Q&A with Adam Rippon

http://www.figureskatersonline.com/news_02232009_rippon.html

Rhonda (Massachusetts, USA): Adam, are you looking forward to returning to the World Junior Championships? You have already won the event and competed as a senior internationally so I wonder if this is the direction that you want to go with your skating.
Adam: I am very happy to be going to Junior Worlds. It will be a great experience to go to a competition with Brian Orser, my new coach, and to show that I have made improvements since Nationals. I think this competition will help set me up for next season.

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Jamie (Arizona, USA): How are you adjusting to life in Canada with Brian Orser? What are some of the adjustments you've had to make both on the ice and off the ice?
Adam: Life in Canada has been great. I am becoming more comfortable with Brian and he is becoming more comfortable with me. I have made a few changes in my jumping technique especially with the triple axel; off the ice I am just trying to adjust to Canadian life. I am slowly becoming more and more familiar in reading the temperature in Celsius and using Loonies and Twoonies.

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Junior Worlds

Just saw the playback of Junior Worlds. I was please to see the axel look so effortless. It looked like he had been doing it for years. Kudos to Orser and super Kudos to Adam. This could have been a season of excuses for him, so glad that he keep his head and moved forward. It was touching to see him so happy and jumping for joy at the end of his long. To me it looked like he was filled with relief. I also felt his exhibition was outstanding. Even the encore was very moving. He has a way of connecting to the audience, even me on replay! No doubt that this is an excellent coaching match up.

Orso deserves full credit for what even the great Morozov could not do. I think he would have done it in US Nats if he had gone to Orso in the first place.

However, he doen't mention whether that as a senior he felt superior winning over all those Juniors. It's legal and so many senior were in that competition, and won Ladies and Men. He was not the only one.

Suggest the name of the Championship be changed from Juniors to Senior Underlings, but retain the real junior skaters for their own championship.

Juniors is about age not ability

Joesitz said:

Orso deserves full credit for what even the great Morozov could not do. I think he would have done it in US Nats if he had gone to Orso in the first place.

However, he doen't mention whether that as a senior he felt superior winning over all those Juniors. It's legal and so many senior were in that competition, and won Ladies and Men. He was not the only one.

Suggest the name of the Championship be changed from Juniors to Senior Underlings, but retain the real junior skaters for their own championship.

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I do not understand why you are so bitter about Rippon repeating JWC. Junior Worlds is age based not ability based. Rippon met the age requirement as did, Brezina, Ten, Reynolds, and all skaters who were still 18 or younger by July 1, 2008. Rippon has far less international experience than you give him credit for. He had one year on the JGP and it turned out to be a great one at that. He had 2 GP this season and did not medal at either. This is competition, it is not about taking turns or giving someone else a chance. You have said positive things about Brezina and he has more international at bigger competitions (Euros) than Rippon.
JWC is not about developing great junior skaters it is about challenging junior skaters to become great seniors. This competition gave that experience to both Brezina and Rippon who now age out. Nothing has been said about Reynolds who has skated senior nationally and internationally for several years now with quads in fact. He had more impressive results in the GP series than Rippon but you fail to complain about his 4th appearance at JW? Are you suggesting that it is acceptable for a age eligible senior to participate as long as they finish off the podium?
I don't think so. Your insight of spotting young talent is keen indeed. I do read your posts with great respect but you are way off the point with this.
If Rippon was somehow over qualified for JW and should have passed and given the opportunity to a "real" less able junior, than who?
Should Morz who skated so brilliantly at US Nats who is much less qualified than Weir have passed on Worlds and gone back to JW? Morz has never broken the 200 mark internationally and did not fair well on the GP. It would have been just as absurd for him to pass up Worlds for Johnny to go, as it would have been for Rippon to pass up his opportunity for some "real" junior to go.
No doubt JW this year had great skating isn't that what it is all about? For me it was inspiring to read the positive comments Rippon and Brezina had for each other, they stood out not only as skaters but as sportsmen. I didn't have a favorite, I wanted the best man to win and I think he did.