Her program to "Ice on the Saint Lawrence, First Impressions and The Call to Dance" was the most difficult technical routine of the event. She executed a triple loop-double toe loop, triple toe, triple Salchow and a double Axel, among other things. Although she fell on a triple Lutz, she skated with gusto, gumption and the assurance of a seasoned champion. Her program was defined by nice edges, flow and quickness. "I would’ve liked to have skated my personal best, but still, it’s always nice to win," said the 14-year-old Secundy, who trains at Broadmoor with Tom Zakrajsek and Becky Calvin. Sophia Lamay of the Texas Gulf Coast FSC dropped from first in the short to second overall after placing fourth in the free skate. She earned 108.41 total points. Her program to "Polovtsian Dances" by Borodin was lively and energetic. She reeled off all of her doubles through the Axel but fell on the landing of a triple Salchow-double toe combination. Lamay trains with Kitty Carruthers Conrad and B.L. Wylie in Houston, Texas. Felicia Zhang from the SC of New York jumped from fourth in the short to third overall with her stalwart performance to "Scheherezade," for which she was awarded 106.02 total points. Although Zhang ‘only’ had jumps through the double Axel, the quality of all of her elements was of a textbook quality and warranted her a second-place finish in the free skate. She performed two terrific double Axels with one in combination with a double toe, and most of the other double jumps. Her back sit spin was fast and beautifully extended and her spiral sequence was reminiscent of that of Michelle Kwan. "I did not expect this at all," said Zhang in regard to earning a medal here. "I’m just very happy." Agnes Zawadzski of the DuPage FSC staged one of the strongest comebacks of the entire Novice competition and pulled up from sixth in the short to fourth overall with her free skate, for which she was awarded third place. Her overall point score was 104.18. Her program to "A Day in the Life" was lively, engaging and technically apt. She works with David Santee and Fury Gold and was fourth at the 2008 Midwestern Sectionals. |
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