North American Challenge Skate(s)

[Smiley]

Hi! I know that skatecanada has their assignments up but I was wondering if anyone knew what American skaters were going where??
And i thought it would be nice to have a little topic to speak about the North American Challenge skates!!!! :D

[bcskater]

well NACs' are still a couple month away, but i do no that BC got 13 or more entries!!!!! GO BC!!!!!!

[leap of faith]

I'm just happy NF/Lab got 3 entries. I was thinking they might only get 1.

[Wind]

Is anyone familiar enough with the various junior ice dance teams to make any predictions or comments on any of the teams?

[Trillian]

[quote:798a397908="Wind"]Is anyone familiar enough with the various junior ice dance teams to make any predictions or comments on any of the teams?[/quote:798a397908]

I think I've heard the U.S. is sending the top four from the novice division to the junior event. I haven't seen any of them skate (together), but I do know some things about them. Solomon & Cohen won the title by being consistent--they were second in the compulsories and in the free dance at nationals. They're both about 16, I think.

Davis & White won the compulsories but were only third in the free dance (I think they had a fall?). They won an international novice event in Europe this spring, and I think they were first or second at the international novice event in Lake Placid last summer. They're only 15 and 14, but have been together for five years and it sounds like their experience is a big boost. They also skate out of Detroit, although I'm pretty sure they don't work with Shpilband at all (or much?). Charlie is also a strong singles skater who won the U.S. intermediate (same as pre-novice) title this year, which I'm sure helps his dance skills.

Matthews & Zavozin were third at nationals after being favored by some to win the title. The opinion on them seems to vary greatly, as some people thought they were phenomenal for a novice team, and others weren't impressed at all. (Personal bias plays a role too, I'm sure.) I guess we'll see what the NAC judges do with them, but personally I think they're going to be very successful next season. Their weakness last season was the compulsories, which cost them the national title since they won the free dance. I saw Morgan compete in pairs several years ago and was quite impressed with her basic skating, so I look forward to seeing her in dance. Morgan is 14 or 15, and Max is a year older than she is, I think.

Langhans & Braasch have been together for about three(?) seasons now, and are about 17 and 19, I think. I don't know as much about them, except that there were some who thought they maybe should have placed higher at nationals this year. As I've said, though, personal bias is often a factor in statements like that. Without having seen them myself, I can't tell you my opinion.

[leap of faith]

well Canada is sending Nino and Poje who were in junior last year. I think they could win it.

Graham and Nuemann-Aubichon - They are a fairly new team. Alice is fairly new to ice dance. I was very impressed with them at Jr. Nats. They are current Canadian novice champs.

Virtue and Moir - 3rd in novice at Jr. Nats. I really like this team. They are so much smaller than everyone else and really cute but they are good dancers. Their FD last season was adorable.

Karem and McGrath I have no idea since the names aren't even ringing a bell for me.

[Big Guy]

Does anyone know if any of the NAC teams or any other young ice dancers have sites?

[Trillian]

Sounds like Canada is sending a strong team. I seem to recall that Karam & McGrath impressed a lot of people in their NAC event last year, and they placed just behind Nino & Poje at nationals. Aren't they one of the young Canadian teams coached by Shpilband? I've also heard good things about the novice champs.

One head to head comparison of results: I checked the Lake Placid novice dance event from last summer, and Nino & Poje did beat Americans Davis & White there. I think the prediction of them winning this event probably isn't too far off. Also, Virtue & Moir beat Davis & White in the free dance at the Lake Placid event, so obviously they're right up there in terms of being competitive with the Americans too. I think one of the U.S. teams will likely pull off a medal, but a Canadian medal sweep definitely has to be considered a possibility. They're simply sending a more experienced team.

[Aaron W]

[quote:3af986ca9d="Trillian"]

Davis & White won the compulsories but were only third in the free dance (I think they had a fall?). They won an international novice event in Europe this spring, and I think they were first or second at the international novice event in Lake Placid last summer. They're only 15 and 14, but have been together for five years and it sounds like their experience is a big boost. They also skate out of Detroit, although I'm pretty sure they don't work with Shpilband at all (or much?). Charlie is also a strong singles skater who won the U.S. intermediate (same as pre-novice) title this year, which I'm sure helps his dance skills.
[/quote:3af986ca9d]

From what I'm told, they don't work at all with Shpilband. In fact, it sounds like their is a little bit of a "dueling rivalry" between their coach and Shpilband, lol.

I was really impressed with Davis & White when I saw them late this past December. The five years together definitely shows in their unison and closeness to each other. Skating together almost looks like second nature to them. I haven't heard whether they fell at Nationals, but it wouldn't surprise me if they made some type of a mistake since it seems suprising they'd place 3rd with a clean skate. I'm really hoping that Charlie will start to grow more because they're fairly similar in height. However, he's still quite young so I'm not too worried yet - especially since they seem to be handling the height issue pretty well at the moment.

[Sparkey]

ok, does anybody HERE know why the Morrisons are out?

[Smiley]

Karem and McGarth went to a Junior Grand Prix this past season!! They had only placed 12th in novice i think in 2001 Nationals but were given a JGP which surprised alot of people. They didn't place well there or at the 2002 Nationals as Juniors, well not as well as excepted anyways.
Alice and Eric Cdn Nov Champs are very good and i think they will end up on the podium. They are much faster and mroe expressive then Nino and Poje, I think.

[NAdancefan]

I won't venture to predict the whole Jr. Dance outcome, since I've never seen any of the U.S. teams skate, but as far as the four Canadian teams go, I think they'll come out in this order:

1. Karam & McGrath
2. Nino & Poje
3. Graham & Neumann-Aubichon
4. Virtue & Moir

I love all four of these teams in different ways, but I think Karam & McGrath will come out on top this time. Even though Nino & Poje placed higher than K&M at Canadians, it was just one step higher, and that was with K&M having a fall in the FD. I think it'll be close between these teams, but I expect K&M to win the event - they made [i:d9ca6af1fc]huge[/i:d9ca6af1fc] progress between the 2000-01 season (where they finished 12th in Novice) to the 2001-02 season (where they finished 10th as juniors, even with a fall), and I expect the same will happen over the summer as they continue to spend more time at the DSC. They work with Marina Zueva and have been spending more and more time with Igor Shpilband lately (I understand he's choreographed their new programs), and both these coaches are known for having teams polished and ready very early in the season, which is why I'd give K&M the edge over N&P. N&P train with Paul McIntosh, and I'm sure a large portion of his time this summer will be taken up with Flynn & Gislason, who will be balancing both Jr. (international) and Sr. (national) competition this year and are looking to make a move up the standings.

As for Graham & Neumann-Aubichon and Virtue & Moir, the NAC event will be their first try at the jr. level, and I'm guessing they might be held down some by CDs and the fact that it'll be their first time competing an OD. Both teams have a lot of potential, but V&M are very young and look it, which I'm guessing will hold them down a bit in the jr. rankings until they grow some.

[4rkidz]

Last year it was injuries with her, I can only assume it is the same. :(

[Susan]

The Morrison's are going Junior so the summer would be better spent in preparation for the season then training for NACS

[NAdancefan]

Skate Canada revised the lists for both NAC Dieppe and NAC Thunder Bay today - the revised lists can be seen here:

http://www.skatecanada.ca/english/teams/index.html

[leap of faith]

Greening and Sutherland are off the list now...darn!

i wonder what happened to them?
Guess we'll have to wait until Nats to see how they stack up this year.

[Susan]

Sutherland has an injury and therefore they have withdrawn from NAC