The best of the best from 2010

2010 was an amazing year in figure skating. From the excitement of the Vancouver Olympics to Sasha Cohen's competitive return, to Alissa Czisny's stunning resurgence, here are my top three moments of the year.

1. Meryl Davis & Charlie White, 2010 U.S. Championships, free dance



I have never experienced first-hand an arena so full of excitement and joy as the Spokane Arena was that afternoon in January. The speed, attack and gravity-defying lifts Meryl and Charlie showed were incredible, and this performance would set them up to claim both Olympic and World silver medals in the weeks that followed.

2. Yu-Na Kim, 2010 Olympic Winter Games, free skate



With the weight of South Korea on her slight, 19-year old shoulders, 2009 World Champion Yu-Na Kim headed into the Vancouver Games with the expectation to win gold -- and she did not disappoint. Kim laid down two of the most perfect programs in skating history, smashing world records along the way and defeating silver medalist Mao Asada by more than 23 points.

3. Alissa Czisny, 2010-11 Grand Prix Final, free skate



After a 10th place finish at Nationals last January, many in the sport called for 23-year old Alissa Czisny to hang up her skates. Labeled a "headcase" and viewed as a skater who would never win a major international title, Czisny has persevered this season, switching coaches, retooling her technique and posting the highest ladies score of the season. This has set Czisny up as the favorite for the U.S. title next month in Greensboro, as well as a World medal in Tokyo come March.

Blast from the Past: Kristi Yamaguchi's "Blue Danube Waltz"

Has Kristi Yamaguchi ever put a foot wrong when it comes to program selection?



Her short program from the 1991-92 season, the "Blue Danube Waltz," is her best effort ever. The choreography and interpretation are perfect, not to mention her soaring jumps and, for that time period, quite innovative spin positions (haircutter position in her layback, outside edge on her camel spin, etc).

This program catapulted the 20-year old American to her first National title in 1992, as well as gold at both the Olympics and Worlds that year.

Enjoy!

2011 U.S. Nationals Fun with Numbers: Ladies

And last but certainly not least, here are the ladies.

For the sole purpose of enjoyment, speculation and "what ifs," I've compiled a list of the average scores of all the senior-level skaters who will be at Nationals next month. Listed below are the pairs overall, short program and free skate scores averaged from all competitions this fall (JGP events, GP events, JGP/GP Finals, Senior B's, Regionals, Sectionals).

Please comment with your thoughts, opinions, Nationals predictions, etc!

Senior Ladies

Average Overall Scores:
1. Alissa Czisny (168.60)
2. Mirai Nagasu (157.01)
3. Christina Gao (155.94)
4. Ashley Wagner (155.38)
5. Agnes Zawadzki (155.20)
6. Vanessa Lam (152.45)

7. Rachael Flatt (150.49)
8. Yasmin Siraj (144.45)
9. Kiri Baga (138.00)
10. Samantha Cesario (134.13)
11. Caroline Zhang (133.18)
12. Amanda Dobbs (131.91)

13. Kristiene Gong (131.44)
14. Melissa Bulanhagui (130.63)
15. Alexe Gilles (127.77)
16. Joelle Forte (126.75)
17. Danielle Kahle (126.63)

18. Felicia Zhang (123.16)
19. Morgan Bell (119.51)
20. Kelsey Traunero (118.92)
21. Keli Zhou (117.14)

22. Kristine Musademba (116.77)
23. Katy Jo West (114.99)
24. Tatyana Khazova (114.81)
25. Ellie Kawamura (109.82)


Average SP Scores:
1. Mirai Nagasu (58.74)
2. Alissa Czisny (58.05)
3. Agnes Zawadzki (57.87)
4. Ashley Wagner (54.55)
5. Vanessa Lam (53.35)
6. Caroline Zhang (50.69)
7. Rachael Flatt (49.97)
8. Kiri Baga (49.92)
9. Christina Gao (49.90)
10. Joelle Forte (47.65)
11. Samantha Cesario (47.27)
12. Kristiene Gong (46.80)
13. Amanda Dobbs (46.28)
14. Melissa Bulanhagui (46.09)
15. Felicia Zhang (45.95)
16. Yasmin Siraj (45.49)
17. Danielle Kahle (44.92)
18. Tatyana Khazova (44.30)
19. Morgan Bell (42.77)
20. Kristine Musademba (42.66)
21. Alexe Gilles (42.43)
22. Keli Zhou (39.30)
23. Kelsey Traunero (39.03)
24. Ellie Kawamura (38.44)
25. Katy Jo West (38.42)


Average FS Scores:
1. Alissa Czisny (110.55)
2. Christina Gao (106.04)
3. Ashley Wagner (100.83)
4. Rachael Flatt (100.52)
5. Vanessa Lam (99.10)
6. Yasmin Siraj (98.96)
7. Mirai Nagasu (98.27)
8. Agnes Zawadzki (97.33)
9. Kiri Baga (88.08)
10. Samantha Cesario (86.86)
11. Amanda Dobbs (85.63)
12. Alexe Gilles (85.34)
13. Kristiene Gong (84.64)
14. Melissa Bulanhagui (84.54)
15. Caroline Zhang (82.49)
16. Danielle Kahle (81.71)
17. Kelsey Traunero (79.89)
18. Joelle Forte (79.10)
19. Keli Zhou (77.84)
20. Felicia Zhang (77.21)
21. Morgan Bell (76.74)
22. Katy Jo West (76.57)
23. Kristine Musademba (74.11)
24. Ellie Kawamura (71.38)
25. Tatyana Khazova (70.51)

2011 U.S. Nationals Fun with Numbers: Men

For the sole purpose of enjoyment, speculation and "what ifs," I've compiled a list of the average scores of all the senior-level skaters who will be at Nationals next month. Listed below are the pairs overall, short program and free skate scores averaged from all competitions this fall (JGP events, GP events, JGP/GP Finals, Senior B's, Regionals, Sectionals).

Please comment with your thoughts, opinions, Nationals predictions, etc!

Ladies to follow shortly...

Senior Men

Average Overall Scores:
1. Adam Rippon (218.09)
2. Jeremy Abbott (217.71)
3. Brandon Mroz (209.89)
4. Armin Mahbanoozadeh (194.11)
5. Richard Dornbush (192.23)
6. Ross Miner (191.88)

7. Douglas Razzano (185.70) [one event only, Ice Challenge]
8. Grant Hochstein (185.46)
9. Stephen Carriere (184.20)
10. Jason Brown (181.95)
11. Joshua Farris (180.31)
12. Keegan Messing (180.24)

13. Andrew Gonzales (180.09)
14. Alex Johnson (179.05)
15. Jonathan Cassar (178.31)
16. Parker Pennington (176.26)
17. Scott Dyer (175.26)

18. Jason Wong (174.03)
19. Sean Rabbitt (173.50)
20. Christopher Caluza (162.89)
21. Wesley Campbell (160.41)
22. Lloyd Ting (147.74)


Average SP Scores:
1. Jeremy Abbott (76.12)
2. Adam Rippon (75.74)
3. Brandon Mroz (71.41)
4. Douglas Razzano (68.93) [one event only, Ice Challenge]
5. Ross Miner (65.98)
6. Keegan Messing (65.13)
7. Richard Dornbush (64.18)
8. Joshua Farris (64.02)
9. Alex Johnson (62.82)
10. Armin Mahbanoozadeh (60.94)
11. Andrew Gonzales (60.74)
12. Parker Pennington (59.70)
13. Jason Brown (59.50)
14. Stephen Carriere (59.14)
15. Scott Dyer (58.99)
16. Grant Hochstein (58.19)
17. Jonathan Cassar (58.14)
18. Sean Rabbitt (57.18)
19. Jason Wong (55.15)
20. Christopher Caluza (54.44)
21. Wesley Campbell (49.35)
22. Lloyd Ting (48.66)


Average FS Scores:
1. Adam Rippon (142.35)
2. Jeremy Abbott (141.59)
3. Brandon Mroz (138.48)
4. Armin Mahbanoozadeh (133.17)
5. Richard Dornbush (128.05)
6. Grant Hochstein (127.27)
7. Ross Miner (125.90)
8. Stephen Carriere (125.06)
9. Jason Brown (122.45)
10. Jonathan Cassar (120.17)
11. Andrew Gonzales (119.35)
12. Jason Wong (118.88)
13. Douglas Razzano (116.77) [one event only, Ice Challenge]
14. Parker Pennington (116.56)
15. Sean Rabbitt (116.32)
16. Joshua Farris (116.29)
17. Scott Dyer (116.27)
18. Alex Johnson (116.23)
19. Keegan Messing (115.11)
20. Wesley Campbell (111.06)
21. Christopher Caluza (108.45)
22. Lloyd Ting (99.08)

2011 U.S. Nationals Fun with Numbers: Ice Dance

 For the sole purpose of enjoyment, speculation and "what ifs," I've compiled a list of the average scores of all the senior-level skaters who will be at Nationals next month. Listed below are the pairs overall, short program and free skate scores averaged from all competitions this fall (JGP events, GP events, JGP/GP Finals, Senior B's, Regionals, Sectionals).

For dance, I've also included the results of the Lake Placid Ice Dance Championships held in August, simply because some teams have only competed once otherwise this fall.

Please comment with your thoughts, opinions, Nationals predictions, etc!

Men's and ladies to follow shortly...

Senior Ice Dance

Average Overall Scores:
1. Davis/White (164.49)
2. Shibutani/Shibutani (138.25)
3. Chock/Zuerlein (133.99)
4. Kriengkrairut/Giulietti-Schmitt (125.68)
5. Hubbell/Hubbell (124.63)

6. Wingle/McKernan (119.07)
7. Hoptman/Filchenkov (111.73) [one event only, Sectionals]
8. Aronow/Donohue (109.80) [one event only, Sectionals]
9. Cannuscio/Lorello (108.64)
10. Zuber/Herring (98.88)

11. Tibbetts/Brubaker (95.86) [one event only, Skate Canada]
12. Zeigler/Burbank (90.72)
13. Pilgrim/Lorello (82.42) [one event only, Sectionals]
14. Ponomaryova/Kelling (70.07) [one event only, Sectionals]


Average SD Scores:
1. Davis/White (66.41)
2. Chock/Zuerlein (54.86)
3. Shibutani/Shibutani (52.35)
4. Kriengkrairut/Giulietti-Schmitt (51.27)
5. Wingle/McKernan (48.94)
6. Hubbell/Hubbell (48.65)
7. Cannuscio/Lorello (45.24)
8. Hoptman/Filchenkov (45.10)
9. Aronow/Donohue (40.99)
10. Zuber/Herring (39.37)
11. Tibbetts/Brubaker (36.88)
12. Zeigler/Burbank (34.11)
13. Ponomaryova/Kelling (34.02)
14. Pilgrim/Lorello (31.91)


Average FD Scores:
1. Davis/White (98.08)
2. Shibutani/Shibutani (85.90)
3. Chock/Zuerlein (79.13)
4. Hubbell/Hubbell (75.98)
5. Kriengkrairut/Giulietti-Schmitt (74.41)
6. Wingle/McKernan (70.13)
7. Aronow/Donohue (68.81)
8. Hoptman/Filchenkov (66.63)
9. Cannuscio/Lorello (63.40)
10. Zuber/Herring (59.51)
11. Tibbetts/Brubaker (58.98)
12. Zeigler/Burbank (56.61)
13. Pilgrim/Lorello (50.51)
14. Ponomaryova/Kelling (36.05)

2011 U.S. Nationals Fun with Numbers: Pairs

For the sole purpose of enjoyment, speculation and "what ifs," I've compiled a list of the average scores of all the senior-level skaters who will be at Nationals next month. Listed below are the pairs overall, short program and free skate scores averaged from all competitions this fall (JGP events, GP events, JGP/GP Finals, Senior B's, Regionals, Sectionals).

For pairs, I've also included the results of the Indy Challenge held in August, simply because some teams have only competed once otherwise this fall.

Please comment with your thoughts, opinions, Nationals predictions, etc!

Ice dance, men's and ladies to follow shortly...

Senior Pairs

Average Overall Scores:
1. Yankowskas/Coughlin (160.73)
2. Denney/Barrett (159.40)
3. Evora/Ladwig (157.26)
4. Castelli/Shnapir (152.47)

5. Simpson/Miller (143.06)
6. Vise/Baldwin (141.37) [one event only, Ice Challenge]
7. Donlan/Speroff (137.67)
8. Smith/Bartholomay (137.14)

9. Katz/Lynch (136.72)
10. Bereswill/Young (136.40) [one event only, Sectionals]
11. Davis/Leftheris (134.40)
12. Aaron/Cohen (134.13)

13. Zhang/Toth (124.51)
14. Moore/Gaumond (118.13)
15. Scimeca/Dimitrov (88.93) [one event only, Sectionals]
16. Marley/Brubaker (52.30 SP only) [one event only, Sectionals SP]


Average SP Scores:
1. Denney/Barrett (56.76)
2. Yankowskas/Coughlin (56.63)
3. Marley/Brubaker (52.30)
4. Evora/Ladwig (52.02)
5. Castelli/Shnapir (50.90)
6. Smith/Bartholomay (50.45)
7. Bereswill/Young (49.24)
8. Simpson/Miller (49.06)
9. Vise/Baldwin (48.70)
10. Donlan/Speroff (46.69)
11. Aaron/Cohen (46.30)
12. Katz/Lynch (45.68)
13. Davis/Leftheris (44.87)
14. Moore/Gaumond (43.95)
15. Zhang/Toth (43.80)
16. Scimeca/Dimitrov (40.91)


Average FS Scores:
1. Evora/Ladwig (105.24)
2. Yankowskas/Coughlin (104.10)
3. Denney/Barrett (102.64)
4. Castelli/Shnapir (101.57)
5. Simpson/Miller (94.00)
6. Vise/Baldwin (92.67)
7. Katz/Lynch (91.04)
8. Donlan/Speroff (90.98)
9. Davis/Leftheris (89.53)
10. Aaron/Cohen (87.83)
11. Bereswill/Young (87.16)
12. Smith/Bartholomay (86.69)
13. Zhang/Toth (80.71)
14. Moore/Gaumond (74.18)
15. Scimeca/Dimitrov (48.02)
16. Marley/Brubaker (0.00)

Rejuvenated Czisny takes Skate Canada title

It was only 10 months ago that American Alissa Czisny delivered two disastrous programs en route to a 10th place finish at the U.S. Championships in Spokane, Wash.

Figure skating message boards were ablaze with posters recommending that Czisny, the 2009 national champion, hang up her skates and move on in life. After years of underperforming in the "big events," they suggested that she find another career path and skate in shows instead.

Well I, for one, am glad she's chosen to stick it out. This weekend in Kingston, Ontario, the 23-year old Czisny delivered an electric free skate to vault herself from fourth place after the short program to first place overall and win her second Skate Canada title (her first coming in 2005).

Armed with new coaches -- 1994 World Champion Yuka Sato of Japan and her husband, former U.S. pairs champ Jason Dungjen, new jump technique and a new competition mindset, Czisny's skating has never looked better. Yes, her free skate wasn't perfect, as she fell on her final triple toe loop, but the confidence she displayed throughout the event and the authority with which she delivered her performances were more than enough to distance her from the field of challengers.

It will be interesting to see if Czisny can carry this momentum to her second Grand Prix event next month, as well as to the 2011 U.S. Championships in Greensboro, North Carolina. She often falters when the biggest titles are on the line, but the form and poise she displayed this week in Canada were nothing short of magnificent.

Kudos, Alissa, on a job well done.

--------------------------------------
In other Skate Canada news, home-country kid Patrick Chan took gold in the men's event, with Japan's Nobunari Oda winning silver and American Adam Rippon claiming the bronze. Canada was also golden in ice dance, with Vanessa Crone/Paul Poirier clinching gold over the British team of Sinead Kerr/John Kerr, with young Americans Madison Chock/Greg Zuerlein winning a surprise bronze medal. The Russian duo of Lubov Iliushechkina/Nodari Maisuradze won the pairs title, while Canada's Kirsten Moore-Towers/Dylan Moscovitch and Paige Lawrence/Rudi Swiegers went 2-3, respectively.

The Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series continues this week with the third event, Cup of China. American star Mirai Nagasu makes her season debut after being sidelined by a stress fracture in her foot this summer. Japanese vet Miki Ando is the favorite to take the ladies title here, and teammate Akiko Suzuki should round out the podium.

Baga back in top form

After being sidelined with a stress fracture this summer, Minnesota's Kiri Baga came back in a big way this weekend at the Junior Grand Prix event in Japan.

Perhaps more impressive than her silver-medal finish is how consistent her triple jumps have become. Baga landed a triple Lutz-double toe loop combination for the first time in her career in the short program, and followed that up by landing 2 triple Lutzes (and a triple flip) in her free skate -- another milestone for the 15-year old American.

Her performances weren't perfect, though. She had trouble with the double Axel in both programs, falling on it in the free skate and receiving negative Grades of Execution on some of her other jump elements as well. What's important, however, is the fact that she had such a strong showing (including a 6-triple free skate) after such limited training time this season. Baga will skate in again at the final JGP event in Ostrava, Czech Republic, in three weeks. She'll need a podium finish once again to ensure herself of another trip to the Junior Grand Prix Final in December.

Baga appears to be turning into a rare breed of skater: one that shines in the face of adversity and has more grit and determination in her entire body than many of us do in our pinky finger.

Watch out for her this season -- she could very well be a top 8 finisher come Nationals in January.

Gao, Sotnikova set to duke it out in Austria

Christina Gao of the United States and Russia's Adelina Sotnikova.

Christina Gao isn't resting on her laurels this season.

The 16-year old, who placed 5th in the senior division at the U.S. Championships last season, won three bronze medals on the Junior Grand Prix circuit last season, including one at the Junior Grand Prix Final. She's upped her game considerably this season in hopes of reaching the top step of the podium.

Gao is now armed with a stellar triple flip-triple toe loop combination, one so breathtaking it draws comparisons to the triple-triple combinations of Olympic champ Yu-Na Kim, Gao's former training partner. With a base value of 9.30 points, the combination, if hit cleanly, could very well catapult the young American to the top of the standings this week at the Junior Grand Prix event in Graz, Austria.

She won't go unchallenged, though. Enter Adelina Sotnikova, the 13-year old Russian "wonderbaby" who makes her international debut this week. Sotnikova won the Russian National Championship in 2009 at the tender age of 11, but has struggled with growth spurts and harnessing the pressure of competition since. However, if she goes clean in both programs, she will be hard to beat; her spins, spirals and skating skills are among the best in the junior ranks.

It will be interesting to see which girl comes out on top Saturday afternoon. I suspect both will score higher than the other junior skaters have so far this season, and I think both are early favorites for the Junior Grand Prix Final and Junior Worlds.

Whatever the case may be, the Gao vs. Sotnikova rivalry looks to be one of the most interesting of the young season.

Gao's new free skate:


Sotnikova's free skate from the 2010 Russian Championships:

Junior Grand Prix round-up: Courchevel, France and Brasov, Romania

With the first two Junior Grand Prix events of the 2010-11 season in the books, here's a quick recap of what went down on the ice:

Event #1: Courchevel, France

The American men opened the series with a strong showing in France, claiming both the silver and bronze medals behind Canadian Andrei Rogozine. Max Aaron of Colorado Springs was second after the short program, but fell to third in the free skate and third overall. Reigning U.S. junior champion Jason Brown, in third place after the short program, laid down a 7-triple free skate to win that portion and climb to second overall. Both American men have been assigned to a second event, the JGP in Japan next weekend, and both look poised to qualify for the Junior Grand Prix Final.

Russia continued it's dominance in junior ice dance with the team of Alexandra Stepanova & Andrei Bukin winning the gold medal by nearly 10 points over Americans Anastasia Cannuscio & Colin McManus. Another Russian team, Evgenia Kosigina & Nikolai Moroshkin, took bronze in their international debut. Cannuscio/McManus have been assigned a second JGP event in Japan, along with U.S. teammates Joylyn Yang & Jean-Luc Baker.

There was a lot of movement between the short and long programs in the ladies event. Reigning Junior Grand Prix Final silver medalist Polina Shelepen of Russia came from behind to win the gold medal by nearly 11 points over American junior silver medalist Yasmin Siraj. Shelepen's jumps are solid as a rock, but the rest of her skating leaves much to be desired. Siraj climbed from sixth to second with a strong, expressive, 5-triple free skate. Roza Sheveleva of Russia was third, France's Yretha Silete was fourth and 13-year old American Nina Jiang rounded out the top five. Siraj will compete at the JGP event in Great Britain in hopes of medalling again and qualifying for the Final for the first time in her career.

Shelepen's free skate:


Siraj's free skate:


Event #2: Brasov, Romania

The U.S. men saw continued success at the second event in Romania last weekend. Keegan Messing fell on a quadruple toe loop attempt in his free skate, but his strong jumps and fast spins were more than enough to give him the victory over teammate Joshua Farris. Farris hit a beautiful triple Axel in his short program to win that segment of the competition, but three falls in the free skate relegated him to second overall. Japan's Keiji Tanaka was third.

In ice dance, Russians Ksenia Monko & Kiril Khaliavin posted the highest score of the season thus far en route to the gold medal. Ukraine's Anastasia Galyeta & Alexei Shumski were second, and Americans Lauri Bonacorsi & Travis Mager won their second career JGP bronze medal, rebounding nicely after a 5th place finish in the short dance.

The U.S. ladies were up against a strong threat in Russia's triple Axel-wielding Elizaveta Tuktamysheva. Tuktamysheva was expected to win by a huge margin, but numerous mistakes in both programs only gave her a 2.22 point victory over American Kristiene Gong. Japan's Shion Kokubun was third, and Samantha Cesario, the other U.S. entry, was fourth. Both American girls got hammered by the technical panel with downgraded triples, but Gong has been assigned a second event, the JGP in Great Britain at the end of September.

The series continues this week in Graz, Austria.