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.