Japan’s Mao Asada was the gold medal winner in the Ladies event, while USA’s Kimberly (Kimmie) Meissner won her second consecutive silver in the JGP series. Teammate Danielle Kahle won the bronze in what is slated to be her only JGP event of the season before the JGP final.
Skating to music from The Wizard of Oz, Asada attempted a triple Lutz/double loop combination but stumbled out of the loop. The 13-year-old went on to land a double Axel, a flying camel spin, a triple loop out of footwork, and a combination Biellmann spin, earning a TSS of 50.14 for a first place finish after the short.
Meissner also had problems with her triple Lutz combination, falling out the landing of the Lutz before doing a turn into the double toeloop. While the program had some good flow with nice spins and a double Axel, the 2004 World Junior silver medalist had problems on the triple loop which was scored as a double. The 14-year-old earned 46.33 points for her program to Debussy’s Reverie for an overall second place finish after the short.
Canada’s Amélie Lacoste impressed with footwork right into a triple loop in her routine to El Conquistador by Maxim Rodriguez, but fell on the landing of her triple Lutz and was unable to complete the combination jump. The 2004 NACS San Jose Junior bronze medalist delivered a double Axel which was low but had good distance and earned a TSS of 41.32 for a third place finish overall after the short.
Skating to Hernando’s Hideway, Kahle landed a good double Axel followed by a triple loop and a good flying camel which had good speed. Unfortunately the 15-year-old fell on the triple Lutz due to a bad takeoff and didn’t complete the combination. With a TSS of 39.55, Kahle had to settle for fourth overall after the short.
Matilda Rang of Sweden was fifth after the short followed by USA’s Cara Kinney.
Asada attempted a triple Axel in the opening of her long program to La Boutique Fantasque but it was underrotated. After delivering a triple Lutz, she displayed good footwork with twizzles that went right into a double Axel. Despite a fall on the triple Salchow, Asada went on to complete a triple Lutz followed by a triple flip/double toeloop/double loop and a triple loop/double loop combination to earn a TSS of 87.88 for a first place finish in the long and overall with 138.02 points.
Asada’s next scoring event is the JGP in Kiev, Ukraine. However she may be sustituting for her sister, Mai, who is injured (and was slated to compete) at the Belgrade Sparrow in Serbia & Montenegro later this month.
Performing to Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloé, Meissner delivered a triple flip followed by a triple Lutz/triple toeloop sequence, and a double Axel. Despite a popped loop, the 2004 Junior National champion went on to land a triple Salchow, a good triple Lutz, and a triple flip/double toeloop combination (scored as a double flip/double toeloop). With a TSS of 87.40, Meissner, who turns 15 next month, finished in second after the long and overall with a total score of 133.73.
With a second place finish in Courchevel last month, Meissner has secured herself a spot for the JGP Final.
Kahle, who was in fourth after the short, landed a triple toeloop followed by a triple Lutz/triple loop (loop was underrotated). Despite a two-footed landing on the triple Salchow, she went on to land a double Axel, a triple flip/double toeloop sequence, and a triple loop. In addition to falling out of the landing of a triple flip, Kahle ended her program a bit late and received a time violation deduction which resulted in a TSS of 78.30. Fortunately, this was enough to move her up one spot to third overall with a total score of 117.85.
Lacoste, who was in third after the short, fell on three of her triple jumps in the long program and dropped to fourth place overall. Her next scoring event will be in Chemnitz, Germany in October.
Japan’s Rumi Suizu, who was seventh after the short, finished fifth overall after placing fourth in the long. This resulted in Rang dropping from fifth to sixth overall despite her fifth place finish in both the short and long program.
