Campbell's is, in effect, a made-for-television event. It exists because ABC pays USFS to make it happen. It's format has changed multiple times over the course of the ABC contracts.Originally Posted by Red Dog
A non-qualifying competition doesn't have the impact of a qualifying event, like regionals or sections, but it is a relatively serious event - especially for young skaters and skaters who don't compete in the big big leagues.
I don't consider either Campbell's or Marshall's, competitions made for TV, to be a major event. When skaters who've won one or the other talk about the titles they've won, these are not among the first mentioned (if they're mentioned at all). One thing they do provide to the skaters is money---much more money than they can win at GP events.
With the ISU events now on cable/satellite only, the 'cheesefests' allow a TV audience without cable or satellite to see some top international stars of figure skating do their thing.
I really appreciate you guys here for answering my questions...I've learned so much just by asking and learning from you guys.
The issue is now, does having FS events on OTA TV bring in viewers without cable? I don't know about the ratings that these events have been getting lately but I don't know if they're that much higher than the events shown on ESPN. I really think that starting next season ALL figure skating will either be on cable or premium programming (in the US, of course). Maybe ABC might continue to show parts of US Nationals but especially now with ESPN taking over ABC sports operations, I think they just might move everything to the cable channel and leave ABC for the (college) football and basketball (the latter of which I don't mind at allWith the ISU events now on cable/satellite only, the 'cheesefests' allow a TV audience without cable or satellite to see some top international stars of figure skating do their thing.)
Last edited by Tonichelle; 09-16-2006 at 06:52 PM. Reason: just wanted to put these together, try not to have two replies right next to each other, just edit and add to!
OK, a tiny report on my first live skating competition, from a completely untrained eye! I only saw the Novice Ladies Final LP.
Kristine Musademba was by far the best - strong, sure, and elegant, no mishaps, and the best music and choreography of the bunch (flamenco). I'm sure we'll see more of this one. She's also a beautiful young lady and looks mature beyond her years (almost 14) - I would guess that the puberty monster came and went already without doing her any damage.
Ksenia Makarova seemed even better in warmup, but fell twice during her FP, including once toward the beginning. She came back with spirit, but it wasn't a great skate.
The others all had significant errors though some of them were quite lovely. There were some great jumps and jump combos but at this stage of my knowledge I didn't even attempt to take notes. Unfortunately I lost my "jump recognition" cheat sheet on the way to the rink.
Some surprises:
* The Novice group has a huge range of maturity from little girls to almost senior-looking young women.
* These young ladies are spiral-challenged (compared to where they are on jumps and spins)! No wonder Sasha is so popular.
* I have no idea how scores are posted. I'll figure it out next time!
* Half the time I couldn't even make out the names of the skaters because their moms and sisters started screaming as soon as they came out, and the program of course didn't list the finalists.
* There were very few onlookers. Too bad - I loved watching and it cost a whopping $5. I hated to leave just as the senior ladies were arriving but unfortunately I had to. I'll definitely go to more club events. Thanks to all the hard-working and talented young skaters!
Did Kristine Musademba win the Intermediate ladies championship a year ago or approx. two years ago?
I vaguely remember seeing her on the Comcast junior championships televised event.
If I remember correctly, she has a powerful style with great jumps.
I've also heard a lot of great things about Ksenia Makarova as well.
Thanks for you notes, it sounds as if you had a great time.
Yes. Here's the USFS story about her.
http://www.usfigureskating.org/Story.asp?id=32277
Thanks for the report, Spun Silver. I love these regional and club competitions. (And the best part is the screaming moms and sisters, and don't forget grandparents, LOL).
At those sorts of competitions scores are not announced. They're posted up on a wall somewhere, it'd be easy to find, there will be jillions of sheets taped to a wall & jillions of people milling around them.
I also saw Kristine Musademba's Intermediate Championship FS on TV, and am looking forward to her performances in the JGP in the 2007-2008 season. So here's hoping she places high as a Junior at Nationals 2007.
As a skating outsider (my granddaughter is only one year old, so she doesn't skate yet
IMHO it should be the number one job of the ISU and USFS to stem the tide of the disastrous shrinkage of interest in the sport that we have seen in the last few years. To me, trying to build up the cheesefests to the rank of "major competitions" among world contenders makes more sense than to adopt an elitist view of, oh, well, its not Europeans or the Grand Prix final, so who cares.
Outside of the tiny hard core, it is the "major" events (excepting perhaps the Olympics) that make people say, who cares?
Last edited by Mathman; 09-17-2006 at 02:56 PM.
Musademba is competing as a novice in 2006-07. Assuming that she qualifies for Nationals at the novice level, if she medals there, then she would be considered for fall 07 JGP assignments, although there may be enough age-eligible junior and senior competitors to fill those slots before any novices would be next in line.
Ah-so. Thanks!
Oops - I didn't mean to be ageist!
That's a beautiful photo of Musademba and the angle of her head suggests just how elegant her presentation is. She's very special, from what I saw.
Isn't Musademba skating as a Novice this season?
My mistake, yes she IS skating as a Novice for Nationals 2007. But her FS score at Midlantics was much higher than what the top Juniors did---made me wish she were doing the JGP this season.
Yes, it's only a club competition. Over and out.
However, there is much to look at and that's what we did.
Friday was to wet to travel so I missed Musademba in competition but saw her in Sunday's exhibition. Much potential there!
Saturday was Senior Ladies Free, and there were 3 at the top after the SP. We were much more impressed with Ashley Wagner than with Christina Szukowski. Christina skates faster than a bullet but like Bebe, not well controlled. She's a blonde now, btw. and the new makeup makes her look more yummy than before. Ashley is more the artistic skater and while I don't see her on the podium this year I think she will be a force in the future.
Sunday was Senior Men and the star competitor was Geoffrey Varner. We were not at all impressed even when he landed a triple. He's got a lot of work ahead of him.
In Junior Men, forget who else, it is Adam Rippon!!!. This is a Johnny Weir wannabee and he is fabulous. Of course, he won. He might even win with the Senior Worlds but he is a Junior and as far as I know he is not even in the JGPs. I talked with his coach. Who is a wonderful Russian lady who was just beaming with pride over Adam. I asked her if he will be in Spokane and she asked me: What is Spokane? Absolutely a delightful woman. When she realized it was the US Nats, she just beamed all the more and said YES, YES, YES.
There was one gal who is American but represents Israel, I forget her name, and she did Sasha's Malaguena. Not bad, had the flexibility.
The exhibitions had Lang and Techeneychev who skated a most romantic dance I have ever seen on ice. Why that team was so underrated is beyond me. Standing Ovation for 5 minutes! then on came Emily, Johnny and John Z to give out the awards (they didn't skate).
It was a nice Sunday afternoon and Adam Rippon is the one to watch in Junior Men this Nats.
Joe
Last edited by Joesitz; 09-24-2006 at 07:00 PM.
Kristine Musademba didn't go for the difficult jump content in her Sunday exhibition compared to her impressive Novice FS on Saturday when she landed 3loop, two 3salchows (one in combo), two 3toes (one in sequence with a 2flip), and a 2axel. She skated a fun program to a jazzy version of Malaguena and has good spring in her jumps. 2nd place in Novice went to another athletic skater, Ksenia Makarova (daughter of the 1984 Olympic bronze medalist Soviet pair team of Selezneva/Makarov), who skated to the jazzy "Chicago" soundtrack. Makarova is coached by her father, and she landed a 3loop, two 3sals, 2axel-2toe, but also had a few jump errors. Novice Ladies FS (12 skaters made the Final) was the event I expected would be one of the more competitive/deep fields at Mid-Atlantics, and I was not disappointed.
Novice Ladies top 2 results:
1. Kristine Musademba 133.83 - 1st in FS [94.74 (43.21/51.53)]; 2nd in SP [39.09]
2. Ksenia Makarova 119.04 - 2nd in FS [77.89 (35.21/44.68)]; 1st in SP [41.15]
Christine Zukowski is how her name is spelled.Saturday was Senior Ladies Free, and there were 3 at the top after the SP. We were much more impressed with Ashley Wagner than with Christina Szukowski. Christina skates faster than a bullet but like Bebe, not well controlled. She's a blonde now, btw.
Wagner is staying junior this season -- she "skated up" a level at Mid-Atlantics (3rd in SP, 2nd in FS) -- and looks to be one of the favorites to medal again in junior (she won the Junior pewter medal at 2006 Nationals). Wagner's music is "Summertime" and other selections from Gershwin's "Porgy & Bess" and she landed 5 clean triples (lutz combo, sal, loop, flip 3-jump combo, toe) and a 2axel. She 2-footed her final 3lutz and had one fall on the second 3toe of her planned 3toe to 3toe sequence.Ashley is more the artistic skater and while I don't see her on the podium this year I think she will be a force in the future.
Another up and comer to watch is Taylor Firth (1st in SP, 3rd in FS), who competed at the Novice level last year and looks like she belongs in Senior this year. Firth skated very well to "The Mission" soundtrack and landed 3flip-2toe, 3sal-2toe, 3toe to 3toe(fell out), 2lutz, 2loop, 3sal(foot down afterwards) and 2axel.
Senior Ladies Final results (top 3):
1. Christine Zukowski 128.62 [scored 82.04 (42.03/41.01) in FS]
2. Ashley Wagner 127.05 [80.73 (41.42/40.31)]
3. Taylor Firth 124.21 [77.29 (36.58/40.71]
Senior Men (only 2):
1. Geoffry Varner 163.96 1 1; FS 103.63 (51.35/53.28 ) - FS jumps: 2axel, 3loop(hands down/fall), 3lutz to 3toe sequence, 3flip, 3sal, 1lutz, 3flip-2toe, 2axel(2-footed/step out); music was Aranjuez (jazzy guitar version that Kwan used). Varner's scheduled to debut on the Sr. Grand Prix (NHK Trophy).
2. David Weintraub 139.91 2 2; FS 95.05 (46.91/48.14) - FS jumps: 3axel-2toe, 2sal, 1?axel hand/flip out, 3flip-2toe-2loop, 1lutz, 3loop, 2-footed 3lutz-2toe, 3toe(hung on/foot down after); music was last year's jazzy/swing medley.
Both Adam Rippon and Daniel Raad (2nd place) put on a great show in the FS, both landing 7 triples and outskated the senior guys on that day. Rippon skated smoothly to the "Pas de Deux" from Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite and his jumps were: 3lutz-2toe, 3sal(no flow out) to 3toe sequence (may have counted as separate jumps?), catchfoot spiral into 3flip (nice flow out), 3loop, 3flip-2toe-'tano 2toe, 3lutz, 2axel, 2axel(not counted?). He showed flexible positions in spins and included a clockwise footwork sequence.In Junior Men, forget who else, it is Adam Rippon!!!. This is a Johnny Weir wannabee and he is fabulous. Of course, he won.
Raad skated to Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture" and landed: 3lutz-3toe-3turn out(intended 3Lp there), 2axel, 3flip, 3sal, outside edge spread eagle (held) to 3loop with nice flow, 3lutz, 3loop-2toe-2loop(hop). His flying camel spin to FI edge to catchfoot donut was held for a while.
Junior Men (top 2):
1. Adam Rippon 173.09 1 1;113.45 in FS (58.31/55.14)
2. Daniel Raad 166.05 2 2; 108.61 in FS (55.47/53.14)
Rippon is a JGP alternate this year (due to his low placement at '06 Nationals). Rippon placed 6th in his first and only JGP in Croatia last season.He [Rippon]might even win with the Senior Worlds but he is a Junior and as far as I know he is not even in the JGPs.
Her name is Yelena Sergeeva, and Adam speaks very highly of her on his official site at: http://www.figureskatersonline.com/adamrippon/I talked with his coach. Who is a wonderful Russian lady who was just beaming with pride over Adam. I asked her if he will be in Spokane and she asked me: What is Spokane? Absolutely a delightful woman. When she realized it was the US Nats, she just beamed all the more and said YES, YES, YES.
I have been following Rippon's progress with interest ever since I first saw him compete as a juvenile level skater over 4 years ago at a small club competition in in my area -- his natural skating talent struck me right away! Rippon skated to a Andrea Bocelli-sounding romantic/lyrical song in the Sunday exhibition and included a camel to reverse camel spin, two flowy half loops, a nice Ina Bauer to a deep inside edge spread eagle, and a 3toe-3toe, among his many cool moves. He definitely received one of the biggest and loudest crowd responses afterwards, comparable to Lang/Tchernyshev's, I thought!
Tamar Katz is her name.There was one gal who is American but represents Israel, I forget her name, and she did Sasha's Malaguena. Not bad, had the flexibility.
Junior Ladies FS & Final results -- top 3:
1. Tamar Katz 119.05 (3rd in FS)
2. Jane Ruan 112.73 (2nd in FS)
3. Hilary Ho 110.99 (1st in FS)
Thanks for sharing your impressions of Mid-Atlantics, Joe and Spun Silver.
Last edited by Sylvia; 09-25-2006 at 01:02 PM.
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