Ladies Event Preview

Melissa Bulanhagui US should be able to repeat here, if she skates well. Her best competition may come from Oksana Gozeva RUS. The remaining competitors are a combination of young skaters with short resumes(Haruka Imai JPN and Kana Matsumoto JPN and Evgania Tarasova RUS), competitors who seem to have lost their jumps lately (Sofia Otala FIN and Svetlana Issakova EST) and very inconsistent skaters and SP specialists (Britney Rizo US and Cecylia Witkowski CAN).

I don't follow the ladies as closely as I do dance and pairs, so if there's extra info, I hope you will please help me out by posting it.

Thanks for reading!

LADIES

Melissa BULANHAGUI USA
Coaching History: Karen Ludington Ron Ludington Kat Arbour
Best total score: (117.19) JGP Merano 2008
Eighth Qualifier for the 2007 Junior Grand Prix Final
2008 Merano LP
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qIKye1iK8A
Liberty 2008 SP:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNJYHtPkc5M
Liberty 2008 LP:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xvnRbJk2wg&feature=related
2007 Vienna JGP SP
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLcksCzyUM0
2007 Vienna JGP LP
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mi48_J03RyY&feature=related
2007 US Nationals random clip
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqvY2gtp9pM

2008 JGP Merano 1 1 1 (127.25)
2008 U.S. National Championships 8 8 8 (149.22)
2008 U.S. Eastern Sectionals 5 2 2 (137.73)
2007 Sofia Cup [JGP] 6 6 5 (107.94)
2007 U.S. National Championships 8 14 12 (130.42)
2007 Junior Grand Prix Final 5 5 4 (126.87)
2006 JGP Liberec 5 1 4 (119.42)
2006 Harghita Cup [JGP] 5 2 2 (115.60)
2006 Junior Gardena Spring Trophy 1 1 1 (123.97)
2006 U.S. Junior National Championships 3 3 3 (135.47)
2006 U.S. Eastern Junior Sectionals 2 5 2 (118.24)
2006 U.S. South Atlantic Junior Regionals 1 1 1
2005 Junior North American Challenge Skate - Kansas City 4 1 2 (114.94)
2005 U.S. Novice National Championships 7 6 8
2005 U.S. Eastern Novice Sectionals 1 5 4
2005 U.S. South Atlantic Novice Regionals 4 4 4
2004 U.S. South Atlantic Novice Regionals 11 10 10
2003 U.S. South Atlantic Novice Regionals 7 10 9

Brittney RIZO USA
Liberty SP:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqQNbPv9IXQ
Merano LP:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kHJGlL3BEE
Aegon Cup Exhibition
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsZG69hsMhM
2008 JGP Merano 6 8 4 (117.19)
2008 Junior AEGON Challenge Cup 1 1 1 (150.35)
2008 U.S. Junior National Championships 2 4 3 (149.60)
2008 U.S. Eastern Junior Sectionals 1 2 2 (127.21)
2008 U.S. New England Junior Regionals 1 1 1 (150.26)
2007 U.S. Junior National Championships 11 12 12 (111.54)
2007 U.S. Eastern Junior Sectionals 2 6 4 (119.15)
2007 U.S. New England Junior Regionals 2 1 2 (124.27)
2006 U.S. Novice National Championships 4 3 3 (124.27)
2006 U.S. Eastern Novice Sectionals 3 1 1 (121.38)
2006 U.S. New England Novice Regionals 2 1 1
2005 Novice North American Challenge Skate - Pierrefonds 3 6 4 (83.63)
2005 U.S. Novice National Championships 9 10 9
2005 U.S. Eastern Novice Sectionals 4 1 1
2005 U.S. New England Novice Regionals 1 3 2


Haruka IMAI JPN
2008 Japanese Junior Championships 119.99 7 9 7th overall

Kana MURAMOTO JPN
2008 Japanese Junior Championships 116.57 11 8 8th overall


Oksana GOZEVA RUS
Coach: Olga Markova
2008 Russian Nationals SP
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RShjZ4vNs78
2008 Ostrava JGP 11 7 8 (118.08)
2008 Russian National Championships 3 9 6 (132.52)
2005 Russian National Championships 14 10 10
2004 Harghita Cup [JGP] 8 10 10 (102.94)
2004 JGP Belgrade 5 11 6 (101.13)

Evgania TARASOVA RUS
She is approximately 14.
2008 Russian Cup in Jr. Ladies, Samara. 5 10 8 (111.90)

Cecylia WITKOWSKI CAN
Coaches: Bruno Delmaestro; Kelly-Lynn Champagne
SP: Laughing Budda by Vanessa Mae
LP: Train II (Amen soundtrack) by Armand Amar; Horseback Address (Elizabeth the Golden Age) by C. Armstrong, A. Rahman
Battle (Elizabeth the Golden Age) by C. Armstrong, A. Rahman
Best total score (109.78) Mexico Cup
2008 Mexico Cup [JGP] 3 8 4 (109.78)
2008 Canadian Junior National Championships 10 5 7 (111.79)
2008 Junior Western Challenge 9 11 9 (98.20)
2008 BC/Yukon Junior Sectionals 1 1 1 (118.04)
2007 Canadian Junior National Championships 2 6 3 (105.94)
2007 Junior Western Challenge 5 11 9 (86.41)
2007 BC/Yukon Junior Sectionals 2 1 1 (104.72)
2006 Novice Triglav Trophy 3 3 3 (91.52)
2006 Canadian Novice National Championships 9 1 1 (85.60)
2006 Novice Western Challenge 1 3 1 (83.49)
2006 BC/Yukon Novice Sectionals 1 1 1 (85.17)
2005 Novice North American Challenge Skate - Pierrefonds 10 9 9 (72.79)

Zhenni RUAN CHN
She competed in the US as Jane Ruan.
2008 U.S. Junior National Championships 9 11 10 (110.72)
2008 U.S. Eastern Junior Sectionals 2 1 1 (127.94)
2008 U.S. North Atlantic Junior Regionals 2 2 2 (103.93)
2007 U.S. Eastern Junior Sectionals 6 4 5 (116.36)
2007 U.S. North Atlantic Junior Regionals 1 1 1 (120.99)
2006 U.S. Eastern Novice Sectionals 4 10 7 (88.45)
2006 U.S. North Atlantic Novice Regionals 2 1 1

Johanna ALLIK EST
Coaching History: Anna Levandi
SP: Bolero from soundtrack Moulin Rouge
LP: Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin
Best total score: 103.86 Vienna Cup 2007
2008 JGP Courchevel 19 15 17 (96.14)
2008 Estonian National Championships 3 2 2 (110.73)
2007 John Curry Memorial [JGP] 15 16 17 (96.57)
2007 Vienna Cup [JGP] 14 11 12 (103.86)
2007 Junior Haabersti Cup 4 3 3 (103.44)
2006 Novice Warsaw Cup 2 1 2 (89.46)
2006 Junior Haabersti Cup 2 2 2

Svetlana ISSAKOVA EST
Coaching History: Anna Levandi
Merano LP
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUVF98bO73w
2008 Jr Worlds SP
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFq2y18FFeg
SP: Bolero
LP: Revolution Etut by F. Chopin
Best total score: (131.50) 2007 Sheffield
2008 JGP Merano 16 16 16 (97.47)
2008 World Junior Championships 25 26 (FNR)
2008 Estonian National Championships 2 1 1 (129.54)
2008 Junior Grand Prix Final 8 6 7 (114.47)
2007 John Curry Memorial [JGP] 1 2 2 (131.50)
2007 Tallinn Cup [JGP] 6 2 3 (124.28)
2007 Junior Haabersti Cup 1 1 1 (128.58)
2007 Estonian National Championships 4 2 2 (118.41)
2006 JGP Liberec 2 4 2 (121.17)
2006 Spin of Norway [JGP] 2 8 6 (106.69)
2006 Junior Haabersti Cup 1 1 1
2004 Junior Haabersti Cup I 4 7 6

Sofia OTALA FIN
Coaching History: Sirkka Kaipio
2008 Jr Worlds SP
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DONr6sKKmJQ
2008 Jr Worlds LP
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DONr6sKKmJQ
SP: Vamos by Jesse Cook
LP: Romance Sans Parole by Felix Mendelssohn-Bratholdy
Best total score (116.24) Sheffield 2007
2008 Ostrava JGP 19 14 17 (94.27)
2008 World Junior Championships 17 22 20 (108.64)
2008 Junior Nordic Championships 7 12 8 (90.78)
2008 Finnish Junior National Championships 1 4 2 (108.67)
2007 John Curry Memorial [JGP] 3 7 5 (116.24)
2007 Vienna Cup [JGP] 7 12 9 (108.78)
2007 Junior Nordic Championships 2 4 3 (109.36)
2007 Finnish Junior National Championships 4 2 2 (103.02)
2006 JGP The Hague 19 17 17 (92.01)
2006 JGP Courchevel 4 10 8 (98.24)
2004 Novice Merano Cup 9 6 7

Minna PARVIAINEN FIN
Coaching History: Susanna Petola (Since 2007)
Best total score: World Junior Championships 36.76
2008 World Junior Championships 29 30 (FNR)
2008 Junior Nordic Championships 8 13 9 (89.72)
2008 Finnish Junior National Championships 14 2 4 (106.91)
2007 Junior Coupe Internationale de Nice 7 6 6 (99.94)
2007 Junior Haabersti Cup 6 5 5 (97.70)
2007 Junior Warsaw Cup 10 1 2 (92.31)
2007 Finnish Junior National Championships 15 14 14 (83.29)
2005 Finnish Junior National Championships 12 9 10 (87.56)
2004 Finnish Junior National Championships 12 11 11

Katharina GIEROK GER
Coaching History: Vladimir Gnilozubov
Merano 2007 SP
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0k3JiiIIB7o
Merano 2007 LP
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTgMIbYUTVA&feature=related
2008 Junior Bavarian Open - Junior Worlds Qualification 6 1 1 (109.20)
2008 German National Championships 11 10 10 (104.72)
2007 NRW Trophy 1 1 1 (115.76)
2007 John Curry Memorial [JGP] 14 8 9 (105.99)
2007 Junior Merano Cup 5 9 6 (98.63)
2007 European Youth Olympic Festival 3 6 6 (99.87)
2007 German Junior National Championships - Group A 3 3 3 (105.62)
2006 Junior Golden Bear 4 2 2 (95.29)
2006 Junior Heiko-Fischer-Pokal 9 11 10 (83.27)
2006 Junior Bavarian Open 5 3 5 (90.12)
2006 German Junior National Championships - Group A 3 5 4 (78.36)
2005 Junior Montfort Cup 2 2 2
2005 German Novice National Championships, Group A 8 5 6

Sofia BARDAKOV ISR
Coaching History: Julia Bystrova
Best total score: 84.16 Sheffield 2007
2008 World Junior Championships 54 54 (FNR)
2007 Junior Warsaw Cup 14 6 7 (83.49)
2007 John Curry Memorial [JGP] 30 23 26 (84.16)
2008 Israeli Junior National Championships 3 (81.64)

Radka BARTOVA SVK
Coaching History: Hanna Töczikova
Best total score: 105.12 European Championships 2007
2007 Worlds SP
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2lq0Nod9zc
2008 Ostrava JGP 18 22 21 (87.27)
2007 Golden Spin of Zagreb 12 21 19 (96.19)
2007 Ondrej Nepela Memorial 6 9 8 (102.54)
2007 Vienna Cup [JGP] 9 17 14 (102.61)
2007 JGP Lake Placid 18 13 16 (88.60)
2007 World Championships 33 - 33 (FNR)
2007 European Championships 19 23 23 (105.12)
2007 European Youth Olympic Festival 6 1 4 (102.97)
2007 Czech and Slovak National Championships 3 5 4 (110.41)
2006 Karl Schäfer Memorial 3 6 3 (113.86)
2006 Harghita Cup [JGP] 10 6 8 (98.70)
2006 JGP Hungary 12 19 19 (76.90)
2006 World Junior Championships 15 21 22 (101.63)
2005 JGP Tallinn 13 12 12 (96.33)
2005 JGP Slovakia 13 17 15 (94.07)
2005 World Junior Championships 23 20 23 (97.85)
2004 Harghita Cup [JGP] 14 14 14 (87.49)
2004 JGP Budapest 25 27 26 (73.24)
2002 International Novice Trophy 11 10 10

Dasa GRM SLO
Coaching History: Boris Uspenski
Best total score: Ostrava 2008 (98.04)
2008 Ostrava 14 13 13 (98.04)
2008 Junior Gardena Trophy 11 16 15 (75.71)
2008 Junior Dragon Trophy 7 3 4 (84.64)
2007 Junior Skate Celje 3 6 3 (92.94)
2007 John Curry Memorial [JGP] 25 28 27 (80.94)
2007 Harghita Cup [JGP] 20 17 18 (74.28)
2007 World Junior Championships 43 43 (FNR)
2007 Junior Dragon Trophy 2 8 4 (94.23)
2007 Slovenian Junior National Championships 1 1 1 (102.34)
2006 JGP Hungary 15 10 13 (88.11)
2006 World Junior Championships 31 25 25 (73.21)
2006 Bosnia & Herzegovina Junior Open Championships 1 1 1
2006 Junior Dragon Trophy 8 7 7 (90.63)
2006 Slovene Junior National Championships 2 1 1 (97.06)
2005 Junior Golden Bear 6 6 6 (72.74)
2005 Novice Triglav Trophy 14 9 10
2004 Novice Golden Bear 5 4 4
2004 Ukrainian Souvenir [JGP] 29 27 28 (70.02)
2004 Novice Triglav Trophy 11 10 11
2003 Novice Triglav Trophy 15 10 12

Angelica OLSSON SWE
2008 Ostrava JGP 15 16 16 ( 95.90)
008 Junior AEGON Challenge Cup 9 6 6 (101.64)
2008 Junior Nordic Championships 5 3 3 (108.07)
2008 Swedish Junior National Championships 3 8 5 (93.02)
2007 Junior Warsaw Cup 1 2 1 (98.51)
2007 Novice Nordic Championships 1 4 2 (90.13)
2007 European Youth Olympic Festival 10 14 11 (82.39)
2006 Novice Liberec Trophy 6 2 3 (86.39)

Isabelle OLSSON SWE
2008 Ostrava JGP 16 29 25 (82.81)
2007 Novice Warsaw Cup 1 1 1 (101.10)
2006 Novice Liberec Trophy 7 7 7 (75.96)

Birce ATABEY TUR
Coaching History: Rana Belkis Gülenc
Best score: 64.49 Tallin JGP
Turkish Championships SP 2007
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbSGe0hOHo8&feature=related
Turkish Championships LP 2007
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yb3Y_96j0DU
2008 Junior Triglav Trophy 11 6 7 (83.24)
2008 World Junior Championships 46 46 (FNR)
2007 Tallinn Cup [JGP] 24 26 26 (64.49)
2007 Junior Triglav Trophy 2 3 3 (94.94)

Ekaterina PROYDA UKR
Coaching History: Liana Oceretna
Best score: (104.64) 2005 World Jr. Championships
2008 Cup of Ukraine LP
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YyqgeQ8LkpU
Practice clip
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlFFs4xZpWM&feature=related
2008 Ostrava JGP 4 21 12 (103.32)
2008 European Championships 28 - 29 (FNR)
2007 Nebelhorn Trophy 21 23 22 (89.86)
2006 European Championships 24 22 22 (96.47)
2005 Gdansk Cup [JGP] 13 16 13 (97.84)
2005 JGP Tallinn 17 13 14 (93.14)
2005 World Junior Championships 14 19 16 (104.64)
2005 European Youth Olympic Festival 1 4 3
2005 Ukrainian National Championships 2 2 2
2004 Ukrainian Souvenir [JGP] 5 17 12 (100.97)
2004 JGP Budapest 18 21 20 (87.41)
2004 World Junior Championships 25 - 26
2003 Junior Grand Prix - Gdansk 5 10 8
2003 Skate Bled 22 15 17

Armine STAMBULTSYAN ARM
SP: Blues; Rock and Roll
Coach: Alla Fomicheva
Best total score (65.89) Courchevel 2008
2008 World Junior Championships 48 48 (FNR)
2007 John Curry Memorial [JGP] 35 35 35 (58.12)
2007 European Youth Olympic Festival 18 22 22 (70.32)
2006 JGP Courchevel 19 20 20 (65.89)

Jessica KURZAWSKI AUS
2008-09 Australian National Championships 3 5 3 (87.94)
2008 Australian Junior National Championships 7 7 7 (72.72)

Belinda SCHÖNBERGER AUT
Coaches: Eva Martinek, Sergei Gromov
Choreographer: Stannick Jeanette, Shanetta Folle
Music:
SP: Bellydance by Edvin Marton; Dusty June by Oriental Secret; Bellydance by Edvin Marton
LP: Fatal Error by Apocalyptica; Misconstruction by Apocalyptica; Ruska by Apocalyptica
2007 Vienna LP
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmgJOIJq4uw
Best total score (100.95) Mexico Cup
2008 Mexico Cup [JGP] 9 5 9 (100.95)
2008 Junior Copenhagen Trophy 2 2 1 (97.78)
2008 Austrian Junior National Championships 4 3 2 (107.93)
2008 Austrian National Championships 7 6 7 (95.35)
2007 Junior Grand Prize SNP 2 2 2 (78.84)
2007 Vienna Cup [JGP] 30 30 30 (76.88)
2007 Junior Challenge Cup 17 12 12 (86.72)
2007 Austrian Junior National Championships 5 6 5 (97.82)
2006 Junior Skate Celje 4 7 6 (81.33)
2006 Junior Grand Prize SNP 2 4 4 (89.64)
2006 Harghita Cup [JGP] 15 17 15 (79.38)
2005 Junior Montfort Cup 6 4 4
2005 Croatia Cup [JGP] 30 28 30 (62.59)

Mirna LIBRIC CRO
Coach: Ivana Jakupcevic
Best total score (83.43) Courchevel 2008
208 Worlds Sp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkClWt4bQjA
2008 Europeans gala
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQRuZpC16Ls
SP: A Comme Amour by Richard Clayderman
LP: Sevilla from "Mission Impossible" (soundtrack) by Hans Zimmer
2008 JGP Courchevel 22 22 23 (83.43)
2008 Triglav Trophy 4 5 5 (97.57)
2008 World Championships 41 41 (FNR)
2008 World Junior Championships 31 32 (FNR)
2008 Junior Dragon Trophy 5 1 1 (96.04)
2007 Junior Golden Bear 3 3 4 (102.74)
2007 Golden Spin of Zagreb 22 24 23 (85.21)
2007 Croatia Cup [JGP] 21 22 21 (83.03)
2007 Vienna Cup [JGP] 32 32 32 (66.25)
2007 Junior Triglav Trophy 7 10 9 (79.29)
2007 World Junior Championships 42 42 (FNR)
2007 Junior Dragon Trophy 8 12 12 (81.08)
2006 Junior Golden Bear 5 3 4 (85.78)
2006 Junior Skate Celje 6 3 4 (84.20)
2006 Junior Merano Cup 8 11 10 (79.05)
2006 Harghita Cup [JGP] 19 14 16 (79.12)
2006 JGP Hungary 16 18 19 (76.84)
2006 Junior Triglav Trophy 11 9 11 (75.10)
2006 Junior Dragon Trophy 16 10 12 (80.78)
2005 Novice Golden Bear 5 9 7 (60.55)
2005 Novice Triglav Trophy 12 12 12

Anita MADSEN DEN
Coach: Anni Petersen
SP: Finding Neverland (soundtrack) by Jan Kaczmarek
LP: Cinema Paradiso (soundtrack) by Ennio Morricone
Best total score: 2008 Ostrava 96.33
2008 Ostrava JGP 17 15 ( 96.33 )
2008 Novice Copenhagen Trophy 6 2 3 (90.93)
2008 Novice Nordic Championships 3 4 4 (87.84)
2008 Danish Novice National Championships 1 1 1 (90.41)
2007 Novice Coupe Internationale de Nice 13 18 18 (68.11)
2007 Novice Challenge Cup 18 13 14 (70.40)
2007 Novice Nordic Championships 12 11 12 (69.07)

Victoria LIAKHAVA BLR
Coach: Alexander Marozau
Gomel is her home town.
Best total score Harghita Cup JGP 73.87
2008 JGP Courchevel 34 31 33 (63.04)
2008 World Junior Championships 47 47 (FNR)
2007 Junior Golden Lynx 7 10 9 (78.53)
2007 Harghita Cup [JGP] 18 18 19 (73.87)

Katsiarina PAHARTSAVA BLR
2007 Novice Warsaw Cup 25 35 33 (61.52)

Katsiarina PAKHAMOVICH BLR
Her Merano lp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUZLadZJA6o
2008 JGP Merano 7 23 19 (95.99)
2007 Junior Golden Lynx 1 1 1 (104.04)
2007 Pokal der Blauen Schwerter [JGP] 21 16 19 (83.03)
2007 Vienna Cup [JGP] 29 27 29 (81.69)

Kaat VAN DAELE BEL
2008 Junior AEGON Challenge Cup 17 19 20 (68.77)
2008 Junior Kempen Trophy 12 2 2 (85.45)
2008 Belgian Junior National Championships 3 1 2 (87.48)
2007 Junior Coupe Internationale de Nice 11 22 14 (80.58)
2007 Junior Challenge Cup 12 17 16 (79.93)
2007 Junior Kempen Trophy 9 10 9 (82.28)
2007 Belgian Junior National Championships 1 4 2 (84.16)
2004 Novice Kempen Trophy, Group 1 6 2 3

Maria PENCHEVA BUL
2007 Novice Coupe Internationale de Nice 28 27 27 (54.89)

Mila PETROVIC SRB
Coaching History: Ljubov Fjodorova Petrovic
2007 Open BIH Championships SP
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5MjCHqwTDU
2007 Open BIH Championships LP
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=625hqOS1Mf4&feature=related
Best total score: 2008 Merano JGP (55.55)
2008 JGP Merano 35 35 34 (55.55)
2008 World Junior Championships 56 56 (FNR)
2008 Serbian Novice National Championships 1 1 1 (68.87)
2007 Junior Golden Bear 22 24 23 (45.31)
2006 Novice Golden Bear 20 21 20 (36.53)
2006 Serbia & Montenegro Novice National Championships 1

Anna RAGE LAT
2008 Latvian Junior National Championships 2 2 2
2006 Novice Warsaw Cup 10 17 13 (74.57)

Ana PRELEVIC MNE (Montenegro)

Erle HARSTAD NOR
Coaching History: Berit Steigedal
Best total score: 2007 Sofia JGP (99.33)
SP: Havanna - Latin Medley
LP: Blues for Narada by Gary Moore
2008 Mexico Cup [JGP] 20 21 21 (77.93)
2008 Copenhagen Trophy 4 1 4 (87.40)
2008 World Junior Championships 41 42 (FNR)
2008 Junior Nordic Championships 4 7 7 (95.22)
2008 European Championships 30 - 31 (FNR)
2007 Junior Warsaw Cup 9 - W
2007 Sofia Cup [JGP] 14 8 10 (99.33)
2007 Tallinn Cup [JGP] 19 8 13 (95.71)
2007 Junior Mladost Trophy 1 1 1 (83.59)
2007 Junior Nordic Championships 11 11 12 (79.14)
2007 European Youth Olympic Festival 21 10 15 (80.51)
2006 Junior Warsaw Cup 5 5 5 (88.60)
2006 Spin of Norway [JGP] 24 22 23 (81.13)
2006 JGP Hungary 20 15 16 (79.69)
2006 World Junior Championships 32
2006 Junior Nordic Championships 14 17 15 (71.78)
2005 Gdansk Cup [JGP] 30 28 29 (71.94)
2005 Junior Copenhagen Trophy 17 18 18
2005 Junior Nordic Championships 19 19 19
2005 Norwegian Junior National Championships 1 2 2
2003 Novice Copenhagen Trophy 19 16 16

Marta OLCZAK POL
2008 Polish Novice National Championships 1 1 1 (89.52)
2007 Junior NRW Trophy 6 9 8 (86.74)
2007 Novice Warsaw Cup 7 11 8 (86.12)
2007 JGP Lake Placid 23 21 22 (65.14)
2007 Novice Gardena Trophy 10 2 5 (80.08)
2007 Polish Novice National Championships 3 1 1 (72.86)
2006 Novice Warsaw Cup 19 5 9 (77.60)
2006 Novice Coupe Internationale de Nice 8 15 13 (63.55)
2005 Novice Copenhagen Trophy 15 19 18

All Bulanhagui has to do is everything clean. If Britany get her steam back she should make the podium.

So many podium potentials here: Gozeva, Witkowski I figure but I am sure several I am not familiar with could be in there for a bronze. It doesn't seem to be a high level comp for the Ladies.

Joe, that's what it seems like to me too--not a great ladies competition on the whole.

Zhenni RUAN CHN (Jane Ruan) should be one of the medal winners

I suspect the US ladies will go 1-2 again. So far even when the US ladies have not been skating well they are still being held up on the PCS mark! I think it comes from the rep of the US ladies team!

If Zhenni Ruan is Jane Ruan, I think she has an excellent chance for a medal

The ladies competition is diluted because Melissa (1st) and Brittney's (4th) competitors at Merano, Rumi Suizu (2nd) and Sarah Hecken (3rd), are going out of sequence and are scheduled for Cape Town. Plus Svetlana is struggling.

The JSF is using the 5th and 6th events to see their other skaters rather than as 2nd assignments. In the case that these skaters do well, they have enough time to participate in the 8th event. However, this causes their best skaters to be bunched up in the 7th and 8th events. This strategy worked out in Madrid, as the age 13 Kanako Murakami performed better than Yuka Ishikawa did in Merano and Kanako has time to skate again in Sheffield. (Mari Suzuki and Yuki Nishino were a wash.) It's probably a bad strategy here, though, as displacing Rumi may hurt her chances of making it to the final without helping Haruka and Kana.

The German figure skating federation may be using the same strategy to displace Sarah, but there isn't as much depth with their junior ladies. The European federations also didn't travel well to Mexico City and that may have thrown off their scheduling.

As for the USA ladies good PCS marks, its a more mature group than usual. There are no 13 or 14 years old. The JSF has got to be encouraged with their two 13 year olds (Yukiko and Kanako).

Haruka IMAI will podium for sure...

Go, Mila!

One of the competitors used to post here under the name Loveskating or something like that. I see she's the national champ of Serbia. Let's send her best wishes from Goldenskate.
http://www.kalik.co.yu/mila/

dorispulaski said:

If Zhenni Ruan is Jane Ruan, I think she has an excellent chance for a medal

Click to expand...

I saw Jane skate last year at Middle Atlantics club competition, and thought she was lovely. But I'm very curious as to how she managed to switch to skate for China. You're not allowed to hold dual U.S. and Chinese citizenship, so either China made an exception for Jane (a bit far fetched, but then maybe the Chinese federation is despairing over its weak ladies field and lobbied for the exception), or else she renounced her U.S. citizenship.

I thought you didn't have to be a citizen of the country you were representing - only for the Olympics.

oleada said:

I thought you didn't have to be a citizen of the country you were representing - only for the Olympics.

Click to expand...

Singles skaters MUST be a citizen of the country they represent in ISU competitions. In Pairs and Dance, only one partner has to be a citizen for ISU competitions, but both must be citizens for the Olympics.

Does anyone know if Jane Ruan was born in the US or China? If she was born in China and then was brought to the US as an infant or small child, she would still be considered a Chinese citizen, and would remain so as long as she had not taken steps to become a US citizen.

If she was born in the US, she probably wouldn't be considered a citizen if her parents had chosen to permanently settle in the US (their Chinese citizenship would be in doubt, even if they didn't apply for US citizenship).