2007 Mid-Atlantics competition & Will Sears Fund show in NYC, Sept. 6-9

[Sylvia]

2007 Mid-Atlantics competition & Will Sears Fund show in NYC, Sept. 6-9

The 82nd Annual Middle Atlantic Figure Skating Championships (a.k.a. "Mids" or "Mid-Atlantics") is taking place Sept. 6-9, Sky Rink at Chelsea Piers in New York City, NY -- link to schedule & roster: http://www.thescny.org/
Elene Gedevanishvili, Lesley Hawker, Megan Williams-Stewart, Taylor Firth, and Austria's Viktor Pfeifer are on the senior roster; Junior Men looks like a small but competitive event.

Exhibition of Champions
Sunday, Sept 9th at 3pm
with Special Guests
Johnny Weir, Melissa Gregory & Denis Petukov
in "Fallen Angel"

The exhibition will feature the Gold medalists in the Juvenile and above levels, along with special guests Johnny, Melissa & Denis performing "Fallen Angel". This is a special performance dedicated to Fallen Angels everywhere.

The Exhibition of Champions is a benefit for the Will Sears Fund, which raises money to award prize money to the Junior National Pairs Gold Medalists and all of the Juvenile, Intermediate, Novice and Junior Gold Medalists at Mids. This fund was created in memory of Will, the 2002 Novice Pairs Champion who died suddenly in September 2002. While the Exhibition of Champions is open to the public at no charge, donations are gratefully accepted.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

I dro;pped over to Chelsea Piers to take a look at the Sr. Ladies Short. Eight of them should think about Tennis or Basketballl.

The four I enjoyed:

Leslie Hawker - Very solid skater. Great triple flip/double toe; Nice quiet mellow program.

Danielle Leong - Very musical skater with good spring in her jumps. Unfortunately, splat on a 3 lutz.

Taylor Firth - Very senior type of skater with good jumps, spins and footwork. Very muical but there are always boo boos.

Megan Stewart Williams (if I got that hyphenated name correct) has improved 100 per cent. Much more secure on the ice with great spring in her jumps and her spins are good. She interprets bluesy numbers very well.

The above named are all good skaters and would make an audience happy to watch them, but in competitions, none are even close to Caoline Zhang.

Tomorrow the LPs.

Joe

 

[Mathman]

Joe, did Elene Gedevanishvili skate?

 

[emma]

Thanks for the update, Sylvia and for the report Joe. Can't wait to hear about the LPs!

 

[Sylvia]

Here are unofficial Senior Ladies results (and jump notes for the top 4) that have been passed along to me. Score typos are possible.

SENIOR LADIES SP (Friday) - top 7 (of 13):
51.04 Taylor Firth: heard she skated VERY well and landed all her jumps: 3F-2T, 3Lo, 2A
46.36 Megan Williams-Stewart: 3Lo-2T, 3Z fall, 2A
43.80 Lesley Hawker (CAN): 2Z-2T, 3F, 2A
39.24 Danielle Leong: 3F fall, 2Lo, 2A
34.46 Elene Gedevanishvili (GEO): popped her jumps
33.79 Hilary Ho
30.30 Crystal Kiang

Congrats to Taylor Firth for being assigned to the senior ladies event at Finlandia Trophy -- this will be her first international competition for the USA!

Megan Williams-Stewart will compete at Nebelhorn Trophy in Germany at the end of this month.

 

[Mathman]

Yay Taylor!

From what everyone has been saying, Gedevanishvili has had one disastrous practice after another ever since she came to America. I hope she will be able to overcome all the personal difficulties and return to form.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

Joe, did Elene Gedevanishvili skate?

MM - The acoustics there are horrible and my hearing is poor to begin with so I don't remember her name being called. If she was that short dark haired lady with a wonderful flow, I did say to myself: Self, what's wrong with this gal? She really was and excellent skater with spins and good choreo but I don't think she landed one jump.

Maybe she'll give a great LP which she is capable of. I see that tonight.

Joe

 

[silverfox]

MM - The acoustics there are horrible and my hearing is poor to begin with so I don't remember her name being called. If she was that short dark haired lady with a wonderful flow, I did say to myself: Self, what's wrong with this gal? She really was and excellent skater with spins and good choreo but I don't think she landed one jump.

Maybe she'll give a great LP which she is capable of. I see that tonight.

Joe

She skated to Cabaret and wore a black costume with small silver discs and feathers. You're right her spins and flow are very good, but she can't land the jumps. I think the SP has gone downhill since last month's Moran.

Taylor was wonderful to watch. Megan was lovely, but her nemesis seems to be the 3Lutz. Her attempted lutz was huge and well rotated but then she fell on the landing. Had she landed it, there should have been good GOEs for the height of the jump.

 

[netnuts]

MM - The acoustics there are horrible and my hearing is poor to begin with so I don't remember her name being called. If she was that short dark haired lady with a wonderful flow, I did say to myself: Self, what's wrong with this gal? She really was and excellent skater with spins and good choreo but I don't think she landed one jump.

Maybe she'll give a great LP which she is capable of. I see that tonight.

Joe

Looks like puberty monster is destroying her...

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

Just got back from Chelsea Piers.

Elene's jumps were somewhat better in the LP. Like many skaters, she tends to rush her jumps without concentrating on preparation. Her coach is Roman Serov. He was there, and not to happy with Elene's skate. Fell on a 2A and slipped into a fall while plain skating. One outstanfing move I saw her do was a forward 180 degree extension (hand holding the free skate as in the I spin.)as part of her spiral sequence - and then she let go of the hand hold and her arms opened to the side. WoW!!!

Leslie Hawker had a trying time with the jumps and it just made her routine dismal.

Calahan's other skater, Daniele Leong did quite well but tired towards the end.

Megan came on strong with Sheherezade but fell twice duing her routine.

Taylor skated the cleanest, fell only once but somehow she just doesn't get to me. She will probably be in first at the end. But I don't know how any judge can pick a winner. CoP should do it.

I didn't stay for the results. I'll get them tomorrow and watch the exhibitions. Johnny is supposed to skate his trio with G/P which is why I will go back.

Joe

 

[Hsuhs]

One outstanfing move I saw her do was a forward 180 degree extension (hand holding the free skate as in the I spin.)as part of her spiral sequence - and then she let go of the hand hold and her arms opened to the side. WoW!!!

You mean like this?
http://www.gedevanishvili.ru/photos/el_ged122.jpg

http://www.gedevanishvili.ru/photos/el_ged75.jpg

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

You mean like this?
http://www.gedevanishvili.ru/photos/el_ged122.jpg

http://www.gedevanishvili.ru/photos/el_ged75.jpg

Not quite. The extension (free leg) was held in the I position not in the side position. It was like in front of her face as one would do an I spin. However, she was moving on the ice forward and let go of her hands into an open position and continued travelling forward for a few seconds.

Joe

 

[Hsuhs]

Hmmm. Want to see it!

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

Saw the exhibitions today. David Liu whom we all know is now a co-partner in Ice Theatre of New York skated a 'guest' exhibion. If there is anyone I would associate with ballet it is David. Everything one thinks of ballet is David Liu on ice. Much more than 180 degree charlottes and 'ballet' arms, and with David one forgets he's wearing ice skates! Increible

There is not a step which is not with the music. The performance was mesmerizing.

Also on the Exhibitions, were Weir, Gregory and Petukov doing their Angel thing. Very nice, and I must say Johnny is quite mature now in looks as well as skating

Of the champions in this competition who skated exhibitions, I will single out Vincent Ip (novice men); Felicia Zhang (novice ladies) and Anastasiya Kononenko (Junior ladies). Everyone was good for their level but the aforementioned three were exceptional. Be sure to watch their names at Nats.

Joe

 

[feraina]

I also caught the tail end of the exhibition show today. Taylor Firth's exhibition piece still seemed a bit rough. The boy who skated before her was excellent, nice presentation, nice music, fantastic spins, very flexible.

I LOVED the Fallen Angel piece. Johnny hit some great jumps, marvelous spins, and a good footwork sequence (I thought he was doing it with more speed and gusto than Melissa & Denis, who were doing the identical sequence). Melissa & Denis also hit a couple of good lifts right on the crescendo of some dramatic moments in the music. I also liked parts where all three of them interacted, including the part where Melissa pushed Johnny on the ice.

I loited around the rink and hoped for a chance to say hi to Johnny. They were taking photos with the skaters and organizers for ages, and finally Johnny skated over to where the few remaining spectators were, and I was too awestruck to say or do anything before he went away again. *sigh*

But I had a second chance when they all came out of the exit together, and this time I got together the courage to tell him I loved their piece and I'm a big fan of his. He was very sweet & smiley, and said, "thank you, thank you..." Definitely made my day! Whee!

I thought Johnny looked relaxed and fit and happy. Bodes well for the new season.