Asada, Ando, Suzuki headline Japanese Olympic team

Mao Asada routed the ladies field at the Japanese Championships yesterday to clinch a spot on the Olympic team. Akiko Suzuki, also an Olympic newbie, and Miki Ando, who is making her second consecutive trip to the Games, join her.

Daisuke Takahashi continued his comeback season by winning the men's event, while Nobunari Oda and Takahiko Kozuka were second and third, respectively. All three will compete in Vancouver, as will the brother/sister ice dance team of Cathy and Chris Reed.

Asada's victory at Nationals helped turn around a sour season thus far. She was handily defeated by World champ Yu-Na Kim in Paris in October, and then fell to sixth at the Rostelecom Cup a week later. Though her triple Axel was downgraded in the short program this weekend, she hit a beautiful triple Axel/double toe loop combination in her free skate to take the title by more than 8 points overall. While her programs this season are still dreadful, Asada still has every ounce of talent it takes to be an Olympic champion.



Suzuki (shown above), only fourth after the short program, rallied to finish second in the free skate and overall. She landed seven solid triple jumps, with a minor, uncharacteristic trip being her only mistake. After battling back from anorexia at age 24, Suzuki appears to be the heavy emotional favorite heading into the Games. However, she is also shaping up to be a heavy medal contender, too. Already this season, Suzuki has defeated World silver medalist Joannie Rochette of Canada, the American trio of Rachael Flatt, Mirai Nagasu, and Ashley Wagner, and Italy's Carolina Kostner. With continued improvement, I have no doubt that Suzuki could be the darkhorse in Vancouver, with the potential to defeat teammates Asada and Ando, who have looked shaky at best so far this season. Ando, who clinched an Olympic spot by virtue of her silver-medal finish at the Grand Prix Final earlier this month, skated cautiously and conservatively here, finishing a distant fourth.

Perhaps the most unlucky skater once again is Yukari Nakano. Four years ago, she won bronze at the Grand Prix Final and defeated Ando at Nationals, yet she was still left off the team. Ando was sent to Torino where she finished 15th, while Nakano went to the World Championships a month later and was fifth. Even with a third place finish this year at Nationals, Nakano finds herself off the team once again because Ando was already guaranteed a spot as the highest Japanese GPF finisher. After being so successful in the 2.5 years following Torino, Nakano has been on somewhat of a downward slide since last year's Nationals, and her shaky performances on the Grand Prix series this year coupled with an underrotated triple Lutz in her long program yesterday means she'll be watching the action from home this February.

The Japanese ladies are arguably the deepest in the world, and any one of them could win an Olympic medal. The Olympic picture is rapidly developing with only 58 days until the ladies short program...

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Japanese Nationals results:
1. Mao Asada (204.62)
2. Akiko Suzuki (195.90)
3. Yukari Nakano (195.73)
4. Miki Ando (185.44)
5. Kanako Murakami (176.61)
6. Haruka Imai (166.16)
7. Fumie Suguri (161.29)

Asada prepares for final Olympic tune-up this week at Japanese Nationals

This hasn't exactly been a dream year for Japan's Mao Asada.

After winning the Japanese title last December, she was beaten by both Yu-Na Kim and Joannie Rochette at the Four Continents Championships, and placed a disappointing 4th at the World Championships.

Coming into this season, Asada seemed confident about her chances, but her performances at the Trophee Eric Bompard and Rostelecom Cup events in October were among the worst of her entire career. She could only muster up a 6th place finish in Russia, dashing any hope she had at making the Grand Prix Final in Tokyo earlier this month.

Skating fans on the Web and insiders around the world have been perplexed as to what her troubles are this season. Mao doesn't appear to be injured, nor is she completely unable to land her jumps (her practices at events this season have been stellar). Rather, the problem seems to lie with her competitive focus. Four years ago, Asada defeated World champ Irina Slutskaya at the Grand Prix Final, and though she was too young for the Torino Games in 2006, she established herself as the one to watch during this quadrennium.

Four years older, wiser, and with a World title under her belt, Asada's Olympic time has finally come, but will she be ready? The glare of the Japanese media spotlight is no doubt blinding at times, and the pressure for her and teammates Miki Ando, Yukari Nakano, Akiko Suzuki and Fumie Suguri has got to be immense. Will Mao follow in the footsteps of Midori Ito in 1992, a heavy favorite for Olympic gold yet burdened by the pressure of her home country?

I hope not, as Mao has so many wonderful qualities and is so capable of being a legitimate threat to Kim. However, her programs this season are nothing special, and they hide what makes Mao so great: her elegance, flow, speed, and clean lines.

It will be interesting to see whether she can rebound from a horrific season thus far and recapture some confidence this week at the Japanese Championships. Three Japanese women will make the trip to Vancouver, and while even a sub-par Asada is likely to go, she needs two solid performances here if she is to carry any momentum into the Games. World champion Kim has shown that she too is vulnerable this season, losing the free skate to Rachael Flatt at Skate America and the short program to Ando at the Grand Prix Final.

Mao Asada can be the 2010 Olympic champion, but not without drastic improvement. With uninspired, unartistic, and technically weak performances like she displayed on the Grand Prix Series, a medal of any color in Vancouver is likely out of the question.

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Predictions for the Japanese Nationals: (in no particular order): Ando, Suzuki, and Asada. Nakano was left off the team four years ago in a (controversial) decision, so it's heartbreaking to think that she could (and probably will) be left off the team once again in favor of Suzuki who has been having an incredible season, placing 3rd at the Grand Prix Final. Suguri, a two-time Olympian, should be a non-factor this year.

U.S. Nationals: The countdown is on

First of all, let me say sorry for not having posted in about three weeks! Between final projects, papers, exams and getting ready for graduation tomorrow, it's been a whirlwind!

Now, with nearly three weeks to go until the start of the 2010 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, skaters across the country are no doubt hard at work preparing. Being an Olympic year, this Nationals is undoubtedly the most important of the last quadrennium.

What are your thoughts, hopes, predictions, etc. for the event? What would be your dream Olympic team in all four disciplines? Leave a comment!

And don't forget -- I'll be blogging from Spokane (for the second weekend), so keep watching Minnesota Ice for practice reports, competition reports, photos, and other miscellaneous musings from the Olympic Trials!

'Tis the season for Grand Prix Final withdrawals

With the six regular season events all wrapped up, the Grand Prix Final is set to take place next weekend in Tokyo, Japan. The top six point-scorers in each discipline will compete, minus a few exceptions.

Americans Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto are out of the dance event after Tanith required emergency oral surgery this week. Though they have received a lot of flack for pulling out of the Final, I don't fault them at all. It can take up to a few weeks to recover from wisdom tooth surgery, and if they can't be at their absolute best, there is no reason why they should compete and risk a poor performance. Their scores this season rank them below Canadians Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, as well as U.S. champions Meryl Davis and Charlie White. Hopefully Belbin and Agosto will rework their programs and make sure their levels are up to par so they can compete with their two younger rivals.

Belbin and Agosto's replacements, Jana Khokhlova and Sergei Novitski, are also out of the Final, as she has come down with the flu. Canadians Vanessa Crone and Paul Porier, the second alternates, will compete in their place.

France's Brian Joubert is also out of the men's event after suffering a cut on his foot in training. He is replaced by Tomas Verner of the Czech Republic, the silver medalist from the Trophee Eric Bompard event earlier this fall.

Grand Prix Final Competitors:
Men: Nobunari Oda (JPN), Evan Lysacek (USA), Daisuke Takahashi (JPN), Jeremy Abbott (USA), Johnny Weir (USA), Tomas Verner (CZE)
Ladies: Yu-Na Kim (KOR), Miki Ando (JPN), Joannie Rochette (CAN), Alena Leonova (RUS), Ashley Wagner (USA), Akiko Suzuki (JPN)
Pairs: Shen/Zhao (CHN), Savchenko/Szolkowy (GER), Pang/Tong (CHN), Kavaguti/Smirnov (RUS), Mukhortova/Trankov (RUS), Zhang/Zhang (CHN)
Dance: Virtue/Moir (CAN), Davis/White (USA), Pechalat/Bourzat (FRA), Kerr/Kerr (GBR), Cappellini/Lanotte (ITA), Crone/Poirier (CAN)

Flatt stakes claim for an Olympic medal

Two very important things were learned at last weekend's Skate America competition in Lake Placid: 1) Rachael Flatt is looking more and more like an Olympic podium threat, and 2) Yu-Na Kim is not unbeatable -- er, sorta.

The two entered Sunday's free skate ranked first and second, with Kim holding a massive 18 point lead over her young American challenger. Though she still won the overall competition by a comfortable 13 points, Kim lost the final round to Flatt by nearly five points -- the first time she has defeated the World champion Kim in any segment of any event.

After falling on her triple flip-triple toe loop combination in the short program, Flatt rallied in her long program, nailing her opening double Axel straight out of a spiral and then going on to hit the triple/triple (of which she received full credit and a positive Grade of Execution) along with five other solid triple jumps. Her final footwork sequence showcased solid edges and an incredible amount of joy, bringing the audience to its feet. Her only real glitch occurred on her final combination spin, which she received no credit for because she re-centered the second part of the spin too far away from the first. Nonetheless, Flatt recorded a new personal best free skate score of 116.11 points, and an overall tally of 174.91, making her the third highest scoring lady in the world so far this season.

Kim had what was probably her worst free skate since the 2007 World championships. Her triple Lutz-triple toe loop combination was underrotated and she went down on the triple flip, a jump that also gave her problems at her first Grand Prix event in Paris. Kim's program to George Gershwin music also had a few other minor stumbles and lacked her trademark spark and attack. In a season where she has already set three new world records, her 111.70 free skate feels like a disappointment.

While Flatt will probably just miss out on qualifying for the Grand Prix Final, Kim will be there, hoping to avenge her poor skate in Lake Placid. This weekend's last Grand Prix event, Skate Canada, will officially determine the rest of the Finals fields. In the ladies event, Canadian Joannie Rochette will need to place in the top 2 to have a shot, and Japan's Akiko Suzuki needs to finish no worse than fourth to qualify. Americans Mirai Nagasu, Caroline Zhang and Alissa Czisny will also try to qualify, though it is unlikely that any will advance to the Final.

Lysacek, Flatt looking to rebound at Skate America

After less-than-perfect starts to the season, Americans Evan Lysacek and Rachael Flatt look to rebound this weekend at Skate America, the fifth stop on the 2009-10 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series.

Lysacek is coming off a silver medal finish at the Cup of China two weeks ago, where he lost to Japan's Nobunari Oda by just over 7 points. While he still scored a respectable 232.17 points there, he also had two jumps downgraded. Nonetheless, the gold medal is his to lose this weekend in Lake Placid, as his main competition will come from the Czech Republic's Tomas Verner, the silver medalist from the Trophee Eric Bompard event a month ago. Lysacek has said that he will not be putting the quad in either of his programs here, instead opting to save it for the U.S. National championships and the Olympic Games later this season.

Flatt also began her season two weeks ago at the Cup of China, though she was only able to manage a disappointing 4th place. A podium finish there was definitely the expectation, and now her chance to make the Grand Prix Final is all but gone (she would need two win this competition to qualify for the Final, which is virtually impossible with World champ Yu-Na Kim in the field). Still, Flatt definitely gets better as the season progresses, and with more time to train her programs and feedback from the judges in China, she is the clear silver-medal favorite.

Other contenders in the men's event include fellow Americans Brandon Mroz and Ryan Bradley, while the United States' Alexe Gilles will battle for bronze with a slew of international competitors like Fumie Suguri, Susanna Poykio and Elene Gedevanishvili.

In pairs, look for China's Xue Shen and Hongbo Zhao to claim gold like they did in China two weeks ago, with teammates Dan Zhang and Hao Zhang the front runners for second place. Americans Keauna McLaughlin and Rockne Brubaker, coming off a bronze medal at the Cup of Russia, will have to contend with both Tatiana Volosozhar and Stanislav Morozov, and Meagan Duhamel and Craig Buntin for the third spot on the podium.

Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto should easily win their second Grand Prix title of the season, and I predict that Russia's Jana Khokhlova and Sergei Novitski will take second, with Italy's Anna Cappellini and Luca Lanotte winning bronze. Reigning World Junior champs Madison Chock and Greg Zuerlein out of Canton, Mich., have a great shot at a top-five finish here after placing 8th at their senior international debut at the Cup of China.

Injured Cohen out of this week's Skate America

Sasha Cohen withdrew from Skate America today, citing a nagging case of tendinitis in her right calf. The 2006 Olympic silver medalist also withdrew from her first planned Grand Prix event - Trophee Eric Bompard - a month ago, meaning that her first event of the season will be the U.S. Nationals in January. This certainly doesn't bode well for her hopes of making a third Olympic team.

While there's no doubt that a five-triple jump Cohen could be competitive with many of the top ladies today, she needed to test her programs in front of an international panel of judges and in front of an audience. After a three-year hiatus from competitive skating, it was crucial that she get back into a competitive mindset, and her two fall events would have given her the perfect opportunity to do that. Now, should she show up at Nationals, Cohen will be competing against the top U.S. ladies for only two Olympic spots - ladies that have been gaining mileage on their programs this season, feedback from judges, and confidence in their ability to perform them well. I know injuries happen, but Cohen should have started her comeback earlier than this past June if she hopes to make a return trip to the Games.

Even if she shows up in Spokane and wins a medal, there's certainly no guarantee that she would be granted a spot on the team. This year, U.S. Figure Skating will not choose the Olympic team based solely on the results of Nationals (not even the gold medalist is guaranteed a spot). Instead, the team will be chosen based upon the results of a number of events: the Grand Prix series, the Grand Prix Final (should any qualify), and at last year's World championships. Based upon this criteria, Ashley Wagner currently looks to be one of the front-runners for the team, as she has medaled in both of her Grand Prix events and has an excellent chance at making the Final in Tokyo in December. Rachael Flatt, although not stellar at the Cup of China, looks poised to make the team as well, thanks to her consistency and a solid fifth-place finish at her first-ever Worlds last March.

Flatt competes again at Skate America this weekend, where her main competition will come from Korea's Yu-Na Kim. A silver-medal finish in Lake Placid, NY, will further increase her chances of making the team, though she, and the rest of the American women, will still need to deliver at Nationals.

As for Cohen, her comeback just got more complicated, though not entirely impossible. After all, she does have the most experience of any of the currently competing U.S. ladies and she is the only one with Olympic experience. On the other hand, she has never been one to handle pressure well, and if she's still struggling with injury come January, the chances that she'll be on top of her game are slim.

I can't think of a year when the ladies event was more unpredictable than it is this year...

Joubert first after exciting men's short program; Wagner wins round one in Nagano

Talk about two extremely different events.

Frenchman Brian Joubert rebounded from a disastrous outing in Paris three weeks ago to win the men's short program at the NHK Trophy in Nagano, Japan. His score of 85.35 is the top men's score this season, a score he achieved largely due to the strength of his quadruple toe-loop/triple toe-loop combination. He currently sits 2.35 points ahead of American Jeremy Abbott, who beat his personal best short program score by nearly five points. Abbott's innovative program to an electric guitar cover of the Beatles' "A Day in the Life" is absolutely amazing, and there is no way his Program Component Scores should have been third-best behind Joubert and Japan's Daisuke Takahashi, who had a rough landing on his solo triple Lutz and a hard fall in his circular footwork sequence.

Three-time U.S. champion Johnny Weir is third after the short, landing all four of his planned triple jumps and earning a new season's best score of 78.35. Takahashi, the 2007 World silver medalist is close behind with 78.18 points, while teammate Takahiko Kozuka, who won silver two weeks ago in Russia, is fifth with 74.05 points. American Adam Rippon - who turns 20 next week - took a spill on a triple Axel and is currently 8th, some 11.20 points out of medal contention.

With a combined seven World championship medals among them and numerous Grand Prix titles, the men's event seemed more like a final flight at the World championships than only the fourth event of the season. It was an entirely different story for the ladies, however.

American teen Ashley Wagner nabbed the top spot after the short program, defeating 2007 World champion and current World bronze medalist Miki Ando. While Wagner wasn't completely clean (her double Axel was severely underrotated), her skate was still enough to earn a season's best score and beat out Ando, who took a spill on her triple flip and quite possibly underrotated her triple Lutz also. Yukari Nakano is third after bailing out of her triple Lutz and not completing the combination. Reigning European champion Laura Lepisto of Finland is fourth, and Russia's Alena Leonova rounds out the top five with 52.34 points after falling on her triple Lutz (a fall that was timed perfectly to the music, though).

The event was so lackluster that not one of the ladies in the field even managed to break 30 points for her Technical Elements Score. I know the Olympics are still three months away, but it is already November and still not one skater from any country has proven that she is able to compete with Korea's Yu-Na Kim. I know injuries happen and "the ice is slippery," but it is nearly impossible to predict who will medal come February.

Japan's Akiko Suzuki won the Cup of China last week with two nearly perfect programs, but she has never even been to a World Championship before. Will she be able to handle the pressure of the Olympics if she makes the team? Mao Asada has had a horrific fall season, but will she be regrouped and ready by the time the Japanese Nationals come around at the end of December? Could she be left off the Olympic team if she continues to skate poorly?

The North American outlook isn't very clear, either. Canada's Joannie Rochette won a World silver medal last season, but her performances in China last week were far from world-class. Was it just jetlag or is she already feeling the pressure this season? If that's the case, how will she be able to handle the pressure of competing at home in Vancouver? The American ladies picture is still cloudy as ever, with Rachael Flatt, Mirai Nagasu, Caroline Zhang and Alissa Czisny all underperforming so far this season. Could Wagner be the strongest candidate for the team? And lets not even discuss the European ladies, none of which look remotely close to Olympic caliber yet, either.

There's so many questions yet to be answered. The rest of the Grand Prix season will be incredibly interesting, all leading up to what may be the most unpredictable Olympic Games ever. Stay tuned!

Shen, Zhao hit comeback trail at Cup of China

Finally, a comeback worth getting excited about.

Three-time World pairs champions and two-time Olympic bronze medalists Xue Shen and Hongbo Zhao of China will skate for the first time in 2.5 years tomorrow at the Cup of China, the third stop on the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating series.

The sentimental favorites of so many in the skating community, Shen and Zhao are looking very strong for so early in the season. In a practice clip from Chinese TV, the pair landed beautiful side-by-side triple toe loops, a soaring triple twist and huge throw triple jumps.

The duo dominated the years leading up to Torino, winning two World titles and nearly every Grand Prix event in which they entered. Before the 2006 Games, however, Zhao suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon. Surgery and rehab followed, but their participation in the Games was in severe jeopardy. In they end, they rallied back from a fifth place finish in the short program there to take the bronze overall, a medal they also won four years prior in Salt Lake City.

The team went undefeated in the 2006-07 season, capping it off with a third World championship and a marriage proposal. They toured with Stars on Ice and performed in numerous shows, but their "unfinished business" with the Olympics has clearly led them back for another shot at the gold medal--and the chance to go out on their own terms.

Though the German team of Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy have won the past two World championships, the Olympic gold medal is far from theirs yet. This is figure skating, after all, and anything can happen. If Shen and Zhao can remain healthy throughout the season, I see no reason why they can't be the top team in Vancouver. The top Russian, Canadian and American teams are either inconsistent, relatively new to the international scene, or both. The other two Chinese pairs lack the finesse and experience of Shen and Zhao. I repeat: anything is possible, especially at the Olympics.

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The Cup of China will also feature the season debuts of World champion Evan Lysacek and four-time World medalists Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto. Japan's Nobunari Oda could provide some stiff competition for Lysacek, but look for Joannie Rochette of Canada to take gold in the ladies event, with Americans Rachael Flatt and Mirai Nagasu battling it out for the remaining podium spots with Japan's Akiko Suzuki and Italy's Carolina Kostner.

Wagner surprises with silver medal finish

American skater Ashley Wagner made a huge statement Saturday at the Rostelecom Cup: she's still in the game.

Wagner, the 2008 U.S. bronze medalist and fourth place finisher from last year dazzled in her free skate at the second Grand Prix event of the season, electrifying the crowd and coming from behind to defeat 2008 World champion Mao Asada and reigning U.S. champion Alissa Czisny.

Her free skate, set to music from Borodulin's "Prince Igor," contained superb spins, solid spirals and an arsenal of strong jumps. Wagner landed three double Axels in her program, and was credited with four clean triple jumps (although her triple Lutz was assigned a wrong-edge deduction and received a Grade of Execution of -2). Despite all this, she earned a personal best 108.81 points for her program, and rebounded from a fifth place short program to take second overall. Japanese skater and 2007 World champion Miki Ando won the event, while her countrywoman Asada continued her downward slide and only managed a fifth place finish overall. Her chances of making the Grand Prix Final in Tokyo in December are now very much in jeopardy.

While Wagner shone, Czisny fizzled in a disappointing free skate in which she was only credited with three clean triple jumps and fell on a downgraded triple flip. She dropped from second to fourth place overall.

The U.S. ladies field is so wildly unpredictable right now with, realistically, six ladies fighting for only two Olympic berths. Though Rachael Flatt and Mirai Nagasu have yet to compete this season (they will be at this week's Cup of China), Wagner has set the early standard. Her total score of 163.97 from Moscow is the fifth-highest ladies score of the season, though skaters like Flatt and Nagasu could certainly match and surpass it. With the Olympic team being chosen on the results of many competitions throughout the year, there's more pressure than ever on the U.S. ladies to be near flawless at each outing.

Plushenko's bid for second Olympic title begins in Moscow this weekend

After a three year hiatus from eligible competition, 2006 Olympic champion Evgeni Plushenko of Russia is back this season hoping for a repeat victory come February.

The three-time World champion Plushenko was nearly unbeatable during the 2002-2006 quadrennium, losing only twice (once to France's Brian Joubert and once to Emmanuel Sandhu of Canada). Unfortunately for him, the competition isn't as easy this time around.

Since his absence, numerous men have staked their claim in the figure skating world, and the field is so deep now, it's hard to predict exactly just where he fits in. The top two men at last year's Worlds -- American Evan Lysacek and Canadian Patrick Chan -- have proven that you don't need a quadruple jump to win big anymore. Instead of relying on that one jump, today's group of male skaters seem to be focusing on refining the "overall package:" clean and consistent triple/triple combinations, high level spins and footwork sequences, and more difficult transitions to boost their Program Component Scores (PCS). While Plushenko's success rate with the quad is certainly the highest of the men that will be competing in Vancouver, his spins and choreography leave much to be desired.

While he has the potential to outclass the field jump-wise, Plushenko must pay attention to the other aspects of his skating if he hopes to be victorious at the Games. Skating has evolved quite a bit even in the past three years, and he cannot rest on his laurels and hope to win on his skating skills alone. His PCS were astronomically high in Torino in 2006, but there won't be that big of a gap between him and his competitors this time around. Skaters like Lysacek, Chan, Johnny Weir, Daisuke Takahashi, Nobunari Oda and '06 Olympic runner-up Stephane Lambiel will provide some incredibly tough competition.

I've never been Plushenko's biggest fan, but I do respect him as an athlete and competitor. It will be very interesting to see what happens this weekend in Moscow when he competes at the Rostelecom Cup, where his only other threats seem to be Weir and Japanese skater Takahiko Kozuka. A win in this field is certainly attainable, but a second Olympic win this winter will prove to be much more elusive if he enters the Games with the same mindset and types of programs he did four years ago.

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In other Rostelecom Cup news, Miki Ando reportedly had a great practice today, while Mao Asada struggled on the triple Axel, only achieving about a 50 percent success rate. Whether it's fatigue (this is her third competition this month) or the pressure of the Olympic season catching up with her, it will be interesting to see if she can improve upon her performances last week at the Trophee Eric Bompard, where she was defeated by rival Yu-Na Kim by more than 36 points.

Kim sets new world record; Canada, Japan, Russia also golden in Paris

Yu-Na Kim just keeps rolling.

The 19-year old phenom from South Korea set a new world record Saturday at the Trophee Eric Bompard in Paris, the first Grand Prix event of the season. Her overall score of 210.03 demolished the rest of the ladies, and put her ahead of rival Mao Asada by more than 36 points.

After a 76.08 point short program, Kim probably could have skated around the rink doing cross-overs and single jumps and still won the gold medal. Instead, she landed five clean triple jumps with ease, including a difficult triple Lutz-triple toe loop combination as well as a double Axel-triple toe loop combination. Her only mistake came on a planned triple flip; heading into it, she said something didn't feel right. Rather than risk a fall and disrupt the flow of the program, Kim simply skated right through the element, which makes her world record scores even more impressive.

Asada, the pride of Japan, finished a distant second after an up-and-down free skate. She nailed her opening triple Axel combination after botching it in the short program, but then underrotated other jumps and fell on a double Axel at the end of her program. On top of that, her program is uninspiring. The music and choreography are far too heavy for this exuberant skater, and all of the joy seems gone from her skating. Whether this is her coach Tatiana Tarasova's "influence" or not, something isn't right. One can only hope the Japanese Skating Federation will step in and demand either a coaching change or some music changes before Vancouver.

Another Japanese skater, Yukari Nakano, was third, with Americans Caroline Zhang and Alexe Gilles in fourth and fifth, respectively. Zhang is still recovering from a knee injury this summer, and it was evident in her performances here. The good news for her is that her second event is five weeks away -- plenty of time for her to regroup and train hard. For Gilles, a top-five finish in her senior Grand Prix debut is nothing to sneeze at, and she'll look to build upon this momentum a month from now at Skate America.

In ice dancing, Canadians Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir took gold, as expected. Their stirring free dance to music by Gustav Mahler features intricate and inventive lifts, including one where Virtue "jumps" off of her partner's leg into a full turn and then lands on the ice next to him. With reigning World champions Oksana Domnina and Maxim Shabalin out right now due to injury, teams like Virtue/Moir and the American teams of Meryl Davis/Charlie White and Tanith Belbin/Ben Agosto have got to be dreaming big of the top prize in Vancouver. The world of ice dance is so unpredictable and deep right now, that it may very well be the most exciting discipline of the season.

In the men's event, Japan's Nobunari Oda was flawless in his "Charlie Chaplin" program. Even though he has yet to medal at the World Championships, Oda will be a serious threat to the Olympic podium come February, with or without a quadruple jump. Tomas Verner took silver here, and American Adam Rippon won his first Grand Prix medal by taking the bronze. Perhaps the most shocking story of the men's event was Brian Joubert's disappointing fourth place finish on home ice. Joubert looked lethargic and slow, and his jumps didn't have the ease and fluidity that they normally do. Although it's early in the season, Joubert must improve drastically for his second event if he has any hopes of making the Grand Prix Final and building momentum towards the Olympics.

Finally, in pairs, Russians Maria Mukhortova and Maxim Trankov were the surprise winners over two-time and reigning World champs Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy of Germany who placed third. Canadians Jessica Dube and Bryce Davison were second, while American's Rena Inoue and John Baldwin used their trademark throw triple Axel to vault them from fifth to fourth in the standings.

The Grand Prix series continues this coming week in Moscow at the Rostelecom Cup. 2006 Olympic champion Evgeni Plushenko makes his return to competition here, while Asada will face off against her main Japanese rival, 2007 World champion Miki Ando. The United States will be represented well by Davis/White in ice dance, Keauna McLaughlin and Rockne Brubaker in pairs, Alissa Czisny and Ashley Wagner in the ladies event, and three-time U.S. champion Johnny Weir in men's.

Yu-Na Kim's stunning new long program

World champion Yu-Na Kim of Korea skated her new long program - set to George Gershwin music - during a practice session in Paris today at the Trophee Eric Bompard, the first stop on the 2009-10 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating series.

Kim sailed through six beautiful triple jumps. She has added a new triple/triple combination to her repertoire (3Lutz/3toe), and the steps and choreography into her triple Salchow are excellent as well. Additionally, her stretch, lines and body positions all look much improved.



The 10 ladies in competition in Paris will skate their short programs tomorrow, with the free skate final on Saturday. Keep checking Minnesota Ice for competition updates and recaps.

Cohen's absence doesn't dampen excitement in Grand Prix opener

Sasha Cohen's withdrawal from Trophee Eric Bompard - the Grand Prix series opener - didn't come as much of a shock to those in the skating community.

Cohen, the 2006 Olympic silver medalist, had her comeback bid interrupted last Thursday when she announced that she would be withdrawing from the event due to tendinitis in her calf. Although this is bad news in her attempt to make a third consecutive Olympic team, the ladies field in Paris this week is still the deepest of all the Grand Prix events.

In her first competition of the season, reigning World champion Yu-Na Kim of Korea looks to capture her eighth Grand Prix gold medal. Armed with a new triple-triple combination (Lutz-toe loop), Kim is the overwhelming favorite here, though the competition will be nipping at her heels.

2008 World champ Mao Asada will be battling it out with her arch-rival Kim for the top spot. Asada, the 19-year old Japanese phenom, appears to have plateaued or even regressed since her '08 Worlds win. At the recent Japan Open invitational, Asada was only credited with three clean triple jumps, and her trademark triple Axel was downgraded and awarded a Grade of Execution of -2.24. She finished third among the ladies competing there, far behind Canada's Joannie Rochette and nearly 8-points off of Laura Lepisto of Finland. With the plethora of top ladies competing in Paris, Asada cannot rely solely upon her Program Component Scores to carry her to the podium.

Among the other competitors are Italy's Carolina Kostner, a two-time World medalist, and Japan's Yukari Nakano. Kostner changed coaches in the off-season, and is now under the tutelage of iconic American coach Frank Carroll in Los Angeles (Carroll also coaches Americans Evan Lysacek and Mirai Nagasu). In an Italian TV news clip that recently surfaced, Kostner's jumps look more secure and solid, marking her as a legitimate threat to Kim and Asada.

The United States women will be represented by Caroline Zhang and Alexe Gilles. Zhang, the reigning U.S. bronze medalist, is recovering from a summer knee injury, but should be much improved over her form at the Golden West Championships in early September. Known for her consistency, Zhang could very well find herself in medal contention, though she may have to rely on out-scoring the rest of the field on spins and hoping for mistakes from the other ladies.

In the other disciplines in Paris...Brian Joubert will face off against Japan's Nobunari Oda, with American Adam Rippon looking to break through for his first Grand Prix medal. Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir of Canada will likely be golden in ice dance, and two-time World pairs champions Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy of Germany will look to top Russian's Maria Mukhortova and Maxim Trankov, Canadians Jessica Dube and Bryce Davison, and Americans Rena Inoue and John Baldwin.

Meissner's season over before it began

Kimmie Meissner announced Thursday that she has withdrawn from her two Grand Prix events due to a nagging knee injury sustained during a practice this summer.

The announcement comes as a bit of a shock, as the Meissner-camp has been relatively quiet this summer. A video from June showed the vast improvements she had made in her artistry and presentation, and she looked to be on the right track for the season. However, pain in her knee forced her to skip two summer competitions - the Liberty Open and Skate Detroit - and, though she is able to perform triple jumps, she said she doesn't feel comfortable enough with the flip or Lutz yet.

"For the United States to be represented properly, especially during an Olympic year, I feel I must put my personal desire to compete aside," Meissner said.

Because Meissner won't be competing at the Rostelecom Cup in Russia or the NHK Trophy in Japan, her season is effectively over. She skipped last year's Nationals due to injury, therefore not receiving a bye to this year's event by placing in the top 5. Her assignment in Japan gave her a bye through the Eastern Sectional Championships, and US Figure Skating granted her a bye through the South Atlantic Regional Championships (taking place now) as well because of the extensive travel time involved between her Grand Prix events.

That bye, however, was contingent upon her competing in those events. This means that Meissner will not be able to skate at the Nationals in Spokane, and a possible berth on what would be her second Olympic team is not possible anymore either.

She was quick to tell followers on her Twitter page that she is definitely not retiring, and plans to come back next season. In the meantime, Meissner is scheduled to perform on the "Stars on Ice" tour this winter.

Meissner is the 2006 World champion and the 2007 US National and Four Continents champion. Additionally, she is the 2007 Skate America champion and finished 6th at the 2006 Olympics in Torino, Italy. Meissner is only the second US lady ever to have landed a triple Axel in competition.

As my sentimental favorite, I wish Kimmie a speedy recovery and look forward to seeing her represent the US again in the near future!

American skating's bright new star

In what was her first-ever international competition, 14-year old Kiri Baga stole the show and walked away with the gold medal at the Junior Grand Prix of Dresden, Germany, this weekend.

Baga, the reigning novice National champion out of Bloomington, Minn., shook off the pressure of her JGP debut and performed brilliantly, landing a triple flip for the first time in her short program to amass a total segment score of 56.27, the highest junior ladies' short program score so far this season.

Her second-place 88.41 point free skate gave her a total competition score of 144.68, clinching the gold medal and making her the fourth-highest scoring junior lady on the circuit this season. She bested teammate Angela Maxwell by more than 8 points, though Maxwell was dealing with boot issues and had to resort to using duct tape to give her the strength to sustain her jump landings.

Nonetheless, Baga's victory marks her as a legitimate threat for a spot at the Junior Grand Prix Final in December. She has been assigned a second JGP event in Turkey, and a top four finish there should guarantee her a ticket to the Final. Additionally, a junior National title is well within her reach come January, although the compeition will be fierce (in Spokane, she'll likely face Agnes Zawadzki, Haley Dunne, and Mary Beth Marley, among others).

Aside from her high-scoring spins, spirals and solid jumps, the judges in Dresden apparently liked what they saw from Baga, as they awarded her the highest Program Component Scores in the short program (21.99) and the second-highest in the free skate (45.77). In skating, great basics is a good thing to have, and when the harder triples (loop, Lutz) become consistent for her, Baga will be a threat at the senior level. Her stretch, speed, edging, attack and musicality is truly something to be admired.

Notes from Nebelhorn & Musings from Minsk

The Nebelhorn Trophy wrapped up Saturday in Oberstdorf, Germany, and the Olympic field is set -- sort of.

Earning the remaining spots were:
Men: Switzerland, Austria, Germany, North Korea, Romania, Finland
Ladies: China, Hungary, Slovenia, Austria, Spain, Belgium
Pairs: Switzerland, Poland, Estonia, Italy
Ice Dance: China, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary

Although it is still unknown as to which skaters will be representing these countries (along with the countries who qualified spots at the World Championships in March), the Olympic picture is slowly developing. One skater who will most likely be there is 2006 Olympic silver medalist Stephane Lambiel of Switzerland. Lambiel buried the competition here in Oberstdorf, and now only has to pass the requirements of the Swiss Olympic Committee (which he will surely do) in order to skate in Vancouver.

On the ladies' side, American Alissa Czisny won her second straight Nebelhorn title, but only on the strength of her short program. She was only credited with two clean triples in her free skate in what was a messy and error-prone event overall. China's Yan Liu won the free skate and placed third overall to qualify a spot for her country in Vancouver, while Hungary's Julia Sebestyen placed fourth but still earned a berth to her fourth consecutive Olympic Games.

In ice dancing, United States champions Meryl Davis and Charlie White performed their "Phantom of the Opera" free dance for the first time internationally this season, and accumulated over 100 points for it. Their total competition score of 200.46 points was more than 30 points higher than the second place finishers, Alexandra Zaretski and Roman Zaretski of Israel. Davis and White's total score at Nebelhorn was .10 points higher than what they received at the World Championshps last March, but would have been enough to earn them the bronze medal at that event. Clearly, they are already on the right track this season.

Over in Minsk, Belarus, the fourth Junior Grand Prix event of the season wrapped up. Russia's Polina Shelepen delivered another solid free skate to win her second JGP event of the season. Japan's Yuki Nishino was second, and Ksenia Makarova of Russia was third. Kristiene Gong was the top U.S. lady, finishing 4th.

In the men's event, Minnesota-native Eliot Halverson was the top American finisher, placing 5th. Russia's Artur Gachinski and China's Nan Song were in a class of their own, each finishing with over 178 points and winning gold and silver, respectively.

China went 1-2 in the pairs event, with Canadians Hole/Johnson winning the bronze medal after taking gold in Lake Placid last earlier this season. Rachel Tibbetts and Collin Brubaker won the silver medal in ice dancing - their first-ever JGP medal - behind Russians Ksenia Monko and Kirill Khaliavin.

Shelepen has mathematically qualified for the Junior Grand Prix Final, and it appears as though Makarova will qualify as well. Hole/Johnson have also qualified in the pairs event.

The Junior Grand Prix series continues this week in Dresden, Germany. Angela Maxwell (United States) and Isabelle Olsson (Sweden) are both medal winners already this season, and both will be in contention in Germany. Minnesota-native Kiri Baga makes her international debut, and with her strong spins, spirals and jumps, could definitely factor in for a medal.

Mid-competition thoughts from the Nebelhorn Trophy and the JGP - Belarus

The skating season has *officially* begun.

Senior-level skaters from across the globe have gathered in Oberstdorf, Germany, for the Nebelhorn Trophy, a.ka., the Olympic qualifying event. For nations that have already qualified spots for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, the competition serves as a tune-up event for their skaters, allowing them the chance to get their programs in front of an international panel of judges early in the season (i.e., the American skaters competing here are simply competing for the experience, although they are not necessarily the skaters who will be representing the U.S. in Vancouver). For skaters from other countries, however, the event has a much more significant meaning.

Up for grabs are four Olympic spots in pairs, six in the mens and ladies events, and five in ice dancing. One skater hoping to nab a berth is Stephane Lambiel of Switzerland, the 2006 Olympic silver medalist and a two-time World champion. Back for another season, Lambiel currently has the lead after the short program with 77.45 points. The Czech Republic's Michal Brezina sits in second place (73.23) and American Ryan Bradley nabbed the third spot (68.18) after landing a quad toe loop-triple toe loop combination but falling on his circular step sequence.

In pairs, two-time and reigning World champs Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy accumulated 72.80 points for their short program, and have a commanding 13-point lead over the second place team of Volosozhar/Morozov (Ukraine). 2007 American champions Brooke Castile and Ben Okolski sit fourth with 51.70 points.

The United States' Meryl Davis and Charlie White displayed their consistency once again, winning both the compulsory (37.62) and original dances (62.08) in Oberstdorf. Apparently their original dance to Indian "Bollywood" music is full of difficult and unique choreography, and was well-received by the audience. I, for one, can't wait to see it! They will take a huge total of 99.70 points into the final segment - the free dance - on Saturday.

The other big skating event going on this week is the Junior Grand Prix in Minsk, Belarus. After today's competition, the results are as follows:

Ice Dance (Compulsory Dance):
1. Monko/Khaliavin, RUS, 33.74
2. Routhier/Saucke-Lacelle, CAN, 31.91
3. Agafonova/Dun, UKR, 30.22
4. Tibbetts/Brubaker, USA, 30.16

Ladies (Short Program):
1. Polina Shelepen, RUS, 49.65
2. Ksenia Makarova, RUS, 49.08
3. Kristiene Gong, USA, 47.42
4. Jasmine Alexandra Costa, EST, 46.93

Pairs (Short Program):
1. Sui/Han, CHN, 50.67
2. Stolbova/Klimov, RUS, 49.52
3. Zhang/Wang, CHN, 49.33
4. Cheng/Gao, CHN, 46.47

The men's short program is tomorrow, along with the original dance and the ladies free skate. Look for the ladies final result to be the same (Shelepen/Makarova/Gong), but I wouldn't be surprised if there was a lot of movement in pairs. Canadians Kaleigh Hole and Adam Johnson (gold medalists at the JGP Lake Placid) are currently 7th but most definitely within striking distance (only about four points out of third).

Thoughts from the Junior Grand Prix - Poland

Because only a few videos have shown up of the competition at the Junior Grand Prix - Poland last week, there isn't much to write about. Instead, I've come up with five conclusions from the event:

1. Kanako Murakami is Japan's next female skating star. I think she could very well find herself on the 2011 World Championships team for Japan, especially if skaters like Miki Ando, Yukari Nakano and Fumie Suguri retire after this season (although she could still very well make the team even if she was in contention with them).

2. Keegan Messing of the United States is one tough guy. He suffered a deep cut to his hamstring after colliding with U.S. teammate Austin Kanallakan during a practice in Poland, an injury that forced him to walk around the arena on crutches. After an 11th place short program, Messing was 3rd in the free skate and wound up 6th overall.

3. Barring injuries, the fight for gold at the Junior Grand Prix Final and the Junior World Championships appears to be between Russian ice dancers Elena Ilinykh and Nikita Katsalapov and Americans Maia Shibutani and Alex Shibutani. The "Shib sibs" have the highest junior ice dance total so far this season (a 175.95 from the JGP - Lake Placid), but Ilinykh/Katsalapov are close behind after a 171.61 point effort in Poland.

4. It looks like Christina Gao could make a huge splash at the U.S. Championships in January. After solid summer competitions, Gao won the bronze medal in Poland in her international debut. Gao has all the requirements necessary to be a great champion, and though it would be a stretch for her to make this year's Olympic team, she seems to be building nicely towards the Games in Sochi, Russia, in 2014.

5. Japan has another dominant man in Yuzuru Hanyu. He demolished the men's field here, winning by more than 27 points. Like Murakami in the ladies event, Hanyu is a legitimate contender for a World team berth in 2011. His score in Poland makes him the top junior man on the JGP circuit so far this season, and an early favorite for the JGP Final title in December.

Full results from the Junior Grand Prix - Poland can be found here.

Flatt shines with new short

Rachael Flatt isn't resting on her laurels this Olympic season.

The 17-year old star from Colorado Springs, Colo., knows that it will take a consistent season and two fantastic programs to get to Vancouver in February, which is why she has once again enlisted the help of choreographer Lori Nichol. The result? A fantastic new short program to "Sing, Sing, Sing!" that has already proven to be a crowd pleaser.

Flatt has climbed the national and international skating ranks by displaying awe-inspiring consistency, secure jumps and the ability to thrive under pressure. At times, her skating has lacked any real audience connection -- that extra "spark" -- that past great American female figure skaters have been known for. To boost her Program Component Scores, Flatt and Nichol spent hours searching through music and crafting well thought out programs. Additionally, Flatt is being mentored by 1976 Olympic champion Dorothy Hamill, and the improvement in her skating is quite noticeable.

Flatt performed her new programs at the Golden West Championships last weekend in Culver City, Calif. While her new free skate to "Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini" understandably needs more time to "gel" (it is only September, after all), her short program is already world-class.



Her jumps are solid as ever, but for the first time in a long, long time, Rachael truly "comes alive" on the ice. From the opening beats she perfectly captures the jazzy feeling of the big-band music and carries that theme throughout the entire program. Her final footwork sequence is the best I have seen so far this season, and could very well bring down the house at the U.S. Championships if she skates with the same verve and attack that she showed here.

While her spins and posture could still use a bit more refinement, Flatt is definitely on the right track this season. If she continues to train smart, keep her cool and remain healthy, she should easily maintain her status as an Olympic team favorite.

U.S. golden in singles, ice dance in second JGP event

After a slow opening to the series last week in Budapest, Hungary, a stronger American team rebounded at the Junior Grand Prix - Lake Placid this weekend.

Reigning U.S. junior champion Ross Miner won gold in his first Junior Grand Prix event by executing flawless triple Axels in his short and long programs. Though he made minor mistakes in both programs, his total competition score of 179.95 was more than enough to secure first place for him. He finished over 11 points higher than silver medalist Kento Nakamura of Japan. A relative unknown going in, Nakamura surprised many with effortless triple Axels and fantastic style and presentation. His overall score of 168.03 crushed his previous personal best by more than 40 points, and both Miner and Nakamura appear to be among the favorites to make the Junior Grand Prix Final in December.

There were no surprises in the ice dance event, as the brother/sister duo of Maia Shibutani and Alex Shibutani easily skated off with the gold medal. Their margin of victory? An astonishing 21.53 points over Canadian silver medalists Kharis Ralph and Asher Hill. The Shibutani's recorded personal best scores in all three phases of the competition in Lake Placid, and their Japanese folk dance (original dance) and tango free dance are the perfect vehicles to show off their maturity and technical prowess. Their total score of 175.95 would have placed them 10th at the senior World Championships last season.

The other two American teams in the event, Lauri Bonacorsi and Travis Mager, and Rachel Tibbetts and Collin Brubaker finished 3rd and 7th, respectively. For Bonacorsi and Mager, a bronze medal in their first JGP event sets them up as legitimate contenders for a Junior Grand Prix Final berth, as well as a junior National medal come January.

The story of the ladies event was without a doubt Kristine Musademba. In her third season of JGP competition, Musademba has acquired a newfound grace and maturity. Her "Claire de Lune" short program was a 54.48 point personal best for her, and put her nearly six points ahead of the rest of the field. A solid free skate to Saint-Saen's "Africa: Fantasy for Piano and Orchestra" was marred only by a fall on her second triple Salchow attempt. However, five completed triple jumps and level 3 and 4 footwork and spins contributed to her 92.91 point free skate (Technical Elements: 49.15, Program Components: 44.76). Musademba's overall score of 147.39 points was more than 10 points higher than silver medalist Ksenia Makarova of Russia, and marks her as a favorite for the JGP Final title and a top 6 finish at the U.S. Championships in Spokane in January.

The other American women in the event didn't fare as well. Taylor Firth finished third in the short program but dropped to eighth in the free skate en route to a 5th place finish overall. Junior National champion DeeDee Leng ended the event in 7th place, and a second Junior Grand Prix assignment for both girls now seems unlikely.

The Lake Placid JGP was home to the first pairs competition of the series. Canadians Kaleigh Hole and Adam Johnson took first in both the short and long programs by displaying secure throw triple and side-by-side triple jumps. Russia's Ksenia Stolbova and Fedor Klimov hung on to the silver medal despite a fifth-place free skate, while Japan's Narumi Takahashi and Mervin Tran fought back after a fifth-place short program to capture the bronze medal overall. Britney Simpson and Nathan Miller of the U.S. recorded the third best free skate but had to settle for 4th place overall. Still, they received some of the top Program Component Scores in both programs and could still make the JGP Final if they medal in their second event.

The Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating series moves to Torun, Poland next week. American Christina Gao is among the top ladies competing there, but she will face tough competition from Japan's Kanako Murakami and Russia's Polina Agafonova. Minnesota-native Kate Charbonneau, the 2009 Canadian junior champion, will represent that country in her Junior Grand Prix debut.

A Preview of the Junior Grand Prix - Lake Placid

After the series-opening event last weekend in Budapest, Hungary, the Junior Grand Prix continues this week in Lake Placid, New York. A strong American team looks poised to contend for gold, silver and bronze, and try to qualify for the Junior Grand Prix Final in December.

Men
Ross Miner (USA):
The 2009 U.S. junior National champion will make his JGP debut in Lake Placid. Coming off a solid 10th place finish at the Junior World Championships last March, Miner is the highest-ranked men's competitor at this event, and should easily grab the title. Armed with a triple Axel, look for him to win both the Techinical Elements Scores and Program Component Scores if he skates up to his potential. Known as a great showman, Miner will need to harness his energy and keep focused, especially throughout the long program, if he wants to establish himself as a legitimate threat for a Junior Grand Prix Final medal.

Joshua Farris (USA):
Coming off a stellar season in which he won the U.S. novice National title and placed second at the International Challenge Cup in the Netherlands, Farris will be competing in only his second international event and his first Junior Grand Prix event. Farris has a solid triple Lutz-triple toe loop combination that usually garners positive Grades of Execution (GOE's). Additionally, his spins and excellent basic skating skills add to his technical and Program Component Scores, and could land him a spot on the podium here. Farris trains under Tom Zakrajsek in Colorado Springs, so stamina should not be an issue for the 14-year old, but without a triple Axel, he will need to go clean in both programs if he hopes to challenge Miner for the top spot.

Andrew Gonzales (USA):
In his second season on the Junior Grand Prix circuit, 19-year old Gonzales is another podium threat. Gonzales, the 2008 U.S. junior bronze medalist, placed 4th and 6th in his two events last season, and then slipped to 8th place in the U.S. junior competition. Although he is known as a great stylist on the ice, Gonzales needs to focus on fully rotating his triple jumps in order to avoid downgrades. He has all the elements needed to win gold here, but he will need to show a lot more consistency and technical prowess than he did last season.

Andrei Rogozine (CAN):
At only 16-years old, Rogozine, the Canadian junior National champion, is already in his third season on the JGP circuit. His best finish came last year when he finished 8th at the JGP - Sheffield. His personal best overall score is only 149.50 points, but he could pose the biggest threat to the American trio in this relatively weak field.

Ladies
Yukiko Fujisawa (JPN):
As one of Japan's youngest phenoms, 14-year old Fujisawa is already in her second season of Junior Grand Prix competition. She placed 1st and 2nd in both of her events last season, and then went on to capture the silver medal at the Grand Prix Final. She has huge scoring potential, with a personal best free skate score of 101.44 points. However, Fujisawa is still inconsistent at times. After a stellar season last fall, she stumbled to an 8th place finish in the Japanese junior nationals and was left off their Junior World team. At the Junior Grand Prix Final last December in Korea, she fought back after a 7th place short program to win the free skate and the silver medal overall. If she can avoid falls or downgrades in Lake Placid she could very well capture the gold medal and put herself in position for a Junior Grand Prix Final spot.

Taylor Firth (USA):
Firth, star of the upcoming "Ice Castles" movie remake, is making her JGP debut in Lake Placid. She has competed at the senior level at Nationals twice, finishing 14th in 2007 and 13th last January. With a full arsenal of triple jumps, Firth definitely has the goods to win here. She will need to keep her focus during the 3 1/2 minute free skate, however, and must rotate her triple jumps completely. She scored in the 140's for her programs at Skate Detroit in July, so it is important that she skates up to her potential to keep up with Fujisawa.

Kristine Musademba (USA):
With a solid junior international record behind her, Musademba skates into her third JGP season. She was golden in both of her events last year but then fell to 6th place at the Final. In addition, she made her senior National debut last January and finished 11th in Cleveland. Like Firth and Fujisawa, Musademba has a full arsenal of triple jumps, but her jump consistency hasn't been the greatest recently. Her personal best free skate score of 93.34 points is the second highest in the field, and she looks to be a co-favorite for the title here. Nonetheless, a medal of any color is easily within her grasp, and with it a spot in the JGP Final.

DeeDee Leng (USA):
The surprise junior National champion from last season, Leng makes her JGP debut in Lake Placid, as well. She competed as a junior in the International Challenge Cup last season in the Netherlands and finished 4th. Leng certainly has the ability to medal at this event, but she can't count on others to fall for that to happen (last year's junior ladies event at Nationals wasn't exactly pretty...). When she's on, her jumps are high and solid, and garner many positive GOE's. However, like so many of the ladies at this event, Leng hasn't mastered consistency yet, and she could realistically finish anywhere from 1st to 6th in Lake Placid.

Ice Dance
Kharis Ralph & Asher Hill (CAN):
2008 Canadian junior champions Ralph and Hill are among the top junior ice dance teams in the world. They won two silver medals in the series last season and went on to place 6th at the Final. Additionally, they recorded 5th place finishes at the Canadian championships (senior) and the Junior World Championships. With a personal best total score of 152.76, they will no doubt finish on the podium here.

Lauri Bonacorsi & Travis Mager (USA):
Making thier international debut in Lake Placid is the team of Bonacorsi & Mager, the reigning U.S. novice National champions. The team trains in Laurel, Maryland, and is known for great lifts, solid skating skills and a strong on-ice presence. Gold and silver are most likely out of reach for this young team, but a bronze medal is possible if they skate well in all three of the phases of competition.

Maia Shibutani & Alex Shibutani (USA):
This brother-sister duo from Michigan surprised many with their silver medal finish at the Junior World Championships last season, and they enter this event as the highest ranked team. With 1st and 2nd place finishes in thier JGP events last season (and a 4th place finish at the Final), the Shibutani's are the only team in the field to score above 80 points in the free dance internationally, and also hold the highest overall score of the 15 team field with 163.56 points. They are fantastic competitiors, technicians and performers, and should have no problem capturing the gold medal here.

Rachel Tibbetts & Collin Brubaker (USA):
In their third and final season of Junior Grand Prix competition, Tibbetts and Brubaker are also hoping it's their best. Over the past two years, they have recorded three 5th place finishes and a 6th place finish. The charismatic and crowd-pleasing team are on track for a podium finish here, and are also looking to improve upon their personal best total score of 151.10 points.

Pairs
Maddison Bird & Raymond Schultz (CAN):
In only their second JGP event (the team placed 7th in their event last year), Bird and Schultz appear to be serious podium threats and will no doubt be vying for a spot at the Final. The team was third in the Canadian junior championships last season and went on to place 6th at the Junior World Championships. A medal for them is nearly assured in this fairly weak pairs field, and gold is a great possibility.

Narumi Takahashi & Mervin Tran (JPN):
Japan's first elite-level pairs team has steadily climbed the ranks over the past two seasons. From a 12th place finish in their first-ever JGP event in 2007 to a bronze medal last year (and a trip to the Final), Takahashi and Tran are getting better and better with more time together. Their personal best total score of 131.10 points is the second highest of any of the teams competing in Lake Placid, and it seems as though they will continue to build upon their success over the past years.

Anais Morand & Antoine Dorsaz (SUI):
The Swiss team of Morand and Dorsaz has the highest personal best score of any of the teams at this event (131.46), as well as the most experience. This is their fifth season on the JGP circuit, and they have had three trips to Junior Worlds as well (finishing 10th last season). Additionally, the team finished 12th at the European Championships and 14th at the senior World Championships last season. They have never won a JGP medal, but could very well do it in Lake Placid if they hit their throw triple jumps and go clean in both programs.

Britney Simpson & Nathan Miller (USA):
Americans Simpson and Miller are the current U.S. junior pewter (4th place) medalists. Last season was thier first together, so this event marks thier first international competition. Their strong lifts and surprisingly good unison for only having been together one year could vault them to the podium in Lake Placid. They have had strong summer competition results so far this season, but this will be their first international test.


Predictions:

• Men: 1. Miner, USA; 2. Farris, USA; 3. Gonzales, USA
• Ladies: 1. Fujisawa, JPN; 2. Musademba, USA; 3. Firth, USA
• Dance: 1. Shibutani/Shibutani, USA; 2. Ralph/Hill, CAN; 3. Tibbetts/Brubaker, USA
• Pairs: 1. Takahashi/Tran, JPN; 2. Bird/Schultz, CAN; 3. Simpson/Miller, USA
  

Russians take two in Junior Grand Prix opener

It was a Russian party this weekend at the Junior Grand Prix - Budapest.

Polina Shelepen struck gold in her international debut, blowing the field away and amassing a total of 157.57 points -- a score that could be competitive in senior Grand Prix events. Also making their Junior Grand Prix debut was the team of Elena Ilinykh and Nikita Katsalapov who topped the ice dance standings with 166.06 points -- over 16 points more than the silver medalists.

The one bright spot for the United States came in the men's event, where Richard Dornbush and Grant Hochstein claimed gold and silver, respectively, and clearly outclassed the rest of the field (Hochstein was nearly 24 points ahead of bronze medalist Zhan Bush of Russia). Based on their stellar performances in Budapest, both men will be assigned a second event and, if they medal again, are likely assured a spot at the Junior Grand Prix Final in Tokyo in December.

Aside from the men's event, it was a dismal series opening for the American ladies and ice dance teams. Piper Gilles and Zachary Donohue, the current U.S. junior bronze medalists, seemed to be on track for a medal here after placing third in both the compulsory and original dances. A sixth-place free dance kept them off the podium in 4th place, and now a spot at the Junior Grand Prix Final could be in jeopardy for them.

In the ladies event, no one was able to come close to Shelepen, who landed seven triples in her free skate and received the highest Technical Elements Score with 59.76 (she scored a huge 102. 73 overall for her free skate). Shelepen has established herself as a legitimate threat to U.S. and Japanese skaters at both the Junior Grand Prix Final and the Junior World Championships later this season. American Angela Maxwell fought back valiantly after a 5th place short program that included two falls. She landed five triples in her long program -- including a triple toe loop-triple toe loop combination -- and had the highest Program Component Scores of the day with 45.49. Her 90.54 point free skate secured the silver medal for her, but it's clear that gold was the expectation. Nonetheless, a Junior Grand Prix Final spot is still well within her grasp, but she'll need to perform much better at her second event.

The other U.S. lady competing, Ellie Kawamura ('09 U.S. junior silver medalist), made her Junior Grand Prix series debut in Hungary. A surprise 2nd place short program kept her in medal territory, but a one-triple free skate (71.54 points) dropped her to 4th place overall.

Maxwell will without a doubt receive a second assignment, but Kawamura is definitely "on the bubble." There are so many U.S. ladies vying for a limited number of Junior Grand Prix spots, including Kiri Baga ('09 novice National champ), Mary Beth Marley ('09 novice silver medalist) and Agnes Zawadzki, all of whom have scored higher in summer competitions than Kawamura's total score of 120.46 in Budapest. Zawadzki's scores of 59.04 (short program) and 102.18 (free skate) at the DuPage Open competition earlier this summer would have given her gold at this event, although scores aren't directly comparable across events because the judging panels are different.

The Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating series continues next week in Lake Placid, New York, September 2-5, 2009. Keep watching Minnesota Ice in the next couple days for a detailed preview of that event.

U.S. ladies look to rebound after lackluster quadrennium

It's no secret that the last three years haven't gone so well for the American ladies on the senior international stage. Up against Korean phenom Yu-Na Kim and a strong Japanese contingent in Mao Asada, Miki Ando and Yukari Nakano, U.S. female skaters have struggled to capture gold in international events. Add in Canadian star Joannie Rochette and Italy's Carolina Kostner, and even making the podium has been a daunting task.

I don't think it's entirely fair, however, to say that the talent pool has dried up in American ladies figure skating. Michelle Kwan's decade of dominance and Sasha Cohen's strong international record may have spoiled us a bit, and when we don't hear the "Star Spangled Banner" play at World championships or Grand Prix events, we begin to assume that our skaters just aren't that good.

In my opinion, that's a selfish mentality to have. We have so many bright young hopes in the United States, but that's exactly what they are -- young. Rachael Flatt just turned 17 last month, but she has already claimed two National silver medals, a Junior World title and, in March, skated her way to an astonishing 5th place at the World Championships. Mirai Nagasu won the 2008 U.S. title at age 14, and has two Junior World medals to her credit as well. 16-year old Caroline Zhang has three Junior World medals -- including a gold in 2007 -- and finished third in the World Team Trophy in April behind Asada and Rochette, the current World silver medalist who she only trailed by less than seven points.

And that's not even half the talent. Ashley Wagner, Angela Maxwell and Alexe Gilles have all recorded strong showings on the senior and/or junior international stages. Five of the possible eight spots at last year's Junior Grand Prix Final were won by U.S. ladies, and Becky Bereswill and Gilles finished 1st and 3rd there, respectively. American women have won eight of the last nine Junior World medals, and swept the podium in 2007 and 2008.

The purpose of this post isn't to make excuses for the performances/results of U.S. ladies, or to try and make it seem like solid junior results will result in senior international medals the next season, because many times they don't. However, I think it is important to realize that the absence of Kwan and Cohen have thrust our relatively inexperienced skaters into the spotlight. Yes, the results haven't been ideal since the 2006 Olympics, and yes, the United States only qualified two women for the upcoming Vancouver games, but I think there's been a lot of learning experiences and many positives to take away from the past three years.

In order to be more competitive with the top international ladies, our American girls must focus on fully rotating their triple jumps in order to avoid harsh downgrades, increasing their speed (which will then boost their Program Component Scores) and putting two clean programs together. Staying healthy and injury free will also be important to achieving better international results.

Anything is possible in Vancouver, even an American lady sneaking in for an Olympic medal. It will take two perfect programs and probably some mistakes from a few of the top skaters, but I'm not counting anyone out yet. The uber-consistent Flatt and Zhang will definitely be podium threats if they qualify for the Games, and one can't forget Nagasu or Wagner, either; both have a style that is very well received by international judges.

With a few more years of experience and some growth, there is no doubt in my mind that our girls will be vying for gold medals once more.

Michelle Kwan's long-awaited return to the ice

America's most decorated skater is lacing up her skates once again.

No, 5-time World and 9-time National champion Michelle Kwan isn't returning to competition. She is, however, making her first on-ice appearance in front of a crowd in three years this weekend as she stars in Yu-Na Kim's "Ice All Stars" show in Korea. 2009 World champion Kim is arguably Korea's biggest superstar, and her ice show is bringing together some of skating's biggest talent: two-time World champs Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy of Germany, Olympic silver medalist Stephane Lambiel of Switzerland and reigning Olympic champ Shizuka Arakawa of Japan.

Kwan's programs ("Carmina Burana" and "Winter Song") are without a doubt the most anticipated, though. After being forced to withdraw from the 2006 Olympics due to a nagging hip injury, she underwent arthroscopic surgery and returned to the classroom to pursue a degree in international studies. Kwan earned her bachelors degree in June from Denver University and will attend graduate school at Tufts University this fall.

In essence, it appears as though Kwan's eligible career is over. She turned 29 last month and would be 33 by the time the 2014 Olympics roll around. Although I wouldn't put it past her to keep going that long, she has nothing left to prove (despite what her detractors might say). Kwan is the most decorated skater the United States has ever produced. With nine overall World medals (1996-2004) and 12 National medals (1994-2005, and the title holder from 1998-2005), it will be years -- if ever -- before her record is matched. Her two Olympic medals cement her status as one of the best ever.

It's only a matter of time before she is inducted into the U.S. Figure Skating, World Figure Skating, and U.S. Olympic halls of fame. She may not be in the Code of Points record books, but her spirit and influence on the figure skating world will last forever (not to mention her record 43 perfect 6.0's at Nationals).

Who will ever forget how she so stunningly silenced her critics and regained her National crown in 1998? Or how she came from behind to capture back-to-back World titles in 2000 and 2001? Or how she buried the competition in 2003 en route to her fifth World gold? These moments are forever etched into skating history.

She is the skater of our generation. Her staying-power, consistency and ability to triumph in the face of adversity are the things legends are made of.

Michelle Kwan is the gold standard for ladies figure skating; she will not be forgotten.

A conversation with U.S. international competitor Molly Oberstar

I recently had the chance to talk with 20-year old Molly Oberstar, a U.S. senior national and international competitor. Molly is the reigning Midwestern Sectional champion and went on to place 15th at Nationals. In addition, she competed in the Karl Schaefer Memorial Trophy in Vienna, Austria last fall and finished 6th in a field that included two-time World medalist Carolina Kostner.

In this Q&A, Molly talks about her skating career, her programs for the upcoming season, and how she landed a starring role in the upcoming "Ice Castles" movie remake. Enjoy!

Eric: How many years have you been skating?
Molly: 15

Eric: Why did you start skating?
Molly: A family friend had a daughter that had started skating, and that's where the idea came from. My parents got me started in group lessons and there was no turning back from there!

Eric: How many hours do you train each week?
Molly: 10-13

Eric: Favorite skater(s)?
Molly: Michelle Kwan (I got to spend time with her on the Ice Castles set - it was amazing!!!) ...she is beyond inspiring. I don't think there will ever be anyone like her again.

Eric: What's your favorite skating moment?
Molly: Short program at the 2008 U.S. Nationals in St. Paul, Minn. For one thing, I skated last in the entire event. It was my first nationals as a senior lady and I was thrilled to have that many people in the stands watching me. It was also in my training town, and near my hometown. I had lots of friends and family in the audience - most with signs. It just felt like the "real thing" that night. I skated a clean program and absolutely enjoyed every minute of it. I don't think I'll ever forget the feeling.

Eric: What's your most embarrassing skating moment?
Molly: Forgetting my "Be a Clown" program at a St. Cloud competition when I was about 9? Haha, maybe that's too long ago, but I still remember skating around in circles doing the same choreographed hand movement and trying to pretend like nothing was wrong. I've had lots of skating frustrations, but not too many embarrassments.

Eric: How many U.S. Championships have you competed in?
Molly: Five - Atlanta (novice, 2004), Portland (junior, 2005), St. Louis (junior, 2006), St. Paul (senior, 2008), and Cleveland (senior, 2009).

Eric: Do you have any pre-competition rituals or skating superstitions?
Molly: Nothing too drastic. Every day I put my left skate on first. I don't know why, but it just feels right!

Eric: What was most difficult about making the transition from training in Duluth, Minn., to training in the Twin Cities?
Molly: Well at first, my mom and I were driving back and forth from Duluth to the Cities a few times a week. It was exhausting. After that, we stayed at my uncle's house for awhile. More stability, but still not a place to call my own. It's nice, now, having an apartment to come back to. The skating transition wasn't difficult. Ann Eidson and I clicked immediately and got right to work.

Eric: What's been your favorite country to visit?
Molly: Austria! Last year I had the pleasure of going there for my international competition. We were in Vienna. It was gorgeous. I love the old city center and the stone paved walking streets downtown. Beautiful old churches and palaces, too. I would love to go back when I could have more time to explore.

Eric: Can you talk about your programs for the upcoming season?
Molly: My long is the same - "La Kahena". It's a really exotic, different kind of music. My choreographer, Sebastien Britten, told me it originates in North Africa. We created this spirit character that has been locked up in chains for so long and is released and seeing the world again for the first time. It's sort of a journey of finding yourself, which is easy to identify with. I love my new short. It's "Stairway to Heaven" performed by Rodrigo y Gabriella. I get to be fierce and powerful and saucy the entire time. My kinda thing. I love being able to give attitude while performing it.

Eric: How long do you see yourself competing?
Molly: That's hard for me to say. Right now I'm taking it a year at a time. So far I've been able to skate and go to school simultaneously. That's been and will be helpful in the future. We'll see!

Eric: What are your goals in skating? Outside of skating?
Molly: This year I hope to get another international and place within the top 4 there. Following that, I hope to advance back to Nationals and skate two programs to be proud of; I'd like to place in the top 8. Outside of skating I'm deeply interested in the business of fashion. I'm currently going to school for Fashion Merchandising. I am unsure of the exact career path I would like to take, but I know that I'd like it to be in this field. Sometime in the future I'd like to explore some more exciting cities - maybe for an internship. I've been thinking about New York.

Eric: What would you be doing if you weren't a skater?
Molly: I'd love to be a dancer. I find "So You Think You Can Dance" so inspiring. Every time I watch it I desperately want to take a contemporary dance class. I have yet to find time for that, though!!

Eric: Are you close friends with any other elite skaters?
Molly: I'm good friends with Adam Rippon and Eliot Halverson. I wish we were closer! I very rarely see either of them, but they're two of my favorite people.

Eric: How did you get involved with the "Ice Castles" movie remake?
Molly: I was contacted by a casting agent via email. I'm still unclear as to exactly what happened, but I know that I was suggested by Sandra Bezic and/or David Wilson - both choreographers on set. I had to do a few video auditions and then suddenly I was heading to Canada. It all happened very fast. It was an unforgettable experience. I learned so much about performing in front of cameras. It was very useful for my own skating career. Working with Sandra and David was amazing. I'd worked with David in previous years, so it was great to see him again. Sandra, on the other hand, was a kind of celebrity to me. I was so honored to be able to learn from her. I also loved the acting. I hope that I can continue to do some of that in the future. Everyone that I met and interacted with was wonderful - I didn't want it to end!

Evora & Ladwig on the fast track to Vancouver

Will this finally be the year that U.S. pairs skaters Amanda Evora and Mark Ladwig step out of the shadows and into the spotlight?

As one of the older and more experienced teams in the world of American pairs skating, Evora and Ladwig have yet to establish themselves as legitimate contenders for a National title or a World team spot.

They appeared to be on the right track in 2007 with a 4th place pewter medal finish at the U.S. Championships. After solid showings at international events in the fall of '07, they succumbed to pressure and dropped to 5th - and off the podium - in 2008. A shaky Grand Prix Series campaign last fall had many (including myself) doubting they could regain a spot on the national podium. However, a breathtaking free skate last January in Cleveland erased those doubts, and now it seems as though they are truly on the "up and up."

So far this season, the team has competed at both the Liberty summer competition and the Indy pairs challenge. At Indy, the team skated two outstanding programs to finish a strong 2nd behind former U.S. champs Brooke Castile and Ben Okolski, but ahead of '09 silver medalists and Worlds 9th place finishers Caydee Denney and Jeremy Barrett.

Ironically, it could be Denney/Barrett motivating Evora and Ladwig to be better this season. Both teams train under Jim Peterson in Florida, and watching Caydee and Jeremy shine in their Worlds debut last March just might light a fire under Amanda and Mark.

Armed with two fantastic programs, innovative lifts, and more confident side-by-side triple jumps, Evora and Ladwig are also getting the nod from the judges with very strong Program Component Scores (they scored 54.32 for PCS in their Indy free skate). It could very well be these elements that help them clinch one of the two available Olympic spots.

The American pairs scene could get very interesting this season. Two-time and reigning National champions Keauna McLaughlin and Rockne Brubaker are adjusting to a new coaching situation and recovering from surgery (Brubaker), and '06 Olympians Rena Inoue and John Baldwin seem to be on the decline. I'm not counting anyone out yet, but if Amanda and Mark can stay healthy, focused, and consistent, they could be the surprise champions in Spokane come January.

And plus - Mark is a fellow Minnesotan, so I have to root for the "home team!"

Watch Evora/Ladwig's short program from Indy here thanks to HeatherC from FSU!

Brian Orser: World's most sought after coach?

This is going to be a monumental year for Brian Orser.

Twenty-two years after his last experience at the Games, Orser hopes to coach his protege - Yu-Na Kim of Korea - to an Olympic gold medal. Like Orser did, Kim will enter the competition as the reigning world champion and, like Orser, will be skating on "home ice" in Canada. However, both hope that the similarities end there (Orser was defeated by the United States' Brian Boitano in Calgary in 1988 and had to settle for his second straight Olympic silver medal).

Kim appears to be in a good place, though. Her high-flying triple jumps and massive Program Component Scores allowed her to bury the competition at Worlds this year. At that event, she set records for the highest ladies short program score ever (76.12) and the highest overall score (207.71). She beat silver medalist Joannie Rochette of Canada by over 16 points and her biggest rival, Japan's Mao Asada, by nearly 20 points. Asada, the '08 world champ, fell (literally) to a disappointing 4th place this year.

Regardless of the scores, Kim has clearly flourished under Orser's tutelage. So much so that American Adam Rippon moved to Toronto to train with him last fall as well. With Orser at the boards, Rippon defended his World Junior title in March, hitting two picture perfect triple Axels and accumulating an astounding competition score of 222.00. That marked him as the fourth-highest scoring U.S. man internationally last season (behind veterans Evan Lysacek, Jeremy Abbott and Johnny Weir), and distinguishes him as a legitimate contender for a 2010 Olympic berth.

Orser's influence doesn't end there. His most recent student is 2009 U.S. junior bronze medalist Christina Gao. As a novice in 2008, Gao fell numerous times and finished 12th (a.k.a., last) in the national competition. In her '09 junior freeskate last January, she again fell three times but hung on for the bronze medal in an underwhelming and relatively weak field. However, her months spent with Orser in Canada have proven to be beneficial already. Gao competed in the Skate Detroit event in late July and reeled off six effortless triple jumps in her long program, racking up more than 108 points for the program and earning a total competition score of over 164 points.

The improvement in all three of these skaters since being coached by Orser has been more than just technical. His friendly demeanor and calming presence has elevated Kim to greatness already in her short senior career (two Grand Prix Final titles, a Four Continents championship, two World bronze medals, and a World championship). Rippon also appears to be on the right track, and 15-year old Gao is certainly poised to make a splash in her senior National debut this season as well.

When ya got it, ya got it, and Orser has definitely proven his worth as an elite coach.