adrianchew
09-20-2002, 11:27 PM
I didn't take any notes, so I'm working from my fuzzy recollections.
The event started a little late. Crowd was maybe 75% filling up the lower 3/4s of the arena. Wasn't a sellout, and the crowd slowly trickled in.
Opening had all the main skaters come out onto the ice doing highlights each. They had celebrities off ice announcing/introducing the skaters. Steve Buscemi was the main announcer, and JoJo Starbuck and Joanna Glick were skaters that did some introductions, but didn't skate. Dick Button was present to present special awards out to Gov. Pataki (who sent a representative), the FDNY, NYPD and Port Authority police. Valerie Smalldone(spelling?) from Lite FM was there too.
Melissa Ielpi skated in memory of her brother, Joanna Glick did her introduction. Nicole Bobek skated to Imagine, Scott/Dulebohn did Heartbreak Hotel. Tim Goebel did his Freedom program. Naomi Lang/Peter did Parisian Walkways (a program that I always love watching, even if I've seen it a ton of times already).
Lucinda Ruh skated in a golden bodysuit which highlighted her spins - she could spin forever and ever! 8O Usova/Platov skated to Carmen. Surya did numerous backflips amongst other things. Tim Goebel did a bunch of jumps, not all were clean/solid, neither were Abt's.
Sasha Cohen was the only skater I actually tried to take mental note of program elements since it is going to be her competitive freeskate for the season. Rachmaninoff for her is a soft, gentle, flowy piece... the programs just melds the elements instead of showcasing individual elements.
She opened with a 2-axel, did a 3-lutz and 3-flip I believe (harder to tell from the angle I was at, was at the other end), all jumps easy. Does not look like a quad is going to be there, at least to begin with. Somwhere in there was an outside edge spreadeagle (circular pattern), and her skid spiral. 3-loop was a little low, 1 foot landing but when the free leg was stretched back the toepick caught the ice. Forward spiral which I think had a change of edge. Straight line footwork has numerous steps, turns, toepick moves, etc. Extended beautiful ina bauer (I suspect a 3-sal is at the end of that in competition). Her trademark Russian split is in the program, layback, combo spins (I didn't mentally not all the spin positions).
Her edge quality has either improved tremendously, or people are just missing it - I'm seeing deep edges, amongst the deeper ones of the ladies there tonight. I can't say I understand the fuss in the past... there are times she uses less edge, but that could perhaps be intentional - her forward spiral for example. Rachmaninoff looks polished and ready enough for competition use.
The event started a little late. Crowd was maybe 75% filling up the lower 3/4s of the arena. Wasn't a sellout, and the crowd slowly trickled in.
Opening had all the main skaters come out onto the ice doing highlights each. They had celebrities off ice announcing/introducing the skaters. Steve Buscemi was the main announcer, and JoJo Starbuck and Joanna Glick were skaters that did some introductions, but didn't skate. Dick Button was present to present special awards out to Gov. Pataki (who sent a representative), the FDNY, NYPD and Port Authority police. Valerie Smalldone(spelling?) from Lite FM was there too.
Melissa Ielpi skated in memory of her brother, Joanna Glick did her introduction. Nicole Bobek skated to Imagine, Scott/Dulebohn did Heartbreak Hotel. Tim Goebel did his Freedom program. Naomi Lang/Peter did Parisian Walkways (a program that I always love watching, even if I've seen it a ton of times already).
Lucinda Ruh skated in a golden bodysuit which highlighted her spins - she could spin forever and ever! 8O Usova/Platov skated to Carmen. Surya did numerous backflips amongst other things. Tim Goebel did a bunch of jumps, not all were clean/solid, neither were Abt's.
Sasha Cohen was the only skater I actually tried to take mental note of program elements since it is going to be her competitive freeskate for the season. Rachmaninoff for her is a soft, gentle, flowy piece... the programs just melds the elements instead of showcasing individual elements.
She opened with a 2-axel, did a 3-lutz and 3-flip I believe (harder to tell from the angle I was at, was at the other end), all jumps easy. Does not look like a quad is going to be there, at least to begin with. Somwhere in there was an outside edge spreadeagle (circular pattern), and her skid spiral. 3-loop was a little low, 1 foot landing but when the free leg was stretched back the toepick caught the ice. Forward spiral which I think had a change of edge. Straight line footwork has numerous steps, turns, toepick moves, etc. Extended beautiful ina bauer (I suspect a 3-sal is at the end of that in competition). Her trademark Russian split is in the program, layback, combo spins (I didn't mentally not all the spin positions).
Her edge quality has either improved tremendously, or people are just missing it - I'm seeing deep edges, amongst the deeper ones of the ladies there tonight. I can't say I understand the fuss in the past... there are times she uses less edge, but that could perhaps be intentional - her forward spiral for example. Rachmaninoff looks polished and ready enough for competition use.