Middle Atlantics

[Mathman]

Did Kristine Musademba win the Intermediate ladies championship a year ago...

Yes. Here's the USFS story about her.

http://www.usfigureskating.org/Story.asp?id=32277

Thanks for the report, Spun Silver. I love these regional and club competitions. (And the best part is the screaming moms and sisters, and don't forget grandparents, LOL).

 

[backspin]

At those sorts of competitions scores are not announced. They're posted up on a wall somewhere, it'd be easy to find, there will be jillions of sheets taped to a wall & jillions of people milling around them.

 

[chuckm]

I also saw Kristine Musademba's Intermediate Championship FS on TV, and am looking forward to her performances in the JGP in the 2007-2008 season. So here's hoping she places high as a Junior at Nationals 2007.

 

[Mathman]

Does one consider events like Campbell's, etc. to be major events?

I don't consider either Campbell's or Marshall's, competitions made for TV, to be a major event. When skaters who've won one or the other talk about the titles they've won, these are not among the first mentioned (if they're mentioned at all)...

As a skating outsider (my granddaughter is only one year old, so she doesn't skate yet ), I have a different perspective and a Pollyanna hope about the potential of these events. True, the competitors themselves don't prize a gold medal at Campbells in the same way as a major championship (although I bet Sasha was pleased the first time she finally beat Michelle at Campbell's three years ago). But, as chuckm points out, these events may be the only chance for the casual fan and TV viewer to see any figure skating at all.

IMHO it should be the number one job of the ISU and USFS to stem the tide of the disastrous shrinkage of interest in the sport that we have seen in the last few years. To me, trying to build up the cheesefests to the rank of "major competitions" among world contenders makes more sense than to adopt an elitist view of, oh, well, its not Europeans or the Grand Prix final, so who cares.

Outside of the tiny hard core, it is the "major" events (excepting perhaps the Olympics) that make people say, who cares?

 

[gkelly]

I also saw Kristine Musademba's Intermediate Championship FS on TV, and am looking forward to her performances in the JGP in the 2007-2008 season. So here's hoping she places high as a Junior at Nationals 2007.

Musademba is competing as a novice in 2006-07. Assuming that she qualifies for Nationals at the novice level, if she medals there, then she would be considered for fall 07 JGP assignments, although there may be enough age-eligible junior and senior competitors to fill those slots before any novices would be next in line.

 

[Spun Silver]

f competitions scores are not announced. They're posted up on a wall somewhere, it'd be easy to find, there will be jillions of sheets taped to a wall & jillions of people milling around them.

Ah-so. Thanks!

Yes. Here's the USFS story about her.

http://www.usfigureskating.org/Story.asp?id=32277

Thanks for the report, Spun Silver. I love these regional and club competitions. (And the best part is the screaming moms and sisters, and don't forget grandparents, LOL).

Oops - I didn't mean to be ageist!

That's a beautiful photo of Musademba and the angle of her head suggests just how elegant her presentation is. She's very special, from what I saw.

 

[mskater93]

I also saw Kristine Musademba's Intermediate Championship FS on TV, and am looking forward to her performances in the JGP in the 2007-2008 season. So here's hoping she places high as a Junior at Nationals 2007.

Isn't Musademba skating as a Novice this season?

 

[chuckm]

My mistake, yes she IS skating as a Novice for Nationals 2007. But her FS score at Midlantics was much higher than what the top Juniors did---made me wish she were doing the JGP this season.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

A View of Mid-Atlantics

Yes, it's only a club competition. Over and out.

However, there is much to look at and that's what we did.

Friday was to wet to travel so I missed Musademba in competition but saw her in Sunday's exhibition. Much potential there!

Saturday was Senior Ladies Free, and there were 3 at the top after the SP. We were much more impressed with Ashley Wagner than with Christina Szukowski. Christina skates faster than a bullet but like Bebe, not well controlled. She's a blonde now, btw. and the new makeup makes her look more yummy than before. Ashley is more the artistic skater and while I don't see her on the podium this year I think she will be a force in the future.

Sunday was Senior Men and the star competitor was Geoffrey Varner. We were not at all impressed even when he landed a triple. He's got a lot of work ahead of him.

In Junior Men, forget who else, it is Adam Rippon!!!. This is a Johnny Weir wannabee and he is fabulous. Of course, he won. He might even win with the Senior Worlds but he is a Junior and as far as I know he is not even in the JGPs. I talked with his coach. Who is a wonderful Russian lady who was just beaming with pride over Adam. I asked her if he will be in Spokane and she asked me: What is Spokane? Absolutely a delightful woman. When she realized it was the US Nats, she just beamed all the more and said YES, YES, YES.

There was one gal who is American but represents Israel, I forget her name, and she did Sasha's Malaguena. Not bad, had the flexibility.

The exhibitions had Lang and Techeneychev who skated a most romantic dance I have ever seen on ice. Why that team was so underrated is beyond me. Standing Ovation for 5 minutes! then on came Emily, Johnny and John Z to give out the awards (they didn't skate).

It was a nice Sunday afternoon and Adam Rippon is the one to watch in Junior Men this Nats.

Joe

 

[Sylvia]

Friday was to wet to travel so I missed Musademba in competition but saw her in Sunday's exhibition. Much potential there!

Kristine Musademba didn't go for the difficult jump content in her Sunday exhibition compared to her impressive Novice FS on Saturday when she landed 3loop, two 3salchows (one in combo), two 3toes (one in sequence with a 2flip), and a 2axel. She skated a fun program to a jazzy version of Malaguena and has good spring in her jumps. 2nd place in Novice went to another athletic skater, Ksenia Makarova (daughter of the 1984 Olympic bronze medalist Soviet pair team of Selezneva/Makarov), who skated to the jazzy "Chicago" soundtrack. Makarova is coached by her father, and she landed a 3loop, two 3sals, 2axel-2toe, but also had a few jump errors. Novice Ladies FS (12 skaters made the Final) was the event I expected would be one of the more competitive/deep fields at Mid-Atlantics, and I was not disappointed.

Novice Ladies top 2 results:
1. Kristine Musademba 133.83 - 1st in FS [94.74 (43.21/51.53)]; 2nd in SP [39.09]
2. Ksenia Makarova 119.04 - 2nd in FS [77.89 (35.21/44.68)]; 1st in SP [41.15]

Saturday was Senior Ladies Free, and there were 3 at the top after the SP. We were much more impressed with Ashley Wagner than with Christina Szukowski. Christina skates faster than a bullet but like Bebe, not well controlled. She's a blonde now, btw.

Christine Zukowski is how her name is spelled. Zukowski (2nd in SP, 1st in FS) landed 4 triples in the FS -- 3loop, 3sal, 3toe-2toe, 3sal-2toe-2loop -- and 2axel. She fell on the 3lutz and doubled a toe loop. Her program to classical music is "Henry VIII" (Saint-Saens, I think) and she is scheduled to make her debut on the Senior Grand Prix this fall in Paris and Japan.

Ashley is more the artistic skater and while I don't see her on the podium this year I think she will be a force in the future.

Wagner is staying junior this season -- she "skated up" a level at Mid-Atlantics (3rd in SP, 2nd in FS) -- and looks to be one of the favorites to medal again in junior (she won the Junior pewter medal at 2006 Nationals). Wagner's music is "Summertime" and other selections from Gershwin's "Porgy & Bess" and she landed 5 clean triples (lutz combo, sal, loop, flip 3-jump combo, toe) and a 2axel. She 2-footed her final 3lutz and had one fall on the second 3toe of her planned 3toe to 3toe sequence.

Another up and comer to watch is Taylor Firth (1st in SP, 3rd in FS), who competed at the Novice level last year and looks like she belongs in Senior this year. Firth skated very well to "The Mission" soundtrack and landed 3flip-2toe, 3sal-2toe, 3toe to 3toe(fell out), 2lutz, 2loop, 3sal(foot down afterwards) and 2axel.

Senior Ladies Final results (top 3):
1. Christine Zukowski 128.62 [scored 82.04 (42.03/41.01) in FS]
2. Ashley Wagner 127.05 [80.73 (41.42/40.31)]
3. Taylor Firth 124.21 [77.29 (36.58/40.71]

Senior Men (only 2):
1. Geoffry Varner 163.96 1 1; FS 103.63 (51.35/53.28 ) - FS jumps: 2axel, 3loop(hands down/fall), 3lutz to 3toe sequence, 3flip, 3sal, 1lutz, 3flip-2toe, 2axel(2-footed/step out); music was Aranjuez (jazzy guitar version that Kwan used). Varner's scheduled to debut on the Sr. Grand Prix (NHK Trophy).

2. David Weintraub 139.91 2 2; FS 95.05 (46.91/48.14) - FS jumps: 3axel-2toe, 2sal, 1?axel hand/flip out, 3flip-2toe-2loop, 1lutz, 3loop, 2-footed 3lutz-2toe, 3toe(hung on/foot down after); music was last year's jazzy/swing medley.

In Junior Men, forget who else, it is Adam Rippon!!!. This is a Johnny Weir wannabee and he is fabulous. Of course, he won.

Both Adam Rippon and Daniel Raad (2nd place) put on a great show in the FS, both landing 7 triples and outskated the senior guys on that day. Rippon skated smoothly to the "Pas de Deux" from Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite and his jumps were: 3lutz-2toe, 3sal(no flow out) to 3toe sequence (may have counted as separate jumps?), catchfoot spiral into 3flip (nice flow out), 3loop, 3flip-2toe-'tano 2toe, 3lutz, 2axel, 2axel(not counted?). He showed flexible positions in spins and included a clockwise footwork sequence.

Raad skated to Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture" and landed: 3lutz-3toe-3turn out(intended 3Lp there), 2axel, 3flip, 3sal, outside edge spread eagle (held) to 3loop with nice flow, 3lutz, 3loop-2toe-2loop(hop). His flying camel spin to FI edge to catchfoot donut was held for a while.

Junior Men (top 2):
1. Adam Rippon 173.09 1 1;113.45 in FS (58.31/55.14)
2. Daniel Raad 166.05 2 2; 108.61 in FS (55.47/53.14)

He [Rippon]might even win with the Senior Worlds but he is a Junior and as far as I know he is not even in the JGPs.

Rippon is a JGP alternate this year (due to his low placement at '06 Nationals). Rippon placed 6th in his first and only JGP in Croatia last season.

I talked with his coach. Who is a wonderful Russian lady who was just beaming with pride over Adam. I asked her if he will be in Spokane and she asked me: What is Spokane? Absolutely a delightful woman. When she realized it was the US Nats, she just beamed all the more and said YES, YES, YES.

Her name is Yelena Sergeeva, and Adam speaks very highly of her on his official site at: http://www.figureskatersonline.com/adamrippon/
I have been following Rippon's progress with interest ever since I first saw him compete as a juvenile level skater over 4 years ago at a small club competition in in my area -- his natural skating talent struck me right away! Rippon skated to a Andrea Bocelli-sounding romantic/lyrical song in the Sunday exhibition and included a camel to reverse camel spin, two flowy half loops, a nice Ina Bauer to a deep inside edge spread eagle, and a 3toe-3toe, among his many cool moves. He definitely received one of the biggest and loudest crowd responses afterwards, comparable to Lang/Tchernyshev's, I thought!

There was one gal who is American but represents Israel, I forget her name, and she did Sasha's Malaguena. Not bad, had the flexibility.

Tamar Katz is her name.

Junior Ladies FS & Final results -- top 3:
1. Tamar Katz 119.05 (3rd in FS)
2. Jane Ruan 112.73 (2nd in FS)
3. Hilary Ho 110.99 (1st in FS)

Thanks for sharing your impressions of Mid-Atlantics, Joe and Spun Silver.

 

[chuckm]

One thing I've never understood is that Tamar Katz is always on the JGP rosters, but then doesn't wind up competing. I think in the past 3 years, she's been listed over and over again, but actually competed just once. This season, she was on the preliminary rosters for Taipei and Czechoslovakia, but her name disappeared again.