Laura H
03-05-2007, 08:36 AM
He's 8, skating ISI FS 3 level, and he did a solo routine on Saturday (also his 1st time ever skating a solo - he's participated in group routines before in rink shows, but never a solo!).
Anyway, I was very proud of him, he nailed all of his required elements INCLUDING the change foot spin that has been his nemesis - unfortunately, he fell at the very end. His program ended with a step forward into his final pose and he stumbled on that and went down briefly on his knees . . . darn the luck!! because he did everything else quite well. I think it happened because he ended up doing a fast scratch spin to finish since he had nailed everything else and didn't have to retry any elements at the end . . . and it was so nice & fast that he actually got DIZZY and off balance. Poor guy. We have decided that if he ever finishes with a fast spin again, he will just stick his toepick in the ice and smile and be done with it! ;)
He was only competing against one other skater (a girl) and she got the gold and he got the silver, so he was a little disappointed about that, but I still think he did very well - I think she did have a little more "stage presence" but technically they weren't too awfully far apart - his coach (who actually coaches both of them!) said that she thought he did very well for his first time.
And, after the comp was over, he went skating on the public session and had a great time having fun - very exuberant and landing flips all over the place and spinning like a top - and he says he DEFINITELY wants to compete again, so I guess all-in-all it was a good experience for him.
Anyway, I was very proud of him, he nailed all of his required elements INCLUDING the change foot spin that has been his nemesis - unfortunately, he fell at the very end. His program ended with a step forward into his final pose and he stumbled on that and went down briefly on his knees . . . darn the luck!! because he did everything else quite well. I think it happened because he ended up doing a fast scratch spin to finish since he had nailed everything else and didn't have to retry any elements at the end . . . and it was so nice & fast that he actually got DIZZY and off balance. Poor guy. We have decided that if he ever finishes with a fast spin again, he will just stick his toepick in the ice and smile and be done with it! ;)
He was only competing against one other skater (a girl) and she got the gold and he got the silver, so he was a little disappointed about that, but I still think he did very well - I think she did have a little more "stage presence" but technically they weren't too awfully far apart - his coach (who actually coaches both of them!) said that she thought he did very well for his first time.
And, after the comp was over, he went skating on the public session and had a great time having fun - very exuberant and landing flips all over the place and spinning like a top - and he says he DEFINITELY wants to compete again, so I guess all-in-all it was a good experience for him.