National Collegiate Championships - U.S.

[Artistic Skaters]

Results are posted for the first two days of competition:

http://www.usfsa.org/events_results/results/200203/ncc/index.htm

Did anyone attend who can give any updates? Thanks.

[Dustin]

Adrian is there today, he should be able to give some updates when he gets home. One question I have - what is the level of skating like? How many triples would you expect for a Junior/Senior LP?

[haribobo]

It really depends on who is in the event. I believe, but am not entirely sure, that the requirements for the SP and FS are the same as regular competition. Since there are skaters like Angie Lien, Christina Gordon, and Heather Aseltine at this competition, I don't think it's entirely impossible to see a 5 triple freeskate. I don't know much about the junior skaters. Rusty Fein in the men's competition has I think all the triples besides the axel so he may be attempting a 6 or 7 triple freeskate. Not that he really needs to pull out every weapon in his arsenal...Sean Calvillo and Joe Knazek are really not at his level, not yet anyway. Richard Reyor and that other guy are even very far below that, based on what I saw from Richard at sectionals last year. So if Rusty does not win this comp, I will be quite surprised. Still, good for him for getting all 1st ordinals in the SP. I wish someone who went would post a report. If I was in Philly now I would have gone to this event-- unfortunately I am back at home in Hawaii for a few weeks. :p I am really looking forward to hearing about the senior ladies competition--I think there are quite a few who could end up winning this.

[Trillian]

Originally posted by haribobo
Since there are skaters like Angie Lien, Christina Gordon, and Heather Aseltine at this competition, I don't think it's entirely impossible to see a 5 triple freeskate.

Not impossible, but I wouldn't bet on it. Kate Liberman has done quite well so far and she rarely lands any totally clean triples. (They're usually heavily underrotated and two-footed, though she often stands up.) Her basic skating and presentation are first-class, though, so that has probably helped her a lot. And some of these other girls, like Lien, Gordon, etc., are terrific athletes.

[lisabelle]

generally the competition is mostly doubles. there might be a few triples attempted by the top couple in each group but maybe only two or three landed in the whole competition. but it varies. i know a girl who is competing and she has only doubles, no triples.

[adrianchew]

Junior Ladies

1. Marlowe Perry, Ventura College (4, 1, FP 3.0)
2. Sarah Kaulfers, Benedictine University (3, 2, FP 3.5)
3. Christina Branom, Stanford University (1, 3, FP 3.5)
4. Jenna Beck, Golden West College (2, 5, FP 6.0)
5. Tasha Hutchinson, Duke University (6, 4 FP 7.0)
6. Sara Holwerda, Delta College (5, 7 FP 9.5)
7. Cindy Hsieh, Univ of Delaware (11, 6 FP 11.5)
8. Kristin Dean, Univ of Alaska Fairbanks (8, 8 FP 12.0)
9. Lindsey Smith, Lesley University (7, 9 FP 12.5)
10. Theresa Field, Univ of San Francisco (10, 10 FP 15.0)
11. Melissa Topakbashian, Univ of Delaware (9, 11 FP 15.5)
12. Kelsey Sollom, Minnesota State Univ (12, 12 FP 18.0)

Senior Ladies

1. Heather Aseltine, U of Ill Champ-Urbana (1, 1, FP 1.5)
2. Kristin Bagby, Univ of Wash Tacoma (2, 2 FP 3.0)
3. Melissa Parker, Univ of Delaware (7, 3 FP 6.5)
4. Christina Gordon, Univ of Alaska Anchorage (5, 4 FP 6.5)
5. Kate Liberman, Barnard Coll/Columbia U (3, 5 FP 6.5)
6. Angela Lien
7. Alexis Mante
8. Crystal Hancy
9. Sarah Ruszkiewicz
10. Andrea Cesario
11. Kristen Frank
12. Allison Barber
13. Chanelle Sherry
14. Angela Yu
15. Celene Olanyk
16. Jacqueline Pusztay
17. Kelsey Davidson

[adrianchew]

I did take notes but these may not be 100% accurate...

Senior Ladies

Heather Aseltine - great skate for her, everything went right. 3T, 2A, 3(or 2?)S, Biellmann, 2L, 2A/2T, camel/sit, spreadeagle, Kerrigan spiral (nice), camel, 2F, a jump sequence beginning with ?, a few .5 somethings and then 2 2Ts, cross-foot spin to end (again unique - the cross foot spin I didn't see others do). All 1st place ordinals.

Kristen Babgy - 2A, sit, 3T, 2S, 2F, layback, spiral sequence (including catch foot during spiral), 2Z, 2 split falling leaves, flying camel, 2T, 2A/2Z, camel/sit/layback/sit.

Mellisa Parker - 3T, 2F, 3S(fall), flying camel/sit, 2L, 2F/2T, 2Z/2T, spin combo, spiral sequence, death-drop/sit, layback. Skated to Phantom of the Opera - nice speed/presentation overall.

Junior Ladies

Marlowe Perry - flying camel, 2Z/2T, 2F, 2L, 2A(step out), sit, spiral sequence, 2A(2-footed), spin, fall during in between, camel/sit/layback/sit/scratch.

That gives you an idea - you're seeing 1-2 triples for senior ladies, to answer that question. I took notes on others of if there's any particular skater you want my notes let me know here and I'll post them.

[haribobo]

Thanks for the notes, Adrian. Were 3z, 3f, and 3r not allowed? ;) Do you have notes on the top 3 men? Calvillo, Fein, and Knazek...

[adrianchew]

I was having trouble keeping my eyes open by the time the men's event came around, but I do have details on Cavillo...

3T/2T, flying sit, 2Z, 2A, 3L(2-footed), 3T, 3S, 2F, 2A(step-out)/2T, camel/sit/scratch.

[Ellyn]

Thanks for the notes, Adrian. Were 3z, 3f, and 3r not allowed?

They're allowed (there would never be a competition level that allows some triples and not others, because not all skaters find the "easiest" triples to be easiest), but maybe none of these ladies felt comfortable risking them in this context.

Collegiate championships rules (at least as of 2 years ago, which is the latest rulebook I have on hand) allow double-double combinations in the short program for both men and ladies, and single instead of double axels for junior men and ladies. And no quads for senior men. There are no differences in the long program requirements from normal senior and junior LP rules.

Do you have notes on the top 3 men? Calvillo, Fein, and Knazek...

I would be curious about these guys also.

[Trillian]

Anyone know how Kate Liberman skated? I'm disappointed I'm not going to see her in New England this season.

[adrianchew]

Kate Liberman - Bielmann, 2Z/2T/2L, 3T(fall), 2A, flying camel, spiral sequence (incl. catch foot position), 2L/2T, layback, 2F/2T, 2S, split falling leaf, 2T, camel/layback/sit, catch-foot spin. She had nice details in her presentation.

Actually her ordinals suggested the judges thought she should be around 4th in the freeskate (though she ended up 5th in FS)... but the ordinals mixed up somewhat between 2nd and 5th.

I believe top 3 in the FS did a single triple - Kate went down on her attempt, that must have been costly in this particular competition.

On clean jumps - Heather Aseltine who won had very nice jumps - good height, not cheated from what I can tell, though she did take quite a bit of time to go into the 3T attempt.

[Louis]

I didn't go, but I heard secondhand that Melissa Parker landed a triple lutz. Judging by the placements, I assume it would have been in the free skate. (Unless my source meant that she landed it in practice.) The senior ladies competition was described to me as being very strong overall-- my source said that some of them would have fared well at the Liberty Open. A few girls with double axels apparently didn't make it past qualifying.

In the senior men, Rusty Fein did a 3flip-2toe in the short program and fell on the 3lutz. In the free, he fell on or popped everything in the first half of his program but got in a 3lutz (which didn't count because it was the second attempt and not in combination) and two 3toes toward the end. He skated to last year's "Planets" program.

[adrianchew]

Louis - its possible what I marked as a 3T was Melissa Parker's 3Z. I thought she did a 3Z but kept wondering if my mind is playing tricks on me - since most of them seemed to be struggling to put one 1 triple.

How do you do it - my eyes need more training! :roll:

[Trillian]

Adrian, thanks for the info on Kate. She's never been much of a jumper, but her better performances can verge on brilliant in terms of presentation IMO. I'm really going to miss her at regionals.

[adrianchew]

Trillian - I put down - *detail* in my notes - there's little things she does that accentuates her skating very nicely. :)

[Mazurka Girl]

I'm glad to see Rusty getting back into the mix, even if not at his best this time - he's had a tough year with injuries. I'll be pulling for him this year.

[Hannahclear]

Adrian,

I used to skate with 2 of the senior ladies who didn't qualify, Theona Harwood and Courtney Lyons. Can you tell me what jumps they did and what happened? I thought they were both good skaters. What, no triples?

[skatesnrides]

Trillian:
I agree with you about Kate Liberman. I had never seen her skate before, so I didn't know who she was, but I was blown away by her presentation. She was truly stunning. You mentioned that she would not be at regionals this year? I was planning on going, so I will be disappointed, as well.

[Trillian]

Originally posted by skatesnrides
You mentioned that she would not be at regionals this year?

Nope. She's qualified for Easterns for the last two years, but now that she's leaving for college in New York, she's apparently decided to give up competing. She will be skating with one of the ensemble companies (the Next Ice Age?) from what I've heard. Between going to a good college and doing some show skating she'll have some great opportunities, but I sure will miss seeing her compete!

[adrianchew]

I only got there for the LP on Saturday, so I'm afraid I didn't get to see those who skated in the qualifying rounds. Based on what I saw, there were few triples to go around... most of the seniors probably have 1-2 triples and not all were landing them either.

[Artistic Skaters]

Thanks for the updates all! I would love to see this event grow & I hope the USFSA will continue to schedule the event at different locations like they did this year.

[lisabelle]

it's somewhere else next year too, i dont remember where though, somewhere with a M. Minneapolis, or Michagin? I'm not sure.

[Lovena]

Originally posted by Hannahclear
Adrian,

I used to skate with 2 of the senior ladies who didn't qualify, Theona Harwood and Courtney Lyons. Can you tell me what jumps they did and what happened? I thought they were both good skaters. What, no triples?

Hannahclear,

Not Adrian here, but I am Theo's mom. Unfortunately, Theo didn't qualify. She had just started landing her double axel at the collegiate nationals and had plans to include it in her program. She had started her program going in the wrong direction and as a result popped her opening double flip and double lutz/double toe combo. There was a few moments when she paused in her program....I could hear folks around me mumur that she had "forgotten her program" ....but she was trying to "pick up" her program.

No, no triples ......

Theo nontheless had fun....this was her first collegiate nationals and the experience is different from competitions she has been in.

Hannahclear, do I know you from Colonial or Haverhill-Salem????

:)

[liljimeo]

Since this is not like a Regular National event.. and they allow double/double and single axels... Do you have to have passed your junior/senior tests to skate at the event?
I know that sounds like a dumb question... but I never claimed to be smart. heehee

[Hannahclear]

Lovena,

You know I saw you on the board and I thought it might be you especially when I saw the sewing thread, because I remembered your stuff from the HFSC. I used to live across from you in the condos, it's Jessica, remember? How are you doing? I live in Michigan now, but I try to keep up with skating in NE, I'll be moving back next year with my husband.

I always thought Theona was a good skater, she always looked really comfortable on the ice, with nice flow and speed. I'm glad she had a good time. Do you know what happened with Courtney? I went to high school with her.
:)

[Lovena]

Originally posted by Hannahclear
Lovena,

You know I saw you on the board and I thought it might be you especially when I saw the sewing thread, because I remembered your stuff from the HFSC. I used to live across from you in the condos, it's Jessica, remember? How are you doing? I live in Michigan now, but I try to keep up with skating in NE, I'll be moving back next year with my husband.

I always thought Theona was a good skater, she always looked really comfortable on the ice, with nice flow and speed. I'm glad she had a good time. Do you know what happened with Courtney? I went to high school with her.
:)

Yes, I remember you very well Jessica!!! *S* In fact, when I see your Dad, I always wave to him....don't know if he remembers me, but I wave anyways! *L* Hope your parents are doing well. And congrats on your marriage as well. Remember our little poodle Cinnamon, and how you use to come over to feed him and let him out when we were out? Well, we had to put him down on Aug 5th. We had him for 14 years and 8 years ago he was diagnosed with a heart mumur. We finally had to put him down because of he got worse and as a result, had Congestive Heart Failure. We miss him so dearly!

Yes, Theo had a such a great time Delaware. She's excited about next year's nationals and looks forward to competing at more collegiate events. The collegiate level is definately different! I didn't take any notes of other skaters and I usually don't, but I do know that Courtney didn't qualify (her dad and my husband used to golf together). I later saw her and her mom at the Riverside outlet in Wilmington and spoke to them. Courtney too had a great time competing at the nationals, still loves to skate and competes for fun.

We enjoyed our time in Delaware, such a nice place and lots to see too.

So glad to hear from you!!!
{{{hugs}}}


Lovena