Grand Rapids Open

[flying~camel]

Good luck to everyone competing at the Grand Rapids Open this weekend!

Is anyone here going to be skating in it?

I'm in Pre-Preliminary CM D (9:19am) and Pre-Preliminary FS D (5:50pm).

[Michigansk8er]

Mel is competing on Saturday at 1:30 in Bronze Adult. Go Mel!!!!!! :D

[flying~camel]

I saw her skate - she did an excellent job! :)

[Mel On Ice]

hey flying camel -- we met, and I didn't realize it was you!!! Isn't Mary Sue the best? I saw you compulsory event as well, I though you did well, I don't remember how you placed. Since Denise is coming back and I have family and friend commitments coming in the near future, I will let you know when I will be in town so we can try to skate together. Leslie, I'm sorry we didn't get to see each other, but I know wedding plans take precident!

I came in 4th in artistic, which was okay by me, because they put me in with all the bitty skaters. We all wore hot pink, high-fived each other and had a grand time. I felt like such a mother hen to them since they were so nervous. I think it helped me calm down by helping them calm down. In this event, my placement was beside the point as I was entertaining on and off the ice -- my costume and hair won me applause from many attendees and respect from moms and dads for adult skaters.

Came in 5th in freestyle, which was a personal achievement for me. First time competing this program. I have been working on my spins and speed since I can't pick in with the right foot quite yet, which meant no flip or lutz, and no loop, which meant bottom of the standings. I think my speed was great, I remembered to use the whole choreography (arms, extension, meaningful pauses, crap like that), and land solidly all the jumps I had planned. I even tacked an extra toe loop on to my solo toe! The only things I screwed up were the backspin (1-1/2 revolutions, and my second attempt failed too) and the first inside swing roll in my footwork into the toe. Still, all the ladies in my event were awesome, and the camradire was incredible as we congratulated each other getting on and coming off the ice and rooting loudly for each other. I was even made an honorary member of Wagon Wheel FSC by a member who skated in Gold in the next event.

Coming down off competition hangover. Retiring my "Science!" program. Going to test ankle strength and resume practice on the loop and flip. Have fire in belly to get a medal in this event next year. Glad it's over.

[sk8er1964]

Mel - I'm so glad it was a good comp for you. I wanted to come with Michiganskater to see you and our friend from A2, and to meet you, but my kid had his last baseball game yesterday at 5:00. If the gold skater from Wagon Wheel is who I think she is, she's very nice. I hope she skated well. Here's wishing you that medal next year!

[flying~camel]

Originally posted by Mel On Ice
[B]hey flying camel -- we met, and I didn't realize it was you!!! Isn't Mary Sue the best? I saw you compulsory event as well, I though you did well, I don't remember how you placed. Since Denise is coming back and I have family and friend commitments coming in the near future, I will let you know when I will be in town so we can try to skate together.


Mary Sue is totally awesome! :) I got 6th in compulsories (too many mistakes!), and 9th in Freestyle, though I was overall pleased with how I skated it. :)

I came in 4th in artistic, which was okay by me, because they put me in with all the bitty skaters.

I did notice that you had some really little ones in your group! I even told Mary Sue that I thought *I* was skating with the kiddies! ;)

Have fire in belly to get a medal in this event next year.

I turn 25 in February, so I'm looking forward to skating with ya in next year's event! :)

[Mel On Ice]

1964, her name was Maureen and she was a great sport. Actually, all the adult ladies (I'm partial to them, after all) were great sports. Four of the five adult bronze ladies were in the same locker room together and we all did our warmups and chatted together like we were old friends.

I'm glad it sounds like I had a good time, because I was pretty down in the dumps about my placements. I know the skaters who placed above me deserved to be placed above me, but I feel like my placement didn't match how I felt. Does that make sense? It was a personal best, having a toe-toe, salchow, half loop, waltz-toe, moves in the field incorporated with dance steps, two spirals and two different spins. But I also have to think about where I was one month ago, and scared to launch my bod up in the air for a waltz jump, afraid I would resprain the ankle.

OH! And the crappiest thing ever happened to me right before the Artistic skate. One of my "competitors" coach, an old friend I used to skate with and I were talking right before our group went out on the ice for warmup. I did a comedy bit, with hot pink fishnets, spraypainted hair, Albert Einstein with a tongue stud. He looked me up and down and said, "Maybe it's just me, but I'd rather not skate beneath my dignity." Gee, thanks for the psychological dishrag wringing.

Camel, look forward to competing with you next year -- watch out for Denise though, she's the queen!

[sk8er1964]

Originally posted by Mel On Ice
1964, her name was Maureen and she was a great sport. Actually, all the adult ladies (I'm partial to them, after all) were great sports. Four of the five adult bronze ladies were in the same locker room together and we all did our warmups and chatted together like we were old friends.

Yep, that's who I was thinking of!

I'm glad it sounds like I had a good time, because I was pretty down in the dumps about my placements. I know the skaters who placed above me deserved to be placed above me, but I feel like my placement didn't match how I felt. Does that make sense? It was a personal best, having a toe-toe, salchow, half loop, waltz-toe, moves in the field incorporated with dance steps, two spirals and two different spins. But I also have to think about where I was one month ago, and scared to launch my bod up in the air for a waltz jump, afraid I would resprain the ankle.

Ok - here's my rule of competing: You cannot control the judges, and you cannot control the other skaters. The only one you can control is yourself. If you do your personal best, then you have succeeded Especially coming off an injury - it's tough and takes a lot of guts to compete under those circumstances!

[Mrs Redboots]

Originally posted by sk8er1964
Ok - here's my rule of competing: You cannot control the judges, and you cannot control the other skaters. The only one you can control is yourself. If you do your personal best, then you have succeeded In theory, I totally agree with you, but it's so disheartening when you know you've skated just about as well as you are able, and you still get umpteen last places.....

[sk8er1964]

Yeah, I know it's tough. I've had my fair share of bad placements and skating disappointments. In my scrapbook from skating as a kid I have a "Competitor" ribbon with a tear stain on it. I don't remember that competition at all now, but I do remember crying on that darn ribbon.

At AN (which was my only real competition this last season), I got a 13th and a 12th out of 14 skaters. Now I feel, even injured, that I wasn't deserving of those placements. I figure that those 2 judges were simply blind, and the infamous Judge #7 was the truly intelligent judge :D ! In reality, the ones who placed me close to my actual placements were the correct ones, but I'd rather fondly remember Judge #7 and ignore #'s 1 & 2!

I try to emphasize the positive and de-emphasize the negatives in most things that I do. It might seem a bit naieve (spelling?), but it helps me get through this crazy world 8O .