2006 U.S. Nationals

Senior Men

by Lynn Rutherford

Weir’s Dying Swan Dazzles

ith a two-time reigning U.S. champion, two former U.S. champs and a current World medallist competing for three spots on the Olympic team, the men’s event promised fireworks.

What’s more, all the top contenders entered the competition with more than a bit of baggage.

2005 World bronze medallist Evan Lysacek has changed both his programs. Defending U.S. champion Johnny Weir, who had a disappointing Grand Prix season, opened this championship with a rambling press conference partially blaming recent sub-par performances on ill-defined "personal stuff." Reigning Olympic bronze medallist Timothy Goebel, once known as "the Quad King," hasn’t landed a clean, four-revolution jump in what seems like forever. And three-time (1999, 2000 and 2003) U.S. champion Michael Weiss is struggling to prove that at age 29, he’s good enough to make his third Olympic team.

"The U.S. has always had great depth in the men’s event. What is so wonderful about this competition is that all of these men have completely different styles. Each brings something different to the table," said Lysacek’s coach, Frank Carroll.

The short program proved to be no contest. Skating to Camille Saint-Saens’ "The Swan," choreographed last summer by Tatiana Tarasova, Weir had by far his best outing of the season, floating through the eight required elements without putting a foot wrong. His jumps – an opening triple Axel; triple Lutz - triple toe loop combination; and triple flip – were spot on. His footwork passages and transition moves were calm, elegant and ethereal, and he played the part of the dying swan to near perfection.

Weir earned a personal-best 83.28 points (43.64 TES + 39.64 PCS) and takes a 5.73-point lead in to Saturday afternoon’s free program.

"I’m very, very, very excited with how today went. The way I was practicing, I thought I would skate well, but I didn’t know it would be this well," said a delighted Weir, who was seventh at Skate Canada and third at Cup of Russia earlier this season.

"I mean, to get over 80 points and score a new personal best, and get a Level 4 on my circular step sequence and flying sit spin . . . I’m just very pleased."

Weiss had his best short program in years to place second with 77.55 points (39.94 TES+37.61 PCS). Performing Verdi’s "La Donna e Mobile," the veteran opened with a quadruple toe loop-double toe combination, but the landing of the quad was obviously two-footed and the move, which earned 8.59 points, received a –1.71 GOE from the judges.

Weiss’ circular and straight-line step sequences, which were choreographed with input from five-time U.S. dance champion Peter Tchernyshev and former U.S. competitor Dan Hollander, were among the most crisp and difficult of his career. Most miraculously, his long-time nemesis, the triple Axel, was high, straight and clean.

"Age is completely in your mind. To think I am too old at 29, look at Vinny Testaverde, who’s a starting (New York Jets) quarterback at age 42 or 43. Most people would say playing quarterback in the NFL is more physically challenging than being a figure skater," said Weiss, who had dismal programs at this fall’s Trophee Eric Bompard, where he placed seventh.

"It’s going to be an interesting free program. You have to go out there and do it when it counts – that’s what this is all about."

Third place went to the 20 year-old Lysacek, who opened his program with a solid triple Axel, followed by a clean triple Lutz-triple toe loop combination that earned 11.14 points. (In contrast, Weiss’ imperfect quad-double earned 8.59, and Goebel’s flawed quad combination, described below, earned 9.30. Clearly, the ISU Judging System places little premium on risk.)

Although Lysacek’s triple flip was slightly two-footed, resulting in a –1.29 GOE, things seemed like clear sailing until the straight-line footwork sequence. The skater, "selling" hard for the enthusiastic crowd, tripped up in center ice and went down hard. The steps were downgraded to a Level 2, received a –1 GOE (the maximum negative allowed for an element with that low a base value) and an automatic one-point deduction was taken from Lysacek’s total score.

"It was a very uncharacteristic mistake, very awkward and embarrassing," said Lysacek, who heads in to the free program with 74.03 points (37.20 TES + 37.83 PCS).

The skater raised eyebrows when he returned to an old favorite, "Espana Cani," for his short – making this the fourth consecutive season Lysacek has skated to the music.

"It’s my favorite music, so we thought why not use it this Olympic year and enjoy it?" said Lysacek, who is also playing a matador-type role in his free program to "Carmen." Indeed, he could well use the same costume for both routines.

Performing to Samuel Barber’s "Adagio for Strings," former U.S. bronze medallist Matt Savoie displayed fine edges and the finest spins of the evening, earning Level 4 for both his flying sit spin and closing combination spin. He hit a lovely triple flip-triple toe loop combo, but fell on his triple Axel, although he fully rotated the jump and still earned 4.50 points for the element (not counting the mandatory one-point deduction).

Savoie is an interesting skater; some think his introspective style underrated, while others find his hangdog expression irritating. Be that as it may, the U.S. judges are on his side, and he heads in to the free skate right in the thick of things, with 72.50 points (38.46 TES + 35.04 PCS).

Skating to Louis Prima’s classic "Sing, Sing, Sing" from the soundtrack of "Swing Kids," choreographed in Simsbury this summer by Tarasova, Goebel nearly landed a clean quadruple toe loop-double toe combination, but had to reach his hand down on the quad to stay upright. That miscue caused a –1 GOE. More damaging, he turned out of the landing of his triple Axel, piling on another loss of –1.29 GOE. Still, the program’s footwork and spins are far more challenging than those of Goebel’s past, and his performance quality has improved from earlier years when he was known as simply a solid jump technician. He is less than four points out of third place and the final U.S. Olympic spot with 70.27 points (34.23 TES + 36.04 PCS).

Asked why he did not play it safe with his reliable triple Lutz-triple toe loop combination in the short, Goebel replied, "That’s not the way I play the game. If I make the Olympic team, I’ll be doing quads in Turin, and I don’t want it to be the first time I’m trying the quad in the short all year. It won’t help me.

"Right now, I’m four points out. In the free program, that’s nothing. That’s a triple-triple combination after the halfway mark."

"Mr. Entertainment," Ryan Bradley, placed a strong sixth with 69.33 points (36.23 TES + 33.10 PCS). The 22 year-old, who trains in Colorado Springs under Tom Zakrajsek, had a clean outing to the crowd favorite "Zorba the Greek," hitting a solid triple Axel, followed by a triple flip-triple toe loop combination and a triple Lutz.

"Ryan had a string of injuries last year; there was some knee surgery, and a broken elbow from playing dodge ball. This season he has really organized himself and gotten back to basics. He prepared well for this competition," said Zakrajsek.

Bradley and Zakrajsek would do well to devote more time to the skater’s spins. Although they were graded Level 3 (camel and flying camel) and Level 2 (combination), his positions are weak and rotations slow. They detract from the overall quality and performance level of his programs.

Seventh place went to Ryan Jahnke, who opened his "Irresistible Mambo" program with a lovely spread eagle into a triple Lutz-triple toe loop combination. Things went downhill from there, when he fell to his knees on his triple Axel, then two-footed and turned out of his triple flip. He enters the free skate with 67.39 points.

Skating to Michael W. Smith’s "Freedom," Scott Smith fell out of his triple Axel

(-2.14 GOE) and two-footed his quadruple Salchow, double toe loop combination (-1.57 GOE). He sits eighth with 66.25 points.

The enigmatic Rohene Ward, who now trains much of the time under Robin Wagner in Hackensack, New Jersey, fell on his opening quadruple toe loop attempt but recovered with a strong triple Axel. The remainder of his program, though entertaining, was a bit sloppy; in particular, he gave away valuable points in his circular step sequence, which was shallow and failed to "close" its pattern. Ward, a fine "practice skater," needs to increase his competitive intensity and take his career a bit more seriously. He placed ninth with 66.11 points.

Rounding out the top ten is Parker Pennington, who opened his program with a fine triple Axel but two-footed the landing on the first jump of his triple Lutz-triple toe loop combination, resulting in a GOE of –1.57. He saved his finest element, a spin combination with change of position and change of foot, for last, hitting excellent camel positions and rotating exceptionally fast. He takes 64.86 points in to the free skate.

Weir Hangs on for Third U.S. Title

Despite a third-place finish in the free skate due partially to a quirk of the rules, 21 year-old Johnny Weir became a three-time U.S. champion at St. Louis’ Saviss Center last evening.

Performing to selections by composers Tonci Huljic and Maksim Mrvica, Weir produced a clean and fluid, if somewhat cautious, routine. He opened with an easy-looking triple Axel, triple toe loop combination, followed by a triple Salchow and a second triple Axel done in sequence with a double Salchow – an improvisation that would nearly cost him the title.

The skater’s combination spin was well done but a bit slow, as were his footwork sequences. Two additional triple jumping passes – a strong triple Lutz, triple toe loop combination (earning 11.57 points) and a triple loop (worth 5.64) -- were done after the halfway mark of the program and received a 10% bonus. The skater’s true talent and musicality shone through in a relatively simple move, his double Axel: coming out half a second early from his circular step sequence, he seemingly paused in mid air so the jump would be landed precisely on the beat.

Weir, the fourth-place finisher at the 2005 Moscow Worlds who has now won three consecutive U.S. titles, earned 142.06 points (63.36 TES + 78.70 PCS) for his free skate and 225.34 points overall, winning by a slim .84-point margin over archrival Evan Lysacek. Fortunately for the champion, he carried a 9.25-point lead in to the free skate.

"I added the double Salchow to cover up a mistake on the landing of my second (triple) Axel. I forgot the rule about (the limit on) combinations, so my triple flip, double toe loop didn’t count," said the always-honest Weir. The error cost him approximately 6.5 points.

"I am really, really proud that I could win again, but the program today wasn’t up to par with my previous two wins. There was a lot that I could have done better. But, this was by far the hardest year for me to compete," added Weir, whose training was derailed a bit in September after U.S. officials monitoring his programs determined his footwork and connecting elements needed to be re-choreographed.

Reigning World bronze medallist Lysacek, skating to that old standby, Bizet’s "Carmen," racked up important technical points with his opening triple Lutz, triple toe loop, double loop combination (earning 12.21 points), followed by a triple Axel with a rather low skid take-off and a solid triple loop. He fell out of his next jump, a triple Salchow, resulting in a –2.00 GOE from the judges, but recovered well with a triple Axel, double toe loop combo done after his program’s halfway mark, earning 10.27 points. An intended triple flip, double toe turned in to a triple flip, single toe, but two more jumps earning 10% bonuses – a triple Lutz and double Axel – plus generous Program Components scores helped Lysacek win the free skate with 150.44 points (71.36 TES + 79.08 PCS). The Chicagoan, who trains in El Segundo, California under Frank Carroll and Ken Congemi, took home the silver medal with 224.47 total points.

While the 20 year-old’s performance was intense and commanding, the choreography – hastily done by Lori Nichol after Lysacek abandoned an earlier free program to "Grease" – was underdeveloped, and the PCS scores a bit generous. To this reporter’s eye, the judges wanted to be assured of having Lysacek in Turin and awarded the young skater a free skate win he probably did not deserve.

"I have mixed feelings a little bit. I am so excited to come in second in the competition, but if just one of those minor mistakes that I made would have not been there, it would have made up that less than one point to first place. But I am so honored; the Olympics has been a lifelong dream," said Lysacek.

"I know I have a ton of work ahead of me as far as improving program components and technical aspects of the routine. I am anxious to get home and get back on the ice and get some more difficulty in my program."

The taciturn Matt Savoie, a 25 year-old from Peoria, Illinois with a masters degree in urban planning, took the bronze medal and the third spot on the U.S. Olympic team with a subtle, superb free skate to music from "The Mission."

Except for an uncharacteristic fall on his first triple Lutz, which was attempted with a spiral entrance, Savoie looked spot on. His transitions to his jumps, including forward and back lunges in to his second triple Lutz, were the most difficult of the event.

Savoie narrowly lost the free skate to Lysacek by .58 points, due to executing just a Level 2 combination spin (it earned 2.33 points, vs. Lyasek’s Level 4 combination spin that earned 3.71). His Program Component Scores were also a bit lower (by .22) than those of the more flamboyant Lysacek.

"I am pleased with this performance. Obviously, I made a mistake and there were some unorganized parts of my program, but that is the best I have skated all season," said Savoie, whose enthusiasm about going to Turin was a bit restrained.

"Since this is definitely my last Nationals, I wanted more than anything else to skate well. I was not focused so much on making the Olympic team as I was to skate a good program," said the skater, who plans to attend Cornell Law School this fall.

Performing to Beethoven selections, three-time U.S. champ Michael Weiss had his best free skate in years, but a few too many mistakes caused him to miss out on a third trip to the Olympics. The 29 year-old father of two opened with one of the few quads of the evening, a toe loop done in combination with a triple toe. Although it appeared to be landed on one foot, there was a slight turnout between jumps, resulting in a –2.00 GOE. His triple Axel, double toe, though landed cleanly, was a bit forward, for a GOE of -.71. Weiss also failed to cleanly change edge and hold the rotations on his camel combination spin, and it was downgraded from a planned Level 3 to a Level 1.

The main problem was a popped triple Axel, which inspired Weiss to re-choreograph his program and attempt another triple Axel in place of a planned triple Salchow. That effort didn’t work, as he instead landed just a double. These errors added up to a fifth-place finish in the free skate with 139.93 points (62.93 TES + 77 PCS) and fourth-place overall with 217.48 points.

"It was really popping the second triple Axel that cost me. If I had landed that jump, it could have been a very different story," said a disappointed but composed Weiss, who added that he was "not jumping to any quick decisions" about his skating future.

Skating to music from the "Mask of Zorro" soundtrack, the under-appreciated Scott Smith, who has a clean, straightforward style, executed the program of his life. He opened with a solid triple Axel, double toe loop combo, followed by a quadruple Salchow with just a slightly two-footed landing (-1.86 GOE). Smith nailed six more triples, including another triple Axel and a triple toe-triple toe-double toe combination (worth 10.20 points). His only other mistake was a two-footed landing on a triple Lutz.

The 24 year-old Smith placed fourth in the free skate with 141.78 points (72.94 TES + 68.84 PCS) and climbed from eighth place after the short to fifth place overall with 208.03 points.

"He’s been waiting a long time to have a program like this at Nationals," said Mark Mitchell, who coaches Smith at the Skating Club of Boston with Peter Johansson.

Performing in cowboy character to Aaron Copland’s "Rodeo," Ryan Jahnke placed sixth in free skate and sixth overall with 207.26 points. The 27 year-old from Colorado Springs opened with a stunning "Tano" triple Lutz that had both distance and height (+1.43 GOE; it should have been at least +2). The skater fell on his long-time nemesis, the triple Axel, then two-footed and turned out of the landing of a triple flip and two-footed a second triple Axel attempt.

The second half of his program was far better, starting with a superb, Level 4 circular step sequence done in perfect character and time to the music, as well as a fine triple Lutz, double toe loop, double loop combo and two more clean triples. He earned 139.87 points (67.93 TES + 72.94 PCS) for the free skate.

2002 Olympic bronze medallist Timothy Goebel, who announced that this was his final U.S. Nationals, did not have a storybook ending to his career, which also included the 2001 U.S. title and 2002 and 2003 World silver medals. Skating to "Firebird" with complex choreography by Tatiana Tarasova, the 25 year-old put a hand down on an opening quadruple toe loop, double toe loop combination, then popped two triple Axel attempts. He placed eighth in the free skate with 131.34 points and seventh overall with 201.61 total points.

"I don't know. I don't know what's wrong with me," said a distraught Goebel, who appeared to be in shock. "I wasted four years of my life. I don't know what I'm going to do now."

Parker Pennington, who trains in Colorado Springs under Diana Ronayne, had a creditable outing to the Tom Dickson-choreographed "Incantations" program, although his gesture of looking intensely into his hands, then staring upwards to the rafters grew redundant after the third or fourth time. Besides that annoying choreographic trick, his program was most notable for a solid opening triple Axel; strong triple Lutz; and superb sit spin with a forward entrance and closing combination spin, both of which received Level 4’s. Pennington was seventh in the free skate and ninth overall with 197.03 total points.

Although he struck some entertaining poses, Ryan Bradley lacked the stamina to carry his John Travolta-like character throughout his free skate to selections from "Saturday Night Fever," and he faded badly on his straight-line steps. The 22 year-old, who trains in Colorado Springs under Tom Zakrajsek, also turned out of an opening quad toe attempt and fell on a triple Axel.

Michael Villarreal rounded out the top ten with 167.77 total points. The 19 year-old Californian, who has been competing as a senior at Nationals since he was 15, hit a fine opening triple Axel, double toe loop combination, followed by four more solid triples.

Rohene Ward, who was ninth after the short, fell to 17^th and last place with a disastrous free skate that featured three falls, four Level 2 elements and two Level 1 elements. The 22 year-old enjoys a near-Olympian reputation among some skating aficionados and is reputed to be capable of high, clean quad combinations; triple Axels and spins in both directions; the ability to change edges at will; and much more. Unfortunately, while these moves can be done as one-offs, he lacks the training to execute complete programs. Perhaps his fans should circulate a "Best of Rohene’s Practices" compilation tape to prove his prowess.

Robin Wagner, who trained Ward at The Ice House in Hackensack, N.J. in the weeks leading up to U.S. Nationals, was uncertain of their future partnership.

"We had just a short time together and didn’t cover everything that needed to be done. We will see how it goes from here. I will have to talk to Rohene and see where he wants to go next season. I have to gauge his willingness to really put in (the training) that it takes to be an elite athlete," said Wagner. (The Minnesota native’s primary coach remains long-time mentor Page Lipe.)