2006 World Championships

Ladies' Qualifying

by Kathleen Stafford

Qualifying Group A got off to a slow start. The 8^th skater to take the ice in this group was worth the wait. Fumie Suguri representing Japan had a solid skate to Piano Concerto No. 2 in C by Rochmaninov. She completed six triple jumps, including a triple Lutz/double toe loop and a triple flip/double toe loop. Her straight line footwork was skated with good speed as was her closing change foot combination spin. Fumie’s total score of 113.88 (57.80 TES + 56.08 PCS) put in her 1^st place in the second group and 2^nd place overall.

Sarah Meier followed Fumie Suguri. Representing Switzerland, Sarah had an uneven skate but did open with a clean triple Lutz/double toe loop/double loop followed by a triple flip/double toe loop. She completed two more triples, two double Axels, and a triple Salchow/double toe loop. Her score of 98.54 (49.10 TES + 49.44 PCS) placed her in 5^th in her qualifying group and 10^th going in to the short program.

Kimmie Meisner from the U.S. was only .02 points out of first in her group with a point total of 113.84 (60.80 TES + 53.04 PCS). She made no major errors and completed six triples, including one triple/triple combination. Her spiral sequence was weak, however, the rest of her elements were strong and her score held her in third place when the results of the two groups were combined. Kimmie said she was forced to hold off from practicing her spins after rupturing her right eardrum on her return flight from the Olympic Winter Games, where she placed sixth. The injury is healed now.

Sasha Cohen, in an exquisite gold dress, was not able to skate a technical performance that lived up to her outstanding presence on the ice. With two falls on triple jumps and a step out of a triple toe loop that was intended to be the first in a two jump sequence, Sasha completed only three individual triple jumps and one jump combination of a triple Lutz/double toe loop. Her solid footwork and dazzling spirals helped her to finish 3^rd in her group and 5^th overall with 110.36 points (51.00 TES + 59.36 PCS). "You have to be able to persevere and to shake off any mistake, and I kind of didn’t do that tonight," Cohen said. "I kind of let that first mistake creep into my confidence for the rest of my program. I just have to be tougher, but I was really happy with how I started out the program. You know, good and bad."

Mira Leung continued Canada’s strong showing in these World Championships with a skate that placed her in 4^th place in her qualifying group and 9^th in the total qualifying event. With only a step out of the landing of one of her triple jumps, she skated a near flawless performance that included a total of six triple jumps, including a triple flip/double loop/double loop and a triple toe loop/double toe loop combination. Only her weak component scores are keeping her from breaking in to the top level of Ladies competitors. Her skate in the qualifying round earned her 99.06 points (53.62 TES + 45.44 PCS).

The Ladies Qualifying rounds produced some strong competitive skates, but still no clear answer as to who will be the three ladies to stand on the podium at the end of the 2006 World Championships.

Their first opportunity to show their readiness to stand on the World podium came today with the Ladies Qualifying rounds. The competition started with Qualifying Group B.

Elena Sokolova, who had a disappointing Olympics with a 14th place finish, was the first to skate. Russia’s only hope for a medal in the Ladies event, she opened with a triple Lutz/double toe loop. She went on to complete four more triple jumps, including a triple loop in combination with a double toe loop. She also landed a double Lutz and a double Axel/double toe loop. Her spiral step sequence got off to a wobbly start and she barely held her edge. Her total score was 97.68 (48.96 TES + 48.72 PCS) placing her in 6^th in her skating group and 11th when the score from both groups were combined for placement. Overall it was a lackluster performance. It may be too much to ask for an inspiring skate at 9:15 in the morning skating to a nearly empty arena. However, Elena commented she was absolutely happy she skated first and "in Moscow it’s normal time."

The next skater of note was Yukari Nakano from Japan. Her planned opening triple Axel was doubled. She followed that with a solid triple Lutz/double toe loop. Yukari next completed a triple flip. After executing nice footwork in to a triple Salchow she completed a strong triple toe loop/double loop/double loop combination and a final triple flip. On competing in her first World Championships Nakano said, "Of course, I’m nervous, but although very happy and euphoric." She also stated that she had decided to put in a double Axel rather than the triple for the qualifying round because it has been downgraded in the past. "I will try it for the free skating." With a score of 111.14 (60.10 TES + 51.04 PCS) Yukari was ranked 2^nd in the first group and 4th overall.

Carolina Kostner had an uneven performance completing only three triples, a triple loop, a triple Salchow and a triple flip done in combination with a double toe loop. She also completed a double Axel, a double Axel/double toe and a double Axel, double Salchow, single loop sequence. She exhibited tremendous edge control in the opening position of her spiral step sequence. Italy’s strongest hope for a figure skating medal at the Olympics, Kostner has had a pressure filled season. At the end of her qualifying skate she commented on the Olympics and her skating here, "Digesting this big, big experience took lots of time and emotion, so I was exhausted, but I’m ready to compete here. I’d like to do a better performance than at the Olympics and I know I can do it." Carolina stood in 4^th place after the first group and ended in 7^th overall.

Emily Hughes continues to appear immune to the pressure of her first season in the spotlight as a senior. She sailed through a triple Lutz/double toe loop/double loop and completed three other triples, one in combination with a double toe loop. She also executed a clean double axel. She fell on a planned triple loop, receiving credit for a double loop, and popped a triple Salchow in to a single. She had strong positions in her spiral step sequence. She finished in 3^rd place in the first group and 6th place overall with a total score of 102.72 (53.16 TES + 50.56 PCS). According to Emily, "I felt like going to Torino gave me a lot of experience and a lot of confidence. Being 7^th made me feel like I was definitely meant to be there, that I definitely belong in this group."

Kiira Korpi from Finland, looking confident, opened her program with a triple toe loop/triple toe loop combination followed by a triple Lutz/double toe loop/double loop combination. She doubled her next two jumps, a loop and a flip. She went on to complete a triple Salchow, a double Axel, and a triple Salchow/double toe loop combination. Kiira commented, "This is the first time for me to do a triple-triple combination in competition." With a total score of 101.74 (53.34 TES + 48.40 PCS) she placed 5^th in the first group and 8th overall.

Joannie Rochette had the attention of the Canadian fans the second she stepped on the ice. With the exception of a step out of her triple loop and a two footed landing at the end of a triple toe loop/double toe loop/double loop combination, Joannie skated a clean program well choreographed to selections from Les Feuilles and Hymne a l’amour. She completed a total of seven triples and led this group with a score of 117.12 (62.00 TES + 55.12 PCS) at the end of the qualifying round. When the second qualifying group had finished skating Joannie Rochette held her ranking from the first group and finished 1^st in Ladies Qualifying. She was rewarded with a standing ovation from a very enthusiastic crowd.