2004 U.S. Nationals

Charlie White

You had to arrive early to see the best Novice Men’s short programs at the Arena at Gwinnett Center on the afternoon of January 4. The eventual frontrunners competed second, third and fourth in the first of two six-man warm-up groups.

When the closed marks were eventually posted, the name Charlie White topped the list. The charming, well-spoken 16-year-old who trains in Bloomfield, Michigan, seemed to skate effortlessly.

"I am very pleased," he stated reasonably. His "Thirteenth Man" short program included the only clean triple Lutz – double toe combination of the event and resulted in eight first-place ordinals, one second.

After his skate, White was amazingly relaxed for a fellow who was doing double duty as a Men’s and Dance competitor. He viewed the situation as advantageous due to the opportunity afforded by double practices.

Princeton (named for his uncle, who was named for the university) Kwong, 14, finished second, demonstrating the benefit of training under Olympic gold medallists in ice dance Marina Klimova and Sergei Ponomarenko.

"It’s really great," Kwong said of his training situation. "[Ponomarenko] is a really kind man. He helps me along the way. He mentors me a lot. He works with me on my jumps and my stroking. His wife, Marina, helps me with my choreography. They’ve given me courage and confidence and determination. I’m not as nervous going into my competitions."

Kwong featured a clean triple toe – double toe combination in his "Russian Sailor Dance" program. In addition to seven second-place ordinals, he received a first and a third.

Kwong’s fellow Californian, Daisuke ("I prefer Dice") Murakami, 12, finished third in the short program event. A double Axel, a triple toe – double toe combination, and footwork into a double flip were among the clean elements in his "Sing Sing Sing" program. Murakami trains in Riverside, California, under the tutelage of Tammy Gambill. At this point in his career, the young man feels that his jumps are his key strength.

Thanks to some generous technical marking, a dashing young comer, William Brewster, will enter the long program in fourth place. The stylish and musical young man, who studies ballet and plays the viola, was 100 percent on the beat as he whipped off inventive choreography to a playful arrangement of Funiculi Funicula. Unfortunately the intended triple Lutz - double toe combination devolved into a large, open single Lutz. "I just needed a little bit more confidence," Brewster concluded. "I was doubting myself a little."

The four Novice men will join eight competitors in the long program on the afternoon of January 5.

Sometimes nice guys finish first – as well as second and third. The Novice Men’s long program event on Monday, January 5 at the Arena at Gwinnett Center produced a triumvirate of worthy winners.

Charlie White, 16, of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, Midwestern Sectional champion, went into the long program event with the confidence of all nine judges.

White completed a double Axel – double toe loop combination and a triple Lutz before falling on his triple flip. Next came a successful triple Salchow – step – double toe combination. Then the tall, lanky skater with excellent flow and presence turned out of a triple loop, fell on a triple Salchow, and popped his final double Axel.

White, who competed last in the second group of six, claimed that he hadn’t felt tense but admitted, "I was a little uncomfortable going so late. I don’t think I’ve ever gone that late. [There’s] a lot of pressure after being first. I think I let that get to me a little too much."

After learning of his sixth placement in the long program, he good-naturedly agreed to the suggestion that perhaps his music, "Ride with the Devil," had brought him bad luck: "Yeah, maybe. I’ll be changing that!"

White, who began skating at age 5 and is a veteran of the competitive circuit in both singles and dance, patterns himself after Todd Eldredge in terms of jumps, spins, and overall performance. It’s not hard to imagine him one day winning a title that once belonged to Eldredge.

The same might be said of the diminutive Daisuke (Dice) Murakami, who rose from third in the short program to second overall with the second-best long program, presented to pieces from Fiddler on the Roof: "If I Were a Rich Man," "Sunrise, Sunset," and "To Life."

When Murakami was a young boy, his parents, wanting to improve his chances of a good education, entered and won a lottery that allowed them to obtain green cards and immigrate to America. At age 9, he skated at a public session. Little more than a week later, he was in group lessons. It wasn’t long before skating became a focus of his American education.

"We saw him at a seminar in San Diego," said coach Tammy Gambill who teaches farther north in California, "and I noticed him right away. I remember telling Philip [Mills], ‘This is going to be a great little skater. He has great knees; he’s got a wonderful personality.’ And then he came in and asked if I would start training him. At first I told him, ‘It’s so far away from San Diego. I don’t know how it’s possible.’ And then [the Murakamis] called – I think the next week – and said, ‘We’re moving.’ It’s been wonderful. He’s an extremely hard worker, very focused for age 12.

Murakami, whose mother was a gymnast in Japan, placed second by executing six clean triples, a double Axel, spins, Russian splits, and one ill-fated death drop. He literally dropped out of the air and landed on the ice.

"I just wanted to get my program finished, " he joked.

Princeton Kwong, second in the short program, had the skate of his life to music from Atlantis to win the long program and the Novice Men’s title.

The native of Los Altos Hills, California, agreed, "It was one of my best performances. I did better than at Coasts." He landed a triple Salchow, two triple toe loops (one in combination), plus triple loop – double toe and triple flip – double toe combinations. He was landing triple Lutzes on practice ice but chose not to attempt one in competition.

Kwong was taken to the rink by his parents, who enjoyed the sport, when he was 6 years old. A year later he started in earnest. He succeeded quickly but had never before attained the ultimate.

"The years before, I’d always be on the lower steps of the podium. Now I’m on the highest step, and it’s really cool."

It was the press who informed Kwong that, as a Novice champion, he would be skating a program in the Sunday exhibition of champions. He seemed slightly stunned at first but warmed to the idea. "Are you in a spotlight? I think so. Are you? I’ve got to get used to it." Truer words were never spoken.

Stephen Carriere rose from sixth in the short program to fourth overall with a five-triple effort performed to Elvis standards.

He explained, "When I was watching Tiffany Scott and Philip Dulebohn in their 2002 short program, they had ‘Heartbreak Hotel.’ [Coach] Mark Mitchell and I thought, ‘Wow, I really like that.’"

Under Mitchell’s tutelage, Carriere has been working assiduously not just on jumps but on presentation, "the whole package."

Douglas Razzano, who had suffered the bad fortune of a tenth placement in the short program, was unable to parlay his third-ranked long program into more than fifth overall.

Short Program

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