International judge Aleksandr Vedenin comments on the performances of figure skaters at the "Skate America" international tournament.
There is a very expressive ritual among American figure skating fans: after performances on the ice arena by outstanding athletes or performers of original compositions, all spectators rise from their seats and applaud enthusiastically. It was exactly this thrilling scene that we observed at the Palace of Sports in the American city of Portland (Maine) during the exhibition performances. Among the participants of the "Skate America" international tournament were athletes from 18 countries. But the 'headlining' routines were performed first and foremost by world champion Brian Boitano and Soviet figure skaters Viktor Petrenko and the sports pair Lyudmila Koblova and Andrey Kalitin. It was they who were greeted by the audience with a roaring ovation.
The "Skate America" tournament had several important sporting aspects. Many top skaters from Europe and America, who set the tone at the world championships, demonstrated their new compositions for the first time. Here, a test was undergone by figure skaters capable of securing spots on their national teams and competing at the Winter Olympic Games in Calgary. Finally, in Portland, the new trends of the starting winter season fully manifested themselves. Take a small example: European '85 bronze medalist G. Filipowski (Poland) showed the best version of his free program (he attempted to execute the most difficult axel in 3.5 rotations), and yet Gzegorz had to settle for only fourth place. The level of mastership among men was that high!
The central event was the duel between the world champion B. Boitano and our 17-year-old V. Petrenko. Last year, Viktor already competed at this tournament and was third. But this time, the figure skater from Odesa exceeded the expectations of specialists. It is fair to say that in the free skating, three judges gave Petrenko a 5.9 score for artistry, four other judges gave 5.8, and the same score went to Boitano.
Both masters left a bright impression in the short program. They managed to perform a unique element in the combination—a triple axel. Only a tiny fraction separated Petrenko from Boitano in the technical score. The fierce dispute continued in the free composition as well. Here, specialists noted the original compositional design in the program executed by Petrenko to the music of Khachaturian's ballet "Spartacus" (staged by Honored Coach of the USSR T. Tarasova). In the overall score, the trainee of Odesa coach G. Zmievskaya confidently took second place in the all-around event, which came as a pleasant surprise to the majority of experts. It must be noted that the audience at American rinks is very knowledgeable about the nuances of ice technique and choreography.
There was one more surprise in these competitions—the successful start of 19-year-old American D. Doran. His debut last year at the world championship brought him 8th place. But in Portland, Doran demonstrated a higher class in all three segments of the competition and confidently took third place, ahead of G. Filipowski and H. Fischer (FRG).
The US team has noticeably accelerated its preparation pace for the Winter Olympic Games. accelerated its training pace for the Winter Olympic Games. This manifested itself both in singles and pairs skating. Well-known coach John Nicks, who trained world champions T. Babilonia and R. Gardner, this time brought to the start a new duo—K. Keeley and J. Mero. A good technical arsenal and the entertainment value of the programs—all these qualities were fully present in Keeley and Mero, who won the tournament in Portland. Worthy competition was provided to them by our pair—A. Koblova and A. Kalitin, who possess a very beautiful, elegant style. In the short program, our masters were first. Only a lack of sufficient competitive experience and an unconfident execution of some elements did not allow them to maintain the lead.
The women's singles competition presented a special interest. We know that the US team currently possesses a large group of skaters of roughly equal class. World champion D. Thomas is preparing for the season (her first start is planned for the national championship). Meanwhile, in Portland, the host country was represented by world championship bronze medalist T. Chin. She has a rich history of performances, and even when not in her best athletic form, Tiffany Chin won confidently. But experts named 16-year-old US figure skater Tonya Harding as the brightest breakthrough of the competition. This was her debut in major international tournaments. But the young athlete, who possesses excellent natural talent, went through the tournament without errors. She was the strongest in the free program, executing all five types of triple jumps. In the height of her jumps, she is second to none of the men. And judging by everything, Tonya Harding will deliver more than one surprise in this Olympic cycle.
